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Unexplained wealth is illgotten, Mar tells Digong
Under the mango tree: SWS fudging the surveys?
House leader moves to end labor contractualization
Russia, China in agreement on NK, South China Sea
PH posts renew call for voters to cast their ballots
Canada’s army reserve lacking soldiers, equipment, training: audit BY MURRAY BREWSTER The Canadian Press
WALK FOR MAR-LENI Presidential aspirant Mar Roxas greets his supporters after a unity walk for him and his running mate, Leni Robredo, on the Quezon City Hall parking grounds last
Duterte camp blames Palace for allegations
NINO JESUS ORBETA / PDI
With $10 deposit, Roxas camp proves Digong’s dollar account BY NESTOR CORRALES AND NIKKO DIZON Philippine Daily Inquirer CALL IT campaign contribution from an enemy camp.
Davao City Mayor Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte is richer by almost P1,000 thanks to cash deposits made by the staff of Liberal Party (LP) presidential standard-bearer Mar Roxas to prove ❱❱ PAGE 7 Duterte camp
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OTTAWA — A scathing auditor general’s report Tuesday shows Canada’s army reserve is in dire straits, with only a fraction of its troops properly trained, equipped and fit for international operations and domestic emergencies. Michael Ferguson’s latest audit conducted a detailed examination of the problems faced by the military’s parttime branch and found that even though there are 21,000 positions on the books, only 13,944 reservists are considered active and ready for service. The federal government’s stated goal is to have a reserve force of 27,000. The audit goes into detail about how National Defence has not only failed to recruit for the part-time force, but also how reservists are quitting at a rate faster than they can be replaced — and are doing so before they are fully trained. “In late 2015, National Defence set a goal to increase the army reserve by 950 ❱❱ PAGE 17 Canada’s army
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Unexplained wealth is ill-gotten, Mar tells Digong BY DJ YAP AND NIÑA CALLEJA Philippine Daily Inquirer UNLESS DAVAO City Mayor Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte can explain how he earned his money and acquired his properties, the presumption under the law is his possessions are “ill-gotten wealth,” Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer Mar Roxas said on Saturday. Short of accusing his rival outright of corruption, the former interior secretary admonished the firebrand mayor for refusing to identify the source of his wealth. “We have seen in the past month and year, there has been no explanation about where this wealth has come from, as well as his lands, buildings, apartments,” Roxas said at a press conference in Laoag City. “How have these been financed? Were these loans? Where did the money come from? Did he earn it? Did he inherit it? If there is no reasonable explanation for this, the presumption in the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act is this is illgotten wealth, isn’t it?” he said. Duterte had P227.4 million in a joint account with daughter Sara at the Bank of Philippine Islands (BPI) branch on Julia Vargas Avenue in Pasig City in 2014, records of his bank transactions showed. On his 69th birthday on March 28, 2014, Duterte received seven deposits amounting to P193.7 million in his account at BPI Julia Vargas, according to Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, who is running for Vice President as an independent candidate. Trillanes said the mayor did not declare the amount in his statement of assets and liabilities and net worth (SALN) for 2014, a ground for dismissal from government service. 41 properties
Besides the bank deposits, Duterte has 41 properties in his name, according to Trillanes. On Saturday, Duterte said he was willing to open his bank account transactions as far back as 20 years as he had nothing to hide, but on the condition that all his rivals would do the same. Shortly after arriving in Sorsogon City, the mayor was asked about Trillanes’ challenge for him to show the transaction history of his BPI accounts for the past nine years. Trillanes earlier said opening the account for the past nine years was important because “if Duterte has already withdrawn the money before Monday, then the total amount of transactions would not be reflected on the current account balance.” “Make it 20 years,” Duterte said in re-
Team Daang Matuwid presidential candidate Manuel "Mar" Roxas II waves to his supporters during the Liberal Party Unity Walk at the Quezon City Hall Grounds. JOANNA MAE DATING / PNA
sponse to Trillanes’ challenge. He also said he was willing to open “all transactions” in his account, adding it only contained about P17,000 and not P227.4 million as the senator claimed. Documents provided by Trillanes showed that transactions amounting to P2.4 billion in 17 accounts of Duterte in three banks, including the BPI Julia Vargas branch, were recorded from 2006 to 2015. Duterte first dismissed as mere fabrication Trillanes’ claim that he had P227.4 million at the BPI Julia Vargas branch. He owned up to the account only after certain individuals deposited P100 to P500 to it, proving its existence. The mayor later said he had “less P200 million” in the BPI branch and that he did not declare it in his SALN because he had already spent it. He said the money came from friends as birthday gift. Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas said Duterte could explain the bank transactions as gifts if the amounts were “minimal.” “Of course, there are still donor’s tax and everything. So there’s a need to explain this so the public will know. But this one [Duterte] is denying it, so we will see. These are allegations, and he has a chance to disprove these allegations,” said Fariñas, who along with 21 of the 23 mayors in his province of Ilocos Norte expressed support for Roxas’ candidacy. The lawmaker is one of the prosecutors of the House of Representatives during the impeachment trial in 2012 of then Chief Justice Renato Corona. Asked about the transactions amounting to P2.4 billion in the 17 bank accounts, Duterte on Friday gave flippant answers to reporters, saying at one point that he could not remember the exact amount “because of the zeroes.” Also on Friday, Sara challenged
Trillanes to file a case against her and her father so “we can answer properly.” She neither confirmed nor denied that she and her father had joint bank accounts. Danger to well-being
Roxas characterized the Davao mayor as a danger to the country’s well-being
should he be elected President in May. “With this hidden wealth, this shows the danger in front of us and the greatest challenge facing us,” said Roxas, who trails Duterte and Sen. Grace Poe in voter preference polls. Duterte’s popularity has surged in recent weeks in spite of being the target of attacks over a rape joke about an Australian missionary who was assaulted in a 1989 prison siege in Davao, as well as reports about his undeclared millions in hidden bank accounts. “If you’re a bully and no one questions you in the same way no one questions Mayor Duterte in Davao, [remember that] absolute power corrupts absolutely,” Roxas said. President Aquino’s chosen presidential candidate implied that a Duterte presidency would be a step back to previous administrations whose leaders were embroiled in messy corruption scandals that sank the economy. “We have been through that, which is why for me, his camp should explain adequately how they came by all these possessions,” he said. On Sunday, he sharpened his tirade against the tough-talking Davao mayor. “If you accept a gift of millions, that’s a bribe,” he said. “Do we want to go back to the time when deception, corruption, theft prevailed?” ■
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FRIDAY
Bistek challenged by ‘anti-trapo,’ other QC foes BY ERIKA SAULER Philippine Daily Inquirer QUEZON CITY and its estimated 2.8 million residents have seen little changes in its political landscape since the 2010 landslide victory of Mayor Herbert Bautista. The former actor also known as Bistek—the show biz moniker he kept while earning his stripes at City Hall, first as a youth sector leader, councilor and then vice mayor—is seeking his third and last term at the helm of the most populous local government unit in Metro Manila. On paper, Bautista has three challengers, but only Leon Peralta, founder of Anti-Trapo (traditional politician) Movement, is actively campaigning. The two other candidates are Martin
Sanchez Jr., 55, from Barangay Holy Spirit; and Alex Lague, 50, of the Philippine Green Republican Party, with registered address in Barangay Payatas. Peralta, who is fielded by the Buklod National Political Party, and Lague made unsuccessful runs to be city councilors in 2013. In this installment of the INQUIRER Metro series leading to the May 9 elections, two of the candidates present their plans to address the issues of traffic, peace and order, and informal settlers—concerns that affect residents and nonresidents alike in QC, where 1.15 million are expected to cast their votes. HERBERT BAUTISTA, 47; incumbent mayor
On traffic: A national project on Visayas Avenue, from Que-
court decide the actual price. LEON PERALTA, 59; ‘antitrapo’ advocate
Herbert Baustista.
zon Memorial Circle to Fairview, is expected to be finished by end 2016. It will ease traffic on Commonwealth Avenue and on Quirino Avenue from Novaliches to Balintawak. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority plans to construct a metal flyover from Katipunan Avenue to CP Garcia to ease traffic jams in the area.
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VANZ LAYOUT / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
This was approved by the mayors in a meeting of the Metro Manila Council. On 15th Avenue, Cubao, the barangay can come up with its traffic ordinance and enforce parking rules. With the rerouting, the franchise of affected jeepneys can be revised by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board. On peace and order: The Philippine National Police recently assigned 600 new cops to Quezon City. We welcome the entry of new police personnel for increased visibility. The new Disaster Risk Reduction and Management building can help in crime prevention and traffic management. The command center will be the contribution of the city government. We also want to equip policemen with modern technology. We’re canvassing for a camera that policemen can pin on their uniform while on patrol. On informal settlers: I’m having the numbers updated on how many informal settler families (ISF) are left out of the 236,000 families living on private or government lands and danger zones since I assumed office. We’ve assisted many of them through the Community Mortgage Program. There are 17 Bistekville (lowcost housing) projects in the pipeline and we plan to increase the number to 30 communities by the end of 2016. We are working with the National Housing Authority on the relocation of some 40,000 ISFs in Barangays Commonwealth, Holy Spirit and Batasan Hills. The target by end-2016 is to have just 14,000 families left. The city is also working on buying property for the fire victims in Barangay Apolonio Samson. It has been more than a year since the fire but there is a problem over the private owner’s asking price. The decision is to have it expropriated and let the
On traffic: There is a need for a massive and comprehensive education campaign on traffic rules and regulations via the city government’s apparatus, such as the Department of Public Order and Safety, in conjunction with the national agencies. Traffic lights and signs must be properly and strategically installed, and should be regularly monitored and properly maintained. I will create a task force to study the possibility of opening private subdivision roads to the motoring public during rush hours and providing a universal car park in barangays so vehicles need not be parked along the streets. On peace and order: The peace and order committee of every barangay shall be tasked to initiate information campaigns in conjunction with nongovernment and people’s organizations. Barangay officials shall be trained in assisting crime victims. Police visibility is the key in preventing crime. Aside from uniformed PNP personnel, military reservists who are QC residents may be utilized and deputized for patrolling the community. An experimental Mobile Police Community Precinct (roving police station) shall be deployed to selected barangays, and will be provided with all the necessary equipment (logbooks, computers and printers). The public can file complaints and receive police assistance in these precincts. On informal settlers: My administration proposes an ordinance imposing a moratorium on demolitions and creating a committee that will study solutions through in-city relocation and on-site development. To maximize land use, a medium-rise tenement building is highly recommended. No demolition (will be conducted) until these tenement buildings are ready for occupancy in order to avoid the dislocation of the stakeholders. No more lands owned by the city shall be sold to big capitalists who want to build malls and the like. These parcels of land shall be utilized only for lowcost housing projects intended for low-income earners, most of whom are informal settlers. ■
Philippine News
FRIDAY MAY 6, 2016
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Ex-INC pastor seeks refugee status in Canada BY TARRA QUISMUNDO Philippine Daily Inquirer EXPELLED IGLESIA Ni Cristo (INC) pastor Lowell Menorca II has sought refugee status in Canada for himself and his family, claiming the powerful local sect has continued to harass them even after they left the Philippines in March. In a letter released to the media last week, Menorca said he was in Vancouver pleading his case before Canada’s Immigration Refugee Board. The application for special entry lists himself, his pregnant wife Jinky, 2-year-old daughter Yuri Keiko, sister-in-law Jungko Otsuka, brother Anthony Menorca and his wife Shayne, and their house help Abegail Yanson. The family fled Manila on March 6, staying in Vietnam for twoweeks before moving on to another country, citing threats to their lives.
“We confirmed reports the people who were responsible for our kidnapping and illegal detention are out of the country and actively searching for my family to use them against me,” Menorca said in a six-page letter. “They have mobilized local resources in Vietnam, Thailand, Vancouver and even Southern California to look for me and my family,” he said. Taunts on Facebook
He attached to his letter screengrabs of supposed Facebook posts by INC members taunting the family with their photos at airports in Vietnam and Thailand to prove they were being tailed. Menorca’s latest plea for help came after the Court of Appeals threw out last week the Menorca family’s bid for court protection as the case was rendered moot by the family’s departure from the Philippines. The Menorca family initiated court proceedings against their
former church last year after the INC allegedly detained them for three months at its Central Office in Quezon City. Menorca was among 10 INC workers and ministers abducted in July after being suspected of being behind online exposes of corruption in the upper echelons of the politically influential sect. Some members of the sect’s founding family—the Manalos—were also isolated. After Menorca filed abduction charges and sought protection against the INC, he was slapped with several counter cases, including three libel suits and an adultery complaint—charges Menorca said were part of the INC’s efforts to harass him. In his letter, Menorca detailed his family’s nearly yearlong ordeal, appealing to the Canadian government to grant him and his loved ones a new beginning. ‘Standing for truth’
“I am just one man standing
for the truth and what is right against a very, very powerful institution which uses the church as a façade for its illegal activities and human rights abuses. I am no match for them,” said Menorca. He described the INC as an institution that has a stranglehold on the Philippine government, saying authorities have been unable to do anything against the church’s wishes. “We are all being targeted ‘to be silenced’ by the INC and by extension, our own government, which INC is able to manipulate,” said Menorca. “This is why we are begging your good government to grant us refuge. We are in dire need of protection from a government such as yours which cannot be bribed or influenced by INC, whose law enforcement is faithful to its duty to protect and serve its citizens and not be used as an instrument to oppress and suppress by the influential and corrupt,” he told the
Canadians. Before he fled the country in March, Menorca issued a statement in Filipino saying he feared for his life, having received death threats, even one against his youngest child, from suspected members of the INC. He retold how he was abducted by armed men—including some he identified as Quezon City policemen—from his small church in Butag, Sorsogon, on July 16, 2015, jailed in Dasmariñas, Cavite, on trumped up charges, allegedly with the help of a city prosecutor in that town. He said he was released after nine days in the Dasmariñas jail and turned over by the police chief to INC leaders, who then detained them at the local church’s Quezon City compound for three months, before he was rescued by the National Bureau of Investigation. However, his nightmare has not ended as he faces threats of arrest for various cases filed by the powerful group. ■
Airport personnel charged over ‘laglag-bala’ of 2 senior citizens PHILIPPINES NEWS AGENCY MANILA — Criminal charges were filed against the airport officials and employees who were implicated in the alleged conspiracy of the “Tanim-Bala” at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to two senior citizen spouses. In a manifestation filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ)-Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office, charged were wheelchair attendant Nino Namba and Airport inspectors Ferdinand Morales and Fatti Dame Go. The complaint was filed by 75year old Salvacion Cortabista, who was accompanied by Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) Chief Atty. Persida V. Rueda-Acosta. Namba, Morales and Go were charged with violation of Section 38, of Republic Act No. 10591, or “Planting of Evidence”, Article 294 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC) under the crime of “Robbery with Intimidation of a Person”, and Article 287 of the RPC under “Unjust Vexation and Damages”. “Wherefore, premises con-
sidered, complainant respectfully prays of this Honorable Office that the foregoing manifestation be Duly Noted, and her allegations be found sufficient to warrant the filing of criminal charges with damages against Nino Namba, Ferdinand Morales, and Fatti Dame Go,” the complaint said. Salvacion narrated that she is supposed to fly to Los Angeles, California last April 19, along with her 78-year old husband and niece. She said that she is suffering from severe arthritis and asked Namba to help them with their bags and push the wheelchair. Suprisingly, at the final x-ray screening machine, a live bullet was allegedly detected inside her handbag by Morales a member of Office of the Transportation Security (OTS). “Morales, and another OTS Member, Fatti Dame Go, together with Namba, implied to Salvacion and her niece Maria Fe Balagot, that more than PHP50,000 would ‘settle’ the case,” the complaint added. They refused to give in to the demand until they were charged before the DOJ despite their claim that they do not know
where the bullet came from. Salvacion pleaded for the dismissal of the case against her for lack of probable cause.
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Salvacion personally appeared before the Office of DOJ Assistant Chief State Prosecutor Theodore Villanueva.
