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FEBRUARY 5, 2016

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VOL. 2 NO. 203

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PHL’s economic freedom improves anew in ‘16

Local job opportunities and livelihood programs for OFWs

What it takes to be an elite SAF trooper

Canada military ill-prepared to be world’s peacekeeper

Capul: A tiny island with lots of surprises

BANQUET FIT FOR EMPEROR

Calgarians lose thousands after money remittance business shuts down BY KATHERINE PADILLA Philippine Canadian Inquirer

President Aquino addresses Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at a state dinner on Thursday in Malacañang’s Ceremonial Hall. With them are the President’s sister Pinky Aquino-Abellada and opposition presidential candidate Vice President Jejomar Binay. LYN RILLON / PDI

Ombudsman: So many in gov’t are corrupt Voters urged to pick leaders with integrity BY TARRA QUISMUNDO Philippine Daily Inquirer A “SUPER” number of corrupt government officials can still be found throughout the bureaucracy, according to Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, who is urging voters to choose in

the May elections candidates with integrity if they want a clean government. Corruption remains prevalent in the government, Morales said, noting that her office had received thousands of complaints about graft and corrupt practices and other administrative violations.

Fil-Can in Focus: Joycelyn David

A REMITTANCE company, SR Cash Remit, and its director, Marisyel Pilande, are being investigated by the Calgary police following failure to send customers’ money overseas, mostly to the Philippines, the Calgary Herald reported. Pilande, a native of Laguna, is believed to be in hiding in the Philippines. Sources say remittances ranging from $200 to $15,000 for the period October to December 2015, failed to reach their intended beneficiaries. So far, over 70 victims have come forward and authorities are encouraging those victimized to contact the police. Monies sent by remitters are “hardearned monies” intended to help their families either for medication, pay off debts, for kids education and for celebrations. “The possibility of recovering their loss is remote,” according to

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❱❱ PAGE 21 Calgarians lose

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Philippine News

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2016

Yes, it can be done – gov’t agency shows how to cut red tape BY JEANNETTE I. ANDRADE Philippine Daily Inquirer CUTTING SOME red tape, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has allowed its 12 area center managers throughout the country to sign off on local airport improvement projects up to P5 million, from the prior P3 million. In an order issued in December, CAAP Director General William Hotchkiss III raised the capital outlay ceiling for procurements to P5 million per project that area center managers had the authority to approve. The revision was for “the exigency of

the service and in order to expedite the approval of procurement transactions,” according to Hotchkiss. CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio said the new order allowed area center managers—their people on the ground— to undertake urgent airport improvements and repairs without having to seek permission from the head office. The CAAP exercises supervision and control over 84 airports nationwide, excluding the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and privately owned airports. Apolonio said the new order was “economical and practical and would save time, to the ultimate benefit of the flying public.” It would likewise decentralize the procurement process. ■

DOH downplays threat but airports on alert BY KRISTINE FELISSE MANGUNAY AND JOCELYN R. UY Philippine Daily Inquirer

Continuous coordination between the flight crew and airport personnel would ensure as well that passengers who exhibit symptoms of specific diseases will be “separated” from the rest upon arrival, De Castro said.

Zika virus mainly because its primary carrier, the Aedes aegypti mosquito, was endemic in the country. The mosquito-borne virus linked to severe brain damage in infants had been rapidly spreading in Latin American countries and in some parts of Asia, prompting the DOH to step up its surveillance program against the virus.

ALTHOUGH THE Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) had yet to Black cups in bathrooms receive specific guidelines from the DeHe also cited the “baseline projects” partment of Health’s Bureau of Quaran- in place at the airport to prevent the tine (BOQ) to prevent the possible entry spread of dengue mosquitoes said to be of travelers carrying the Zika virus, air- the same carriers of the Zika virus. BOQ Active surveillance port officials said they were “continu- personnel, De Castro said, “regularly” But Health Secretary Janette Garin ously implementing standard health place inside airport bathrooms black said the Philippines’ risk to Zika virus procedures” that had proved effective in cups that contain a mixture that attracts was lower than countries with high tourmonitoring the Middle East respiratory the aggressive Aedes aegypti mosquito. ist traffic to and from Brazil, which had syndrome (MERS) virus and the Ebola “Once the mosquitoes lay their eggs reported around 4,000 suspected cases virus in the past. there, they die,” he said. of microcephaly, the rare condition that “We have health results in babies becheckpoints (in each ing born with abnorterminal) upon arrivmally small heads al of passengers (and) and underdeveloped can monitor their brains. temperature through People infected by the Zika virus exhibit the “We are on acour health scanners,” same symptoms as those who have dengue tive surveillance... MIAA spokesperson fever, which infects roughly 100,000 Filipinos [The culprit] is the David de Castro said. and kills hundreds every year. same mosquito [as “We have quaranthe dengue carrier], tine facilities in each hence, we are being terminal and BOQ aggressive and have personnel at the araugmented insecrival concourse of each terminal to Airport janitors also maintain the ticide-treated screens, repeated cam(attend) to passengers seen to exhibit cleanliness of the airport and its sur- paigns and reminders to destroy breedsymptoms of specific diseases,” he add- roundings, especially since mosquitoes ing areas,” Garin told the INQUIRER. ed. are known to thrive in dirty environMedical teams with at least one doctor ment and stagnant water, the airport Be more vigilant per shift will also be on standby in each spokesperson added. Infectious disease specialist Dr. Dessi terminal, as well as an ambulance outHealth experts meanwhile warned Roman, a consultant at the Research Inside, the MIAA spokesperson said. that the country was vulnerable to the stitute for Tropical Medicine, said Filiwww.canadianinquirer.net

pinos traveling to countries with active cases of the Zika virus should take extra precautions. “There are no travel restrictions but pregnant women need to be more vigilant,” Roman said, adding that travelers must refrain from going to places such as old ruins and temples, gardens, forest areas and other places where stagnant water was expected. “Use barrier precautions like wearing long sleeves and pants, and applying mosquito repellant,” Roman said. No travel history

In a phone interview, DOH spokesperson Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy said the Philippines had no active case of the virus although there was one reported four years ago of a 15-year-old boy in Cebu City who contracted the virus in May 2012. The patient had no travel history. Taiwan, meanwhile, confirmed its first case of Zika virus from a man who had traveled to Northern Thailand. People infected by the Zika virus exhibit the same symptoms as those who have dengue fever, which infects roughly 100,000 Filipinos and kills hundreds every year. Aside from fever and rashes, the symptoms of the Zika virus infection include joint and muscle pains, headaches and conjunctivitis. The World Health Organization warned that the disease could be misdiagnosed in areas where dengue is common since it has similar clinical signs. ■

Philippine News

FEBRUARY 5, 2016

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PETA offers reward SC junks with finality Laude to catch cat killers family’s bid to transfer in Makati Pemberton to regular local jail BY CHRISTOPHER LLOYD T. CALIWAN Philippines News Agency MANILA — The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Asia on Tuesday offered reward to anyone who could provide information leading to the identity of a person responsible for the death of some of the 12 community cats which have gone missing from Dasmariñas Village in Makati City since early January. “It’s imperative that any community faced with a violent act such as the vicious killing of the community cats of Dasmariñas Village take measures to find the culprit or culprits and bring them to justice,” Jason Baker, PETA Asia Vice President for International Operations said. The community cats in Dasmariñas Village have been spayed and neutered through CARA Welfare’s Trap-NeuterReturn program and are fed by residents of the village. The management and secu-

rity of Dasmariñas Village are looking into the barbaric series of crimes, which began on Jan. 13, 2016, but so far no suspects have been identified. However, Martin John Pio Arenas, barangay chairman, denied reports that there was a cat killer on the loose. He admitted a stray cat was poisoned near the animal pen several weeks ago but it was not proven that it was killed. But Baker said that PETA was offering a reward up to Php 50,000 for information leading to the identification and conviction of those responsible for these cruel acts. “Animal abusers are a danger to everyone: They take their issues out on whomever is available to them, human or nonhuman, and must be caught before they act again. We’re appealing to anyone with information about those responsible for these cruel crimes to come forward now so that the perpetrator or perpetrators can be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Baker noted. ■

BY PERFECTO T. RAYMUNDO Philippines News Agency

Branch 74 for strangling to death Filipino transgender Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude in Olongapo City on Oct. 11, 2014. The petition was filed by Marilou S. Laude and Mesehilda S. Laude, Jennifer’s mother and sister, respectively. “Wherefore, premises considered, the Petition for Certiorari is dismissed for lack of

the SC cited the petitioner’s failure to comply with the three-day notice rule is unjustified. It also cited the separate filMANILA — The Supreme ing of the urgent motion to Court (SC) en banc on Tuesday compel the Armed Forces of the dismissed with finality the petiPhilippines (AFP) to surrender tion of the Laude family seekcustody of accused to the Oloning the transfer of detention of gapo City Jail without the conUnited States Marines Lance formity of the public prosecuCpl. Joseph Scott tor is unjustified Pemberton to a as every criminal local jail. case is filed in In a press the name of the conference, SC Pemberton was convicted of People of the Public Inforhomicide by the Olongapo City Philippines, repmation Office Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch resented by the (PIO) Chief and 74 for strangling to death Filipino public prosecuSpokesman Atty. transgender Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude tors. Theodore O. Te in Olongapo City on Oct. 11, 2014. The SC noted said that “the that the petiCourt denied tioners have not with finality the shown any reaMotion for Reson for excepconsideration filed by petition- grave abuse of discretion re- tional treatment. ers from the Court’s Decision sulting to lack or excess of juLikewise, the SC cited the dated November 24, 2015 dis- risdiction. The prayer for the petitioner’s challenge to the missing their Petition.” issuance of a writ of mandatory constitutionality of the VisitPemberton was convicted of injunction is likewise denied ing Forces Agreement (VFA) is homicide by the Olongapo City for lack of merit,” the SC ruled. a collateral challenge which is Regional Trial Court (RTC) In dismissing the petition, not the “lis mota” in this case. ■

Lina should have been axed, says ex-BOC exec BY JERRY E. ESPLANADA Philippine Daily Inquirer CITING COMMAND responsibility, one of the eight dismissed officials of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said that Commissioner Alberto Lina should have been the one fired for the agency’s failure to meet its 2015 revenue target of P436 billion. “Why put the blame on us instead? Why should we be faulted for the ports’ reduced revenue collections attributed mainly to the fall in global oil prices? It’s unfair,” retired Army Brig. Gen. Bonifacio de Castro told the INQUIRER. The bureau collected only P366 billion, for a shortfall of over P70 billion last year. De Castro also assailed Lina for allowing them to be dismissed based on political concerns, not on merit. That, he

said, made his former boss “inutile” and “inefficient.” The former Armed Forces officer had served as Customs district collector at the Port of San Fernando in La Union. De Castro alleged that their removal from the BOC was part of a “last-minute fund raising activity” by some unnamed people and groups supporting certain candidates in the May elections. He said was an issue some top Customs officials would rather not talk about. Contacted by phone, Lina brushed aside De Castro’s claims, saying he had nothing to do with the dismissal of the exmilitary officers. “It’s Congress that disapproved (the generals’) budgetary appropriations,” Lina said. Customs Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Jessie Dellosa, resigned BOC Com-

Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina.

APEC PHOTO

missioner John Phillip Sevilla and Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares have joined some BOC reform team members in taking up the cudgels for the retired military officers. Dellosa said that same politicians, including certain congressmen he did not identify, actually worked hard to have

the eight retired Armed Forces officers removed from their posts. Both Dellosa and De Castro belong to Philippine Military Academy Class of 1979. Sevilla had posted on his Facebook account that the officers had “stepped on plenty of toes.”

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“Congress, that great institution of vested interests in Customs, finally figured out a way to get them fired,” Sevilla said. Aside from De Castro, also dismissed from the BOC were Esteban Castro (Clark International Airport), Ernesto Benitez Jr. (Port of Batangas), Mario Mendoza (Port of Manila), Elmir de la Cruz (Manila International Container Port), Arnulfo Marcos (Port of Cebu), Jerry Lorescom (Port of Zamboanga) and Rolando Ricafrente (Port of Limay in Bataan). Last year, 11 of the country’s 17 major ports missed their revenue goals, with the ports of Batangas and Limay posting the highest collection shortages during the period. Limay reportedly fell short of its P45.27-billion target by over P23 billion while Batangas collected only P82.3 billion of its P96.03-billion goal. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2016

P-Noy to nix military pensions, too BY GIL CABACUNGAN Philippine Daily Inquirer AFTER EXERCISING a veto against a hike in Social Security System (SSS) pensions, President Aquino will also be taking a hard-line stance against a higher pension for retired military and police personnel if it would unduly burden the next generation, according to Communications Undersecretary Manuel L. Quezon III. Quezon said Malacañang was exerting all efforts “quietly and behind the scenes” to ensure that the issue of military pensions would not stall the passage of the general Salary Standardization Law (SSL). The new SSL is in danger of not being approved by the bicameral conference committee before Congress holds its final session day on Feb. 3, because of a conflict in the House and Senate versions regarding the handling of military pensions. Congress will adjourn next week with the start of the official campaign period on Feb. 9. In a radio interview, Senate President Franklin Drilon guaranteed that the SSL would be approved by Congress and signed by the President. Drilon was hoping the House would agree to the pension “indexation” and allocate the estimated P18 billion additional fund in the 2017 budget. Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. was also optimistic that Congress would agree and uphold the SSL bill. The House had excised the provision on indexation or the pegging of pensions of retired uniformed personnel to current salaries. The position of the Department of Budget and Management is that this provision would require ballooning and unsustainable fund allotments from the government. Over the last 13 years, the government has already accumulated P18 billion in unpaid pension adjustments to military officers based on a Marcos decree mandating a pension hike among retired military personnel at par with the pay hike of active soldiers. The government did not allocate funds for the pension increase starting in 2002. The Commission on Audit issued a ruling in May last year ordering the payment

Miffed JPE dares P-Noy to debate BY CHRISTINE O. AVENDAÑO AND JERRY E. ESPLANADA Philippine Daily Inquirer

President Benigno S. Aquino III.

of pension arrears. The Senate, however, is in favor of retaining the automatic increase in the pension of retired military and police as mandated by law with the implementation of a P226-billion salary hike for 1.53 million government employees spread over four years under the SSL. The House has proposed to implement the salary hike because this has already been allocated in this year’s budget— but without the indexation of military and police pensions. This matter would be dealt with in a separate bill. The Senate proposed that the SSL be approved with the controversial pension indexation intact, but with a provision that this would be “subject to the availability of funds.” Malacañang said it did not want to leave the funding of military and police pensions to chance. “It would be best to appeal to both the Senate and the House [of Representatives] to think not only of the benefits for the government workers but also to think of the implications of the funding that would be undertaken by the coming generations,” Quezon said. Quezon explained that once the military and police pensions would be based on current and not previous salaries, this would have dire implications on the next generation

GIL NARTEA / MALACAÑANG PHOTO BUREAU

who would have no choice but to pay for the salary hike. “The pension rate would be based on a moving target and this will grow so much that it will be impossible to finance through member contributions,” Quezon said. Quezon pointed out that the President himself had appealed to Congress in a Sona to reform the military and police pension system with the collapse of the Armed Forces and Police Saving and Loan Association Inc. during the Ramos administration. But Quezon said any reform should not be made at the risk of pushing the entire pension system to financial collapse. “So we’re hoping that members of the Senate and the House are discussing this thoroughly and that they are looking for a win-win solution,” Quezon said. Malacañang’s opposition to the pension hike for military and soldiers mirrored the reasons given by the President when he vetoed the SSS bill granting a P2,000 pension hike to members. The President said the pension hike would imperil the SSS and push it to bankruptcy in 12 years to the detriment of 27 million members who would sacrifice for the sake of 2 million SSS retirees. But unlike the SSS pension hike, the indexation of military pension is mandatory under the law. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

SENATE MINORITY Leader Juan Ponce Enrile yesterday challenged President Aquino to a public debate on the Mamasapano massacre, adding that the Chief Executive could be hauled to court once he steps down from office on June 30 for his involvement in last year’s botched police operation that led to the death of 44 Special Action Force (SAF) commandos. Malacañang, however, brushed off Enrile’s challenge, saying the opposition senator had an opportunity to present his case during the recent reopening of the Senate probe into the tragic Mamasapano clash but failed. Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said “it is best that our people focus their energies instead on how to sustain the momentum of (the Aquino administration’s) reform and transformation efforts that have gained their respect and the admiration of the global community.” Enrile called for a debate in a radio interview yesterday, insisting that Mr. Aquino was to blame for the death of the SAF members who were on a mission to arrest Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, and two other terrorists in an upland area in Maguindanao on Jan. 25, 2015. “Again, I say to all of you listening now, whoever you may be, even if you’re the President of the Philippines, down to the lowest strata of society, all of you, if you wish to debate the Mamasapano case, just tell me when, and I’ll debate with you—especially if you’re the President,” the 91 year-old Enrile said in Filipino in the interview over dzBB radio. “Lalampaushin niya ako o lalampasuhin ko siya (Will he trounce me or will I trounce him)?” Enrile said, adding that he would also debate Palace spokespersons. Countering comments that the reopening of the Senate investigation last week did not bring out any new evidence, Enrile said he had in his possession an “audit operation re-

port” that the authorities had been “suppressing.” He said rumors that the audit report had been changed were “true” but did not elaborate. Enrile also contended that contrary to Palace allies’ line, Napeñas was not to blame for the ill-fated police mission, lauding the police general who neutralized Marwan after nine unsuccessful attempts by the police and military. Should Napeñas be charged for Mamasapano, Enrile said the former SAF chief’s lawyers should make sure the charge sheet included Mr. Aquino. Enrile said he intended to bring these matters to the public during the election campaign which starts this month. He also said the committee report submitted last year by committee chair Sen. Grace Poe had just made a conclusion without any basis that President Aquino was ultimately responsible for the Mamasapano debacle. He asked media to ask Poe the basis for the committee’s conclusion that Mr. Aquino was responsible. “What are the facts? My God, in criminal law you deal with facts not conclusions. If you don’t know that, my God I am sorry for her (Poe) and for this country,” Enrile said. Meanwhile, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III said in the same radio program that Mr. Aquino had actually told Napeñas to inform others about the mission as well. It was his opinion, contrary to that of Enrile’s, that the President could not be held criminally liable for the Mamasapano slaughter. Enrile said he did not think justice for the SAF 44 could come at this time. But he said that President Aquino would face prosecution for sure for the Mamasapano debacle when the latter is no longer president. Enrile said he would no longer be a senator by then, as his term also ends on June 30, but added that he was still a “lawyer for life.” “My advice to the President and his lawyers is to study (the eight points he had raised against Mr. Aquino during last week’s Senate hearing) because that will be the basis for the charges to be filed against him in the future,” Enrile said. ■

Philippine News

FEBRUARY 5, 2016

Ridership in Pasig ferry boats up

‘Create 2 federal states in Muslim Mindanao for peace’

BY JERRY E. ESPLANADA Philippine Daily Inquirer RIDERSHIP IN the Pasig River Ferry System has picked up, a sign that more and more commuters traveling between Pasig City and Manila and vice versa have come to prefer this mode of transportation over buses, jeepneys or trains, according to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). During the agency’s weekly Sunday radio program, MMDA Pasig Ferry head Rod Tuazon said they were now averaging around 500 passengers a day compared with about 100 in 2015. “I think the public is choosing the ferry over the bus or other modes of transport since it takes them [only] 45 minutes to reach Manila from Pasig,” Tuazon added, noting that travel time between the two points usually takes around two hours. A check of the Guadalupe station’s records last year showed that more than 100 passengers

BY JAYMEE T. GAMIL Philippine Daily Inquirer

Pasig Ferry 4 approaching Santa Ana Station in the Pasig River. BARRERA MARQUEZ / WIKIPEDIA COMMONS

rode in ferry boats every day, mostly between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. To accommodate the increasing number of passengers, Tuason said they were adding more boats to their existing fleet of 16. The new commuter boats are also made of fiberglass with a maximum capacity of 45 passengers. The MMDA currently operates 12 ferry stations in Metro Manila, namely Pinagbuhatan, Maybunga and San Joaquin in Pasig City; Guadalupe and Va-

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lenzuela in Makati City; Hulo in Mandaluyong City; and PUP Sta. Mesa, Sta. Ana, Lambingan, Lawton, Escolta and Plaza Mexico in Manila. Fares range between P15 to P95 while operating hours are from Mondays to Saturdays, between 6:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Tuazon, meanwhile, assured commuters of a convenient, comfortable and stenchfree ride along the river due to the MMDA’s regular clearing operations. ■

WITH HOPE dying on the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), an ex-governor has proposed a drastic solution to achieve the “elusive peace” in southern Philippines: Amend the Constitution to allow the creation of two federal states in Muslim Mindanao. This was the formula proposed by former Tawi-Tawi Gov. Al Tillah, which he presented at a media forum in Quezon City yesterday. Tillah suggested that two federal states in Muslim Mindanao could be created—one for the island provinces of Sulu, TawiTawi, Basilan and the “environs of Zamboanga,” and another for the landlocked provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur

and neighboring provinces. Tillah expressed the hope the Philippines “will go with the federal system” and “amend the Constitution” through a constitutional convention. “This government thinks the 1987 Cory Constitution is the Bible, the Quran. It is not. The United States Constitution has been amended several times. Why is it not possible to amend the Constitution… to serve the needs and times of our people and country?” Tillah said. Tillah said the BBL—a key feature of the peace agreement the Aquino administration signed with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and which seeks to create an expanded Muslim region in Mindanao to replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao—can only achieve peace “to some extent, but not totally.” ■

Imperial Couple leave with mixed memories BY KRISTINE FELISSE MANGUNAY AND NIÑA P. CALLEJA Philippine Daily Inquirer JAPANESE EMPEROR Akihito and his wife, Empress Michiko, left for home at noon yesterday, ending a five-day state visit to the Philippines that shone a light on the bitter lessons of World War II. President Aquino, with his sister Pinky Abellada and some Cabinet members, led the simple send-off ceremonies at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. The imperial couple, who first visited the Philippines more than 50 years ago as crown prince and princess, walked side by side with the Aquino siblings, making a series of ceremonial bows before entering their aircraft. At a final press briefing on the state visit late Friday, the emperor’s press secretary Hatsuhisa Takashima said the royal couple enjoyed the hospitality of the Filipinos, particularly the

President and his sister. “They are relieved that the trip was successfully conducted and it has come to an end and they can go home,” he said. Takashima said the memories of the war as they go back to Tokyo will be even “stronger.” Akihito, the son of Emperor Hirohito in whose name Japan had waged war on the Philippines and other Asian countries 70 years ago, led memorial services for those killed during World War II on separate occasions in Manila and Laguna.

Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan visit the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Los Baños Laguna. BENHUR ARCAYAN / MALACAÑANG PHOTO BUREAU / PNA

Cavinti visit

One of the highlights of the trip was a visit to Cavinti, Laguna, to an 11-hectare memorial park built to remember the Japanese war dead. The Philippines, which was invaded and occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945, is believed to have the most number of Japanese casualties outside Japan during the war. Takashima said the couple recalled feeling “nervous” before visiting the Philippines back in 1962 because of the

reported anti-Japanese sentiment among Filipinos barely two decades after the war. The feeling vanished, however, as they were warmly welcomed by then President Diosdado Macapagal and his wife, he said. Takashima said the main purpose of the trip was to keep the memory of the war alive, apart from celebrating the 60th anniversary of the reestablishment of diplomatic ties between the Philippines and Japan. www.canadianinquirer.net

“The message would be stronger than ever. They will keep saying this to the Japanese when they go home. War should not occur again,” he said. The emperor, however, did not issue any public statement expressing remorse or apology for the atrocities committed by the invading Japanese during the war. Businessman Philip Sanvictores, president of the Philippine Federation of Japan Alumni Inc., an organization

of 15,000 former students and graduates of Japanese universities, said Filipinos, instead of looking at the past, are more forward-looking when dealing with the Japanese. “We are optimistic the visit will make our strategic partnership with Japan even stronger,” he said. Lawyer Josue Sim Zuniega, who studied legal management at Tohoku University, described the emperor’s visit as symbolic. “Our parents and grandparents experienced suffering during the war years. They have the impression that the Japanese were aggressors. But now, we live in a happy time. They are now our partners,” Zuniega said. Since the war ended, the relationship between the Philippines and Japan has dramatically improved. Japan has been a strategic ally of the Philippines since 2011, a partnership enabling the two to enhance their defense ties in the face of China’s aggressive activities in the South China Sea. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2016

PHL’s economic freedom improves anew in ‘16 BY JOANN SANTIAGO Philippines News Agency MANILA — The Philippine government on Tuesday hailed another improvement on the country’s ranking on the 2016 Index of Economic Freedom after reaching the 70th place against 178 countries, up from 76th last year. US-based think tank Heritage Foundation said economic freedom in the country is now “moderately free” after getting a score of 63.1 percent out of 100 points. Improvement of the country’s ranking is among the best in the past six years after it jumped by a total of 45 notches since 2010. This latest development came after the think tank cited the improved capacity of Filipinos and investors to own properties, generate income, consume goods and services and to do business. “The Philippine economy has been growing steadily at an average annual rate above six percent the past five years. The government has pursued legislative reforms to enhance the entrepreneurial environment and develop a more vibrant private sector to generate broader based job growth,” Heritage Foundation said in the report released Monday. Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, in a statement, said the government welcomes the latest feat on the country’s economic freedom. He said the latest ranking is the highest for the country since the index began in 1995, placing the country as the 14th freest among 42 Asia Pacific countries included in the survey. Citing results of the survey, the Pal-

Improvement of the country’s ranking is among the best in the past six years after it jumped by a total of 45 notches since 2010.

ace official said the think tank cited the country’s management of public finance, progress in improving the entrepreneurial environment, steady growth of the domestic economy in the past five years, gradual modernization of the financial sector, and improvement on the time and cost of dealing with licenzing requirements. “Apart from serving as a strong testament to the effectiveness of reform, this positive news clearly shows how the Philippines has been progressing under the Aquino administration, and points toward even greater development — so long as we continue along the Straight Path,” he added. Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, in a statement, attributed the rise of the country’s economic freedom to the good governance bid of the Aquino administration. He said the current administration is

committed “to better our institutions and improve business environments to facilitate robust private sector growth.”

