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FEBRUARY 12, 2016

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VOL. 2 NO. 204

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Duterte named chair of PDP-Laban

Ombudsman upholds graft raps vs Binay son

Atlantic storm hits Newfoundland

Race across Manitoba: a test of endurance and resilience

Offset high food prices by throwing out less

CO-EXISTENCE

Iraq hotel inferno kills 14 Filipinos BY LEILA B. SALAVERRIA AND NIKKO DIZON Philippine Daily Inquirer

The hybrid road train developed by the DOST runs on its designated lane next to those allotted for bikers during Sunday’s road-sharing demonstration on Roxas Boulevard. (story on page 12) MARIANNE BERMUDEZ / PDI

Philippine presidential race gets underway BY JIM GOMEZ The Associated Press MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Philippine presidential candidates launched their campaigns Tuesday in festive showbizstyle rallies to draw in the crowds in what is emerging as a closely fought contest to lead one of Asia’s most unwieldy democracies.

From Manila’s slums to the countryside, the candidates competed to captivate the Filipino everyman at the start of a 3-month campaign leading to the May 9 vote. They promised to cure the same ailments that have hounded the Southeast Asian nation for decades: widespread poverty, corruption, crime and insurgencies.

Fil-Can in Focus: Annette and Victor Que

FOURTEEN FILIPINOS died when a fire broke out at a hotel in Irbil, the capital of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region, on Friday night. The 14 Filipinos, whose names were still unavailable as of press time, were believed to be employees of the 66room Capitol Hotel, the Philippine Embassy in Baghdad said in an online statement. “Our priority is to identify the victims, inform their next of kin and bring them home as soon as possible,” said Elmer Cato, the embassy’s charge d’affaires. Cato, who flew to Irbil yesterday with a team from the Baghdad embassy, said the Filipino victims were most likely female hotel workers. “If I am not mistaken we lost more Filipinos in a single day with this incident compared to how many were lost since the Gulf War. We will find out why none of them were able to escape, how come they were overwhelmed by

❱❱ PAGE 26 ❱❱ PAGE 9 Philippine presidential

❱❱ PAGE 10 Iraq hotel

FEBRUARY 12, 2016

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FRIDAY

Philippine News

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2016

VP praises Puno work MMDA launches Pasig in UNA: He’s really good ferry mobile app BY TARRA QUISMUNDO, LEILA B. SALAVERRIA AND DJ YAP Philippine Daily Inquirer

with his background and reputation. He’s known as a good operator,” said former An Waray Rep. Florencio Noel, a member of Poe’s campaign team. Noel said, however, that Poe’s team WITH HIS campaign powered by a vet- would mount a good campaign. eran political strategist, Vice President Cebu Rep. Ace Durano, Poe’s camJejomar Binay yesterday said he could paign manager, said Puno was a capable maintain the lead in the race for Malaca- man and that he had known him since ñang despite allegations of graft and cor- their days in the Arroyo Cabinet. ruption hounding him and his family. But Poe’s team has its own strengths, Binay confirmed the advisory role Durano said. of veteran political strategist Ronaldo “I’m very confident with our own Puno in his presidential campaign, cit- group. We are very diverse. We came ing how good the former secretary of the from different backgrounds and differinterior was at his job. ent orientations. At the end of the day, “Yes, but I don’t know if that’s news- it’s a combination of all of these resourcworthy. Secretary Puno has been help- es that will make the candidate win,” he ing us, and he’s really good,” Binay told said. reporters in Unisan town, Quezon provValenzuela Mayor Rex Gatchalian, ince, a transcript of which was sent to spokesperson for Poe, said Durano and reporters in Manila Noel had the skills yesterday. and experience to When a reporter match Puno’s. in Unisan asked him “We know that about Puno’s reputaelections are won on tion as “a magician” We are very clear messaging, suin elections, Binay diverse. [...] perior logistics and said he would not reAt the end of vast networks. We are spond to a question the day, it’s a very confident that based on unsubstancombination [Representatives] tiated claims. of all of these Noel and Durano will “As usual, I don’t resources that launch a campaign to want to reply to a will make the match or even betquestion like that. candidate win. ter the campaigns of Because I am also a our opponents who victim of allegations, have vast resources,” demolition by perGatchalian said. ception… All of that are just allegations,” Belmonte vs Puno he said. The camp of Liberal Party (LP) stanBinay is accused of graft and plunder dard-bearer Mar Roxas has an answer to in the Office of the Ombudsman over Puno: Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., alleged overpricing of municipal proj- the ruling party’s campaign manager. ects during his three terms as mayor of “The leadership of our campaign Makati City. manager, Speaker Sonny Belmonte, But charges cannot be filed in court partnered with the energy and enthusiagainst him as long as he is in office. asm of our volunteers, should be more The Ombudsman, however, has af- than sufficient in my view,” said Barry firmed the dismissal and indictment for Gutierrez, spokesperson for the LP cograft of his son, former Makati Mayor alition. Junjun Binay. Asked about the looming battle with Puno, Belmonte tried to sound modest. Reenergized campaign “He’s more accustomed to the job, Puno was behind the successful cam- that’s for sure,” he said in a text mespaigns of former Presidents Fidel V. Ra- sage in Filipino to the INQUIRER. “He’s mos, Joseph Estrada and Gloria Maca- been there all along,” he said, indicating pagal-Arroyo. he had known for some time that Puno As reported by the INQUIRER yes- was running Binay’s campaign before terday, Puno joined Binay’s flagging the INQUIRER reported it yesterday. presidential campaign last September, Gutierrez said Belmonte was also a reenergizing it and putting the Vice “popular leader with national stature.” President back on top in voter prefer“He will definitely be an asset in [the ence polls. campaign],” Gutierrez added. The report alarmed the camp of Sen. “Former Secretary Puno is a veteran Grace Poe, Binay’s closest rival for the political operator whose reputation, presidency. “That’s a cause for concern and worry, ❱❱ PAGE 9 VP praises

BY MARICAR B. BRIZUELA Philippine Daily Inquirer A MOBILE application showing the scheduled trips of the Pasig River Ferry System will be available next week. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) announced that it would be launching the mobile app on Tuesday to allow passengers to view the daily schedule of the ferry system. According to the agency, this will benefit ferry boat riders as well as others who want to try the alternate mode of transport since they can simply check the schedule on their Android and iOS devices. “With the app, commuters can now check the estimated time of arrival and departure of the ferries at the 12 stations along the Pasig River,” said MMDA Chair Emerson Carlos. The MMDA said passengers would also be able to view the ferry routes, fares, vessel photos and related feeds from the agency’s social media accounts. The app will also inform the rider of the nearest ferry station as well as other public advisories from the MMDA.

According to Carlos, the agency tapped Rising Tide Developers to come up with the Pasig Ferry River application to encourage more people to patronize the alternate mode of transportation. Last week, the MMDA reported that the daily ridership of the Pasig Ferry system increased to 500 passengers from around 100 in previous months. MMDA Pasig Ferry head Rod Tuason said more and more people were patronizing the ferry boats over buses and other modes of transport since it takes them just 45 minutes—compared to the usual two hours—to reach Manila from Pasig City. The agency has long encouraged the public to patronize the Pasig Ferry System and help ease heavy traffic on Edsa, J.P. Rizal in Makati City, and even on roads leading to Intramuros, Manila, since traffic on Osmeña Highway has become heavier with work underway on the Skyway Stage 3. The MMDA currently runs 16 boats in 12 stations in Metro Manila, including Pinagbuhatan, Maybunga and San Joaquin in Pasig City; Guadalupe and Valenzuela in Makati City; Hulo in Mandaluyong; and PUP Sta. Mesa, Sta. Ana, Lambingan, Lawton, Escolta and Plaza Mexico in Manila. ■

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Philippine News

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Duterte named chair of PDP-Laban BY JEANNETTE I. ANDRADE AND CHRISTINE O. AVENDAÑO Philippine Daily Inquirer VOWING TO restore order in the country, presidential aspirant Rodrigo Duterte took over as chair of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDPLaban). “Under the leadership of Mayor Duterte and through his brave solutions and immediate actions, it will be possible for our party to achieve true change and to restore order in the country,” the PDP-Laban president, Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, said in a statement yesterday. Pimentel said party members would be more inspired to work toward fulfilling their vision of a better country for Filipinos. “This energized hope will surely transition in our efforts in the upcoming election,” he said. In a phone interview, the

senator said PDP-Laban, in offering the post to Duterte, was giving “value” to the party’s standardbearer. Pimentel said the party had long offered the post to Duterte, but the mayor had declined because he did not want to take it if someone else was occupying it. The senator said former South Cotabato Gov. Ismael Sueno offered the post to Duterte and the mayor had accepted it.

driven to lead the party toward fulfilling its goal of addressing the country’s disorder.” Solutions to disorder

Tondo proclamation

Duterte will formally accept the party chairmanship tomorrow before he goes to his proclamation rally in Tondo, Manila, according to Pimentel. PDP-Laban is a coalition between Lakas ng Bayan, founded by former Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. in 1978, and Partido Demokratiko Pilipino, founded in 1982 by former Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. Speaking on behalf of the presidential contender, Duterte’s media coordina-

PHOTO FROM ALAN CAYETANO'S OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE

tor, Pete Laviña, said: “Mayor Duterte is deeply humbled by the PDP-Laban’s decision to appoint him as its party chair. While the mayor has been a long-time member of the party, he never expected that he will be given this privilege to lead the party, which is rich in history and struggle.” Laviña said Duterte would not squander the hopes entrusted to him by the PDP-La-

ban leadership and its rank and file. “Even as our journey toward realizing a better future for our people is a tough one, I am confident that with Mayor Duterte’s leadership, the PDPLaban will become a catalyst of real change in the coming elections,” Laviña said. The PDP-Laban spokesperson, Paola Alvarez, said Duterte was “now fully prepared and

Alvarez said the people were assured that PDP-Laban under Duterte’s leadership would have the “tough solutions to end hardship and disorder that Filipinos face every day.” She added, “We no longer need old promises or minor reforms. What the country needs now is genuine change.” The party spokesperson pointed out that the leading causes of disorder in the country were crime, drugs and corruption. Other factors that bring chaos to the country are Metro Manila’s congestion, the lack of real development in the regions, and social injustice, Alvarez said. “Come May, PDP-Laban and Mayor Duterte will put an end to disorder in the lives of ordinary Filipinos. We will end our nation’s woes,” she said. ■

Vote counting machines arrive in PH BY KATHERINE PADILLA Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA — 90,000 of the 97,000 vote counting machines (VCM) to be used in the May 9 elections have arrived in the Philippines, Chairman Andres Bautista of the Commission on Election (Comelec) said on Thursday in a press conference. The rest of the VCMs are on their way to the country from Taiwan where they are manufactured. 71,456 VCMs are warehoused in Sta. Rosa, Laguna where they are undergoing hardware acceptance test (HAT), the first test to determine if they are ready for use. “64,382 units of that have already undergone Hardware Acceptance Test (HAT),” Bautista was quoted as saying in a Manila Bulletin report. According to Marlon Garcia, project manager of Smartmatic, supplier of the VCMs, the HAT is performed to identify if the machines’ scanner are working properly. “For all the machines, we ex-

pect to finish HAT in the next two weeks,” Garcia was quoted as saying in a Philippine Star report. “Why in the next two weeks? It’s because it is not only for HAT of machines but everything that is coming, as part of election consumables,” he added. The HAT lasts for 25 minutes. “From unpacking the machines, putting it on the table, turning it on, running the different diagnostics, scanning the ballots and then printing and filling all the forms and then putting the machines back in the boxes so they can be returned to the storage area,” Garcia said. According to Garcia, the VCMs also undergo accuracy tests where 1,000 ballots are inserted in the machine to determine if they meet the 99.995 percent accuracy requirement as mandated by law. “No VCM leaves the warehouse without passing these tests and that is how we ensure that the machines will read the votes accurately on election day,” he said. Machines that do not pass

the tests will be replaced or repaired. “Part of our contract is if a machine is found defective, we have to replace it or repair it. Since the time is very short, the initial approach is to replace it with our stock…then we proceed to the repair of the machines,” Garcia told Manila Bulletin. Machines that have been repaired will then proceed to retesting. “The machines are brought back to the line and they have to go every single step of the process all over again. They have to undergo HAT, accuracy test process and if they are found that they are perfectly working we can use them later on,” he added. So far, 250 VCMs have been sent to quarantine for repair. 18,000 of the VCMs in the Philippines are currently undergoing clearance procedures at the Bureau of Customs. “Processing is now almost automatic as soon as the machines arrive at the port and this is important in ensuring that the VCMs will get to the warehouse in time,” Bautista www.canadianinquirer.net

Old ballot boxes which were previously used in local elections. KEITH BACONGCO / FLICKR

was quoted as saying in a Philippine Star report. Bautista said that a viewing deck is available for individuals who wish to see how VCMs are tested. “In the spirit of transparency, we are open to groups coming

over for as long as they provide us notice. In fact, we want to invite students to show them what we are doing here so that they can also learn what goes on in an election preparation,” Bautista told the Manila Bulletin. ■

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2016

Philippine News

SC spares pregnant pilot as it upholds firing of 28

P-Noy, Murad may meet to save peace

BY TARRA QUISMUNDO Philippine Daily Inquirer

BY NIKKO DIZON Philippine Daily Inquirer

THE SUPREME Court has upheld the dismissal of 28 pilots of the Philippine Airlines (PAL) who staged a strike in 1998, but spared one woman pilot, ruling that she was unduly fired since she could not have participated in the picket on account of her pregnancy. The high court’s First Division dismissed for lack of merit the petitions of the 28 pilots, who had sued the airline for illegal dismissal (23 petitioners) and for reinstatement (five petitioners). In a 36-page ruling, Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro said Gladys Jadie was illegally dismissed as she was clearly not among the pilots who participated in the strike because she was on maternity leave. PAL fired 600 pilots, all members of the Airline Pilots Association of the Philippines (Alpap), after they staged a strike in June 1998 in protest of a new airline policy to retire pilots who have reached 20 years in service or have completed 20,000 flying hours. They were fired after defying a return-towork order issued by the Department of Labor and Employment on June 7, 1998. But the high court said Jadie was not at fault, as her condition could not have allowed her to take part in the strike. “Jadie was already on maternity leave. Jadie did not join the strike and could not be reasonably expected to report back for work in compliance with the

THE CHIEF peace negotiator of the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front has not ruled out a meeting between President Aquino and MILF head Murad Ebrahim to save the peace process after the failure of Congress to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law. But for now, the government and the rebel peace panels cannot say whether such a meeting was in the offing. “We haven’t received any overtures [from government] as of now,” said Mohagher Iqbal. When asked about the possibility of such a meeting, Teresita Deles, the presidential adviser on the peace process, said that one only had to recall the President’s actions early in his administration in pursuit of ending the insurgency in Mindanao. Deles was reCommitted to ferring to the peace unprecedented [...] all Quezon also meeting that Mr. sides are described as Aquino had with committed “speculative and Murad in Japan to ensuring premature and in 2011 that paved that the a cause for unthe way for peace progress we due alarm” talk negotiations and have made about the likelithe signing of a this far hood of the next peace agreement remains and administration with the MILF in becomes having to deal 2014. a durable with renewed The Presifoundation conflict in Mindent and Murad for the danao. also met several future. He stressed times in between that the frameto iron out kinks work peace in the negotiaagreement contions. tinued to exist The peace and the governpanels are set to meet again ment remained “committed” in Kuala Lumpur, where they to it. would likely agree on a joint “We believe it’s not that much statement to address yet anoth- longer until a new Congress er major setback in the 17-year would be elected and could peace negotiations. then return to the work on deIqbal said they would likely liberating on the Bangsamoro renew the mandate of the Inter- Basic Law. It would be, I think, national Monitoring Team and unfair to all the parties in Minthe Ad Hoc Joint Action Group danao—Christian, lumad and (AHJAG), both key instruments Moro—to speculate on any sort in the ceasefire mechanisms be- of violence or fighting when the tween government forces and public statements have all been the MILF rebels. premised on maintaining the progress thus far and the peace Most welcome that continues to exist,” QueMalacanang yesterday said zon said. ■

M RADZI DESA / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

return-towork order. Indeed, Jadie gave birth on June 24, 1998,” read the ruling. The court granted Jadie separation pay, but said she could no longer be reinstated for the following reasons (quoted verbatim from the ruling): 1. Jadie’s former position as Captain of the E-50 aircraft no longer existed as the aircraft was already returned to its lessors in accordance with the Amended and Restated Rehabilitation Plan of PAL; 2. Per Air Transportation Office certification, her license expired in 1998; 3. The animosity between the parties as engendered by the protracted and heated litigation; 4. The possibility that she had already secured equivalent or other employment after the significant lapse of time since the institution of the illegal dismissal case; and 5. The nature of the business of PAL which requires the continuous operations of its planes and, thus, the hiring of new pilots. The high court said Jadie may be able to secure her separation

pay upon finality of the ruling, which could still be appealed through a motion for reconsideration. Separation package

Part of her separation package, according to the court, are a separation pay equivalent to one-month salary for every year of service, backwages from June 9, 1998, longevity pay of P500 per month for every year of service, Christmas bonuses, Jadie’s “proportionate share” in PAL’s P5-million contribution to the retirement fund, and cash conversion of her unused vacation leaves and sick leaves after June 9, 1998. The court said she would also be entitled to benefits prior to her illegal dismissal, including her unpaid salary in June 1998, productivity allowance, transportation allowance and rice subsidy from May to June 8, 1998. “All monetary awards due Jadie shall earn interest of 6 percent per annum from date of finality of this decision until fully paid,” the court said. ■

“Duterte’s employing tactics for presidential post” — Trillanes PHILIPPINE CANADIAN INQUIRER MANILA — Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV accused Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has been employing tactics in his bid for presidential post. Trillanes said that Duterte repeatedly told the public that

he has no plan to run for the country’s top post, until he filed his certificate of candidacy before the deadline for substitution. He also criticized Duterte’s campaign against crime, saying that the Davao City mayor has an imperfect law enforcement, and Duterte’s aim to reduce illegal drugs and crime by half

in his first year of presidency if elected. Trillanes said that drug addiction is still rampant despite of maintaining the province’s peace and order. In January, Trillanes already said that having a leader like Duterte will be a “disaster for the country” making it worse than electing Vice President Jejomar Binay as president. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

that it welcomed the MILF’s recent statement that it would continue to pursue peace despite the failure to pass the BBL, which would have given the MILF control over an expanded autonomous region. “As you know, the agreement still stands that was signed in Malacañang between the MILF and the administration, and this remains the cornerstone for working forward,” Communications Undersecretary Manuel Quezon III told government-run Radyo ng Bayan. “While Congress was unable to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law as we had hoped, we should remember that the commitment on the part of the Republic of the Philippines persists, and that overall I believe all sides are committed to ensuring that the progress we have made this far remains and becomes a durable foundation for the future,” he said.

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Philippine News

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2016

Ombudsman suspends LRTA execs for anomalous maintenance deal PHILIPPINE CANADIAN INQUIRER MANILA — The Office of the Ombudsman suspended the top officials of the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) causing them to file graft charges after finding probable cause. LRTA former Administratos Melquiades Robles, Federico Canar Jr., Dennis Francisco, Evelyn Macalino, Elmo Stephen Triste, Eduardo Abiva, Nicholas Ombao, Roger Vaño, Maynard Tolosa, and Juliet Labisto are among those who are facing the trial before the Sandiganbayan, and were also found

guilty of conducting misconduct and were suspended for six months. Their suspension will be convertible to a fine of their six months salary in case of separation from service. According to the Office of the Ombudsman, the officials violated Section 2(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act in connection with the anomalous implementation of maintenance and janitorial contracts. Service providers Lilia Diaz and Dennis Acorda are also facing graft charges. In January 2009, investigation showed that LRTA entered a joint venture contract for the

maintenance of trains, rails, and depot facilities of the LRT Line 1. The joint venture contract was supposed to deploy at least 793 workers and janitors in entire LRT stations but the Field of Investigation Office found out that only 209 personnel were only deployed. A total of P400.6 million was paid in the joint venture but “the transactions done had been processed without payrolls.” The joint venture contract were extended until July 2013. The Joint Venture indicated that the deviation from its minimum commitment is not justified. And the LRTA officials

PHILIPPINERAILWAYS / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

cannot claim that they have done their regular duty as they have given in to the demands of the private contractor. “Instead of pushing for the implementation of the award-

ed contract, the respondents agreed to the reduction of janitorial manpower,” Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales said in an interview with The Philippine Star. ■

SC ruling on divorce buoys hopes of advocates BY TARRA QUISMUNDO Philippine Daily Inquirer IF A PARTICULAR sector of Philippine society is allowed to have divorce, why deprive the rest the same legal recourse? So asked a party-list representative following the Supreme Court’s (SC) recent affirmation of a couple’s 2011 divorce under the Code of Muslim Personal Laws of the Philippines. Although divorce is not allowed in predominantly Catholic Philippines, the high court’s ruling released this week affirmed the divorce between a Muslim man and his Roman Catholic wife over “irreconcilable religious differences.” The two were married under Muslim rites, but the wife later reverted to her Christian faith, prompting the husband to seek divorce or talaq. “Our laws should be consistent in the way it recognizes religious beliefs with respect to marriages,” said former Gabriela women’s party-list Rep. Liza Masa, who first filed a divorce bill in 2005, citing how women in abusive marriages have little recourse under the current Civil Code and Family Code. Gabriela has been refiling the divorce measure since, with no success in Congress.

least two years.

Same treatment

“Non-Muslim Filipinos should have the same treatment before the law, and the option of divorce should be accessible to them in accordance with their religious beliefs,” Masa told the INQUIRER on Friday. But the high court’s ruling said that divorce as a remedy was available to couples married under Muslim rites, as the Code of Muslim Personal Laws allows different forms of divorce depending on the nature of marital complaints and other incompatibilities—from cases of abuse and infidelity, to criminal conviction and being afflicted with diseases. Gabriela party-list legal counsel Alnie Foja said that current laws make it “too technical and very complicated” for couples in difficult relationships to part ways. “The only way to have (divorce in the Philippines is) if you are Muslim. In a way, there’s some form of discrimination against couples (who are not Muslim),” Foja said. “There’s a vacuum in the law. It’s an obligation to fill that vacuum,” she added. The lawyer, who had handled several cases of couples seeking to dissolve their union, said there was virtually “no way out” of a bad marriage under current Philippine laws.

Considered legitimate

Under the Family Code, parties may move for the nullification of their marriage, a declaration that the union was void from the beginning due to technical and legal flaws, including one party being a minor. Also declared null are marriages solemnized without license, or those considered bigamous or polygamous. But the recourse risks rendering the involved couples’ children illegitimate, as nullification results in the marriage being invalidated as if it never www.canadianinquirer.net

happened, Foja said. To avoid that, most couples seeking separation invoke Article 36 of the Family Code, a provision often described as “relative divorce” as it seeks to approximate the effect of a divorce. “The problem is, under Article 36, you are required to prove that the other (party) is psychologically incapacitated to comply with the essential marital obligations of marriage,” said Foja, who added that litigation on Article 36 usually takes at

The article has since been updated to include a provision that says “children conceived or born before the judgment of annulment or absolute nullity of marriage under Article 36 has become final and executory, shall be considered legitimate.” The Family Code also provides for legal separation, a recourse for couples when one party has committed adultery or domestic abuse, or was found to be a drug addict, an alcoholic, or a convicted criminal. The process, however, does not terminate the marriage and deprives the separated couple of the right to remarry. The most recent divorce bill, House Bill No. 4408, was filed in 2014, but the House of Representatives took no action on the proposed measure. Under the proposal, divorce may be available to couples under certain circumstances, among them being “separated de facto” for at least five years with no hope of reconciliation. The bill would also apply to couples who suffer the “irreparable breakdown of their marriage” due to irreconcilable differences, or because either one or both are “psychologically incapacitated to comply with essential marital obligations.” ■

Philippine News

FEBRUARY 12, 2016

FRIDAY

Philippine autonomy delay stalls disarming of Muslim rebels Publisher Philippine Canadian Inquirer, Inc. Correspondents Jane Moraleda Socorro Newland Bolet Arevalo Mavelle Durian Katherine Padilla Community Editor Mary Ann Mandap maryann.mandap@canadianinquirer.net Graphic Designer Shanice Garcia Photographers Angelo Siglos Solon Licas Vic Vargas For photo submissions, please send to editor@canadianinquirer.net Operations and Marketing Head Laarni Liwanag (604) 551-3360 laarni.liwanag@canadianinquirer.net Advertising Sales Alice Yong (778) 889-3518 alice.yong@canadianinquirer.net Emy Rose Figueroa salesphilippines@canadianinquirer,net emy.figueroa@canadianinquirer.net Nelson Wu (1) 647-521-5155 salestoronto@canadianinquirer.net nelson.wu@canadianinquirer.net Amelia Insigne 1-416-574-5121 amelia.insigne@canadianinquirer.net PHILIPPINE PUBLISHING GROUP Editorial Assistant Phoebe Casin Associate Publisher Lurisa Villanueva In cooperation with the Philippine Daily Inquirer digital edition Philippine Canadian Inquirer is located at 11951 Hammersmith Way, Suite 108 Richmond, B.C. V7A 5H9 Canada Tel. No.: +1 (888) 668-6059, +1 (604) 484-9243 778-889-3518 | Email: info@canadianinquirer.net, sales@ canadianinquirer.net Philippine Canadian Inquirer is published weekly every Friday. Copies are distributed free throughout Metro Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg and Toronto. The views and opinions expressed in the articles (including opinions expressed in ads herein) are those of the authors named, and are not necessarily those of Philippine Canadian Inquirer Editorial Team. PCI reserves the right to reject any advertising which it considers to contain false or misleading information or involves unfair or unethical practices. The advertiser agrees the publisher shall not be liable for damages arising out of error in any advertisement.