In her nine-page document, Acosta said that there is no evidence against her client and the case must be dismissed. ■
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Philippine News
MAY 6, 2016
FRIDAY
Not all rosy between Jesse and P-Noy, admits Leni BY DJ YAP Philippine Daily Inquirer
President Benigno S. Aquino III, escorted by Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, tours the participating kiosks during the 2016 Pre-Labor Day Job and Career Fairs at the Mandaue City Cultural and Sports Complex. ROBERT VIÑAS/MALACAÑANG PHOTO BUREAU/PNA
President Aquino signs bill on promoting the creation of ‘green jobs’ PHILIPPINES NEWS AGENCY MANILA — President Benigno S. Aquino III has signed into law the bill on promoting the creation of ‘green jobs’, or employment that contributes to preserving or restoring the quality of the environment, be it in the agriculture, industry or services sector. The President signed last April 29 Republic Act No. 10771, or the “Philippine Green Jobs Act of 2016”, which shall apply to establishments engaged in the production, manufacturing, processing, repacking, assembly, or sale of goods and/ or services, including serviceoriented enterprises. The law also grants incentives to encourage business enterprises to generate and sustain green jobs, as certified by the Climate Change Commission. The Department of Finance shall administer the granting of incentives, such as “special deduction from the taxable income equivalent to 50 percent of the total expenses for skills training and research development expenses which is over and above the allowable ordinary and necessary business deductions for said expenses under the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended; and tax and duty free importation of capital equipment, provided that the capital equipment is actually, directly and exclusively used in the promotion of green jobs of the business enterprise.” According to the Act, it is the
declared policy of the State to affirm labor as a primary social economic force in promoting sustainable development; afford full protection to labor, local and overseas, organized and unorganized, and promote full and productive employment and equality of employment opportunities for all; and promote the rights of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature. Section 2 of the Act provides that the State shall identify needed skills, develop training programs, and train and certify workers for jobs in a range of industries that produce goods and render services for the benefit of the environment, conserve natural resources for the future generation, and ensure the sustainable development of the country and its transition into a green economy. “In recognition of the participation of individuals and business enterprises in jobs creation, the State shall provide incentives therefor,” the section reads. Republic Act No. 10771 also mandates the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to coordinate with other government agencies in formulating a National Green Jobs Human Resource Development Plan on the development, enhancement and utilization of the labor force, both in the private and public sectors. The plan shall have the primary objective of enabling and sustaining the transition into a green economy and the generation of green jobs towards more employment and equal opportu-
nities and the promotion of social justice and workers’ welfare. It shall include programs, projects, and activities pertaining to basic, higher and technical-vocational education and training, database that identifies and links green job opportunities with private and public entities, and information on knowledge and skill requirements of a green economy. The DOLE, in coordination with the Philippine Statistics Authority, shall maintain a database of green careers, professions and skills, as well as a list of emerging business enterprises, which generate and sustain green jobs. It shall facilitate skills training assessment and certification, career advocacy, provide productivity and livelihood training, and extend technical assistance to enterprises to ensure labor law compliance. Other agencies involved in the National Green Jobs Human Resource Development Plan are the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Trade and Industry, Professional Regulation Commission, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Transportation and Communications, Department of Tourism, and Department of Public Works and Highways. The amount necessary to implement the Act shall be included in the General Appropriations Act. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net
stripped Jesse of his supervisory powers over the police force in favor of Mr. Aquino’s shooting buddy Rico Puno, then an WHEN HER husband Jesse interior undersecretary. was still alive, Liberal Party At one point, Leni recalled, (LP) vice presidential candi- Jesse told her “being mayor is date Leni Robredo repeatedly better—because you have more pressed him to quit President immediate results.” Aquino’s Cabinet. “He wasn’t sure he was stayJesse Robredo, ex-Naga City ing on,” Leni said. “We weren’t mayor and Ramon Magsaysay sure he was staying on. That’s awardee, was at the time the interi- the reason we couldn’t move or and local government secretary. to Manila. We thought that if “I’m willing to admit there we settled in Manila, what if he were many times during Jesse’s suddenly got fired?” incumbency that I told him But Jesse hung on. “He told us ‘just let go already,’” Leni re- (his family) that whatever limvealed to the INQUIRER in an ited power he had, even when he interview last week. had no control over the police, Days before the August 2012 there was still an opportunity to plane crash in the waters of make a difference,” Leni said. Masbate, Jesse had talked to his “That had a huge impact on wife about the precariousness me,” she said. “To me that’s selfof his position. lessness. To others, they would “That was the read it as a lack Sunday before of confidence in the plane crash,” him [by the PresLeni, now the ident].” representative We thought But she said her from Camarines that if we husband did not Sur and LP candisettled in resent the Presidate for vice presManila, what dent for keeping ident alongside if he suddenly him on tenterstandard-bearer got fired? hooks. “You’re Mar Roxas, said. uncertain, and “I was driving you’re unhappy him to the airbecause you’re port, and he said, ‘ hindi ko alam uncertain … but he never took it kung may patutunguhan pa ba against the President,” she said. ito’ (I don’t know if this is headIn fact, Leni said, Jesse was ing anywhere),” she remem- “like a kid” whenever Mr. Aquibered him saying in a defeated no praised him, showing her his tone. He was flying to Cebu to text messages. “Remember he make a series of appearances on was mayor for six terms, but all President Aquino’s behalf. of a sudden, he was answerable In those days, Jesse’s “feeling to somebody,” she said. was that he could be sacked at any “He wasn’t absolutely happy time,” Leni said in the interview. that he was not able to recover from the stumble, but at the Rumors, replacement same time he had no hurt feelThe President at the time was ings. I think he felt more fulrumored to be dissatisfied with filled when he had the chance Jesse’s performance in the De- to make changes in local govpartment of the Interior and Lo- ernment. He still got to accomcal Government (DILG). Politi- plish many things,” Leni added. cians were lobbying to have him After Jesse’s death on Aug. 18, replaced. His confirmation in the 2012, the narrative of his stint Commission on Appointments at the DILG changed. had stalled multiple times. President Aquino embraced Friends and relatives were him as an exemplary public advising Jesse to quit, Leni said, servant who made important especially after the Manila bus changes in local governments hostage crisis in 2010 when it through his full disclosure and came out that the President had good housekeeping policies. ■
Philippine News
FRIDAY MAY 6, 2016
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OFWs in Taiwan have same concerns as voters at home BY JODEE A. AGONCILLO Philippine Daily Inquirer TAIPEI — Far away from home, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in this nation gear up for the May 9 elections, scrutinizing the candidates via local newspapers or online sources such as The Filipino Channel, Facebook and YouTube. Approximately 30,600 registered voters out of the 120,000 OFWs here are expected to troop to Manila Economic Cultural Offices (Meco) in Kaohsiung, Taichung and this city to participate in the overseas absentee voting since the polling stations opened their doors on April 9. According to the Commission on Elections, the overseas registered voters here increased by 32 percent this year compared to the 20,941 who registered in 2013. Worldwide, there are 1.38 million eligible OFW voters. Lilet Garzo, an OFW here for six years and a registered voter, hopes for a government that would solve the traffic situation and end corruption. “I really hope for change in the Philippines, with disciplined citizens and leaders and an efficient and comprehensive universal healthcare system accorded to locals and foreigners alike, just like in Taiwan,” she said. Garzo said she was not so much for the candidates’ personality as for their platforms. “Why don’t we try the fiercest candi-
Edwin Pedernal, a seaman and second engineer on a ship in the United States since 1989, hopes the next president would strengthen the welfare provisions for OFWs.
date this time? The crooked might get straightened up,” she said. Airport attendant Lisa Sy, 55, shared the same sentiment, hoping for a strong and disciplined leader. “Some Filipinos, she said, cannot observe simple rules … that’s why we need a leader who can enforce and inspire discipline even when nobody’s looking,” she said. Allysa Apostol who worked at a factory here for six years, and is now working in Macau, lauded Taiwan’s efficient national healthcare system. “OFWs only have to pay a registration fee for physical and dental check-ups; massage benefits. The system is really good,” Apostol said. “Even newborn babies are already under the healthcare system,” Minerva
Chang, now a resident, said. Chang said she gets updates about the local candidates through Facebook groups where OFWs discuss and post news about their candidates. An OFW who did not give his name said he wanted improvement in the salary and standard of living and transportation system, dreaming of Taiwan’s “bullet train” and subway running in the Philippines. Taiwan, a First World country, highly encourages biking and hiking by renting
Duterte camp ... the existence of his alleged hidden bank accounts. Roxas showed to reporters on Friday a deposit slip for $10 (about P470) his staff put in one of the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) accounts owned by Duterte and his daughter Sara as reported by the INQUIRER. ❰❰ 1
Dollar account
The deposit was made a 3:06 p.m. at the Julia Vargas branch of BPI in Pasig City for account number 2434-0159-71. Roxas’ staff said they tried to deposit an amount in pesos to the account, but was told by the teller that they could not because it was a dollar account. True enough, the machine-validated receipt indicated that the account was in the names of “Rodrigo Roa Duterte” and “Sara Z. Duterte.” On Thursday, the staff of Roxas made a P500 deposit to another Duterte account—number 2433-0695-39—at BPI’s Julia Vargas branch. The deposit, made at 2:02 p.m., corroborated information disclosed earlier that day by journalist Ellen Tordesillas, who uploaded on social media a copy of
a deposit slip to Duterte’s account, based on the details that appeared in the first INQUIRER report. Wishy-washy response
At the briefing for reporters on Friday, Roxas continued his sharp attacks on Duterte, now the front- runner in the voter preference polls for next month’s presidential election. Roxas ridiculed the trashtalking Duterte’s wishy-washy response to the controversy over his accounts, comparing him to Vice President Jejomar Binay, another target of corruption allegations. Duterte previously denied the bank accounts existed, but backtracked later with the caveat that the accounts did not contain millions as reported. “Mayor Duterte, now your answer is ‘file a case first.’ Wasn’t that the same answer of [Binay] in response to corruption allegations [against him]? Are you now the same as Binay?” he said. “You speak with a forked tongue,” Roxas said, calling Duterte out for the mayor’s conflicting statements about the bank accounts. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net
out bicycles to citizens. “The mayor of Taipei himself loves biking,” said Jerry Chuang, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office bureau press director, noting the spacious and mandatory bike lanes. The minimum wage of OFWs in Taiwan is P27,000, Chuang said. Taiwan also has a 24/7 hotline that OFWs can call for help, he added. With a population of 23 million, Taiwan is home to around half a million immigrants, including Filipinos involved in electronics, manufacturing, hotels, restaurants, health care, management and agriculture industries. Edwin Pedernal, a seaman and second engineer on a ship in the United States since 1989, hopes the next president would strengthen the welfare provisions for OFWs. “Filipinos generally are still being looked down upon by foreigners,” he said. “But what we do is show them we excel at work and we are not pushovers.” The OFWs in Taiwan representing the Ugnayan Migrant Ministry said it is their wish that the Philippines and Taiwan governments would continue to implement the direct hiring services and eliminate the broker system. ■
Philippine News
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MAY 6, 2016
FRIDAY
Smartmatic: We’re 100% ready BY TARRA QUISMUNDO Philippine Daily Inquirer Publisher Philippine Canadian Inquirer, Inc. Correspondents Jane Moraleda Socorro Newland Bolet Arevalo Katherine Padilla Gerna Lane Sotana Community Editor Mary Ann Mandap maryann.mandap@canadianinquirer.net Administration Head Victoria Yong Graphic Designer Shanice Garcia Photographers Angelo Siglos 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 Nelson Wu (647) 521-5155 salestoronto@canadianinquirer.net nelson.wu@canadianinquirer.net Amelia Insigne (416) 574-5121 amelia.insigne@canadianinquirer.net Antonio Tampos (604) 460-9414 antonio.tampos@canadianinquirer.net PHILIPPINE PUBLISHING GROUP Editorial Assistant Christelle Tolisora 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 (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, and Greater 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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THE AUTOMATED election system is so tightly secured that cracking it is virtually a “Mission: Impossible.” At the Meet Inquirer Multimedia Forum yesterday, Smartmatic-TIM (Total Information Management) executives unequivocally declared their full readiness for the May 9 polls. Allaying fears of automated cheating in the wake of a massive voter data leak last week, Smartmatic officials claimed that the firm’s uncrackable technology and equipment were all in place for the nationwide vote nine days from now. In the words of Karen Jimeno, the firm’s voter education chief, penetrating Smartmatic’s system is “Mission: Impossible.” “[The system] has so many security features, it’s like a ‘Mission: Impossible’ movie,” Jimeno said, referencing the blockbuster spy film series top-billed by American actor Tom Cruise. She dispelled concerns of breaches in the voting system while recognizing that many Filipinos seemed to have “trust issues” over computerized polls. Layers of Encryption
Elie Moreno, Smartmatic general manager for the Philippines, pointed out that the votecounting machines (VCMs) had layers of encryption, ostensibly referring to multilevel user authorization, digital signatures or fingerprint, authentication access control features and encrypted files. “We have 100 percent of the machines configured, turned over to the Commission of Elections (Comelec). It already has the logistics provider moving them to regional hubs, with 90 percent already deployed,” Moreno said. “All the ballots have been printed and verified. So yes, [we’re ready]. We can have the elections now if you want,” Moreno said. The numbers are staggering for the May polls: more than 50 million unique ballots for as many registered voters, 92,509 voting machines for as many precincts, 37,884 polling centers, and 1.1 million rolls of thermal paper for voting receipts and election returns. But scale being its very business, Smartmatic, which describes itself in its website as “THE elections company” that is the world’s “undisputed leader of the electronic voting industry,” is downplaying the specter of cheating, hacking and other glitches that automation critics have been raising against its imported technology. That hackers managed to break into the Comelec website and steal sensitive data of some 55 million voters does not mean Smartmatic’s system itself could
Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) Chair Henrietta de Villa (right) casts a mock vote during the demonstration of the capabilities and limitations of the automated voting system. AVITO C. DALAN / PNA
be as easily compromised, the lawyer said. “We do realize that there were many doubts cast because of the hacking incident and the lack of understanding of the public. The data leak ... is completely independent from the election system,” Jimeno explained. One key distinction: the Comelec site is online 24 hours and accessible through the web, while Smartmatic’s data network is not connected to the Internet and transmits data using a separate encrypted network. “It’s a private network that is not shared by other networks that we use on our phones, in our homes,” Jimeno said. “It’s like you’re driving on a highway and you see that the other lane doesn’t have much traffic. But you can’t move there because there’s a big wall in between,” she said.
verification of their identities through a password and a high-tech key. And so the room for a breach is even more miniscule, Jimeno said. “It takes only a few minutes. Five minutes is already too long. So you (a hacker) have a three-minute window while [the results are] being transmitted, which it is said takes 50 years to crack,” she said. Moreno asserted the integrity of the source code, saying it has undergone “several stages of audit,” including a review by a US-based independent international firm. He said each voting machine was already tested, from receiving the ballot to printing out receipts. “And everything was OK,” Moreno said. A final test and sealing will be done at the precincts within the week before Election Day.
SD cards
‘Trust issues’
As importantly, Jimeno said the encryption or digital lock that protects the secure digital (SD) card, which stores precinct voting results and other data in every voting machine, is so sophisticated, it would take half a century to crack it. “The encryption [of the SD card] is so high, experts say it will take 50 years to hack it,” Jimeno said. Moreno explained that the encryption used for every SD card was twice as strong as that used in the banking system: if banks use a 128-bit encryption, the level of data protection used in most systems around the world, Smartmatic’s SD cards use 256-bit keys encryption. The higher the bit size, the stronger the encryption, hence the more probable mathematical permutations to crack it, according to Moreno. Voting machines also just go online— and only within Smartmatic’s dedicated network—for a few minutes to transmit results to Comelec servers. Only members of the board of election inspectors could initiate this process, and only after
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“I think we’ve taken pains to ensure that there will be no cheating, and there will be a lot of transparency,” said Jimeno, appealing to the public to be discerning of suspicions and rumors they hear about or read online. “As Filipinos, we have trust issues. But we have a supplier that underwent a competitive bidding process, a company with a track record of over a decade, with enough capitalization requirements, which has done business in five continents. It is (thus) surprising that it’s only in the Philippines that they’ve (Smartmatic officials) had to deal with a lot of controversies and issues,” Jimeno said. She asserted that all the technology and equipment prepared for the elections had been vetted, reviewed and certified secure. “That’s why I’m saying it’s a ‘Mission: Impossible’ [to compromise it]. You have to have a concerted effort where everything has to be manipulated from the start,” Jimeno said. ■
Philippine News
FRIDAY MAY 6, 2016
9
Duterte: I have less than P200M in bank Mayor: Trillanes broke bank law with exposé BY NANCY C. CARVAJAL Philippine Daily Inquirer DAVAO CITY Mayor Rodrigo Duterte was evasive when asked yesterday about the P2.4 billion in transactions in his alleged 17 accounts in three banks, but was clear about his account at the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) branch on Julia Vargas Avenue in Pasig City. “I have an account, with a little less than 200 million” Duterte said, referring to the BPI Julia Vargas account that, according to Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, contained P227 million in deposits. Duterte gave flippant answers to questions about the P2.4 billion transactions reported by Trillanes, saying he could not exactly remember how much was in the accounts. “I could not say exactly because of the zeroes,” he said. Asked why he did not declare the bank accounts in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN), Duterte replied: “I already spent it.” He did not say where the money came from, but earlier, he said friends gave him money as birthday gift. Based on documents provided by Trillanes, Duterte had P2.407 billion in three banks (two in Metro Manila and one in Davao). From 2006 to 2015, the record showed Duterte held seven joint accounts with his daughter Sara at BPI Julia Vargas, nine joint accounts at the BPI Edsa Greenhills branch and one joint account at Banco de Oro Unibank-1 in Davao City. Duterte met with reporters in a Pasay City restaurant yesterday to announce that Cavite Gov. Jonvic Remulla, a former spokesperson for Vice President Jejomar Binay, had joined his team.
Monday meeting
He also said that he had authorized his lawyer Salvador Panelo to appear at the BPI Julia Vargas branch on Monday to represent him and open the records of his accounts in response to Trillanes’ challenge made on Thursday. He explained that he could not face Trillanes because he would be in Davao City on Monday. In response, Trillanes said Duterte should show not just the current balance of his accounts, but also the transaction history covering years. Trillanes said he would not accept it if Duterte’s camp would allow just a peek into the current account balance. He said he suspected this waswhat Duterte’s lawyer would do to buttress the mayor’s claim that the accounts contained only a pittance. Trillanes dared Duterte on Thursday to meet at BPI Julia Vargas to sign a waiver that would allow the disclosure of his bank accounts. Yesterday, Duterte urged Trillanes to execute an affidavit stating that he has records of the alleged bank accounts, and the manner and purpose with which the documents were obtained. Duterte said Trillanes could be charged with perjury if he could not prove that undeclared wealth was funneled into the alleged accounts. He added that the senator’s exposé is illegal, as it violates the bank secrecy law. Panelo issued a statement yesterday saying that banks are prohibited from disclosing information unless ordered by the courts so the documents that Trillanes claims he has are “absolute fabrications.” That Trillanes refuses to disclose the source of the documents shows the papers came from a
polluted source, Panelo said. “That he refuses to reduce into writing and under oath his allegations against Mayor Duterte validates the theory that Trillanes does not want— and is afraid—to be accountable for the falsities he has so viciously spread,” Panelo said. ‘Not necessary’
But Trillanes said an affidavit was not necessary. “He’s just looking for a way out. Why does he want to know who my source is? Will he have the [Davao Death Squad] go after the source?” Trillanes said. What is important, he said, is the undeclared amounts in Duterte’s bank accounts. BPI yesterday said it had nothing to do with the disclosure of the records of Duterte’s accounts. “Allegations of breach of client confidentiality have recently been leveled at Bank of the Philippine Islands. Our internal investigation reveals there has been no such breach,” BPI said in a statement. “BPI continues to have one of the most highly regarded data protection practices in the industry, and we are committed to protecting client information and preserving the trust bestowed on us by our clients all these years,” it said. Panelo charged that Trillanes concocted the bank accounts story to boost his “cellar survey rating” in the vice presidential race. No assault on Duterte’s character and reputation as a public official could stop the mayor’s surge and election to the presidency, Panelo said. According to the documents provided by Trillanes, Duterte and his daughter Sara have 17 bank accounts that contain hundreds of millions of pesos. At BPI Julia Vargas alone, father and daughter received
Presidential aspirant-Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said in a press conference at the Golden Bay Restaurant in Pasay City on Thursday (April 29, 2016) that he has instructed his lawyer, Atty. Sal Panelo, to have his bank account in the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) Julia Vargas branch opened in front of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV AVITO C. DALAN / PNA
total deposits and transfers of P1.74 billion. They had P667.24 million in total deposits in BPI Edsa Greenhills and P534,989.75 in BDO–Unibank (Account No. 1370020471). The number of deposits and transfers in the three banks totaled 71, of which 23 were interbank transfers and 48 through credit memos. The interbank transfers amounted to a total of P715.9 million, while those done through credit memos reached P1.69 billion. The records showed that 48 deposits totaling P1.7 billion, including a deposit of $1.9 million, were recorded at the BPI Julia Vargas and Edsa Greenhills branches. At the BPI branches, the highest deposit was P55,131,747.32 and the lowest, P953,511.29. The bank records also showed that in several transactions the same amount was entered in two different accounts on the same day. For instance, P49.28 million was deposited in two different accounts at BPI Edsa Greenhills on May 22, 2007. In another instance, four transfers of the same amount (P41.72 million) were made in just one day at BPI Julia Vargas. On March 28, 2014, Duterte’s 69th birthday, seven transactions amounting to P193.71
million were credited to his account at BPI Julia Vargas. That year, the BPI Julia Vargas accounts contained P227.41 million but was not included in Duterte’s SALN submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman for Mindanao on April 30, 2015. All the accounts of father and daughter, except for the BDO Unibank, showed Ecoland Subdivision in Davao City and P. Guevarra Street in San Juan City in Metro Manila as their home addresses. Mayor’s salary
As mayor, Duterte receives a monthly pay of P78,946 (Salary Grade 30) under the government salary standardization law prescribed by the Civil Service Commission. Failure to declare an asset is a ground for an official’s dismissal from government service. In his 2014 SALN, Duterte reported a net worth of P21,971,732.62—assets worth P22,971,732.62 and a liability of P1 million, a personal loan from a certain Samuel Uy. Duterte earlier denied the existence of the BPI Julia Vargas accounts, but admitted on Thursday that he had two accounts there, one with P17,000 in deposits and another with less than P50,000. ■
Cabbie accused of raping lady passenger — LTFRB BY AZER N. PARROCHA Philippines News Agency MANILA — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Tuesday summoned a taxi op-
erator after one of its drivers was accused of raping a lady passenger. Initial reports showed that a female passenger hailed a taxi in Makati with the plate number UVJ 738 to get to C5 on Tuesday morning.