Drivers and passengers blame LTFRB for arguments over fare BY MAVELLE P. DURIAN Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA — Arguments over the fare reduction charge to P7 made the jeepney drivers and passengers hit the “laziness” of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB). The absence of fare matrices issued by the LTFRB fired up the debates between the passengers and commuters over the additional chargefor the succeeding travel after the first four kilometers. Fernando, 60, who travels the Binang-

onan-Cubao route admitted that they are charging old rates for trips beyond four kilometer and said that only minimum fare was reduced and not the farther ones. When the driver was informed that the LTFRB set the additional charge at P1.50 for every succeeding kilometers beyond the first four, the driver said that nobody informed them about the new fare matrix. The overcharging of jeepney drivers made a male passenger get into debates and fights and blamed the absence of fare matrix for the confusion and arguments. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

“The consistency of results and recognition in the past six years mean only one thing: We must keep the faith in our governing principles. We will continue to expand the field of economic opportunity to enlarge the share of Filipinos benefiting from and contributing to the gains we are making,” he added. Also, National Competitiveness Council Co-chair Guillermo Luz said the government’s reform agenda aims to provide “an enabling environment to investment generation and to improving the lives of Filipinos” and to make the country “a globally competitive place of business.” “This latest international recognition of the country’s improving economic freedom may be credited partly to coordinated efforts of government agencies and local government units, which the NCC has engaged over the years to continually improve processes for businesses,” he added. ■

Philippine News

FEBRUARY 5, 2016

FRIDAY

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DOLE building façade.

RAMON FVELASQUEZ / WIKIPEDIA COMMONS

Local job opportunities and livelihood programs are available for returning OFWs — DOLE PHILIPPINES NEWS AGENCY

tration (POEA). Meanwhile, the DOLE chief directed labor officials in the Gulf and those DOLE agencies involved in employment facilitation to prepare in case the tension between the two countries worsens. “Because of the development involving Saudi Arabia and Iran, I have directed all our POLOs (Philippine Overseas Labor Office) in the Gulf to prepare a very comprehensive profile of our workers and their occupations there, while here at home, I have instructed all DOLE

painters, and machine operators. “Including nurses and engineers, it is true that holders of these skills may reMANILA — There are jobs and career ceive less in salaries when they work in opportunities in the local market as well the Philippines, but their being in their as livelihood opportunities for Overseas homeland with their families cannot be Filipino Workers (OFWs) who are lookequated with material value because the ing to return to the country, according to social cost of migration is incompensaDepartment of Labor and Employment ble,” said Baldoz. (DOLE) Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz. She added that semi- or low-skilled “Career opportunities are aplenty in the workers can avail of the TESDA’s TrainPhilippines and if a returning OFW opts ing for Work Scholarship Program to to engage in business, that is welcome become jobs-fit or job-ready for higherbecause that is more paying occupations. potentially reward“We are also confiing. The government, dent they can be sucthrough the DOLE, cessful if they go the can help through our Of the total number, 90,000 are overseas entrepreneurial route. livelihood programs,” vacancies in alternative markets derived from We can help cleaners, she said. valid job orders in the Philippine Overseas for example, organize The DOLE chief isEmployment Administration (POEA). themselves into comsued the statement munity service enteramid reports on the prises that can render Saudi Arabia-Iran cleaning jobs,” she said. conflict, which create worries for the agencies involved in employment faciliOFW returnees who may opt to engage safety and welfare of Filipino workers in tation to also map out all available local in livelihood can get assistance from the the Middle East. jobs in preparation just in case there will government through its numerous liveThe tension over the conflict, though, be some reason for them to come, such lihood programs being implemented has since dissipated and the political as getting caught in the middle of the by various government agencies, such and security situation in the region con- conflict,” Baldoz explained. as the DSWD’s Reintegration Program tinues to be calm. Based on the review by the POEA of for Deportees and Returning UndocuBaldoz reported that as of date, there the profile of deployed OFWs, about 32 mented OFWs and Self-Employment are over 230,000 vacancies culled from percent of them are household service Assistance Kaunlaran (SEA-K) Program employers’ postings in the PhilJobNet workers and other household-related and the DOST’s Small Enterprise Techand government, including 30,000 va- workers, such as cleaners, who are con- nology Upgrading. cant teacher-positions from the Depart- sidered vulnerable, but who can be abIn the DOLE, the livelihood programs ment of Education and 15,000 nursing sorbed in the local job market. are a component of the Assist WELL vacancies in public hospitals as reported The other skilled workers are nurses, Program, now institutionalized and set by the Department of Health (DOH). engineers, technicians, laborers, clean- up at the Philippine Overseas EmployOf the total number, 90,000 are over- ers, electricians, drivers, mechanics, ment Administration, Overseas Workseas vacancies in alternative markets welders, waiters/waitresses, construc- ers Welfare Administration, National derived from valid job orders in the Phil- tion workers, service crew, carpenters, Reintegration Center for OFWs and in ippine Overseas Employment Adminis- sales workers, supervisors, plumbers, 15 DOLE regional offices. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

Philippine News

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2016

DOH steps up measures for prevention and control of Zika virus BY LEILANI S. JUNIO Philippines News Agency MANILA — The Department of Health (DOH) said on Tuesday it is stepping up its nationwide preparations for the prevention and control of the new global health hazard dubbed as Zika virus infection. Zika virus is carried by Aedis mosquitoes — the same breed which carries dengue. “In the next few days, the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Alabang, Muntinlupa City will be training and activating other government hospitals and health facilities for Zika virus testing,” DOH Secretary Janette L. Garin said in a press briefing held at the DOH Media Relations Unit in Tayuman St., Sta. Cruz, Manila. Garin said that among the hospitals that will be involved in the training are San Lazaro Hospital in Manila, Lung Center of the Philippines in Quezon City, Baguio General Hospital in Baguio City, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City, and Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City. “So by next week, there will be six hospitals throughout the country — Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao — that will be prepared for testing of suspected patients with zika virus who are knowledgeable on PCR or Polymerase Reaction Testing,” the Health Chief said. She added that the health workers of such facilities will be trained to enhance their laboratory capabilities for handling of testing kits that will be used not only for identifying and confirming of possible Zika cases but also for documenting the cases of Zika virus that can possibly enter the country. Results of said documentation will be later forwarded by the DOH to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, USA. She said that at present, the country has existing 1,000 testing kits for Zika virus that were supplied by CDC. However, she said that such testing kits are limited only and the country has a follow-up request for additional 1,000 testing kits to be prioritized. She said that supplies of said testing kits are still currently being prioritized in the 29 countries affected by Zika virus infection. Said testing kits are not available in the local market and are just manufactured for the purpose of the Zika disease surveillance and monitoring. “The Philippines is privileged because we have 1,000 testing kits available now… We have additional 1,000 kits coming in the next two weeks, but we are reserving them for those who really need to be tested. Why? Kasi pag uubusin natin yun at nagkaroon tayo ng pasyenteng may

DOH Spokesperson Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy and DOH Secretary Janette Loreto-Garin address the public to remember and use “4S” against Zika virus and other mosquito-borne diseases. DOH’S FACEBOOK PAGE

sintomas ng Zika infection ay wala tayong magagamit (Because if we give all of those away immediately, an actual patient infected with Zika would not have any to use),” she added. She said that proper training is needed to ensure that the testing kits will be utilized properly and will not go to waste because of the limited number of supplies which should be ensured that will really be used for those really needing the test (those that come from countries where Zika cases have been recorded). Dr. Garin also said that other current efforts of DOH that have been used in handling of other infectious diseases are still in place. She said that traveler’s screening is ongoing through the filling up of health declaration checklist of those arriving from countries where zika virus infection and other infectious diseases exist. “Do we screen patients at the airport? Yes, kasi ang screening niyan ay kapareho ng MERSCoV (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Corona visus) at Bird Flu (because we screen it the same way as for MERSCoV and Bird Flu),” the Health Chief added. She also said that DOH continues to do close coordination with other government agencies and encourages vector (mosquito) control in the community levels by participating in cleaning and maintaining the environment vector-free. She said that the best way to be protected from the disease is really keeping the environment clean and destroying the breeding sites of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that can possibly transmit the Zika virus. “Let’s go back to basics. We always say that prevention is better than cure. Prevention starts from home,” she stressed. Currently, there is no available vaccine to prevent Zika virus infection and there is no available medicine to actually treat the infection. However, the symptoms of zika virus disease can be treated with the common pain and fever medicines, resting and drinking plenty of water.

In general, the symptoms of Zika virus infection are manageable, and in comparison to dengue, the latter is more severe. The Zika virus became a worldwide concern after the World Health Organization (WHO) convened on Monday a meeting and declared it as public health emergency or concern. Health experts agreed that a causal relationship between Zika infection during pregnancy and microcephaly (a condition where the brain of the baby is not fully developed and small) is strongly suspected, though not yet scientifically proven.

They also agreed on the urgent need to coordinate international efforts to investigate and understand this relationship better. The experts also said coordinated international response is needed to improve surveillance such as detection of infections, congenital malformations, and neurological complications, intensify the control of mosquito populations, and to expedite the development of diagnostic tests and vaccines to protect people at risk, especially mothers during pregnancy. According to Secretary Garin, there were documented reports of 4,180 microcephaly cases as of Jan. 22, 2016 in Brazil. She said that from the 512 cases that were tested, 44 percent showed the possible indication or relation to Zika virus infection while 55 percent were ruled out. “In the Philippines, we did a review for the past 10 years of cases of microcephaly. The total cases of microcephaly cases in the country for the past 10 years was 332,” she added. At present, according to WHO, the most important protective measures against Zika virus infection are the control of mosquito populations and the prevention of mosquito bites in at-risk individuals, especially pregnant women. ■

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Philippine News

FEBRUARY 5, 2016

FRIDAY

Word war between Duterte and Roxas, on again BY KATHERINE PADILLA Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA — Presidential candidates Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte and Manuel “Mar” Roxas II threw slurs against each other again, over a month after they announced ceasefire from their ‘word war’. In a press conference on Sunday, Duterte called Roxas a “zombie” while the Davao mayor recalled the Interior and Local Government Secretary’s appearance after the Super Typhoon Haiyan hit the country. “I was there day two. Si Mar parang zombie rin. Hindi malaman kung ano ang sasabihin.

Nag-drama ka, nagbisikleta ka, natumba ka saka kumain ng kanin sa baso, how stupid can you get? (I was there day two. Mar was like a zombie too. He doesn’t know what to say. You created drama, you biked, you fell and ate rice in a cup, how stupid can you get?)” Duterte said. Duterte also called Roxas “crazy” for saying that he was “all work and no drama” in his political ad that aired in national television. “He’s claiming that he’s no drama, but if he is not crazy, he ate rice in a cup. How stupid can you get? A cup is for water, a plate is for eating rice,” Duterte was quoted as saying in a Stan-

Presidential aspirants Rody Duterte (left) and Mar Roxas.

dard report. “If he does not really engage in drama, he should not be in that commercial to begin with,”

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he added. Meanwhile, Roxas responded to Duterte by saying that the latter is only using him to be

more prominent in the May 9 presidential poll. “Mayor Duterte is just fourth in the surveys,” Roxas said in the same report. “He said before that he didn’t want to talk with the candidate in the fourth spot, but now he’s in fourth place,” he added. In December last year, the two presidential candidates engaged in a ‘word war’ following Duterte’s accusation of Roxas lying about being a Wharton graduate. Roxas responded to Duterte by asking the Mayor to engage in a slap-fight. Duterte suggested gun duel, instead. Days later, the two agreed on a ceasefire only to resume a more than a month later. ■

What it takes To be an elite SAF trooper BY JAYMEE T. GAMIL Philippine Daily Inquirer

Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, backfired. The SAF is the counterterrorism unit of the PNP. It is an elite force whose members are trained in both law enforcement and military operations. In short, “[the SAF] is like the police and the military combined,” Senior Insp. Jayson Baldos, spokesperson for the SAF, said in an interview at the unit’s headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City. Besides counterterrorism operations, the SAF also handles anti-insurgency and hostage rescue operations. The job also includes search and rescue operations during disasters and civil disturbance management. SAF officers are also tapped to provide security to VIPs, including the President of the Philippines.

“MY JOB is not for the weak or fainthearted.” Che Gurrobat-Pascual, 32, remembers those words of her cousin, Max Jim Tria, describing his job as an officer in the Philippine National Police Special Action Force (SAF) at a family gettogether in Catanduanes province two years ago. Tria sported a thick beard and disheveled hair, a far cry Special Action Force troopers during training. from the scrawny and goofy boy Pascual had seen growing up in Santo Domingo in Laguna The field training program the island province in Bicol. province, was as rigorous as the is like the on-the-job training The change made Pascual ask Philippine Army Scout Rangers program for all rookie police, what Tria did for a living. course. where they are distributed to “He didn’t elaborate… [but] Like all rookie police appli- police stations to get a feel of it was then that I started to recants, aspiring SAF officers the daily police grind, ranging alize how adventurous his life first have to meet the general from investigation and intelmust be,” Pascual, a news prorequirements and documen- ligence work to traffic and paducer, said in an tary require- trolling, Baldos said. interview with ments for Police Then comes the training the INQUIRER Officer 1 (PO1) unique to the SAF—the comin Quezon City. then undergo mando course, which takes anTwo years The SAF is the counterterrorism unit the sixmonth ba- other six months, although in after her last of the PNP. It is an elite force whose sic public safety practice, it could take up to two conversation members are trained in both law course at the years, Baldos said. with him, Pasenforcement and military operations. National Police cual understood Training Insti‘No comfort’ what her cousin tute in Laguna. For the duration of the commeant: Tria, 27, From there they mando course, the trainees live was one of the move on to field in tarpaulin tents pitched on 44 SAF commandos killed in a Training training, which takes another humid, dusty fields in Fort Sangun battle with Moro rebels in Of all police units, only the six months, said Supt. Cyril to Domingo. This “tent city” Mamasapano, Maguindanao SAF trains its officers as com- Jasmin, the SAF commandant serves as their barracks as they province, on Jan. 25, 2015, after mandos. Baldos said the train- who also heads the SAF train- undergo daily physical exercisa covert operation to take down ing, at the unit’s school in Fort ing school. es interspersed with classroom www.canadianinquirer.net

WIKIPEDIA COMMONS

instructions. “You will never feel comfort there,” Baldos said, recalling that his days in training usually began at 4 a.m. and ended at 10 p.m. When the INQUIRER visited the training camp, the trainees demonstrated their skills at various rope and obstacle courses. The firing range was busy, filled with students training in marksmanship, shooting pistols and rifles at legal-size paper targets set at 5 to 200 meters away. A regular sight at the camp would be students on “load runs,” in which they jog around a 1.2-kilometer oval carrying rucksacks filled with 18 kilos of sand on their backs. ❱❱ PAGE 13 What it

Philippine News

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2016

Comelec asks public to support ‘shame campaign’ against illegal campaign materials BY FERDINAND G. PATINIO Philippines News Agency MANILA — A week before the start of the campaign period for the national positions in the May 9 polls, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) urged the public to support its “shame campaign” throygh reporting the illegal campaign materials of candidates. Comelec Chairman Juan Andres Bautista encouraged citizens to report campaign materials which are not in the common poster areas designated for this purpose by the law. “We are embarking on a shame campaign. We want to involve the citizenry. We are challenging our countrymen to take a picture of what they believe as illegal campaign materials of candidates,” he said at the press briefing after signing a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Tuesday. The poll body chief noted that pictures of illegal campaign materials will be posted in their official website, hoping to get voters’ attention. “As you know, in social media, if these photos become viral, it may have an effect on the candidate’s campaign because it will be known to everyone that they violate the laws. It is likely that they will not be voted by our voters,” Bautista explained. He added that candidates may also be held liable for violating campaign rules. “It can be reported to the Comelec, after which, cases can be filed against them in the courts,” Bautista said. The public may send pictures to the Comelec’s social media accounts: Facebook.com/offi-

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Juan Andres Bautista (center) signs the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Rogelio Singson and Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Emerson Carlos authorizing both agencies to take down illegal campaign materials for a clean and green May 9 elections. FERDINAND PATINIO / PNA

cialcomelec; Yahoomail: chairman@Comelec.gov.ph, eid@ Comelec.gov.ph; Twitter: @ ChairAndyBau, @Comelec; Instagram: @comelectv. It is prohibited to post, display, or exhibit any election campaign or propaganda material outside of authorised common poster areas, public places, or in private properties without the consent of the owner. Public places include electronic announcement boards, such as LED display boards located along highways and streets, and LCD TV displays posted on walls of public buildings; motor vehicles used as patrol cars, ambulances, and for other similar purposes that are owned by local government units, government-owned and controlled corporations; waiting sheds, sidewalks, street and lamp posts, electric posts and wires, traffic signages and other signboards erected on public property, pedestrian overpasses and underpasses, flyovers, and underpasses, bridges, main

thoroughfares, centre islands of roads and highways; schools, shrines, barangay halls, health centres, public structures and buildings or any edifice; public transport vehicles owned and controlled by the government, such as the Metro Rail Transit (MRT), Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Philippine National Railway (PNR) trains; and within the premises of public transport terminals, such as bus terminals, airports, seaports, docks, piers, train stations, that are owned and controlled by the government. Posting illegal campaign materials shall constitute an election offense, which carries the penalty of one to six years imprisonment, removal of right to vote, and disqualification from holding public office. Meanwhile, Bautista said that MOA authorizes the DPWH and MMDA to conduct “Operation Baklas” or removing illegal campaign materials in Metro Manila and all over the country. Both agencies are allowed to

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seek assistance from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for operations in the provinces, while in the National Capital Region, the MMDA may seek assistance from PNP. The partnership aims to raise public awareness on ecofriendly elections — least negative impact of suffrage on people and planet, encourage the recycling and use of environment-friendly campaign materials and promote vigilance against wasteful campaigns. He added that “mortal sins” against clean and green elections are: posting of campaign materials on trees, plants, and other places outside of the designated areas, excessive use of plastic and unrecyclable materials and irresponsible dumping on the roadside etc. “First and foremost, they (illegal propaganda materials) should be taken down and removed. Afterwards, there will be a reporting mechanism, wherein the DPWH and

the MMDA will report to the Comelec those they have removed,” Bautista said. For his part, DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson expressed concern over the taking down of illegal campaign materials along local roads, as they do not see problem along national roads since the department has the full control over them. “My only concerned which I have conveyed to Chairman (Bautista), we have full control over national roads, the problem is with the local roads. So, I asked if we can ask for assistnce from the AFP or PNP for us to be able to enter local roads and remote areas. We were given the assurance by the chairman that we will get support,” Singson said. The DPWH chief also assured that there will be proper documentation of their “Operation Baklas” against unlawful campaign materials. On the other hand, MMDA Chairman Emerson Carlos said that the MOA has given them the authority to put down illegal campaign materials. “Now, we are doubly emboldened because we are armed with a MOA with Comelec so that our personnel will be given full authority in putting down billboards and other illegal campaign materials in local areas. This is to avoid issues and problems encountered by our personnel in the performance of their duties,” he said in Filipino. He also committed all their resources, personnel, and equipment to ensure that the metropolis will be rid of illegal propaganda materials of candidates. The campaign period for national positions namely: president, vice-president, senators and party-list groups will begin on February 9 while the local candidates will be allowed to campaign starting March 26. ■

Philippine News

FEBRUARY 5, 2016

Shell should stand trial, S Court rules

Ople’s legacy continues to linger and inspire leaders

BY JOCELYN R. UY Philippine Daily Inquirer

BY EMIL G. GAMOS Philippines News Agency

THE SUPREME Court has ruled that oil giant Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. (PSPC) should stand trial over the alleged use of fraudulently acquired tax credit certificates (TCCs) worth P10 million almost two decades ago. In a 19-page decision, the high court reversed the earlier decisions of the Court of Appeals in favor of Pilipinas Shell and remanded the case filed by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to the Manila Regional Trial Court. The decision, penned by recently retired Associate Justice Martin Villarama Jr., was promulgated on Dec. 9, 2015, but was released only last Friday. The ruling said the appeals court had erred in dismissing the BOC’s case against Pilipinas Shell, one of several collection suits the agency filed in an effort to recover huge revenue losses from the so-called “tax credit scam” that proliferated in the 1990s. The case stemmed from the allegedly fake credit memos issued by Filipino Way Industries (Filway), which allowed it to assign TCCs worth P10,088,912 to Pilipinas Shell on May 7, 1997. Refunds

TCCs are payment refunds granted to exporters and manufacturers of BOI-registered products for export who had actually paid duties and taxes on the raw materials and supplies they had used. Pilipinas Shell then used the

Shell oil depot in La Union.

TCCs to settle its customs duties and taxes on its oil importations with the BOC—with prior approval by the Department of Finance’s (DOF) One Stop Shop-Inter Agency Tax Credit and Duty Drawback Center. The DOF later discovered that the credit memos used by Filway were spurious. The TCCs were cancelled and the BOC filed cases against several companies before the Manila court for collection of money with damages. Under the “tax credit scam,” refunds were made on taxes that were never paid or tax credits granted to some firms that had ceased operations. In its earlier rulings, the Court of Appeals and the trial court both cited the case of “Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp v CIR,” in which it was said that Pilipinas Shell was a “transferee in good faith” and that there was no evidence presented that it participated in any way in the issuance of the TCCs to Filway. Wrong remedy

Pilipinas Shell also contended that the orders of the RTC attained finality since the BOC availed of the wrong remedy. But the high court said trial courts had limited authority to render summary judgments, and that the petitioner should be given the opportunity to substantiate its allegations of fraud. The court agreed with the BOC that “(t)he matter of whether or not Pilipinas Shell is a transferee in good faith...is a genuine issue to be resolved, and it must be ventilated in a full trial.” ■

RAMON FVELASQUEZ / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

FRIDAY

MALOLOS CITY, BULACAN — The spirit, wisdom and legacy of the late statesman Gat. Blas F. Ople linger and inspire not only his provincemates but the whole nation as well. On the celebration of Ople’s 89th birth anniversary held on Wednesday at the Gat. Blas F. Ople building within the provincial capitol compound here, local leaders led by Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado and Vice Governor Daniel Fernando paid tribute to one of the most illustrious sons of Bulacan. “It is more than a decade since my grandfather died but his principles and motivations remain alive and in fact, he is still here in our surrounding,” Estelle Ople Osorio said as re- The late Gat. Blas F. Ople. WWW.GOV.PH ferred to a white butterfly that hovered over the golden bust of the sun is shining brightly on whom Ople has supported. his grandfather. Ka Blas’ 89th birthday. Ople was born on February 3, His daughter Susan “Toots” “This day, we give another 1927 to Felix Antonio Ople and Ople, who has been champion- tribute to our great statesman Segunda Fajardo of San Miguel, ing the cause of the overseas and this will never end because Hagonoy. Filipino workers (OFWs), said he did good and well for the At 16 years old, Ople was that it has been 12 years since people not only of Bulacan but designated as a lieutenant of his father passed away but his the whole nation as well,” Fer- the Del Pilar regiment of the vision for the good of the Filipi- nando said. Bulacan Military Area during no nation is still being followed. Ople’s son, provincial board World War II. Alvarado, for his part, likened member Felix “Toti” Ople reHe was appointed Labor SecOple to the grizzled Greek war- called how he saw the saddest retary by former President Ferrior “Hercules” whose humble moment in the statesman’s dinand E. Marcos in 1967-1971 beginnings did and from 1972 to not prevent 1986. him from doHe was acing things that knowledged as only gods of Mt. He was like Hercules who has the father of the Olympus can do. successfully overcame the big Labor Code of “The strong challenges. But, Hercules was a son the Philippines waves did not of god Zeus while Ka Blas was a son and the OFW serve as a hinof an ordinary couple from Hagonoy. and was the first drance for him Filipino to be (Ople) to reach elected as presithe distinct ardent of the Intereas of Manila national Labor which can clearly be seen life when the latter suffered a Organization (ILO) in 1975. during the night in his home- stroke. Ople was also a member of town Hagonoy. He was like “He could not speak and I saw the Constitutional CommisHercules who has successfully sadness in his eyes because he sion in 1887. overcame the big challenges. still wanted to do a lot of things. He also served as Senate But, Hercules was a son of god One time, he asked us to bring President Pro-Tempore in 1996 Zeus while Ka Blas was a son him to Hagonoy and after visit- to 1999 and became Senate of an ordinary couple from ing his school and the altar of President in 1999 to 2000. Hagonoy,” the governor said. St. Anne, he gradually recovFormer President Gloria Ma“His vital contribution in the ered from his sickness and was capagal Arroyo appointed him promotion of development and able to serve again,” he said. as Foreign Affairs Secretary in progress as well as good life for The celebration of Ka the year 2000. the Filipino workers is continu- Blas’89th birthday culminated He died with his boots on ously shining,” Alvarado added. with the opening of the exhib- while on board a plane from JaVice Gov. Fernando said that its of the Hagonoy Art Group pan on December 14, 2003. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

Philippine News

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2016

What it... Students are subjected to this exercise at least thrice a day—training for future missions in which they have to lug around weapons, ammunition, rations and medical equipment, Jasmin said. ❰❰ 10

Phases

The training at the camp has five phases, with subjects ranging from first aid, jungle, mountaineering and navigation techniques to communications, weapons efficiency, combat skills, air to ground support and marksmanship. SAF training includes mission planning, which sees the students drafting operation plans from real intelligence. Eventually, the students will be sent out of the camp for field training. But the final phase, the test mission, sees the students deployed on real operations for at least a month. If they are embroiled in an encounter with enemy forces during the test mission, they will automatically be recommended for graduation, Jasmin said. Only the really tough survive boot camp. For instance, the class graduating this summer started with 103 students. Now only 92 are left. Most dropouts are due to medical reasons, Jasmin said. After graduation the troopers receive their reward: the black beret with the winged sword logo of the SAF. The road to becoming “elite” police officers doesn’t end there, though. The SAF has its version of master’s studies.

blocking force to cover the Seaborne’s exit. Of the 36 members of the 55th SAC, only one survived the gun battle in Mamasapano. Tria, the lone commando from the 54th SAC in Oplan Exodus, had been tapped as a sniper for the mission. “I have no doubt he died fighting. He wouldn’t be taken alive,” Pascual said, pride ringing in her voice. Tria was reported to have died with a grenade in each hand. “The enemy really wouldn’t have dared approach [Tria],” Baldos said.