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BY JIM GOMEZ The Associated Press

Under the program, the rebel front turned over 75 assault weapons last June and selected an initial batch of 145 guerrillas who would be helped to return to normal lives. A larger number of rebel weapons and a few thousand guerrillas would have undergone the “decommissioning process” this year had the autonomy bill been passed and ratified in a plebiscite, Philippine officials said. There will be “no second phase of the decommissioning because that phase is tied up to the passage and ratification of the bill,” Iqbal said. The 11,000-strong Moro Islamic Liberation Front dropped its secessionist bid and settled for broader autonomy for minority Muslims in the south of the largely Roman Catholic nation in a Malaysian-brokered pact it signed with the Philippine government two years ago.

region to be called Bangsamoro. The autonomy bill’s early passage, however, was stalled by indignation over the killing early last year of 44 police commanMANILA, PHILIPPINES — A Philippine dos in fighting that involved some Moro rebel leader said Monday that Congress’ Islamic Liberation Front guerrillas. failure to pass a Muslim autonomy bill Lawmakers ended the last regular as part of a new peace pact would delay a session of their term on Wednesday program to disarm thousands of guerrilwithout passing the bill. They went on las in the country’s south. a three-month break and will return in Mohagher Iqbal said his rebel group, May mainly to canvass the result of that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, will month’s presidential election. stick with a 2014 peace agreement it While the government’s peace deal signed with the Philippine government with the rebels remains effective, a new despite the setback. autonomy bill will have to be presented However, Iqbal said the delay in the to the new Congress under the succesenactment of the bill that aims to estabsor to current President Benigno Aquilish a more powerful and better-funded no III. autonomous region for minority MusIqbal warned that rebel “frustration is lims has caused deep anxiety among very high,” adding, “we are managing it.” guerrillas, and that the uncertainty There are concerns that “radicals will could be exploited by radicals opposed exploit the uncertainty,” he said, citing to the peace deal. a recent clash be“The peace process tween government will proceed,” Iqbal forces and a smaller said in an email rebut more hard-line sponse to questions Under the program, the rebel front turned over insurgent group from The Associated 75 assault weapons last June and selected an called the BangsamPress on the impact initial batch of 145 guerrillas who would be oro Islamic Freedom of the autonomy sethelped to return to normal lives. Fighters, which has back. vowed to continue But the delay in fighting for a sepathe autonomy bill’s rate Islamic state in passage would halt an ongoing program The separatist conflict left 150,000 the south. in which the rebel front has pledged to people dead and stunted development The military says the situation return over the weapons of thousands of in the country’s poorest region. mains relatively peaceful in the south its guerrillas to an independent “decomUnder the deal, a bill was submitted and added it’s ready to deal with any missioning body.” to Congress to create the autonomous contingency. ■

Palace hits Digong plan to free GMA BY JERRY E. ESPLANADA AND DJ YAP Philippine Daily Inquirer STRESSING “RESPECT for the rule of law,” Malacañang yesterday told presidential aspirant Rodrigo Duterte that if elected, he could not just order the release of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who had been placed under hospital arrest since 2011 for alleged electoral fraud and plunder. Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said that “under existing laws, only the courts have the jurisdiction and the authority to rule on the status of an accused, including petitions for bail.” “On account of the constitutional principle of separation of powers, the President, who is Chief Executive, may not get involved in such matters,” Coloma told the INQUIRER.

Duterte was reportedly cheered on Friday in San Fernando City when the Davao mayor promised that if elected, he would release Arroyo, now a Pampanga representative. Arroyo was arrested in 2011 for electoral sabotage in the 2007 elections, but was allowed bail in 2012. But before she could be freed, the Sandiganbayan ordered her arrest for plunder, in connection with the alleged misuse of over P365 million in intelligence funds of the state-run Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO). She has won an order from the Supreme Court temporarily stopping her trial for plunder. Arroyo has claimed the evidence against her was insufficient and that detention has worsened her many ailments.

consultant on public order, said that just like ordinary citizens, Arroyo was entitled to a speedy trial. He said that “if the prosecution is not ready, every time the case is called for hearing, the court should dismiss the charges because they also delay justice.” British lawyer Amal Alamuddin Clooney has obtained an opinion from the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention that the incarceration of Arroyo is “arbitrary and illegal under international law … with an enforceable right to compensation.” The Supreme Court in November last year granted Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile bail on humanitarian grounds in his plunder case, a move that, according to lawyers, could pave the way for a similar plea under the equal protection law by Arroyo if she could show that she was not a flight risk because of her fragile health and ad-

Speedy trial

Duterte, who had served as Arroyo’s

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❱❱ PAGE 13 Palace hits

Philippine News

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2016

Philippine presidential... President Benigno Aquino III’s single sixyear term ends in June. Three decades since the Southeast Asian nation of more than 100 million people emerged from dictatorship with the 1986 “people power” revolt, the economy has grown steadily under Aquino, who rose to power on a promise to battle corruption and poverty. His predecessor was detained on an election fraud charge and three prominent senators were held on corruption charges under Aquino’s anti-graft fight. Aquino says his term has turned around the drift and hopelessness that preceded his presidency. Rallies on Tuesday featuring singers, dancers and celebrities helped many of the candidates draw the public’s attention to how they would deal with the country’s longstanding social ills. Most sniped at their rivals in lengthy speeches. “It’s like a fiesta, beauty contest, sitcom and drama all rolled into one,” political analyst Ramon Casiple said. “And of course politics here is like a boxing match.” The leading contenders are seen as Sen. Grace Poe, the adopted daughter of a popular movie couple, and Vice-President Jejomar Binay, followed by former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, who has been endorsed by the president. Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, known for his tough anti-crime campaign in southern Davao city, and Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago are also among the candidates. Binay, whose campaign rally in the capital drew thousands, swayed to a song with some of his allied candidates, including boxing star Manny Pacquiao, who is running for a Senate seat. In his speech, Binay accused the Aquino administration of failing to generate enough jobs and pledged to scrap income taxes for some workers, some❰❰ 1

thing the president has refused to do because of its adverse impact on government revenue. “To those who are saying that this can’t be done because the government will go bankrupt, my reply is simple: billions in government revenues are lost in smuggling, improper tax collection of the rich and improper government spending,” Binay said. Roxas, who flew to central Capiz province with the president for his campaign appearance, pledged to continue Aquino’s reforms, including his anti-corruption fight. He did not name Binay, who has faced investigation over alleged corruption as a mayor years ago but has denied any wrongdoing. Poe led in a recent voterpreference poll but her candidacy has been clouded by questions over her citizenship and whether she meets local residency requirements. Poe once renounced her Filipino citizenship to live with her family in the United States. “To those people who try their best to put a stain on my character, I’m also ready to defend my being a Filipino,” she said at a rally at a downtown Manila public square. She promised to bring people relief from travails under the current administration. Duterte, whose tough anticrime campaign in Davao city has alarmed human rights advocates, opened his campaign in Manila’s Tondo slum district. In the country’s north, Defensor-Santiago, a tough-talking former trial court judge, kicked off her campaign with her vice-presidential running mate, Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son and namesake of the dictator who was ousted in the 1986 public revolt. ■ Associated Press writer Teresa Cerojano and photographer Bullit Marquez contributed to this report.

Volunteers and supporters of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte gather at Quirino Grandstand. AVITO C. DALAN / PNA

‘Overstaying detainees’ eating (literally) into cops’ budget BY JAYMEE T. GAMIL Philippine Daily Inquirer THE ARREST of crime suspects is considered an accomplishment for the police, but it can be a burden when they overstay in detention and entail additional expenses for local precincts and stations. This was pointed out by a Philippine National Police official, who said the PNP ends up spending about P106 million a year feeding detainees who should already be in the custody of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP). This expenditure, he said, is not officially listed in the annual PNP budget. PNP Human Rights Affairs Office head Chief Supt. Dennis Siervo explained that police custodial facilities are not meant for long-staying detainees. Ideally, they should only stay there for a maximum of 36 hours after their arrest, or

turned over to the BJMP after inquest proceedings, he added. But in practice, this process is usually marred by delays as the police wait for a commitment order from the court before being allowed to transfer the detainees to the BJMP, Siervo said in a press briefing last week at Camp Crame. “The focus of the PNP is anticriminality, not custodial management. But as of Dec 31, 2015, there are 1,980 (people) under custody of the PNP nationwide,’’ he said. In accordance with human rights, “we need to give them meals thrice a day.” “That would take around P300,000 a day. In one year, that would take P106 million, approximately. Where will we get the budget for food alone?” the official said. The budget for the detainees’ food end up being drawn from a police station’s fund for monthly operating expenses or, worse, from the pockets of the police commanders themselves, he

added. “In municipal police stations, they’re already trying to make both ends meet. This is not included in their budget. They do well with arrests, they have a good anticriminality campaign, but this remains a problem.” The problem is compounded by overcrowding. A recent inspection showed many detention quarters holding twice or thrice their intended capacity. “Here in Metro Manila, we’ve seen facilities designed only for 20 people but holds 60, designed for 80 but holds 200. The detainees can’t even lie down; some sleep on hammocks set up high near the ceiling.” Siervo said his office had asked Sen. Koko Pimentel, who earlier conducted an inquiry into overcrowded jails, to revisit the problem, and also the Department of Justice and the courts to look for ways how commitment orders could be issued faster. ■

VP praises... which is either impressive or awful depending on one’s perspective, definitely precedes him,” he said. “He will feel right at home in the traditional machinery-based campaign of the VP.” The INQUIRER tried to reach Puno for comment, but remained unable to get through to him as of press time last night. ❰❰ 3

Other LP consultants

Gutierrez said there were public relations consultants working quietly for the LP, including former Civil Service Commission Chair Karina Constantino-David. David is “in charge of civil society volunteers,” he said. Binay confirmed that Puno came aboard his campaign since last year after he and other members of his team approached the former interior secretary. Puno has been out of public sight since the end of the Arroyo administration. “He’s good, because, you www.canadianinquirer.net

Vice President Jejomar Binay.

know, he is battle-scarred. He has gone through several elections as campaign manager, and [he has] good ideas. Very innovative,” Binay said. Binay, however, would not attribute his recovery of the lead in the polls to Puno’s work alone. “It’s a collective effort, it’s group work. Everybody participated. When we see each other, we exchange notes until we reach the final decision,” he said. Binay expressed confidence

AVITO C. DALAN / PNA

that he could keep the momentum, after regaining the lead. “The momentum is there. In fact, many political analysts admitted that they never expected it, how we recovered. Because they said, ‘He’s no more, [his campaign] has collapsed.’ But as it turned out, we came back,” Binay said. He made little of his rivals’ ads hitting him, saying: “They will no longer have an effect, because they are about the same old thing.” ■

Philippine News

FEBRUARY 12, 2016

FRIDAY

Iraq hotel... ❰❰ 1

the smoke so quickly,” he said in a phone interview.

Trapped in massage center

Nawzad Hadi, the governor of Irbil, said the fire broke out in the hotel’s sauna about 4 p.m. on Friday. He said that 15 of the victims were identified as from the Philippines, three were Iraqis and one was Palestinian. But Saman Barzanji, director general of the Irbil health department, placed the nationalities of the dead as 14 from the Philippines, 3 Iraqis, a Palestinian and another person of unknown nationality. Dozens more were injured and taken to hospital in Irbil, said Fakher Harki, the department’s spokesperson. The victims died after becoming trapped in a room in the massage center, which firefighters on the scene said had taken them around an hour to enter because of the strength of the blaze. They spoke on condi-

tion of anonymity because they weren’t allowed to speak to the press. The cause of the fire is still unknown. There were no early indications that the incident was a terrorist attack. Hadi said preliminary information indicated that the cause of the fire was an electrical problem in a sauna. The hotel’s website says it has a 740-square-meter spa that includes saunas and a pool. Rooms at the four-star Capitol Hotel cost from $100 to $240 per night. ‘Terrible way to die’

Photos and video posted on social media showed dark gray smoke pouring from windows on the top floor of the building. “We are very sad about this. It’s a terrible way to die,” Communications Undersecretary Manuel Quezon III said on state-run Radyo ng Bayan. Quezon said the government would “do everything that is

He said travel to Irbil, which is some 370 kilometers from Baghdad, takes five hours, with Islamic State terrorists along the way. Level 1 security

Capitol Hotel in Kurdistan.

possible to bring our countrymen home and, of course, to look at every possibility to assist their families at this time of sadness and need.” Cato, with vice consul Andrei Bauzon and attaché Manolito Ruedas, flew to Kurdistan yesterday to coordinate with authorities there and to discuss the results of the investigation

TRIPADVISOR.COM

into the fire. They flew in an aircraft that was provided by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq. Cato extended his condolences to the families of the 14 Filipinos who died and assured them that the embassy would do everything it could to ensure that the bodies are brought home as soon as possible.

According to Cato, there was a deployment ban on new workers in Iraq because of the Level 4 security situation there. But Kurdistan has been assessed at Level 1, which allows Filipinos to go in and out of the region. He said there were some 2,000 Filipinos in Iraq with some 1,500 more in Kurdistan, most of them in Irbil. According to Cato, the Kurdistan region offers good working conditions and has relatively stable security. The Kurdistan region in north Iraq has largely been spared the deadly violence that plagues other parts of the country. The region is frequently visited by tourists from other areas of Iraq and various countries in the region. ■

Petitioner appeals dismissal of DQ cases against Duterte BY KATHERINE PADILLA Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA — Broadcaster Ruben Castor on Thursday filed a six-page motion for reconsideration seeking to overturn the Commission on Election’s (Comelec) decision to dismiss all four disqualification cases against presidential candidate Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte. Castor is one of the petitioners in the dismissed disqualification cases against Duterte. The poll body’s First Division dismissed Castor’s petition due to errors, such as: Castor’s untimely filing of petition to deny due course; when indicators “unmistakably point out” Diño’s intention to run for president; and his absence in the preliminary conference. Castor contested these findings in his appeal. Castor also argued in his appeal that Duterte’s substitution for Martin Diño was invalid because Duterte filed his Certificate of Candidacy (CoC) for mayor of Pasay City while Diño filed his CoC for president.

“In case of conflict between form and substance [in Diño’s COC], the latter prevails. The substance is for mayor of Pasay City,” Castor said. Revisiting rule on substitution

Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon on Thursday said that the rules on substitution of candidates must be “revisited” to prevent the kind of Duterte-Diño substitution issue from happening again. “First, why did respondent Diño make a mistake in his certificate of candidacy (COC) where he stated that he is running for mayor of Pasay City,” the Commissioner said in her 11-page separate opinion. “While it is true, as found by the majority, that most of the circumstances and overt acts relative to the filing of respondent Diño’s COC show that he intended to file the same for the position of president, there was still no adequate convincing explanation given why respondent Diño made the mistake of writing that he was running for the position of mayor of Pasay

City,” she added. Despite her proposition to review the rules on substitution, Guanzon, along with Commissioners Christian Robert Lim and Luie Tito Guia, said that the substitution is “legally compliant.” However, Guanzon said that Diño made use of the “loopholes” in the rules. “(While the substitution) was legally compliant with relevant rules, the timing of the same gives the impression that it was done in order to take away this Commission’s power to declare Diño as a nuisance candidate, and consequently, to preserve his right to be substituted by another candidate,” she said. “I am uncomfortable with how respondent Diño appeared to have exploited a loophole in our rules in order to avoid the scrutiny which might have eventually found him a nuisance candidate, and at the same time, effectively extend the deadline for the filing of candidacy of his substitute.” “These matters should not go unnoticed and should be www.canadianinquirer.net

Davao mayor Rodrigo Duterte. PHOTO FROM DUTERTE'S OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE

addressed through an amendment of our rules or by the law itself,” she added. “A victory”

Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP-Laban) welcomed the decision of Comelec to dismiss the disqualification cases against Duterte. “This is the victory of all those clamoring for real change. This is the victory of all those who are fed up with the

continuing disorder, lack of security and equal opportunities in our country,” P D P - L a b a n spokesperson Atty. Paola Alvarez said. “We believe that the struggle for real change is a collective endeavor where the people are the masters of their own destiny. Thus, Mayor Duterte and Senator Cayetano will need the help and support of all those who are longing for genuine change,” she added. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2016

Ombudsman upholds graft raps vs Binay son Morales maintains she has authority to probe VP BY MARLON RAMOS Philippine Daily Inquirer

lasted more than one year. The Vice President never faced the Senate investigation. His camp has repeatedly dismissed the inquiry as a sham and a political exercise aimed at undermining his campaign for the presidency.

THE OFFICE of the Ombudsman has ruled out the possible return of sacked Mayor Junjun Binay to Makati City Hall. The antigraft body has upheld its order imposing a life- Charges after VP’s term time ban on the son of Vice In a separate statement, the President Jejomar Binay and 19 Ombudsman said the cases others from serving in the gov- against the Vice President “will ernment in relation to the al- be filed after the expiration of legedly graft-tainted construc- his term, consistent with the tion of the P2.28-billion Makati principle that “an impeachable City Hall Building II. officer, while in office, cannot In three separate orders re- be the subject of a criminal in- Central Office of the Ombudsman Building in Diliman, Quezon City. solving a motion for reconsid- dictment in court.” eration brought by the younger “This office’s authority to in- after Binay regained the top spot He said the Vice President Binay, the Ombudsman af- vestigate Binay is in accordance in voter preference polls in May’s would disprove the allegations firmed the sacked mayor’s in- with the Constitution, law and presidential election. “in an impartial court.” dictment in the Sandiganbayan jurisprudence,” the special The Ombudsman prosecu“The Ombudsman resolufor multiple counts of graft, panel of Ombudsman prosecutors submitted the resolutions tions are plainly political tools malversation and falsification tors headed by Adoracion Ag- on Jan. 18. Morales approved against the Vice President. Last of public documents. bada said in its resolution. the resolutions on Feb. 3. year, the Ombudsman released In one of the resolutions, The resolution said the 1987 The antigraft body provided its resolution against the Vice Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Constitution gave the Ombuds- copies of the documents to the President on the day he filed his Morales maintained that her man the power to look into “any media yesterday. certificate of candidacy. Now it office has the authority to place illegal, unjust, improper or inreleased another resolution on the Vice President under inves- efficient act or omission of any ‘Bias, partiality’ the motion for reconsideration tigation while acknowledging public official, employee, office The Vice President’s camp just a few days before the start that he could not be charged or agency.” slammed the Office of the Om- of the campaign period and criminally or rebudsman for bias after Vice President Binay removed from ofand partiality in gained his lead in the presidenfice since he was announcing the tial surveys,” Salgado said. an impeachable resolutions four The Ombudsman’s “agenofficer. The pieces of evidence presented… days before the da” in affirming the finding of The Vice Presconstitute substantial evidence of start of the cam- probable cause against the Vice ident is accused respondents’ deliberate participation paign. President and his son was obviof graft and plunin the irregularities in the In a statement, ous, he said. der in the Office procurement and release of payments Binay’s spokesSalgado cited the role of Biof the Ombudsfor the design and construction person Joey nay’s rival for the presidency, LP man over alleged phases of the parking building. Salgado said the standard-bearer Mar Roxas, and irregularities resolutions had the machinery behind him in involving mubeen “expected,” discrediting the Vice President nicipal projects, and dismissed in the run-up to the elections. including Makati these as part of “Simply put, the move of the City Hall Building II, during his “It bears recalling that the an “orchestrated” effort by the Ombudsman fits into the orthree terms as mayor of the city. assailed joined resolution re- ruling Liberal Party (LP) to de- chestrated effort of Mar Roxas, The scandal arose from a solved to hale Binay to court rail the Vice President’s cam- the Liberal Party and its alcomplaint filed by Makati City after his term of office as an im- paign for Malacañang. lies, including Roxas’ mouthCouncilor Renato Bondal in the peachable officer expires,” the “So what else is new? We have pieces masquerading as Palace Ombudsman in 2014, trigger- panel said. always expected these resolu- spokespersons, to attack the ing an investigation by a Senate Interestingly, the Ombudsman tions from a biased and partial Vice President,” Salgado said. blue ribbon subcommittee that issued its decisions a few weeks Ombudsman,” Salgado said. Responding to Salgado, Rox-

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JUDGEFLORO / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

as’ camp said Binay and his family only got their comeuppance in the Ombudsman decision to affirm the criminal charges against them. “The Binays were given all the opportunities to defend themselves. This is the result, and now they need to face the charges,” said Barry Gutierrez, spokesperson for the LP-led administration coalition. “Mayor and VP, there is no escape,” Gutierrez said. “Expose the truth of what you really did in Makati. Justice must be served for the embezzlement of the people’s money.” Rule of law

“For good [government] to thrive, the rule of law must be upheld,” Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said, commenting on the Ombudsman’s decision. “The Aquino administration has endeavored to adhere to this principle in order to gain public trust and confidence in the propagation of [reforms],” Coloma said. The panel of state prosecutors also denied for lack of merit the separate motions filed by ❱❱ PAGE 13 Ombudsman upholds

Philippine News

FEBRUARY 12, 2016

FRIDAY

Bikers, runners, walkers: We need space! BY MARICAR B. BRIZUELA Philippine Daily Inquirer MORE THAN 3,000 cyclists, runners and environmental activists took over the southbound lane of Roxas Boulevard on Sunday morning to show that “road sharing” is no utopian dream but a doable scheme for commuters even in a megacapital like Metro Manila. Among them was engineer Ed Santos of the Department of Public Works and Highways-National Capital Region (DPWH-NCR), who biked all the way from Bulacan province with some of his friends. For the 55-year-old Santos, who started biking when he was five, “it is about time we had a change of mindset and an advocacy for the environment.” He stressed the importance of having designated lanes for bikers and runners for their own

safety. Dubbed “KalyeShare” (an apparent play on the title of a popular TV comedy sketch), the activity sought to test the road-sharing principle being pushed by the Bayanihan sa Daan Movement since 2014. As the group put it, the idea is to “reclaim the roads for the carless citizens” by allotting half of Metro Manila roads for nonmotorized transport—and alter the prevailing mind-set that roads are only for motorized vehicles. Starting at 7 a.m., the 5.5-kilometer southbound stretch of Roxas Boulevard, from Edsa in Pasay City to Plaza Mexico in Intramuros, Manila, was divided into four lanes—one for persons with disabilities (PWD) and children, one lane for pedestrians, another for bikers, and last lane for three mass transports: the hybrid road train developed last year by

As the group put it, the idea is to “reclaim the roads for the carless citizens” by allotting half of Metro Manila roads for nonmotorized transport. PATRIMONIO DESIGNS LTD / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), a doubledecker bus and a PWD-friendly bus. Blue and orange traffic cones served as lane separators.

Environmentalist and lawyer Antonio “Tony” Oposa, who pioneered the road sharing campaign in the country, said reducing the dependence on cars could accomplish two things at

once: reduce traffic congestion and curb air pollution. “We join hands in this historical event which we plan to continue in the future with your help,” Oposa said, addressing the various government agencies and private groups who showed up for the event, which kicked off near the SM Mall of Asia complex in Pasay. He noted that the 5-km distance covered on Sunday will eventually be increased until a “road network” applying the principle is created in the metropolis. Also in attendance were Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chair Emerson Carlos and General Manager Cora Jimenez, Philippine Presidential Adviser for Environmental Protection and General Manager of the Laguna Lake Development Authority Nereus Acosta and Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson. ■

Roxas City primps for presidential run of favorite son’s grandson BY MARLON RAMOS Philippine Daily Inquirer ROXAS CITY, CAPIZ—An oversized tarpaulin greets visitors outside the airport here. Emblazoned on it are the words: “Welcome to Roxas, birthplace of Pres. Manuel A. Roxas.” While there is a picture of him somewhere on the tarp, the message obviously does not refer to Manuel “Mar” A. Roxas II, the standard-bearer of the ruling Liberal Party, but to his grandfather and namesake. Still, the younger Roxas’ supporters were fervently hope for a favorable outcome as local officials prepare for the rollout of Roxas’ presidential campaign on Tuesday. “We’re very proud that (Roxas) chose to start his campaign here in our place,” said ice cream vendor Joey Limboy. “I think it will help dispel the perception that he is a snob and an elitist just because his family is rich. The people here know that he is kind, approachable and very helpful even when he

was still a congressman,” Limboy said in Ilonggo. Formerly known as the municipality of Capiz, this coastal city was renamed in May 1951 in honor of Roxas’ grandfather, the fifth president of the republic and the first head of state after the American colonial period. Vice Mayor Ronnie Dadivas, one of the local LP leaders, said they had been preparing for Tuesday’s event which will be held at the 6,000-seat Capiz Gymnasium. He said at least 10,000 of Roxas’ friends and supporters from the province’s 14 other towns and from other parts of the country were expected to attend the 10 a.m. gathering, which will also be attended by Roxas’ most important supporter—President Aquino. “We’re ready. This is going to be a celebration of sorts for all of us,” Dadivas said. “We will be witnessing the President passing the torch of daang matuwid to one of our own.” Tarpaulins and banners bearing the names and faces of Roxas, LP vice presidential can-

didate Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo and some of the 12 senatorial candidates of the LPled Daang Matuwid coalition line the major roads and hang in the public areas of Roxas, regarded as one of the cleanest cities in Western Visayas. Obvious choice

Akbayan Rep. Barry Gutierrez, the coalition’s spokesperson, said Roxas’ choice of venue for his campaign kickoff was “obvious,” noting that other presidential candidates were launching their campaigns in urban centers away from their hometowns. “It’s where his roots are. It was also where he began his career in public service,” Gutierrez said. “It’s like (paying homage) to where he came fromnowthat he’s running for the highest elective office in the land. It’s really very symbolic,” he added. The other “less obvious reason,” he said, is the kind of leadership Roxas wants to exercise. He said the Roxas-Robredo administration would give the www.canadianinquirer.net

Interior Secretary and Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II. PHOTO FROM ROXAS' OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE

same level of importance to local areas as it would the more developed regions. “Some are actually surprised why we opted to start the campaign in Capiz, which does not have a big number of voters unlike urban centers,” Gutierrez said. “But for us, we are sending a message that under a Roxas

presidency, nobody will be left behind. Every city, municipality and province will be given the same attention and opportunity for economic development,” he said. Gutierrez said LP leaders and allied political parties will join Mr. Aquino in officially launching Roxas’ presidential campaign. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2016

Ombudsman upholds... Binay et al. seeking reversal of the Ombudsman’s decision finding them administratively liable for grave misconduct, serious dishonesty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service. “The pieces of evidence presented… constitute substantial evidence of respondents’ deliberate participation in the irregularities in the procurement and release of payments for the design and construction phases of the parking building,” the panel said. “The respondents’ contention that the complainant failed to conclusively prove the existence of conspiracy among them and that they acted in acquiescence or agreement to cooperate in any scheme fails,” it added. ❰❰ 11

Others banned

Besides the former mayor, perpetually disqualified from holding public office were Marjorie de Veyra, Pio Kenneth Dasal, Lorenza Amores, Virginia Hernandez, Line de la Peña, Mario Badillo, Leonila Querijero, Raydes Pestaño and Nelia Barlis. Also named respondents were Cecilio Lim III, Arnel Cadangan, Emerito Magat, Connie Consulta, Ulysses Orienza, Giovanni Condes, Manolito Uyaco, Gerardo San Gabriel, Eleno Mendoza Jr. and Rodel Nayve. Likewise included as private respondents in the criminal cases were Orlando Mateo of Mana Architecture and Interior Design Corp. and Efren Canlas of Hilmarc’s Construction Co., the contractor of the controversial parking building. The Ombudsman said City Hall did not conduct a public bidding when the contract for the design of the multibillionpeso infrastructure project was awarded to Mana in November 2007. At the time, the Vice President was the mayor of Makati, one of the country’s richest cities and long regarded as the main financial district. “The evidence showed (that) the procurement process was manipulated to ensure the award of the contract to Mana,” the Ombudsman said. It said the payment of P12 million to Mana was approved “despite the incomplete sub-

mission of deliverables such as design plans, working drawings and technical specifications.” Collusion

According to the Ombudsman, Binay and the others “colluded” with Hilmarc’s to “manipulate” five public biddings to ensure that the construction firm would win the lucrative project. “The construction projects were awarded to Hilmarc’s despite the lack of the required publication of the invitations to bid, with Hilmarc’s as the lone bidder in four phases of the project,” it noted. The Ombudsman said the erring public officials violated the law as the construction of the parking building started despite the failure of Hilmarc’s to present the approved design standards, contract plans, agency cost estimates and detailed engineering and programs of work. “No pre-procurement conference was undertaken and bid documents were made available only for one day in violation of procurement rules and regulations,” it said. It also questioned the “extraordinary speed” with which the negotiation and evaluation of bid proposals were conducted in November 2007. Said the Ombudsman: “For one hour only, the bids and awards committee completed the entire negotiation proceedings where bid proposals of seven architectural firms that allegedly participated in this project were opened and evaluated.”