However, before reaching her destination, holdup was declared by the driver. After the passenger surrendered her belongings, she was raped somewhere in Guadalupe. Luckily, the victim was able to escape. www.canadianinquirer.net
“We ask the operator Elizabeth Radia of Taguig City to face the LTFRB and police to aid us in investigation,” LTFRB board member Atty. Ariel Inton said. Inton meanwhile urged passengers to be more cautious
when selecting taxi rides and other public transport. He also encouraged passengers to immediately take note of the taxi plate number and name of driver and relay details to relatives and friends if traveling alone. ■
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Philippine News
MAY 6, 2016
FRIDAY
Under the mango tree: SWS fudging the surveys? BY NIKKO DIZON Philippine Daily Inquirer THIRTY-SIX-YEAR-OLD Janna (not her real name) and her friend were killing time on April 17 in a fast-food restaurant at an MRT station in Pasay City when they noticed six people seated at a table beside them busy filling out forms that bore the logo of the Social Weather Stations (SWS). Janna, a professional taking up law studies, decided to take three photos with her iPad, and shared them with a chat group. “Guys, look!” she said. Then Janna and her friend proceeded to a reflexology center at the mall. Her massage had just begun when one of her friends sent a message on their chat group, urging Janna to go back to the restaurant and take a video of the group with the SWS forms. For her friends, something did not seem right with a group of people filling out what looked like stacks of preelection survey forms. The stacks were bundled according to districts and barangay in Pasay City. Janna did as told and was lucky to find a table right beside the group. Only a glass panel separated them. She angled her iPad so that she could take a clear shot of the group while she pretended to read a book. Meeting with the INQUIRER on Wednesday night, Janna recounted the incident, the questions that popped in her mind, and why she did not want to upload it on Facebook. “I am an active supporter and volunteer of one presidential candidate. I do not want to be bullied on social media,” Janna told the INQUIRER, explaining why she does not want her full identity revealed. Like a sample ballot
The video does not show the group shading answers, or candidate preferences, but the
women appeared busy filling out forms labeled “Call Sheet.” On the same form were the numbers “04-16.” For preelection surveys, the SWS uses a form similar to a sample ballot, thus the shaded circles that could be seen on the video. One woman, whose face could not be seen on the video, shuffled through one set of papers, then with a purple pen, wrote down a respondent’s name, address and the time that the interview supposedly started and ended. The woman wrote figures that looked like “3:15.” The watch on the woman across her showed it was 4:40 p.m. Janna said she wondered how the women worked with so much ease, as if knowing exactly what they were doing. They shuffled through the papers, knew which stack to get, knew what to write down, knew what answers to encircle. Janna was curious how the woman filling out the forms seemed to have memorized what to encircle on the sheets of paper. For example, the respondent’s house was made of stone. And why would the women work at a busy fast-food restaurant, which for Janna appeared to be a cavalier attitude if preelection surveys were considered very important given the impact of their results on the electorate and the elections as a whole? “Shouldn’t these forms be sealed in an envelope and sent to the office for encoding?” Janna asked. Under the tree
In gathering data for quantitative surveys, there is what is called “working under the mango tree,” a disparaging way of describing how field workers fill out questionnaires even without respondents just to
these were legitimate SWS questionnaires. They explained that every survey consists of several forms to be filled out in a set of preelection survey questionnaires, not just the sheet for the voter preferences. Interviewer’s report
The April 18 to 20 SWS preelection survey showed LP candidate Mar Roxas (pictured) getting 19 percent of voter preference. SAUL E. PA-A / PNA
complete the work. The INQUIRER showed the photos and video to SWS officials Jay Sandoval and Leo Laroza. Laroza, SWS spokesperson, said the photos appeared similar to what is now being circulated on Facebook, with the allegation of cheating. But he would not comment on the Facebook post because the SWS does not respond to “insinuations.” But Laroza and Sandoval, SWS director for Sampling, Processing, and Data Archiving, said they would investigate the video. They said the SWS has to determine if the forms seen on the video are authentic, adding the agency has caught several fake survey sheets in the past. Sandoval also said the SWS does not subcontract the hiring of field workers. Sandoval and Laroza walked the INQUIRER through the survey process undertaken by SWS, the same procedure followed by their field workers whether these are preelection surveys or not. Data transfer
Looking at the video, Sandoval and Laroza said that it appeared that the women were transferring initial notes they
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wrote on the other pages of the set of survey forms. “Assuming that is our questionnaire, the time of the interview and (other) information were already recorded in the first part of the questionnaire where you started the interview,” Sandoval said, explaining the transferring of notes as seen in the video. Asked if the “04-16” on one of the papers meant April 16 or April 2016, the SWS officials said they would have to determine first if the forms were authentic SWS forms. The April 18 to 20 SWS preelection survey showed Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte getting 33 percent of voter preference followed by Sen. Grace Poe with 24 percent, Mar Roxas with 19 percent, Vice President Jejomar Binay with 14 percent and Miriam Defensor-Santiago with 2 percent, and 3 percent remained undecided. While the SWS could not show the INQUIRER the exact preelection survey forms due to a confidentiality clause with the respondents, they showed other declassified survey sheets. That forms are being filled out after the interview and without the respondents present did not seem to alarm Sandoval and Laroza, as they gave logical explanations, if indeed,
Among the other forms that are included in the set of preelection surveys are the interviewer’s report, which notes whether the respondent was cooperative, etc.; the call sheet or the record of attempts or calls made to the respondent; and respondent’s demographics. “In the questionnaires, there is a portion that would be filled out after the interview. For example, the name of the respondents, we have what we call a call sheet which you would (fill out) that while you are in the area coverage,” Sandoval said. Selection table
There is also the probability selection table where all the members of the household are listed down and those who are qualified to participate in the survey are identified. Field workers are usually assigned to five respondents per barangay. “The selection table is in the inner part of the questionnaire,” Sandoval said, which could explain the shuffling of sheets by the women for every set of questionnaire in the video. Sandoval said that SWS implements “very strict control procedures,” adding that the agency follows “zero tolerance for dishonesty.” “We have a one-strike policy,” Laroza said, “especially if you are caught doing your work under the mango tree.” ■
Philippine News
FRIDAY MAY 6, 2016
11
‘No such list showing CCTV cams’ location’ MMDA issues clarification after FB ‘leak’ BY KRISTINE FELISSE MANGUNAY Philippine Daily Inquirer THE HEAD of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has criticized the release online of a list showing the supposed locations of its closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras on Edsa, Commonwealth Avenue and C-5.
MMDA Chair Emerson Carlos also stressed in a radio interview on Sunday that the list got “less than five” of the locations correct. “And the spelling of Roxas is wrong. What is written is ‘Roaxas Boulevard,’” he pointed out. “If you know where the cameras are, why do you need to brag that the camera is there? And to top it off, you publish [a list],” Carlos added.
The list of the alleged locations of the 34 CCTV cameras—among the 250 installed all over Metro Manila for the implementation of the agency’s “no-contact” apprehension policy—came out on April 27 on the Facebook page of an automotive magazine. Since the start of the re-implementation of the MMDA’s contactless policy on April 15, it has not revealed the location of its CCTV cameras to avoid
Airport personnel charged over ‘laglag-bala’ of 2 senior citizens PHILIPPINES NEWS AGENCY MANILA — Criminal charges were filed against the airport officials and employees who were implicated in the alleged conspiracy of the “Tanim-Bala” at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to two senior citizen spouses. In a manifestation filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ)-Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office, charged were wheelchair attendant Nino Namba and Airport inspectors Ferdinand Morales and Fatti Dame Go. The complaint was filed by 75-year old Salvacion Cortabista, who was accompanied by Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) Chief Atty. Persida V. RuedaAcosta. Namba, Morales and Go were charged with violation of Section 38, of Republic Act No. 10591, or “Planting of Evidence”, Article 294 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC) under the crime of “Robbery with Intimidation of a Person”, and Article 287 of the RPC under “Unjust Vexation and Damages”. “Wherefore, premises considered, complainant respectfully prays of this Honorable Office that the foregoing manifestation be Duly Noted, and her allegations be found sufficient to warrant the filing of criminal charges with damages against Nino Namba, Ferdinand Morales, and Fatti Dame Go,” the complaint said.
alerting motorists and ensure their compliance with traffic rules at all times. Under the no-contact apprehension system, the MMDA monitors violations committed by drivers through its network of CCTV cameras. Errant motorists are then sent a notice which they should respond to within seven days. Since its publication on April 27, the supposed list of the lo-
DOJ finds P336-M driver’s license deal above board BY NIKKO DIZON Philippine Daily Inquirer
MITHRIL CLOUD / IKIMEDIA COMMONS
Salvacion narrated that she is supposed to fly to Los Angeles, California last April 19, along with her 78-year old husband and niece. She said that she is suffering from severe arthritis and asked Namba to help them with their bags and push the wheelchair. Suprisingly, at the final x-ray screening machine, a live bullet was allegedly detected inside her handbag by Morales a member of Office of the Transportation Security (OTS). “Morales, and another OTS Member, Fatti Dame Go, together with Namba, implied to Salvacion and her niece Maria Fe Balagot, that more than PHP50,000 would ‘settle’ the case,” the complaint added. They refused to give in to
the demand until they were charged before the DOJ despite their claim that they do not know where the bullet came from. Salvacion pleaded for the dismissal of the case against her for lack of probable cause. Salvacion personally appeared before the Office of DOJ Assistant Chief State Prosecutor Theodore Villanueva. In her nine-page document, Acosta said that there is no evidence against her client and the case must be dismissed. “Wherefore, respondent respectfully prays of this Honorable Office that his Manifestation be Noted and Considered, and that the instant case be Dismissed for utter lack of merit,” the document said. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net
cations of the agency’s CCTV cameras on the three major thoroughfares has been shared more than 12,000 times. “We are asking what their motive is [for the publication of the list] … why do you want motorists to avoid [the cameras]? That appears to be a bad motive,” Carlos said. He added that all the agency wanted with the relaunching of the system was to instill “overall discipline” in drivers. ■
THE DEPARTMENT of Justice (DOJ) has found no legal obstacle to the Land Transportation Office’s buying driver’s license cards under a P336-million contract after a competitive bidding for the project was questioned in the courts. In a legal opinion dated April 5 and addressed to the LTOchief, Assistant Transportation Secretary Roberto Cabrera III, Justice Secretary Emmanuel Caparas said that under Executive Order No. 423, the head of the procuring entity may use alternative forms of procurement other than a public bidding to negotiate contracts under P500 million. The contract may be approved by the head of the entity even without an opinion from the Government Procurement
Policy Board (GPPB) that the contract fell within the exemptions from public bidding and approval by the National Economic and Development Authority, Caparas said. Caparas, however, said the LTO may still ask seek the GPPB’s opinion “for further guidance” since under Republic Act No. 9184, the Government Procurement and Reform Act, the board has the rule-making power and primary competence and jurisdiction to interpret rules concerning public procurement. The contract was awarded in June to the winning bidder, AllCard Plastics Philippines Inc., which would have supplied up to 5 million driver’s license cards for one year. But in Mayand July last year, complaints contesting the bidding procedures’ compliance with RA 9184 were filed in the regional trial courts of Manila and Quezon City. ■
MIKE GONZALEZ / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
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Philippine News
MAY 6, 2016
FRIDAY
Former SC Chief Justice Corona dies; he was 67 BY TARRA QUISMUNDO Philippine Daily Inquirer SENATORS, JUSTICES, judges, and lawyers yesterday mourned the death of former Chief Justice Renato Corona, extolling him for his defense of judicial independence. Corona, who was removed from office for nondisclosure of his assets following a riveting months-long impeachment trial in 2012, died from cardiac arrest before dawn Friday. He was 67. Corona, who was known to have battled diabetes for a long time, died at 1:48 a.m. at Medical City in Pasig City, surrounded by family. He is survived by his wife Cristina and their three children. “We extend our condolences to the bereaved family of the late Chief Justice Renato Corona and join them in fervent prayers for his eternal repose,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a statement. Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and the associate justices “mourn the passing” of Corona, the high court said. The Philippine flag in all courts and the Supreme Court colors were flown at half-staff beginning yesterday. Corona was appointed Chief Justice in May 2010, but his term was cut short when he was impeached and found guilty of underdeclaring his net worth— the country’s chief magistrate in the country’s history to have suffered such a fate. “My deepest sympathies to Chief Justice Corona’s family
and loved ones,” presidential candidate Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago said in her social media account. Her running mate, Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., said Corona was a victim of the Aquino administration’s “selective justice.” “It is always sad to note the passing of a man like Chief Justice Renato Corona upon whom a great injustice was visited and it is unfortunate that at the time of his death he was still under this cloud that remained above him since the impeachment trial,” Marcos said. Santiago and Marcos, together with Sen. Joker Arroyo who died in October last year, voted to acquit Corona at his impeachment trial. Corona, an Ateneo de Manila University law graduate who earned his law master’s degree from Harvard University, served as former President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo’s legal counsel and chief of staff before he was appointed Supreme Court associate justice in April 2002. Arroyo appointed him Chief Justice on May 12, 2010 despite a constitutional prohibition on appointments during elections. Critics called it “midnight appointment.” Arroyo stepped down on June 30, 2010. Her successor, President Aquino, showed his displeasure over Corona’s appointment by taking his oath before then Associate Justice Conchita Carpio Morales. In December 2011, the House of Representatives voted to impeach Corona, initiating a trial against him at the Senate. The trial ended in his conviction for
Philippine flag flown half-mast at the Supreme Court (SC) on Saturday as the high tribunal mourns the passing Friday of former SC Chief Justice Renato Corona. AVITO C. DALAN / PNA
betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution. In San Pablo City, Laguna, judges and court employees vowed to wear crapes until Corona’s remains were laid to rest. “For us, [Corona’s] name, honor, and reputation remain unsullied despite the injustice done to him by the powers that be,” said Judge Agripino Morga of the city’s Regional Trial Court Branch 32. Vicente Joyas, former president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, said Corona had considerable contributions to the country from his stint in Malacañang to his years in the judiciary. Joyas remembered Corona as a “fair” justice whose “integrity is beyond question.” Rico Quicho, a member of
Corona’s legal team at his impeachment trial and now the campaign spokesperson for Vice President Jejomar Binay, remembered the late magistrate’s unparalleled “moral courage.” “I am deeply saddened by the passing of CJ Renato Corona. He is a good man, loving husband and father. CJ Corona fought a good fight to uphold the independence of the institution he dearly loved,” Quicho said in a statement. Karen Jimeno, also a member of Corona’s legal team in 2012, looked back at how Corona showed strength in the face of a painful and very public trial. “What I remember from him is that I think he was also unfairly perceived by the public because of the trial by publicity that he had to go through. But
at the end of the day, you have a person who is intelligent, which is why he was appointed to the Supreme Court in the first place as justice, and then later on as Chief Justice,” Jimeno told the INQUIRER. Jimeno could not recall the last time she saw Corona, but remembered that he would regularly meet the defense team for dinner even after the trial just to catch up. “After the impeachment, we stayed in touch with CJ Corona. We would even regularly see him for dinners or get together with the whole defense team,” Jimeno said. “At that time, he looked OK. He even lost weight in a good way, like he was able to exercise, [he was] spending a lot of quality time with the family,” she added. Asked if she thought the trial took a toll on Corona, Jimeno said: “I think, to a certain extent, yes.” “We saw even during the impeachment that his health declined. I think that came from months of having to deal with the media, most of all the stress. Even during the trial, there was one day when his blood sugar dropped very low because he had been with a serious condition of diabetes since before,” she said. She said the wake of the trial, which led to the filing of tax cases against Corona, added stress to the then already ailing magistrate. “So those things take a toll on your health,” she said. His death extinguished his criminal liability for cases pending in the Sandiganbayan and Court of Tax Appeals. ■
P-Noy hails gov’t-labor partnership for ‘life of dignity’ BY NIKKO DIZON Philippine Daily Inquirer IN HIS final Labor Day message, President Aquino yesterday hailed the partnership between government and the Filipino workforce that “raised the quality of work in society” and helped “everyone live a life of dignity.” In a statement, the President said in Filipino: “We take pride in each and every one of you
who worked together to raise the quality of work in our society … We [in government] did our best to match your hard work with the right solutions for everyone to live a life of dignity.” Labor Day, Mr. Aquino said, is celebrated to express gratitude for the “skill, honor and resilience [laborers like you] offered our country.” The country’s “six-year journey on daang matuwid” showed how government and
the people can work together to achieve the administration’s development agenda, the President said, adding that labor organizations have engaged in an honest dialogue with government. The Filipino workforce accepted the challenges brought about by the changing face of technology and proved that, indeed, the Filipino can compete in the global market, he added. President Aquino also paid www.canadianinquirer.net
tribute to overseas Filipino workers, as well as the police and military who help in keeping communities safe. In his recent speeches, whether on the campaign trail or speaking at official events, the President would always note that in the past six years of his administration, there had been only 17 labor strikes. Before graduating students of Manuel L. Quezon University last week, President Aquino
credited Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz for conducting “marathon sessions” to resolve conflicts between labor and management. The President also stressed the need to continue the reforms started by his administration. “There is a need to further advocate positive change. I invite all of you to join in our movement: Let us take the right path toward a brighter and just tomorrow,” Mr. Aquino said. ■
Philippine News
FRIDAY MAY 6, 2016
13
Escudero laughs off votebuying claims against Poe BY AZER N. PARROCHA Philippines News Agency
The commissioner recently came under fire for the rate of smuggling activity in the country. Biazon suggested in initial talks with the President to replace the Bureau of Customs with a professional institution run by highly-paid new officers and employees. SAUL E. PA-A / PNA
House leader moves to end labor contractualization PHILIPPINES NEWS AGENCY MANILA — The chairman of the House Committee on Labor and Employment has called for support on pending bills designed to put an end to the practice of “endo” or labor contractualization in the country. Rep. Karlo Alexei B. Nograles (1st District, Davao City) said at least three bills were filed to address the gaps in Presidential Decree 442, or the Labor Code of the Philippines, as amended, and provide an alternative approach to the political gridlock of workers and employers on the issue of contractualization, better known as “endo” or end of contract. “These bills seek to institutionalize the multiple approach adopted by the Department of Labor and Employment in addressing the issue of ‘endo’ or contractualization, which is synonymous to circumvention of labor laws on labor standards and occupational safety and health standards, security of tenure, and right to self-organization and collective bargaining,” Nograles said. Nograles said one of the pending measures is House Bill 5415, which clearly defines legitimate contractor or subcontractor as an employer engaged in providing job, work or services to another business. “The measure enumerates the requirements and elements of legitimate contracting or subcontracting and allows industry-based contracting and subcontracting arrangement through tripartite consultation,” Nograles said. Nograles said one of the amendments to Article 106 to 109 of Presidential Decree 442, as amended, shifts from registration to licensing of contractor or subcontractor, but retains the solidary liability of the principal employer with the contractor or subcontractor for unpaid wages, labor standards, and other welfare benefits of the workers.