Citing autopsy reports made available to the family, Pascual said Tria did not appear to have been shot dead, as he was hit in his extremities. He most likely died of blood loss. Tria died with the rank of senior inspector. After a posthumous promotion for the SAF 44, he became a chief inspector— the same rank as his father, a police officer in Catanduanes, Pascual said. ‘Serve the country’

Surprisingly, after Mamasapano, the SAF saw an increase in applicants, most-

Special courses

After commando school, the troopers have the option to take further “specialized” courses: “Sureshock” or the urban counterrevolutionary warfare course, a requirement for counterterrorism units and crucial training for hostage situations; explosives and ordnance disposal; K9; airborne, for air operations; and the maritime tactical operation course (MTOC). According to Baldos, the MTOC is exclusive schooling for the “elite of the elite” SAF troopers, the Seaborne. To qualify for the MTOC, troopers should be “Sureshock-qualified, and airborne-qualified.” The commandos are then distributed to nine battalions stationed across the country, including the rapid deployment battalion, the force support battalion, and the air unit. Each battalion has its own eligibility test. Seaborne

“Seaborne” is the monicker for the 84th Special Action Company (SAC)— the strike force for “Oplan Exodus” deployed to get Marwan. Of the 44 SAF commandos killed in the operation, nine were from Seaborne. Tria, reported as “the last man standing” of the SAF 44, died with members of the 55th SAC, which was deployed as the www.canadianinquirer.net

ly from Mindanao. In July and October 2015, around 500 SAF applicants took their oaths as PO1s. “Most of them were from Mindanao,” Baldos said. Those policemen are now undergoing the basic stages of training. Baldos could not say if they were inspired by the SAF 44, but he said: “They must have a sense of volunteerism. [You will apply with the SAF only] if you are willing to risk personal comfort and security to serve the country. The risks are higher than for [an ordinary] policeman.” ■

Philippine News

FEBRUARY 5, 2016

FRIDAY

8 bases on table in Edca talks with US BY JERRY E. ESPLANADA Philippine Daily Inquirer TOP PHILIPPINE diplomats and defense officials will soon meet with their US counterparts to discuss the implementing details of the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, or Edca, between Manila and Washington, including the designation of at least eight local military bases for US use. Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma told the INQUIRER yesterday that “the decision on which (military) bases will be used jointly by the Philippines and the US will be subject to mutual agreement between the

two countries.” “This is one of the matters that will be discussed during the forthcoming meeting of the Mutual Defense Board and the Security Engagement Board” of the two allies,” he added. Col. Restituto Padilla, spokesperson of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, earlier said that Manila had offered Washington eight bases where it could build facilities to store equipment under the Edca: Basa Air Base in Floridablanca, Pampanga; Clark Air Base, also in Pampanga; Fort Magsaysay in Palayan, Nueva Ecija; Camp Antonio Bautista and a naval base in Palawan; Camp Benito Ebuen and a naval base in Cebu, and Lumbia air field in Cagayan de Oro City.

Many of these facilities are already AFP “exercise sites,” he noted. According to Padilla, “the list was prepared many months ago.” The Americans are also seeking access to three seaports, including Subic Bay, the former US naval base in Zambales, and airfields on Luzon. Last year, more than 100 US Navy ships reportedly docked at Subic, while two advanced nuclear-powered stealth submarines made visits in early January. Last month, Philippine and US officials met in Washington to discuss locations Manila could provide access to US forces for their “mutual benefit.” The high-level meeting was held at the Department of State

ple should vote [for] people with integrity [in the] local and national level. It’s not enough to be smart and competent. You (candidate) should have integrity. That’s my appeal,” Morales told the INQUIRER on Jan. 25. Without referring to a particular candidate, the Ombudsman made the call when asked if she had any concern about the coming changing of the guard in June, the end of the term of President Aquino, who put the anticorruption campaign at the core of his administration. “I have no concerns at all,” Morales said, adding that her office is an independent constitutional body. She will serve as Ombudsman until 2018.

Asked if she had made her choice, Morales said she had yet to firm up her list. “I’m supposed to be apolitical. I will decide at the eleventh hour,” she said.

hours after the Philippine Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Edca signed by the two countries four years ago. Brink of war

The pact allows American forces, warships and planes access to Philippine military camps. China’s official Xinhua news agency, in an English language commentary, had warned that the Edca would only escalate tensions and “could push the situation to the brink of war.” The Philippines “appears to be now turning to Uncle Sam to back its ambition to counter China,” the article said. The deal, it claimed, was “groundless because China, which sticks to a defensive de-

fense policy, has never coerced any country on the South China Sea issue.” Supreme Court spokesperson Theodore Te explained that the high court’s ruling simply affirmed the rotational presence, not the permanent basing, of US troops in the country. The decision was clear in saying that the Edca should remain within the bounds of both the 1999 Visiting Forces Agreement and the 1951 Mutual Defense Defense Treaty. The high court’s ruling declaring the Edca constitutional bolstered US efforts to assert its presence in Asia and dovetailed with Manila’s desire for American assistance in countering Beijing’s maritime claims in the South China Sea.

Ombudsman: So... Most of the new cases filed last year involved local officials, a total of 1,092, while police officers accounted for more than 600 cases. Other officials who faced investigation by the Ombudsman include those from the military and the education, finance, natural resources, justice and agriculture departments, as well as state universities and colleges, and the fire protection and jail management bureaus. Morales’ statement came before the ranking of the Philippines in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for 2015 dropped 10 notches from 2014. The Philippine CPI ranking slid to 95th from 85th. The higher the ranking, the more corrupt a country is perceived to be. The country’s public sector got a score of 35 from experts and institutions that Transparency International (TI) had tapped. Countries that obtained a score of less than 50 have “serious corruption problem,” according to TI, which assessed 168 countries in the 2015 index. ❰❰ 1

Appeal to voters

The Ombudsman urged Filipino voters to choose candidates with unblemished integrity in the May general elections. “My only appeal is that peo-

Anticorruption platform

Morales said candidates, whether vying for local or national posts, should present a clear anticorruption platform. “They should come up with what programs of government they will have and they should include corruption. What’s their program against corruption? Because it’s not enough for you to say, ‘I am honest, [of that] I am being maligned.’ Tell them: ‘What’s your program against corruption?’” she said. In the presidential race, one candidate is facing corruption and plunder charges but has recovered from last year’s recordlow ratings. Another candidate vows not to steal.

Admin’s campaign

Asked how she would rate the administration’s performance in battling corruption, the Ombudsman said President Aquino was sincere in the campaign. “Well, if you read from the papers, the President is really pursuing this anticorruption campaign in earnest,” she said. Morales’ office is independent from Malacañang, and she said she did “not get orders from the President.” But if reporters were to be believed, she said: “…The President is really serious in pushing the anticorruption program.” The Office of the Ombudsman has a workload of 11,056 cases, including 8,715 pending cases from previous years and 2,341 cases filed in the first half of 2015, according to data on its official website. Of the total—27 percent or 2,940 cases—have been resolved—either dismissed, forwarded to the courts or resulted in administrative penalties. “I’d like to to believe that there has been an increase in confidence and trust in the Office of the Ombudsman. And, on account of that, people think we can solve all their problems,” Morales said. www.canadianinquirer.net

Airport crew at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 have finally cleared the debris along the passenger area after a portion of a restaurant’s ceiling collapsed Thursday morning. The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) said that the affected areas at Terminal 3 were cleared of debris as of Thursday afternoon. PNA PHOTO COURTESY OF MIAA

NAIA Terminal 3 ceiling collapses, injures passengers BY MAVELLE P. DURIAN Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA — The ceiling of a restaurant at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport collapsed, leaving a male foreign passenger ‘slightly scratched’ reported by airport spokesperson David de Castro. The collapsed ceiling at a restaurant at NAIA Terminal 3 was the latest in a series of incidents at a facility seen as among the worst in the world, David

added. The passenger’s injury was treated but insisted to leave on his flight for Japan, and De Castro declined to give further information. De Castro said the ceiling collapsed because of the affixed overhead lights on a facade where the restaurant is located. According to him, constructions inside these restaurants are allowed, but the airport authorities will still investigate if substandard materials were used. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2016

US aided SAF raiders only No help came for pinned troopers BY NANCY C. CARVAJAL Philippine Daily Inquirer THE UNITED States provided real-time intelligence to the Philippine National Police Special Action Force (SAF) counterterrorism operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao province, a year ago but the assistance focused on the commando group carrying DNA from the slain target of the operation, leaving a larger group of troopers to be massacred by Moro rebels. Former SAF Director Getulio Napeñas spoke about the US involvement in “Oplan Exodus,” the covert SAF operation to get Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, in closeddoor sessions of the Senate investigation of the Mamasapano clash in February last year. The committee report on the Mamasapano investigation confirmed the US involvement, but did not disclose the American failure to help the 55th Special Action Company (SAC), the blocking force that was pinned down by Moro rebels on a cornfield after the mission backfired. The INQUIRER obtained a copy of the transcript of the minutes of the joint committee investigation’s closed-door sessions on Feb. 12, 16, 17, 23 and 24, 2015. Sixteen senators approved the release of the transcript on Wednesday, after a hearing called on the request of Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile. During the executive sessions, Napeñas testified that the Americans from Joint Task Force Philippines monitored the movements of the 84th SAC, the strike force that killed Marwan in a raid on the terrorist’s hut in Pidsandawan village, Mamasapano, early on Jan. 25, 2015. The commandos cut off the right index finger of Marwan

for DNA testing after shooting him dead and shot their way out of the village. Napeñas said the Americans monitored the 84th SAC using an “intelligence surveillance reconnaissance aircraft”—a drone— that provided real-time information on the location of the commandos, enabling Philippine troops to find and rescue them. But the Americans provided no such help to locate the 55th SAC, which frantically called for reinforcement by radio and cell phones as it battled guerrillas from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and gunmen from the village. Unfamiliar with Mamasapano, the 55th SAC could not relay its location to the command post in Shariff Aguak and was wiped out in a gun battle that lasted almost the whole day. Forty-four SAF commandos—35 from the 55th SAC and nine from the 84th SAC—were killed in the clash. Only one member of the 55th SAC escaped. Seventeen MILF rebels and three civilians were also killed in the clash. The deaths of the 44 commandos became the worst political crisis of President Aquino, bringing down his ratings to their lowest since he came to office in 2010. It also set back the peace process between the government and the MILF, with Congress delaying passage of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law that would complete a peace agreement signed in 2014. Napeñas told the senators that the Americans monitored the 84th SAC from the start of the operation at 4:30 a.m. up to the rescue of its members at 11 p.m. on Jan. 25, 2015. The commandos were found and led out of Mamasapano by

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the 61st Division Reconnaissance Company of the Philippine Army led by two fresh graduates of the Philippine Military Academy, Lts. Gabriel C. Bannoya Jr. and Jeymark Y. Mateo, Napeñas said. “It was focused on the 84th,” Napeñas said, referring to the drone. “The location of the 55th was forwarded through radio, the grid coordinate, and this was plotted on a big map to determine their location,” Napeñas replied when asked by Sen. Ralph Recto if the drone was also deployed to locate the pinned-down SAC. When Sen. Nancy Binay asked him why he did not ask the Americans to deploy the drone to find the 55th SAC, Napeñas spoke about cameras far apart but could not explain them. “I don’t know exactly how,” he said. The minutes of the closed-door sessions indicated that the senators agreed that the Americans did not care about the 55th SAC and were concerned only with the 84th, which carried Marwan’s severed finger. Napeñas identified one of the Americans at the SAF command post as Al Latz. He said the 84th SAC, also called Seaborne, was trained by the Americans. He said Latz once described the 84th SAC as “the best in the SAF.”

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The United States offered $5 million for the capture of Marwan, who was linked to the two nightclub bombings in Bali, Indonesia, in 2002 that killed 202 people, among them Americans. US role legal

At the hearing on Wednesday, Enrile said the government must explain why it allowed the Americans to be involved in the operation to get Marwan, which was a law enforcement matter. Some senators, however, said yesterday that they believed the US role was legal. Sen. Sonny Angara said what the Constitution forbids is the presence of foreign troops and foreign military bases in the absence of a treaty. “Technical assistance and training from the US, as revealed during the last hearing, seem to be within legal boundaries,” Angara said in a text message to the INQUIRER. He said aspects of the US participation in the Mamasapano operation that could affect national security should not be disclosed. Sen. Vicente Sotto III said he was satisfied “to a certain extent” with the explanation of the US role in the SAF mission. But he, too, said some aspects of the US role should not be disclosed. “There are some intel mat-

ters that should not be made public,” he said. US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg, interviewed on GMA-7’s “News to Go” program yesterday, confirmed that the United States provided assistance to the Philippines for the operation to get Marwan. Goldberg said the US assistance came under the United States and the Philippines’ “legal framework.” He did not elaborate. In his testimony at the Senate on Wednesday, Napeñas said the Philippines and the United States cooperated in the fight against terrorism. The SAF is the PNP’s counterterrorism unit and the United States cooperated with the SAF because terrorism is the top priority of the US Special Operations Command, Napeñas said. He said the United States also provided humanitarian assistance to the SAF operation through medical evacuation after the clash and conducted DNA testing to confirm the identity of Marwan. Goldberg declined to confirm whether the United States deployed a drone for the SAF operation. ■

Opinion

FEBRUARY 5, 2016

FRIDAY

ANALYSIS

Marching on By Amando Doronila Philippine Daily Inquirer SOMEWHERE in the middle of our 60-day march from Rome to Paris, I reflected: What happens after Paris? Where will the journey lead? I completed that journey on foot, with two dozen pilgrims who braved the 1,500-kilometer distance. They also endured the onset of winter and crossing over the Swiss Alps, followed by the COP21 Climate Summit. As the year 2016 begins, I embark on a new beginning: as executive director of Greenpeace Southeast Asia. But this whole journey started much earlier. In November 2013, the strongest storm that ever made landfall in history ravaged the Philippines—Typhoon “Yolanda” (international name “Haiyan”). It hit just when during the UN Climate Summit was being held in Warsaw. As chief negotiator of the Philippines, I had the honor and responsibility of speaking for my

country with this terrible tragedy world. profile. In my home country, the as backdrop. In the work that I have done Philippines, the dire impacts of cliIt was a heart-wrenching mo- since Warsaw, with the Global mate change are felt more strongly ment that changed my life. I was Catholic Climate Movement and by the year. thrust into the responsibility of be- Our Voices (http://catholiccliIn all its 16 years, Greenpeace ing a voice for the unheard, a voice matemovement.global/ http:// Southeast Asia today is as prein the wilderness crying for climate ourvoices.net/ http://www.peo- pared as ever to take on these chaljustice. plespilgrimage.org/), I witnessed lenges. And we’re making a huge Today, it is absolutely clear that a clamor of support for climate ac- impact, too. I see enormous power our global commuin the collective, nity faces an ecolocal, regional and logical crisis. We global action of In all its 16 years, Greenpeace Southeast Asia today is as need to catalyze the Greenpeace prepared as ever to take on these challenges. And we’re making a massive global community. Ultia huge impact, too. I see enormous power in the collective, transformation. mately, it’s about local, regional and global action of the Greenpeace community. All of us need to positively transUltimately, it’s about positively transforming the relationship stand together to forming the relabetween humankind and the natural environment. make it happen. tionship between It was important humankind and to highlight that, even with a clear tion from the world’s religions and the natural environment. adversary that is climate change, faith communities. There are things in life that one I sincerely felt that the battle canThe world has changed, and the is meant to do and there are things not be won within the confines of challenges in our region are more in life that are meant to be—like a the institutions we have built, and daunting than ever. Indonesia’s baby cradled in her mother’s arms, within the boundaries of my own forests burn annually, smothering like the wind in a ship’s sail, like the country. I felt compelled to join the Malaysia, Singapore and beyond encounter of kindred souls. It’s a larger movement, to rally people with a thick haze. In Thailand, the calling. and communities toward building grassroots struggle against coalIn “The Lord of the Rings,” a just, sustainable, and peaceful fired power stations retains its high when Gandalf explained the Ring

to Frodo and they were talking about the dreadful return of Sauron, Frodo expressed his anxiety: “I wish it need not have happened in my time.” And Gandalf said: “So do I, and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” I believe that among many, I have been given that time. I have decided what to do with it. But I’m not only joining the most effective environmental campaigning organization in the world. I’m also joining millions of people from every corner of the planet who make the work of Greenpeace possible. I hope you’ll join me, too. Naderev “Yeb” Saño is a known Filipino environmentalist and climate activist. Since 1997, he has been working in local and international campaigns and programs to combat climate change. He has extensive experience in high-profile positions, both in public office and nongovernmental organizations. ■

PUBLIC LIVES

Citizenship and Grace Poe By Randy David Philippine Daily Inquirer WHEN GRACE POE ran for senator in 2013, questions about her citizenship were never raised, as far as I can recall. Her public persona was completely defined by her association with her father, the late iconic movie actor, Fernando Poe Jr. That she was an adopted daughter seemed immaterial to voters. That she once renounced her Philippine citizenship to become an American citizen was never mentioned. That she later had to give up her US citizenship so she could accept an appointment in 2010 as chair of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board was known even less. Not that there was any deliberate attempt to conceal these facts in her pursuit of a political career. But, it is fair to ask if Filipinos would have voted her No. 1 senator if they had known about the citizenship issues that hound her today as she seeks the nation’s highest position. As one of the millions who voted for her in 2013, I think I would still have included her name on my ballot. But, I would have insisted in probing what it was that prompted her to come back and serve in the government on which she once turned her back. Was it the pros-

pect of being able to pursue the inadequate. I think that she has her US citizenship can expect to path her late father paved for her managed to deflect valid ques- regain it. But, even if she could, it and, in a sense, paid for with his tions about the depth of her alle- would be unthinkable for America own life? giance to the country she seeks to to allow someone who gave up her Motives are complex and are lead as president by focusing on citizenship and then reacquired it difficult to ascertain. Indeed, of- her status as a foundling. She ar- to seek the presidency of the Unitten, even as they drive our actions, gues that foundlings are entitled ed States. It is this rigorous concept they become clear to us only in to recognition as natural-born of citizenship, which frowns upon retrospect. Four of my siblings citizens of the country in which dual or ambivalent allegiance, that chose to move to the United States they are found. I believe that, by underpins the notion that is enand become American citizens. I the same token, a nation is en- shrined in both the US and Philipdon’t remember ever asking them titled to demand of its citizens— pine Constitutions—that the naabout their motives. My late fa- particularly of those who aspire tion’s presidency is open only to ther, a dedicated public servant to lead it—unequivocal commit- natural-born citizens. who staunchly Some may argue believed that we that, in a globalowed it to our ized world, consciShe argues that foundlings are entitled to recognition as country to stay entious patriotism natural-born citizens of the country in which they are found. I with her through has become passé. believe that, by the same token, a nation is entitled to demand of its good and bad We don’t know. citizens—particularly of those who aspire to lead it—unequivocal times, would have What we know for commitment to its wellbeing. felt aggrieved. But, sure is that fundaI simply assumed mental principles that, though they traded their ment to its wellbeing. found in successive iterations of Philippine passport for an AmeriAgain, I am aware that patriotic the Philippine Constitution are can one, my siblings remained commitment is something that is fervently nationalistic. Indeed, Filipinos at heart. To me, chang- hard to measure. Every country they mirror an epoch when the ing one’s citizenship is a practical has its scoundrels, irrespective Filipino identity was effectively decision that ought not to define of whether they are natural-born defined by its contrasts against one’s entire being. or naturalized citizens. That said, an imaginary “other.” Until we It ceases to be merely so, how- it is not unreasonable to ask Ms amend our Constitution and reever, when one aspires for higher Poe, who wants to be president of vise our laws, we have to abide by public office, or when one seeks the Philippines, what gives her the them. governmental powers that affect right to demand full recognition of In our nation’s history, the image the collective life of an entire po- her citizenship as a foundling in of that “other” was not the foundlitical community. This is where I the political community she once ling but the Chinese in our midst. find Sen. Grace Poe’s responses to dumped as an adult. Our adoption of the jus sanguiquestions about her citizenship No American who has renounced nis model of citizenship, which is

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based on an ethnocultural concept of the nation, effectively discriminated against generations of ethnic Chinese who were born, raised, and educated in the Philippines. Under the jus soli model, there would not have been any question about their being Filipino citizens. And yet, like their parents, they had to undergo the tedious process of naturalization. This mode of exclusion unfortunately survives through many of our laws and administrative procedures, making of these Filipinos second-class citizens in their own country. As they are not naturalborn citizens, they are barred from running for Congress or the presidency or from being appointed to the Supreme Court. Though Philippine-born, they cannot avail themselves of the Dual Citizenship Law. Grace Poe is luckier. Adopted by prominent show biz parents, she grew up without anybody questioning her citizenship. When she dropped her Philippine citizenship to become an American citizen, later reacquiring it with ease as a dual citizen, nobody cared still. Today we care not because any of her actions “violated the Ten Commandments” (her words), but because Filipinos must be able to hold their president to the highest form of allegiance to the nation. ■

Opinion

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2016

LOOKING BACK

Jorge Vargas as PH envoy to Japan during WWII By Ambeth R. Ocampo Philippine Daily Inquirer WHILE IT is true that Yoko Ono is the most famous person who has ever lived in the Kudan or the residence of the Philippine ambassador to Japan in Tokyo, one must not forget other figures who had lived or visited the mansion. Indeed, often overlooked is the first ambassador, Jorge Vargas, and his role in the acquisition of the property. On Oct. 14, 1943, the Second Philippine Republic was inaugurated with J. P. Laurel as president. A week later, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was established with Claro M. Recto as foreign minister. When Shozo Murata, adviser of the defunct Japanese Military Administration, was designated as Japanese ambassador to the Philippines, and the former residence of the commander of the Japanese Imperial Army on Heiwa (now Roxas) Boulevard was designated as the Japanese Embassy, Laurel designated Vargas as Philippine ambassador to Japan. After serving previously as mayor of Manila and chair of the Philippine Executive Commission, Vargas took his oath as ambassador to Japan in

Malacañang on Oct. 25, 1943, against the advice of some members of his family. During Laurel’s state visit to Japan in November 1943 to attend the Greater East Asia Congress in Tokyo with the leaders of China, Thailand, Manchukuo, Burma (Myanmar) and Free India, he was accompanied by foreign minister Recto who scouted around for a well-located Tokyo property suitable for the Philippine Embassy. He chose the Yasuda Mansion and negotiated its purchase for ¥1 million, including all furniture and household equipment. The mansion was reportedly worth a bit more—at ¥1.088 million, even without furniture. On Jan. 4, 1944, Murata cabled from Manila the foreign ministry in Tokyo, referring to a letter from Secretary Recto, dated Dec. 29, 1943, regarding the purchase of the Yasuda Mansion and the remittance of a down payment of ¥100,000. Since this was before the National Assembly’s approval of the authority of the president to acquire the mansion and its appropriation of the ¥1 millionpurchase money on Jan. 21, 1944, it is possible that Laurel’s wife, Pacien-

cia, advanced the ¥100,000-down payment and got reimbursed when the ¥1 million-fund was released to Recto. Vargas arrived in Haneda airport on Feb. 10, 1944, with his staff and two children: his son Roberto who served as his aide-de-camp, and his daughter Teresita. Vargas left his wife and the rest of his family in Manila anticipating air raids on Tokyo during the war. When the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs insisted that he take his entire family, Vargas reasoned out that he was only following the example of the Japanese ambassador in Manila who left his wife in Japan. Aweek after his arrival, on Feb. 17, 1944, Vargas sent Manila an urgent cable that read: “Cannot formally occupy Embassy until after signing purchase contract which can be done even before full payment is made provided we can fix date of such payment. Amanxious to complete transaction as part of our supplies and equipment for Embassy have already arrived, some in damaged condition, and it is necessary that we transfer them to Embassy for proper repair and housing from their present location. If sending of funds

is delayed please wire at least authority to sign contract to avoid further delay our occupancy of premises.” On the same day Recto replied to Tokyo regarding a remittance of ¥900,000 and the authorization for Vargas to sign “For the President of the Republic of the Philippines.” Vargas inspected the mansion and found it cold and bare, prompting him to send a series of cables to Manila requesting, among many things, Philippine flags in various sizes—two large ones and a dozen others of smaller measurements. He asked for canned adobo and tennis equipment, too. Vargas also wanted to warm the mansion’s interiors with Philippine art. From the Imperial Hotel, on March 6, 1944, Vargas cabled Recto: “Highly desirable to decorate Embassy with Filipino paintings. Had selected several from National Museum before leaving Manila, which Director Rodriguez agreed [to] loan Embassy. Will greatly appreciate if you can have shipment of these paintings expedited. If there is objection, (including) Luna Hidalgo paintings, same may be left behind temporarily.” Difficulty in transportation was

the excuse for not sending these priceless paintings to Tokyo. Vargas had an extensive art collection, yet he did not bring any of his prized paintings to Japan. After two months in the Imperial Hotel, Vargas still could not move into the Embassy due to complications in the payment and transfer of land title. He had to negotiate with Japanese authorities to honor the face value of the Japanese bank notes from Manila that we know today as “Mickey Mouse Money.” Then there were additional costs for furniture and equipment because, contrary to the agreement, Iwajiro Yasuda claimed most of these were personal effects and he took them out when he vacated the mansion. In one cable to Manila, Vargas requested for beds and mattresses; he even suggested that the six largest beds with corresponding mattresses in his home in Baguio be sent posthaste to Tokyo. On March 24, 1944, the Yasuda property in Tokyo became the first Philippine Embassy ever established. Vargas was the first and only Philippine ambassador during the war; he carried Diplomatic Passport No. 1, the first in Tagalog. ■

counseling and services from the health center staff?) *** A QUESTION on most everyone else’s mind at the ICFP was: “What’s happening in the Philippines?” Of course, news of the “castration” of the allocation for contraceptives from the Department of Health budget had preceded the Filipino delegates to the ICFP. What many couldn’t understand was how, given the overa-decade-long struggle to pass the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law, Filipino legislators would let all that fire and passion, debate and deliberation come to nothing by cutting out the money needed to implement the program. Still, champions need to be recognized for their persistence and perseverance, despite all the odds and all the obstacles thrown their way. In the last-day plenary, the Excellence in Leadership for Family Planning (EXCELL) Awards were announced, recognizing “contributions to increase access to and use of voluntary family planning information and services.” In the individual/team category, honored were Health Secretary Janette Loreto-Garin and former lawmaker Edcel Lagman (representing

the first district of Albay). The two were honored for their years of hard work in the House of Representatives, leading the charge for the passage of the RPRH bill, persisting despite the waxing and waning of support for the measure from their colleagues and the executive branch. Lagman, who is once more seeking the congressional seat for his home district, slowly made his way up the stage, needing no assistance and giving the lie to black propagandists’ assertion that he is now wheelchairbound. Watching the swing in his step, I fully expected him to even join in the group dancing that concluded the rites! Awarded for the impressive strides their governments have made in promoting the reproductive health situations in their country were Kenya and Ethiopia, both represented by their Ministers of Health, with the Ethiopian official remarking that even in matters like family population, “the sports rivalry between our countries lives on.” Given the organization/facility award was Yayasan Cipta Cara Padu, an Indonesian family planning NGO now headed by a former head of Indonesia’s National Population and Family Planning Board. ■