Court denies Trillanes bid to defer libel proceedings BY KRISTINE FELISSE MANGUNAY Philippine Daily Inquirer THE MAKATI Regional Trial Court yesterday denied Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV’s motion to defer the implementation of a warrant of arrest issued against him in connection with a libel case filed by dismissed Makati Mayor Junjun Binay. Binay’s lawyer Claro Certeza told reporters that Judge Dina Teves of Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 142 also denied Trillanes’ request to defer court proceedings contained in the same motion. Binay filed the charges in April last year after the senator “publicly and maliciously” accused him of bribery, graft, corruption and plunder during media interviews and in published articles on the alleged overpriced construction of the Makati City Hall Building II. “The judge told [Trillanes’ lawyer] that as soon as Senator Trillanes comes back, make him appear before me, post a bond and then I will lift the warrant of arrest,” said Certeza, who attended the 8:30 a.m. hearing on the case. Certeza said Teves ordered a P10,000 bail for the senator, who is out of the country. Trillanes’ camp said the senator could still file a petition for review in the Department of Justice, which means court proceedings should be suspended so the senator’s actions

Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Teofisto Guingona III (center) shows to the media the list of persons cited by the Senate for contempt along with Makati City Mayor Erwin "Junjun" Binay during the Senate inquiry on the alleged Makati building overprice. Also in photo are Senator Antonio Trillanes (left) and Senate Blue Ribbon Sub-Committee Chairman Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III.

AVITO C. DALAN / PNA

would not be preempted. But Certeza countered that there was “nothing to decide in so far as a motion filed by the accused” was concerned. “[Trillanes] has not yet presented himself to the jurisdiction of the court. He is still outside the country. The court has not acquired jurisdiction [over him],” Certeza said. He said the court can only make that decision in a criminal case if the accused posts bail. “You have yourself arrested, then the court has jurisdiction over you,” he said. Certeza also argued that under the rules, once an information is filed in court, it is the court that

has the “exclusive authority to determine whether or not it will proceed with the hearing.” The judge said that while the court could defer proceedings if a petition for review was filed, it could only do so for 60 days, Certeza said. “But there is still no petition for review [filed],” Certeza said. As for the warrant of arrest, the judge said its implementation could not be stopped even if a petition for review were filed, Certeza said. “Technically, [Trillanes] has to surrender. After he surrenders, he posts a bail bond, then the warrant of arrest will be recalled,” Certeza said. ■

have been charged plunder for diverting their congressional Priority Development Assistance Fund to ghost projects. The administration Liberal Party, whose standard-bearer in the May elections is former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, yesterday joined Malacañang in blasting Duterte for his “ignorance of or total disregard for the law.” “I think Mayor Duterte has a flawed understanding of how the legal system works,” said the LP spokesperson, Akbayan Rep. Barry Gutierrez.

“GMA’s case is already [in] the courts, and they are the ones who have a say on whether to grant her provisional liberty—through bail or outright release—through an acquittal,” he said. Gutierrez said Roxas, if elected President, would take his cue from the judicial authorities. “Secretary Mar is of the position that all the corruption cases filed by the Ombudsman against public officials should continue to be heard in accordance with the law and the Constitution,” he said. ■

Quantum of proof

Further, the Ombudsman said the “quantum of proof required to support indictments in preliminary has been met.” In junking the motion for reconsideration of Binay et al., the panel of state prosecutors said the accused were given enough time to explain their side and present their own evidence. “Indeed, a preliminary investigation is not the occasion for the full and exhaustive display of the prosecution’s evidence… as well as the admissibility of testimonies and evidence,” it said. “Such matters are best raised and ventilated during trial on the merits.” ■

Palace hits... ❰❰ 8

vanced age. ‘Daang matuwid’

The Aquino administration has touted the detention of Arroyo, along those of Enrile and Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla Jr., as its main achievements in its “daang matuwid,” or righteous path, program to rid the country of corrupt elements. It has also been slammed for not moving against its allies who have been tagged as corrupt. Enrile, Estrada and Revilla www.canadianinquirer.net

Philippine News

Señeres’ death saddened his colleagues and co-candidates PHILIPPINE CANADIAN INQUIRER MANILA — Days after withdrawing the presidential bid, Overseas Filipino Workers Club party-list Rep. Roy Señeres passed away on Monday morning. Señeres withdrew his presidential bid on Friday, few hours after the Commission on Elections announced the final list of official presidential candidates. His decision was due to his health condition. Señeres’ death saddened his colleagues and co-candidates. House Speaker Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte Jr., Sens. Grace Poe, Francis “Chiz” Escudero, and Ferdinand “Bongbong”

Marcos, and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, and the Commission of Elections sent their condolences and prayers for his family. The late representative’s death shocked the officials. In lieu of his death, his colleagues and co-candidates recognized his contributions and accomplishments of the late ambassador who aimed to provide better working conditions for local workers and OFWs. Grace Poe and Francis Escudero said that Señeres is a great loss to the labor sector especially to OFWs. Señeres died of cardiac arrest at the age of 68, and it was triggered by his complications from diabetes. ■

FEBRUARY 12, 2016

FRIDAY

46 AIDS deaths, 650 HIV cases recorded in December–DOH BY JOCELYN R. UY Philippine Daily Inquirer THERE WERE 46 AIDS deaths and 650 new cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reported in December last year according to the Department of Health. HIV could lead to the fatal Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which the body’s immune system is attacked and totally damaged by the virus. Of the 650 new HIV cases, 27 cases developed into full-blown AIDS, according to the latest Philippine HIV and AIDS Registry. The figure is 28 percent higher than in the same period in 2014. According to the DOH report, Metro Manila accounted for 38 percent of the total number of HIV cases reported that month. This was followed by Calabarzon with 15 percent; Central

Luzon, 10 percent; Davao region, 8 percent, and Central Visayas, 7 percent. About 97 percent (632 cases) were acquired through sexual contact, 555 of them men who had sex with other men. Seventeen of the new cases were

injecting drug users, while one case was acquired through mother-to-child transmission. Steady rise

Of the cases reported in December, 46 were overseas Filipino workers who got infected

through sexual contact. The new cases brought to 7,829 the total number of HIV cases reported in 2015, of which 503 developed into AIDS. There were a total of 461 deaths recorded for the entire year, said the health department. Despite increased surveillance and free access to testing, the DOH reported a steady rise in HIV cases, attributing this to the low level of comprehensive knowledge on the virus and dismal condom use among vulnerable populations, particularly males having sex with other males. Earlier, Health Secretary Janette Garin warned that if the government and other stakeholders would not invest in preventing new HIV infections in the country, the figures would reach 133,000 by 2022, which would cost the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. P4 billion a year for the outpatient HIV package alone. ■

Top Philippine diplomat and China critic resigns over health BY JIM GOMEZ The Associated Press MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The Philippines’ top diplomat, who was behind a bold government move to challenge the validity of China’s vast territorial claims in the South China Sea at an international tribunal, has resigned due to health reasons, officials said Monday. President Benigno Aquino III has accepted Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario’s resignation, which will take effect on March 7, presidential spokesman Herminio Coloma Jr. said. The U.S.-educated del Rosario, 76, has been an outspoken critic among the foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations of China’s increasingly assertive stance in the disputed waters. Four governments in the 10-nation bloc — Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam — have been locked in a

territorial conflict with China in the South China Sea. Taiwan is also involved in the disputes, which escalated when China recently transformed seven disputed reefs into islands that can be used to project its military might. In January 2013, del Rosario spearheaded the filing by the Philippine government of a complaint challenging the validity of China’s sprawling territorial claims under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas before an international arbitration tribunal. China has refused to join the arbitration, which has been backed by Western and Asian governments as a rules-based approach to resolve the longsimmering conflict. Despite the rift, del Rosario has called on Beijing and Manila to continue normal economic ties. Coloma did not describe the reason for the resignation of del Rosario, who served previ-

ously as Philippine ambassador to Washington. Two senior Filipino diplomats, however, said del Rosario has been suffering from a spinal problem and a recently detected heart ailment that caused doctors to implant a pacemaker. Del Rosario has recommended that one of his undersecretaries, Laura del Rosario, succeed him, the diplomats said. Laura del Rosario oversaw Manila’s hosting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum that drew world leaders in November. The two are not related. The diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media about del Rosario’s health concerns. Known as a hands-on and hard-working diplomat, del Rosario impressed many when he flew to Libya during civil strife to oversee the repatriation of Filipino workers just days after he was appointed foreign secrewww.canadianinquirer.net

Former Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario. PHOTO COURTESY OF MANILA.USEMBASSY.GOV

tary in 2011. He later recounted how he prayed quietly as his convoy that rescued Filipino workers passed near a Libyan area where gunshots rang out. Since then, he has travelled

to almost 50 countries “for the purpose of negotiating and asserting the rightful place of the Philippines in the international community,” according to the Depart of Foreign Affairs. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2016

When Class 2015 goes off to college Robotics whiz Lucas Ramos and friends are in the best universities abroad–but vow to return home ‘to give back to the country’ BY ERIC S. CARUNCHO Philippine Daily Inquirer THINK OF them as NWA—or Nerds With Attitude. Lucas Ramos and his homies are just boys in the ‘hood’, although in this case, the “hood” just happens to be a gated village in Makati City. It’s a rainy weekday afternoon, but Lucas and his crew— Javier, Lorenzo, Rom, Joseph and Cristian—are chilling in Lucas’ crib with lobster rolls, video games and one big-ass karaoke machine, because school’s out. The guys, most of whom have known each other since middle school, are members of the International School Manila’s (ISM) Class of 2015. “We’re really not very special,” says one of them. “We’re just good friends.” They’re off to college in the United States, and maybe the United Kingdom. And not just some state school or community college, but Stanford, Wharton, New York University, Loyola Marymount—the best schools in the world for the career paths they have chosen. Lucas, the robotics geek, wants to concentrate on computer science. Javier Campos—who’s very interested in ceramics, and he doesn’t mean pottery—is pretty sure he wants to get into materials engineering. Rom Villarica and Joseph Hadaway will be hedging their bets by taking both business management and computer science. Lorenzo Mapua and Cristian Ayala—who’s seen “Fight Club” 20 times—are the creative types in the group, and both are going to film school. Separation anxiety

Meanwhile, however, they’re

at the cusp, on the threshold, about to embark on the future that’s been planned out for them from the time they were little. It’s a poignant moment in every schoolboy’s life: Nothing bonds boys closer than the enforced togetherness and the shared highs and lows of high school, but the clock’s running out on that chapter in their lives. Soon they’ll be going their separate ways, taking separate paths. Careers, families, maturity—change is looming on the horizon. But for now they’re just hanging out, on a rainy weekday afternoon, singing along to Blink 182’s “All The Small Things” on the karaoke machine, cracking jokes, fooling around, trying to stave off the separation anxiety creeping up on them. Who knows if they’ll ever get to do this again? You’re 18 only once. High school is full of cliques—the cool kids, the bad boys, the social set, the geeks. When pressed, Lucas admits their group leans toward the nerdy, though they do know how to have fun. Clean fun. Like playing videogames—a common obsession. Although ISM is coed, one gets the sense that girls don’t figure much in the NWA lifestyle. In fact, most of them plead the Fifth when pressed about whether any of them have girl friends. Lucas chose Stanford because it’s an excellent school for techies, and also because the idea of going to Palo Alto has sort of been implanted in his brain from an early age. “There’s a lot of family bias because my dad went to business school there, and when I was younger he sort of planted the idea of me going there,” he

says. “But as I got older and got more interested in computers and technology, I realized that Stanford was ideal for me because it’s in Silicon Valley,” he adds. The deal was sealed when he was 11 or 12. His parents sent him to a summer camp for gifted children, and he got to stay inside the Stanford campus for two weeks. Now that he finally made it to Stanford for college, Lucas has no regrets. “Stanford has been an enlightening experience so far, and I have learned a lot from the professors. More important, however, are the people I meet. So far everyone seems to have some interesting story or other to share, making every day exciting,” he says in a text message to his grandmother, Virgie Ramos, shortly after he’s settled down in Palo Alto. Lucas’ inclination toward technology started at a young age. He’s always been interested in robots. What boy isn’t? But his interest went way beyond the Transformers. “I was introduced to robotics when I was in Grade 7,” he recalls. “I started competing in it when I was in Grade 8.” That was when he figured out that what attracted him to robots wasn’t the fantasy, science-fiction aspect but the real-world part of how to actually build them and make them work. His friend Cristian had begun a robotics project with the idea of entering it in the Philippine Robotics Olympiad, basically an annual contest among elementary and high school children involving designing and building a robot to perform a specific task. When Cristian’s partner left,

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“There’s the engineering aspect where you have to build the actual robot, and the programming aspect where you have to write the code that will allow it to work. At its core is logic and problem solving.”

Lucas stepped in. Olympiad

Eventually, the pair formed the Robotics Club at ISM. They would go on to win the Philippine Robotics Olympiad that year, and to place third in the World Robotics Olympiad in Taipei when they represented the Philippines. They’ve competed a total of five times in both competitions. “I’ve done robotics in various ways,” he says. “I like the creative side of it, figuring out the best way of doing something with a robot. I enjoy this aspect because it’s problem solving, figuring out the best way to approach a problem and coming up with the best solution. “A robot has to react to its environment and do things on its own,” he points out. “There’s the engineering aspect where you have to build the actual robot, and the programming aspect where you have to write the code that will allow it to work. At its core is logic and problem solving. It’s something I want to discover more about. Whether or not it’s something I can be passionate about, I’m not sure yet.” Lucas’ studious bent sort of comes with the territory; after all he is one of the heirs of the

Ramos family of National Book Store fame. “It’s definitely a big influence,” he says. “When I look at my great grandmother [National Book Store founder Socorro Ramos], her story and the hard work she put into building the business, it inspires me to follow a similar path. She worked hard for our family to be where we are now. I want to respect that.” One way in which Lucas intends to honor his great grandma’s legacy is to return to the country after his education abroad. Surprisingly, most of his friends also plan to do the same. “That’s the plan—do college, maybe do business school, postgrad, work a few years in the first world, then come back and find the holes in the Philippine system,” says Whartonbound Rom Villarica. “You should use your education in America to improve the Philippines, give back to the country,” agrees Lucas. That’s all in the future, though. That afternoon, however, the hard part was—saying goodbye. ■

Opinion

FEBRUARY 12, 2016

FRIDAY

ANALYSIS

China stepping up Spratlys landgrab– Pentagon report By Amando Doronila Philippine Daily Inquirer CANBERRA—A new Pentagon report saying that China’s reclamation activities and construction of artificial islands in the South China Sea increased dramatically during the past few months has aroused widespread fears that the landgrab would derail diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving rival claims through United Nations arbitration. The report, released last August, pointed out that as of last June, China had reclaimed up to 1,170 hectares across a string of islands in the Spratlys—up by nearly 50 percent from what had previously been known in May. In a press briefing held at the Pentagon as the US defense department released the report on its AsiaPacific maritime security strategy, Assistant Defense Secretary David Shear said it was unclear whether China had stopped its island-building in the region.

“China has said it … has stopped,” duct “sustained operations” with air- that Beijing has “completed the relShear said. He said China may simply craft carriers in the area. The report evant island and reef area reclamation be “finishing up” what it had started said China’s sole aircraft carrier, a project” at the end of June, and that rather than adding more territory. But: Soviet-era ship bought from Ukraine the construction activities were com“We are watching it carefully for signs of and refitted in China, has carried out pletely within the scope of its soverfurther construction or militarization.” exercises in the South China Sea but eignty. China claims most of the South The apparent stepped-up land rec- is not fully operational. China Sea, through which $5 trillion lamation came as bad news for the Some experts believe that China in ship-borne trade passes every year, Philippines, which lies on the path will deploy domestic carriers by in an area where the Philippines, Vietof Chinese land expansion. Manila is 2020 as part of its plans to develop nam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei concerned that its initiative to bring an ocean-going “blue water” navy. also have overlapping claims. its claim for arbiChina has retration to the UN claimed 17 times The Pentagon report said China was in the process of tribunal might have more land in 20 completing a runway on one of its seven manmade outposts. been compromised months than the othby increasing Chier claimants comnese aggressiveness in pursuing its China is using reclaimed sites in the bined over the past 40 years. It now acclaim on territories also disputed by Spratlys, where it is in the building counts for approximately 95 percent of its militarily weaker neighbors. phase. It has excavated deep chan- all reclaimed land in the Spratlys. The Pentagon report said China nels and constructed new berthing A paper produced by the Asia Marwas in the process of completing areas to allow larger ships access, itime Transparency Initiative and a runway on one of its seven man- the Pentagon report said: “The in- the Washington-based think tank made outposts. Once the airstrip frastructure China appears to be Center for Strategic Studies provides on Fiery Cross Reef is operational, building would enable it to establish another perspective. The paper, writChina could potentially use it as an a more robust power projection into ten by Huoy Duong, states: “Within alternative runway for carrier-based the South China Sea.” the short span of a year, China’s rapid planes, allowing its military to conChina’s foreign ministry claims construction of artificial islands in

the disputed Spratlys has radically changed the geographical and security landscapes in the South China Sea. This island construction has so far created over eight million square meters of real estate in the open sea, outstripping other countries’ reclamation activities.” China’s land reclamation began in December 2013. It has reclaimed more than 1,170 hectares of land, the Pentagon report said. Previously, US officials had put the total at 809 hectares. According to the Wall Street Journal, the United States fears that the reclaimed land would be used for military purposes and could create instability in one of the world’s biggest commercial shipping routes, which several other countries, among them the Philippines, see as international waters. And as China’s assertiveness grows, diplomats working on initiatives seeking international intervention believe that the risk of armed conflict with the United States and its allies also rises. ■

AT LARGE

Feeding and hair loss By Rina Jimenez-David Philippine Daily Inquirer MANILA ARCHBISHOP Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle asks Catholics in the archdiocese, and indeed throughout the country, to turn their fasting and abstinence on Ash Wednesday (which falls on Feb. 10 this year) into concrete acts of charity. More specifically, Cardinal Tagle proposes that the faithful feed hungry children by donating the money that they would have otherwise spent on meals to Fast2Feed, the HapagAsa feeding program of Pondo ng Pinoy of the Archdiocese of Manila. The program provides not only supplemental feeding but also early childhood education and livelihood and skills training for parents. Some 21,000 malnourished and undernourished children in the Pondo ng Pinoy member-dioceses were provided last year with warm and nutritious meals every day for six months. The goal for this year is to feed 25,000 children. Ash Wednesday marks the start of the season of Lent, a time when Catholics are enjoined to do good works, fast and pray. And since the Church is also celebrating the Jubilee of Mercy, Cardinal Tagle reminded everyone that Lent should also be an occasion to “heed Pope Francis’ call to practice

mercy through concrete acts of char- that I can take a bow without show- executives, a “cool and minty feel.” ity.” ing a bald spot!” he joked at a recent Sheila Mae Velilla, CEO of Nutra“It only takes P1,200, or P10 a day media session introducing the “en- medica, developer and distributor of to bring back a hungry and malnour- hanced formulation” of Novuhair Novuhair, says the topical lotion also ished child to a healthy state in six Topical Scalp Lotion. has antidandruff properties “as well months,” Cardinal Tagle said. “Let Now an endorser for Novuhair, as nourishing and moisturizing efus make a difference in their lives Valenciano said he doesn’t endorse fects on the hair and scalp.” by fasting and donating whatever we a product unless he’s tried it himself As well, Novuhair has been deemed save to Hapag-Asa. Let us Fast2Feed.” and is sure about its effectiveness and 100-percent compliant with the AseDonations can be made through safety. And in his testimony “Gary V” an Cosmetic Directive, is FDA-certiFast2Feed envelopes distributed in assured the public that Novuhair in- fied, as well as declared “halal” or fit parishes. The envelopes may then deed works, that after months of use for use by Muslims. be offered during the Mass or turned his hair has thickened, especially in Among the ingredients present in over to the parish office. Donors may thinning areas. every formulation of Novuhair are also deposit their moringa oleifera donations in desig(more commonly Some 21,000 malnourished and undernourished children known here as nated banks. in the Pondo ng Pinoy member-dioceses were provided last malunggay), panax *** year with warm and nutritious meals every day for six months. ginseng, virgin coARTIST Gary VaThe goal for this year is to feed 25,000 children. lenciano recalls conut oil, and the feeling the first natural essences twinges of concern when, after Hair loss is a prospect most men of rosemary and peppermint. A dershowering, he would find increasing face—many with dread, some with sad matologist and naturopath present amounts of hair strands on his towel. resignation, but others with active fear. at the media launch explained that “I would show them to my wife (tal- Women may fear hair loss even more, if Novuhair works by increasing blood ent manager Angeli Pangilinan) and only because it isn’t as common as it is circulation in the scalp, thereby inshe would make comforting sounds, among men, but still a source of embar- creasing the flow of nutrients to the assuring me that ‘they aren’t that rassment, if not shame. hair root. many.’ But I knew she was trying to *** Also introduced at the lunch event soften the blow.” NOVUHAIR, a fully Filipino prod- was a “3-in1” pack that includes a The blow was, of course, the real- uct formulated and produced in the bottle of the topical lotion with a ity of hair loss, which every man faces country but soon to be marketed bottle of Novuhair shampoo and consometime in his life, but which in abroad as well, now features a blend ditioner. The pack, which retails at Valenciano’s case, he said, is particu- of 19 natural ingredients (up from the P4,980 may be pricey, but, assures larly scary because baldness runs in previous 12), with a more pleasant a Novuhair marketing executive, is his family. “At least I amstill thankful fragrance and, according to Novuhair “cost effective” and will last up to

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three months even with daily use. *** A FRIEND tells of visiting the clinic of a dermatologist with her husband, who was then, like Gary V, worried about his increasing hair loss. To her utter shock, she says, she found the waiting room packed with men of all ages, many of them showing visible signs of anxiety, if not embarrassment, at being in a room full of balding brothers. “Only the did I realize what an impact baldness has on a man,” she confides. “How much hair loss can affect a man’s self-esteem and confidence.” I’ve since lost touch with that friend, but writing this piece, I wonder if her husband was ever able to overcome his “hair anxiety” or learned to live with his baldness. Gary V, for one, testifies that his favorite hair cutter has remarked favorably on his healthier hair and scalp condition these days, and without hesitation, he says, he recommends Novuhair to anyone asking how he was able to step away from the brink of a receding hair line, or else having to resort to “domestic borrowing,” the humorous term coined to refer to some men’s tactic of using combovers to conceal a bald spot. Life is hard enough, and everyone deserves a shot at living it with one’s self-image intact. ■

Opinion

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2016

LOOKING BACK

How Akihito and Michiko charmed Pinoys in ’62 (1) By Ambeth R. Ocampo Philippine Daily Inquirer TOKYO—Living in the past is an occupational hazard. During the reception hosted by the Japan Foundation for the advisory board of the Asia Center on Wednesday night, many Japanese sought me out to ask about the recent state visit to the Philippines of the Emperor and Empress of Japan. Unfortunately, I had no first-hand information, and what little I know of the successful visit I drew from the reports in the INQUIRER and the beautifully printed briefer sent by the Embassy of Japan. I know more about the 1962 Manila visit of then Crown Prince Akihito and Princess Michiko in 1962—when I was eight months old—than their visit last week. Reviewing the 1962 newspaper coverage of the royal visit made me realize that there was still a lot of anger then over the atrocities that marked the Japanese occupation of the Philippines in 1942-1945. Yet the crown prince and princess were able to charm everyone they met. At the University of the Philippines, for example, planned protest actions and demonstrations did not materialize and the royal couple were given an enthusiastic welcome by the stu-

dents. Then UP president Carlos P. were followed by a motorcade from which was the correct thing to do, Romulo claimed credit for the warm the MIA down “Dewey Boulevard,” we were informed.” Eugenia Apostol reception when the real reason, aside the couple were met, after crossing (who went on to found the Philippine from the royal mania, was that Filipi- Ayala Bridge, by a military cavalry Daily Inquirer in December 1985) nos were disarmed by the beauty and that escorted them to Malacañang. described everything Michiko wore charm of Princess Michiko, whose Shortly before the state dinner, an and carried in great detail, adding: life story made romantics swoon. exchange of decorations was held: “For one used to seeing her in black Maritess Lopez, wife of the current Akihito was conferred the Order of and white photos, the surprise is in Philippine ambassador to Japan, re- Sikatuna by Macapagal, who in term the princess’ coloring—she is pale members the then crown prince and received the Grand Cordon of the Su- with a matte finish, with such deliprincess from photographs show- preme Order of the Chrysanthemum. cate makeup that one suspects she ing them in tennis attire rather than On the second day of the visit, doesn’t use it.” royal regalia. Their romance began after a private breakfast, Akihito Teodoro Valencia commented on in a tennis court in the resort city of left Malacañang at 9.50 a.m. to lay a the importance of women in diploKaruisawa in the summer of 1957. wreath at the Rizal Monument and macy, reminding his readers that The crown prince just as Michiko defied opposition charmed Manila, They look very much as pictures have shown them, but in person, and protocol, makLeonila Garcia, wife Michiko’s fragile, Dresden-china beauty was more captivating. ing Michiko the first of President Carlos commoner to marry P. Garcia, charmed into Japan’s imperial family. another at the Tomb of the Unknown the Japanese during their state visit When the royal couple arrived in Soldier in Fort Santiago. The crowd to Japan in 1958. She was, after all, a Manila in the afternoon of Nov. 5, was disappointed that Michiko was more agreeable sight than President 1962, a Monday, on board a special not with him. Everywhere she went Garcia. Japan Airlines DC-8 called the “Mi- people would gush over her beauty: During a press conference someyajima,” then President Diosdado “Ang ganda!” one asked Akihito what it felt like Macapagal was at the tarmac to meet Here is a report from the Manila walking in the shadow of a popular them. It was their fourth overseas Times: “They look very much as wife. (After all, US President John trip since their fairytale wedding on pictures have shown them, but in F. Kennedy was once quoted as sayApril 10, 1959, and the crowd at the person, Michiko’s fragile, Dresden- ing: “I am Jacqueline’s husband.”) Manila International Airport was un- china beauty was more captivating. Michiko set things straight by smilderstandably larger than the one that Her flawless complexion showed a ing and stating: “I am his wife.” met the Mexican president before beautiful rosy flush… No earrings After the wreath laying on Nov. them. After the arrival honors that on her small, dainty, shell-like lobes, 6, 1962, the royal couple motored

to Tagaytay for lunch but made a short stopover in Kawit to meet with Emilio Aguinaldo, the first president of the Philippines, who had been temporarily discharged from hospital to receive them in his home. It was there that they were photographed on the iconic balcony where Akihito remarked: “It was impressive for us to stand in the same house and the very same balcony where Philippine independence was first proclaimed in 1898.” A Japanese reporter commented on the rare gesture of Japan’s crown prince and princess assisting Aguinaldo for the balcony photo op. When they first met, Akihito introduced himself to Aguinaldo as “the greatgrandson of Emperor Meiji who was your good friend.” When they parted, Aguinaldo gifted Akihito with a mahogany box and Michiko, piña handkerchiefs. In return, they presented the general and his wife with a silver tray with the imperial chrysanthemum seal, as well as framed official portraits of Emperor Hirohito and another of themselves. After lunch at the Tagaytay Lodge, the royal couple returned to Malacañang to prepare for a reception at the Japanese Embassy on Dapitan corner Banawe Streets. ■ To be continued