“The measure recognizes trilateral relationship and includes provisions on liabilities of the parties, and rights of workers including the right to self-organization,” Nograles said. Under the measure, which was authored by Nograles, legitimate contractor or subcontractor must be licensed with the DOLE; have substantial capitalization of at least PHP3 million or as maybe determined through tripartite consultation; have equipment, machineries and tools necessary to perform or complete the job, or service contracted out; and exercise control over the performance or completion of the job, work or service contracted out. The measure prohibits labor-only contracting. Unlicensed contractors or subcontractors shall be deemed engaged in labor-only contracting. The principal employer, on the other hand, shall be considered the direct employer of all employees under the contracting or subcontracting agreement. The measure requires the Secretary of DOLE to determine functions that can be subcontracted based on the recommendation by appropriate Industry Tripartite Council, of which in the absence of Industry-Specific Tripartite Standards on Contracting or Subcontracting, the Secretary of DOLE shall determine standards and issue appropriate regulations after consultations with the National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council. Co-authors of House Bill 5415 are Reps. Florencio T. Flores Jr. (2nd District, Bukidnon) and Deogracias B. Ramos Jr. (2nd District, Sorsogon). Another bill authored by Nograles is House Bill 5416. It defines the causes of termination of employment of workers, amending Articles 282 and 283 of PD 442, as amended. It was also co-authored by Flores and Ramos. A component bill, which Nograles and Ramos introduced, is House Bill 5806, to be known as “Employment Relations Bill.” ■
MANILA — Independent vice-presidential bet Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Tuesday laughed off accusations that his running mate, presidential candidate Sen. Grace Poe, had engaged in vote-buying. Escudero dismissed as “baseless and false” the allegations hurled against Poe by senatorial aspirant Greco Belgica, who is asking the Commission on Elections to investigate an alleged vote-buying incident involving Poe’s supporters in Baguio City. He said it was “highly improbable” for Poe and the Partido Galing at Puso to buy votes in the run up to the May 9 elections, given the fact that they do not even have enough funds to mount a nationwide campaign. “Hindi totoo iyon… Isa sa pinakamadaling-gawin, lalo na sa halalan ay ang magsabi ng alegasyon na may nag-aalok ng pera at diumano may tumatanggap (That is not true... One of the easiest things to do, most especially during election season, there are raps of bribery and acceptance of such),” Escudero told a press conference in Quezon City. “Independent kami at kulang na nga ang pondo namin. Hindi po namin gagawin ‘yan
(We are running independent and are lacking funds. We will not do that),” he added. Escudero also questioned the timing of Belgica’s petition, which was filed barely a week before the automated polls. “Nakakatawa lamang ‘yung timing at nakakatawa lang bakit dinamay niya si Senator Grace samantalang napakaraming ebidensya at alegasyon kaugnay sa paggamit ng Liberal Party ng makinarya at government resources na mas malala pa sa vote-buying. Bakit hindi iyon ang pinansin niya (It is just funny how Senator Grace is caught in this when there are so many allegations regarding the use of the Liberal Party of government resources which is worse than vote buying. Why not focus on that)?” Escudero pointed out. The subject of the petition is a video showing the alleged Poe supporters complaining of not receiving the Php500 promised to them in exchange for their attendance at her campaign rally. According to Escudero, anyone can claim to be supporters of Poe when they are actually not. “Basta sigurado ako na wala ‘yung mukha ko at mukha ni Sen. Grace [sa video] (I am sure we are not seen there),” he said. The Bicolano solon nevertheless said they had instructed their lawyers to prepare the necessary response to the petition. ■
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14
MAY 6, 2016
FRIDAY
On Labor Day, workers hope for an end to 5-month jobs BY GIL CABACUNGAN Philippine Daily Inquirer MILITANT LAWMAKERS yesterday said workers can’t wait for President Aquino to step down as the next administration would likely mean the end of job contractualization, per the promises of the presidential candidates. “On Labor Day, workers will remember how this administration did nothing to end the exploitation of labor through contractualization. On Election Day, laborers will have a choice for who can help stop this anomaly,” said Kabataan party-list Rep. Terry Ridon. The subcontracting of labor has become a major election issue amid growing complaints against businesses that refuse to hire workers beyond a fivemonth period. With contractualization, businesses avoid paying benefits and other perks mandated for regular workers, or those who have worked for at
least six months. ‘Nationalist industrialization’ istration by also rejecting his In the latest presidential de“I hope that we will have a putative and pretentious sucbate, the leading presidential new president, a new admin- cessor,” said Zarate. candidates—Davao City Mayor istration that will prioritize Zarate said the President’s Rodrigo Duterte, Sen. Grace the interest of our workers, presidential candidate, Mar Poe and Vice President Jejomar that will truly take care of our Roxas, a former interior secreBinay—promised to end con- workers by banning contractu- tary, failed to curb drug abuse, tractualization which is illegal alization, by making national- criminality and mismanaged under the country’s laws but ist industrialization a priority traffic, the seaports and airhas been bypassed by big busi- so that more stable jobs can be ports. nesses because Senatorial of a loophole in candidate Marits implementatin Romualdez tion. said the regularRidon said On Labor Day, workers will remember ization of workworkers do how this administration did nothing ers should be a not expect any to end the exploitation of labor priority of the change in the through contractualization. next Congress status quo for to ensure that labor if “daang workers enjoy matuwid” would benefits and job continue in the next adminis- created,” said Zarate. security. tration. Zarate said he expected “The absence of security of Bayan MunaRep. Carlos workers to commemorate La- tenure in their jobs contribZarate said the final weeks of bor Day by celebrating the end utes to poverty that we have the Aquino administration of the Aquino administration. been addressing for a very long had given laborers hope the “This being the last Labor time. We should specify which next president would be more Day of BS Aquino, it will be jobs or industries could have compassionate to the plight of a good-riddance blow of the contractual labor,” said Roworkers. Filipino workers to him by re- mualdez. jecting his fraudulent adminAs this developed, the Philip-
pine Trade and General Workers Organization (PTGWO), the biggest labor federation in the country, will again observe Labor Day with no angry mob of workers chanting antigovernment slogans, no burning of effigies, no horrendous traffic, and no sea of trash. Instead, the group will conduct another clean-up drive, a unique Labor Day tradition which it started last year. The 64-year-old federation, which includes more than 100 labor unions in almost all industries nationwide, would again arm its members with brooms to sweep Roxas Boulevard in Manila and nearby streets. They will also hold a feeding program, a gift-giving and awarding of small capital for micro entrepreneurs. Lawyer Arnel Dolendo, PTGWO national president, said 5,000 members spent four hours last year sweeping the streets of Metro Manila, donating a total of 20,000 man hours of actual work for Labor Day. ■
PUBLIC LIVES
‘Dutertismo’ By Randy David Philippine Daily Inquirer AT THE end of his rambling speeches before mesmerized crowds, presidential candidate and preelection poll frontrunner Rodrigo Duterte touches the Philippine flag that is brought to him on cue. He brings it to his lips, and solemnly proclaims: “Together let’s fix this country.” As he raises his clenched fist, the audience breaks into ecstatic applause. No other presidential candidate in Philippine political history has used the nation’s highest symbol so deliberately and to such effect. This melodramatic patriotic gesture seems to work. Instead of explaining his political program, Duterte regales his listeners with stories of his frustrating encounters with a dysfunctional national government and how he deals with these to produce tangible results in Davao City. He himself admits he has no program of his own to offer, and that he intends to copy some of the good plans of his rivals. What is urgent, he says, is that we restore order and respect for authority. He laments the fact that criminals, drug peddlers, and corrupt public officials have been able to act with impunity by exploiting the weaknesses of the judicial system. In this
manner, he articulates the exaspera- formation of politics into aesthetics. ernment. Therefore, it would be hard tion and desperation that the people In Germany, this phenomenon came to locate it in the political spectrum experience in their daily lives. to be known as Nazism; in Italy, it was between Right and Left. Its agenda But more than this, he unleashes called Fascism. changes as it moves, rejecting what it a torrent of aggressive and resentIt would probably be appropri- regards as the flabbiness of existing ful impulses not previously seen in ate to call its Philippine incarnation moral and political institutions. our society, except perhaps in social “Dutertismo.” Calling Duterte a fasIt draws its base from all social classmedia. For now, the explicit targets cist would probably not mean any- es, from the cities as well as the counare the drug syndicates, criminals, thing to the average Filipino. If at all, tryside, attracting support from busiand government functionaries who it might focus inordinate attention nessmen as well as former soldiers, spend more time making money for on the man himself and the dark cha- workers and peasants, intellectuals and themselves than in serving the pub- risma he projects, when what is need- artists, statesmen and shopkeepers. lic. In the future, they can be any ed is to understand the movement he Paxton quotes an entry from the diary group that is perceived to stand in the has given life to and the collective an- of the novelist Thomas Mann in March way of genuine change. ger and despair it represents. 1933, shortly after Hitler became GerNever going into specifics, Duterte It would be instructive for all of us, many’s chancellor. What Mann saw promises just one thing: the will and in this election season, to take a mo- was a revolution “without underlying leadership to do ideas, against ideas, what needs to be against everything Fascism is neither a distinct ideology nor a coherent done—to the point nobler, better, dephilosophy of government. Therefore, it would be hard to of killing and putcent, against freelocate it in the political spectrum between Right and Left. ting one’s own life dom, truth and juson the line. “If you tice.” are not prepared to kill and be killed, ment to step back from the political As puzzling as it might appear, you have no business being president personalities that today occupy cen- this complex phenomenon can be of this country,” he has said on more ter stage, and view the broader pic- explained, Paxton writes. “Fascism than one occasion. ture that seems to be upon us in the rested not upon the truth of its docThis is pure theater—a sensual light of the history of other countries. trine but upon the leader’s mystical experience rather than the ratio- A book titled “The anatomy of fas- union with the historic destiny of his nal application of ideas to society’s cism” written by former Columbia people…. Fascist leaders made no seproblems. Observing the same phe- University professor Robert O. Pax- cret of having no program. Mussolini nomenon in Europe in the 1920s, the ton and published in 2004 has proved exulted in that absence.” Hitler had a Marxist critic Walter Benjamin in- to be an eye-opener for me. 25-point program but he also declared terpreted the events that saw the rise Fascism is neither a distinct ideol- it to be changeable, staunchly refusing of Hitler and Mussolini as the trans- ogy nor a coherent philosophy of gov- to make “cheap” promises. Indeed,
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what this really signified, says Paxton, is that “the debate had ceased.” Fascists dismissed modern liberal politicians as “culpably incompetent guardians” against the enemies of the state. They had nothing but contempt for humanist enlightenment values. The supreme irony is that the typical bearers of these values— the educated middle classes—found themselves cooperating with, if not actively supporting, the movement. Unable to appreciate the complexity of the problems facing modern society, and seeing only the unpalatable choices before them, they primed themselves for a “brutal anti-intellectualism” that reduced everything to the “will and leadership” of the strongman. Reading Paxton’s book while watching Digong Duterte speak before the Makati Business Club gave me goose pimples. These captains of industry came to listen to his economic program. The man started by reading the scanty notes before him with undisguised indifference. He then put these notes aside and used up the time telling them about how he dealt with criminals, and how he was more honest about his libido than any of them in the room. As it turned out, he was the program they came to hear. ■
Opinion
FRIDAY MAY 6, 2016
15
AT LARGE
Not what our ‘lolas’ fought for By Rina Jimenez-David Philippine Daily Inquirer IT RAINED on Friday afternoon, just as different women’s (and men’s) groups assembled in front of the Commission on Elections offices to mark the 79th anniversary (on April 30) of Filipino women’s right to vote. But it did not rain on our parade. Huddled under umbrellas or braving the raindrops, women spoke out—with their presence, their voices, their sisterhood—to celebrate the grant, 79 years ago, of the final recognition of our full citizenship in this country. At the same time, women denounced the misogynist trash talk that has characterized this year’s election campaign. Although the most outrageous remarks have been issuing from the potty mouth of the Davao City mayor, there have been other manifestations of the disdain with which male leaders (and even some of their female followers) hold women in general. It’s no accident, I think, that the dirty-mouthed Dudirty has been shown in TV ads holding up the hand of the impresario of twerking. The naughty dance took place very early in the race, but it now seems quaintly anachronistic compared to what has since transpired. Those are just words, it was just a dance, some might say. But Trish, a
survivor of childhood rape trauma sure your panuelo (shoulder kerchief) Reyes of the Center for Legislative who spoke at the rally, belied the in- is tied properly.” (Joining them in Development, with inputs from Prof. nocuousness of the mayor’s words. Filipiniana garb was Mel Alonzo, who, Aurora Javate de Dios of Miriam Col“When I heard him say that joke,” said with Lyca and Nina, and myself, are lege’s Women and Gender Institute, Trish, “everything came back to me.” members of the TOWNS Foundation and Aida S. Maranan of Wedpro. She had spent years trying to forget which had put out an ad decrying the Commissioner Guanzon received the serial abuse, even writing a book “rape joke” that same day.) the document in her capacity as chair about her experience and recovery Don’t put our grandmothers’ and of the Comelec committee on genand helping other girls recover from mothers’ efforts to waste, was their der relations, promising to consider their own abuse, but when the may- common theme. They exhorted the the provisions of the proposed Code or’s words hit public space, the memo- women gathered—and all other Fili- in the preparation of the poll body’s ries came flooding back. “I couldn’t pino voters—not to elect the boorish, own Code of Conduct. sleep for many nights afterwards,” the reckless, those who hold such a The proposed “Gender-Sensitive she declared. Just words? Tell that to low, hateful view of women that they Code of Conduct” addressed candisurvivors whose trauma is recklessly threaten to undo the decades of prog- dates, political parties, the Comelec, stripped bare with and the Commisevery joke, every titsion on Human Those are just words, it was just a dance, some might say. ter, every expression Rights. Among the But Trish, a survivor of childhood rape trauma who spoke at the of disdain. more important rally, belied the innocuousness of the mayor’s words. *** provisions is the STANDING out “strict prohibition” amid the crowd were three women in ress to which the likes of the “panu- against “sexist remarks, jokes, songs baro’t saya, who came to the gather- elo activists” had devoted their lives. that disrespect, insult, degrade woming to represent their grandmothers Later, inside the Comelec building en, the LGBT community, persons who had been among the early suf- where a small delegation presented a with disability, senior citizens, indigfragists, the women who campaigned proposed “Gender Sensitive Code of enous people and other marginalized for all of 30 years so that women Conduct for Candidates and Politi- groups.” could win the right to vote. cal Parties,” the women met another Another prohibition is that against Lyca Benitez Brown represented descendant of a suffragist. She was “kissing, touching of women supher grandmother Francisca Tirona Comelec Commissioner Rowena porters and other sexual advances, Benitez, while Nina Lim Yuson spoke Guanzon, whose forebear Maria Paz welcome or unwelcome,” that constion behalf of her grandmother Pilar Guanzon was likewise an avid cam- tute “unacceptable and unbecoming Hidalgo Lim. Lyca spoke fondly of her paigner for women’s rights. behavior.” Ditto with “hiring women aunt, Helena Benitez, a pioneering *** to perform sexually suggestive dancfeminist and former senator, who, from THE proposed Code of Conduct es such as twerking in campaign ralher hospital bed, bade Lyca to “make was prepared mainly by Dr. Socorro lies.”