AT LARGE

Let her be a girl! By Rina Jimenez-David Philippine Daily Inquirer “LET her be a girl!” was the chorus of a song marking the close of the Fourth International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP) held in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia. Led by youth delegates who enlivened (and enlightened) the proceedings of the three-day gathering, the song-and-rap number spoke of the need to let young people fully explore their potentials, dream their dreams, and enjoy their youth before being thrust into the world of adult concerns—motherhood (and fatherhood), marriage, and family responsibility. But to give young people the time and space to enjoy this respite before they walk through the threshold of adulthood, they need the support of other adults: governments and government officials, health caregivers, educators, faith leaders, advocates, and most of all, their parents. They need policies, laws, funds and respectful service and counseling from adults who not only are willing to help but are also ready to listen to them and respect their own desires to set the directions their lives would take. A young woman speaking in a plenary said it best: “Young people

are not just the leaders of tomorrow, they are leaders today.” In a plenary focused on youth issues, Nomtika Mjwana, a young leader from South Africa, enjoined adults to “look at strategies that can inform and educate young girls and empower them not to see themselves as objects waiting for men, but as women with pride and the agency to decide what they need to do with their own bodies.” But first, let her—let all of them— be a girl today, so she can be fully a woman at the right time! *** THE world has not seen as many young people as we are seeing today, with the population of young people at an historic high, with 1.8 billion entering their reproductive years. For girls, especially, the risks are high and fraught with danger, with many facing pregnancy- and childbirthrelated complications, a leading cause of death among young women aged 1519 in low- and middle-income countries, where the Philippines belongs. “Our youth leaders have told us loud and clear: Know our interests and work with us, co-design and cocreate with us to drive successful programs; invest in our empower-

ment education, health and employment; recognize that we are our nations’ precious human resources, and investments in us will produce wealth and wellbeing for all nations; leverage our collective power for the collective transformation we can bring to the 2030 Agenda,” said Dr. Benoit Kalasa, director of the United Nations Population Fund’s Technical Division. Conference presentations noted that many youth pregnancies and pregnancy-related deaths are preventable through access to family planning information and contraceptives, yet contraceptive use among girls lags behind that of older women. In parts of Asia and Africa, over half of the youth who want to avoid pregnancy don’t have access to contraception. (And thanks to a Supreme Court intervention, before young Filipinos can gain access to family planning commodities or services, they need to present written consent from their parents, or else the healthcare delivery people risk sanctions. But if young people can’t even bring themselves to talk about sex with their parents [and vice-versa], how can you expect them to ask their parents for a note requesting family planning

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FEBRUARY 5, 2016

FRIDAY

Canada News NEWS BRIEFS from The Canadian Press

Wall says not much room for province to make cuts REGINA — Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall says his government has “serious revenue shortfalls” and will run a deficit this fiscal year and next.Wall told the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association that government ministries and Crown corporations have been told to rein in spending. But “there isn’t much room left, frankly, for cuts,” he said Monday. Wall says Trudeau should champion energy REGINA — Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall says the National Energy Board can play referee on the Energy East pipeline, but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should take a stand. Wall says the energy sector needs a champion in the federal government and the Prime Minister’s Office.

A convoy of Canadian Light Armored Vehicles over-watching a village in Afghanistan. 22ND MOBILE PUBLIC AFFAIRS DETACHMENT PHOTO BY STAFF SGT. CHRISTINE JONES

Canada military ill-prepared to resume mantle as world’s peacekeeper: report BY MURRAY BREWSTER The Canadian Press OTTAWA — The Trudeau government has promised to get Canada back into the peacekeeping business, but a new report from two independent think tanks says the military is ill-prepared for the task. The study by the Rideau Institute and the Centre for Policy Alternatives was penned by Walter Dorn, a professor at the Canadian Forces Staff College and one of Canada’s leading experts in peacekeeping. For the last decade, he says, the army has specialized in counter-insurgency warfare because of the combat mission in Kandahar and other skill sets — once second nature to Canadian training — were relegated to the back burner. Dorn says the complexities of modern peace operations require in-depth training and education, on subjects including the procedures, capabilities and limitations of the United Nations. He says Canada is currently far behind other nations in its readiness to support the United Nations and train for modern peacekeeping.

“Special skills, separate from those learned in Afghanistan and warfare training, would need to be (re)learned, including skills in negotiation, conflict management and resolution, as well as an understanding of UN procedures and past peacekeeping missions,” said the report. “Particularly important is learning effective co-operation with the non-military components of modern peacekeeping operations, including police, civil affairs personnel and humanitarians, as well as UN agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the local actors engaged in building a viable peace.” The focus of training at both the Canadian Forces Command College in Toronto and the army staff college in Kingston, Ont., is on “taking part in ‘alliance’ or NATO-style operations,” Dorn concluded. “At the higher (national security) level, the case studies and exercises on peacekeeping were dropped.” Both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan have said rather than sending a lot of soldiers, Canada can contribute equipment and expertise, such as

commanders and headquarters contingents. But Dorn says the military regime provides less than a quarter of the peacekeeping instruction it did a decade ago. The report recommends the reinstatement and updating of the many training programs and exercises that have been cut, and introducing new instruction that reflects the increasing complexity of modern peace operations. “Canadian soldiers have served as superb peacekeepers in the past and can do so again, with some preparation,” the report says. Following the Somalia scandal of the mid-1990s in which a teenager was tortured and killed at the hands of Canadian soldiers, National Defence recognized the need for specialized training. It was implemented with success between 1995 and 2005, when the army went into Kandahar. Dorn says while the number of personnel deployed in the field by the United Nations is now at an all-time high of more than 125,000, the number of Canadian soldiers involved in those operations has dwindled to an all-time low of 29 as of Dec. 31, 2015. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

Alberta looks to boost petrochemical sector CALGARY — The Alberta government is looking to boost the province’s petrochemical sector with a new program that it expects will attract up to $5 billion in investment. Royalty credits amounting to $500 million will be provided to new plants that turn raw natural gas products — methane and propane — into materials used to make plastics, textiles and other goods. Company withdraws Alberta oil-by-rail expansion EDMONTON — A company that was proposing to expand the size of a rail facility to double the number of trains it can load with Alberta oil has shelved the project. USD Terminals Canada announced in November that it wanted to construct new tracks and loading buildings at its rail terminal in Hardisty, southeast of Edmonton. Sled dog race cancelled due to warm weather PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. — The Canadian Challenge Sled Dog Race through northern Saskatchewan has been put on ice because of warm weather.The race’s organizing body says it’s cancelling this year’s event because of poor trail conditions. Manitoba Tory candidate dumped by party WINNIPEG — Manitoba’s Opposition party has fired a candidate over what it called concerns about his campaign performance. David Horbas was nominated as the Progressive Conservative candidate in Selkirk in 2014 and was suddenly forced out over the weekend. Woman charged after assault at daycare REGINA — A woman has been charged with aggravated assault following the serious injury of a child last fall at an unlicensed daycare in Picture Butte near Regina. RCMP say they began an investigation in November after a 14-month-old girl was taken to hospital. Hikers who failed to return from day trip safe COCHRANE, Alta. — RCMP say four hikers who were overdue from an outing on a popular trail in Alberta’s Kananaskis region, southwest of Calgary have been found safe and found. Cochrane RCMP received word late Sunday night about a group that had not returned from a day trip on the Prairie Mountain Trail along Highway 66. False job offers allegedly provided: CBSA REGINA — Several charges have been laid after a lengthy investigation into alleged immigration fraud in Regina. The Canada Border Services Agency says Qi Wang and Yujuan Cui acted as immigration consultants but were not licensed.

Canada News

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2016

Tax agency doesn’t even know what it shared improperly with spy agency BY JIM BRONSKILL The Canadian Press OTTAWA — The federal revenue agency says it doesn’t know what sort of taxpayer information a rogue employee improperly shared with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service because CSIS has wiped the files from its database. The Canada Revenue Agency told The Canadian Press that the employee who handed over the sensitive data — doing so even though CSIS lacked a judicial warrant — is no longer with the department. The agency refused to disclose whether the person was fired or left voluntarily, citing privacy reasons. And it is not clear if the taxpayers whose information was compromised were ever notified of the improper sharing. The Security Intelligence Review Committee, the watchdog that keeps an eye on CSIS, revealed last week in its annual report that the spy and revenue agencies repeatedly breached the rules. Questions were first raised by the Federal Court, prompting CSIS to ask the review committee to look into the matter. After concerns emerged, there were assurances the sensitive revenue agency information had been purged from a CSIS database when, in fact, it was still there, the review committee’s report says. CSIS spokeswoman Tahera Mufti says the information is now “deleted from CSIS databases.”

“It should be noted that none of the information received from the CRA was shared beyond CSIS,” she added. As a result, revenue agency spokesman Philippe Brideau said, it is unclear what was passed to the spy agency in the first place. “The CRA is unable to determine the details of the information that was shared with CSIS as it was removed permanently and in its entirety from CSIS systems.” Brideau suggested the deletion also made it impossible to notify taxpayers. Mufti declined to say whether CSIS had done so. She also would not reveal what sort of information the spy service got from the revenue agency. The review committee report said CSIS management issued a “stern reminder” to employees of the need for a warrant to collect taxpayer data, but the committee concluded that may not be sufficient. Mufti said while she could not confirm or deny any “internal disciplinary measures that might have been taken,” CSIS maintains “robust policies and procedures, clearly defining our roles and responsibilities.” “We continue to actively educate and train our staff on the latest updates on our policies.” The federal privacy commissioner is looking into the improper sharing. “What we can tell you at this time is that we were aware of this issue and we have been examining it,” said spokeswoman Valerie Lawton, who was not in a position to provide more details.

Lax border checks allow illegal drugs to slip undetected out of Canada: auditor BY MURRAY BREWSTER The Canadian Press OTTAWA — The Canada Border Services Agency is not keeping a close enough eye on exports, causing high-risk shipments — including illegal drugs and possibly illicit weapons technology — to leave the country undetected, auditor general Michael Ferguson says. In his latest series of reports examining the efficiencies and failings of various government departments, the federal watchdog finds the border agency is not reviewing all export declarations and not examining many shipments flagged by its own internal system — or by warnings from other departments. Up to 20 per cent of high-risk exports identified by the agency’s centralized targeting units were allowed to pass without inspection. Ferguson stopped short of calling it a national security concern, but says it is a troubling situation. “The government has made international commitments related to non-proliferation, and controlling technologies that could be used for weapons technology,” he said. “So, I think it’s very important we have in place the measures to do that.” It is “possible there could be some technologies leaving the country that shouldn’t be,” Ferguson added. Much of the breakdown relates to staff levels, and the fact the border agency focuses much of its resources on controlling imports. In some locations, inspections cease entirely if a single staff member goes away on vacation. “We also found that the

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The federal watchdog finds the border agency is not reviewing all export declarations and not examining many shipments flagged by its own internal system — or by warnings from other departments.

agency did not always conduct targeting and examinations during all hours and days when export shipments move,” the audit said. “This meant that non-compliant shipments were exported undetected.” The audit found that when the agency did detain shipments, it was holding on to legitimate goods far too long and — in some cases — costing businesses their contracts. Also, Ferguson found that while goods valued under $2,000 do not require a permit, they can be subject to random inspection, but often are not because of a shortage of staff. Small, undeclared parcels are a popular means for drug traffickers to get their illicit products out of the country, but according to Ferguson’s report, hunting for those shipments is not a priority under the current system. “The agency had identified illegal drugs being exported out of Canada as a high-risk area; it made several drug seizures during the period of our audit,” said the report, tabled Tuesday in Parliament. “But agency officials told us that the limits on their examination authorities reduced their effectiveness in prevent-

ing the export of illegal drugs. This limited authority, together with limited resources, resulted in the agency’s not setting export of illegal drugs as an examination priority.” Ferguson said the agency receives a mish-mash of customs declarations and that the whole system should be electronic. In 2014, the agency received data on about 787,500 electronic forms declarations submitted through the Canadian Automated Export Declaration (CAED) system — an outdated network that was due to be replaced years ago. Additionally, it received at least 44,000 paper declarations. Exporters intend on evading the inspection system seem to know that all they have to do in order to slip past is to file the paperwork right at the deadline. Declarations must be submitted at least two hours before shipments are loaded on planes and at least 48 hours before loading onto ships. “We were told that about one third of targets were not examined because the agency’s local office received information about the targets too late_that is, after the shipments had already left or been loaded on planes and ships,” said the audit. ■

Canada News

FEBRUARY 5, 2016

FRIDAY

B.C. Housing studying foreign ownership in real estate market: Premier Clark THE CANADIAN PRESS VANCOUVER — The agency that manages and administers subsidized housing in British Columbia is studying the level of foreign investment in the real-estate market, says Premier Christy Clark. Housing affordability is a hot topic in Vancouver, where the rental-vacancy rate is below one per cent and the average price of a home on the west side is now more than $2.5 million.

Just how much of a role foreign investment plays in the market remains debatable, although a Finance Ministry analysis last June concluded less than five per cent of home sales in Metro Vancouver involved foreign buyers. Clark said Monday that BC Housing has been studying the issue for more than a year but will need the help of the federal government to fully understand the data. “I think with more data, we’ll be able to get a grasp on how to

address it better because affordability, especially in the city of Vancouver, less so in the suburbs but certainly there as well, is a real issue and we have to find ways to address it,” she said. Clark said the provincial government will also include initiatives in this month’s budget to help it determine if non-citizen buyers have an impact on the property market. Rajvir Rao of B.C. Housing said in an email that the province asked the agency last year to examine housing affordabil-

New Brunswick man whose daughter was murdered wants new debate on gun BY MELANIE PATTEN The Canadian Press

the types of powerful firearms seen in mass shootings in the United States and Canada, including the June 2014 murders of three Mounties in neighbouring Moncton by Justin Bourque. In that case, a semi-automatic rifle was used to kill the three officers and wound two others. Bourque’s lawyer, David Lutz, said the debate over gun control in Canada should be reopened after his client was sen-

said at the time. The former Conservative government abolished the federal database for long guns in RIVERVIEW, N.B. — A New 2011 as part of a long-standing Brunswick man whose young campaign promise. daughter was gunned down in Davis said he decided to a robbery 29 years ago is callspeak out now after a two-page ing for a renewed debate on ad from a gun shop featuring firearm control and the federal mostly military-style firearms long-gun registry. appeared in a local newspaper Ron Davis of Riverview said in December. Tuesday he’s concerned that “I thought, boy, if there are m i l i t a r y- s t y l e people out there guns sold lethat possibly gally in Canada have mental defiwill end up in ciencies or probthe hands of the Canadians have to start looking at the lems, we’re just wrong people. type of guns that are available in this planting a seed in “I have nothcountry and the type of people who their mind that ing against huntare entitled to use these guns. these guns could ing rifles, that’s do it the same as fine,” Davis, 74, they see on TV,” said in an interhe said. view. “It’s the Meanwhile, weapons that are available and tenced to 75 years in prison in Davis said he and his family are legal that have nothing to do October 2014. preparing to attend a parole with hunting that concerns me The RCMP officers were hearing in Quebec in April for most. We’re just asking for an- armed with guns that had the man convicted in his daughother disaster to happen.” a range of 50 metres, while ter’s shooting. They have never Davis’s 16-year-old daughter, Bourque’s gun — a Poly Tech- missed a hearing, he said. Laura, was shot and killed with a nologies M305, 308-calibre “That’s the least we can do for handgun in a convenience store semi-automatic rifle — had a my daughter, is be there.” holdup in Moncton in 1987. range of 250 metres. Patrice Mailloux was conSince then, he’s been an advo“I think that as a result of this victed in the spring of 1988 cate for victims of gun violence. case, Canadians have to start and sentenced to life in prison Government response to gun looking at the type of guns that with no chance of parole for 20 violence is too often “lip-ser- are available in this country years. Davis said he is seeking vice,” he said. and the type of people who are unescorted day passes and full Davis questions the need for entitled to use these guns,” Lutz parole. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

ity in the province. Rao said the Industry and Consumer Advisory Council, an independent group that provides advice to B.C. Housing, is overseeing the research. “The province has asked B.C. Housing to examine key factors affecting home prices in B.C. to better understand housing affordability across the province and help inform future policy responses,” said Rao. “Foreign ownership is one of the variables potentially affecting prices, along with housing

and land supply, the economy and interest rates.” Rao also said B.C. Housing has been talking to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation about housing affordability throughout the country. The final report is expected to be completed this summer, said Rao. Clark said the government needs to understand the issue before it can find solutions, and she is also asking people not to vilify non-residents who buy homes in the Vancouver area. ■

Canadian weather predicting rodents ready for Groundhog Day celebrations THE CANADIAN PRESS THOUSANDS ACROSS the country will be turning to fourlegged forecasters with names like Wiarton Willie and Shubenacadie Sam today to learn if spring is just around the corner. According to tradition, if the groundhog sees its shadow when it emerges from its burrow on Groundhog Day there will be six more weeks of winter. But this year’s festivities have already been marred by the death of one prognosticating marmot. Groundhog Day celebrations have been cancelled in Manitoba due to the death of Winnipeg

Willow, who died last Friday at the Prairie Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. Wiarton, Ont., is holding a festival to celebrate 60th anniversary of predictions by the town’s albino groundhog — Willie. Nova Scotia’s Shubenacadie Sam has the honour of making the first North American prediction of the day due to the province’s time zone. Pennsylvania’s Punxsutawney Phil, arguably the bestknown weather predicting woodchuck, noted Winnipeg Willow’s passing with his handlers saying they were surprised by news of the death of Phil’s colleague. ■

PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL’S OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2016

Trudeau to visit struggling Alberta where oil sector seeks support for pipelines BY ANDY BLATCHFORD AND BRUCE CHEADLE The Canadian Press OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau travels Wednesday to Alberta, where the battered oil sector will be looking for strong signals that Ottawa is serious about helping deliver its controversial commodity to tidewater. The president of the Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors said Tuesday the industry isn’t looking for a handout — just federal support on the contentious issue of building pipelines. Mark Scholz warned if the industry can’t get its product to market, then Alberta businesses are going to fail. “What I would be looking for is a real strong indication from the federal government that they’re serious about pipelines, they’re serious about getting market access for us and that they’re willing to put some political capital on the line,” Scholz said in Ottawa, where he participated in a conference. Trudeau’s visit to Alberta comes as low commodity prices decimate business and government revenues in the resourcedependent province, forcing companies to lay off workers. Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau declined Tuesday to answer several questions about whether Ottawa would provide targeted assistance for Alberta. Instead, Morneau said the federal government’s upcoming budget will include spending plans to invest in Canada’s entire economy, which he argued will help struggling provinces like Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador as well as Alberta.

Morneau confirmed that Alberta is working on an application for up to $250 million in federal cash under the fiscal stabilization program, a plan designed to help provinces struck by big year-to-year declines in revenues. The Newfoundland government, which has also lost revenues in the oil-price slump, indicated Tuesday that it intends to make a claim under the stabilization program this spring. The province could be eligible for a maximum of about $32 million under the program. Morneau said he’s unsure whether Newfoundland and Saskatchewan would qualify for the program, although they could apply.

A senior government source, who wasn’t authorized to disclose details publicly, recently said Ottawa was looking at potential solutions for Alberta, including speeding up already promised infrastructure spending and adjusting the typical, per-capita infrastructure funding disbursement formula to reflect economic need. Trudeau has pledged to pump an additional $60 billion over 10 years into infrastructure projects, but only $17.4 billion was earmarked to flow during the Liberals’ first four-year mandate. Ottawa is also said to be considering whether to increase direct transfers to individuals, perhaps through modifications

to the employment insurance program. The Liberals promised during the fall election campaign to enhance EI by, for example, reducing the waiting time for benefits to kick in. But Alberta’s workers might have to wait a little longer for EI changes, federal Labour Minister MaryAnn Mihychuk said Tuesday. She said she didn’t foresee any EI adjustments before the federal budget, expected next month at the earliest. But when pressed on the issue, she said she wasn’t sure if something on EI reform would be unveiled before the budget. Mihychuk added the government is looking at “every av-

enue” to try and help Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland in a “meaningful way.” For the Prairie provinces, however, the pipelines are a key concern for governments and the oil and gas sector. Trudeau’s trip takes place as the regional battle over pipelines heats up. Earlier this month, the premiers of Alberta and Saskatchewan expressed dismay after Montreal-area municipal leaders publicly voiced their opposition to the proposed Energy East project, which would transport Prairie oil through their territory to tidewater in New Brunswick. They argued that potential threats to the environment outweigh any economic benefits. Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall has questioned whether Quebecers should continue to expect billions in equalization payments if they won’t support the export of resources that help drive those payments. On Monday, he challenged Trudeau to take a stand and support the project. “We need a champion for the energy sector,” Wall said after delivering a speech in Regina. Pipeline politics have also dominated debate in Parliament, where the Conservatives have accused the Liberal government of causing more harm to Alberta workers. Last week, the federal government announced additional environmental reviews to bolster public confidence in the pipeline assessment process, including more consultations with indigenous communities. Environmental groups argue any new pipeline approval by Ottawa would undermine the Liberals’ vow to cut greenhouse gas emissions. ■

the recipients of money sent by its customers. Three cheques issued by SR Cash Remit to Family Express bounced on July. The cheques amounting to $80,000 were endorsed to cover the remittances for the months of June and July. A week later, SR Cash Re-

mit further failed to transfer $33,000 to Family Express. It also failed to pay Family Express interests amounting to $3,500. The cash remittance centre owes Family Express a total $117,000. “The case is now with the authorities,” Family Express’ president said.