PUBLIC LIVES

Empathy in modern society By Randy David Philippine Daily Inquirer EMPATHY, or compassion, is often the last trait we expect to find in modern society. But, that is only because we are wont to equate modernity with anonymity, depersonalization, and self-centeredness. We seldom see the flip side of these traits: i.e., the growth in society’s capacity to rise above the traditional divisions of race, nationality, gender and class—and, thus, to see people only as they are, human beings who must equally contend every day with their dreams, aspirations, needs and fears. The United States has always fascinated me for that reason. Created out of a conglomeration of races, nations and cultures, American society offers a template of modernity in both its positive and negative aspects. While drawing its boundless energy from this amazing diversity, America, at the same time, has not built a social order on any of the ready-made traditions and hierarchies brought in by the communities that have settled on its land. This is a society that constantly aspires to develop a culture of its own, a universalistic culture that is blind

to the privileges and restrictions of charged after two days. A week later, avuncular Jewish doctor, came up ethnicity, class, race, or language. after I had joined her, I had to bring to the room one morning to explain Philosophers of modernity say that her back to the same hospital, this Karina’s condition and to dissuade when people are able to rise above the time for internal bleeding. Without us from taking our scheduled return obligations of kinship, nationality, being aware that she had lost a lot flight to Manila the following day race, or class, their loyalties tend to of blood, she complained of chest until he could manage the bleeding be commanded by a universal sense pain. Knowing she has two stents duodenal polyp. With no way of getof justice and compassion. I saw this in her cardiovascular system, I was ting a second opinion, we reluctantly for myself in the most dramatic way concerned that she might be having agreed. He was not able to perform possible in December last year, when a heart attack. We rushed her to the the excision he had in mind, but he Karina and I went back to the United nearest hospital we knew—Kaiser. managed to clip the lesion and stop States to be with our daughter and That experience gave me a glimpse the bleeding. He recommended that her husband for the birth of their of American society at its best. We another surgeon, a young Korean first child. were outside our comfort zone, and doctor, perform a ligation the folAs I wrote in an earlier column so the sight of compatriots in nearly lowing day. This we declined, opting (“Time, lastingness, to have this done and gratitude,” in Manila with This is a society that constantly aspires to develop a culture 1/3/16), that visit the clearance of of its own, a universalistic culture that is blind to the privileges was marred by the Karina’s heart docand restrictions of ethnicity, class, race, or language. emergency hospitors. It had been tal confinement of a week since her Karina on two separate occasions. In every department at Kaiser was reas- blood-thinning medications were the first, she was brought to the Kai- suring. Yet, apart from speaking to us suspended to alleviate the bleeding, ser Permanente Medical Center in occasionally in Filipino, the atten- and this worried me no end. I have West Los Angeles for severe diarrhea tion they gave my wife was substan- to admit that I was also assailed by and vomiting just a few days after her tially no different from the care they the thought that we might find ourarrival in California. The facility is lavished on their other patients. But selves not only indefinitely stuck in only 10 minutes away from the West more to the point, we saw the same the United States, but also financially LA apartment into which our daugh- compassion and professionalism in mired for the rest of our lives. ter and son-in-law had moved. This is equal measure among the non-FiliIn the meantime, a “financial also where their baby was delivered. pino staff. Any hospital in the United counselor” from the hospital had Severely dehydrated, Karina was States is virtually a small version of come to see us. Having been informed put on IV fluids, tested and treated the United Nations. we were neither Kaiser members nor for an infection, and promptly disThe gastrointestinal specialist, an California residents, she kindly of-

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fered to put in a request to their main office so we need not be additionally burdened by the thought of having to raise money while abroad to pay the hospital bills. Without promising anything specific, she said she would appeal on our behalf for an easy payment plan. On learning we were both retired, she assured us not to worry and to try to enjoy the blessings of the Christmas season. On the day of Karina’s discharge, the same lady, our guardian angel, came by and handed us a short letter from the Kaiser Permanente Medical Financial Assistance Program, stating that all charges for Karina’s entire hospital stay on both occasions were being waived. Unfortunately, she said, she could not do anything about the $1,000 deposit we had paid for Karina’s two visits to the emergency department. “I’m sorry about that,” she said, offering us a number we could call to request a reimbursement. Almost speechless, I stuttered, “We’re grateful.” Stunned by this overflowing generosity, we, of course, did not call the number she had given us. Yesterday, our daughter rang us up to say that she had just received a letter from Kaiser. Expecting a bill, she instead found enclosed a check for $1,000 in Karina’s name. ■

FEBRUARY 12, 2016

FRIDAY

Canada News

Ontario added 19,800 jobs in January, only province to show gains

BY KEITH LESLIE The Canadian Press

The Liberal government should treat companies equally but instead it privately decides which firms should benefit financially from programs such as TORONTO — Ontario led Canada in job the Southwestern Ontario Development creation in January, adding a net total of Fund, added Fife. 19,800 jobs, most of them full-time, but “That is not a jobs’ strategy that is there are still stubborn pockets in the working for the people of this province, province where work remains scarce. and it certainly doesn’t instill confiDespite the gains, Ontario’s unem- dence,” she said. “There’s a lack of a level ployment rate last month held steady at playing field. Businesses do not see this 6.7 per cent, below the Canadian average government as on their side.” of 7.2 per cent. The Progressive Conservatives said “The majority of the jobs being cre- people in many parts of the province ated in Ontario by far are full-time, good have no confidence they will be able to paying jobs,” said Finance Minister find a good job. Charles Sousa. “Many of the sectors of “If you drill down into the regions and the economy that are growing are high start asking questions about whether end, highly skilled, more technical areas people are employed or whether they’re like bio- tech, cleanprecariously emtech, agri-food proployed or under-emcessing and financial ployed, that’s when services.” you get to the nitty The jobless rate gritty of what’s really in Windsor remains Many of the happening,” said PC the highest of any sectors of the critic John Yakabusmajor city in Canada economy that ki. “We think there’s at 9.3 per cent, down are growing a lot more work that from 9.7 per cent are high end, needs to be done to in December, while highly skilled, create the sustained the rate in St. Cathmore technical growth that Ontario arines-Niagara and areas like biorequires.” Sudbury increased to tech, cleanSousa agreed some 8.6 per cent. tech, agri-food sectors of the prov“While economic processing ince’s economy are growth and job creand financial growing because of ation are excelling services. the falling value of in many parts of the the Canadian dollar. province, some reHowever, he said gions are still hurtmany Ontario manuing,” admitted Sousa. facturers invested “We also recognize in new technology that while some sectors are leading the when the loonie was closer to par with economy, others are still going through its U.S. counterpart, and are able to grow transition changes, including parts of now and export products around the the manufacturing sector.” world. The New Democrats were “cautiously “It’s really given them the ability to optimistic” about the overall job num- seize on these opportunities because of bers, but said unemployment increased the investments they made to improve in eight Ontario cities and youth unem- their productivity during times when we ployment remains higher than the rest didn’t have a buyer State-side,” he said. of the country. “Now they’re bearing the fruits of those “Ontarians are worried, and they’re investments.” hurting,” said NDP finance critic CathBoth the Tories and NDP cited a Chamerine Fife. “Good stable jobs are disap- ber of Commerce report showing that pearing, and people are feeling more only 30 per cent of Ontario’s businesses and more worried about their family’s have confidence in the Liberal governfuture.” ment’s handling of the economy. ■

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Canada News

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2016

Atlantic storm hits Newfoundland, leaving closures and delays in its wake THE CANADIAN PRESS HALIFAX — Blizzard conditions from an East Coast storm that cancelled flights and closed schools in the Maritimes unleashed powerful wind gusts as it shifted into Newfoundland and Labrador early Tuesday. Environment Canada was reporting that the wintry blast brought up to 43 centimetres of snow to Nova Scotia, although much of the province got less than half that. Blowing snow also made travel difficult through much of southern New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. The snow storm continued to track northeast into Newfoundland, stretching from Port aux Basques to St. John’s. Amidst it all, a fire broke out in an abandoned building in Saint John, N.B., forcing the evacuation of 17 people and causing a power outage for three hours. Tim and Irene Rootes, a retired couple, awoke to the site of flashing lights from emergency vehicles parked on Lan-

caster Avenue between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. “It was a bit worrying. I was contemplating getting dressed and asking when power would come back. But they were pretty swift,” he said. Forecaster Linda Libby said that gusts in Newfoundland had reduced visibility to just a few hundred metres on some roads. Near the St. John’s airport, there were gusts of 83 kilometres per hour, while in Port aux Basques, visibility was reduced to just 200 metres. She said the gusts also reduced visibility in New Brunswick and P.E.I. through the morning, despite smaller accumulations of snow. “I was talking to someone who was driving (near Charlottetown) and he said drifts went from two feet high to being as tall as his sports utility vehicle,” she said. Numerous flights were delayed or cancelled at St. John’s airport, while ferries were docked and road travel was reported to be treacherous in

Forecast from Environment Canada showing Newfoundland and Labrador. ENVIRONMENT CANADA / WEATHER.GC.CA

many areas of the island. Most schools in the eastern half of the island closed for the day. Schools were also closed in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia as poor driving conditions continued through Tuesday. Eastern Health Services announced that it would delay the opening of two community clinics on the Burin Peninsula,

and advised the public that some regular services may not be available during the storm. The federal forecaster said the Avalon peninsula can expect a total of up to 25 centimetres of snow, with higher accumulations for eastern, central and southern Newfoundland. The Cape Breton Regional Municipality said the storm had hit the island hard, resulting in the closure of city offices

and the cancellation of bus service as blizzard conditions continued through Tuesday. A news release from the city advised residents to stay home if possible and police urged drivers to stay off the roads due to near zero visibility. The City of Halifax announced municipal offices, customer service centres and some recreation facilities would stay closed until noon as well, as the cleanup continued. The provincial government in Nova Scotia planned to open its offices around 10 a.m. local time in Halifax, and noon in Cape Breton, where the storm was more severe. Nova Scotia Power said it had avoided outages during the storm, partly due to some advance trimming of tree branches that might take down power lines. The utility also said in a news release that colder temperatures meant the snow was lighter, drier and less likely to build up on trees and electrical equipment than previous winter storms. ■

Alberta offers rebates to municipalities, farms that set up solar power BY BOB WEBER The Canadian Press EDMONTON — The Alberta government is adding another plank to its climate-change platform by providing more than $5.5 million to help farms and municipalities install solar panels. “This is just the beginning,” Environment Minister Shannon Phillips said Friday. “By investing now in proven programs we will be better prepared to ramp up our efforts as the price on carbon pollution is phased in.” The money is being offered to defray the cost of setting up solar power in buildings such as offices, fire halls and community centres. A similar program worth $500,000 will be offered to

farmers. The rebates extend a program already offered by the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre. That program has so far helped six Edmonton community leagues install solar panels and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 55 tonnes every year. The agricultural solar program builds on a pilot that saw 61 projects reduce greenhouse gases by more than 360 tonnes and add almost 500 kW of capacity to Alberta’s electricity grid. The new money is expected to fund about 160 projects and reduce carbon emissions by up to 8,400 tonnes over the next 25 years. Phillips noted that an earlier $2 million solar-power grant for municipalities was immediately taken up.

“There’s a tremendous amount of enthusiasm and uptake for these kinds of programs,” she said. “It’s very likely that this will not meet all the demand, but it is a way for us to begin ramping up those efforts.” The program offers rebates of up to 75 cents per watt. Figures from a provincial report would suggest that’s not quite enough to make the cost of solar power equal to that purchased from the grid. “It’s intended to provide an incentive,” said Phillips. “It may not equalize, but it’s intended to remove the barriers.” Lisa Holmes, president of the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association, welcomed the money. “Today’s announcement of funding for solar energy will enable Alberta’s municipalities www.canadianinquirer.net

“By investing now in proven programs we will be better prepared to ramp up our efforts as the price on carbon pollution is phased in.”

to demonstrate environmental stewardship at the local level for reducing energy consumption and even putting energy back into the grid,” she said. Greenpeace spokesman Mike Hudema said the program is good news, but should be broader. “Every community, co-op, farm and First Nation/Metis

community should be able to participate in bringing solar energy to the province — not just the big players,” he said in a statement. “‘Solar for all’ should be the government’s new mantra.” Farmers will be able to apply for the rebates starting Monday, while municipalities have to wait until March. ■

Canada News

FEBRUARY 12, 2016

FRIDAY

Some B.C. real estate agents insider trading and helping to money launder: NDP BY LAURA KANE The Canadian Press VANCOUVER — The independent office charged with overseeing the British Columbia real estate market will investigate allegations of fraud and insider trading by some Metro Vancouver real estate agents, the provincial government said Monday. Superintendent of Real Estate Carolyn Rogers will work with an advisory group being set up by the Real Estate Council of B.C. to look into concerns raised by media reports and Opposition politicians, said B.C. Minister Peter Fassbender. “The reason we have an independent superintendent’s office is that they are charged with ensuring that best practices are in place,” he said in an interview. “Any regulatory changes that might be required will be brought forward, and so we are encouraging that any issues that come up be directed to the superintendent or to the real estate council, to make sure the public is protected on every front.”

The government dismissed laundering forms. directly impugned by this kind calls from the Opposition New “Both of these independent of conduct.” Democrats to launch a formal issues would be serious enough Eby sent two letters in January arm’s-length inquiry. Fass- on their own,” Eby said at a to the Real Estate Council of B.C., bender said the superintendent news conference. “But togeth- which regulates licensed agents, is independent and the govern- er, with so many widespread after a real estate agent came forment will take “very seriously” reports coming from different ward as a whistleblower. any recommendations that are sources, they lead us to the inHe outlined allegations that issued. evitable conclusion that over- some agents and investors were Fassbender said the govern- sight of the real estate industry exploiting a clause that permits ment will also be taking mea- in British Columbia is woefully contracts to be sold multiple sures in the upcoming budget inadequate.” times before the closing date. intended to adThe practice dress concerns allows agents about housing to enjoy what’s supply, pricing called a “lift,” or and affordability. The reason we have an independent an increase in NDP housing superintendent’s office is that they price each time critic David Eby are charged with ensuring that best the contract claimed Monday practices are in place. changes hands, that some real as well as a comestate agents mission on each have been avoidsale. Only the ing property transfer and capiHe said the province has final buyer pays the property tal gains taxes while exploiting fallen “asleep at the switch” transfer tax. a clause in contracts that allows and could be losing millions The council initially declined for a series of home flips, in- in tax revenue, while allowing to investigate, stating in a Jan. creasing the final price by hun- realtors to have an unfair ad- 19 letter to Eby that “no specifics dreds of thousands. vantage in insider trading and have been provided that would He also alleged that some real defeat anti-money laundering suggest that your informant’s estate agents have been helping protections. concerns are warranted.” clients hide the foreign origins “There are many Realtors But in a statement on Monday of money used in transactions who conduct themselves pro- the council said it was deeply by putting the broker’s loca- fessionally ... and are valued concerned by the allegations. tion instead of the purchaser’s members of our communities,” An advisory group will investiaddress on federal anti-money he said. “Their reputations are gate whether the so-called as-

signment clauses are being used appropriately and develop recommendations to increase enforcement and oversight, it said. “We realize that this is an urgent matter and expect to announce the members of the multi-stakeholder advisory group within the coming two weeks,” it said. The group will report back to the council with initial recommendations in 60 days. The Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada, or FINTRAC, is the federal agency responsible for policing attempts to launder money in Canada. Realtors are required to fill out a FINTRAC form for every transaction. Using the broker’s Canadian address on the form instead of the purchaser’s foreign address reduces the level of risk perceived by FINTRAC as they do their audits, Eby said. Renee Bercier, speaking for the federal agency, said it is legally barred from commenting on any information it has received or enforcement actions it has taken. “That being said, FINTRAC considers the allegations made to be serious.” ■

Saskatchewan wants Ottawa to pay laid off oil workers to clean old energy wells BY JOHN COTTER The Canadian Press REGINA — Saskatchewan wants the federal government to bankroll a program that would see oil and gas workers who have lost their jobs clean up abandoned and dormant wells. Premier Brad Wall says it would help stimulate employment in the oil-and-gas sector and accelerate environmental cleanup of wells that are no longer capable of production. Wall says he has pitched the proposal, which would cost Ottawa $156 million, to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “Here is a chance for us to actually put people back to work in the energy services sector

and continue with the cleanup (of suspended wells), perhaps at a more accelerated rate,” Wall said Monday. He estimates the program would generate 1,200 jobs and speed up the decommissioning and reclamation of 1,000 nonproducing wells in Saskatchewan over the next two years. The government estimates there are more than 20,500 “suspended” wells in the province that are currently not producing, many of which are waiting to be decommissioned and reclaimed. Work would include safe removal and disposal of old equipment, remediation of any spills, covering wells in concrete to eliminate venting of greenhouse gases such as methane and revegetation of the land.

The federal government has indicated it is considering the proposal, Wall said. “I look forward to a favourable response.” Officials in the Prime Minister’s Office were not immediately available for comment. Saskatchewan’s proposal is the brainchild of Matt Cugnet, president of Valleyview Petroleums Ltd., a family-owned exploration and production company in Weyburn. Cugnet said the service sector has been hit hard by the economic downturn caused by low oil prices, forcing his and other companies to lay off trained workers with lots of experience. He said hiring those workers to deal with suspended wells would help the economy and www.canadianinquirer.net

the environment. “You can pay people to sit home on employment insurance or you can pay them to create value,” Cugnett said. It would also encourage workers to not move away from the region in search of other jobs, he suggested. Employees will be needed when the price of oil and the industry’s prospects bounce back, he said. “We are trying to hold on to our people as best we can. “Otherwise we lose their skillset, knowledge and experience.” Cugnett said he shared his idea with the member of the legislature for the Weyburn area, who presented it to the provincial government. The Alberta government says industry should cover costs related

to remediating abandoned wells. “We would welcome federal assistance to address orphaned wells, however, our priority right now is investing in infrastructure to create jobs and stimulate the economy through the downturn, which has been the primary focus of our discussions with the federal government,” said Matthew Williamson, an official in Premier Rachel Notley’s office. Energy companies should cover the cost of cleaning up old wells, said Larry Hubich, president of the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour. Hubich declined a request for an interview. ■ With files from Ian Bickis in Calgary and CKRM

World News

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2016

Japan worried about 2020 problem, or life after the Olympics BY YURI KAGEYAMA The Associated Press TOKYO — Japan is gearing up for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with gusto, investing in everything from stadiums to electric cars, and expecting an economic bonanza from a construction frenzy and an influx of visitors. On the face of it, hosting the Olympics is a big win for Japan at a time when its economy seems besieged by intractable problems. The Bank of Japan estimates the economic perk at 30 trillion yen ($250 billion), many times even the highest estimate of the costs to prepare for and run the event. But for some, 2020 is another manifestation of what has been going wrong in Japan for decades. Instead of modernizing the economy and taking other steps to address the powerful headwinds of an aging population and shrinking workforce, the government has turned again to its well-worn playbook of borrow and hope. Discussion and fears about what Japan can turn to for an economic lifeline after the Olympics have become so commonplace it’s even been given a name: the 2020 problem. Japan “will overstretch itself,” William Saito, an entrepreneur and technology expert, said of the spending for the games. “It will quite possibly be the straw that broke the camel’s back,” he said. “Everyone is predicting that it will be that catalyst.” In his concerns, Saito is joined by a chorus of doomsayers. The title of one recent book screams: “Japanese Land Prices Sink to a Third of Their Value! The Crisis That Comes After the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.” Prophetically, for the naysayers, preparations for the Olympics have already

hit big snags. The design of the main stadium has been redone after a public uproar over its cost. The Tokyo Olympics emblem is being redesigned because of plagiarism allegations. And the organizing committee has not disclosed an official estimate of costs, saying it’s still trying to figure it out and did not know when such a number would be ready. It has acknowledged the cost will be considerably higher than the 350 billion yen ($3 billion) it gave when the city was bidding The dire predictions of what’s in store for Japan after the Olympics range from a collapse in property prices to a financial crisis sparked by the weight of the government’s debt burden, which is the highest in the industrial world at 234 per cent of gross domestic product. The time limit for getting that debt under control may be running out, said Kazumasa Oguro, professor of economics at Hosei University. In the current climate of low interest rates, the government can afford its interest payments but if rates rise significantly in the future, the drain on state finances could become catastrophic. “One day, it will be game over,” Oguro said. If the premonitions of disaster have a familiar ring to them, it’s because a constellation of experts and media pundits have been predicting the demise of Japan ever since its bubble economy burst in the 1980s and ushered in an era of anemic growth. But for all its well-known problems, Japan is still the world’s third-largest economy. Many of its top companies are innovative and dominant globally in their respective industries. Japanese culture exerts a powerful influence worldwide in areas from food to film ❱❱ PAGE 23 Japan worried

The Tokyo Big Sight Conference Tower would be used as the International Broadcast Center & Party Venue. MASATO OHTA / FLICKR

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World News

Spain: Princess Cristina back in court for tax fraud trial BY HERNAN MUNOZ RATTO AND CIARAN GILES The Associated Press PALMA DE MALLORCA, SPAIN — Spain’s Princess Cristina was back in court Tuesday for trial along with 17 others, including her husband, on charges ranging from tax fraud to embezzlement. Cristina, sister of King Felipe VI, faces two counts of tax fraud carrying a maximum prison sentence of eight years for allegedly failing to declare taxes on personal expenses paid by a company she owned with her husband, Inaki Urdangarin. She is the first member of Spain’s royal family to face criminal charges since the monarchy was restored in 1975 and the trial, which started Jan. 11, has attracted enormous media interest. The princess lost a last-minute legal battle last week to try to avoid continuing on trial when the court rejected arguments that her charges should be dropped because government officials say she committed no crime and should only face a tax evasion fine. The case centres around Urdangarin who is accused of using his former title of Duke of

Princess Cristina of Spain.

Palma to embezzle about 6 million euros ($6.5 million) in public contracts through the nonprofit Noos Institute he co-ran. He faces a sentence of close to 20 years. The princess and her husband arrived at the court together some 20 minutes before the trial resumed at 9.15 a.m. (0815 GMT). Defendants began testifying Tuesday and were to finish Feb. 26. Cristina, 50, will be last to speak but it is not yet known on which day. The case is being heard in Palma de Mallorca, the regional capital of Spain’s Balearic Islands, because many of Urdangarin’s business deals under investigation were for the islands. Cristina denied knowledge of her husband’s business activities during a 2014 closed-door court appearance. Details about the couple’s regal lifestyle that emerged from the pre-trial investigation from 2011-2014 outraged Spaniards as the country teetered on the edge of an economic crisis and the unemployment rate hit 27 per cent. The case was also seen as one of the reasons for the 2014 abdication of King Juan Carlos in favour of his son, Felipe. ■ Giles contributed from Madrid.

BEN FISHER / GAVI ALLIANCE

FEBRUARY 12, 2016

FRIDAY

S. Korea: North blew up rocket stage to confound analysts BY ERIC TALMADGE The Associated Press TOKYO — Minutes after North Korea launched its rocket, South Korea’s navy detected a rain of fragments falling into the sea and then a soonerthan-expected disappearance of the rocket from their radar, suggesting a possible failure. News outlets working in real time jumped on the idea. But it quickly proved wrong. South Korean officials and foreign analysts say they now believe the first stage of the rocket had a cagey new feature: It was deliberately rigged to blow up after separation Sunday, for the express purpose of confounding foreign analysts. While government leaders around the world are trying to figure out how to punish North Korea for its rocket launch, the U.S., Japanese and South Korean militaries are scouring the seas for debris and analysts are studying photos, trajectories — anything that might provide insight into North Korean rocketry skills. So far they haven’t found much, in part because the first stage was destroyed. In a statement Tuesday, South Korea’s Defence Ministry said it believes the North deliberately blew up the rocket’s first stage after burnout to prevent South Korea from retrieving rocket debris. Previously, South Korea retrieved the first stage of the rocket the North launched in 2012, along with a 5-by-30-centimetre (2-by-12-inch) explosive device they say suggests the North had intended to blow that one up, too. From North Korea’s perspective, blowing up some of the evidence makes sense. “If I were North Korea, I would probably have done the same thing to avoid South Korea pulling it out of the sea to study it and show it off,” said David Wright, co-director of the Global Security Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. “The second stage lands far enough out at sea that it is probably not recoverable, so they wouldn’t need to worry so much about that.” www.canadianinquirer.net

DPRK Victory Day Military Parade in 2013.

The move could also have deeper military implications. Governments around the world have denounced the launch as a cover for testing long-range ballistic missile technology, which it is banned from doing under U.N. resolutions. Ted Postol, a rocket expert at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said that if the North deliberately blew up the rocket’s first stage, it could complicate weapons defences being developed by the United States. “If it is true that the first stage was intentionally cut into many pieces, it is a clear indication that the North Koreans have also demonstrated the potential to build countermeasures against U.S. missile defences,” he said. He said such defences rely heavily on infrared tracking. But previous tests by the U.S. of its anti-missile defence systems indicate that a plethora of false targets — like the fragments of a detonated rocket stage — make it difficult for interceptors using infrared homing devices to distinguish the warhead from pieces of debris. The reports of a failure began almost as soon as the rocket was off the Sohae launch pad on North Korea’s west coast. Soon after the first stage was detached from the rocket, radar on a South Korean Aegis destroyer at sea picked up 270 fragments falling into the waters off the Korean Peninsula’s west coast. Combined with reports from officials in Seoul that they had lost contact with the rocket sooner than they had expected to, the data seemed to point to a failed launch.