And in the wake of much bashing, shaming, mean memes and hostility that has exploded in social media during the campaign, the guidelines also exhort candidates to “strictly monitor their websites and other social media platforms for any gender-insensitive content or message.” The Code calls on candidates “to discipline their members, especially those who harass women by cursing or threatening them with rape and other forms of sexual violence.” *** INDEED, even Sr. Mary John Mananzan of the Institute of Women’s Studies of St. Scholastica’s College, who welcomed the participants, said that in the wake of her outspoken stance regarding the insensitive rape remarks, she received threats of being raped herself by online trolls. Have we sunk so low? Have our candidates’ careless views and behavior incited their followers to attack and harass women—including a Catholic nun—who just happen to hold contrary views? Adhering to a “law and order” agenda is all right, but not if that “lawlessness and disorder” is imposed by bullying, berating and beating (or killing) the helpless who just happen to disagree with their mob rule. This is not what our lolas fought for! ■
LOOKING BACK
Culture missing from presidentiables’ agenda By Ambeth R. Ocampo Philippine Daily Inquirer DRUGS, CORRUPTION, traffic and crime are dragons that the presidential candidates promise to slay. Lesser monsters seem to be improvements in the economy, government, power generation, disaster preparedness, and environment. Nobody seems to have built a platform on water and culture. Water is set to be our next crisis, with taps in Metro Manila expected to run dry in a decade or two unless a timely solution can be found and implemented by the next administration. Cities need and consume a lot of water but they do not produce it, so where will it be sourced and at what price? As to culture, it is missing from the agenda of the presidentiables. So when I hear friends in the arts rant about culture being a lowpriority of the government, I bite my lip to keep from declaring that culture is not a priority, and is not even on the agenda! We are happy that President Aquino found the time to confer the National Artist awards a few months short of his departure from Malaca-
ñang. One batch of National Artists was merged with another due to the controversy over additions or “dagdag” to the laureates who were not even on the shortlist of nominees. I have always maintained that a president is not a rubber stamp, and that the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Cultural Center of the Philippines, which whittle a long list of nominees and wannabes into a shortlist, must accept that they make recommendations that a president can choose to accept or ignore. A president has the discretion to remove a name from the shortlist but should not add to the list, so Nora Aunor has to wait for another round of screening and a future president who sees fit to elevate her to the Order of National Artists. Contrary to popular belief, there have been two conferments of National Artist awards under the Aquino administration. That of Fernando Poe Jr. was quietly conferred by President Aquino in 2012. FPJ was posthumously elevated to the Order of National Artist in 2007, but his widow refused to receive the honor from then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who,
she maintains, had stolen the presidency from her husband. The 2007 proclamation was not signed and the award was not conferred, yet FPJ remained in the roster of National Artists. To regularize the situation, President Aquino conferred the award posthumously in 2012. Another bright spot for culture is the long overdue establishment of the Cultural Diplomacy Unit in our Department of Foreign Affairs, which had been attached to the Office of the Undersecretary for International Economic Relations! It is a first step in institutionalizing the use of culture in our public diplomacy. One just has to look around Manila to see how culture is utilized by other governments as part of their public diplomacy or “soft power.” Some highprofile examples are: the French Alliance Francaise, the Spanish Instituto Cervantes, the German Goethe Institut, the Chinese Confucius Institute, the Japan Foundation, and the British Council. The Philippines is not far behind with Sentro Rizal established in a number of our embassies abroad to promote Philippine culture. With the proper funding, our DFA
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Cultural Diplomacy Unit can establish an Art in Embassies program like that recently presented by the US Embassy in Manila. Over the years I have been invited to the residences of the French and Spanish ambassadors in Forbes Park and have seen how each new ambassador redecorates the home with art and antiques sent from their home base. Some works were loaned from state museums, so that visitors need not fly to Paris or Madrid to see them. When the French, Spanish and Japanese ambassadors entertain at home without the services of hotel catering, the best in dinnerware and flatware from their countries can be enjoyed. US Ambassador Philip Goldberg hosted a reception at his residence in Forbes Park this week for an Art in Embassies exhibition that brought to Manila works that connected our countries. Previous ambassadors brought American art that is part of a global visual arts program run by the US Department of State Office of Art in embassies since 1963. These works of art, chosen in consultation with the ambassador, “allow foreign citizens, many of whom might never
travel to the US to personally experience the depth and breadth of our artistic heritage and values… making what has been called a ‘footprint that can be left where people have no opportunity to see American art.’” Of the works on display, I liked those of Leo Abaya most because these were rooted in our history. “This can happen elsewhere” (2004) is an image drawn from the late-16thcentury Boxer Codex installed directly on the wall in one of the rooms of the embassy. It shows a man decorated in gold like a Christmas tree, which should make our generation ask, If our 16th-century ancestors were so rich, why are we so poor today? “Negotiating space” (2005) uses an image of a smiling enemy soldier during the Filipino-American War. Then there is a portrait of Rizal by Jeff Huntington that needs little or no explanation. I left the US Embassy hoping that the next administration will provide a budget for a similar program where Philippine Embassies abroad can provide foreigners a chance to know and experience our art and culture as a means of public diplomacy. ■
16
MAY 6, 2016
FRIDAY
Canada News
Sen. Mike Duffy back on Parliament Hill after sensational acquittal BY JORDAN PRESS The Canadian Press OTTAWA — For the first time in more than two years, Sen. Mike Duffy returned to Parliament Hill on Monday after the end of his long-running legal odyssey. Much as he has done since his trial began last year, Duffy stayed mum as he passed through the Senate doors to the Centre Block, adding to the suspense for Tuesday’s Senate sitting when he can take his seat in the upper chamber — and say whatever he wants under the blanket of parliamentary privilege. Duffy’s return to the Hill comes less than two weeks after his marathon trial ended in a sensational acquittal on all 31 fraud, breach of trust and bribery charges he’d been facing. Duffy was suspended from the Senate over his expense troubles, but the suspension was lifted when Parliament was dissolved last summer in anticipation of the 2011 federal election. His case marks the first time that a senator has been charged, tried and acquitted, paving the way for questions about whether the Senate jumped the gun on stripping Duffy of his salary
before due process had been allowed to run its course Duffy lost out on more than $250,000 in salary during his suspension — money that his lawyer has argued Duffy should be paid after his acquittal. His Conservative colleague Sen. Linda Frum disagreed Monday. “The Senate made a decision about his salary; it was part of a sanctions process against Sen. Duffy, and that sanctions process took place, and that’s the end of that story,” said Frum, who was one of those who voted in support of the suspension. Nonetheless, he has “every right to be here,” she said, adding, “I hope he’ll devote himself to his job with a kind of integrity that perhaps was missing in the past.” Duffy getting his salary or pension back would require a motion to the Senate, which could be moved by any senator, himself included. The Senate as a whole would have to vote on the motion, just as it did on the vote to suspend. The Senate has already allowed Sen. Pamela Wallin, also suspended over her own expense controversy, to start accruing time needed to qualify for a pension — a clock that remains stopped for Duffy and
Sen. Patrick Brazeau until the Senate decides otherwise. NDP MP Charlie Angus told reporters he doesn’t see a reason to give Duffy back the salary he lost. “What we’re seeing is a real disconnect between the Ottawa political bubble and ordinary Canadians who work hard and play by the rules,” Angus said. “Now we’re supposed to be all feeling bad for a senator who’s going to go back and demand all his back pay for all the time that he was in court?” In dismissing the charges, Ontario Court Justice Charles Vaillancourt said while Duffy’s expenses for travel, housing and contracts may raise eyebrows, they did not amount to criminal behaviour. Nor did the Crown prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Duffy was guilty. Instead, Vaillancourt set his gaze on the Senate’s vague spending rules and Stephen Harper’s Prime Minister’s Office, delivering a scathing critique of how it tried to manage Duffy’s politically problematic expense claims. The judgment showed the Conservative government deserved “some blame” for what happened, in particular the “people who were in charge” at
Senator Mike Duffy.
the time, Conservative leadership candidate Maxime Bernier said Monday. Many of the operatives in the PMO are now gone, while two of the top senators involved in the Duffy affair — former senators Marjory LeBreton and Irving Gerstein — have since retired. The Senate has also been through an auditor general’s review and has amended its spending rules. Indeed, the Parliament Hill where Duffy arrived Monday is a different place from the one
AYELIE / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
he left. The Senate changed a little more on Monday as another senator chose to sit as an independent without an affiliation to any caucus. Sen. Grant Mitchell said he was leaving the Liberal Senate caucus to foster what he sees as the best way to “address the pressure for change facing the Senate.” Mitchell’s move brings to 22 the number of independents in the Senate, including Duffy and Wallin. ■
Alberta firefighter faces 18 arson charges THE CANADIAN PRESS MAYERTHORPE, ALTA. — A firefighter who battled the flames that destroyed a railway trestle bridge northwest of Edmonton last week has now been charged with setting the fire, as well as others in and around his community. RCMP say Lawson Michael Schalm, 19, of Mayerthorpe faces 18 counts of arson following an investigation into a recent rash of fires, including the one
on the CN bridge on April 26. The chief of the town’s fire department, Randy Schroeder, says Schalm is the son of a former mayor of Mayerthorpe and joined the department as a junior member when he was 15. He became a full member when he turned 18. Schalm is being held in custody and is scheduled to make his first court appearance on the arson allegations in Stony Plain Provincial Court on Wednesday. Schroeder confirmed that Schalm was among the fire-
fighters who fought last week’s fire on the bridge. “The entire department is shocked and in disbelief right now regarding the situation,” Schroeder said on Sunday. “It’s almost grief-like symptoms at this point.” Thick, black smoke billowed from the burning railway bridge for hours until it collapsed. Students at the nearby Mayerthorpe high school and residents of 38 mobile homes at the Kreek’s Krossing trailer park were forced to leave. www.canadianinquirer.net
Water bombers, along with fire crews from Mayerthorpe and surrounding areas, battled the blaze. Police say no one was hurt in any of the suspicious fires, which began April 19. Schroeder and Mayerthorpe mayor Kate Patrick said in a news release that members of the fire department will undergo “Critical Incident Stress Debriefing” and that individual counselling will be available to all members over word of the charges.
Schroeder said the community’s firefighters are volunteers who are paid on-call. The release said firefighters “volunteer tirelessly” and that all who were available stepped up during the rash of fires. “Our community can continue to expect the highest possible service from its fire department and town officials,” the release states. “The fire department will continue to respond to emergencies and will respond to calls.” ■
FRIDAY MAY 6, 2016
17
When does Ottawa have your back?
Canada’s army... soldiers (five per cent) by 2019. In our opinion, this goal will be difficult to achieve given the present rate of attrition,” said the audit. The sweeping review also looked at training and found that many reservists don’t receive certain basic weapons training, such as the use of a pistol or grenade launcher. They have been woefully unprepared for some duties in combat zones, such as convoy escort and force protection, and ill-equipped for missions at home like responding to forest fires and floods. When there is a domestic emergency, reserve units are expected to assemble trained units of up to 600 soldiers, but Ferguson’s report noted that they were thrown into the field over the last few years — specifically in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba — without everything they needed, including essential items. “When we reviewed these reports, we found many instances of key equipment lacking, such as reconnaissance vehicles, command posts, and communications equipment,” the audit said. “We found that the Canadian Army has not defined the list of equipment that all army reserve units should have for training their soldiers and teams for domestic missions. This means that army reserve units may have to rely on other Canadian Armed Forces units to provide this equipment, but we were told that it is often not available.” The former Harper government was keen on highlighting the participation of reservists, notably the Canadian Rangers, in annual Arctic exercises. In 2013, it staged a series of photoops with then-prime minister Stephen Harper shooting rifles and mingling with the troops, who are drawn from indigenous northern communities. The audit says the army made a special effort to equip them, but even there Ferguson’s report found support wanting. ❰❰ 1
“Following recent training exercises, these groups reported that they did not always have access to the equipment they needed to be self-sufficient, such as reliable communications and vehicles larger than light snowmobiles,” said the report. Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said the Liberals have already started investing in the reserves, but didn’t explain how. He said he recognizes recruiting and retention as long-standing problems, and that the department is looking at ways to make training more engaging. Lt.-Gen. Marquis Haines, the commander of the army, says they’re putting in place measures to ensure that reservists are more prepared to deploy, both at home and abroad. “Any gaps in training will be assessed and resolved before deployment and the completion of army reserve training objectives will be confirmed annually,” he said in a statement. Ferguson also tore a strip off the government over how it balances and pays for reservists, some of who are being called up to full-time duty. Under the law, a part-time soldier can be converted to full-time status for periods of between 180 days and three years. But those jobs can be _and often are — renewed for longer periods of time. It was one of the criticisms in retired lieutenant-general Andrew Leslie’s 2011 report, which was meant to overhaul administration at National Defence. Ferguson’s report goes a step further, showing that as many as 1,704 part-time soldiers are on full-time duty, but are financed out of the reserve budget. “This means that the Canadian Army spent about 27 per cent of its overall army reserve pay and operating expenses on these full-time contracts, leaving less available for other army reserve activities,” said the report. ■
Three ways politics touched Canadians this week BY HEATHER SCOFFIELD The Canadian Press OTTAWA — With the House of Commons not sitting this week, jet-setting — and jets — dominated Canadian politics instead. The Trudeau cabinet flew out en masse to a resort in Kananaskis, Alta., to spend three days talking about the economy, but it was the beheading of a Canadian hostage in the Philippines that seized all the attention. The cabinet then fanned out across the country, and Trudeau made his way to a couple of different First Nations reserves — even as the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ordered his government to live up to its commitments for aboriginal children. By week’s end, ministers were fending off queries about a big fat new order for Bombardier. Delta Airlines wants to buy up to 125 CSeries jets, prompting some to question why the government would still be considering a $1-billion bailout for the Quebec aerospace manufacturer — a question that remains unanswered. Canadians are still getting to know their newly elected representatives. This week, they discovered that there are times when the federal government may not always have their back. Here’s how politics mattered to Canadians’ lives this week: Talk vs action on hostages
News emerged Monday that Canadian John Ridsdel had been beheaded by Abu Sayyaf militants in the Philippines after seven months in captivity. Three other hostages, including a second Canadian citizen and a permanent resident of Canada, remain in captivity. Media reports, coupled with
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Canada’s track record in hostage incidents, began to fuel persistent talk about Canada being amenable to paying ransom in such situations. So Prime Minister Justin Trudeau emerged to douse the speculation. “Canada does not and will not pay ransom to terrorists, directly or indirectly,” he said. “Paying ransom for Canadians would endanger the lives of every single one of the millions of Canadians who live work and travel around the world every single year.” That prompts the question: what does the government actually do to deal with such hostage-takings besides investigate after the fact? Government policy on kidnapping dictates no compromises with kidnappers — no policy changes, no prisoner exchanges, no immunity from prosecution, no ransom. And given the terrain and the politics of the Philippines right now, a rescue seems unlikely. Talk vs action for aboriginal children
Even as the prime minister visited First Nations leaders in Saskatchewan this week — also dropping in on the isolated Shoal Lake reserve on the Ontario-Manitoba border, where residents have been under a boil-water advisory for 19 years — a key tribunal was telling him to pony up. The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ordered Ottawa to immediately enact a policy that ensures aboriginal children in need don’t see their health and welfare caught up in federal-provincial infighting. The problem is old and pre-dates the Liberal government, but all parties agreed in the House of Commons in 2007 that the children’s needs should take prece-
dence over red tape. Trudeau insists his visiting of First Nations is more than just talk. “I think it is important to underscore that the conversations we are having, the signalling of a renewed relationship based on recognition of inherent and treaty rights, based on respect and collaboration, aren’t just words,” Trudeau said. “They go to the fundamental nature of how the federal government engages in a responsible and proper way with indigenous communities and individuals across this country.” No talk, no action on bombardier aid
The Montreal-based aerospace company announced Thursday that a multi-billiondollar deal is in the works with U.S. carrier Delta. The company said it now has a decent cash flow and suggested that any extra money coming its way could be put towards restoring dividends for shareholders. But at the same time, Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard, and indeed the company itself, say Ottawa still needs to give Bombardier $1 billion in financial aid, in the name of supporting aerospace innovation. Federal ministers had very little to say about the changing landscape, given that they’re in the midst of market-sensitive negotiations with the company. Their previous reasons for even considering financial assistance — bolstering the competitiveness of an important industry that employs thousands across the country — are now in limbo. Their eventual response will offer even more clues about the Liberal government, notably its approach to industrial development, subsidies, job protection — and Quebec. ■
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Canada News
MAY 6, 2016
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Vancouver bylaws close 22 pot shops, Two men charged but many owners vow to fight rules after alleged sexual assault at University of British Columbia BY LAURA KANE The Canadian Press
VANCOUVER’S CRACKDOWN on unlicensed medical marijuana dispensaries has begun, with bylaw inspectors issuing 44 tickets to date and confirming that 22 stores have already closed. But many owners are refusing to shut their doors and are mulling legal action, while others are refocusing their business efforts on cities without regulations including Toronto. “It’s absurd that these businesses that have laid the groundwork for access and legalization are being punished and shut down when they do no harm,” said cannabis activist Jodie Emery. “A lot of Vancouver dispensary owners in the last year have set up plans to move to other jurisdictions like Toronto because the regulations here are too restrictive.” Vancouver became the first city in Canada to develop regulations for medical marijuana businesses last year. Dozens of stores have opened in Toronto in the past few months alone. But Vancouver refused to grant licences to 140 stores that violated certain rules including being too close to schools. Seven businesses have been issued permits and 13 applications are under review. Bylaw inspectors began heavily enforcing the rules on Satur-
day. Twenty-three stores were ticketed over the weekend, bringing the total number of tickets issued so far to 44. Andreea Toma, the city’s chief licensing inspector, said in an interview on Monday that stores that continue to operate without a licence will face a $250 fine for every day they stay open. Staff will continue enforcement this week while compiling the necessary information to take legal action against locations that flout city rules, she said. The city’s legal options include bylaw prosecutions that can result in a $10,000 fine or seeking court injunctions to order dispensaries to close, Toma said. “These are the tools that we have. We’re not coming up with anything new,” she said. “We’re being fair and consistent. This is what we do with all other businesses.” Some dispensary operators are considering lawsuits to challenge what they say are overly restrictive and unfair regulations. “Everybody’s talking about litigation,” said Don Briere, owner of the Weeds Glass and Gifts chain. “It’s going to be costly and of course the taxpayer is footing the bill.” Briere said he had spoken with lawyers and was considering a suit alleging discrimination, because many of his sick and elderly customers will now be forced to travel to get their
medicine. He said five of his six stores were ticketed on Saturday and he plans to dispute the fines. Chuck Varabioff of the B.C. Pain Society filed a petition in B.C. Supreme Court for a judicial review of a Board of Variance decision to deny his appeal to keep his location on Commercial Drive open. The store was shut down because it was within 300 metres of a school, but Vancouver’s oldest dispensary, the B.C. Compassion Club, is also near the school and was allowed to stay open. Varabioff said he supports regulating dispensaries, but feels the Board of Variance did not give him a fair appeal and he is refusing to pay the ticket he received on Saturday “in protest.” “Vancouver was kind of the role model for the entire world for licensing dispensaries, and they have now taken 100 steps backwards,” he said. Some dispensaries are complying with the regulations. Eden Medicinal Society posted on Facebook that three of its locations were closing and referred customers to its West 10th Avenue location as well as a store “coming soon” on Kingsway. “This is a turbulent time for dispensaries in Vancouver. Always know that Eden is committed to its patients and we will continue to be chameleons with these new city regulations,” the post said. ■
THE CANADIAN PRESS VANCOUVER — Two men have been charged in connection with an alleged sexual assault on the University of British Columbia campus. The charges come after University RCMP responded to a report of a break and enter at a home in a residential neighbourhood on campus early Saturday morning. RCMP said Sunday a 28-yearold man who lives in the university area has been charged with break and enter and three counts each of sexual assault causing bodily harm, forcible confinement and robbery. The man was also charged with wearing a mask with intent to commit an indictable offence. A 23-year-old Vancouver man has been charged with break and enter to commit robbery. Sgt. Annie Linteau said the victims and suspects were not known to each other and investigators are ensuring the victims receive support. She said the investigation is continuing and it’s too soon to say whether the alleged attack is connected to other suspicious incidents on campus. “Anyone who may have seen
anything suspicious around the time the complaint was received is asked to contact University RCMP,” she said in a statement. Police have previously said the sexual assault of a 20-year-old woman on campus in March may have been connected to a series of “night prowler incidents” where a man was seen lurking in bathrooms and bedrooms at UBC residences. The university issued a safety alert to faculty, staff and students on Sunday, warning that despite the arrests, it’s still important to be vigilant about one’s surroundings. The message signed by Louise Cowin, vice-president of students, reminded people not to prop open exterior doors or windows in residential buildings or hold the door open for strangers. “We realize the recent incidents of voyeurism and sexual assault have been unsettling to the community and we share your concerns,” Cowin said in the message. “UBC will continue to work with the police, Campus Security and other campus community partners to continuously look for ways to improve the safety of students, faculty and staff on campus.” ■
RCMP changes ‘outdated’ recruitment process; permanent residents can apply THE CANADIAN PRESS REGINA — The RCMP is changing how it recruits new members after being told that the process was “too long, inflexible and outdated.” One of the changes will allow people with permanent resident status, who have lived in Canada for the last 10 years, to apply. Physical abilities will no lon-
ger be tested as part of the application process and that evaluation will now be assessed at the RCMP training academy in Regina. Under the new rules, applicants from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan or Manitoba will also be able to select their home province for their first post after graduation. The force says in a news release that the move will help
it stay competitive and build a diverse workforce, but also that standards won’t be compromised. The RCMP said it will not do interviews on the changes. “We will not be providing any interviews on the modernization of the recruitment process,” Annie Delisle, media relations officer for the RCMP, said in an email to The Canadian Press. www.canadianinquirer.net
Royal Canadian Mounted Police cadets at the RCMP Academy. BRIAN DELL / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
“We invite you to submit questions in writing if you need
any details from the news release.” ■
World News
FRIDAY MAY 6, 2016
19
Russia, China in agreement on North Korea, South China Sea BY CHRISTOPHER BODEEN The Associated Press BEIJING — The foreign ministers of Russia and China on Friday expressed their joint opposition to the U.S. deployment of an anti-missile system in South Korea and said non-claimants should not take sides in the dispute over the South China Sea. The comments by Russia’s Sergey Lavrov and China’s Wang Yi following talks in Beijing display their countries’ converging interests and mutual support in foreign affairs as they seek to counter the influence of the U.S. and its allies, particularly in Asia. Despite endorsing United Nations Security Council sanctions against North Korea over its missile launches and nuclear tests, the two strongly criticized the proposed deployment of the Terminal High-Altitude
Area Defence, or THAAD, system. “Relevant countries shouldn’t use Pyongyang’s acts as a pretext to increase their military presence on the Korean Peninsula,” Lavrov said. “We believe the possible deployment of the THAAD anti-missile system won’t resolve this problem.” Both Russia and China, North Korea’s now largely estranged ally, see the deployment as exceeding what is necessary to defend against any North Korean threat and would “directly affect strategic security of Russia and China,” Wang said. That could “add fuel to the fire of an already tense situation and even possibly wreck the regional strategic balance,” Wang said. Both called for efforts to restart long-stalled six-nation talks on ending North Korea’s nuclear programs. On the South China Sea,
which China claims almost entirely, Lavrov said outside parties shouldn’t interfere, a reference to the United States, which has challenged Beijing’s claims. Wang said it was up to those countries directly involved to find a peaceful resolution through negotiations. “International society, particularly countries from outside the South China Sea, should play a constructive function in maintaining peace and stability and not contribute to the situation becoming more chaotic,” Wang said. Criticized over its aggressive tactics and construction of new islands with airfields, harbours and radar stations, China has sought to use Russia to bulk up its side of the argument against the U.S. and claimants such as the Philippines, which has brought a suit at the U.N. Court of Arbitration seeking a ruling
On the South China Sea, which China claims almost entirely, Lavrov said outside parties shouldn’t interfere, a reference to the United States, which has challenged Beijing’s claims.