A note posted on SR Cash Remit’s Marlborough Mall office states that the location is closed, SR Cash Remit has financial issues, and customers are advised to contact the police. Canada ranks eight in OFW remittances, according to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. “The lead-

ing source for OFW remittances is North and South America, accounting for $11,167,883,000 (46%), with $10,374,084,000 or 93% of these remittances coming from the world’s largest economy, the United States (USA). Canada contributes $650,910,000 (6%). ■

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

STACEY NEWMAN / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Calgarians lose... investigators. Marisyel Pilande has also been issued a warrant of arrest for failing to appear in court for charges filed against her for writing bounced cheque to Family Express. Family Express acted as intermediary between SR Cash Remit and ❰❰ 1

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Canada News

FEBRUARY 5, 2016

‘I loved those girls:’ B.C.’s earthquake Regina accused preparedness progressing says sisters in his care slowly but surely: expert were looked after BY GEORDON OMAND The Canadian Press

BY SARAH MILLS The Canadian Press REGINA — A Saskatchewan man accused in the death of a four-year-old girl and the mistreatment of her two-year-old sister says he wanted nothing but the best for them. “I loved those girls more than anything in the world,” Kevin Goforth testified Monday as he took the stand in his own defence. He said he was reluctant at first to take the children, but they won him over. Goforth, 40, and his 39-yearold wife Tammy are charged with second-degree murder and causing bodily harm. Both girls were rushed to hospital in August 2012 and were found to be suffering severe malnutrition. They were also covered in bruises. The four-year-old died, while the younger girl recovered. Kevin Goforth told court the children were never denied food. He said supper time at the family’s home was important and the girls, who were big eaters, were always part of it. He also denied that he or his wife ever restrained the girls or hurt them in any way. A 14-year-old boy testifying for the Crown said last week that he saw the four-year-old girl’s hands being taped to a wall. The teen also said that when he was visiting the home in the summer of 2011, both girls were locked in their room

for the entire weekend and he never saw them eat. Goforth said Monday that he noticed bruises on the girls’ legs, but nothing more than what children would typically have at that age. On Sundays, he said, the girls went to church with him and his wife and their three children. He also said they were often taken to the park to play. He said the girls would occasionally fight, didn’t share their toys well and had a limited vocabulary. Married for 23 years, Goforth said his day-to-day life as a carpenter was busy and his wife did most of the caregiving for the girls. The Regina couple made a decision, out of respect for the sisters and their privacy, that he and his three children would not see them undressed, so Tammy Goforth did all the bathing and diaper changes, he said. Softly crying, he described the night the couple rushed the girls to hospital. “My mind was all over the place, my emotions running high. I was freaking out, screaming for help.” He testified his wife sped to the hospital while the fouryear-old was “limp in my arms while I whispered her name.” Wearing just swimming trunks, Goforth was taken to police headquarters, where he was questioned over two days. He described himself as being “scared, crying, upset, lonely, cold, state of shock. “I didn’t give clear answers. They put words in my mouth.” ■

Tammy and Kevin Goforth are charged with murder of a four-year-old girl. FACEBOOK PHOTO

ters. Beyond seismic upgrades, some experts argue the province needs to go further with its VANCOUVER — Perceived mitigation efforts. public apathy towards the Ocean Networks Canada threat of a major earthquake spokesman Teron Moore said off Canada’s west coast hasn’t British Columbia is missing stopped governments across the same kind of offshore earsouthwestern British Columly-warning system already in bia from quietly earmarking place in Japan and along secmillions of dollars for seismic tions of the U.S. coastline. upgrades and construction in Moore attributed the absence anticipation of the “Big One.” of an early-warning system in Much of the work is being B.C. to public apathy. done incrementally — retrofits “We tend to put our heads dovetailing with routine mainin the sand a little bit,” he said tenance, schools being renoabout British Columbians, vated one by one and new conwhereas places like Japan with struction projects being subject more frequent and severe seisto updated quake-resistant remic activity tend to be better quirements. prepared. Engineer and seismic speSo far, B.C. has about 100 cialist John Sherstobitoff land and undersea earthquake praised the province on its disensors, a far cry from Japan’s saster preparedapproximately ness, saying the 1,000 detection government has instruments. learned from the Japan’s techresponses of othnology is also er jurisdictions The occurrence of such a calamitous integrated dito earthquakes. event nowadays has the potential to rectly into its “We’re doing destroy not only human life but also infrastructure, pretty well,” said the province’s pocket book, says the said Moore, so S h e r st o b i t o f f , Insurance Bureau of Canada. when an earthwho works for quake is deglobal engineertected not only ing firm Ausenare emergency co. “We’re doing personnel notireasonably well for a province grade or replace 214 of the 342 fied but trains automatically that hasn’t had a major, damag- schools deemed at risk in an slow down, gas valves shut off ing earthquake in this genera- earthquake. and elevator doors open, for tion.” Across the Burrard Inlet example. Scientists have determined from Vancouver, a 2015 study Moore said improving Canthe likelihood of another seri- focusing on North Vancouver ada’s capacity to detect quakes ous quake happening in the estimated that about 3.6 per earlier will require more fundnext 50 years is one in 10. cent — or 840 — of the district’s ing and better collaboration Pressure between the two 23,700 buildings would be se- between the various organiundersea plates of the Casca- verely damaged or destroyed zations that operate sensors dia subduction zone, located in the event of a 7.3-magnitude along the coast, such as Natural off Vancouver Island, has been quake in the Georgia Strait. Resources Canada, the Univerbuilding since the slabs last The cumulative economic sity of British Columbia and the slipped in a major way in 1700. loss from building damage and provincial Transport Ministry. The ensuing megathrust quake service disruption was estimatAn effective early-warning decimated the Pacific North- ed at just under $3 billion. system could buy valuable secwest coastline and sent a fourMetro Vancouver has seis- onds or even minutes to prestorey tsunami on a nine-hour mically upgraded its water res- pare before disaster struck, he journey across the ocean before ervoirs and is looking at a pro- added. it plowed into Japan. gram to bring its sewage system “Earthquake early warning The occurrence of such a ca- up to date. isn’t the solve-all solution for lamitous event nowadays has A spokeswoman from Victo- preparedness in British Columthe potential to destroy not ria said the city has managed to bia,” Moore added. “It doesn’t only human life but also the protect the historic portion of stop the shaking from happenprovince’s pocket book, says the city hall and its next priority is ing. There still will be damage. Insurance Bureau of Canada. the fire department headquar- (But) it does help.” ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

It released a report in 2013 that estimated the economic impact of a 9.0-magnitude earthquake hitting B.C. would be a staggering $75 billion. In the meantime, governments continue to prepare. The City of Vancouver replaces about 0.5 per cent — or six kilometres — of its water mains a year, switching out brittle cast-iron material with a more resilient ductile iron. Vancouver is also in the process of assessing its 560 municipal buildings for seismic upgrades. It has whittled down the list to 56 and a city spokesman said the final cut is expected sometime next year. Portions of city hall are undergoing earthquake upgrades. Across B.C., $2.2 billion in provincial funding has been spent or committed to up-

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World News

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2016

Iowa: In a Canadian first, Calgary-born Ted Cruz wins a US presidential contest BY ALEXANDER PANETTA The Canadian Press WASHINGTON — A conservative firebrand survived weeks of flame-throwing over his Calgary birth to make history Monday as the Canadian-born winner of a major United States presidential nomination contest. A dual citizen until recently, Alberta-born Ted Cruz won the first-in-the-country nomination contest, taking the Iowa Republican caucuses despite being bombarded with questions about his eligibility by Donald Trump. The billionaire’s birtherist broadsides failed against Barack Obama four years ago and they didn’t work in Iowa, either: thanks to a superior organization-and-turnout effort, Cruz exceeded pollsters’ expectations and won by about four percentage points. It was a humbling night for Trump. He almost fell into third place, behind a delighted Sen. Marco Rubio. As for the habitually boastful Trump, he was gracious in defeat: “I’m just honoured. I’m really honoured, and I want to congratulate Ted... Iowa, we love you... I think I might come back here and buy a farm.” Trump expressed optimism he’ll go on to win the nomination. He made sure to mention his bigger lead in polls in New Hampshire — which votes next week, and which has a very different political makeup from

Iowa with far fewer religious voters. Cruz staked his campaign on the midwestern state’s social conservatives. He launched his bid last year at an evangelical Christian university, and religious voters appeared to reward him Monday. He spoke to them by quoting scripture in his victory speech Monday. “The next president of the United States will not be chosen by the media. Will not be chosen by the Washington establishment. Will not be chosen by the lobbyists,” Cruz said. Styling himself as the staunchest right-winger among the Republican frontrunners, the first-term Texas lawmaker has gone out of his way to draw attention to his prickly relationship with his Senate colleagues — none of whom have endorsed him. He has parried Trump’s attacks over his unpopularity with colleagues by branding himself as an out-sider in tune with the insurrectionist spirit rippling through the party. That anti-establishment mood was potent enough Monday to relegate the fat-walleted campaign of the presumed frontrunner entering the race, Jeb Bush, to an embarrassing sixth-place finish. On the Democratic side, meanwhile, the establishment favourite was sweating. Hillary Clinton clung to a nailbiting lead of less than a percentage point over the underdog challenging her from the left — Sen.

Alberta-born Ted Cruz won the first-in-the-country nomination contest. ANDREW CLINE / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Bernie Sanders. Among Republicans, Cruz took about 28 per cent. Trump under-performed his poll numbers to finish with 24 per cent. And Rubio finished a strong third with 23 per cent, making him an early contender for the support of the more moderate mainstream as the race shifts to New Hampshire next week, then to southern states. On paper, Iowa results mean little. The state has a dismal track record of predicting the Republican nominee: in contested years, it’s only picked the eventual winner two of the last seven times. Of the more than 1,200 delegates required to win the nomination at this summer’s Republican convention, Iowa confers only confers 30, to be split among the frontrun-

ners. But the results have mattered in other ways. Every bigparty nominee of the modern era has won one of the first two contests, and Iowa has divided the field into contenders and no-hopers. Mike Hucka-bee, a former Iowa winner, immediately suspended his campaign Monday. For his part, Rubio emerged as a first-tier player, which will cause nervousness among Democrats: he is perhaps the only candidate in his party to consistently beat Clinton in hypothetical head-to-head polling matchups. The state has a far better record of picking the Democratic winner. Clinton was seeking to cement her frontrunner status within that party. With votes

still being counted early Tuesday, she was on the verge of snapping a family jinx. She clung to a paper-thin lead of less than a percentage point, in a state that produced heartbreak for her in 2008 and dealt her husband a withering fourth-place defeat in 1992. Both she and Sanders claimed moral victory. Neither conceded defeat. In fact, their virtual tie means they’ll actually split the state’s delegates. But it deprived Sanders of the kind of early win that pro-pelled Obama’s 2008 campaign. A burst out of the gates helped Obama erase a huge deficit in later-voting, less-liberal southern states like South Carolina. This time, polls show Clinton with a 40-per-cent lead in South Carolina. Sanders, who remains the favourite in New Hampshire, can now hope at best for a split in the first two states before the race moves to tougher terrain. An enthusiastic crowd cheered Sanders as he referred to the come-from-behind quality of a campaign that has energized young liberals, with its call for a drastic shifting of national priorities toward tougher rules on corporations and a bigger social safety net. Clinton expressed peace of mind. “I stand here tonight breathing a big sigh of relief,” Clinton said, suggesting she’d won without explicit-ly declaring victory. “I will keep standing for you. I will keep fighting for you.” ■

New democratic era dawning in Myanmar BY DENIS D. GRAY AND ESTHER HTUSAN The Associated Press NAYPYITAW, MYANMAR — Led by a triumphant Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar is preparing to take a historic leap into uncharted territory, having only known democracy for 14 of its 1,000 years of recorded history. Suu Kyi, who scored a stunning victory in last year’s elections, follows a procession of abso-

lute monarchs, British colonial rulers and home-bred generals who are still standing tall in the wings. The new era dawns April 1, when Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy, which captured nearly 80 per cent of the contested parliamentary seats, takes over power from a military-dominated regime and attempts to shed decades of political oppression, civil war and economic ruin in this resourceblessed Southeast Asian nation

once hailed as the continent’s rising star. What happens next is being touted as “a political and economic renaissance” or, as one local editorial predicted, “Myanmar’s best year yet.” But others fear the victors, having spent much of their lives as opposition activists and prisoners rather than in government, may, as the Burmese proverb goes, simply be “overwhelmed by 16,000 problems.” Among them, the NLD faces www.canadianinquirer.net

the world’s longest running insurgency by Myanmar’s ethnic minorities with tens of thousands still under arms and deeply distrustful of the central government and a military that will continue to control the country’s civil administration, three key ministries, 25 per cent of the seats in Parliament and economic holdings amassed during its half-century in power. “The NLD victory is just one step in Myanmar’s democratic

process, not a major turning point,” said Yan Myo Thein, a veteran analyst and former political prisoner. Adding to its woes, Myanmar falls among the world’s poorest countries with abysmal education and health systems and is burdened with pervasive corruption. It ranks 147 among 168 countries on Transparency International’s latest global corruption index. ❱❱ PAGE 24 New democratic

World News

FEBRUARY 5, 2016

UN aid appeal for war torn Libya only 1 per cent funded

New democratic... The new government will also have to re-order its relationship with China, formerly a staunch supporter of the generals, deciding how far it can risk alienating its powerful neighbour by veering toward the United States and Europe and curbing ravages Chinese companies are inflicting on Myanmar’s environment. The team to tackle such a spectrum of problems is currently being shaped under tight wraps in this surreal, militarybuilt capital hacked out of the jungle. Suu Kyi recently announced that only she among her party members could speak to the press, but not before her spokesman Nyan Win said the team-building was proving difficult. “It’s going to be tough for anybody to run that place. The expectations are likely to be too great for her to succeed in the way people want,” says David Steinberg, an American scholar who has tracked Myanmar since the 1950s. The 70-year-old Suu Kyi is barred from leading the country, although the Nobel Prize laureate has made it clear that she will be “above the president,” calling the shots. By the constitution the president, to be selected this month, cannot like Suu Kyi have been married to a foreigner or have children of foreign citizenship. Some of her behaviour has raised questions about Suu Kyi’s leadership, with some NLD members calling her a “democratic dictator” who has surrounded herself with a generally sycophantic inner circle. In the 28 years since the party was founded, only one other figure of national stature has emerged: Tin Oo, a former armed forces commander turned democracy champion. But he is now 88. “The NLD is not a democratic party. It’s her view on what is going to prevail that’s important,” says Steinberg. “There is nobody of stature within the NLD who has the experience to run things. She has kept down a generation of leadership within the party.” Still, after decades of military rule, the political transition seems to be going relatively well, said Richard Horsey, an adviser to the think-tank International Crisis Group, noting

FRIDAY

❰❰ 23

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

National League for Democracy party leader Aung San Suu Kyi. CLAUDE TRUONG-NGOC / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

in particular Suu Kyi’s crucial meetings with armed forces chief Gen. Min Aung Hlaing and former junta leader Than Shwe, who is widely believed to still advise the military on critical decisions. The meetings appeared to be efforts to formulate a future working relationship with the military that will require of Suu Kyi an ingenious tightrope act: forging ahead with her democratization agenda while not overly infringing on the military’s power and pride lest this ignites a backlash and plunge the country into its militaristic past. The most optimistic scenario, Horsey says, would have the military “rehabilitate itself into a standard, modern army, and to be seen as protecting the realm rather than a source of domestic oppression. They will need the NLD for that.” Another possibility sees parallel government and economic structures emerging, with the military ignoring the government when it so chooses. “You must remember that the military is autonomous. They will not take orders from the president, only from their commander-in-chief,” says Bertil Lintner, author of several books on Myanmar including a biography of Suu Kyi. The Home Ministry, headed by a military-appointed minister, will retain its power over civil administration down to the village level as well as the police and domestic espionage. From its business conglomerates, the Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings and Myanmar Economic Corporation, it will be able to draw funds well beyond those it is allocated under government budgets. Given that the technocratic elite is mostly comprised of

retired or serving military officers, Suu Kyi will have little choice but retain many. But Yan Myo Thein and others say Suu Kyi may go too far, including more than the mandated number of military in her Cabinet as well as at least one member of the military-backed party she trounced in the elections. “I worry that she may rely too much on the military. She is always trying to compromise with them, and they hold the upper hand,” said Yan Myo Thein, who has close contacts with NLD members. “I am not certain whether the co-operation between the NLD and the military will be beneficial for our country.” This would certainly alienate the many with deep-seated hatred of the military, especially the ethnic minorities who have suffered brutal army campaigns against them and are hoping the new government will move toward a federal system allowing more autonomy and end warfare that has plagued the country since independence from Britain in 1948. Hopeful too are Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine State, where hundreds have been killed and 140,000 driven from their homes in communal violence. Talk to ordinary citizens, and many will describe Suu Kyi in almost saintly terms although others say they voted not so much for her but rather to get rid of the detested military. “I used to like her a lot but she is now behaving very differently from the past. I don’t know what to expect from her. She used to be humbler. She behaves more like a hierarchical figure now,” said Maung Maung a 46-year-old security guard. “We will wait and see how she will lead the country.” ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

CAIRO — The U.N. says that international donors have only pledged a “paltry” one per cent of the $166 million funding appeal launched to assist over one million Libyans affected by the country’s raging conflict. Libya’s U.N. humanitarian co-ordinator, Ali Al-Za’atari, says only two donors have so far answered the world body’s funding plea, issued almost two months ago. Libya has been bitterly di-

vided since the 2011 ousting of longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Since 2014, it has split into two rival governments. Earlier this month, a U.N.-supported unity cabinet, based in neighbouring Tunisia, was announced. The conflict has given rise to a local affiliate of the Islamic State group, which controls territory in central Libya. Al-Za’tari says the U.N. cannot “explain or justify why the international community hesitates to provide humanitarian funding.” ■

Venezuela’s UN envoy: Not concerned about US investigations BY LYNNE O’DONNELL The Associated Press VENEZUELA’S AMBASSADOR to the United Nations dismissed the possibility of co-operating with U.S. investigations into a billion-dollar bribery schemes that allegedly occurred at the country’s staterun oil company while he was in charge. The allegations surrounding corruption at the PDVSA oil company cast a pall over Ambassador Rafael Ramirez as Venezuela took over the rotating presidency of the Security Council on Monday. It was a long-held dream of the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to win a seat at the Security Council, a high-profile platform to showcase his defiance of a U.S.-led world order. Venezuela finally achieved that goal in 2014 under President Nicolas Maduro, more than a year after Chavez died of cancer. Venezuela will hold the Security Council presidency for the month of February, getting the chance to influence the agenda of the most powerful U.N. body.

Ramirez said he plans a Security Council debate on Feb. 15 on one of Chavez’s favourite themes: defending the national sovereignty of countries against what he saw as U.S. meddling in domestic affairs. Ramirez cited the U.S.-led military operations in Syria. He differentiated that from Russia’s bombing campaign in Syria, which has the approval of the government of President Bashar Assad. Venezuela has often taken Russia’s side in Security Council disagreements over how to address the Syrian civil war. “While we don’t have troops and will never have troops abroad, we are going to raise our voice,” he said. “Some countries on the Security Council decide on their own which governments are legitimate and which are not.” Ramirez said he was not concerned about the possibility of being indicted as part of U.S. investigations into corruption at PDVSA, which have led to the recent arrests of two Venezuelan businessmen who allegedly paid more than $1 billion ❱❱ PAGE 26 Venezuela’s UN

World News

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2016

Afghan Taliban open new front in war with attacks on media BY LYNNE O’DONNELL The Associated Press KABUL — The Taliban suicide bombing against a bus carrying employees of Afghanistan’s biggest media company last month has shocked local journalists, who fear they are now in the cross hairs of an increasingly lethal insurgency. Journalism has always been a dangerous line of work in Afghanistan, and reporters have long had to contend with threats and occasional attacks by various armed groups. But after Tolo TV, the most popular Afghan broadcaster, falsely accused the Taliban of mass rape in a report carried late last year, the insurgents declared war. “We saw in late 2015 a statement from the very highest levels of the Taliban staking out a very clear position that they are going to be deliberately targeting as ‘military objectives’ two of Afghanistan’s largest TV networks,” said Ahmad Shuja, a

researcher with the New Yorkbased Human Rights Watch. Calling it “a watershed moment,” he said the Taliban now equate attacks on media with “any other military operations they’ve done and taken credit for — and the implications are chilling.” In the Jan. 20 attack, a suicide bomber struck a bus belonging to the Moby Group, Tolo’s owner, killing seven people and wounding at least 25. The Taliban claimed responsibility, calling Tolo a tool of decadent Western influence and warning that other media outlets could be next. The Taliban were angered by a Tolo report last year alleging that the insurgents had raped female university students during their brief occupation of the northern city of Kunduz. The station has acknowledged the allegations were false and said it clarified the report, but the Taliban have shown no sign of backing down. “The Taliban came to the

conclusion that media have become an obstacle against their war strategies, and they would have (attacked) it anyway,” said Najib Sharifi, director of the Afghan Journalists’ Safety Committee. “But the incident in the Kunduz report gave the Taliban an excuse on which to build and further to justify their attacks.” Afghanistan’s intelligence service said it has arrested eight people in connection with the Tolo attack, all associated with the Haqqani network, a close Taliban ally based in neighbouring Pakistan. But many journalists have yet to return to work, fearing further attacks. An executive at 1TV, the other major media outlet that was threatened, said the intelligence service told him to move to a new home and buy a weapon. He also said a car bomb was recently defused outside the station’s gate. The executive spoke on condition of anonymity out of safety concerns. The escalation in violence has cast a pall over the surpris-

ingly vibrant media landscape that emerged after the 2001 U.S.-led invasion toppled the Taliban. Afghanistan has 75 television networks, 175 radio stations and hundreds of newspapers, magazines and websites employing thousands of journalists, mainly young people who came of age after the brutal rule of the Taliban, who banned television. Afghan journalists are often alone in reporting from the front lines of the conflict, and have defied intimidation to challenge claims by the government, local warlords and the insurgents. Reporters Without Borders ranked Afghanistan 122nd out of 180 countries in its World Press Freedom Index last year, up from the previous year but well below 2004, when Afghanistan was 97th. The low ranking reflects the dangers faced by local journalists, who work in conflict zones and face threats from all sides. Relatives of those killed and

wounded in the bus attack have complained about the security measures taken by Moby. The Afghanistan Journalists’ Federation has called on media owners to provide protection and compensation for their employees in accordance with existing laws. President Ashraf Ghani has promised to support and monitor media safety through a ministerial commission. The Mirzaee family meanwhile fears for another daughter, Golsum, 27, who works at 1TV dubbing Turkish soap operas into Farsi. She hasn’t returned to work since the attack, despite the fact that she and her late sister were supporting the family. “I’m afraid, but I just don’t know what to do,” she said. “If I don’t go back to work, then there will be no money coming in... I was going to go back yesterday, but I heard that the security service defused a car bomb at the gate. The risk is now very high.” ■

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FRIDAY

FILIPINO-CANADIAN IN FOCUS:

Joycelyn David: Keeping grounded to her Filipino roots BY MAVELLE DURIAN Philippine Canadian Inquirer EVEN THOUGH she grew up and was raised in Canada, Joycelyn David, who is now the National Director of Western Union Canada, never forgot the Filipino roots where she came from. Early life

Joycelyn’s family lived in Santa Rosa, Laguna in the early 1970s. Her grandfather worked for CN Rail as a Machinist, and her grandmother was a nurse. When they migrated to Canada, they were blessed with seven children, led by her mother Restita Espiritu. Later on, her parents moved to Edmonton, Alberta which became Joycelyn’s home for most of her life. Joycelyn was the first of the family to be born in Canada. As a young Filipino-Canadian growing up in Winnipeg, and later in Edmonton, Joycelyn noticed that she was not the only Asian in her school. “I noticed how few Filipinos or Asians there were in my class, even in my school! I remember bringing Sago to ‘International Food’ share day at school, and everyone was fascinated to see something new than Italian Pizza, or Ukrainian Perogies,” said Joycelyn as she reminisced her life as a grade school student. At 14, she visited Philippines for the first time, and considered it as a life changing event in her life. “My entire family in Santa

Rosa, Laguna had never met me, but embraced me as though I had lived in the Philippines all my life. They helped me adjust to the culture shock and really made my trip memorable and unforgettable. I remember we spent a day at a swimming pool, and all my cousins couldn’t believe that me, a girl from Canada, knew how to swim! I ‘We thought Canada had only ice and snow’ they quipped. Today, I swim at my local pool at least twice a week.” At her young age of 7, Joycelyn began her piano lessons and became involved in church choir until today. She loves to do covers from OPM which helped her connects to her Filipino roots in a big way.

customs alive. Filipino values such as paying respect to the elders. “My sisters are calling me ‘Ate,’ not Joycelyn,” or saying “mano po” to the elderly in every party we go to. For 10 minutes, we walk around (slightly bent over) to properly say ‘mano’ to everyone,” she said. “My husband, Abraham immigrated to Canada in 1991. He is the major reason we keep our family life connected to the values of our Filipino heritage. He reminds me of the hardships of growing up poor in the province, and how blessed we are as a family to be here together in Canada.” Perks of her work

Joycelyn leads the Digital business and Product Marketing divisions for Western Union in Canada working closely with Western Union Agents. Being with Western Union

Joycelyn David

ple through work, including BaJoycelyn holds a Bachelor’s sil Valdez, Imelda Papin, PresiHonors degree from the Unident (Gloria Macapagal) Arroyo versity of Alberta, and a Master and President (Noynoy) Aquino of Arts degree from York Uniat Malacanang palace! A big versity. For her, highlight for me it’s not only the was singing Bakit education she Ngayon Kalang at gained that motia Western Union vates her, but the Your children, and your children’s event in Toronopportunity to children will thank you for moving to to, with Gabby learn something Canada. Even if they don’t know it, or Concepcion!” new. Reading see it today, as a child of immigrant she said. “The books and learnfamily, I can say first hand it was Department of ing from others worth the journey! Foreign Affairs are her sources also recognized of knowledge. me and a fellow Growing up in Western Union Canada made her get used to for 8 years has kept Joycelyn colleague, Chito Gonzalez, for the cold weather, but the thing closely connected with the Fili- our company’s relief efforts folthat makes her feel warm were pino culture. It has its perks, lowing Typhoon Ondoy.” the characteristics that Canada she says, like meeting promiHer work as a National Direcembraced — being family-ori- nent personalities from the tor of the company made her ented and multicultural, which Philippines. feel humbled to serve millions of made her keep their Filipino “I’ve met some amazing peo- customers to send money home,

including to the Philippines.

rested in December on charges detailed in an indictment filed in federal court in Houston. Asked if he had been contacted by U.S. authorities seeking his co-operation, Ramirez shook his head and asked rhetorically, “Do you think I am going to accept the jurisdiction of another country on national matters?” He added: “I don’t think they would show me that lack of re-

that Venezuela was one of 15 countries in arrears in paying its annual contribution to the U.N. regular budget, resulting in a temporary loss of its voting rights at the General Assembly. The U.N. said Venezuela paid its debt last week. Ramirez denied that the delay had anything to do with Venezuela’s economic difficulties, calling it an “administrative matter.” ■

Life in Canada

Worth the journey

“I’ve been with my company for nearly 8 years now, and I have to admit, it’s been a great place to grow, learn and develop my skills. I love most working with my diverse team across Canada,” she said. Looking back, Joycelyn said her grandparents’ brave decision to move to Canada changed her life forever. “I am forever grateful to them,” said Joycelyn, who has this advice to Filipinos in Canada, especially the new ones: “Your children, and your children’s children will thank you for moving to Canada. Even if they don’t know it, or see it today, as a child of immigrant family, I can say first hand it was worth the journey!” ■

Venezuela’s UN... in bribes to secure contracts with the company. Last year, the U.S. Treasury Department accused a bank in Andorra of laundering some $2 billion stolen from PDVSA. Ramirez was the president of PDVSA for a decade until 2014. He said he did not know the two businessmen, Abraham Jose Shiera Bastidas and Roberto Rincon, who were ar❰❰ 24

spect.” The ambassador was terse while discussing allegations of corruption at PDVSA but he dismissed the U.S. investigations as an attempt to undermine Maduro’s government, which has had tense relations with Washington. “There has always been interference in our affairs,” Ramirez said. “We are used to it. We understand that all of this is a www.canadianinquirer.net

political confrontation and we accept that. If we took it personally, we would just make our lives miserable.” Venezuela takes over the Security Council presidency as its economy teeters on the brink of collapse, reeling from a plunge oil prices, a severe shortage of dollars and inflation running into the triple digits. Last month, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2016

Travel

Capul: A tiny island with lots of surprises BY VICKY C. ARNAIZ Philippines News Agency CAPUL, NORTHERN SAMAR — This tiny island in the northern tip of Northern Samar has been visited recently by foreign tourists on a cruise aboard Caledonian Sky of the Zegrahm Expedition for their overland adventures. The cruise visit has ignited the curiosity of a group of friends that decided to visit the island this summer. Capul island town can be reached by land for five hours to Allen as jump-off point and another one hour of boat ride. As the group reached our destination, the long trip didn’t matter as we were met with warm smiles and greetings by its people. Capul is a fifth class town, one of the islands in the Balicuatro Islas in Northern Samar province. Wilmark Amazona, a travel blogger, said that in the many places he has been to, the people of Capul are different, because they are so warm and tourist-friendly. Capul’s rich history is matched by its awesome scenery of green meadows, white beaches, rich foliage, coconut plantation, spring water, coves, rock formations and the list never stops. Many tourists and scholars are attracted to its unique and indigenous dialect, the “Inabaknon” which has intrigued fellow Waray-Warays in the neighboring municipalities. The Inabaknon is one of the eight unique dialects in the Philippines according to Summer Linguistics Institute. It is similar to Sama of Malaysia. But of course, Capuleños as they are called, can speak Waray-Waray and Cebuano , the vernaculars of neighboring island municipalities. The few Inabaknon words and phrases introduced to us by the very accommodating Capul Mayor Isidro Suan Bandal were “marangga” (beautiful); “awdian konta si kaam”(peace be

TELANHON 1516 / FLICKR

with you); “makababayi kaw” (you are pretty); “mahalap nalong” (good morning). Habal-habal (a motorcycle) with one or two passengers, is the only mode of transportation in the island. Amazona said the Inabaknon dialect fascinates him. He said learning it, would give him more understanding of their way of life and history. Capul is blessed with beautiful beaches with crystal clear water, fine white sand like the Acapulco, Abak, Capul Island Beach and a lot more. Abak beach was even rated as one of the top 20 beaches in the Philippines by some travel bloggers. The name of Capul is derived from the name Acapulco, given by the Spaniards when it was discovered in 1590s. It has one of the few stone churches and fortress in the country. History

In the 13th century, the followers of King Abak of Java, Indonesia and in honor of their deposed King, they named the island Abak. They landed in this 3,500 sq. kilometer-island that borders the western end of treacherous waters of San Bernardino Strait. The island’s name was later changed from Abak to Capul, a contraction from Acapulco, when the Manila-Acapulco trade flourished.