URI TOURS / FLICKR

The theory was short-lived, since it soon became clear the satellite was in orbit. Of course, not all the debris can be destroyed. South Korea says it has already retrieved what it believes is the rocket’s fairing — a casing that protects its payload — in the waters southwest of the southern Jeju island. Its defence ministry said the rocket’s second stage was believed to have landed in the waters east of the Philippines’ Luzon island, about 2,380 kilometres (1,500 miles) away from the North’s launch pad. The ministry said South Korea and the United States are still trying to find its exact splash zone. Questions remained Tuesday over whether the new satellite was functioning properly. Though in orbit, no signals from it had been confirmed, which could suggest it was “tumbling” and not stable enough to transmit data back to its controllers and fulfil its official mission as an Earth observation satellite. That was the same fate that befell North Korea’s 2012 satellite, the Kwangmyongsong 3-2. It is also still in orbit but spiraling back to Earth and is not believed to have transmitted signals back to Earth. Both satellites bear the name “Shining Star,” a reference to Kim Jong Un’s father, the late Kim Jong Il. The new satellite, which is thought to be somewhat larger than the earlier one, is called Kwangmyongsong 4. The Shining Star name was also written on the rocket itself, which previously carried the name Unha, or “Galaxy.” ■

World News

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2016

India Internet ruling blocks Facebook ‘Free Basics’ program BY BRANDON BAILEY The Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO — India’s government has essentially banned a Facebook program that sought to connect with low-income residents by offering free access to a limited version of the social network and other Internet services. The ruling is a major setback for Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who had lobbied hard for the program as part of a campaign to expand Internet access in developing countries. It’s a victory for critics who argued that Facebook’s “Free Basics” program gave unfair advantage to some Internet services over others. Facebook has introduced “Free Basics” in partnership with wireless carriers in dozens of emerging nations, where the company hopes to get more people online. The service pro-

vides free access to a strippeddown version of Facebook and certain other Internet sites — including some that provide essential information like weather forecasts, health education and job listings. But the program has sparked debate in some countries, particularly India, where critics contend that “Free Basics” effectively steers users toward Facebook and its partners, while making it harder for other Internet services — including homegrown startups — to build their own audiences. In a much-awaited decision Monday, Indian regulators said telecommunications providers may not charge different or “discriminatory” rates for delivering different kinds of Internet content. The ruling essentially bans programs like “Free Basics”

Japan worried... and a talent for refining and improving on the creations of the West and other cultures has influenced architecture, fashion and other industries. Masatsugu Doi, the chief operating officer of eWarrant Japan Securities Co., believes many options are available to bolster Japan, ranging from increasing baby sitters to encourage working women, to challenging changes such as raising the pension age to 75. “We still have time as long as the government acts,” he said. Still, there is little disagreement over the inevitable that Japan needs to increase taxes and cut public expenditure to avoid a future debt crisis. Japan’s resistance to immigration means policymakers are more or less resigned to muddling through the population decline over several decades. A boom in Japan’s tourism industry and the high promise of Japan’s robotics industry are potential positives for the economy but not likely game changers. Japan’s challenges, however, are a precursor of what might be awaiting other nations in Europe as well countries such ❰❰ 21

as China and South Korea. Japan is merely ahead of the rest of the world in greying. By 2020, nearly a third of the nation’s population is expected to be 65 years old and older, as the birth rate continues to fall. Just the idea of an aging society is enough to work as a deterrent to consumer spending, as the young worry the government won’t be able to afford pensions in the future, said Chihiro Shimizu, professor at National University of Singapore’s Institute of Real Estate Studies, who co-authored the book predicting a collapse in property prices. Shinichiro Kobayashi, senior economist at Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting, said Japan is good at working toward a goal like the Olympics because of a strong work ethic and organizational ability but hasn’t succeeded at reshaping its economy. To demonstrate his concerns, he drew a long line curving downward on a white board, with a shorter straight line sticking out for a bit, to 2020. “Everyone is worried about the future of Japan,” he said. “The Tokyo Olympics is that one single bright spot.” ■

that are based on what’s known as “zero rating” in industry jargon, because they don’t charge for downloading certain kinds of data. In a statement, India’s telecommunications regulatory authority said its decision was “guided by the principles of net neutrality,” or the concept that

all websites and apps should be treated equally by Internet access providers. Net neutrality advocates contend that charging different rates based on content is unfair both to consumers and to Internet services that are competing for consumers’ attention. U.S. regulators endorsed net neutrality in rules enacted last

year, but those rules don’t specifically ban carriers from exempting some services from data limits. The Federal Communications Commission is now studying the zero-rating issue. Facebook said in a statement that it’s disappointed with the ruling but will continue its efforts to increase Internet access. “Our goal with Free Basics is to bring more people online with an open, non-exclusive and free platform,” the company said. Zuckerberg had campaigned hard for the program, making personal visits to India and publishing an open letter in at least one newspaper there. Facebook also responded to critics of “Free Basics” last year by creating a new platform for outside developers to contribute apps for the program. Facebook has about 130 mil-

lion users in India. But like other U.S.-based Internet companies, it sees a huge opportunity to expand by reaching the estimated 1 billion Indians who don’t have Internet access. “Free Basics” is part of a broader effort, dubbed Internet.org, in which Facebook has also tried to work with phonemakers on designs that reduce data usage and extend battery life. In addition, the company is working on long-range projects to develop drones and satellites that deliver Internet service to remote areas. Zuckerberg has acknowledged Facebook’s business would benefit from gaining more users around the world, but he’s also argued that Internet access is a powerful tool for economic development and improving lives in low-income regions. ■ AP Technology Writer Tali Arbel contributed to this report.

A look at Obama’s final budget proposal for 2017 THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama proposed a record $4.1 trillion budget on Tuesday. Here’s a look at each agency and department: Agriculture

▼ 5.3 per cent Highlight: Obama’s budget for the Agriculture Department includes a proposed $12 billion over 10 years to help feed schoolchildren from low-income families during the summer. Nearly 22 million low-income children receive free and reduced-price meals during the school year, but just a fraction of those kids receive meals when school is out. Benefits under the proposed program would be loaded onto a debit card that can only be used for food at grocery stores. Total spending: $155.4 billion, including spending already required by law for food stamps, other government nutrition programs and farm subsidies. Spending that needs Congress’ www.canadianinquirer.net

annual approval: $24.2 billion. Health and human services

▲ 3 per cent Highlight: Responding to an epidemic of heroin addiction and abuse of prescription painkillers, Obama’s budget would provide $1 billion in new funding over the next two years for states to help more people get and complete treatment. The money would be allocated to states based on the severity of the epidemic and the strength of their strategy. The budget also includes $500 million in new funding to increase access to treatment for people with serious mental health problems. Total spending: $1.15 trillion Spending that needs Congress’ annual approval: $78 billion. Transportation

▲ Up 25.8 per cent Highlight: Obama’s 21st Century Clean Transportation Plan includes $400 million a year for 10 years to help speed the deployment of self-driving vehicles, $10 billion a year to boost construction of new

transit projects and $7 billion a year on high-speed rail projects. Congress has previously rejected new money for highspeed rail. Total spending: $95.4 billion, including spending already required by law on highway and transit aid to states. Spending that needs Congress’ annual approval: $12 billion Energy department

▲ 6.8 per cent Highlight: As part of a pledge following the 2015 Paris climate summit to double spending on clean energy research and development by 2021, the budget would spend $7.7 billion government-wide for a range of clean energy investments, including $5.8 billion in the Energy Department. The figure is a 20 per cent increase over current spending money and includes more than $2 billion to boost energy efficiency and renewable energy such as wind, solar and geothermal power. Total spending: $30.8 billion Spending that needs Congress’ annual approval: $30.2 billion ■

Immigration

FEBRUARY 12, 2016

FRIDAY

Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program now accepting new applications PHILIPPINE CANADIAN INQUIRER THE ALBERTA Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP), an immigration program operated with the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), is accepting applications anew as the temporary pause on application intake has already ended. The AINP supports Alberta’s economic growth by taking in skilled and semi-skilled immigrant workers to the province. Individuals nominated by the Government of Alberta can apply for permanent residences as provincial nominees. They can also apply with their spouses/common-law partners and dependent children. The IRCC

then makes the final decisions on permanent resident applications. If interested, one may check these three main streams and categories then choose the best available option; note that each differ in application requirements: Strategic Recruitment Stream

One can apply on his own without employer support under one of three category options: a) Compulsory and Optional Trades Category for temporary foreign workers with valid trade certificates in trades in Alberta; b) Engineering Occupations Category for temporary foreign workers with engineering work experiences in Alberta; and c) PostGraduate Worker Category for

graduates from a post-secondary institution in Alberta, have been currently working in Alberta, and have Post-Graduate Work Permits. Employer-Driven Stream

One can apply with his employer under one of three category options: a) Skilled Worker Category for skilled workers offered permanent and full-time jobs by an Alberta employer; b) Semi-Skilled Worker Category for semi-skilled temporary foreign workers offered permanent and full-time jobs by an Alberta employer; and c) International Graduate Category for graduates from a post-secondary institution in Canada, have been offered permanent and full-time jobs by an Alberta employer, and have Post-Graduate

Work Permits. Self-Employed Farmer Stream

One can also qualify if he has the financial resources and farm management experience to purchase, establish and develop a farm in Alberta. The AINP works closely with the Alberta Agriculture and Forestry (AAF) to assess applicants under this stream. Applicants must meet all criteria for the category applied for and complete a series of application forms which must be mailed to the AINP. At the time of AINP’s assessment, one must be able to provide a valid work permit or implied status based on a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or an LMIA exemption as determined by the

IRCC. Note that some LMIA exemptions are not eligible under AINP. These includes international students doing co-op work placements or internships as part of their study program; people doing religious or charitable work; and people waiting on a refugee claim. In 2015, the IRCC authorized AINP to issue a maximum of 5,500 nomination certificates. For 2016, the number of allocations will be confirmed at a later date. ■ For more information and restrictions on eligibility, visit: www.albertacanada.com For forms: http://www.albertacanada.com/opportunity/immigrating/ainp-applicationforms.aspx

Consider options carefully before tapping RRSP to buy a first home BY CRAIG WONG The Canadian Press OTTAWA — It’s an option for many people buying their first home, but when deciding whether to tap into RRSPs, investment advisers urge caution. “Whether or not it is a good idea to use the homebuyers withdrawal plan, I would say the answer is maybe,” says Kelly Gares, an adviser with BlueShore Financial in West Vancouver, B.C. “It does depend on your particular circumstances.” Under the homebuyers’ plan, people can withdraw up to $25,000 from an RRSP to help buy or build a first home. They need to repay the amount to their RRSP and generally have up to 15 years to put the money back in their account. In essence, people are borrowing money from themselves. And while they don’t have to pay themselves any interest on the money they take out, they are giving up any gains they might have made on the money had it remained invested in an RRSP.

Mortgage payments aren’t the only cost to buying a new home.

Mortgage payments aren’t the only cost to buying a new home. There are maintenance costs, property taxes and utility bills. People need to be sure they’ll also be able to repay their withdrawal within the allowed time as well as continue

saving for retirement. Crystal Wong, senior regional manager for financial planning at TD Wealth, says when saving for a first home, she would encourage people to use a regular savings account or a tax-free savings account instead. www.canadianinquirer.net

With a TFSA, people don’t pay any tax on the investment gains in the account and they don’t need to repay the money they withdraw. However, Wong said if people find themselves short, they can consider going into their RRSPs.

“The pro to that is that you’ve got the money that you’ve saved, so it is your funds,” she said. “The con would be that you kind of give up some of the potential growth that you have in the RRSP that actually funds your retirement.” Gares says there are times when it does make sense to use retirement savings to help buy a home. He pointed to a situation where taking money from an RRSP might allow people to make a 20 per cent down payment and avoid the need for high-ratio mortgage insurance. “Avoiding those types of transactional costs, that is certainly a scenario where I think it is justifiable to use the homebuyers’ plan,” Gares said. However, he warned that if a person’s only real asset is in real estate and they don’t have any other savings or investments, they are not truly diversified. “That’s one thing I would caution against,” he said. “If you’re really utilizing all of your liquid assets for the purpose of making that purchase, then you might need to consider if that’s really an affordable expense for you.” ■

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2016

恭禧發財 Happy Chinese New Year! from

www.canadianinquirer.net

FEBRUARY 12, 2016

FRIDAY

FILIPINO-CANADIAN IN FOCUS:

Helping and Changing People’s Lives: Annette and Victor Que BY KATHERINE PADILLA Philippine Canadian Inquirer IN LIFE, there are three things that we all wish to have: health, wealth and time freedom. Annette and Victor Que are perfect example of individuals who have achieved what everybody is yearning for. Annette and Victor are healthy, wealthy and have full control of their time. All thanks to USANA, the couple is living the life. Annette Que holds three bachelor degrees and has 33 years of experience in corporate banking under her belt. Victor has been an entrepreneur for 30 years. He used to believe that success meant having hundreds of employees, maintaining inventory and working a hundred hours every week while Annette yearned for a title after her name while climbing the corporate ladder. For more than thirty years, Annette and Victor worked 108 hours weekly, sacrificing time and health for wealth. But in 2001, the couple was introduced to USANA, a multi-level marketing company that focuses on nutrition, business and customer care. In an instant, Annette and Victor realized that success can be achieved without trading their time for money. Besides, USANA passed the

couple’s two important criteria that they use in evaluating any business opportunity: first, that the product must be unique and consumable; second, that the compensation must be fair and attractive to everyone. Upon evaluation, it became evident to the couple that USANA met all of their business criteria. Today, the Ques are living, what they call, the USANA lifestyle—a lifestyle of health, wealth and time freedom. The USANA lifestyle the Ques are currently enjoying has a lot of perks that many people could only dream of. Since joining USANA, the Ques have met the President of the Philippines; have been personally invited by Dr. Mehmet Oz to attend his show at the Radio City Hall in New York; and have been invited to judge Miss China beauty pageants. They have also attended USANA’s Fortune 25 Gala Dinner at a private museum in Paris; were serenaded by the Vienna Boys Choir at the Museum of Fine Arts in Vienna; and hired a private limousine for a whole month for a shoppe de toure in Italy. Annette and Victor also drive two Porches. Fifteen years since their introduction to USANA, Annette and Victor are now members of USANA’s Fortune 25, Million

Dollar Club and Top Growth 25. They are also Foundation Executive Diamond Directors for USANA, a much coveted rank in the company. The Ques, despite their huge success in life and business, has not forgotten to give back to people. Due to USANA lifestyle, they are now able to help in programs that positively influence the lives of thousands of orphans, indigent children, abused kids and seniors in many parts of the world, especially in the Philippines. Annette and Victor have also helped and changed the lives of many. They had created over 700 new millionaire; many are young Filipinos under the age of 30. “The USANA journey is a lot of fun! With the financial and time flexibility USANA provided us, we can work when we want to work and play when we want to play,” Annette and Victor relate. “The key to success in business is creating a community of teams working together with a mutual goal in mind,” they claim. This dynamic duos’ goal is to train entrepreneurs around the world on how to create the right momentum in attaining financial freedom, reaching dreams, loving life and living the USANA lifestyle to the fullest. By God’s grace, Victor and

Victor and Annette Que.

Annette are12 Star Diamond Directors of USANA, the highest rank in North America. In life, we all have a choice.

With God’s blessing, Victor and Annette placed their priority in helping and changing people’s lives. ■

Ontario on track to receive 10,000 Syrian refugees by end of the month: Wynne BY ALLISON JONES The Canadian Press TORONTO — Premier Kathleen Wynne says despite “challenges,” Ontario is on track to receive 10,000 Syrian refugees by the end of this month. The federal government is aiming to settle 25,000 refugees by the end of February, with about two-thirds expected to be government-assisted. About 7,000 Syrian refugees

have already settled in Ontario since Dec. 10 and on Monday the premier announced details of some of the funding committed to helping them. The Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants is receiving about $343,000 for trauma and mental-health training for front-line workers as well as a public education campaign, and COSTI Immigrant Services is receiving $283,000 to deliver workshops and orientation resources to refugees.

That money is part of the $8.5 million Ontario pledged over 2 1/2 years to support refugees. Wynne says the refugee resettlement has “been a remarkable success story,” though she admits there have been “some timing issues.” “We knew that a resettlement of this scale would not be without its challenges,” Wynne said Monday. “We can be confident that our combined efforts are working, now, maybe not quite as quickly or as seamlessly as www.canadianinquirer.net

we would like in every single case. There will always be situations where there are refinements that are needed, but we are rising to the occasion.” The influx of Syrian refugee arrivals prompted agencies in Vancouver, Toronto and Ottawa to request a break in the action to hire extra staff and find permanent homes for those who have already arrived before any more are cleared to come to Canada. Wynne suggested last month that government-assisted refu-

gees who were still in temporary housing at hotels could be paired with private sponsors. But federal Immigration Minister John McCallum said while the idea made sense on its surface, there were too many flaws in the proposal. As of Feb. 4, 16,565 Syrians have arrived in Canada since Nov. 4. Of that, 9,753 were government assisted, 5,639 privately sponsored and 1,173 as part of a program that blends the two. ■

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2016

Travel

For Brazil’s Carnival fans, even Zika can’t stop the party BY JENNY BARCHFIELD The Associated Press RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazilian Carnival could be called a hungry mosquito’s dream — five days of non-stop street parties that bring together millions of revelers in an inviting mass of bare ankles, uncovered legs and denuded torsos. So the mosquito-borne Zika virus might be expected to dampen this year’s debauchery. But despite warnings to cover up and slather on repellent, many insist the show will go on as it always has, in just a sprinkling of sequins and a few puffs of feather. Pants, long-sleeve shirts and bug spray, they say, are antithetical to the hedonistic, out-ofcontrol spirit of Carnival. “We need joy,” said Angela Pessanha, a self-described “Carnival nut” and owner of a home furnishings store. “And Carnival is the easiest way of doling out a stiff dose of joy to everyone.” This year’s celebrations, which begin Friday, come at a time when Brazil has little to celebrate. Latin America’s largest country is mired in its worst recession in generations, impeachment proceedings against President Dilma Rousseff are looming, a snowballing corruption investigation of the state oil company has taken down key political figures and rising unemployment and inflation are hurting the pocketbooks of average people. And then there is Zika, a virus that researchers here have linked to a birth defect that can affect the development of fetuses’ brains, leaving newborns with long-lasting health and developmental problems. But, many Brazilians say they are inured to the vagaries of a boom-and-bust economy, unfazed by the near constant stream of corruption scandals and have long lived amid outbreaks of dengue, another virus transmitted by the Aedes

The world famous carnival in Rio de Janeiro. Pictured is the samba school parading in Sambadromo, the carnival stadium, with 90000 spectators. T PHOTOGRAPHY / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

aegypti mosquito that spreads and exposed skin. They’re also urging revelZika. This has prompted Rio au- ers to cover up, but those ad“I’ve put it all out of my mind,” thorities to step up their ef- monitions appear to be falling said college student Pedro Ma- forts against the mosquito. on deaf ears, judging by the ciel, as he filled up a shopping Fumigators have been plying amount of bare skin on display cart with 12-packs of beer and the Sambadrome, where thou- at the pre-Carnival “blocos” bottle after bottle of the cheap- sands of dancers in ensembles that have flooded the streets in est domestic vodka — “fuel” he consisting of platform heels, a recent days. hoped would see his group of 16 few strategically placed spanTuesday’s announcement by friends, visiting Rio de Janeiro dex triangles and sparkly body health officials that a person from southern Brazil, through paint will mesmerize during in Texas has become infected at least the first day of the fes- this weekend’s samba school with Zika through sex may put tivities. “Of course these are all parades. another kink into Carnival, important issues where promisthat as a Brazilcuity is held as a ian I care about, core value. Combut I won’t give petitions to see them a second Many Brazilians say they are inured who can rack up thought till the to the vagaries of a boom-andthe most makeday Carnival bust economy, unfazed by the out partners are ends.” near constant stream of corruption common, and The world’s scandals and have long lived amid things often get Carnival capital, outbreaks of dengue, another virus more hot and Rio, has been less transmitted by the Aedes aegypti heavy than simhard-hit by the mosquito that spreads Zika. ple snogging. Zika outbreak Worries grew than the counstronger Friday try’s poor northwith the aneastern region, where most Health workers will be de- nouncement that scientists at cases both of the virus and the ployed to many of the city’s more Brazil’s Fiocruz research instibirth defect microcephaly have than 500 street parties, or “blo- tute had found live Zika virus in been concentrated. Still, epide- cos,” where thousands of revelers saliva samples. Institute chief miologists have called Carnival defy the Southern Hemisphere Paulo Gadelha suggested pregan “explosive cocktail” for the midsummer sun to drink, dance, nant women adopt the very unspread of Zika due to the potent sweat and rub shoulders — and Carnival-like practice of shuncombination of heat, crowds other body parts. ning kisses from anybody other www.canadianinquirer.net

than a regular partner. The party won’t be happening everywhere. The 50,000-strong municipality of Capivari in Sao Paulo state has cancelled the City Hall-funded Carnival celebrations, saying it intends to invest the $25,000 in savings into efforts to stamp out Aedes. Official Carnival festivities have also been nixed in dozens of other cities nationwide due to budget constraints. Even in places where Carnival is rolling on, apparently unscathed by the chaos afflicting the country, this year’s festivities are shaping up to be leaner than usual. Regina Rodrigues Alves, who hawks kitty-ear tiaras, pirate eye patches, made-in-China plastic crowns and other Carnival essentials at a stand in Rio’s beachfront Ipanema neighbourhood, says sales have been appreciably down from last year. “You can tell people are trying to scrimp and save. They’re now trying to bargain you down, or not even buying at all,” said 58-year-old Alves, adding she’s seen revelers dragging along their own portable coolers to save on alcohol. ■

Travel

FEBRUARY 12, 2016

Race across wintry Manitoba a test of human endurance and resilience BY CHINTA PUXLEY The Canadian Press WINNIPEG — After enduring more than 100 kilometres on her bike crossing Manitoba countryside, through blowing snow and an unrelenting February wind, Andrea Tetrault could no longer feel her hands or feet. She had reached the city limits of Winnipeg but still had about 20 kilometres to go. “It was a horrible feeling,” Tetrault said. “Your hands are like blocks of wood. You can’t feel anything. You know that’s not good for you.” Somehow the 46-year-old mustered every last bit of strength for the home stretch — pedalling, shifting gears and braking without being able to feel any of the motions. Welcome to Actif Epica — a 130-kilometre race through rural Manitoba in February — testing the ability to embrace, and yet defeat, winter at the same time. For the fifth year, at least 50 participants will head out into the flat, bald wilderness of the Trans Canada Trail Feb. 13, by foot or on a bike, ready to battle the elements over 24 hours. “Mentally, it’s really tough,” said Tetrault, who has done the race three times. “You’re looking at landmarks on the horizon that, after two hours, don’t seem any closer because it’s so slow.” The race started in 2012 with only 32 brave souls. Last year, it drew just over 100 people. Some have come from as far away as Brazil and California to take part. The hardy participants take a bus to St. Malo, south of Winnipeg, where they start at 7 a.m. They go north to the Red River floodway along the Trans Canada Trail and across open stretches of prairie for 100 kilometres before they hit the outskirts of Winnipeg. Participants are warned that, although the route is flat, it is far from easy. There are steep climbs across creeks and rivers. The trail surface can vary

Fat Tuesday in New Orleans: Floats, masks, trinkets, and more BY REBECCA SANTANA The Associated Press

The Trans Canada Trail.

and include ice, snow and frozen gravel. Snowdrifts in places may exceed one metre. Runners have 25 hours to finish while the cyclists have 24. Participants have to carry a GPS, extra clothing, food and a “whistle on string around neck to call for help, because your mouth is too numb to yell,” organizers say on the race website. And as if 130 kilometres wasn’t enough of a challenge, this year organizers have tacked on another 30 kilometres for those gluttons for punishment. Organizer Dwayne Sandall said the event is not for the faint of heart. Not everyone who starts the race crosses the finish line, he said. “They go into it knowing it’s not going to be easy. Even the people who end up dropping out, they’re never really despondent. They’re like, ‘I learned a lot about myself today.’ “It’s a learning experience if you finish or you don’t finish. You learn what you’re really capable of.” Most who have been forced to drop out of the race halfway through have come back the following year, Sandall said. “You have to be as relentless as the conditions,” he said.

“Your body is telling you to stop, but it’s actually your mind.” It’s hard for many to explain what drives them to sign up for such a gruelling race. For Tetrault, the challenge of the race makes finishing it that much sweeter. “The joy of it doesn’t really sink in immediately. You’re happy to be finished, but it’s kind of like when you’re banging your head against the wall — it feels really good when you stop,” she said with a laugh. “We can challenge ourselves to extraordinary things that we didn’t think were possible. It’s hard and that’s part of why you do it. If it was easy, everybody would do it and then it wouldn’t be so cool.” If You Go...

The event’s website includes course and registration details, as well as required gear and safety tips — actifepi.ca If cheering the runners and cyclists on is more your thing, the midway point is the community centre in Niverville, Man. Participants stop there anywhere between 11:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. The finish line is in downtown Winnipeg at The Forks where the earliest someone has finished has been 10:30 p.m. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

FRIDAY

NEW ORLEANS — Thousands of people bundled up against the cold winds in New Orleans on Tuesday, screaming for beads from passing floats and dancing to marching bands as the city marked the culmination of the famous Mardi Gras celebration. The last day of parades rolled along St. Charles Avenue and Canal Street before Lent, a period of penance and spiritual renewal, begins Wednesday. Families set up ladders for their children to sit on and thus get a better chance to catch beads and trinkets — prized possessions thrown out by float riders on Fat Tuesday. Jonas Edwards, from North Carolina, was wearing a long rope of large shiny beads in the distinctive purple, green and gold colours that are synonymous with the holiday. He hoped to catch one of the hand-decorated coconuts given out during the Zulu parade. “I came last year and the Zulu parade is what did it for me, and I wanted to come experience it again,” he said. “I just had a good time. Last year I think I got a coconut as well. Let’s see what plays out this year.” What are the big parades?

The Krewe of Zulu parade is put on by the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club, a historically black organization in New Orleans. Their parade dates back to roughly 1910. Then the Rex Organization, which dates back to 1872, follows Zulu. Rex’s history is closely tied with Mardi Gras traditions. For example, Rex’s colours — purple, green and gold — have become the symbolic colours of Mardi Gras as well. After Rex comes two truck parades, also along St. Charles Avenue. That marks the end of the major parades in the city until next year.