on ownership over territories it claims. China has refused to take part in the arbitration or recognize the court’s ruling. Along with enlisting Russia’s support, China has given heavy publicity to what it calls a new consensus reached with Brunei, Cambodia and Laos — three members of the 10-country Association of Southeast Asian Nations — endorsing its
stance that the South China Sea dispute should not be an issue for ASEAN as a whole. That has renewed criticisms from some that China is applying divide-and-conquer tactics with its smaller neighbours and trying to drive a wedge through the organization. ASEAN members Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines contest China’s claims, while Taiwan also claims much of the area. ■
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Kerry seeks path to calm in Syria, holds talks in Geneva
Say it now: Donald Trump is the Republican party’s presumptive nominee
BY MATTHEW LEE The Associated Press
BY ALEXANDER PANETTA The Canadian Press
are responsible for the murder of doctors and medical personnel, and this situation, any way you slice it, will not stand. The GENEVA — U.S. Secretary of world is not going to allow them State John Kerry on Monday to get away with this.” said that “several proposals” Kerry’s meetings in Geneva are being discussed aimed at came as Syria’s state news agenfinding a way to restore at least cy said the military has extenda partial truce in Syria amid ed its cease-fire around Damascontinuing attacks in Aleppo. cus and opposition strongholds Kerry met on Monday with in the eastern suburbs for anSaudi Foreign Minister Adel al- other 48 hours. It said the cesJubeir and with the U.N. envoy sation of hostilities that was for Syria, Staffan de Mistura. declared Friday around the He said progress was being capital and the coastal Latakia made toward an understanding region, following two weeks of on how to reduce the violence escalating violence around the in Aleppo but that more work country. was needed. But it excludes Aleppo, where “There are several propos- more than 250 people have died als that are now going back to in shelling and airstrikes in the key players to sign off,” Kerry northern city over the last nine said after meetdays, according ing de Mistura. to the BritainWe are hopeful based Syrian but we are not Observatory for there yet... we The world is not Human Rights. are going to work going to allow For Aleppo, very hard in the them to get the U.S. is connext 24 hours, away with this. sidering drawing 48 hours to get up with the Rusthere.” sians a detailed He did not say map that would what the proposlay out “safe als were, adding that he would zones.” Civilians and members telephone Russia’s Foreign of moderate opposition groups Minister Sergei Lavrov later covered by the truce could Monday and that de Mistura find shelter from persistent atwas headed to Moscow Tuesday tacks by Assad’s military, which for talks. claims to be targeting terrorHe said the U.S. and Russia ists. One U.S. official said “hard have agreed that there will be lines” would delineate specific additional personnel stationed areas and neighbourhoods. The in Geneva around the clock to officials spoke on condition of make sure there is more ac- anonymity because they were countability and a better ability not authorized to discuss the to enforce the cessation of hos- matter publicly. tilities on a day-to-day basis. It was not immediately clear Earlier, al-Jubeir called the whether Russia would accept situation in Aleppo with contin- such a plan or if Moscow could ued airstrikes an “outrage” and persuade the Assad governa criminal violation of humani- ment to respect the prospectarian law. He said that Syrian tive zones. Some U.S. officials President Bashar Assad would are skeptical of the chances for be held accountable for the at- success, but also note that it is tacks and would be removed worth a try to at least reduce from power either through a po- the violence. litical process or by force. Russia’s Tass news agency, “There is only one side that meanwhile, quoted Russian Lt. is flying airplanes, and that is Gen. Sergei Kuralenko, head of Bashar al-Assad and his allies, the Russian co-ordinationcenso they are responsible for the tre in Syria, as saying that talks massacre of women, children, are continuing about a ceaseand the elderly,” he said. “They fire for Aleppo. ■
WASHINGTON — Barring a meteor, a miracle, or a massive, unprecedented plot twist, Donald Trump will become his party’s candidate for president of the United States. He was so dominant in the Indiana primary Tuesday that his chief rival exited the Republican race, leaving Trump the improbable king of a hill that once comprised 17 candidates. A crowd gasped as Sen. Ted Cruz broke the news. It was an audible echo of the lingering disdain for Trump among vast pockets of his own party, which failed over the course of a year to successfully coalesce around an alternative. “It appears (my) path has been foreclosed,” said the Calgary-born Cruz. “We left it all on the field in Indiana. We gave it everything we’ve got. But the voters chose another path. “And so, with a heavy heart but with boundless optimism for the long-term future of our nation, we are suspending our campaign.” That leaves a scenario that would have been derided a year ago as science-fiction. A perma-tanned billionaire, heretofore renowned for glitzy buildings, beauty pageants, bountiful bragging, and a reality-TV show, has transformed himself into a champion of the aggrieved everyman. After a year of bomb-tossing epithets at his rivals, he’s arrived near the gates of power with only two obstacles remaining on his path: that hypothetical miracle, and Hillary Clinton. Trump swiftly swerved toward a general-election message. He complimented Cruz effusively — after having repeatedly called him a liar. And he turned his sights on Clinton. “We’re going to win. We’re going to win in November,” Trump said. “And we’re going to win big.” He remains a general-election underdog. Polls for a matchup against www.canadianinquirer.net
Clinton have mostly pointed to a Democratic rout on Nov. 8. But he’s already signalled that he’ll attempt to recalibrate, and tailor his message to a general-election audience. He’s already started hammering Clinton over trade deals dating back to her husband’s presidency — like NAFTA. He can’t be discounted. Trump steadily grew his support since he entered the race last June. Meanwhile, Clinton’s has eroded. She’s faced a fartougher-than-expected challenge from 74-year-old socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders. On the Democratic side, Sanders’ campaign technically remains alive. On the Republican side, so does Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s — although he appears mathematically eliminated. Anti-Trump Republicans are already pointing fingers every which way. Many have blamed the news media for allowing the outlandish showman so much airtime; some grumble that powerbrokers were too slow to pick a stop-Trump strategy; some even blame President Barack Obama for the political mood. A Wall Street Journal columnist this week blamed everybody — including the angry, white working-class voters he said were leading their party to electoral ruin. On Fox News, a sombresounding commentator said history is unfolding. “What are we just witnessing happening tonight is one of the major American parties changing its political ideology, radically,” said Charles Krauthammer, a prominent Trump critic. “It was ... for the last 50 years, going all the way back perhaps to Eisenhower, the conservative party in the country. As of tonight it’s being led by a nonconservative populist.” The day of Trump’s triumph was of a weirdness befitting the entire race. The front-runner rolled enthusiastically in the mud of an outlandish conspiracy theory: that his rival’s dad was somehow linked to John F. Kennedy’s assassin. That drew an understandably
FRIDAY
outraged response from the rival in question — who has already had his mud-flinging front-runner insinuate that his wife’s ugly and now that his dad was pals with shooter Lee Harvey Oswald. “This is nuts,” an exasperated Cruz told reporters earlier in the day. “Yes, my dad killed JFK. He is secretly Elvis. And Jimmy Hoffa’s buried in his backyard. ... I’m going to tell you what I really think about Donald Trump: this man is a pathological liar. He doesn’t know the difference between truth and lies. He lies, practically every word that comes out of his mouth. ... He combines it with being a narcissist. A narcissist at a level I don’t think this country’s ever seen ... “Donald Trump is such a narcissist that Barack Obama looks at him and goes, ‘Dude, what’s your problem’?” The trigger for this outburst was Trump’s habit of using the platform of a presidential campaign to elevate urban legends into national discussion topics. He did it recently by recycling a made-up story about a general who supposedly executed Muslims with bullets dipped in pig’s blood more than a century ago. He did it again Tuesday by referring to a supermarket-tabloid item about Cruz’s father Rafael. It had originally appeared in the National Enquirer — owned by Trump’s buddy, David Pecker. The Miami Herald more recently ran a report questioning the tabloid story — so, naturally, a Trump spokesperson defended the candidate’s decision to raise it by saying it had appeared in the Miami Herald. The original tabloid story was headlined: “Ted Cruz’s Father — Caught With JFK Assassin.” It said the Cuban-born father was with Oswald a few months before the assassination, at a protest where the latter handed out pro-Castro-Cuba flyers. Trump brought it up in a morning TV interview. Hours later in his victory speech, he expressed surprise at how well the day had gone. After Cruz dropped out, Trump said: “I didn’t expect this.” ■
Community News
FRIDAY MAY 6, 2016
23
PH posts renew call for voters to cast their ballots THE PHILIPPINE Embassy in Ottawa has reportedly mailed out all ballots to registered Filipino overseas voters under its consular jurisdiction, except for those who manifested the intention to vote in person. According to an Embasy advisory, registered voters residing in Ontario east of Kingston, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nunavut who have not received their ballots may check the following lists and take note of accompanying instructions. 1. Voters who cannot be located by the embassy due to defective addresses in their overseas voter registration records: They may vote in person according to the Comelec-authorized schedule below. 2. Voters whose ballots were previously mailed by the embassy but were returned to sender by Canada Post due to incomplete or change of address: They may email the embassy to request that their election packet be mailed to their correct or present address, subject to Comelec approval. They
also have the option to vote in person according to the Comelec-authorized schedule below. 3. Registered voters who have not received their respective ballot packets by mail but are not listed among those with defective addresses or those whose ballots have been returned to the embassy T h e y may contact their nearest post office or the occupants of their old address for any misrouted mail. They may also call the embassy at (613)233.1121 for further guidance. Schedule of personal voting in Ottawa and field voting in Montreal
Ottawa
Montreal
Daily until May 9 Monday to Sunday 9 a.m. 5 p.m. *
May 6: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. May 7: 9 a.m. 5 p.m.