Father Gaspar Balerite, the historian of the Diocese of Northern Samar, said that during the 16th century, when Father Francisco Petrus was assigned in the island permanently in 1606, he constructed the first church which was made of hardwood and nipa but was razed to ashes in 1615, when Moro pirates plundered the island. In the same year and same site, a permanent church was erected made of stones integrated with fortress wall to protect its residents from Moro raiders. The church has an 11-meter high belfry and a stone watch tower. The church situated in the town plaza is dedicated to honor St. Ignatius of Loyola, a soldier before he became a priest from Loyola in Cantabria, Spain. The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) under the Office of the President, unveiled the historical marker “Fuerza de Capul” on August 5, 2011. The declaration as historical site and recognition from the government is considered significant and protected by law for its restoration and preservation according to Mayor Bandal. Also on April 23, 1996, the late Papal Nuncio Vicenzo Moreni came to Capul to put a cross in front of the church marking its 400-years. Just recently about almost

a hundred foreign tourists on board Caledonian Sky dropped anchor in Capul and enjoyed the rustic ambiance and rich history of the place. They went loco over coco, according to Eastern Visayas Regional Tourism Director Karina S. Tiopes when they were brought to a coconut plantation and witnessed how the coconuts were harvested and made into copra as part of their overland adventures. They were made to ride a kangga, a buffalo-pulled sled made of wood or bamboo. And treated to a culinary feast made from coconut meat and milk mixed with glutinous rice and a lot more. Broom making, coconut scrub, bags and other products were demonstrated to them. There is a “Bañadero” where men and women wash their clothes. While the rest of the region is in dire need of water, Bañadero’s natural spring water flows abundantly that supplies the island with safe drinking natural water, also for bathing and washing. In fact during the land excursion of the foreigners, few gamely washed their clothes in the bañadero. Before the sun sets, we traversed to the narrow hilly side of San Luis village towards the picturesque Faro de la Isla de Capul (the Lighthouse of Capul).

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The Parola as the Capuleños call it, is 143 feet above sea level. It has rich history having been built by the Spaniards in the 1800s that serves as a beacon and guideposts to vessels. We went up the Parola and mesmerized by the San Bernardino Strait, the green meadows on the left side and white beaches on the right side that dotted the island. An awesome sunset greets us that added color to the postcard pretty Capul. The brief sojourn to Capul island has reinforced our belief that Eastern Visayas is a very beautiful region, a must see with its rich history coupled with natural attractions which our kababayans should not miss to visit first. Capul is being marketed as part of overland adventures of cruise tourists by the local government unit and the Department of Tourism. The Sharp Travel, handler of Zegrahm expedition, has showed interest for another cruise ship to visit the island on March 2016. How to get to Capul

Route from Tacloban: Vans are available every hour from 5 a.m. onwards at the Tacloban Bus Terminal going to Allen port, Northern Samar. Fare is PHP350. From Allen, a boat is bound for Capul every 12:00 noon. Only once a day trip. Fare is PHP150. You can charter a boat at PHP3,000-up depends on the number of your group and if you don’t want to stay overnight in the island, but you will miss many sights. Boat bound out of Capul is at 6:45 a.m. daily. Route from Manila: You can take the early morning from Manila to Catarman, the capital town of Northern Samar. Then take a jeep going to Allen. Also you can take a flight going to Calbayog City from Manila. Then take a van to Allen Northern Samar which is about two hours to Allen. In Capul island Beach Resort, room is PHP1,000 up. There are small lodging houses and homestay with rates for as low as PHP 200-up. ■

Travel

FEBRUARY 5, 2016

FRIDAY

Airlines restore tiny perks, like pretzels, to pacify fliers BY SCOTT MAYEROWITZ The Associated Press

blankets and pillows. “It was really about survival,” says Fernand Fernandez, vicepresident of global marketing at American. When Continental Airlines stopped giving out free cookies and mini bags of pretzels in 2011 — after its merger with United Airlines — it said the move would save $2.5 million a year. Since then, mergers have created four mega-carriers that control more than 80 per cent of the domestic market. They started charging $25 for each checked suitcase. And more seats have been crammed into planes to maximize profits. Now the industry is making record profits. “What has changed,” Fernandez says, “is that the airlines

NEW YORK — After 15 years of near austerity, U.S. airlines are restoring some small perks for passengers crammed into coach. Don’t expect ample legroom or free checked bags. But fliers will find improved snacks, a larger selection of free movies and — on a few select routes — the return of free meals. Monday, American Airlines became the latest carrier to add something back. It announced Luxurious and spacious business class seats in a Qatar Airways Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner at Singapore Airshow. the return of free snacks in the JORDAN TAN / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM economy section and more free entertainment options on some er overhead bins and for a long between Dallas and Hawaii. music albums. Delta has taken aircraft. time, nicer first class cabins. “We know that we have cus- a different path, focusing more American, which recently Now a bit of that wealth is tomers who select our airline on entertainment that passenmerged with US trickling back to based on price and we’re really gers can stream to their own Airways, hasn’t coach. excited to offer them a product devices. It now offers about 67 offered free This month, that is superior to choosing an movies and 138 TV shows for snacks since American will ultra-low cost carrier,” Fernan- free. 2003. US Airstart offering dez says. “These are token investways stripped We know that we have customers Biscoff cookUnited recently announced ments in the passenger experipassengers of who select our airline based on price ies or pretzels the return of free snacks on ence that will not cost airlines a snacks in 2008. and we’re really excited to offer them to passengers its flights starting in February. lot of money but are small ways Following the a product that is superior to choosing flying between Delta Air Lines — the other big to make passengers a little bit Sept. 11, 2001 an ultra-low cost carrier. New York and legacy carrier — never removed happier,” says Henry Harteterrorist attacks San Francisco snacks, even during bankruptcy. veldt, the founder of travel conand the subseor Los Angeles. American is also expanding sultancy Atmosphere Research quent recession, By April, those its complimentary entertain- Group. “American and United U.S. airlines removed almost have been able to fix our core snacks will expand to all other ment on domestic flights with realized: We don’t let other every perk imaginable on do- business and be able to reinvest domestic routes. In May, Amer- in-seat TVs. Passengers will be airlines have an advantage on mestic flights. Hot meals dis- in our customers.” ican will bring back full meal able to choose from up to 40 price, why let them have one on appeared along with legroom, That means new planes, larg- service for coach passengers movies, 60 TV shows and 300 pretzels.” ■

Montreal pub warned TripAdvisor window sticker could violate language laws BY MORGAN LOWRIE The Canadian Press MONTREAL — The owner of a Montreal pub says he was shocked to receive a letter from the province’s French-language watchdog warning him that a small sticker in the restaurant’s window could contravene Quebec’s language laws. Paul Desbaillets, who coowns the Burgundy Lion Pub in the southwest of Montreal, said the business received a warning earlier this week from the Office Quebecois de la Langue Francaise (OQLF) over a beer-

coaster-sized sticker that states — in English only — that the establishment has been recommended by users of the popular travel website tripadvisor.ca. “1/8 The letter 3/8 said we needed to pay attention to the TripAdvisor sticker — the three inch sticker — that is in our window,” Desbaillets said. “It said that that the words ‘recommended on’ could be an issue with the language laws in Quebec.” Desbaillets’ business partner Toby Lyle posted the story on Facebook, where it was widely shared. He included photos of the sticker, which is

placed about two feet above the ground next to a much larger, French-only sticker promoting recycling. “Notice to all restaurateurs: If you are fortunate enough to be well reviewed on TripAdvisor, don’t let anyone know about it,” Lyle wrote. Desbaillets said that although the tone of the letter wasn’t threatening, his first reaction was one of disbelief that the province would spend tax dollars on “some of the most ridiculous signage issues and language conversations you can think of” instead of on more important issues. www.canadianinquirer.net

“If this is where money and resources and efforts are being thrown when they could instead be thrown into job creation, business growth, immigration help...that doesn’t help business growth overall,” he said. Desbaillets said he has previously received a complaint from the OQLF over the use of the words “fish and chips” at another restaurant he co-owns, Brit & Chips. Jean-Pierre Le Blanc of the OQLF said the letter was one of more than 300 that were sent simply to inform business owners that the stickers are also

available in French. “We noticed over the years that many companies were putting up small signs only in English,” he said. “It’s an information campaign aimed at notifying businesses that the information is also available in French or bilingual.” He said no complaints had been filed against the Burgundy Lion and no further action would be taken. Desbaillets said that although his pub was “absolutely not” planning to remove the English-language TripAdvisor sticker, he had no problem adding a second one in French. ■

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2016

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FEBRUARY 5, 2016

FRIDAY

FilCan artist mounts solo show Guia named new Seven Lakes head FILCAN ROLANDO Lampitoc will mount his second solo art show with the theme, “My Father’s Negatives” in Port Moody, BC. His first solo art exhibit was in Salt Spring by Salt Spring Arts Council, in August 2015. “Since 2013, I have been doing a series of paintings based on my father’s black and white negatives of Filipina women from the 50’s and 60’s. The paintings were done in encaus-

tic (beeswax with pigments) on board,” he said. “The paintings are referenced from my father’s negatives. When I searched for his negatives after his passing, I was saddened to discover the awful condition most of them were in. Some are so damaged that no image can be recovered. Some are tightly coiled in film canisters and some are in shoe boxes with corrosive metal which affected the qual-

ity of the film. I am using some of his images as subjects in my sketches and paintings particularly the women. They come from just a fraction of what I recovered. Perhaps it’s my way to connect and learn more about the man I barely knew,” he added. There will be an opening reception on Feb. 18, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Port Moody Arts Centre Suncor Gallery. The exhibit will run up to Mar. 17. ■

Picture shows participants of the Vancouver Multicultural Society Forum on Diversity and Aboriginal Policing conducted by the Vancouver Police Dept. on Jan. 28, posing for posterity. ART VIRAY

Police engages Vancouver community ON A theme that ‘Crime Has No Border,’ the Vancouver Police Department headed by Inspector Marcie Flamand of the Diversity and Aboriginal Policing Section gave a talk before ethnic communities about safety issues and other cultural factors on Jan. 28. The forum was hosted by the Vancouver Multicultural Society. Inspector Flamand was accompanied by Det. Tyler Radons and Sergeant Kevin Bernardin. The Diversity and Aboriginal Policing Section (DAPS) works with specific populations within the city which have significant public safety issues. These populations can be defined by cultural, economic, ethnic, sexual, racial, religious, and other distinguishing characteristics. DAPS’ goals include improvement of measurable policing and public safety outcomes applicable to these communities such as over-representation in illegal behaviors; over victimization;

under reporting of crimes; participation in investigations and in court as victims/witnesses; involvement in crime prevention activities; provision of information/intelligence on criminals, crime groups and crimes; perception of safety/fear; and confidence in the police. To address safety issues and cultural factors, the Vancouver Police Department supports recruitment with a diverse workforce. For instance, the Aboriginal Cadet Program to mentor aboriginal youth interested in becoming police officers is being strengthened. Citizens Police Academy is another outreach program geared toward community leaders which aims to provide the leaders with a deeper understanding of the multitude of problems, policies, complex tasks police officers face each day. Further, to increase community confidence in the VPD and to build a stronger partner-

ship between the community and the police force. DAPS participates in the BC Law Enforcement Diversity network and connects with the Royal Canadian Mountain Police and other municipal law enforcement agencies to host an annual education forum for both the police and the public on topics such as hate crimes and Aboriginal awareness. There are community activities participated in by DAPS regularly like the Chinese Lunar New Year Parade, Vasaikhi, Pride Parade, Caribbean Days, and Pulling Together Canoe Journey to build relationships with the diverse community at both the personal leadership and frontline levels. Vancouver Multicultural Society through its president, Violet Chan, thanked police officers and promised full cooperation in making the community a more pleasant place to live in. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

MIGUEL (MIKE) Guia is the new president of the Seven Lakes (San Pablo City) Association of BC, an organization of former residents of San Pablo City, Laguna. He was selected new leader at a meeting held by the association on Jan. 15, at the social hall of the Immaculate Conception Parish in Delta after a mass to celebrate the fiesta in the members’ home city. A civic leader and very active in the local church music ministry, Guia took up MBA at the University of Phoenix and is an alumnus of the Ateneo de Manila University. The members present decided to reactivate the association and recruit more members interested in participating in social activities, getting together on important occasions and supporting projects for the poor in their home city. San Pablo City, located roughly 85 km. from Metro Manila, is a beautiful tourist area in the Southern Tagalog Region of the Philippines. It is best known for its seven lakes, the largest of which is Sampaloc Lake that provides a calm and cooling environment to residents and visitotrs alike. The city’s “Coconut Mardi Gras” coinciding with the annual fiesta on Jan. 14 and 15, attracts thousands of local visitors and foreign tourists. People also flock to Villa Escudero, a private resort with shady glades, cascading waters, natural swimming pools and a museum of antique religious icons. Organized in 1991 primarily to help members in Vancouver

and their kababayans in San Pablo City, the association has supported many projects over the years. Among the projects are: scholarship to indigent students; donation of tables and chairs for the new gym of the San Pablo City Girl Scouts Council; a lawn mower and cash donation to the School of Love and Hope, a school for physically and mentally disabled children; and financial assistance to abandoned and handicapped seniors under the care of the Catholic Church. The association also raised some funds given to the familiy of Flor Contemplacion, a caregiver from San Pablo who was hanged under questionable circumstances in Singapore in 1995. The association also donated several boxes of used books to the City Library. In 1999, the Vancouver-based Seven Lakes Association spearheaded the formation of an international federation of San Pableno associations in North America. Under the leadership of former president Sonia Suarez de Guzman, it hosted the first convention of Seven Lakes International. Some 80 delegates attended the weeklong gathering held in Vancouver. At the meeting, the delegates from Toronto, Winnipeg, Vancouver, San Francisco, Los Angeles and other cities in the United States and Canada officially launched the federation, adopted its mission statement and agreed upon a set of programs and activities. Seven Lakes International is still very active up to the present. ■

Members of the Seven Lakes (San Pablo City) Association of BC took time for a group picture during their meeting at the Immaculate Conception Church in Delta, BC.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2016

Entertainment

Margie Moran, Lara Quigaman—where have their crowns, gowns and sashes gone? Do beauty queens get to keep the paraphernalia they wear and/or win during pageants? What about Pia? BY ALEX Y. VERGARA Philippine Daily Inquirer PIA WURTZBACH, Miss Universe 2015, was right when she said during the pageant finals that “to be a Miss Universe is both an honor and a responsibility.” The late Amparo Muñoz of Spain, Miss Universe 1974, must have been so burdened with her duties that, according to one account, she reportedly tossed her crown out of an open window during her reign. Nobody knew what happened to it, but Muñoz, who wasn’t officially dethroned, was conspicuously absent when it was time to crown her successor. But she wasn’t the first Miss Universe whose crown was damaged. Crushed crown

Our very own Margarita Moran, Miss Universe 1973, got a new crown from contest organizers when her original silver crown studded with Russian diamonds was crushed on her way to New York. But unlike Muñoz, the perpetually poised Moran didn’t throw a fit. “I was supposed to always hand-carry it, but at one point it became too inconvenient because I was always stopped at security after the box containing the crown had passed through X-ray,” Moran said

through e-mail. “I always had to explain what it was. One time, I decided to check it in. It was crushed.” Fortunately, the replacement, which Moran got to keep, along with her Miss Universe scepter and sash, was as good as the original. She also got to keep her Catalina swimsuit and Aureo Alonzo terno. The white gown accented with a cabbage rose by Auggie Cordero, which she also wore to the finals, is now on display at the Villa Escudero museum.

and trophy are displayed on the bedroom shelf. “The one from Binibini is still in good condition, but my Miss International sash got stained because I wore it almost every day during my reign,” she said. Quigaman had the sash washed, but the condition got worse. The gold satin trim bled further, she said, damaging the once pristine sash. She also had a replica of the Miss International sash made. Overwhelmed again

Miss Photogenic

Moran also bagged Miss Photogenic during the pageant held in Greece. With no Internet yet, the special award wasn’t decided by fans, but by accredited photographers who covered the event. “I also received a Miss Photogenic trophy, which I still have,” she said. When she turned 50, Moran used her Miss Universe crown, sash and scepter as accessories. She also invited female guests to have their photos taken wearing her iconic possessions. “The picture-taking became the party’s highlight,” said Moran, who regularly shuttles between Manila and Davao. “Apart from my trophies, which are on display, my crown, scepter and sash are kept in a box inside one of my closets.” When told that we also

Lara Quigaman, Miss International 2005. LARA QUIGAMAN (@LARAQUIGAMANV) / INSTAGRAM

needed to photograph her with her crown, Moran wasn’t sure where it was. When she learned later that it was in Davao, she asked one of her household staff to fly with it to Manila. Unfortunately, she never got to keep her Binibining Pilipinas Universe crown because she had to pass it on to her successor. “Personally, my most valuable possessions are the photos and newspaper clippings I have collected. The experience was one important highlight of my life,” she said. Smaller replica

Lara Quigaman, Miss Inter-

national 2005, wasn’t able to keep both her Binibining Pilipinas and Miss International crowns because she also had to pass them on to her successors. “I got to keep my sash, glass plaque, trophy and framed picture,” the ABS-CBN talent said through e-mail. “I also received a smaller replica of my crown from Miss International.” The replica came in a pink box lined with satin cushion. She kept it stashed somewhere at home. She hasn’t opened the box for a long time, she said. Her Binibining Pilipinas International and Miss International sashes are tightly sealed in a Ziploc bag, while her plaque

“All the clothes I used during the pageant in Japan belonged to Binibining Pilipinas,” she noted. “I didn’t get to keep any of them. Both my national costume and gown were designed by Colombian Alfredo Barraza.” Although she hasn’t looked at her Miss International sash and crown for a long time, Quigaman is pretty sure that once she does, she would feel “overwhelmed” all over again. “The last time I did, it still felt unreal,” she said. “Even when I see my plaque and trophy, I’m transported back to that day. More than the pride of bringing honor to the country, I feel grateful and humbled. It seemed like an impossible dream that a short, ordinarylooking girl like me won an international pageant. But with God, anything is possible. Without Him, I’m nothing.” ■

Massive OFW support makes PH a powerhouse in int’l beauty tilts BY ARMIN P. ADINA Philippine Daily Inquirer WHEN PIA Alonzo Wurtzbach walked on the Miss Universe stage at the Axis Theater of Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas

on Dec. 21, loud cheers erupted because of the huge Filipino delegation at the venue. But things were very different back when Margie Moran bagged the title in Greece in 1973—or 42 years before Pia’s triumph in the global tilt.

“There were only three Filipinos, wala pang OFW (Overseas Filipino Workers),” Margie told the audience when she took the stage on Thursday’s homecoming show mounted for Pia at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. “And the Filipinos who were www.canadianinquirer.net

there were from the embassy,” she added. “But I was still the crowd favorite. I was even Miss Photogenic, so I was also the favorite of the press… I felt like a Greek goddess.” The world (or the universe, rather) of differences was fur-

ther highlighted by the remarks made by former Binibining Pilipinas-Universe titleholders who shared their experiences while competing abroad. “When Filipinos throw ❱❱ PAGE 32 Massive OFW

Entertainment

Massive OFW... their support, it’s something else,” said actress Bianca Manalo, who represented the Philippines in the 2009 Miss Universe pageant in the Bahamas. “Two thousand Filipinos came to the parade to cheer; you’d think all of them were living there,” she continued. Gionna Cabrera, Miss Photogenic in the 2005 Miss Universe pageant in Thailand, said: “I definitely had huge support. During my time in Bangkok, different groups from all over the Philippines came. I was very well-supported.” Even 1999 Miss Universe first runner-up Miriam Quiambao attested to the massive amount of support Filipino beauty queens have been receiving from their compatriots. “We appreciate all the supporters, the mentors, designers, stylists and assistants,” she told the audience. “Thank you to the Filipinos who supported and prayed. You are the reason why we are here, and why the Philippines is now known as a genuine powerhouse in the beauty pageant industry.” The woman of the hour also attested to the importance of massive Pinoy support for the country’s bets in beauty tilts, taking the opportunity to thank her “Pianatics.” “Thank you to everyone who voted in the global fan vote. Pianatics, thank you very much. Because of you, I was No. 1 in swimsuit, in evening gown and in the questionand-answer,” she continued. ❰❰ 31

Victory walk

“When I was walking in my gown, wearing my sash, the

feeling I had then was the same now. It was like I was in the Philippines. I was proud to be a Filipino at that moment,” said Pia, the third Filipino to win the Miss Universe pageant. A special segment of the show allowed her to do the victory walk that was “taken away” from her as a consequence of the major gaffe that pageant host Steve Harvey committed when he announced the wrong winner. Resplendent in her now-famous royal blue Albert Andrada gown, Pia sashayed onto the stage with her Miss Universe crown and sash. The presentation also showcased some of the Bb. Pilipinas winners who represented the Philippines in the Miss Universe pageant. Quiambao shared hosting chores with 2010 fourth runner-up Venus Raj, 2013 third runner-up Ariella Arida and actor Xian Lim. The ceremonies will be aired on Sunday in ABSCBN’s “Sunday’s Best.” The celebration also saw former Miss Universe runners-up Desiree Verdadero (1984) and Chiqui Brosas (1975) take the stage once again, along with Miss Photogenic winners, Vida Doria (1971), Abbygale Arenas (1997) and Lia Andrea Ramos (2006); and former representatives Simonette delos Reyes (1970), Dang Cecilio (1979), Maricar Mendoza (1981), Joyce Burton (1985), Gem Padilla (1990), Nina Ricci Alagao (2000) and Karen Agustin (2002). Special song numbers were provided by Erik Santos, Yeng Constantino, Jed Madela, Sam Milby, Piolo Pascual and “Asia’s Got Talent” semifinalist Gerphil Flores. ■

FEBRUARY 5, 2016

FRIDAY

Jericho frowns on show-biz career for 15-year-old son BY MARINEL R. CRUZ Philippine Daily Inquirer JERICHO ROSALES’ 15-yearold son, Santino, is definitely show biz material—with his good looks (he used to be a commercial model in his younger years) and love for sports (he’s now a soccer player). But Jericho isn’t one to encourage a career in show business for his son, who is featured with him in the February issue of Star Studio magazine. “If I were to have my way… I don’t want him to join show biz, but I’ll be here to support him in case he decides to,” he told reporters JERICHO ROSALES (@JERICHOROSALESOFFICIAL) / INSTAGRAM at a recent thanksgiving dinner hosted for him by the magazine. the 2015 MMFF. It also bagged Wala Nang Wakas” (2003). “He is not built for it,” ex- best picture. “These shows introduced plained Jericho. “He loves Jericho said working on me to viewers in Africa, Chisports. He plays (soccer) for two “#WalangForever,” a romantic na and Malaysia. I’ve been to teams now, but never showed comedy, had been “a challeng- these countries and it felt overany interest in acting.” ing and embarrassing experi- whelming when people at the On the home front, Jericho ence” for him. He explained: airport called me by the names said he was still unsure whether “I was forced to step out of my of my characters,” he recalled. he and wife Kim Jones would fi- comfort zone because I was He added that “Alagwa” nally have a baby this year. used to doing heavy drama— (2012), which gave him several “I remember telling every- those that required me to ex- local and international acting one shortly after our wed- press intense emotion. It was honors, had “opened a lot of ding that we’d work on having tough playing Ethan because doors for me.” a baby in two years, but we’ll I had to recall how to be flirty According to Jericho, he and be celebrating our second an- and naughty—qualities that I director Ian Loreños are cookniversary (in May) and I don’t no longer have, because I’m al- ing up a sequel to the awardthink that (having a baby) will ready married.” winning indie movie about huhappen soon,” he man trafficking. said. “Kim trav“Subject: I els a lot. It’s part Love You” (2011), of her job. She is Jericho said, currently in the I remember telling everyone shortly “gave me the United States. after our wedding that we’d work opportunity to We’re not rushon having a baby in two years, but penetrate Hollying. We’re both we’ll be celebrating our second wood.” He then still young.” anniversary (in May) and I don’t think recalled the time The 36-yearthat (having a baby) will happen he was invited to old actor said soon. present an award he would be alongside Ameriworking on a TV can actress Jada series that “inPinkett Smith at volves kids… inspired by movies Jericho then recalled the an antihuman trafficking event produced by DreamWorks.” time he made his leading lady in Hollywood. “There will be animation and wait for 45 minutes “just for me “I do plan my career,” he fantasy,” he shared with report- to get into the [kissing] scene.” went on. “When I turn 40, I ers. “The second will involve a He said: “I couldn’t look Jen in hope to produce box-office lot of water, some action scenes, the eyes. I couldn’t kiss her. Di- hit films like Piolo (Pascual, a love story and a classic song.” rek said, ‘ What’s happening to coproducer of the successful He added that he hoped to you, Echo?’ It was embarrass- “Kimmy Dora” franchise). But do “another mainstream film, ing. I hated myself for making I know it’s a matter of finding and, if there would be an offer, Jen wait for me to get ready.” the right people to work with an MMFF (Metro Manila Film The actor, who is celebrating you. Who knows, I might also Festival) entry.” his 20th anniversary in show get involved in TV production? “#WalangForever” won for biz, considered “#WalangFor- But my dream really is to work Jericho and costar Jennylyn ever” a career highlight, along behind the camera. I want to be Mercado the best actor and best with the drama series, “Pan- able to share my heart with my actress awards, respectively, at gako sa ’Yo” (2000) and “Sana’y audience.” ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