What kind of trinkets can people catch?

Riders on the floats generally wear masks and throw beads or other specially made trinkets to people along the parade route. Families line up early along the side of the street or on the median — called the neutral ground in New Orleans — to get a good seat. One especially prized “throw” is the coconuts given out by members of Zulu. The coconuts have been hollowed out, and the outside hair is removed; they’re then decorated with glitter or elaborate designs. Riders in the Zulu parade also threw out small stuffed animals, specially decorated beads and hats with the words “Zulu” emblazoned in yellow. What else happens?

Before sunrise Tuesday, about 100 people turned out at the Backstreet Cultural Museum to see the North Side Skull & Bone Gang come out. The gang is a longtime Mardi Gras tradition. Members wear costumes resembling skeletons with paper mache masks covering their heads. They go through the neighbourhood waking people up on Fat Tuesday. Dabne Whitemore came to the door in her white bathrobe after hearing the gang and its drums coming from down the street: “I was laying in my bed upstairs in the back, and I heard the drums coming and I knew it was time. ... They come and wake me up every morning for fifteen years.” What’s the weather like?

Cold. Winds gusting up to 30 mph made mid-40s temperatures feel lower. People along the parade route wore thick jackets and hats, and wrapped themselves under layers of blankets as they watched the floats roll by. Barbara Tate, from Maryland, said it was fun but a little chilly: “I was hoping it would be a bit warmer. I didn’t know I needed to bring long underwear.’ ■

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2016

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Senator Enverga Vancouver Consulate co-hosts Senate Lunar participates in UBC rice fest New Year celebration ONTARIO SEN. Tobias C. Enverga Jr., hosted the Lunar New Year celebration on the Hill with his colleagues Senators Lillian Dyck, Yonah Martin, Thanh Hai Ngo and Victor Oh to mark the beginning of the Year of the Monkey. The event was well attended by members of the public, ministers, parliamentarians and members of the diplomatic corps from countries where the Lunar New Year is celebrated. “This is a big celebration in my country of birth, the Philippines. We have a significant minority of people of Chinese heritage. There will be big celebrations in Manila and other large cities and all the malls are decorated with lunar new-year decorations,” Enverga said in

his remarks. The co-hosts are all senators of East Asian descent whose presence in federal politics is testament to the diverse representation in the Senate ensuring its role as a chamber that represents minority interest in Canada’s federal system. “Celebrating culture-specific holidays like this is essential in order to safeguard the strength of the multiculturalism for which Canada is so wellknown,” Enverga said in a statement. “Our multiculturalism is one of the things that makes Canada the best country in the world.” Canada was the first country in the world that introduced national laws on multiculturalism in 1988. ■

THE PHILIPPINE Consulate General in Vancouver joined in the University of British Columbia’s “Of Rice and Roots,” a Southeast Asian food festival held on Feb 2. The event was organized by the Centre for Southeast Asian Research (CSEAR) in cooperation with different Southeast Asian student associations in UBC and the ASEAN Consulates in Vancouver. Aside from the Philippines, the Consulates of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand were likewise represented. Now on its 3rd year, ORAR enabled the ASEAN group to once again promote better appreciation and understanding of the region and its people within the UBC community by providing guests and attendees firsthand experience of ASEAN culture and cuisine. The Philippine booth was a

Team Canada to compete in Manila BY LI ERON THE PLAYERS who comprise Team Canada are selected from among the bests from Durham Crossover Basketball and other teams across the Greater Toronto Area under the North American Basketball Association. They are preparing to depart on Feb. 26, for Manila to compete at the SM NBTC League National Championships to be held at the Mall of Asia arena from Mar. 13 to 17. The league is participated in by all high school teams across the Philippines. There are only two international teams entering into this competition: Thailand and Canada. This is the first time that Canada will be represented through the hard work of Coach Mike Cruz and his team. The team is getting early attention from coaches in the Philippines among them PBA Legend Atoy Co of the popular Crispa Redmanizer and current Coach of Mapua. Team Canada will no longer just play for SM NBTC League Championships. They are get-

Team Canada.

ting into series of scrimmages with high school teams within Manila as well including the following: March 6 - Pasig Catholic College March 7 - Jose Rizal University March 8 - UP Integrated School March 9 - Ateneo De Manila University March 10 - Mapua March 11- De La Salle University On Feb. 20, Team Canada will be in full throttle as they welcome guests in a special concert

dubbed, "Post Valentine Benefit Concert" proceeds of which will help our players with their expenses in the Philippines. The concert will be graced by two local talents- rising solo music artist Fieness Mendoza and Keeana Cerezo of the group Clique. Team Canada’s sponsors include Judith Gonsales/Pinoy Radio-Pinoy Dreams ; SM (Philippines); Dr. Solon Guzman; EB Grapix; Manny Gutierrez of TFC; Drita Burci; Rey Vindua; PMN TV and Audiospin Entertainment. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

The Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver officers and staff met with members of the Filipino Association in UBC during the recent ‘Of Rice and Roots Festival’ held at UBC campus.

favorite among guests who were drawn to the display of colorful “Its More Fun in the Philippines” posters. Apart from tourism materials, the Philippine booth showcased Philippinemade wooden handicrafts, embroidery, and jewelry. Guests and onlookers were

attracted to dolls donning different Filipiniana costumes and the lighted “bahay kubo”. Samples of different flavored “hopia” and “ensaymada” from Kumare, a flourishing Filipino Restaurant in Metro Vancouver, were also popular during the night. ■

Marshall Mcluhan fellow discusses media coverage of Bangsamoro peace process THE 2016 Marshall McLuhan Fellow talked before members of the Philippine Press Club of Ontarion on Feb. 10. This was announced by the Canadian Embassy in the Philippines. This year’s fellow is Joseph Morong, a senior reporter of GMA Network Inc. He has over 15 years of journalism experience covering the justice and political beats for the TV network. He is likewise an anchor of NewsTVLive and a regular reporter for State of the Nation with Jessica Soho, GMA News TV’s flagship newscast that presents and dissects pressing issues of the day. Morong discussed “Communicating the message of the marginalized: Media’s coverage of the Bangsamoro Peace Process in Southern Philippines.”

He also talked on how the media has been covering the peace process in restive Mindanao and related issues and how it could improve the narrative of peace and non-violence in this Philippine region. He is currently covering the peace process between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. He has extensively covered the pork barrel scam and the impeachment of the former chief justice of the Philippines. Morong finished BA in Journalism from the University of the Philippines, and is currently working on a second degree in Fine Arts, also from UP. The forum was held at the FV Foods and Restaurant - Banquet Room. ■ St. Jamestown News Servie, Romeo Ayson Zetazate

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2016

Entertainment

Vogue spots one of today’s hottest models — a Filipino

Paolo Roldan continues to heat up the runways of Paris, Milan, NY– our first supermodel since Anna Bayle of the ’80s

Paltrow describes years of messages from accused stalker

BY CHECHE V. MORAL Philippine Daily Inquirer

BY ANTHONY MCCARTNEY The Associated Press

MANY FILIPINAS aspire to make it big in international modeling, but it has taken one male model to repeat what Anna Bayle achieved on the runways of Paris and New York in the 1980s. Paolo Roldan, the subject of a recent feature on Vogue.com, continues to make waves in the United States and Europe, where he’s a regular on the runways of Givenchy, Giorgio Armani and 3.1 Phillip Lim. He’s among the world’s top male models, and possibly the first male supermodel of Filipino descent. At the Fall 2016 Menswear Collections, the bald-headed Roldan walked for Giorgio Armani, Emporio Armani and Ports 1961. He also had the coveted honor of opening and closing Armani’s Menswear Spring 2016 collection in June, aside from walking for Givenchy, Michael Bastian, among others. His current ad campaigns include Gap x GQ and the clothing brands Todd Snyder and Tatras.

LOS ANGELES — The letters addressed to Gwyneth Paltrow came for years, often with unsolicited items ranging from pornography and sex toys to religious books, earrings and clothes. The last package for Paltrow arrived in January 2015 and is now part of a stalking case against Dante Soiu, a man the actress had previously faced in court in a proceeding that resulted in him spending years in a mental institution for his lewd missives in 1999 and 2000. On Monday Paltrow faced Soiu once again, this time in a case filed over 66 letters and packages he has sent the actress in recent years with notes about his desire to marry her, discussing her death and religious writings. With furrowed brow and at times fighting back tears, Paltrow described the impact of the letters, which first began arriving shortly after she won her best actress Academy Award in 1999 and resumed after a hiatus in 2009. “I felt very upset by it. It defied logic, and I found it very, very upsetting,” Paltrow said, noting the later letters came after she had two children. “This was something I had been

In the buff

On his first year as a professional model, Roldan walked exclusively for Givenchy’s Fall 2010 collection, and starred in a campaign for the brand, shot by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott. That same year, the 6-foot-2 Filipino-Canadian also posed for Alas and Piggott in the buff for French Vogue, catapulting the then-unknown to modeling stardom. With various magazine covers and editorials now under his belt, Roldan, who’s in his late 30s, may be the only other Filipino model after Bayle— considered the first Asian supermodel—who can claim to have worked with the top fash-

PAOLO ROLDAN (@JUANPAOLOROLDAN) / INSTAGRAM

ion houses and industry professionals. In her prime, the Filipina posed for the likes of Helmut Newton, Patrick Demarchelier, Peter Lindberg, Arthur Elgort, Peter Beard, and Thierry Mugler, among others, and first made her name on the runways of Paris, where she was muse to some of the top European designers. “Paolo has a very strong look with his shaved head, long and lean body frame, and distinctly Asian eyes,” says Noel Manapat, who styled Roldan for his Bench campaigns. “This, coupled with his professionalism and knowledge of fashion, makes him a model that would stand generations.” The stylist adds, “In our first shoot with him for Bench Body, one of our locations was a rooftop on a winter month. So obviously, he had to wear underwear in the coldest conditions, but he did what he had to do.” Roldan migrated with his family to Mississauga, a suburb of Toronto in Canada, when he was nine. The Roldans come from

Navotas. The young Paolo grew up in Quezon City, and in 1999 returned to the Philippines in a bid for a career in basketball, a dream that was ended by a knee injury. He returned to Canada and worked as fashion buyer for a menswear store. On a buying trip to New York, his exotic good looks caught the eye of the late David Bosman, founder of Boss Models, who’s credited for popularizing the concept of male supermodels in the 1990s.

through a very long and traumatic experience with already,” she said, wiping her eyes. Soiu has pleaded not guilty to felony stalking of the actress, and his attorney contends his writings were non-threatening and focused primarily on scripture and his desire to minister to the actress. His attorney also noted that unlike in 1999, Soiu hadn’t travelled to try to meet Paltrow recently. Paltrow read excerpts of many of the notes Soiu sent in measured tones during her two-and-a-half hours of testimony, but broke down when a prosecutor asked if she was afraid of him and feared for her children’s safety. “Yes,” the actress tearfully responded. Her fear is a key element of the felony stalking case against Soiu. Testimony will resume Tuesday. Paltrow’s head of security Terry Abbott testified Monday that he always informed his client when a letter from Soiu was received, but he stopped providing her details from them after one debriefing “caused her too much distress.” Paltrow, 43, testified about letters and packages she received from Soiu dating to 1999, including several that contained pornography, sex toys ❱❱ PAGE 35 Paltrow describes

Bench

Roldan came onto the scene just when the fashion and luxury industries shifted their focus on the Asian market, with China becoming the biggest consumer of luxury goods. Consumers want to see the products they’re buying on people who look like them, thus the rise in popularity of Asian models. In interviews, Roldan speaks of his pride for his Filipino roots. He’s invariably identified in articles as Filipino. ❱❱ PAGE 33 Vogue spots

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Entertainment

FEBRUARY 12, 2016

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Most memorable quotes from Pia Wurtzbach BY ARMIN P. ADINA Philippine Daily Inquirer FOR A pageant-crazy country such as the Philippines, which waited 42 years to bag its third Miss Universe crown, a week with Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach is just too short. Filipinos could not seem to get enough of their queen, whose homecoming took place more than a month after her proclamation as the most beautiful woman in the world, the universe, rather. Some of Pia’s more memorable lines during her brief visit: “It’s not true that there’s Filipino time, because I was on time,” says Pia, who came first for the Miss Universe candidates’ registration. “The call time was 10 a.m. I was there at 9:45, sitting, waiting for the doors to open. I was country number one,” she said in her first press conference. “I actually did not prepare a speech, because I never prepare my answers anyway. I want everything to come from

the heart.” “To be back here now with the crown is the ‘happily ever after’ that I’ve been dreaming of in my lifetime. This is not just my dream, but every Filipino’s. I’m so proud, so happy.” Asked what she would do if she meets someone who has bashed her, she said: “I will shake his hand, introduce myself, and hopefully have a fresh start.” On her controversial reply to the question about US military presence in the Philippines: “There is no second best answer. That’s the only answer in my mind at that time. I stick to my answer. “Military presence is different from military bases. Presence could be in the form of aid, help or security. It doesn’t sound bad at all. If people are strongly against it, I respect their opinion. I would gladly listen to them.” On the pressure to sustain the Philippines’ impressive run in the Miss Universe pageant: “I didn’t want to be the one to break that streak. The most im-

SCREENSHOT FROM YOUTUBE

portant thing was I had to make my countrymen proud, no regrets.” On the grueling aspect of the Miss Universe title: “I can’t complain. I’ve been wanting to win for years, dreaming as a kid, and now I’m going to complain? I’m going to accept what is thrown at me.” Being exposed to the pageant scene for years, Pia has also developed a keen eye for beauty. “My Miss Universe Top 5 pre-

diction was accurate,” she said. Miss Universe 2011 third runner-up Shamcey Supsup gave Pia one of the best pieces of advice. “Know when to speak. Save your energy for the moments that really matter. Go in strong, at times pull back. You need the energy for the moments that matter the most, like the preliminaries and pageant night,” Shamcey told her. Pia also confirmed her BFF status with Miss USA Olivia

Jordan, who placed second runner-up in the pageant. “Olivia is the first person I thought of bringing here. I told her, ‘I wish the next time I go back you’d come with me. Come and see what the Miss Universe is like here.’ She’s well-loved in the Philippines anyway,” Pia said. Pia, who was a contributing writer, stylist, makeup artist and model for the INQUIRER Lifestyle section before her win, said she still wants to be part of the paper. “It crossed my mind to write an article or keep a diary while I’m still Miss Universe. We’ll see what will happen at the end of the year.” When probed about her love life: “There’s nothing, really. I thought it was something. I thought I was seeing somebody, but I wasn’t pala. Kahit Miss Universe ka puwede kang maging sawi (Even if you are Miss Universe, you can still be unlucky with love).” And when asked how it feels to be “Reyna ng mga bakla (Queen of the gays),” Pia declared, “Pak na pak! Gano’n!” ■

‘Tandem’ comes home BY BAYANI SAN DIEGO JR. Philippine Daily Inquirer DEBUTING DIRECTOR King Palisoc shares a tip on how to cut costs while making an independently produced film. “We needed an old song for a scene in the movie,” he recalled. So, he turned to his father, songwriter Boyet Palisoc, who composed “Bakit Ba Ganyan” (originally recorded by Dina Bonnevie), for the rights to the popular 1980s hit. Since his dad was the composer, he got the song for, well, a song. “We got a good discount. It would have been expensive if we had to pay for it.” Music rights could cost P30,000 to P50,000 per song. Relying on relatives is “the indie way of scrimping,” he quipped. Palisoc cut his teeth on music videos and commercials before making his debut in the “Makina” episode of the indie trilogy, “Bang Bang Alley.” “Tandem,” which competed

in the New Wave section of last December’s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), serves as his debut as a feature-length filmmaker. On Feb. 17, “Tandem” will open in local theaters after making the rounds of the international film fest circuit— specifically in Vancouver and Montreal in Canada, and Cairo in Egypt. He attended all three festivals and was amazed by how similar the audience’s reactions were—whether in Asia, Africa or North America. “It’s very interesting. Foreign audiences would get excited and gasp in the same crucial scenes as the Filipinos,” he said. “It shows how universal film is. Egyptians told me that Manila looks a lot like Cairo.” Foreign viewers were disturbed by the film’s subject matter—crime and corruption in the police force. “They wondered whether I would get in trouble with the cops. I assured them that it was not the first time that this con-

troversial issue was tackled in a movie,” he related. “Tandem,” which was produced by Quantum, Buchi Boy and Tuko Films, will compete in the Directors’ Week section of the 38th Oporto International Film Festival in Portugal, from Feb. 26 to March 5. “Tandem” topbills JM de Guzman who won best actor at the New Wave section of the MMFF. Palisoc recalled that De Guzman was a pro during the shoot—contrary to rumors of unpredictable behavior on other sets. There are reports that De Guzman is currently in a rehabilitation/wellness center. “We’ve lost contact, but we informed his dad of his best actor award.” Palisoc, who took up Communications at Ateneo de Manila University, regards filmmakers Marilou Diaz-Abaya and Quark Henares as his mentors. (Henares and Abaya taught film at Ateneo.) “From Direk Quark, I learned www.canadianinquirer.net

FROM OFFICIAL TRAILER

to appreciate the craft of filmmaking,” he said. “More than film, Direk Marilou, on the other hand, taught me about life.” He explained that the late Abaya’s rules for a “fair and humane” working environment (which was shared by former assistant Christian Vallez on Facebook) are principles he hopes to adhere to every day on the set. Among Abaya’s rules are: “Shouting is not allowed unless it’s for a scene; the crew should not go hungry; and people are more important than films.” Early this year, Abaya’s rules were spread online in the mid-

dle of the intense debate over the scandal involving TV-film director Cathy Garcia-Molina, who was criticized by netizens for cursing bit player and history teacher Alvin Campomanes on the set of “Forevermore.” “Through the years, I’ve learned that everyone turns to the director to set the mood on the set,” he pointed out. “That’s why it’s crucial to manage your emotions well.” No matter how stressful the situation is, and it can get pressure-cooker dicey on the set of an indie film, Palisoc makes sure that “the cast and crew are comfortable and treated well.” ■

Entertainment

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2016

GOP lawmaker lashes out at Beyoncé video

Founder of black film fests says Canada has dearth of roles for people of colour

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

BY VICTORIA AHEARN The Canadian Press

WASHINGTON — Beyoncé’s new video “Formation” is “proBlack Panther” and “anti-cop,” says a Republican congressman, who argued Monday that it perpetuates a lie about the August 2014 shooting in Missouri of an unarmed black man by a white police officer. “Beyoncé may be a gifted entertainer but no one should really care what she thinks about any serious issue confronting our nation,” New York Rep. Pete King said in a statement he posted on his Facebook page. King condemned the video, released by the Grammy-winning singer ahead of her world tour and her performance during halftime of Sunday’s Super Bowl. He also complained about the mainstream media’s acceptance of the video and her Super Bowl appearance. Beyoncé’s publicist had no immediate response to an email request for comment. In the video, Beyonce is seen atop a police cruiser and there are references to the Black Lives Matter movement. King also complained that the video makes the “ritualistic reference to Michael Brown and Ferguson, Missouri, by featuring a scene of innocent people with

their hands raised high above their heads in surrender.” King dismissed the notion that Brown was murdered by police as he was attempting to surrender and said this “fable” was thoroughly discredited. “In simple language it was and is a lie from beginning to end,” the congressman said, arguing that Brown was a criminal who had robbed a convenience store and the officer, Darren Wilson, was exonerated by the local prosecutor and President Barack Obama’s Justice Department. “Yet the big lie continues by Black Lives Matter, by pandering politicians and now by Beyonce, who gets star billing at the Super Bowl,” said King, who added that his father proudly served in the New York Police Department for more than 30 years. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, in an interview on Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends,” criticized Beyonce’s halftime show and references to the Black Panthers. Dancers with the singer had afros and black berets, reminiscent of the 1960s group. “I thought it was really outrageous that she used it as a platform to attack police officers, who are the people who protect her and protect us,” Giuliani said. ■

Vogue spots... In 2013, he was in the Philippines to walk for the Bench Body show. The dark-skinned, avowed gym rat also shot a billboard campaign for the homegrown fashion retailer. His campaign for Bench has appeared on the pages of Monocle. The Vogue feature on Jan. 25 lauds the Filipino model’s offbeat off-duty style—his penchant for mixing vintage with contemporary pieces, his choice footwear (boots), and his propensity for wearing jewelry. Manapat also took note of the model’s “striking and strong sense of style ...that only he ❰❰ 31

could seem to put together.” A cousin of the model, according to Manapat, also relayed a story that underscored Roldan’s natural love for fashion: Back in the day, “It was OK for Paolo to eat sardines from the can, but he would spend money to buy a nice designer shirt.” Roldan, a self-described fashion junkie, has also been vocal about his dream of having his own clothing brand. He likes to sketch and design, a creative family trait. It must be in his genes—the late couturier Aureo Alonzo was a greatuncle. ■

TORONTO — While the Canadian Screen Awards tout a diverse slate of 2016 nominees, there’s still a dearth of roles for people of colour in this country, says the founder of the Montreal International Black Film Festival and the Toronto Black Film Festival. “In the U.S.A., you do have those roles for black people or for African-American people, however you want to call them,” says Haitian native Fabienne Colas, pointing to recent films including “Selma” and “Creed.” “Those roles exist, those opportunities are there, but they’re not being recognized — versus in Canada, in a year when you will not have ‘The Book of Negroes,’ who are they going to nominate in the Canadian Screen Awards? “That means we don’t have those roles.... They don’t really exist.” “The Book of Negroes” miniseries has 11 CSA nominations, including acting nods for Lyriq Bent, Aunjanue Ellis and Shailyn Pierre-Dixon. Those nominations and a few others have some Canadian performers praising the CSAs as being more inclusive than the Oscars in the U.S., where two straight years of all-white acting nominees have prompted backlash and academy changes. Colas, an actor-director-producer, notes it’s an exceptional year at the CSAs. “What’s going to happen next year? What’s going to happen after that?” she says. “If the industry does not continue to make films with people of colour in the lead roles, well, at a certain point in time in Canada ... we won’t have any persons of colour to give this nomination to.” She says one solution is to ensure a diverse makeup of committee or jury members at institutions that give grants to filmmakers. “Unless there’s a really relevant reason for you to bring a film that is an all-white cast www.canadianinquirer.net

Oscar-nominated actress Alfre Woodard will be at the fest on Saturday to receive the inaugural career achievement award. HELGA ESTEB / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

— because it’s historical — if you’re doing a film in 2016 here in Toronto or in Quebec or in Montreal, it is ridiculous to consider that all characters should be white in Canada today,” says Colas. The Toronto Black Film Festival runs Wednesday through Sunday with 44 titles from 20 countries. Nine of the titles come from Canada. Clement Virgo, who directed and co-wrote “The Book of Negroes,” will be at the fest on Sunday for a Q&A. Oscar-nominated actress Alfre Woodard will be at the fest on Saturday to receive the inaugural career achievement award. She’ll also be at a Q&A for her film “Knucklehead.” Such festivals are still needed, says Woodard, who stars in “Knucklehead” as an abusive mother to an adult son (Gbenga Akinnagbe) with mental health issues. “If people did not put these festivals on and nurture them over the years and build that kind of relationship with the public, we would never be able to see the brilliant films and

the films that you want to argue about, the films that inspire you, freak you out,” says Woodard. That’s the very reason Colas founded her festivals, starting with the Montreal one (formerly the Montreal Haitian Film Festival) 12 years ago. A native of Haiti, she went to Montreal with a copy of her acclaimed film “Barikad,” but no festival would screen it. She found that “ridiculous” considering “the Haitian community was and is still the largest black community in Montreal, in Quebec.” Colas then created a Toronto version because it’s “the most diverse city in Canada.” “It’s all about helping one another to understand one another better,” says Colas. “It’s all about giving everybody a voice, because when we listen to each other, when we understand, when we get to know each other and we understand each other better and then we get to love each other more. “We spread the love, there’s less fear and then we can relate to everybody’s stories.” ■

FEBRUARY 12, 2016

FRIDAY

Lifestyle

Most Canadians drink alcohol but may not know health risks: country’s top doctor BY LAUREN LA ROSE The Canadian Press TORONTO — Drinking alcohol has become a “normalized” part of life for the majority of Canadians, yet many don’t realize the potential health risks of downing wine, beer or spirits — even at low levels, says Canada’s top doctor. In a report released Wednesday, Dr. Gregory Taylor said an estimated 22 million Canadians aged 15 and older — almost 80 per cent of the population — imbibed in 2012, the most recent year for which statistics are available. At least 3.1 million Canadians drank enough to be at risk for immediate injury and harm, with at least 4.4 million at risk for chronic health effects, such as liver cirrhosis and some cancers, his annual report on the state of public health shows. “If there’s one key message that I’d like to get across, it’s that (alcohol) is not harmless,” Taylor, the country’s chief public health officer, said from Ottawa. “Canada has low-risk drinking guidelines, but they’re low-risk, not no-risk.” Taylor said he chose to focus on alcohol in this year’s report because of its widespread use, easy availability and potential harms, which include an elevated risk of breast, colorectal, head and neck, and liver cancers. Alcohol is a known carcinogen, and the Canadian Cancer Society says there is no safe limit when it comes to cancer prevention. Heavy drinking increases the risk for oral, pharyngeal and esophageal cancers by five times, for laryngeal cancer by 2 1/2 times, and colorectal and breast cancers by 50 per cent, the report notes. Men have a higher risk for alcohol-related colorectal cancer than women, while recent research shows that even one daily drink may increase the risk of breast can-

At least 3.1 million Canadians drank enough to be at risk for immediate injury and harm, with at least 4.4 million at risk for chronic health effects, such as liver cirrhosis and some cancers.

cer in women. Calling it “a very strong report,” Norman Giesbrecht of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health said Ontario surveys conducted by the Toronto institution have suggested that less than half the population is aware that alcohol is carcinogenic. As well, the highest levels of awareness were among abstainers and light drinkers, not heavy drinkers, said Giesbrecht, a senior scientist emeritus at CAMH. Taylor’s report, which was tabled in Parliament before being made public, suggests drinking was related to almost 4,300 deaths, representing almost two per cent of all fatalities in 2002, the most recent year for which figures are available. Most deaths were due to alcoholic liver disease, motor vehicle accidents and alcoholrelated suicides. However, the figures are likely vastly underestimated due to outdated statistics. More current figures show 230 of boozerelated deaths in 2009 to 2011 were directly caused by alcohol

poisoning. “The one that I find personally quite distressing is that every year in Canada there are approximately 3,000 babies born with fetal alcohol syndrome disorder and there are approximately 330,000 Canadians living with FASD today,” Taylor said of the disorder caused by often excessive alcohol consumption during pregnancy. “That’s quite astounding in terms of some of the impact.” Other facts in the report include: • Costs related to alcohol in Canada were about $14.6 billion in 2002, a figure that would be much higher in 2015. • In fiscal year 2013-2014, $20.5 billion worth of alcohol was sold in Canada. • In 2008, impaired driving was the leading cause of criminal death in the country. While some evidence has suggested that alcohol may be beneficial for some people, particularly the effects of wine on cardiovascular disease, more recent research questions that finding, Taylor said. www.canadianinquirer.net