Embassy of the Philippines 130 Albert
St. Kevin's Church (Blue Room)
Street, Suite 900 Ottawa, ON K1P 5G4
5600 Chemin de la Côtedes-Neiges Montréal, QC H3T 1Z1
* On the final days of overseas voting, the Embassy will remain open to receive ballots from 9 a.m. of May 8 (Sunday) until 5 a.m. of May 9 (Monday) when voting ends simultaneously in the Philippines.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) in Toronto has designated the following dates and venue for the collection of ballots for those who, instead of mailing, want to personally submit their ballots: On May 7: Filipino-Canadian Assoc of Saskatoon Inc (FILCAS) 115 3 Ave S, Saskatoon, SK S7K 1L7 Phone : (306) 653-4499 Office of Consul Ronaldo V. Opina, A.H. 1098 Arlington Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E-2G6 Office : (204) 414-9281 Mobile : (204)-952-9345 Fax : (204) 414-9142 Email: ph.consular.wpg@
gmail.com Collection of ballots will be from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Our Lady of Assumption Church 2565 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON Collection of ballots will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. In an advisory, the Consulate asked voters to bring the sealed envelope containing their ballot and a valid ID. The PCG in Vancouver on the other hand, encourages all registered Filipino overseas voters to exercise their right to vote in connection with the 2016 National Elections in the Philippines. Overseas voters can vote for one president, one vice president, 12 senators and one party-list organization representative, PCG-Vancouver explained in an advisory. The Certified List of Overseas Voters within their jurisdiction is available at the Consulate’s website: www.vancouverpcg.org. PCG Vancouver also announced that they are open for personal voting everyday from
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until May 8 and will remain open from 5 p.m. on May 8, until 2 a.m. May 9 (5:00 p.m., Philippine time). Meanwhile, overseas voters who have already received their ballots by mail are reminded to follow carefully the instructions provided in accomplishing and returning their ballots to the consulate. Postal voters are advised to mail their accomplished ballots as soon as possible to ensure that the ballots reach the Consulate not later than May 6. For overseas voters who received their ballots by mail but prefer to personally cast their ballots at the Consulate may do so during the batch-feeding of mailed ballots. As a rule, the feeding of mailed ballots into the votecounting machines (VCMs) is performed by the Special Board of Election Inspectors (SBEI), in sequence and by precinct. Note that there are 33 precincts in Vancouver. Voters who wish to personally feed their mailed ballots may only do so when their respective precincts are called. ■
SSS launches Loan Restructuring Program THE SOCIAL Security System (SSS) has launched the Loan Restructuring Program (LRP) for members with past due calamity loans and other shortterm member loans who reside or work in calamity areas as declared by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) or the national government. The one-year availment period started April 28. SSS Foreign Representative Officer Roberto Roldan said members can clean up their overdue loan principal and interest in full or by installment depending on their capacity. Both payment schemes offer condonation of loan penalties. According to Roldan, the LRP is in response to the widespread clamor from individuals and organizations to alleviate the burden of calamity-stricken workers, who face difficulties in paying their SSS loans after suffering from natural and manmade disasters. “The program gives delin-
quent member-borrowers a chance to regain their good SSS standing and enjoy SSS benefits and privileges in the future. For example, borrowers can renew their SSS loan six months after they have fully paid their overdue principal and interest under the LRP,” Roldan added. The LRP covers calamity loan borrowers in the 1990s following the Mt. Pinatubo eruption and 1990 earthquake, and members with past due short term loans in declared calamity areas after the onslaught of tropical storms and typhoons Ondoy in 2009; Sendong in 2011; Pedring, Quiel and Pablo in 2012; Labuyo, Maring, Santi, Yolanda and Agaton in 2013; Glenda, Mario, Ruby and Seniang in 2014; Lando and Nona in 2015. Also included are the Zamboanga armed conflict and the Bohol-Cebu earthquake which both occurred in 2013. "Members cannot avoid paying their overdue SSS loans since these are deducted from final benefit claims such as re-
SSS Foreign Representative Roberto Roldan talks about the SSS Loan Restructuring Program during a radio interview by Joaquin Taduran in Toronto. Members who wish to avail themselves of the program may contact 416-4852888 or 416-485-2999 or email roldanrv@sss.gov.ph
tirement, total permanent disability and death. Any delay in loan payments lead to accumulation of interest and penalties. Hence, we urge qualified borrowers to apply for the LRP," Roldan said. The LRP covers short-term www.canadianinquirer.net
SSS loan programs including the Salary Loan, Salary Loan Early Renewal Program (SLERP), Emergency Loan, Calamity Loan, Voc Tech Loan, Y2K Loan, Investments Incentive Loan, Study Now Pay Later Plan, and the previously-of-
fered Educational Loan, which is different from the ongoing Educational Assistance (EducAssist) Loan Program. Stock Investment, Privatization Fund and Educ-Assist loans are excluded from the LRP. To qualify, the loan must be past due for at least six months and the member must be living or working in a declared calamity area as of the date of the disaster attested through an Affidavit of Residency. Members granted any final benefit claim prior to the LRP availment period and those who committed fraud against the SSS are disqualified from the program. The SSS expects to collect P5.1 billion in overdue loan principal and interest from about half a million delinquent borrowers under the LRP. The state-run agency has a Member Loan Portfolio of P66.5 billion as of end-2015 which corresponds to more than eight million member-borrowers who have benefited from SSS loan privileges. ■
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MAY 6, 2016
FRIDAY
Entertainment
‘Civil War’ is the best Marvel movie so far
The third ‘Captain America’ film brings Iron Man and the Captain into conflict; it’s a superior spectacle full of action and revelation BY RUEL S. DE VERA Philippine Daily Inquirer SINGAPORE — Wow. That’s really the only way one can respond to “Captain America: Civil War,” the newest film from Marvel Studios. It’s an actionpacked, intrigue-filled guessing game that is the best Marvel movie yet. “Civil War” is the culmination of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) that began with 2008’s “Iron Man” and showed its promise in 2012’s “The Avengers,” which featured Marvel characters—previously seen in individual movies—together for the first time in a full-length film. The continuing evolution of the MCU has led to films as diverse as the heart-attack serious “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and the hilarious “Ant-Man,” yet all clearly set in the same world. That said, 2014’s “Winter Soldier,” with its spiraling action pieces and powerful conspiracy, was the best Marvel movie at the time. But things have changed. The “Winter Soldier” directorial team of Anthony and Joe Russo show that they can outdo themselves. It’s a post-SHIELD world. After an Avengers mission goes violently awry in Lagos, the world’s governments crack down on the superhero team by putting the onceindependent Avengers team under their control. Global manhunt
A guilt-ridden Tony Stark
(Iron Man, the gutted Robert Downey Jr.) agrees to support the measure. An outraged Steve Rogers (Captain America, the wary Chris Evans) who has seen too much control of any kind, refuses to go along. This schism ultimately cracks the Avengers into two factions. Meanwhile, the Winter Soldier (an enigmatic Sebastian Stan)—Captain America’s best friend James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes, who was brainwashed into a metalarmed assassin by the Soviets—is the subject of a global manhunt for a terrorist act. Iron Man sets out to bring him in. Captain America has his own take. The Avengers are divided even further as they come to blows. Like in “Winter Soldier,” there is a lot more going on than what is obvious. What is clear is that Stark and Rogers are ideologically opposed to each other. Unlike that common comicbook trope of heroes accidentally or mind-controlled into fighting each other, the two (and the heroes behind each) are fighting for a cause. This adds an emotional dimension to the conflict. The Russo brothers bring style and spectacle to the action scenes, which become a complex hardware for “Civil War,” each one calculated to move the acts forward. There is stuff here you haven’t seen before. Downey and Evans bring their own weight to their characters, convincing in their disbelief that things have gotten this bad and yet unable to turn
away from what they believe in. They are enhanced combatants already broken by the battle. As the Black Widow, Scarlett Johansson has matured into the role. She is the one truly torn by Stark and Rogers’ differences. Great performances
There are great performances from the rest of the cast: Anthony Mackie as the wisecracking Falcon; Paul Rudd as the AntMan; Paul Bettany as the straight-laced Vision; and Stan as the Winter Soldier. It is through Stan that viewers will see the anguish and the secrets between the Winter Soldier’s history of deadly orders. Staying true to the Marvel movie formula, “Civil War” shifts quickly from humor to somberness, from action to reflection, as quick as Cap’s shield flies. Loosely based on the 2006 comic book mini-series from Mark Millar and Steve McNiven, “Civil War” is also the stage for two big introductions. Chadwick Boseman (“42”) is the Black Panther, the king of the high-tech African nation Wakanda, and this claw-wielding hero is willing to do whatever it takes to complete his mission. In an exuberant debut, young actor Tom Holland (“In the Heart of the Sea”) just kills it as the new Spider-Man. With his aw-shucks, sorry-notsorry banter and energy, Holland displays the chops that promises to make his own solo movie—2017’s “Spider-Man:
Robert Downey Jr., Anthony Mackie and Chris Evans at the World premiere of 'Captain America: Civil War.' TINSELTOWN / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
Homecoming”—a hit. Topicality
The team-up of the Russo brothers and faithful “Captain America” screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely gives “Civil War” a fascinating topicality, dealing with global security, terrorism and societal control. Yet “Civil War” is also a film about the true nature of friendship, about how far you would go for someone you believe in. The filmmaking has also embedded an uncanny amount of Marvel history—both classic and current—into “Civil War,” celebrating the source material on the big screen. Though the film is nominally the third “Captain America” film (after 2011’s “Captain America: The First Avenger” and 2014’s “Winter Soldier”), “Civil War” is in reality a di-
rect sequel to “Winter Soldier,” “The Avengers: The Age of Ultron” and “Ant-Man” (even 2013’s “Iron Man 3”). You can put a different name on it, but it would be the same movie. There are major revelations in “Civil War,” things that not only shift the MCU status quo, but change the characters forever. Yet these secrets, like the humor, all weave together seamlessly. It just works. That’s because “Civil War” is what all the previous Marvel movies have been leading up to, a fantastic chapter in the Marvel continuum, where all the stories are one. This is what you can really do with a shared universe. It’s funny. It’s fast. It’s tragic. It’s terrific. It’s everything a Marvel movie should be. Marvel Studios’ “Captain America: Civil War” is now showing in cinemas. ■
Solenn Heussaff counts down the days to her big day WITH BARELY a month before her wedding, Kapuso star Solenn Heussaff is as anxious as she is excited for the big day. She is set to marry her longtime boyfriend, Nico Bolzico, an Argentinian businessman,
in a rustic-themed ceremony in France. “I’m just a bit stressed in a way that it’s abroad, so I know I’m going to have to do a lot of last minute things there,” shares the French-Filipina actress.
A woman of many parts, Solenn admits to feeling quite stressed as she’ll be flying to France only three days before the wedding. “But I’m also excited to see my friends, who are coming from all over the world www.canadianinquirer.net
that I really keep dear to my heart,” she says. In a previous interview, the Taste Buddies host revealed that apart from her civil status changing, her plans for her showbiz career will stay the
same. She will be playing the role of Kassiopea in the much-awaited Encantadia requel, which will air in the second of the year on GMA’s flagship international channel GMA Pinoy TV. ■
Entertainment
FRIDAY MAY 6, 2016
Sharon Cuneta is ‘The Voice Kids PH’ newest coach BY JANE MORALEDA Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA — Replacing Kapamilya singer-actress Sarah Geronimo, Megastar Sharon Cuneta is the latest addition to the upcoming third season of ‘The Voice Kids Philippines’ as one of the competition’s coaches. “Sobrang excited ako (I’m so excited)!… One of the first surprises I have for you is I will be part of ‘The Voice Kids,’ with, of course, Bamboo and Lea Salonga and I can’t wait to be with them and to be with the kids and to be with you every week,” Sharon says in an ABS-CBN News report. “I have been hibernating. I’ve been in hiding because I have been working on myself para i– surprise kayo (to surprise you)… Hindi pa ako tapos (I’m not yet done) but I have lost a lot of weight, preparing for something really big,” she adds, hinting that she has another project in the works this year. Prior to The Voice Kids, the Megastar has been one of “Your Face Sounds Familiar” judges in its two editions. No more Coach Sarah
Although still open to the possibility of returning as a coach in the program’s future seasons, Sarah opts to take a break from the contest for the meantime and work on other projects.
“Sasabihin ko lang na gusto ko lang pong bumalik sa ASAP, talagang ‘yung mag–concentrate naman sa growth ko bilang artist. Kasi I feel na bilang coach, parang lagi ko nga pong sinasabi na role-playing talaga ‘yung pagiging coach,” she has said in another ABS-CBN report earlier released. (I just want to say that I just want to return to ASAP, to really concentrate on my growth as an artist this time. Because I feel that as a coach, it’s like I’m always saying that being a coach is like role-playing.) “‘Yung para bang alam ko lahat. Kapag nagbibigay ako ng opinion, para bang ang galing–galing ko. Medyo naghe– hesitate pa rin po ako doon,” she admitted. (It’s like I know everything. When I give an opinion, it’s like I’m a great performer. I’m kind of hesitant about that.) The Popstar Princess has been one of The Voice Kids coaches in its past two editions. “Sobrang masaya [talaga] and fun ‘yung experience, especially doing it with the kids. ‘Yun talaga ang the best. Baka po next season [bumalik ako]. Why not? Kung gusto pa rin nila ako maging coach,” she said in a different report. (The experience is really fun, especially doing it with kids. That’s really the best part of it. I may return in the next season. Why not? If they still want me to be a coach that time.) ■
John Prats’ vote is for his daughter BY BAYANI SAN DIEGO JR. Philippine Daily Inquirer FATHERHOOD HAS irrevocably changed his life for the better, actor John Prats insisted. John’s wife, actress Isabel Oli, gave birth to a baby girl, whom they christened Feather, on April 18. “Feather gives us joy every day,” he told the INQUIRER. “I am now more inspired to go to work. She pushes me to give my best all the time. After all, I am doing all this for my family.” The hands-on dad doesn’t mind the sleepless nights at all. “I enjoy taking care of Feather a lot,” he said. After work, he takes over diaper duties from Isabel. “I’m in charge of the night shift, since Isabel takes care of Feather in the daytime.” Luckily, his parents are on hand to “guide and support us every step of the way.” The new dad has become more mindful of the country’s political situation, as well. “Now, I’m not only thinking of myself; I am also concerned about my child’s future,” he explained. As a family, the Prats will troop to their Cainta precinct next week, to cast their vote. John, however, is not publicly campaigning for any particular candidate. “My vote is my personal choice. I’d rather keep it to myself.” Suffice it to say, he has a de-
DANE ALEGANA / FLICKR
John Prats.
tailed checklist for the country’s next president. “I want someone who will instill discipline among our countrymen,” he said as he enumerated the traits of his preferred leader. “But he or she should uphold justice, too. Someone who isn’t corrupt. Someone who’s knowledgeable about the economy. We need a statesman who can represent us well abroad.” In his new indie film, Cesar Buendia’s “Diyos-Diyosan,” John is portraying the exact opposite: a student activist who grew up to become a crooked politician. He said that he didn’t have a specific “peg” and based his character, Sen. Bernard Mojica, on what was written in the script. This socio-political film, which opens in theaters on May 4, “tackles issues we don’t usu-
FEARLCSS / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
ally see onscreen,” he said. The film challenges viewers to take a good look at themselves and their reasons for voting, he pointed out. “We should study our choices carefully on election day.” “We shouldn’t vote for someone just because it’s the trend, just because he or she is popular…just because he or she is an artista,” he remarked. “It shouldn’t work that way. We have to take into consideration that these people will be our country’s leaders for the next six years.” He feels strongly about the election as a first-time father who dreams of a better Philippines for his daughter. “Change should start with us,” he asserted. “We shouldn’t look at our politicians as our salvation. We are our country’s hope.” ■
Light up gowns and gladiators: Met Gala fashion was fierce BY LEANNE ITALIE The Associated Press
Megastar Sharon Cuneta.
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NEW YORK — They came as robots and gladiators, lightup princesses and high-haired goddesses shimmering in green, copper and silver. As predicted, the annual parade of fashion and star power at the Met Gala on Monday night included an array of interpretations on the evening’s vibe: “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology.” That’s the name of an exhibit opening Thursday that set the www.canadianinquirer.net
tone for the star-studded evening that raises millions for the Metropolitan Museum of Art each year. This time around, the idea was to explore the convergence of handmade and machine-made elements in fashion, past, present and future. Some highlights from this year’s Met Gala: Glowing gowns Technology, thanks to Marchesa and IBM, wired up the buzz for a dainty gown with ombre-painted flowers worn by Karolina Kurkova. It was a dusty blue tulle and the flowers
were outfitted with 150 LED lights that changed colours, based on a “cognitive” analysis of the brand’s colour palette. The geeks correlated data from hundreds of images of Marchesa gowns with and related social media sentiment in a show of how technology can enhance the human imagination. Besides, Kurkova said, her battery pack kept her warm. Claire Danes also lit up in a pale blue, thanks to a wired-up dress Zac Posen has been teasing for days on social media. ❱❱ PAGE 27 Light up
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MAY 6, 2016
FRIDAY
Lifestyle
Are you ready to replace your moisturizer with a pill? BY MICHAEL BALSAMO The Associated Press MIAMI — The makeup industry is trying to convince women that looking good on the outside starts from within — but it’s unclear whether the products they’re trying to hawk are safe and effective. Big-name beauty companies and retailers including Sephora and Urban Outfitters are rolling out pills and drinkable liquids loaded with exotic herbs, vitamins, seeds, berries and substances such as collagen. The products promise to do things such as firm up skin and improve its natural glow. The trend is picking up steam. Although a small portion of the $16 billion beauty products market, sales of beauty supplements targeting the face have grown from less than $1 million in 2013 to over $4 million in 2015, according to market research firm the NPD Group. But unlike the instant glam provided by a swipe of blush or lipstick, pills and other socalled “nutraceuticals” add a layer of questions about safety and effectiveness as some consumers may see ingesting something in the name of looking lovely a lot differently than simply rubbing something into the skin. And similar efforts have tanked in the past: Industry titans such as Oil of Olay peddled vitamins promising glowing skin and hair more than a decade ago to no avail. Today, companies are being buoyed by celebrities who
swear by these ingestible beauty products. In January, actress Gwyneth Paltrow shared the recipe of a daily shake on her online magazine’s website goop — an almond milk-based concoction that includes a product from Moon Juice’s line, with ingredients that are said to create a glowing complexion and healthy hair. Actress Jennifer Aniston also has said she puts collagen peptides in her morning shake. And there’s a movement by everyday people to incorporate natural products into their lives for everything from the foods they eat to dish soap and mascara they use. An entire generation of consumers has evolved from merely reading food labels to scrutinizing chemicals in everything. “The theme across all consumer categories is more natural ingredients for all the products they’re purchasing,” said Sarah Jindal, a senior beauty analyst for Mintel. “That’s going to continue to become more and more important to the consumer.” Are they safe?
The larger question for some consumers is whether the products work. So-called ingestibles have been popular in Asia where collagen yogurts and marshmallows are common, but they’re relatively new in the U.S. Here, these products largely fall under the massive $30 billion to $40 billion dietary supplement industry regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. The agency also oversees
supplements sold in grocery stores and pharmacies. But many don’t come to their attention as the agency’s team of less than two dozen people is charged with overseeing roughly 85,000 products. The FDA’s power only kicks in after the products are on the market, meaning the manufacturer does not have to demonstrate safety or effectiveness beforehand. The Federal Trade Commission, which regulates marketing claims, is not allowed to discuss ongoing investigations but officials said they weren’t aware of any sanctions against these types of products. “Many consumers assume the products are safe and are not harmful because they can be purchased at reputable retailers or they think the fact that is available for sale means that FDA said it was OK. Unfortunately, this is not always the case,” said FDA spokeswoman Lyndsay Meyer. The law might actually make it easier for marketers to peddle these products to consumers because dietary supplements by law can make some beauty promises that makeups and creams cannot. For example, a dietary supplement can legally claim its product can grow longer hair or improve production of collagen, which is said to improve skin’s elasticity. It also means the burden is on companies to tell the truth about efficacy claims and the quality of the ingredients. “The fact is that what a company claims is in its products and what is actually in them
www.canadianinquirer.net
Sales of beauty supplements targeting the face have grown from less than $1 million in 2013 to over $4 million in 2015, according to market research firm the NPD Group.
is not always the same,” FDA’s Meyer said. “And often we’re not aware of these discrepancies until we’re able to inspect a company to make sure.” Do they work?
Proponents say many of the products are safer than skin creams and makeups full of harmful sulfates and parabens. But are they effective? “I think there’s a perception of safer options, but I think it’s exactly that. I think it’s the peace of mind, too,” said Dan Fabricant, CEO of the Natural Products Association. “It’s ‘Hey, these are things that I’m used to in my diet. I’m going to prefer to do that than put on something that’s from a chemical factory.”‘ Doctors say the skin is a detox organ and everything from poor diets to medical ailments can manifest there. “If we are healthy inside, will our skin look better? Yes,” said Dr. Matthew Avram, who specializes in cosmetic dermatology at Massachusetts General Hospital. But he counters that “it doesn’t necessarily mean that because you take a certain supplement of one kind or another
that your skin is necessarily going to look better.” While it’s reasonable to think that taking probiotics to improve gut function or eating more collagen would improve the skin, he said there haven’t been enough large scale studies to prove it: “That doesn’t mean it doesn’t work, but it means that scientifically, it hasn’t been shown to work.” Drawing interest?