Entertainment

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2016

Academy insider Alfre Woodard says Oscar reforms have been in the works for years BY VICTORIA AHEARN The Canadian Press TORONTO — Oscar-nominated actress Alfre Woodard wants to clear up some misconceptions about the diversity reforms within the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The AMPAS member, who serves on several of its committees, says the changes announced in recent weeks have actually been under way for the past six years. “I think people are getting the idea that because there was a threatened boycott that we suddenly said, ‘OK, well let’s do something about it,”’ says Woodard, who will receive the inaugural career achievement award at the Toronto Black Film Festival, which runs Feb. 10-14. “People need to know that those changes were thoughtfully under way.” Woodard, who was in the city in 2013 when “12 Years a Slave” screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, was referring to a vow by director Spike Lee and actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith to not attend this year’s Oscars gala on Feb. 28. They’re upset with two

straight years of all-white acting nominees, which sparked public outcry and the social media campaign #OscarsSoWhite. “The other reaction that people are having, that, ‘Oh, so now it’s kind of like affirmative action to get into the academy’ ... that’s just reactive claptrap,” she says. Academy admission rules and requirements haven’t suddenly changed, Woodard notes. AMPAS has made a conscious effort in the past six years to think “outside the box” and broaden its outlook during its admissions process every year, she says. “Instead of just thinking of the people on your block that might be qualified for membership ... think about people who don’t live near you who are qualified,” says the 63-year-old, who’s won a Golden Globe and four Emmys. “So it’s opening up the circle of looking at people who are qualified to be in.” That includes looking at younger talent. “If you’re 75 years old, you may not know the 25-year-olds that have the qualifications and the brains to be a great addition to this body,” says Woodard. “We have been very conscious of making sure that there were younger people consid-

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ered every year as well.” Woodard says she feels “the real problem” is which films

get made, “and the academy has nothing to do with that.” “That falls on the shoulders

of studios, production companies, investors. It’s where the money goes.” She also notes that “brilliant people” have been left out of the Oscar nominations every year, in every discipline. “There are always going to be people who are left out.... That’s the nature of a vote and you can’t control that.” Woodard says the goal for those in the industry should just be to keep making films and get them out to the public. “It’s not trying to accumulate Oscars, because you’re squeezing yourself — you’re forcing your art, which should be a wide open flowing stream, into a little narrow crevice, chasing something that is anathema to freedom and creativity,” she says. Most of the time those trying to win an Oscar are ultimately disappointed, she adds, noting that there are other honours out there. “Maybe you get a Critics’ Choice Award, maybe you get a BET Award, maybe you get an ALMA award,” says Woodard. “There are plenty of awards shows.” Woodard will be at the Toronto Black Film Festival on Feb. 13 for a Q&A on her career and her new film “Knucklehead,” which is screening at the fest. ■

Woman who alleges Jian Ghomeshi sexually assaulted her to face cross-examination THE CANADIAN PRESS TORONTO — A woman who alleges she was sexually assaulted by Jian Ghomeshi will be back on the witness stand today as the trial of the disgraced former broadcaster continues. Ghomeshi, who used to host CBC Radio’s popular culture show “Q,” has pleaded not guilty to four counts of sexual assault — two of which relate to the woman who is testifying — and one count of overcoming resistance by choking. Yesterday, the woman told Ghomeshi’s judge alone trial

that the 48-year-old seemed like a charming gentleman who abruptly would turn violent. She told the court Ghomeshi once yanked hard on her hair without warning when they were kissing in his car, and on another night a few weeks later, started suddenly punching her in the head while they were kissing in his living room. The woman, who cannot be identified, says she didn’t go to police when the alleged incidents took place in December 2002 and January 2003 because she didn’t think anyone would listen. Ghomeshi’s defence law-

yer tried to poke holes in the woman’s testimony, however, highlighting inconsistencies between what she told police and what she said in court. Marie Henein accused the woman of, at best, failing to remember important details of what she said happened, or, at worst, of making up some of her story. The woman responded by repeatedly insisting she did not lie, but may not have correctly recalled certain peripheral points of her interaction with Ghomeshi. Ghomeshi, who has been out on bail since being charged in www.canadianinquirer.net

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November 2014, maintained a serious look throughout the first day of his highly-antici-

pated trial and watched Henein intently as she conducted her cross-examination. ■

FEBRUARY 5, 2016

FRIDAY

Lifestyle

Rise of rooftopping photography poses questions about safety, security BY DAVID FRIEND The Canadian Press TORONTO POLICE Const. David Hopkinson has arrested his fair share of rooftoppers, a nickname for the daredevil photographers who climb atop skyscrapers to snap vertigoinducing pictures of the world below. He expects it’s just a matter of time before one of them in Canada dies. “We can’t bat 1,000 on this,” he says. “I believe that eventually somebody is going to make a mistake, and it will be a critical one.” Last year, at least two deaths were linked to rooftopping. A 17-year-old man fell off a building in Russia and a 24-year-old New Yorker slipped off the roof of the Four Seasons Hotel in Manhattan. In 2012, a photographer died after he fell into a Chicago building’s smokestack. But despite the obvious dangers, there’s no shortage of photographers willing to take a big risk for a great photo from the top of a bank building, condo tower or the edge of a construction crane. It was just a few years ago that rooftopping lingered on the fringes of the mainstream in North America, appealing to urban explorers who were already venturing into abandoned buildings, city sewers and subway systems. When padlocks started appearing on fences and entryways to rooftops, that’s when one Montreal-based photographer — who asked for his name to be withheld for legal reasons — knew rooftopping had reached new competitive heights. Sometimes the locks are placed by rooftoppers themselves, a strategic manoeuvre by some looking to claim their own picturesque turf. “The rooftopping scene (in Toronto) is really well oiled.

ROOFTOPPERS: a nickname for the daredevil photographers who climb atop skyscrapers to snap vertigo-inducing pictures

of the world below.

It’s groups of two, three or four with the growing popularity tion of Instagram shots that people, and they battle for the of Instagram, where rooftop- were generating widespread rooftops,” the photographer pers are often enthusiastically praise and thousands of Likes. says. rewarded with thousands of He now has nearly 33,000 folIn Canada, rooftoppers have Likes, driving a sense of celeb- lowers. squarely focused on the big- rity and rivalry. Edward hopes his roofgest cities, with top shots will Toronto being generate extra the hottest spot. money on the Smaller groups side. He recently are also snapThe challenge of finding the perfect sold a print for ping and posting cityscape intensified with the growing US$1,500. pictures of their popularity of Instagram, where He insists he’s latest conquests rooftoppers are often enthusiastically not concerned in Montreal, Calrewarded with thousands of Likes, about the physigary, Quebec and driving a sense of celebrity and cal dangers of his Vancouver. rivalry. edgy photos. One typical “I know my trademark shot limits ... I’m 30 includes the phoyears old so I’m tographer’s dangling feet over The social media attraction is not going to take the same kind the edge of the building. Other what grabbed Edward, a roof- of risks,” he says. daredevil selfies feature people topper in New York. “I think I have a little more standing on — or even hanging He remembers the first time experience than your average off — the edges of a building. he saw rooftopping photos 17-year-old high school kid who The challenge of finding the about a year ago. Within months is thinking about this for the perfect cityscape intensified he had amassed his own collec- first time.” www.canadianinquirer.net

But like most rooftoppers, he shuns any notion that he should use safety equipment. “Not only is it a hindrance but it’s heavy to carry along with all the camera gear,” he says. “You’re trying to come into this location as discretely as possible looking like you belong there. If you come in there with a heavy backpack or a lot of gear, people are going to stop you.” While police are well aware that rooftoppers are constantly out on the prowl looking for their next death-defying shot, arrests aren’t always a deterrent. Hopkinson says rooftoppers can be charged with trespassing, as well as both mischief or break-and-enter under the Criminal Code, but if the court finds rooftoppers aren’t trying to steal property the charges are sometimes be dropped. Property damage charges can be laid if locks are broken or fences bent, for example, but many rooftoppers say they intentionally avoid making a mess. Hopkinson says placing locks on fences or doors could lead to charges for interference of lawful enjoyment of property. “Some people have been charged with trespassing and we don’t release instances of that because it’s not a criminal charge,” Hopkinson says. “I’ve arrested five guys myself getting into one of the buildings in the downtown core. The courts decide ultimately what happens in regards to charges. We put people in front of the courts where we have a belief that somebody has committed an offence.” Edward continues to churn out one eye-popping rooftopping shot after another and swears he doesn’t put himself at risk. “Sitting on top of a tall building is no different than sitting on a bench — you’re not going to fall off a bench unless you’re throwing yourself off.” ■

Lifestyle

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2016

For the world’s most scrutinized Hundreds of body, Barbie has a new look Ontario adoptions on hold while commission reviews Motherisk cases BY BETH J. HARPAZ The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Poor Barbie. She had plastic surgery to become more socially acceptable. But a lot of her critics still don’t like her. Barbie’s manufacturer, Mattel, announced Thursday that the doll has three new body types — curvy, tall and petite. Barbie will also now come in seven skin tones, 22 eye colours and 24 hairstyles. Mattel spokeswoman Michelle Chidoni said the product is evolving to “offer more choices” to make “the line more reflective of the world girls see around them.” But Kris Macomber, who teaches sociology at Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina, says she’s “reluctant to celebrate Barbie’s new strategy because it doesn’t change the fact that Barbie dolls and other kinds of fashion dolls still overemphasize female beauty. Sure, all body types should be valued. And, sure, all skin colours should be valued equally. But why must we keep sending girls the message that being beautiful is so important?” Josh Golin, executive director of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, said Barbie’s changes are a testament to activists who for years have challenged her “unrealistic and harmful body type.” But body type “was only one of the criticisms,” he said. “The other was the brand’s relentless focus on appearance and fashion.” Kumea Shorter-Gooden, coauthor of “Shifting: The Double Lives of Black Women in America,” has said in the past that Barbie has a bigger impact on black girls struggling with messages about skin colour and hair. Shorter-Gooden applauded Mattel “for diversifying the size and look of Barbie,” but noted that “European-American hair still prevails,” and that the dolls’ outfits still “convey a traditional and constraining gender norm about how girls and women should look.” Aside from whether Barbie’s looks will ever measure up to society’s changing expectations, another question worth asking is whether kids still want to play with Barbies. Barbie

BY PAOLA LORIGGIO The Canadian Press

The new Barbie “represents real progress, not only by having additional skin tones but by beginning to correct the wildly unrealistic body shapes and sizes of earlier days.

sales fell 14 per cent in the most recently reported quarter, with worldwide sales falling every year since 2012. A study by BAV Consulting found that consumers perceive the Barbie brand as being “less relevant” than 80 per cent of 3,500 brands in 200 categories BAV studied. BAV’s data analysis also found that consumers perceive Barbie as being in the bottom third of all brands when it comes to social responsibility but in the top 2 per cent when it comes to being traditional. Mattel said it will still sell the original 11.5-inch Barbie. The new versions will begin arriving on U.S. store shelves in March and will roll out globally after that. They are available for preorder at shop.mattel.com, and will ship in February. Quiana Agbai, an AfricanAmerican mother of two who has written about “the effects of dolls not looking like my 5-year-old daughter” on her blog, www.harlemlovebirds. com, said Barbie’s new look is “a step in the right direction” but noted that “there are brands already filling this need in greater detail.” Agbai’s husband’s family is Nigerian, so

she found a Nigerian princess doll for her daughter from a line called Queens of Africa. Agbai herself grew up playing with the American Girl doll Addy, whose story line involved escaping from slavery. Some, however, saluted the new Barbie wholeheartedly. Trina Finton, a Hispanic mom from Simi Valley, California, who works in tech and once bought herself an engineer Barbie from the doll’s career line, was “thrilled” to hear about Barbie’s new looks, especially the curly hair. In the past, when she’s taken her 3-year-old daughter to Target, “I avoid the Barbie aisle. I just don’t want her to feel bad that she can’t see a doll that looks like her.” Kelly Brownell was a Yale psychology professor when he concluded in a 1995 study that young girls notice the body shapes of icons such as Barbie and translate them into unhealthy images. Today, as a dean at Duke University, Brownell said the new Barbie “represents real progress, not only by having additional skin tones but by beginning to correct the wildly unrealistic body shapes and sizes of earlier days. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

TORONTO — Hundreds of adoptions have been put on hold in Ontario as a provincially appointed commission reviews child protection cases involving flawed drug tests. The Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies said Monday between 200 and 300 cases have been flagged for review because they involved a now discredited program that used hair analysis to test for drug and alcohol use. Mary Ballantyne, the organization’s CEO, said that includes cases where a child has been placed in an adoptive home but the adoption has not yet been finalized, as well as those where a child was eventually to be placed in an adoptive home. The process has been paused while an independent commission led by provincial court judge Judith Beaman examines cases affected by inaccurate testing by the Motherisk Drug Laboratory run by the Toronto Hospital for Sick Children, she said. It’s unclear how long families will have to wait to find out whether the adoptions can go ahead. The commission knows “the importance of trying to move forward as quickly as possible with these decisions, knowing that there are families and children who are waiting for the results,” Ballantyne said. “Families are concerned and wanting to know what impact this might have on their plans as a family, and certainly wanting to be able to move forward with their plans as quickly as possible,” she said. “It’s very upsetting for families, depending on the family

situation,” she said. Some of the prospective adoptive families affected by the review have been caring for a child for a long time, said Julie Despaties, the founder and executive director of Adopt4Life, a support and advocacy group for adoptive families. Despaties said she’s heard from roughly a dozen families in the last few days. “They are struggling with finding out that there’s reviews and not knowing where that will put their family situation,” she said. Children’s aid societies were directed last April to stop using the Motherisk hair-testing program, which had already been used in thousands of child protection and criminal cases, and Sick Kids Hospital shut down the program after apologizing for the problems. The program came under scrutiny after Ontario’s highest court set aside a criminal conviction in October 2014 on the basis of differing expert opinions about a particular hairtesting method previously used by Motherisk. Just over a month later, the Ontario government ordered a retired appeal court justice to review the program. Commissioner Susan Lang found Motherisk fell short of international forensic standards for use in child protection and criminal proceedings, and said the lab “frequently misinterpreted” the test results. Lang’s report found more than 9,000 people tested positive through Motherisk between 2005 and 2015, but Beaman’s review will look back 25 years, to 1990. The review is set to begin later this month and expected to span two years. ■

FEBRUARY 5, 2016

FRIDAY

Business

Electronics exports seen From the files of the trade growing by 7 to 8% comissioner service Weakness in global economy, China worries industry BY AMY R. REMO Philippine Daily Inquirer THE COUNTRY’S semiconductor and electronic products exports were estimated to have grown by 7 to 8 percent to $28 billion in 2015. Dan Lachica, president of the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Inc. (Seipi), said in an interview that the growth in the industry’s export receipts last year was due largely to the “higher than expected demand from semiconductor components, office equipment, telecom, and consumer electronics” sectors. The growth estimate was double the 4percent target set by Seipi in the last quarter of 2015. In the first quarter of last year, Seipi projected a 5- to 7-percent growth in electronics exports. The target was slashed in August 2015 to 3 to 5 percent to reflect the global market conditions at that time. According to Lachica, Seipi has set a more conservative export revenue guidance of 4 percent this year. This, however, may still change after the board meeting to be held this month. “The 2016 number is tempered by the continuing weakness in the global economy and in China, one of our big export markets,” Lachica said.

Government officials and industry leaders expect the semiconductor and electronics industry to remain one of the key sectors that will enable merchandise exports to snap back to growth track this year. While the Department of Trade and Industry has yet to release its official targets this year, the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) earlier said it was hopeful the country would post $102 billion in total export revenue for 2016, covering both merchandise and services exports. Other major growth drivers for the export sector this year are the “sustained, although moderate, growth in demand from the United States; traction from China’s stimulus package to revitalize its growth momentum; ramped up investment-driven exports from new and expanding projects coming on stream in 2016, and a more competitive exchange rate.” The Export Marketing Bureau at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) earlier said it had expected total Philippine exports to post a slight decline to about $85 billion in 2015 from the $86.9 billion posted in the previous year, given the sluggish global demand. The expected export revenue last year was lower than the DTI goal earlier of $91 billion. ■

BELIEVING THAT Southeast Asia with a collective population of more than 600 million, a GDP in the US1.9 trillion range, rapid economic growth at 7% per year, plus a rising middle class, Canada sees ASEAN as a fast emerging economic region. With its planned economic integration which will create a single market and production base, the need for integration and expansion of infrastructures and transportation linkages will burst. In a very recent roadshow organized by the ASEAN Sectoral Team for Infrastructure of the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) in cooperation with the TCS Regional offices and the provincial governments of British Columbia, Quebec, and Ontario, Canadian companies were presented with market and export opportunities in the Infrastructure Sector in Southeast Asia. Presently there are existing and yet much more potential infrastructure projects that may be pursued by Canadian companies for potential economic gain such as renewable energy and smart grid infrastructure, transportation (Rail and airport), water and waste water solutions,

Madeline Varkay provided detailed guidance and tips on how to successfully apply and bid on Asian Development Bank contracts as well as an overview of ADB funded projects. For more information as well as advice on business development in the region, contact: a) Mr. Dodjie Fabian: Trade Commissioner (Infrastructure – ASEAN): Trade Commissioner Service Embassy of Canada – Manila, Dodjie.Fabian@international.gc.ca b) Ms. Rochelle Bacigalupo (Vancouver): Trade Commissioner, Rochelle.Bacigalupo@ international.gc.ca c) Gred Eidsness (Vancouver): Director, Americas and Southeast Asia d) Mr. Majid Dellah (Montreal): Trade Commisisoner, Majid.Dellah@international.gc.ca e) Ms. Marie-Michele Brien (Montreal): Conseillere en affaires internationals, Direction des marches de lAsie-pacifique et oceanie f ) Ms. Lisa Pogue (Toronto): Trade Commissioner, Lisa. Pogue@international.gc.ca g) Ms. Corie McDougall (Toronto): Area Directorm SE Asia, International Trade Brach, Government of Ontario ■

Boost workers’ skills, tweak employment insurance to help workforce THE CANADIAN PRESS

“The 2016 number is tempered by the continuing weakness in the global economy and in China, one of our big export markets,” Lachica said.

and engineering and technical consulting services. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank are significantly strengthening their support for Infrastructure in the region including: The ASEAN Infrastructure Fund (AIF), with country investors and the ADB providing initial equity of $485 million to finance public projects , the public portion of PPP projects, and nonsovereign loans with sovereign guarantees. ADB will co-finance and administer the fund and will provide additional co-financing for every AIF Project. ADB has also made an equity investment in a $625 million private equity fund focused exclusively on Philippine infrastructure projects, many of which are focused on PPP opportunities. The Delphi Group provided an overview of the market and export opportunities for Canadian companies in ASEAN based on their 2015 market report. Trade Commissioner Dodjie Fabian, discussed how TCS assists Canadian companies, as well as an overview of projects that hold significant and timely opportunities for Canadian firms.

OTTAWA — The C.D. Howe Institute says reforms to employment insurance and moves to develop a more highly skilled workforce can help Canada’s labour market adjust to weakened economic conditions. The Toronto-based thinktank says the federal government should make changes to EI because the program only covers about half of unemployed Canadians. www.canadianinquirer.net

The document’s author, Craig Alexander, argues that Ottawa should replace its regionally based criteria for EI with eligibility and benefits rules that are uniform across the country. Alexander also says Canada must focus on creating a more highly skilled workforce as a way to increase productivity. He says such positions made up virtually all net job creation between 1999 and 2012. The former chief economist at TD Bank (TSX:TD) says the labour force is facing a number of chal-

lenges, including globalization, an aging population and technological changes — all factors that have been compounded by the steep slide in commodity prices. Meanwhile, the report notes that in recent years Canada has seen a shift toward more precarious types of employment such as temporary, self-employed and part-time jobs. The new Liberal government has promised reforms to the EI program, including reducing the waiting time for benefits to one week from two. ■

Business

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2016

Alphabet comes before Apple as world’s most valuable company BY MICHAEL LIEDTKE The Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO — Alphabet now comes before Apple atop the list of the world’s most valuable companies. The shift occurred in Monday’s extended trading after Alphabet, Google’s new parent company, released a fourthquarter earnings report that highlighted the robust growth of the digital ad market. Apple Inc.’s iPhone, meanwhile, is suffering its first downturn since it debuted eight years ago. Alphabet Inc. earned $4.9 billion on revenue of $21.3 billion in the fourth quarter. If not for employee stock expenses and certain other items, Alphabet said it would have earned $8.67 per share. That figure easily topped the average estimate of $8.10 per share among analysts surveyed by FactSet. The report provided the most detailed breakdown yet on the profits pouring in from Google’s dominant search engine and ad network. (Google reorganized itself under Alphabet last October.) Investors pushed up Alphabet stock $36.88, or nearly 5 per cent, to $807.65 in extended trading. Based on that after-hours bump, Alphabet’s market value stood at $555 billion while Apple’s was at $534 billion, based on the most recent regulatory filings showing the company’s outstanding shares. The rankings could quickly change again

in regular trading Tuesday. Apple’s stock has been sliding amid concerns over slowing iPhone sales. Meanwhile, Alphabet’s stock has surged by 45 per cent since the end of 2014 when it was still trading under Google’s name. The fourth-quarter report marks the first time Alphabet has spelled out the costs of running still-experimental businesses that are trying to do everything from eliminating human drivers to curing cancer. Until now, Google chose to hide the expense of running those peripheral operations in its financial statement. The company’s opaque accounting Alphabet Inc. earned $4.9 billion on revenue of $21.3 billion in the fourth quarter. If not for employee stock expenses and made it difficult to know just certain other items, Alphabet said it would have earned $8.67 per share. how much profit Google reaped from its primary business — Alphabet labels that category known for its free-spending vertisers to gradually pay more selling digital ads next to ev- “other bets.” For the full year, habits and reluctance to share for marketing messages on erything from search results to Alphabet’s other companies information with analysts. smartphones. They still aren’t YouTube videos. lost $3.6 billion on revenue of The change in sentiment co- paying as much for mobile ads as In the fourth quarter, Google $448 million. incided with Google’s hiring of a on personal computers because produced an opnew chief finan- ads on smaller smartphone erating profit of cial officer, Ruth screens strike many as less valu$6.8 billion on Porat, last May. able. That’s one reason Google’s revenue of $17.1 Porat, a Wall average ad rates, measured as billion, after sub[Google]’s opaque accounting made Street veteran, “cost per click,” have been detracting ad comit difficult to know just how much has consistently clining for more than four years. missions. That profit Google reaped from its primary signalled her inIn the latest quarter, Google’s translates into a business — selling digital ads next tent to rein in cost per click fell by 13 per cent whopping profit to everything from search results to spending. from the same time in 2014. But margin of 40 per YouTube videos. Under the pre- Porat cited in increase in mobile cent. Apple regvious setup at search requests as one of biggest istered an operGoogle, “things reasons that Google’s revenue ating profit marhad always been rose by 18 per cent from the pregin of 32 per cent in its most The optimism surrounding a little muddy,” said Edward vious year. As people increasrecent quarter. Alphabet stems in part from Jones analyst Josh Olson. “The ingly search for information Meanwhile, Alphabet’s other hopes that the company is de- hope now is that management and shop on their phones, the companies together produced veloping more financial disci- will continue to show greater company expects advertisers an operating loss of $1.2 billion pline as it discloses more earn- cost discipline.” to ramp up their spending on on revenue of just $151 million. ings details. Google had become Google is also counting on ad- smartphones, too. ■

Policy reforms key to talks with EU BY AMY R. REMO Philippine Daily Inquirer THE EUROPEAN Union is hoping to see the Philippines implementing crucial reforms, including those in customs processes and policies on infrastructure projects, before the start of the planned free trade negotiations between the country and the EU this year. Walter van Hattum, head of the economic and trade section of the EU Delegation to

the Philippines, also said in an interview with the INQUIRER that the EU was looking forward to seeing the implementation of the Competition Law and the adoption of crucial economic reforms that could support the Philippines’ economic growth and development goals. “We look forward to the adoption of various initiatives, such as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act and the Public-Private Partnership (PPP)-law. As negotiations are yet to start, it would be too early to discuss concrete

issues related to the (free trade) negotiations,” he said. The Philippines and the EU announced in December last year their intention to start free trade agreement (FTA) talks this year. Having a bilateral agreement with the 28-member bloc was deemed important for the Philippines, according to van Hattum, as it would help the country corner a far more significant share of direct investments infused by companies based in the EU into the region. www.canadianinquirer.net

“While the EU is by far the largest investor in the country, only 3 to 4 percent of its investments in the Asean go to the Philippines at the moment. So there is a lot of potential to increase. An agreement will also help companies, be it European or Filipino, with their (often global) supply chains and it enable small and medium sized companies in both our economies to take advantage of the currently underutilized opportunities,” the EU trade official said. The Philippines is hoping to

secure permanently the preferential trade benefits that local enterprises are enjoying under the European Union’s generalized scheme of preferences through the prospective FTA. In a separate interview, Trade Undersecretary Ceferino S. Rodolfo told the INQUIRER that the upcoming FTA negotiations with the EU could serve as an avenue for local negotiators to secure the benefit of zero tariffs for more than 6,200 goods, which at present are enjoyed under the EU GSP+ scheme. ■