“Growing evidence suggests that the benefits from alcohol consumption may not be directly due to alcohol and are not relevant for all individuals, at all ages or in all situations,” the report says. Taylor said teens and young adults are especially vulnerable to the deleterious effects of booze, as their brains are still developing. “Drinking is seen often as a form of entertainment, and because it is widely available and promoted in our society, I’m concerned about youth (being) exposed to drinking,” he said. “We think of alcohol in Canada more as a food or a beverage, but in fact it’s a mind-altering psychotrophic drug. If there’s one key message that I’d like to get across, it’s that it’s not harmless.” The Canadian Public Health Association applauded the report, noting that drinking is linked to more than 200 diseases, conditions and injuries. “Alcohol consumption also contributes to health inequities,” CPHA executive director Ian Culbert said in a state-

ment. “While those with more disposable income are likely to drink more, those with a lower socioeconomic status tend to suffer from higher levels of alcohol-related harms, including death.” The organization said people should follow Canada’s LowRisk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines, while acknowledging that a 2013 national survey found that 21 per cent of respondents who drank in the previous year had exceeded those guidelines. “Individual Canadians need to look at the potential risks associated with their patterns of alcohol consumption and all levels of government need to look at the policy and regulatory tools at their disposal to support Canadians to reduce their consumption levels,” said Culbert. Under its mandate, the Public Health Agency of Canada report does not make recommendations to legislators, but Giesbrecht said there are a couple of specific areas that need particular attention. There should be greater government control over advertising of alcoholic products, which appears on TV, in printed publications, on billboards and transit vehicles, he said. Ads to promote booze consumption are also present on Internet sites and social media, where they could encourage drinking in young people. The other issue is how alcohol is distributed in Canada. “Our control systems have some real strengths, but some of those strengths are being eroded through partial privatization in some provinces,” noted Giesbrecht. And Ontario’s recent decision to sell beer in grocery stores could negatively affect vulnerable populations, such as recovering alcoholics, who are confronted with booze where they buy food, he said. “I think that some of those changes ... need to have a cautious approach.” ■

Lifestyle

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2016

Why do teens take risks? A parenting expert says it’s all in their heads

Bosnian first graders reach out to deaf schoolmate

BY BILL GRAVELAND The Canadian Press

BY AIDA CERKEZ The Associated Press

ing dopamine levels in the reward centre of the brain. The low levels of dopamine in the reward centre suggest a teen requires more excitement and stimulation to achieve pleasure than an adult. So a teenager will attempt riskier behaviours, Schafer says. “What we have seen is the teen brain is actually wired evolutionarily to take risk and to excitement seek. It’s sort of a Darwinian thing that says this is the age as a species you are asking the approaching adult to

“We’ve all done boneheaded things and survived. This is just one of those cases where it didn’t work out.” CALGARY — We’ve all got Schafer says teens are good one — a story from our teenat recognizing risks in their acage years about a risky decitions, but often take part anysion that we look back on with way. Add in peer pressure and a mixture of pride and dread at there’s a problem. the thought of what could have “I bet those eight teens made happened had something gone a different decision than if one wrong. teen went up their alone.” The deaths of 17-year-old Schafer advises parents to twin brothers who police say try to find activities for their scaled a fence with six other kids that involve the feeling of friends to toboggan down an risk without the danger, such as icy bobsled track in Calgary sports or public performance. has raised the The superinquestion of why tendent of Westdo young people mount Charter take such risks? School where The answer, They make some decisions about twins Jordan and says Torontothe kind of activities they want to Evan Caldwell based famget involved in. Sometimes it will be attended, says he ily therapist and a bad decision which can lead to a hopes that stuauthor Alyson tragic ending. dents will learn Schafer, lies in from this sad part of the teenevent. age brain. “It’s important A number of for us to rememstudies, including one from the leave the security of the family ber that the students involved National Institutes of Health in social unit and to venture out — in this event are teenagers. the United States and another basically flock from the nest,” They make some decisions from the American College of she says. about the kind of activities they Pediatricians, point to teenage “I’m sure every parent can want to get involved in. Somebrains still being under con- probably dig back in their times it will be a bad decision struction. memory and think of some- which can lead to a tragic endThe early adolescent brain thing where they go: ‘There ing,” says Joe Frank. has higher levels of dopamine — but for the grace of God go I, if “I think we need to have our the hormone most responsible I would have gone two miles an students as much as possible for feelings of pleasure — in the hour faster or didn’t stop three think it can happen to anybody prefrontal cortex, but decreas- seconds earlier,” she said. — it can happen to them.” ■

Paltrow describes... and statements that he wanted to cleanse her of sin. “This is a case that has gone on for Ms. Paltrow for 17 years,” Deputy District Attorney Wendy Segall said during opening statements. “Her sense of security has been shattered by this man.” Soiu was found not guilty by reason of insanity in 2000 in a previous trial involving the pornographic messages he sent to Paltrow. He was sent to a mental institution for several years, but re-arrested last year after sending the actress new corre❰❰ 31

spondence. The recent batch letters described Soiu’s intention to marry the actress as well as a pair of earrings he sent her in 2009 as a Christmas gift, some second-hand clothes and a Weight Watchers cookbook. He has also sent her religious books, and forwarded her letters he has sent to President Barack Obama and actress Angelina Jolie. One letter described Paltrow “bowing to death.” The actress said the reference was disturbing. In another, Soiu is accused of writing, “I have a goal: to marry

Gwyneth Paltrow and take care of her.” “I felt very upset by it,” Paltrow said. “This has been a very long and very traumatic experience already,” Paltrow said. Soiu, who is from suburban Columbus, Ohio, shook his head during portions of Segall’s opening statement and Paltrow’s testimony. Her testimony came a day after Paltrow appeared at Super Bowl 50, cheering on Coldplay and her friend, Beyonce Knowles, during their halftime performance. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

SARAJEVO, BOSNIA — When Mirzana Coralic asked the primary school in her Sarajevo neighbourhood whether they would enrol her deaf son, teacher Sanela Ljumanovic volunteered without thinking much about it. Then September came and 6-year-old Zejd was there, silently sitting on one of the school’s benches, his eyes wide open. At the time, no one at the school, not even Zejd, knew sign language. “We have to come up with something here,” Ljumanovic remembers thinking. She tried to develop her own tricks and signs to communicate with Zejd but a parent had another idea, proposing that the whole class learn sign language with him. Three months later, the firstgraders of class 1-2 at Osman Nakas primary school in Sarajevo have mastered the basics of sign language to communicate with their classmate. “Zejd,” said Uma Nadarevic, 6, crossing her arms to sign his name. “Please,” she then put her palms together as if she would be praying. “Can ... you ...show ...me ...our ...homework ...in ... math?” Uma waved the signs with her little arms as she slowly pronounced each word. Zejd grabbed his notebook out of a bag and showed her the circles and squares he drew at home. Uma signed “Thank you” and Zejd bowed a “you are welcome.” In 2003, Bosnia adopted laws that allow children with disabilities to be fully integrated into society, including schools. Children with special needs are supposed to have professional assistants who sit with them in class, translating or otherwise helping them participate. But in practice, impoverished Bosnia barely has enough money to keep normal schools functioning and children with disabilities are left to the care and imagination of their parents and the good will of school staff.

Zejd was lucky — and his teachers say the effort being put in by all is boosting his selfesteem. “He looks forward to going to school,” said his mother, who tried to learn the sign language with him before school started but says he was not very interested in it. “Now he is happy and motivated.” Still, Zejd is an exception in Bosnian society, said Anisa Setkic-Sendic, the sign language teacher who teaches the class. “When he sees how much others insist on communicating with him, it is motivating,” she added. “This should be normal.” His classmates are embracing the challenge of a new language. “I like to learn Zejd’s language so I can talk to him and to other deaf people,” said Tarik Sijaric, one of Zejd’s best friends. “It is fun.” “I like this language and I also think it will be useful when I grow up,” added student Anesa Susic. Zejd is fitting in now and the new language is spreading beyond the classroom, said Ljumanovic. Children are teaching their parents at home. “We are all happy as we are learning a new language,” she said. “The goal, however, is also to teach Zejd to read lips ... he is a good kid, a smart kid.” Ljumanovic said she would introduce sign language into the curriculum not only to enable communication but because it helps children become more sensitive toward those with disabilities. Setkic-Sendic said she should be paid for her work by the Ministry of Education but there are simply no funds right now. Instead, she is being paid by contributions from the parents of children in the class. Not all can financially participate. Only Ljumanovic knows who can’t pay, who does and how much. And she won’t tell anyone — that’s the deal. “We are finding ways,” said Setkic-Sendic. “The children are growing, we can’t wait for better times to come.” ■

FEBRUARY 12, 2016

FRIDAY

Business

Regulator to quiz Meralco on Feb power rate hike ERC takes note of recent decline in world oil prices BY RIZA T. OLCHONDRA Philippine Daily Inquirer THE ENERGY Regulatory Commission (ERC) said it would order the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) to explain the increase in power rates this month amid the recent decline in oil prices, a large component in generation companies’ operational costs. In a phone interview, ERC chairperson Jose Vicente B. Salazar said the quasi-judicial body would serve the notice to Meralco “first thing” this week. “We know that overall rates are mostly composed of passthrough charges such as generation charges. That is, they are charges that Meralco transmits to another party, such as a generation company, after collecting the same from power consumers in its franchise. We do know that oil prices is just one factor among many in the [generating costs]. But we want details on the computation right away especially in light of the recent decline in oil prices,” Salazar said. Under current rules, Meralco is required to submit to ERC its calculation of the automatic passthrough charges by the end of the month after the review period. That means that rates for the month of February, which were determined around end-January, should be submitted to the ERC by endFebruary. Salazar said ERC wanted Meralco to submit the computations much earlier. He said this would help the ERC address feedback from consumer groups and individual consumers. In an advisory Friday, Meralco said rates for its residential customers will go up by 42 centavos per (kWh) this month. This meant a typical household

consuming 200 kWh would see an increase of about P85 in the electricity bill. The generation charge, which takes up the bulk of overall rates, increased by 25 centavos per kWh. “Plants under the Power Supply Agreements (PSAs) registered an increase of 76 centavos per kWh. Cost of purchases from PSAs, which were low last month due to adjustments from an annual reconciliation of outage allowances, normalized this month,” Meralco said. Also contributing to the increase in PSA charges were their lower plant capacity factors, partly due to the scheduled maintenance shutdown of one unit each of the Calaca and Masinloc power plants, Meralco said. The increase in the PSA charges cancelled out the lower charges from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) and Independent Power Producers (IPPs), Meralco said. WESM charges dropped by P2.21 per kWh, largely due to lower spot market demand, it added. The average rate of the IPPs also slightly went down by 1 centavo per kWh, Meralco said. The average price of natural gas for the First Gas plants went down following the quarterly repricing of the Malampaya natural gas. The lower fuel costs were not maximized, however, since the dispatch level of the IPP was reduced. Meanwhile, transmission charge increased by 8 centavos per kWh due to higher ancillary charges. Following the increase in generation and transmission charges, taxes also increased by 5 centavos per kWh. Other charges likewise increased by 4 centavos per kWh. Meralco’s distribution, supply, and metering charges remained unchanged after it registered a reduction last July. ■

HOMEBUYER, BEWARE:

‘Property Brothers’ stars urge caution in hot housing market BY LAUREN LA ROSE The Canadian Press TORONTO — Drew and Jonathan Scott live in Las Vegas, but the “Property Brothers” stars still invest in real estate in their hometown of Vancouver where red-hot home sales and prices show few signs of cooling. “The big thing is we’re seeing a lot of these houses that are selling for a million over list,” said Drew, a real estate expert who scouts and negotiates fixer-upper homes on the hit W Network series. His identical twin brother, Jonathan, is a licensed contractor and master builder who handles the renovations. The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver said last month was the second busiest January on record as residential property sales in the region jumped nearly 32 per cent, compared to January 2015. The estimated price of an average home across Metro Vancouver surged nearly 28 per cent to just under $1.3-million from January of last year. Across Canada, the national average sale price for homes increased 12 per cent last December compared to December 2014, according to the Canadian Real Estate Association. www.canadianinquirer.net

When the greater Vancouver and Toronto areas were excluded, the increase was 5.4 per cent, CREA said. Drew recommended wouldbe buyers seek an agent to evaluate comparable sold properties to help determine true market value. “Some people get into a big frenzy and they bid up, bid up, bid up, and they don’t realize they’re paying way more than the house is worth. You don’t want to be in that situation. “There are several times that we’ve looked at properties with clients, and they have all these things that they want to do. But every neighbourhood has a cap for what you can do for an improvement and what people will buy and pay for in that neighbourhood.” Enlisting a contractor who can provide a quote on repair or renovation costs can help support the efforts of an agent who can determine whether changes will be a financial boon or bust, Drew noted. “Most people skip the step,” added Jonathan. “They think: ‘Hey, I want to renovate my house.’ They just dive right in and they spend all this money and they don’t think about the fact that ‘Oh, wait: Am I actually going to be able to get the money back out of the place if I

have to sell?’ “I’ve had so many clients that have said to me: ‘Oh, well, I know I’m overspending on the renovation. I’m doing a little more than I should, but I’m going to live here forever.’ But circumstances change and a year later they have to move. So you always, always have to keep in mind that future resale value.” Drew said another cardinal mistake prospective buyers make is embarking on the process unprepared, including looking for properties when they’re unaware of what they’re qualified to spend. “Have a home inspector ready to go. If you’re going to do a renovation have a contractor ready to have a look at the place so you can come in right away with the strongest offer,” he said. “That’s why people miss out. It’s because they’re not prepared to pounce when they know it’s the right property for them. “We tell clients all the time ... Real estate is a great way to make money. It’s a great way to grow an investment over the years. However, if you’re not ready to get into a property, or if you’re not ready to get into a certain size of property, don’t rush. The worst thing you can do is become house poor, and we want to make sure that people aren’t.” ■

Business

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2016

Welcome to the 'agrihood': homes built around working farms BY DEAN FOSDICK The Associated Press GATED COMMUNITIES with houses clustered around golf courses, swimming pools, party rooms and fitness centres are common in many suburban areas. But homes built adjacent to functioning farms? Welcome to “agrihoods” — pastoral ventures with healthier foods as their focus. This farm-to-table residential model has been sprouting up everywhere from Atlanta to Shanghai. It involves homes built within strolling distance of small working farms, where produce matures under the hungry gaze of residents, where people can venture out and pick greens for their salads. “Real estate developers are looking for the next big thing to set them apart,” said Ed McMahon, senior resident fellow with the Urban Land Institute in Washington. “That gives them a competitive advantage.” There are many variations of the agrihood, McMahon said. “Some developers rent acreage to farmers,” he said. “Some set

up non-profit C.S.A. (community-supported agriculture) programs. Some have the residents doing it (the growing) themselves.” Agrihoods frequently include farmer’s markets, inns and restaurants sited in communal hubs where the edibles are processed or sold. A lot of things are driving the trend, McMahon said. “There’s more interest in fresh foods. There’s interest in good health. There’s interest in local everything. It’s also about enjoying the many conveniences that help you meet your neighbours.” Many purchasers are secondhome buyers, retirees or parents of young children, McMahon said. “They tend to be what I call the ‘barbell generation,”’ he said. “The millennial generation that wants fresh everything, that wants to know where their food is coming from. Also the senior generation, the baby boomers. They don’t want big yards to take care of anymore.” Prices tend to be a lot cheaper for agriculture-centred dwellings than for homes facing golf

courses. Along with their higher operating costs, many golf course developments face concerns about water shortages; some are being pushed toward becoming food-based operations, said Matthew “Quint” Redmond, owner of Agriburbia LLB, a Boulder, Colorado-based business that designs, builds and operates farms. “The issue is making more calories out of the water we have,” Redmond said. “Growing things that are better for you. And fewer people are playing golf these days. We’ll be seeing a lot of golf course conversions in the next 10 to 15 years.” Clay and Roz Johnson moved to a farm-centred community called Serenbe near Atlanta when their second child arrived and they wanted more space. About 70 per cent of the 1,000-plus-acre property is green space, and their home abuts the barn. “I’m looking at it out my back window,” Clay Johnson said in a phone interview. “I’m watching some free-range chickens.” Most of Serenbe’s landscape consists of edible, medicinal or

This farm-to-table residential model has been sprouting up everywhere from Atlanta to Shanghai.

native plants, said spokeswoman Monica Olsen. “We have blueberry bushes at all of the crosswalks, three on-site restaurants and a seasonal farmer’s market. We just had our 10-year anniversary from when our first residents moved in.” Johnson said moving to Serenbe made financial sense for his family. “We sold our three-bedroom (house) in Atlanta for more than we bought our five-bedroom here. We both work from home, and have room available if needed for our aging parents.” And living close to the farm gives them a more personal re-

lationship with their food, he said. “Our kids recognize the farmers and know who they are. The farm is operated like a business, so you can’t just hop the fence and pull some vegetables. That’s stealing. But my son has asked for and been given a handful of cherry tomatoes for the walk home,” Johnson said. “When we had our second child, I didn’t cook for several weeks because neighbours kept bringing over food,” he said. “It’s not just a farm but it creates a sense of community just like a church does. We all meet at the farmer’s market on Saturdays.” ■

BSP expected to keep policy rates unchanged BY DORIS DUMLAOABADILLA Philippine Daily Inquirer THE BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas may keep its key interest rates unchanged on Thursday— its first monetary policy meeting for the year—as inflation is seen to remain benign, an economist from Citibank said. In January, the country’s year-on-year inflation rate eased to 1.3 percent from 1.5 percent in December. It was within the BSP’s forecast range of 0.8-1.6 percent for the month. Citi economist Jun Trinidad said the temporary relief from faster inflation was due to the effects of the low oil prices on energy-related consumer price index (CPI) items, as electricity, gas and cooking fuel costs eased by 5.7 percent yearon-year. He said core inflation had re-

treated to 1.8 percent year-onyear in January versus 2.1 percent year-on-year in December, resulting in a sequential decline of 0.15 percent month-onmonth, taking out seasonality factors. Core inflation excludes certain volatile food and energy items to better capture underlying price pressures. “The oil supply glut in January, i.e. Iranian oil, could have contributed to soothing core CPI upticks,” Trinidad said. Oil-rich Iran has returned to the global oil market following the lifting of international sanctions, further weighing down crude prices. By the second half of 2016, the economist expects the country’s inflation rate to “normalize” to levels within the BSP’s inflation target range. “Updated monthly trajectory of headline and core CPI

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

flagged an upturn past 2 percent year-on-year in the second half of 2016—a base-case path that assumes no major breach of oil prices below $30 per barrel later in the year,” Trinidad said. Citi is forecasting a “shallow” www.canadianinquirer.net

RAMON FVELASQUEZ / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

recovery in global oil prices. It expects core CPI to encounter high base effect in February and April but as it fades, the trajectory of core inflation is seen to normalize at within the range of 2.2–2.6 percent year-on-year.

Trinidad said the expected solid uptick in core inflation coupled with fading low base effects for energy-based CPI would allow headline inflation to probe 3 percent year-on-year in the third quarter of this year. “Amid favorable demand dynamics, headline and core CPI outlook shows normalization in second half of 2016 to within the mid-point of BSP’s annual inflation target range,” Trinidad said. Overall, Trinidad said this relief from faster pace of inflation in January and the moderate trajectory of inflation in the second half would support an unchanged overnight interest rate and special deposit account policy rate at this week’s monetary policy meeting of the BSP. The BSP is targeting inflation to remain within the 2 to 4 percent range this 2016. ■

FEBRUARY 12, 2016

FRIDAY

Sports

No masterpiece, but Manning rides off with a win BY EDDIE PELLS The Associated Press SANTA CLARA, CALIF. — The best thing for Peyton Manning is that he won the Super Bowl. A close second: He never has to lace ‘em up again. Constantly harassed, never quite comfortable — sort of the way the whole season has played out — Manning walked away with his second Super Bowl title Sunday night, after Denver’s defence all but handed him the Lombardi Trophy in a 24-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers. A towel draped over his shoulder, his freshly printed championship hat on his head, Manning wouldn’t budge on whether this was, in fact, his last game. “I got some good advice from Tony Dungy,” Manning said of the first of four coaches with whom he’s been to the Super Bowl. “He said, ‘Don’t make an emotional decision.’ This has been an emotional week, an emotional night. I’m going to take some time to reflect.” If part of the decision involves a peek back at this game, he won’t like anything he sees, except the final score. He was creaky, off-target at times. He got bamboozled into his first interception of this year’s playoffs and could’ve thrown a few more if Panthers’ defenders had better hands. Manning lost a fumble, as well. His most important throw? Might have been the pass that flew 10 yards out of the end zone but drew a defensive holding call that set up the gameclinching touchdown late in the

Orange Denver Broncos football jerseys strung over a street in celebration of their Super Bowl win. VICKI L. MILLER / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

fourth quarter. Manning completed 13 passes for 141 yards and got the Broncos moving to start both halves. That was plenty. Those small wisps of offence set up a few field goals, kept the Broncos in good field position — then allowed No. 18 and Co. to clear the way for a smothering, historically good defence that won the game with seven sacks and four turnovers. Manning became the first quarterback to win the Super Bowl with two franchises. He joined his brother, Eli, and 10 other quarterbacks as multiple Super Bowl winners. He’s been taking it week by week this year, insisting he’s not think-

ing about what he’ll do after the season. Now that it’s over, he’ll have to decide whether he wants to walk away on top — same as his boss, John Elway, did after he won his second title back in 1999. After his final win, Elway took some time to reflect and admitted to himself that he couldn’t grind another year. Smart money has Manning making the same choice, and his father, Archie, suggested his kid’s days in Denver are all but done. “I want to hear his side of it first,” Archie said, while standing against a wall outside the Broncos locker room. “I’ve got some ideas. I would never tell

www.canadianinquirer.net

Peyton what to do. I’ll lay some things out for him. He knows what to consider. If he wants to play some more football, he’s going have to go to another team. He’s going to be 40. But we have not talked about it.” Manning is technically under contract with the Broncos for one more season, though everything they’ve done over the past year — fire John Fox, hire Gary Kubiak and Wade Phillips, revamp the offence — has spoken to a desire to build a winner that will last beyond Manning’s tenure in Denver. Which could be ending shortly. Manning spoke to the team Saturday night — an emotional talk that defensive lineman

Derek Wolfe called the “most intense” speech he’d ever been part of. “I kind of thanked them for letting me be a part of the journey,” Manning said. It had the makings of a farewell. The quarterback rewrote the record book his first three years in Denver, then remade himself in Year 4. He threw 17 interceptions, missed six games with an injured foot, suited up as a backup, and finally, came back as a diminished game manager. But he didn’t shirk from that role. He won with a Super Bowl passer rating of 56.6 that, unbelievably, wasn’t that much lower than what he compiled this season. He won by handing off a lot. The Broncos ran 28 times Sunday, including on third-and-9 late in this game while nursing a lead. That never would have happened in earlier in his 18year career. Denver’s 11 first downs were the same as Manning would’ve racked up in a quarter a few years back. “We couldn’t move it, couldn’t run it,” Archie Manning said. “I got so tired of hearing ‘No gain.’ They said it a hundred times.” A game like this that would normally send Peyton scurrying to the film room, trying to figure out how to make things better for next week. Next week doesn’t matter. Next year might not either. “Peyton’s spoiled us,” his father said. “The season was hard. So different. But that’s what life is, and football has many similarities. It’s dealing with adversity. That’s what life’s about.” ■

Sports

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2016

Fil-foreign batters join WBC team BY MARC ANTHONY REYES Philippine Daily Inquirer THE PHILIPPINES is set to compete in the World Baseball Classic Qualifier with a team featuring Filipino-foreign Major League players. Former New York Yankee pitcher Clay Rapada will spearhead the squad along with Miami Dolphin catcher Brad Haynal and Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Angelo Songco in the tournament slated Feb. 11 to 14. The team, which flew to Sydney, Australia last week, will also have as manager Tim Hulett, current manager of Texas Rangers Single A affiliate Spokane Indians. The Philippines will be making only its second appearance in a WBC qualifier after finish-

ing in the top two in the 2013 edition by beating Thailand, 8-2. Philippine baseball chief Marti Esmendi said they are looking at scoring at least a win. They face Australia on opening day. Only the champion qualifies to the WBC next year in the United States. “I think it’s a real serious deal [for the Philippines],” Hullet was quoted by worldbaseballclassic.com as saying. “They are trying to make it to the next round so it’s a big deal.” Also included in the team are outfielder Chris Aguila who played for the Marlins and the Mets and Eric Farris who saw action for the Brewers. Homegrown Filipino pitchers Vladimir Eguia and Jonjon Robles and infielder Jonash Ponce are also in the squad. ■

PSA honors Uytengsu as Executive of Year BY CEDELF P. TUPAS Philippine Daily Inquirer AN ARCHITECT of championships in the PBA who brought the popular Ironman race franchise to the country, Wilfred Uytengsu Jr. has made sure that sports in the Philippines remains as vibrant as ever. For his efforts, Uytengsu, who is also one of the country’s most prominent businessmen, will be honored with the Executive of the Year award by the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) during its Feb. 13 Annual Awards Night presented by San Miguel and Milo at One Esplanade in Pasay. As CEO and president of Alaska Milk, Uytengsu has spearheaded the promotion and development of various sports, ranging from basketball, triathlon to football. Among the past Executive of the Year awardees were Manny V. Pangilinan, Hans Sy, Ricky Vargas, Dan Palami, and Chito Salud. “It’s with great honor and pride for the Philippine Sports-

writers Association to pay tribute to a true sportsman in Mr. Wilfred Uytengsu Jr.,” said PSA president Riera Mallari of the Manila Standard Uytengsu will also keynote the program where boxers Donnie Nietes and Nonito Donaire Jr., and golfer Miguel Tabuena will be awarded as Athletes of the Year. A former national swim team member, Uytengsu is a graduate of University of Southern California with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He competed in the Southeast Asian Games in 1981, before working at Alaska Milk Corp., founded by his late father, Wilfred Sr., in 1972. Alaska is one of PBA’s most successful teams, winning a rare grand slam in 1996. Over the past few years, Uytengsu has helped organize the Ironman triathlon with Alaska also backing triathlon’s youth program. The company also partnered with the NBA for the Jr. NBA program and got involved in youth football through the Alaska Cup. ■

THE NOWHERE MEN:

Basketball nomads chase dreams in Canada’s startup pro league BY KEITH DOUCETTE The Canadian Press HALIFAX — Since he turned pro eight years ago, Arizonanative Gabe Freeman has gotten around: He has played in Mexico, the Philippines, and in Rochester, N.Y. Now, the slashing, athletic forward plays for the Saint John Mill Rats of the startup National Basketball League of Canada, where eight teams in two divisions based in southern Ontario and the Maritimes struggle for recognition and ultimately survival. “This is a grind, man,” the 2011 league MVP said following a recent game against the Halifax Hurricanes. Freeman is typical of the many players sweating it out several rungs below basketball’s top tier — good enough to play professionally, but in medium-to-small centres like Charlottetown, Saint John, N.B., and Orangeville, Ont. It’s a universe away from the elite players gathering in Toronto this weekend for the NBA AllStar game, where even the losers earned US$25,000 last year for the single game, according to the NBA collective agreement. NBA teams have a salary cap of US$70 million this season. In the NBL, teams have a salary cap of $150,000 per 12-man squad. In places like London, Ont., basketball nomads like Freeman, 30, test their mettle in an effort to keep their hoop dreams alive. “Any time you can play basketball and you are getting paid for it, you have not too much to complain about,” said Halifax Hurricanes guard Cliff Clinkscales. The 31-year-old from Queens, N.Y., is playing in his third season in Canada after previous stops in the NBA Development League. Freeman is doing his second stint in the NBL after previously playing for the London Lightning. The action on this night featured a silky smooth performance by Freeman, who at times seemed to glide through the Hurricanes defence at will. By game’s end his 22 points www.canadianinquirer.net

Gabe Freeman.

was second only to the 26 scored by teammate Johnny Mayhane, whose hot shooting helped the New Brunswick club easily outdistance their division rivals. It would be clear to any observer that these guys can play, yet the league is home to players, mostly Americans, who are destined to travel basketball’s global food chain. Many have played in leagues around the world, from southeast Asia and Europe to South America and Mexico, and for most the journey has been as distant from multi-million-dollar paydays and travel by chartered jets as you can get. “You’ve really got to love this game to do what we do,” said Freeman. “We don’t make the best money but we are all trying to get somewhere and sometimes you have to sacrifice the financial part to get to where you want to go to make the money.” For Freeman at least, getting to where he wants to go means there’s still an NBA dream, however fleeting. “I think that’s what we all play this game for, whether it’s for a three-day contract, a 10-day contract or whether it’s just to play one game,” he said. “We all do this to go to the next level I would think — that’s the reason why I play.” For now it means playing in the NBL, mostly before sparse crowds and for teams trying to gain a financial footing. An adult ticket for the HalifaxSaint John game cost $19; perhaps a thousand people watched at the Scotiabank Centre, an arena that holds 10 times that. Ian McCarthy, president and

SCREENSHOT FROM YOUTUBE

general manager of the Mill Rats, helped start the NBL with business partner Andre Levingston in 2011. McCarthy said it had been a “tonne of work” getting the league into its fifth season. “I think if you look at the history of any league in its startup years you see teams come and go, you see names changed, relocation — it’s sort of a survival-of-the-fittest mode. It does need to be viable but there are strong ownerships in this league that are willing to invest until it gets to that point.” The league suits players such as Mayhane just fine. The selfdescribed “basketball lifer” from Mobile, Ala., is also into his second stay in the NBL. “I’m going to try to stay in the game,” said the personable 29-year-old. “I would like to try to do a little coaching and go from there. I have to be around the game.” Mayhane played a year in Moncton, N.B., before returning to the NBL with Saint John after a brief two-and-a-half month stay in Mexico. He returned after what he tellingly described as a “little money experience “ with the Toluca club. The NBL plays a 40-game season that runs from late December until the end of April. Inter-divisional play is a rarity in a league where bus is the main mode of transportation, and where the home team shares its trainer with visitors to keep costs down. “We’re not spoiled,” said Mayhane. “We’re a long ways from spoiled but it’s a way to feed our family and we’ve just got to do what we’ve got to do.” ■

FEBRUARY 12, 2016

FRIDAY

Technology

Twitter moves to actively seek out terrorist supporters BY TAMI ABDOLLAH The Associated Press

said Twitter’s announcement was “very much welcome.” “The administration is committed to taking every action possible to confront and interdict terrorist activities wherever they may occur, including in cyberspace, and we welcome constructive steps from our private sector partners,” the White House said. Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, called it “a very positive development.” In January, the White House made good on President Barack Obama’s promise to reach out to Silicon Valley to tackle the use of social media by violent

rorist content,” according to a copy of the White House briefing memo obtained by The Associated Press. WASHINGTON — Twitter is “We recognize that identinow using spam-fighting techfying terrorist content that nology to seek out accounts that violates terms of service is far might be promoting terrorist acmore difficult than identifying tivity and is examining other acimages of child pornography, counts related to those flagged but is there a way to use techfor possible removal, the comnology to quickly identify terpany announced Friday. rorist content? For example, The announcement demonare there technologies used for strated efforts by Twitter to authe prevention of spam that tomatically identify tweets supcould be useful?” the memo porting terrorism, reflecting stated. increased pressure placed by Since late 2015, Twitter bethe U.S. government for social gan using “proprietary spammedia companies to respond fighting tools” to find accounts to abuse more proactively. that might be violating their Child pornography has previterms of service by promotously been the ing terrorism, only abuse that sending them to was automatibe reviewed by cally flagged for a team at Twithuman review Social media has increasingly ter. That group on social media, become a tool for recruitment and also now looks using a different radicalization that’s used by the Islamic into other ackind of technolState group and its supporters. counts similar to ogy that sources those reported a database of to them by other known images. users. Twitter also Twitter said said Friday it has suspended extremist groups. Those partic- it has already had seen results, more than 125,000 accounts for ularly include the Islamic State “including an increase in acthreatening or promoting ter- group, which inspired attackers count suspensions and this rorist acts, mainly related to Is- who killed 14 in San Bernardi- type of activity shifting off of lamic State militants, in the last no, California, last December. Twitter.” eight months. Social media has A post on one of the killers’ But it also noted that there is increasingly become a tool for Facebook pages that appeared no “magic algorithm” for idenrecruitment and radicalization around the time of the attack tifying terrorist content, which that’s used by the Islamic State included a pledge of allegiance is why even humans reviewgroup and its supporters, who to the leader of the Islamic ing the material are ultimately by some reports have sent tens State group. making judgment calls “based of thousands of tweets per day. Facebook found the post — on very limited information Tech companies are dedicat- which was under an alias — the and guidance.” Free speech and ing increasingly more resourc- day after the attack. The com- local law in an area can also es to tracking reports of violent pany removed the profile from complicate matters. threats. Twitter said Friday that public view and informed law “Like most people around it has increased the size of its enforcement. But such a proac- the world, we are horrified by team reviewing reports to re- tive effort is fairly uncommon. the atrocities perpetrated by duce their response time “sigThe Obama administration extremist groups. We condemn nificantly.” The San Francisco- sent several top officials to San the use of Twitter to promote based company also changed its Jose, California, including FBI terrorism,” Twitter said in a policy in April, adding language Director James Comey, Attor- statement released Friday. It to make clear that “threatening ney General Loretta Lynch and said it would continue to “enor promoting terrorism” spe- National Security Agency Di- gage with authorities and other cifically counted as abusive be- rector Mike Rogers. relevant organizations to find haviour and violated its terms Among issues discussed was solutions to this critical issue of use. how to use technology to help and promote powerful counterThe White House on Friday speed the identification of “ter- speech narratives.” ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

Jian Ghomeshi.

STACEY NEWMAN / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Ghomeshi emails reveal growing importance of ‘digital debris’ to trials BY LAURA KANE The Canadian Press VANCOUVER — The unearthing of 13-year-old emails in an attempt to discredit a woman accusing Jian Ghomeshi of sexual assault underscores the growing importance of “digital debris” in criminal and civil trials, experts say. Lawyers and technology experts say the Internet has allowed for extensive records to be kept of one’s movements and comments unlike anything in the past, but most people still don’t consider the potential permanence of their words when firing off a message. The amount of electronic data, records and documents introduced in trials can be “overwhelming,” said David Fraser, an Internet and privacy lawyer with McInnes Cooper. “There’s also a tendency for people to put in email messages things that would be relatively casual that they earlier would have picked up the phone to communicate,” he said. “Picking up the phone wouldn’t have created a record, but as soon as (the recipient has) an email message and they’re not inclined to delete it, all of a sudden you have a record.” Defence lawyer Marie Henein has grilled two female complainants on their corre-

spondence with Ghomeshi after the alleged assaults. A third has yet to testify. On Friday, Henein produced a racy email sent by Lucy DeCoutere mere hours after she alleges Ghomeshi choked and slapped her in 2003, as well as a handwritten letter sent a few days later in which DeCoutere wrote “I love your hands.” The “Trailer Park Boys” actress testified she didn’t remember sending the email. She said firmly that the note — as well as other warm and even romantic dispatches she sent to Ghomeshi — didn’t mean the alleged assault didn’t take place. Ghomeshi has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him. In a 2014 Facebook post he acknowledged engaging in rough sex but said it was consensual. While 13 years is a bit further back than most people’s saved correspondence stretches, Fraser said it’s increasingly common to hang on to emails forever, given that web-based clients like Gmail, Yahoo Mail and Hotmail have practically unlimited storage space. “It’s a whole lot easier to keep it than it is to make the effort to decide what to delete,” he said. Only a few lines of Ghomeshi’s replies have been read out by the defence and the Crown has not indicated that it has ❱❱ PAGE 47 Ghomeshi emails

Technology

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2016

More Canadians choosing credit card, mobile payments over cash: study BY LAUREN LA ROSE The Canadian Press TORONTO — Canadian consumers are more inclined to reach for their smartphones and credit cards over bills and coins to make purchases, according to a new study. Market and consumer information firm GfK conducted an online survey of 1,000 Canadians as part of a larger study on shopping behaviours. In 2015, only 25 per cent of Canadian transactions were in cash, a decline of two percentage points from 2014. Meanwhile, credit cards accounted for the majority of transactions at 42 per cent, unchanged from the previous year. “We also saw a number of years ago in this country a very concerted effort by the card companies to get people to start using their cards for smaller payments. That clearly has worked,” said Stephen Popeil, vice-president of GfK Canada. “We’re clearly seeing that the use of cash is getting less and less in this country. Is it ever going to disappear? I don’t

“We’re clearly seeing that the use of cash is getting less and less in this country. Is it ever going to disappear? I don’t think so, because of the nature of certain economies that are out there. But clearly, what we are seeing now is every year fewer and fewer payments are being made with cash.”

think so, because of the nature of certain economies that are out there. But clearly, what we are seeing now is every year fewer and fewer payments are being made with cash.” Debit cards were at 28 per cent, followed by mobile device payments at three per cent. Each category saw marginal growth of a percentage point each compared to 2014. In the case of mobile pay-

ments, GfK found that they tend to skew to younger and higher-income Canadians, as well as among urban dwellers and those with a higher education. But the high- tech payment method is also catching on with boomers and those of the silent generation born between 1925 and 1945. “What we saw this year versus last year is a nice little increase in ... perception of these benefits,”

said Popeil. “More boomers and more older retired Canadians from the silent generation are now acknowledging that mobile payment systems are easier and faster and more efficient.” Despite the convenience afforded by mobile payments, Popeil acknowledged the research revealed concerns over security among consumers. The survey found 53 per of Canadians agreed they were

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worried about their personal information when using a mobile payment app, and only 22 per cent agreed they were confident that their mobile device payments were 100 per cent secure. “We have to figure out as an industry how we’re going to communicate safety and security. That’s a challenge, in my mind, for the whole fin-tech industry,” said Popeil. “In many cases, how do we convince people that divulging certain things about their financial state via these systems is safe and secure? Once we’ve cracked that nut we’re going to see massive uptake on a lot of this. “It’s got to be more than just biometrics, like you find Apple and some of the phones now with thumbprints. There’s got to be some way to convince everyone that these systems are safe and secure.” The polling industry’s professional body, the Marketing Research and Intelligence Association, says online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error as they are not a random sample and therefore are not necessarily representative of the whole population. ■

Long term forecast from www.theweathernetwork.com CALGARY

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Events

FEBRUARY 12, 2016

Generative Journalism Training with Peter Pula - Axiom News Founder By Calgary's Generative Journalism News Co-op WHEN/WHERE: 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Feb. 26, at United Way of Calgary - 105 12 Avenue Southeast #600, Calgary, AB.

CANADA EVENTS

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

New WelcomePack Canada Distribution Centre By WelcomePack Canada Inc. WHEN/WHERE: 1 to 5 p.m., Mon, Tues, Thu & Fri at the Filipino Centre NUNAVUT Bldg., 597 Parliament St., Suite 103, NORTHWEST Toronto, On. TERRITORIES MORE INFO: Call (416) 928-9355

YUKON

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

BRITISH COLUMBIA ALBERTA

FRIDAY

MANITOBA

SASKATCHEWAN

Canadian Citizenship Preparation By Mosaic WHEN/WHERE: 1 to 4 p.m., Feb. 15 and 16, at Mosaic Burnaby Centre for Immigrants, 5902 Kingsway, Vancouver, B.C. MORE INFO: Call Solmaz (604)438-8214 Learn Together To Grow: Parent Support Workshops By Mosaic WHEN/WHERE: 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Feb. 16 and 17, Art Therapy for Children and Parents; Feb. 23 and 24, Employment Readiness and Goal Setting at École Qayqayt Elementary, 85 Merivale St., New Westminster, B.C. MORE INFO: Call Yumi – (604)345-7737 New Eligibility Criteria and Application Process for Canadian Citizenship By Mosaic WHEN/WHERE; 2 to 4 p.m., Feb. 18, at Mosaic Vancouver, 1720 Grant St. Vancouver, B.C. MORE INFO: Call Gerardo (604)254-9626 Temporary Foreign Workers Uncontested Divorce Clinic By Law Courts Center WHEN/WHERE: Saturdays from 2 to 4 p.m., at the Justice Education Society at the Provincial Court of BC Room 260 800 Hornby St., Vancouver B.C. MORE INFO: To book an appointment, call/text 778-322-2839 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

ONTARIO

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

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 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 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 www.canadianinquirer.net

NOVA SCOTIA

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 English Conversation Circle for Newcomers By Mosaic WHEN/WHERE: Tuesdays, 1–2:30 p.m., until Feb. 23, at Mosaic Vancouver Language Centre, 304– 2730 Commercial Dr., Vancouver, B.C. MORE INFO: Call Paeony at 604-254-9626 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. 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 12, 2016

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FEBRUARY 12, 2016

FRIDAY

Food

Waste not: Offset high food prices by throwing out less, say experts BY LOIS ABRAHAM The Canadian Press TORONTO — With food prices expected to continue to rise through 2016, experts say there’s one way people can save money: waste less. “We are throwing out huge amounts of food,” says Michael von Massow, a professor at the University of Guelph. “We don’t like to think about it, we don’t like to admit it, but if we pay attention and think about it we can reduce that, which means we’d have to buy less and we wouldn’t be feeling these price increases as much.” The university’s Food Institute predicted in a December report that Canadians can expect to spend an extra $345 on groceries this year, including up to 4.5 per cent more for fruits and vegetables. When von Massow lectures on strategies to reduce food waste, he tells groups: “Many of us bring five bins or five bags of groceries home on a Saturday. We might as well leave one of them at the curb because we’re going to carry it back there anyway.” In a 2013 audit, researchers at the university found the average household in Guelph, Ont., was throwing out more than four kilograms of food a week and more than half of that was fresh fruits and vegetables. (About a third of the total was unavoidable, such as banana peels, cores and coffee grounds.) “It’s interesting because while diversion from landfill is a great thing, we believe that people let themselves off the hook if it’s diverted to an organics program, that people may actually waste

When von Massow lectures on strategies to reduce food waste, he tells groups: “Many of us bring five bins or five bags of groceries home on a Saturday. We might as well leave one of them at the curb because we’re going to carry it back there anyway.”

more food because they don’t think they’re wasting it — they’re composting it; they’re doing something environmentally sound,” says von Massow. “They’re not thinking about the cost of what they’re throwing out.... So we think in some cases food waste actually goes up when you have a really good organics program like we do in Guelph and they do in Toronto and York Region.” Home economist and cookbook author Mairlyn Smith says her best tip to

save money and reduce waste is to plan weekly menus, with leftovers in mind, and write a grocery list of the necessary ingredients. Then check to see what you have on hand. That point was driven home to her a few years ago when, on a hummus kick, she got back from the store with a bottle of tahini only to discover she already had three in her pantry. “What a waste of money. So that’s when I got the idea that we should really start shopping in our own house, our own pantry, our own fridge, our own freezer, and then we’re not overbuying stuff that you don’t need again.” In fact, every February the Torontobased Smith eats out of her freezer to use up items she’s stocked up on for developing recipes. “February is a really entertaining month here because we eat a lot of weird stuff,” she says with a laugh. She adds that consumers can reduce waste and costs by changing their thinking about portion sizes. She points out that people think nothing of eating a 250-gram (eight-ounce) steak, but that’s actually considered almost enough to feed a family of four. Canada’s Food Guide suggests a serving size of protein is 75 grams (2 1/2

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ounces) or 125 ml (1/2 cup). Here are some other tips to reduce food waste: Extend the life of fruits and vegetables by storing them properly. • “When you get home after shopping, do all your slicing and dicing and washing and chopping for the week,” advises registered dietitian Christy Brissette. You’ll be more likely to use items for packed lunches and ease dinner preparation through the week if produce is ready to go. • Wash and spin lettuce dry, then wrap in a paper towel. Place in a plastic bag, leaving the top of the bag open slightly to let air circulate. Any moisture that develops, which could cause spoilage, will be absorbed by the paper towel. • Fresh herbs are a great way to inject flavour into food while using less salt. If you think you won’t be able to use up all your fresh herbs, freeze portions in ice-cube trays or air-dry them and place in jars, says Brissette, who leads 80 Twenty Nutrition. • Repurpose items, says von Massow. If an apple is not perfect any more, turn it into sauce or a crisp so it can still be eaten without the cost of throwing it out. ■

Seen & Scenes: Vancouver

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2016

GO-KART EVENT In celebration of BC Family Day, the Ateneo Alumni Association of BC held on Feb. 6, an indoor go-kart racing event at the TBC on Viceroy Place in Richmond B.C. Here are some scenes from the event (Photos by Amado Mercado III).

USANA SEMINAR The Dare to Dream team conducted a Super Saturday celebration in Richmond, B.C. on Feb. 6, with speakers Annette and Victor Que who talked about taking your business to the next level; and William Yau who discussed successful management of cash flows, among other things.

www.canadianinquirer.net

Seen and Scenes

FEBRUARY 12, 2016

FRIDAY

KNIGHTS' VALENTINE PARTY The joint Knights of Columbus and New Vision's Valentine's dinner-dance was held at Monsignor Fraser College - Toronto, on Jan. 6 (Photos by Ariel Ramos).

Simon Sarte, manager of I-Remit hands over the HP Laptop computer to Levy Cenas, her husband and daughter at the Jamestown Office located at 240 Wellesley St. Toronto.

I-REMIT RAFFLE I-remit gave out raffle prizes to members of the FilCan community. (Photos by Dindo Orbeso, St. Jamestown News Service) I-Remit Bathurst Office Supervisor Jedda Lyn Gandalera gives an Acer tablet to Alice Teves. Supervisor Jeddah lyn Gandalera and Finance Officer Carol Ong award an HP computer to Almira Castor who is surrounded by her friends at Bathurst Office located at 3776 Bathurst St. Toronto.

ATI-ATIHAN IN TORONTO Senator Tobias (Jun) Enverga recently celebrated Ati-Atihan with the United Aklanon Association of Toronto at the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto in Scarborough, ON. Senator Enverga cited the group for keeping alive the proud and colourful traditions of the Philippines, and by doing so, contribute to the wonderfully diverse mosaic that is the foundation of Canadian society (Photos by Fe P. Taduran).

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

Food

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2016

4 simple hacks for making a Low income leaner and tastier beef roast Canadians may skimp on food, other costs to pay for Internet BY MELISSA D’ARABIAN The Associated Press

IN THE world of beef roasts, marbling is king. The internal automatic basting power of tiny fat pockets melting into the meat is amazing. So what are the options for roasting healthier, leaner cuts of meat? There’s the pork tenderloin, which is the leanest choice. But it is so mild in flavour that it sometimes doesn’t quite scratch the roast beefy itch. There’s beef tenderloin, which also is super lean and a mighty tasty roast. But I can only imagine a world where I could justify spending over $100 on my family’s dinner on a regular basis. So for our usual Sunday supper, I turn to the top round or bottom round roasts, which are inexpensive and lean. But they do require a little extra care in order to compete with the flavour and texture of fattier cuts closer to the centre of the cow. After years of practice, I have a few tips: • If you can dry age the roast for a couple of days in the refrigerator, the taste will be intensified and mimic higher quality cuts. Just pat the meat dry, sprinkle on some seasoning salt (or salt and pepper) and let it sit, uncovered, in the refrigerator. • Let the roast sit at room temperature for an hour before cooking. • Use a three-phase cooking method. First, brown the roast on all sides in a large Dutch oven to create a tasty crust. Second, slow-roast at a low temp (250 F) until the internal temperature is about 10 degrees below your final liking (120 F for a final temp of 130 F, about medium-rare). Remove the roast, and raise the oven temperature to 475 F and finish the roast with a blast of heat for 10 minutes. • Tent the roast and let it rest for 10 to 20 minutes before slicing thinly. Pour a little juice over those slices and you are in (thrifty, healthy) beefy nirvana. LEAN ROAST BEEF WITH MARSALA GRAVY

THE CANADIAN PRESS

Start to finish: 2 1/2 hours (30 minutes active) Servings: 6 • 2 1/2- to 3-pound top or bottom round beef roast • 2 teaspoons garlic powder • 2 teaspoons seasoning salt (such as Lawry’s Seasoned Salt) • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil • 1/2 cup beef stock, divided • 1/2 cup dry Marsala wine, divided • 1 teaspoon cornstarch Use paper towels to pat the roast dry. In a small bowl, mix the garlic powder, seasoning salt and pepper, then rub the mixture all over the roast. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Heat oven to 250 F. Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high. Rub the oil over the roast, then set into the pan and sear on all sides until a crust is formed, about 15 minutes total. Transfer the roast to a rack fitted in a roasting pan. Return the pan to the heat and pour in 1/2 cup of water. Simmer, scraping the pan with a wooden spoon, just until the pan is deglazed and any bits on the bottom are loosened. Pour the liquid into the roasting pan. Add half of the beef stock and marsala wine to the roasting

pan. Set the roast in the oven and cook until it reaches 120 F to 125 F at the centre, depending on desired finished temperature (which will be 10 degrees higher), about 1 1/2 hours. Remove the pan from the oven and increase the heat to 475 F. Once the temperature has been reached, place the roast back in the oven and cook until the top is nice and crusty, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, transfer the roast to a carving board, cover it loosely with foil and let it rest while you make the gravy. To make the gravy, place the roasting pan over medium heat on the stovetop. Add the remaining wine and stock, then whisk to release any stuck bits on the pan. In a small glass, mix the cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water, then add to the pan. Simmer, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. Slice the roast and serve with the gravy. Nutrition information per serving: 270 calories; 90 calories from fat (33 per cent of total calories); 10 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 95 mg cholesterol; 410 mg sodium; 3 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 35 g protein. ■ Food Network star Melissa d’Arabian is an expert on healthy eating on a budget. She is the author of the cookbook, “Supermarket Healthy.” www.canadianinquirer.net

TORONTO — Advocacy group ACORN Canada says some lowincome Canadians are having to take money from their rent and food budgets to pay for the Internet. The group, which represents low- and moderate-income families, surveyed nearly 400 of its members and found more than 80 per cent of them consider home Internet prices to be “extremely high.” More than half said they took money from other budget items, like food, rent or recreation, to pay for Internet access because they consider it an essential service. In most cases,

money was shifted food purchases to cover Internet bills. ACORN says the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission should work with business to provide high-speed Internet service for $10 a month to families below Canada’s low-income measure. It also wants the Canadian government to create a program to subsidize computers for low-income earners. In 2013, 13.5 per cent of Canada’s population, or 4.6 million people, qualified under the low-income measure, according to Statistics Canada. That year, the LIM threshold for a family of four was $41,866 after taxes. ■

Ghomeshi emails... digital dirt on the former CBC Radio host. It may not be too late for the Crown to seek a search warrant for Ghomeshi’s emails, if it hasn’t already, Fraser said. He said it’s common sense in 2016 for lawyers to ask themselves if there’s a likelihood that there’s relevant electronic evidence — be it emails, text messages, social media posts, Yelp reviews or Foursquare checkins. “In our day-to-day lives we leave so much digital debris that some of that could be relevant in a criminal case or a civil trial.” An entire industry called ediscovery or digital forensics has sprung up to assist lawyers in cases where deeper online digging is needed. Richard Morochove runs a company called Morochove & Associates that does computer forensics investigation. He said emails are the most common digital documents that he’s asked to search for or scrutinize. “It’s usually quite simple. ❰❰ 40

Usually, the email is saved by somebody somewhere,” he said. “Sometimes, even when someone thinks they’ve deleted an email from their computer, it’s not deleted. “We have various forensic tools we can use to go in and undelete emails, to be able to look at things that appear to be gone but are actually still there.” Ronald Cenfetelli, chair in management information systems at the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business, said many corporations keep back-ups of email data for years. Many email clients require users to manually delete items from a “Trash” folder, and of course, there’s nothing to stop a recipient from forwarding an email to five other people, he said. “You can create a million perfect copies of an email that would be pretty cumbersome to do with a piece of paper,” he said. “With emails, there can be ghosts or shadows that sort of reverberate out there.” ■

FEBRUARY 12, 2016

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS:

FILIPINO-CANADIAN IN FOCUS Every week, the Philippine Canadian Inquirer celebrates the unwavering Filipino spirit through a feature called “Filipino-Canadian in Focus.” The feature recognizes the achievements of Filipinos living in Canada who have shown concern for the community, success in spite of trials, and the uniquely Pinoy practice of “bayanihan.” This year, we are welcoming nominations for the next subject of “Filipino-Canadian in Focus.”

MECHANICS: - All nominees must have (a) Filipino heritage/ancestry - All nominees must be residing in Canada at the time of nomination - Nominees from all industries are welcome (e.g. medical/health, politics, community service, business, entertainment, charity institutions, etc.) - Who can nominate? Anybody.

Fill up the nomination form online by scanning the code with your smartphone or by visiting InFocus.canadianinquirer.net.

www.canadianinquirer.net

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