FEBRUARY 5, 2016

FRIDAY

Sports

Canada’s Simmerling gunning for third Olympic appearance in third sport BY LORI EWING The Canadian Press WHEN GEORGIA Simmerling crouches at the start of a ski race, and stares down the menacing track, she knows the memory of countless hours of training and racing is stored in her muscles. She knows her body will carry her. She knows she’s good at it. When the 26-year-old walked into a cycling velodrome, however, she had to check her ego at the door. Simmerling is gunning for a spot on Canada’s track cycling team for this summer’s Rio Olympics. If successful, it will be her third Olympics — in three different sports. “A huge component of it is really just putting yourself out there, and just kind of expecting and understanding that your vulnerability levels are going to be so high, you’re going to feel so exposed,” Simmerling said, of her latest sporting endeavour. “I remember even the first day, and the first week, it was like: ‘You’re terrible at this, no one knows who you are, and no one cares what you’ve done.”’ Simmerling is following in the footsteps of such multisport athletes as six-time Olympian Clara Hughes. The Canadian Olympic Committee is hoping to unearth a few more. The COC, in partnership with RBC and the CBC, launched RBC Training Ground on Mon-

day, a series of regional workouts designed to help officials uncover athletes with Olympic potential, in sports athletes might not have considered. Simmerling encourages more athletes to follow her lead. “If you’ve fallen out of love with your sport. . . and if you still have that itch of competition in you, then for sure I would recommend looking at other sports and seeing what’s out there, and seeing what would best suit your body. “I wasn’t about to try gymnastics or figure skating,” she added, laughing. “That never would have worked.” The Vancouver native raced the Super G at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, and in skicross at the Sochi Olympics four years later. She’s a five-time World Cup medallist in skicross, and was ranked No. 2 in the world. Since she needed to crosstrain in the summer, she first took up rowing, and trained with Canada’s women’s team. But when Rowing Canada ask that she train with them yearround, she wasn’t willing to give up the slopes. She decided to hop on her bike instead, and when she shattered her wrist in seven places — it required two plates and 10 screws to fix — abruptly ending last winter’s skicross season, she got serious about cycling. Less than two weeks after surgery, she was working out on a stationary bike. She then called Craig Griffin, Canada’s endurance track

cycling coach. “I said ‘Hey, I want to make the national team,”’ Simmerling said. “He said ‘Call me again if you ride an individual pursuit in three minutes and 45 seconds.’ And I said ‘OK.”’ Simmerling travelled to Los Angeles to train, and had made the time Griffin wanted in a week-and-a-half. “I’m just a very goal-driven athlete, and I had an end. . . a big goal, and a big dream, and in order to achieve those big goals and big dreams, you need to break it down and see what you need to do tomorrow, and see what you need to do in the next month, and see the steps that you need to take in order to achieve that big goal,” Simmerling said. From that training in L.A., it was a hasty progression to the women’s national team. And at the final UCI World Cup event two weeks ago in Hong Kong, Simmerling, Jasmin Glaesser, Laura Brown and Stephanie Roorda defeated Great Britain for team pursuit gold. “She’s a very, very high-level performer, but it’s a great example of where athletes with very high levels of athletic abilities and a willingness to try some new things can be successful,” said Kurt Innes, the director of talent development for the Canadian Sport Institute Pacific in Victoria. There are other examples. Kate O’Brien switched from bosled to track cycling, and won a gold and silver at last sum-

www.canadianinquirer.net

Georgia Simmerling.

mer’s Pan Am Games. Andre De Grasse had dreams of playing in the NBA before he was spotted running in a high school track meet by coach Tony Sharpe. De Grasse has exploded into arguably the country’s biggest track star, racing to bronze in the 100 metres at last summer’s world track and field championships. Top athletes have the physical gifts — the power and speed required for bobsled and track and field, for example. But they also already have the personality characteristics — the mental strength and motivation — of a high-performing athlete, Innes said. “In order for us as a country to win, we’ve got to start collaborating and sharing all of these great examples of high-performance athletes, wherever they are and wherever they’re playing,” Innes said. “That’s what this RBC program is trying to express: just come on in, have a go, demonstrate your current level of athletic abilities, and we will then help you find the sport that is the best fit for you.” The seven participating national sport organizations are cycling, rowing, women’s rugby sevens, athletics (sprints and jumps), canoe/kayak, speedskating and bobsled/skeleton. Athletes between the ages of

GEORGIA SIMMERLING / FACEBOOK PAGE

14 and 25 can participate in one of four RBC Training Ground events — Feb. 20 in Vancouver, Feb. 27 in Montreal, March 5 in Toronto and March 12 in Halifax. Up to 10 athletes from each event will receive resources such as funding and coaching, and the top performers earn a trip to the Rio Olympics to help fuel their Olympic passion. Athletes can enter to qualify at RBCTrainingGround.ca. While she’s had remarkable success in all three of her sports, crossing over to something unfamiliar was anything but easy for Simmerling. “I just go back to the facts,” said Simmerling, who intends to ski cross in hopes of an Olympic medal in Pyeongchang in 2016. “Whenever I’m kind of doubting myself, or there’s a moment of wavering confidence, I’ve told myself ‘You were a part of that team (that won gold in Hong Kong) and you are a part of this team now, you are a contributing member.’ “That’s what I need to go on to the next step. There are definitely a couple more big steps to make, but I think I’m on the right track.” Simmerling said the cycling team for Rio will be chosen in April. ■

Sports

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2016

Lady Eagles, Lady Maroons clobber rivals BY JASMINE W. PAYO Philippine Daily Inquirer SHOWCASING ITS famous “heart strong” mantra, Ateneo displayed too much power in rolling past National University, 25-21, 25-19, 25-14, at the start of the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament yesterday at Filoil Flying V Arena. The Lady Eagles, who are vying for a third straight championship, rallied in the first two sets before closing out strong behind Ateneo star Alyssa Valdez, Madeleine Madayag, Bea de Leon and Jia Morado. “We stayed calm and the composure was there,” said Valdez, the league’s popular twotime Most Valuable Player. “Coach Tai (Bundit) always tells us ‘heart strong, happy,’ and it works.” Valdez, in her usual element, unloaded a game-high 18 points built on 15 kills and three aces. Dark horse University of the Philippines also kicked off its campaign impressively by downing University of the East

inched closer to an elimination sweep in juniors basketball over the weekend. Riding on Cochise Bernabe’s solid pitching, UP forged an 11-0 shutout of Ateneo in the softball tournament at Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium. University of Santo Tomas also blanked UE, 4-0, while NU blasted La Salle in a 10-2 decision. Outright title berth

Georgia Simmerling.

in straight sets, 2520, 25-13, 2521, earlier. Promising as billed, UP rookies Justine Dorog and Diana Carlos teamed up with veteran Nicole Tiamzon for a combined 27 points. The Lady Eagles, who completed a 16-0 sweep last year, started slow and even trailed at 7-14 in the second set. But Valdez drew strong sup-

COGNOSCENTI* / FLICKR

port with Madayag tossing in 13 points and De Leon adding 10. Morado also tallied 33 excellent set for the Lady Eagles. Ateneo likewise set its men’s title defense in motion with a 25-21, 25-18, 29-27 triumph over University of Santo Tomas. Mark Espejo paced the Blue Eagles with 17 points, while Rex Intal and Ysay Marasigan scored 10 each.

Far Eastern University hacked out a 25-23, 26-24, 2523 decision over UP in the other match, with Jeric Gacutan leading with a 12-point outing. Lopsided softball wins

Meanwhile, three teams pulled off lopsided wins at the start of softball action, FEU clinched an outright title berth in juniors football and NU

Defending champion FEU, meanwhile, topped the doubleround elimination with a maximum of 18 points to gain an outright Finals stint in juniors football. Kieth Absalon netted a brace as the Baby Tamaraws capped their elimination-round run with a 4-2 tripping of the Blue Eaglets at Moro Lorenzo Football Field in Loyola Heights. In juniors basketball, the Bullpups streaked to their 12th straight win after a 70-54 scuttling of the Junior Maroons behind Justine Baltazar’s 13 points and 19 rebounds. ■

4 African champions among 8 Nigerians banned for doping

3 officials file appeals against life bans in IAAF case

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND — Three athletics officials banned for life by the IAAF for bribery and extortion to cover up a Russian doping case have appealed to sport’s highest court. “All seek to have their life bans from involvement in the sport of track and field annulled,” the Court of Arbitration for Sport said in a statement on Monday. The three who were expelled by the IAAF ethics commission in January are: Papa Massata Diack of Senegal, and Russian officials Valentin Balakhnichev and Alexei Melnikov. Diack is the son of former IAAF President Lamine Diack and was a marketing consultant for the governing body. He is the subject of an Interpol notice seeking his arrest for questioning in France. Balakhnichev was the longtime president of the Russian athletics federation and former

ABUJA, NIGERIA — Nigeria has banned eight athletes for doping, four of them goldmedal winners and one a silver medallist at the All Africa Games last year. Long jumpers Chinazom Amadi and Samson Idiata, weightlifter Elisabeth Onua and wrestler Patience Opuene were all banned following failed drug tests at the games in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, in September, where they won gold. Wrestling silver medallist Ebi James Igbadiwei was also banned. The three other athletes, sprinter Deborah Odeyemi and para-athletes Sunday Ezeh and Thomas Kure, failed tests in Nigeria. Odeyemi ran on Nigeria’s women’s 4 x 100-meter relay

team at the 2015 world championships. Seven of the athletes were given four-year bans. Weightlifter Onua, who tested positive for the diuretic Amiloride, received an eight-year ban after multiple violations. Nigeria’s National Anti-Doping Committee said the athletes’ All Africa Games medals and winnings would be sent back to organizers. The Nigerian cases follow a severely troubled doping control program at the All Africa Games, which was described as “chaotic” and “ineffective from the start” by World AntiDoping Agency independent observers in Republic of Congo. National and international sports federations weren’t informed of the failed doping tests for months after the games, which is Africa’s premier multi-sport event. ■

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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IAAF treasurer. Melnikov was head coach of Russian distance runners and race walkers. They were found guilty of conspiring to extort hundreds of thousands of dollars from Russian marathoner Liliya Shobukhova so she could avoid a doping ban before the 2012 London Olympics. The IAAF ethics panel published its findings on Jan. 7, and Diack, Balakhnichev, Melnikov all deny wrongdoing.

“All three compounded the vice of what they did by conspiring to extort what were in substance bribes from (Shobukhova) by acts of blackmail,” the IAAF panel said. “They acted dishonestly and corruptly and did unprecedented damage to the sport of track and field which, by their actions, they have brought into serious disrepute.” CAS gave no expected timetable for the cases when it announced that the appeals have been registered. ■

FEBRUARY 5, 2016

FRIDAY

Technology

Regulators get input—sort of—on self-driving car rollout BY JUSTIN PRITCHARD The Associated Press SACRAMENTO, CALIF. — California regulators deciding how to permit the future rollout of self-driving cars have been told by consumer advocates that their cautious approach was right on, and by companies developing the technology that the current course will delay deployment of vehicles that promise huge safety benefits. The state’s Department of Motor Vehicles heard the comments Thursday at a workshop as it wrestles with how to keep the public safe as the imperfect technology matures — but not regulate so heavily that the agency stifles development of the vehicles. The agency sought suggestions of possible changes to a draft of precedent-setting regulations it released last month. Those regulations will govern how Californians can get the cars once companies move beyond their current testing of prototypes. Because California has been a hotbed for the development and regulation of the technology, what happens in the state has ripple effects nationally.

What the DMV had hoped would be a technical discussion Thursday about legal language instead drifted toward broad statements about the technology’s merits. Most vocal were advocates for the blind — a group that has not been central to the regulatory debate. Several argued the technology could change their lives, and the agency should not get in the way. “Please don’t leave my family out in the waiting room,” said Jessie Lorenz, who is blind and relies on public transit to get her 4-year-old daughter to preschool. Lorenz would prefer to use a self-driving car for that — or even a “spontaneous road trip.” She said she has taken a ride in a self-driving car that Google Inc. has been developing, “and it was awesome.” DMV attorney Brian Soublet said the agency appreciates the potential benefits for disabled people, but its focus has to be on the safety of the entire motoring public. Google wants California to clear the road for the technology — and has expressed disappointment in the DMV’s draft regulations, which say self-driving cars must have a

steering wheel in case onboard computers or sensors fail. A licensed driver would need to sit in the driver’s seat, ready to seize control. “We need to be careful about the assumption that having a person behind the wheel” will make driving safer, Chris Urmson, the leader of Google’s self-driving car project, told the agency. Google has concluded that human error is the biggest danger in driving, and the company wants to remove the steering wheel and pedals from cars of the future, giving people minimal ability to intervene. Urmson said that if the draft regulations are not changed, Google’s car would not be available in California. While Google has been testing on roads here for several years — with trained safety drivers behind the wheel, just in case — it might deploy cars without steering wheels in Texas, where regulators hailed the technology when Google began testing prototypes there last summer. California’s DMV is still months away from finalizing any regulations. Under the draft framework, an independent certifier would need to verify a manufacturer’s www.canadianinquirer.net

assurances that its cars are safe. Google and traditional automakers want manufacturer self-certification, the standard for other cars. Once a company receives that verification, manufacturers would receive a permit for three years. Consumers could lease the cars, but manufacturers would be required to keep tabs on how safely they are driving and report that performance to the state. Drivers would need special, manufacturer-provided training, and then get a special certification on their licenses. If a car breaks the law, the driver would be responsible. John Simpson of the nonprofit Consumer Watchdog commended the DMV on Thursday “for putting safety first. I think you got it exactly right” in the draft, he said. Earlier this month, federal officials announced an aggressive plan to get the technology to the public’s hands sooner than later. In written guidance, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, projected that “fully automated vehicles are nearing the point at which widespread deployment is feasible.” It remains unclear just how

the bullish federal approach will affect California’s regulatory process. Neither Google nor traditional automakers have said they think the cars are ready yet, but at least a dozen companies are developing the technology and nearly as many have permission to test in California. Google has suggested a model could be ready for limited use sooner than the public realizes. Several times during Thursday’s workshop, DMV officials urged commenters to offer specific changes to the draft regulations, sometimes in reaction to comments that the regulations fell short. Speaker Curt Augustine of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers said his organization did not agree with the DMV’s third-party certification requirement. DMV attorney Soublet asked for proposed fixes, invoking a saying his father told him: It only takes one wrecking ball to demolish a house, but a whole crew to build one. The agency has been working on regulations for testing and now deployment for nearly three years — and regulations on deployment were supposed to be final a year ago. ■

Technology

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2016

The number of Canadians using fintech products could triple in next year: EY

MIT wins design competition for Elon Musk’s Hyperloop

BY ALEXANDRA POSADZKI The Canadian Press

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

in a new report that the adoption of fintech services among Canadians will triple over the next 12 months. Lack of awareness about the existence of the products was cited by more than half, or 57.2 per cent, of respondents in the survey who had not embraced

find out about it. Gregory Smith, a partner with EY’s financial services advisory practice, says fintech TORONTO — Business consulusers tend to be young and tancy firm EY says it believes wealthy — an important demothe challenge to traditional graphic for the banks. banks from financial technol“A big piece of the customer pie ogy, or fintechs, will accelerate will be at stake here,” Smith said rapidly this year. in a statement. EY says that unSmith says fitil now Canadians nancial services have been slow to institutions will embrace offerings [...] financial services institutions need to collabofrom companies will need to collaborate with the rate with the finsuch as robo-adfintech community and speed up the tech community visers and online development of digital products or and speed up the lenders. risk losing market share. development of Citing its own digital products recent survey, it or risk losing found that only market share. 8.2 per cent of The online consumers who are active on- fintech offerings. Meanwhile, survey of 2,016 Canadians was line have used at least two fin- only 10.3 per cent of non-adopt- conducted between Sept. 1, tech products within the past ers cited lack of trust in fintech 2015, to Oct. 6, 2015. The pollsix months — much lower than companies. ing industry’s professional adoption rates of 16.5 per cent EY says the fact that it’s lack body, the Marketing Research in the United States, 14.3 per of awareness — not lack of trust and Intelligence Association, cent in the United Kingdom — that’s hindering the use of says online surveys cannot be and 29.1 per cent in Hong Kong. financial technology products assigned a margin of error beHowever, EY says that’s suggests that more Canadians cause they do not randomly bound to change and suggests will embrace fintech once they sample the population. ■

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — MIT student engineers won a competition to transform SpaceX and Tesla Motors cofounder Elon Musk’ idea into a design for a Hyperloop to move pods of people at high speed. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, was named the winner Saturday after a competition among more than 1,000 college students at Texas A&M University in College Station. The Hyperloop is a highspeed ground transport concept

Elon Musk.

WEATHER UPDATE VANCOUVER

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proposed by Musk to transport “pods” of 20 to 30 people through a 12-foot diameter tube at speeds of roughly 700 mph. More than 100 university teams presented design concepts to a panel of judges in an event that began Friday. Delft University of Technology from The Netherlands finished second, the University of Wisconsin third, Virginia Tech fourth and the University of California, Irvine, fifth. The top teams will build their pods and test them at the world’s first Hyperloop Test Track, being built adjacent to SpaceX’s Hawthorne, California, headquarters. ■

ONINNOVATION / FLICKR

Long term forecast from www.theweathernetwork.com CALGARY

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Events

FEBRUARY 5, 2016

FRIDAY

CANADA 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

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 416928-9355. The office, at 597 Parliament St., Suite 103, Toronto, is open on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 1 to 6 p.m.

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

EVENTS

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Migrant Workers Rights Forum By Migrante Canada, Canadian Labour Congress, Canadian Union of Public Employees and Kairos-Migrante Canada WHEN/WHERE: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Feb. 13, at Fredericton Inn & Convention NEWFOUNDLAND Center - 1315 Regent St. Fredericton, NB

NOVA SCOTIA

Cooking With Seniors 101: Cookoff By MHHS and MHHS Sampaguita Seniors’ WHEN/WHERE: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 6, at Meredian Hall, 4306 Victoria Dr. Vancouver, B.C. MORE INFO: Call Angie Igonia at 604-879-3277 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 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.

10 Weeks of English Conversation By South Vancouver Neighbourhood House WHEN/WHERE: Feb. 1 to Apr. 9, 18 locations in Metro Vancouver MORE INFO: Call Amie to register – 604-324-6212 ext 142

English Conversation Circle for Newcomers By Mosaic WHEN/WHERE: Tuesdays, 1–2:30 p.m., until Feb. 23at Mosaic Vancouver Language Centre, 304–2730 Commercial Dr., Vancouver, B.C. MORE INFO: Call Paeony at 604-254-9626

Mentoring Programme for Immigrant High School Students: Breakfast & Baon 101 By Mentorship & Leadership for Youth Programme WHEN/WHERE: 10 a.m. to 12 nn at Corpus Christi College (near UBC) 5935 Iona Dr. Vancouver BC. Free pick up and drop off service. MORE INFO: Meet young professionals plus learn to cook. Call/text Kyle Andrews at (778)896-0661

Dreams: Gerphil Flores By Tribu Productions WHEN/WHERE: Feb 14, Kay Meek Theatre 1700 Mathers Ave. W. Vancouver, B.C.; Feb. 15, White Eagle Hall, Victoria, B.C.; Feb 17, Westminster United Church, Winnipeg, MB; and Feb. 19, Centre Stage, Surrey City Hall 13450 104 Ave. Surrey, BC MORE INFO: VIP ticket holders ($100+GST) | door opens @ 5:30 p.m. General Admission ($45+GST) | door opens @ 7:00 p.m.

I Belong Support Group By Mosaic WHEN/WHERE: 5:30 to7:30 p.m., every Monday of the month, Mosaic Burnaby Centre for Immigrants, 5902 Kingsway, Vancouver, B.C. MORE INFO: Call Darae 604-254-9626 Free Counselling Support Group By Mosaic WHEN/WHERE: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., every last Monday of the month at Mosaic Burnaby Centre for Immigrants, 5902 Kingsway, Vancouver, B.C. MORE INFO: Call Darae (604)254-9626 www.canadianinquirer.net

Crowning Ceremony Valentine Queen 2016 By Filipino Zodiac Circle Society of BC WHEN/WHERE: 12 nn Feb. 14, at Vancouver Alpen Club 4875 Victoria Dr. Vancouver, B.C. MORE INFO: $10 ticket at the door Annual Post-Valentine’s Dinner & Dance Fundraiser By West Coast Domestic Workers’ Association WHEN/WHERE: 6:30 to 11:30 p.m., Feb. 20, at St. Mary’s Ukrainian Church, 3150 Ash St. Vancouver, B.C. MORE INFO: Tickets: $20 caregivers; $25 community. Contact 604-669-4482

FEBRUARY 5, 2016

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FEBRUARY 5, 2016

FRIDAY

Food

Root vegetables, frozen fruit offer cheap alternatives for shell-shocked shoppers BY LOIS ABRAHAM The Canadian Press TORONTO — Canadians who have grown spoiled by having year-round access to exotic fresh kiwi fruit, mangoes, asparagus and salad greens are experiencing sticker shock as the spiralling loonie and weather woes drive up prices of imports — with no relief in sight. Food budgets will continue to be gobbled up by imports until produce from this country starts becoming available, says Michael von Massow, co-author of December’s Food Price Report from the Food Institute at the University of Guelph, which predicted Canadians would spend $345 more for groceries this year. “Right now we don’t have a lot of alternatives. And the alternatives to California and places where we’re buying in American dollars also have strong currencies — and we have to ship farther,” says von Massow, an associate professor. Some consumers assumed produce from Mexico would be cheaper because of lower gas prices and lower transportation costs but that hasn’t always been the case. “The things we’re buying in Mexico we’re also buying in U.S. dollars, because we’re competing with U.S. buyers, and so we still have those currency effects for buying those products,” von Massow says. But consumers can reap rewards by shopping savvy. “If you’re willing to be flexible and experiment a little bit you can control these cost increases by taking advantage

Don’t pay for convenience. Bagged salads and cut-up fruit are more expensive.

of things that haven’t gone up as much,” says von Massow. “Many Canadian apples are stored, as an example, so we’re getting harvested apples at this time of year and they’re not going up because they were stored in Canadian dollars,” he adds. “Cabbage is another one that stores reasonably well and so we can pick those products because they were produced in Canadian dollars, they’re stored in Canadian dollars and while they get more expensive the longer you store them — because we have storage losses and the

cost of storage — they’re not going up as much.” You’ll save money if you eat seasonally, adds Mairlyn Smith, a professional home economist in Toronto. “We just need to change the way we think about what we eat and what we’re buying and also what you’re throwing away.” And put spending in perspective. Celery might be $1.99 a bunch, but “when you think about it there’s usually at least 10 stalks, 19 cents a stalk, it’s nutritionally dense — and how much do you pay for a takeout coffee?” says Smith, author of the cookbook “Homegrown.” “Then also if you cut the ends off and use it for stock you don’t have a lot of waste.” Registered dietitian Christy Brissette suggests consumers switch to “oldfashioned” vegetables like leeks, carrots, parsnips, onion, cabbage and squash, which are nutritious, bountiful, filling and less expensive. Another way to “eat local” is to purchase frozen fruits and vegetables grown in Canada. They maintain a significantly high level of the nutrients because they’re flash frozen. And prices haven’t gone up as much because they haven’t been subject to the exchange rate, says von Massow.

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Here are other tips from Brissette to reduce the cost of fruits and vegetables: - Plan menus, but be flexible when produce prices fluctuate. You can generally substitute vegetables on sale in chili, stew or soup or use frozen or canned. - Don’t pay for convenience. Bagged salads and cut-up fruit are more expensive. Soak dried beans or chickpeas overnight instead of buying canned. Add chopped vegetables, herbs and other seasonings to no-salt-added canned tomatoes to make your own pasta sauce. - Consider discounted blemished fruit and vegetables. Turn bruised apples into applesauce and freeze browned bananas to use in smoothies or muffins. - Avoid waste. Freeze unused portions of spinach and arugula for use in hot recipes (which you couldn’t do with lettuce) or smoothies. - Buy large bags of oranges, apples and potatoes. “If you actually weigh that bag you’re usually getting more than if you put your own bag together.” - Buy store brands and stock up on canned and frozen items when they’re on sale. Compare prices at dollar stores or discount grocery outlets. - In some regions you can get local seasonal food directly from farms by joining a co-op or community-supported agriculture farm. ■

Seen & Scenes: Vancouver

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2016

SEMINAR ON TAX CHALLENGES The Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) held a seminar on “Tax Challenges for Self Employed and Small Corporate Businesses,” with Mel Cruz, a retired AU6 large file case manager at Canada Revenue Agency as speaker. During the event held Jan. 23, at Holiday Inn Vancouver, PICPA also elected its new set of officers for 2016-2017 (Photos by Laarni Liwanag de Paula).

OF RICE AND ROOTS The University of British Columbia (UBC) Institute of Asian Research and UBC Centre of Southeast Asia Research, in collaboration with the Asean ConsulatesGeneral in Vancouver and UBC Southeast Asian Students Associations presents, ‘Of Rice and Roots,’ a food festival featuring traditional dishes from six participating countries namely Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines on Feb. 2, at UBC’s Student Nest. Kumare Restaurant and Bakery provided a taste of Filipino cuisine at the Philippine booth.

PRAYER RALLY The FilCan Network for Truth & Justice (Tapsilog) together with the Filipino Seniors Club of BC (FSCBC), Writers International Network (WIN) and Vietnamese nationalist group, held a prayer-rally on Jan. 28, in front of the China Consulate Office on Granville St., Vancouver, BC. to air their protest over China’s incursion in the West Philippine Sea (Photos by Freddie Bagunu). www.canadianinquirer.net

TATAY TOM'S GALA FUNDRAISER Well-loved community advocate “Tatay” Tom Avenadano celebrated his 87th birthday with a gala to raise funds for the Multicultural Helping House Society Charitable Foundation and the Scholarship Program for Caregivers and Youth, on Jan. 31, at St. Mary’s Ukrainian Center in Vancouver. Deputy Consul General Anton Mandap gave a fitting tribute to his co-birthday celebrator who has helped countless immigrants integrate fully into Canadian society (Photos by Laarni Liwanag de Paula and Christian Cunanan).

Seen and Scenes

FEBRUARY 5, 2016

FRIDAY

MONEY REMITTANCE Mabini Money Remittance gave their customers a pre-Valentine appreciation party at Patricia Kemp Community Centre (Vaughan, ON) on Jan. 23. It was night of games, raffle prices, dances, and delicious food provided by Jess, Tess, and Jeff Mallari (Photos by Ariel Ramos).

CELEBRATION OF CULTURES Pictures taken from the 6th Annual Celebration of Cultures at Park Street School, New Brunswick (Photos from Filipino Community in New Brunswick FB).

CANADIAN CITIZENSHIP CEREMONY Highlights of the Canadian citizenship ceremony on Jan. 28, at the Hugh John Flemming Forestry Complex in New Brunswick.

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

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2016

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Become an Independant Financial Consultant Becoming an independent financial consultant has been a huge stepping stone for many who join Greatway Financial. This has enabled them to achieve their financial goals and dream bigger. It is not full-time but part-time. They do it at their own time. You too can have that opportunity to write your own pay cheque! What do Greatway financial consultants do? They passionately share their blessings with others by educating others about finances.

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FEBRUARY 5, 2016

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