Despite questionable science, beauty companies are rolling out their versions of ingestibles. Urban Outfitters started selling several beauty powders from the Moon Juice line, which includes popular products such as Beauty Dust, a $65 powder that includes goji and pearl and is said to create a glowing complexion and healthy hair. Sephora, with roughly 300 locations, also is capitalizing on the trend, saying customers are being more savvy in understanding that improved wellness can also benefit their appearance. At the chic New York boutique CAP, the bestseller among ❱❱ PAGE 29 Are you
Lifestyle
FRIDAY MAY 6, 2016
Dangers of semi-autonomous cars include amorous antics behind the wheel: expert BY TERRY PEDWELL The Canadian Press OTTAWA — Federal bureaucrats are raising concerns about distracted driving in semiautonomous cars that don’t require much input from the driver. And at least one expert is anticipating that, as the so-called ‘smart’ cars get smarter, there will eventually be an increase in an unusual form of distracted driving: hanky-panky behind the wheel. “I am predicting that, once Drivers tend to overestimate the performance of automation and will naturally computers are doing the driv- turn their focus away from the road. ing, there will be a lot more sex in cars,” said Barrie Kirk of the pilot system reacts to changes vehicle design. Canadian Automated Vehicles in road markings. Those regulations, at least Centre of Excellence. Tesla did not respond to re- initially, would require that “That’s one of several things quests for an interview, but the vehicles are equipped with people will do which will inhibit the company makes clear that a “failsafe mechanism that can their ability to respond quickly its autopilot feature gives cars respond to situations when the when the computer says to the only partial autonomy in order driver is not available,” said the human, ‘Take over.’” to make the car significantly briefing notes. Federal officials, who have more safe than those driven by Ontario also set out some been tasked with building a humans alone. regulations, including a reregulatory framework to govTransport Canada hadn’t quirement that an expert in ern driverless cars, highlighted tested the Tesla, but had taken autonomous vehicles be in the their concerns in briefing notes other semi-autonomous vehi- driver’s seat and able to assume compiled for Transport Minis- cles out for a spin, including the full control at a moment’s noter Marc Garneau soon after he Mercedes C-Class and the In- tice. took on the portfolio last fall. finiti Q50, the documents show. But vehicles such as the Tesla “The issue of the atten“It really needs to be empha- don’t fall under the province’s tive driver is ... problematic,” sized that these vehicles are not autonomous vehicle pilot prosaid one note gram, which hit contained in a the road in Janustream of emails ary, because its about Tesla’s soautopilot feacalled self-drivture is already ing car. And at least one expert is anticipating covered under “Drivers tend that, as the so-called ‘smart’ cars regulations that to overestimate get smarter, there will eventually govern the use of the performance be an increase in an unusual form such technoloof automation of distracted driving: hanky-panky gies as self-parand will natubehind the wheel. allel parking and rally turn their brake assist. focus away from Ensuring that the road when a driver who may they turn on not have been their auto-pilot,” said the note, truly self-driving,” say officials, paying attention to his or her obtained by The Canadian who predict that fully-autono- surroundings can suddenly Press under the Access to In- mous cars and trucks are “still a control a vehicle may be easier formation Act. few years away.” said than done, said Kirk. Indeed, the notes cite media Current Canada motor vehi“People will not be able to rereports of videos posted online cle safety standards don’t pro- spond in time.” showing Tesla drivers engaged hibit driverless vehicles on the Federal officials also sugin questionable practices, in- country’s roadways. gest autonomous vehicles be cluding reading a newspaper or But last month’s federal equipped with so-called “black brushing their teeth. Other vid- budget included money for box” data recorders, similar eos show Tesla owners record- Transport Canada to develop to devices found in larger airing flaws in how the car’s auto- regulations around automated craft. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net
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Light up... ❰❰ 25
The outrageous
Looking at you Lady Gaga, and your ribbed bodysuit from Versace. And, of course, your towering platform shoes and metallic silver jacket. And looking at you Katy Perry, and your black velvet Prada gown with the gold embellishment that looked like it could hurt someone. Oh, and your black helmet hair and little Tamagotchi digital pet you called your “tech element.” Other ragers: Madonna exposed her bum and Nicki Minaj looked all fierce and sexy in a strappy, sparkly black number with lots of buckles designed by her date, Jeremy Scott. He wore an exoskeleton suit of sparkles. Memorable men
Idris Elba, a gala co-host, takes the nobody-wears-a-tuxedo-and-tails better award. All he had to do was stand there and radiate. And by radiate we mean, on those levels he does best: suave, sexy, debonair. Zayn Malik and the silver metal arms on his dark suit appeared to channel the Winter Soldier, as in the movie “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.” Or a droid. Take your pick. He escorted Gigi Hadid. Jared Leto wore a custom Gucci white tailcoat with a white evening shirt and white bowtie, completing his look with a hand-carved black lacquer cane with a silver and crystal embellished cat head detail. He also had Florence Welch, in Gucci, as his date. Kanye West wore a Balmain silver-embellished denim jacket with ripped jeans to accompany wife Kim Kardashian, who was similarly silver. West turned his
eyes blue somehow. His oneword explanation to E! for his look: “Vibes.” Baby bumps
Emily Blunt and Olivia Wilde — and their bumps — posed together on the carpet. Both wore their hair tight and back, Blunt in a custom sapphire sequinembroidered lace gown from Michael Kors and Wilde also in Kors but a custom black stoneembroidered column look with a metallic collar halter. Kerry Washington was one sexy mama as she cradled her smaller bump in a sleeveless black lace gown with a plunging V-neck and sexy slit. She wore long sheer gloves, all courtesy of Marc Jacobs. And she rocked purple hair! Gladiator
Taylor Swift, also a co-host of the gala, went full-on gladiator to go with her fierce new tousled platinum locks. Her black sandals laced up to just below the knee, paired with a Louis Vuitton silver, sparkly mini that had ruffled tiers at the bottom and cutouts on the sides, all topped off with an ultra-dark lip shade. Who else evoked Roman stadium fighters of old? Alicia Vikander, also in metallic Vuitton but hers with a bright red bustier to go with copper, black and white skirting and chunky heeled combat-like boots. FKA Twigs was ready to call the winner in a goddess gown of peachy nude with a strappy neck and high slit. A jeweled headpiece linked to a nose ring. Robert Pattinson in white tuxedo jacket and black trousers wore a black bow tie and a smile. ■
Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik attend the Manus x Machina Fashion in an Age of Technology Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. OVIDIU HRUBARU / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
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MAY 6, 2016
FRIDAY
Business
PH labor cost among lowest in Asean
Freehold Royalties paying $165 million for Husky oil and gas royalty assets THE CANADIAN PRESS CALGARY — Freehold Royalties Ltd. is buying a portfolio of oil and gas royalty assets from Husky Energy Inc. for $165 million. The deal will see Freehold gain the equivalent of about 1,700 barrels of oil p r o duction a n d add $11.6 million to annual operating income. The company says it will also increase its total royalty land holdings by 74 per
BY AMY R. REMO Philippine Daily Inquirer
cent to 2.39 million hectares with the addition of properties in southern Saskatchewan and Alberta’s Deep Basin. Freehold says it will pay for the deal through a $165-million equity financing plus a $20-million private placement. The Freehold announcement comes a week after Husky said it was selling 65 per cent of its midstream assets n e a r Lloydminster, Alta., for $1.7 billion. Oil and gas companies have been looking to sell off assets to strengthen balance sheets as low oil prices hit profits. ■
pines and Vietnam. The largest differential is at the middle management level, with China paying 44 percent more than Indonesia, a gap that narrows to 28 perLABOR COSTS in the Philippines re- cent and 5 percent at the senior manmained among the most competitive agement and top management level, rein the Asean, but this comparative ad- spectively. vantage could also be a “double-edged “There’s evidence that it (lower salary sword,” according to global advisory in the Philippines and other Asean coutfirm Willis Towers Watson. nries) is leading companies to reconBased on the Willis TowersWatson’s sider where they locate operations once 2015-2016 Global 50 Remuneration based in China, where an aging populaPlanning Report, the low cost of la- tion and shrinking workforce suggest bor in the Philippines and other Asean salaries will remain higher,” said Sambcountries makes them a more attractive hav Rakyan, data services practice leadalternative investment location, com- er, Asia Pacific at Willis Towers Watson. pared to mainland China. The Willis Towers Watson’s report But this can also make Filipino work- presented a cross-country pay competiers, particularly professionals, easy tar- tiveness comparisons across the region, gets for recruitment for jobs overseas. by providing base salary information “The Philippine lausing a consistent bor cost is very comframework for job petitive compared to levels. The report its neighbors, which also sheds light on works to our adthe impact of curvantage since more There’s evidence rency movements on investors will start that it (lower salary base salaries in US considering setting in the Philippines dollar terms. up operations or exand other Asean According to the panding in the Philcoutnries) is advisory firm, China’s ippines to leverage leading companies base salaries across on this,” said Vangie to reconsider all job grades are beDaquilanea, Wilwhere they locate tween 5 percent and lis Towers Watson’s operations once 44 percent higher global data services based in China, than the rates in Inpractice head for where an aging donesia, the most exPhilippines. population and pensive labor market “This competitive shrinking workforce among the emerging advantage is quite suggest salaries will Asean economies evident at the profesremain higher. including the Philipsional level, where pines, Vietnam, Maa big number of the laysia, Thailand and Philippine workIndonesia. The report force are, at about also covered Singa40 percent of the enpore, but this market tire workforce. While our strength is at was regarded as a developed economy. the professional level, this can also be The report also revealed that entryour weakest link. It is at this level where level white-collar professionals in China we lose them to overseas jobs—i.e., en- were receiving annual average base salgineers, software developers, nurses— ary of about $21,000, some 30 percent since other Asean companies can easily more than their peers in Indonesia, who attract them with higher salaries,” Da- were getting about $16,000. quilanea said. “The pay levels illustrate that lowcost For professionals and those in middle labor is no longer a major selling point management levels, the average base for China as it seeks to attract foreign insalaries in Vietnam and the Philippines vestment. If the most expensive country are the lowest in Asean, lagging behind in emerging Asean is still cheaper than the rate in China. China, emerging Asean becomes a more Willis Towers Watson said the average compelling human resources propobase salaries for professionals in China sition from a labor cost perspective,” were 1.9 to 2.2 times the rates in Philip- Rakyan said. ■
www.canadianinquirer.net
29
FRIDAY MAY 6, 2016
Sports
Special Olympics Canada Announces Roster for the 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games Team Canada will compete in Austria March 14 - 25, 2017 TORONTO — Special Olympics Canada is pleased to officially announce Team Canada for the upcoming 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games, taking place in Austria from March 14 to 25, 2017. Special Olympics Team Canada will consist of 110 athletes, 35 mission staff and coaches, 2 team managers and 1 Chef de Mission, and will be competing in 6 different sports in Austria. Team Canada athletes were selected based on their performance at the recent Special Olympics Canada 2016 Winter Games in Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador. Over 650 Special Olympics athletes from across Canada competed at those Games, vying for a spot on Special Olympics Team. “What an adventure Special Olympics Team Canada is about to embark on!” said Chef de Mission for the 2017 Special Olympics Team Canada, Marian Coulson. “The athletes demonstrated incredible determination and passion for their sport in Corner Brook and I
am excited to see their journey to Austria unfold over the next several months. It is an honour to be Chef de Mission for this team and I know they will show the world the strength, power and comradery Canadians are known for when they compete in Austria in 2017!” The 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games are the second time a Special Olympics World Games has occurred in Austria, with the first being in 1993. The 2017 Games will be hosted in three main locations throughout Austria; Graz (the second largest city in Austria), Schladming (Alpine Skiing World Championships in 1982 and 2013) and Ramsau (Nordic Skiing World Championships in 1999). The 2017 Games will host over 3,000 athletes and 1,100 coaches from 110 countries and 3,000 volunteers will help ensure the Games are a success. Athletes from across the globe will compete in 9 sport disciplines. “Special Olympics Canada is delighted to officially announce the Team Canada roster head-
ing to the 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games next year,” noted Sharon Bollenbach, CEO, Special Olympics Canada. “These Games will be another opportunity to show the world the capabilities and sportsmanship of our athletes, and I am excited to cheer them on as they strive for personal bests on the world stage.” Team Canada will start on the road to Austria next week with their first official training camp for the Games. Over the next 10 months, Special Olympics Team Canada athletes will be hard at work, training for the experience of a lifetime. To view the full Team Canada roster, please click here. Congratulations to all members of Team Canada! About Special Olympics Canada
Established in 1969, the Canadian chapter of this international movement is dedicated to enriching the lives of Canadians with an intellectual disability through the transfor-
Are you... skin care products and makeup is Glow Inner Beauty Powder ($70) by The Beauty Chef. It’s made of about two dozen ingredients including probiotics, mung beans, maqui berries, quinoa, chia, tumeric and alfalfa seeds that are mixed with water. Though it might be a harder sell at first, often once a consumer makes the shift to natural products they end up eventually replacing everything in their arsenal, said CAP store owners Kerrilynn Pamer and Cindy DiPrima Morisse. They say 40 per cent of the store’s top 10 products by revenue are ingestible items made of exotic ingredients. ❰❰ 26
“If you’re going for your most radiant beauty and you’re not addressing what you’re eating, you’re never going to get 100 per cent there,” Morisse said. Companies say one of the biggest hurdles for them is helping consumers get over the expectation of getting the same immediate results may come from a moisturizer. This makes it harder for companies to capture a loyal following because average consumers are less likely to stick with it. “It’s a slower return. ... Most consumers tend to really want a quick fix and immediate results and these things don’t happen immediately,” said Karen Grant, a beauty industry analyst with NPD Group.
Janelle Manzi, a 27-year-old dancer with the New York City Ballet, started experimenting with ingestibles about five years ago when she noticed her perfect skin was breaking and looking dull. At the same time, she started having stomach problems. She began taking herbs and powders, including some by Moon Juice and a $60 powder from The Beauty Chef meant to improve gut health with digestive enyzmes, spirulina barley grass, dandelion and biofermented fruits, vegetables, seeds, roots, algae and grasses. “I notice that it just kind of helps your body feel clean,” she said. “A week later, you notice that your skin is so clear.” ■ www.canadianinquirer.net
The Canadian team entering the stadium at the opening ceremonies in 2012. KHE 龙 / FLICKR
mative power and joy of sport. Operating out of sport clubs in 12 provincial and territorial Chapters, this grassroots movement reaches beyond the sphere of sport to empower individuals, change attitudes and build communities. From two-year-olds to mature adults, more than 40,000 athletes with
an intellectual disability are registered in Special Olympics year-round programs across Canada. They are supported by more than 19,000 volunteers, including more than 14,000 trained coaches. ■ For more information, visit www.specialolympics.ca
Global draws Cambodia side Nagaworld as foe BY CEDELF P. TUPAS Philippine Daily Inquirer NEWLY MINTED UFL Cup champion Global will vie in the Singapore Cup for the fourth straight year, while league winner CeresLa Salle makes its debut in the prestigious event this month. Global, which beat Ceres in the UFL Cup finals early this month, has been drawn with Nagaworld FC of Cambodia in the Round of 16 set from May 22 to 29. Ceres will face S-League side Garena Young Lions for a place in the quarterfinals.
“The Singapore Cup is one of the most prestigious club tournaments in the region and we are happy with the opportunity to be invited again,” said Global CEO Dan Palami. Global reached the semifinals last year, losing to eventual champion Albirex Niigata on aggregate. It will mark Ceres’ first appearance in the tournament. The Bacolod-based club boosted its stock by qualifying in the 2016 AFC Cup, where it has already beaten one of Singapore’s top teams in Tampines Rovers. ■
30
MAY 6, 2016
FRIDAY
Technology
Schumer: Probe billboards using phone data to track shoppers BY MICHAEL BALSAMO The Associated Press NEW YORK — A U.S. senator is calling for a federal investigation into an outdoor advertising company’s latest effort to target billboard ads to specific consumers. New York Sen. Charles Schumer has dubbed Clear Channel Outdoor Americas’ socalled RADAR program “spying billboards,” warning the service may violate privacy rights by tracking people’s cellphone data via the ad space. “A person’s cellphone should not become a James Bond-like personal tracking device for a corporation to gather information about consumers without their consent,” Schumer, a Democrat, said in a statement ahead of a planned news conference Sunday in Times Square. But the company, which operates more than 675,000 billboards throughout the world, argues that characterization of its program is inaccurate, in-
sisting it only uses anonymous data collected by other companies. In a statement, company spokesman Jason King said the RADAR program is based on a years-old advertising technique that “uses only aggregated and anonymized information” from other companies that certify they’re following consumer protection standards. King also provided The Associated Press a copy of a letter it sent earlier this year to another lawmaker who has similarly raised concerns about the ad service and consumer protections. The company “does not receive or collect personally identifiable information about consumers for use in Radar,” CEO Scott Wells wrote in a March letter to Sen. Al Franken, a Minnesota Democrat. “It’s not necessary for the insights we are offering our advertising customers.” The ad program is a partnership between Clear Channel and other companies, including AT&T and technology compa-
New York Sen. Charles Schumer has dubbed Clear Channel Outdoor Americas’ so-called RADAR program “spying billboards.”
nies that collects location data from smartphone apps, company officials have said. In a video on its website, the company says it “measures consumers’ real-world travel patterns and behaviours as they move through their day, analyzing data on direction of travel, billboard viewability, and visits to specific destinations.” That information, the company says, is then mapped against Clear Channel’s displays, which
would allow advertisers to buy ads in places that would “reach specific behavioural audience segments.” Clear Channel uses “aggregate and anonymous mobile consumer information,” the company said. The program gives marketers a “solution that provides a more accurate way to understand and target specific audience segments,” Clear Channel’s vice-president, Andy Stevens, said in a news release
announcing the initiative in February. But an investigation into the company is necessary because most people don’t realize their location data is being mined, even if they agreed to it at some point by accepting the terms of service of an app that later sells their location information, Schumer said. The Federal Trade Commission did not immediately respond requests for comment. ■
Mystery solved? Australian says he’s Bitcoin founder BY GREGORY KATZ The Associated Press LONDON — An Australian man long rumoured to be associated with the digital currency Bitcoin has publicly identified himself as its creator, a claim that would end one of the biggest mysteries in the tech world. BBC News said Monday that Craig Wright told the media outlet he is the man previously known by the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. The computer scientist, inventor and academic said he launched the currency in 2009 with the help of others. The founder’s identity has been shrouded in uncertainty,
and the media’s inability to pinpoint the person responsible has led to a series of investigations. Last year, some reports claimed Wright was the founder and had used a false name to mask his identity. Wright told the BBC he had decided to make his identity known to stop the spread of “misinformation” about Bitcoin. “I didn’t take the decision lightly to make my identity public and I want to be clear that I’m doing this because I care so passionately about my work and also to dispel any negative myths and fears,” he said. Wright said he believes that Bitcoin and blockchain, the technical innovation that makes the currency possible, “can change the world for the
better.” He added that he would now be able to release his research and academic work to help people understand the potential of Bitcoin. Bitcoin is designed for secure financial transactions that require no central authority — no banks, no government regulators. That makes it attractive to off-the-grid types such as libertarians, people who want to evade tax authorities, and criminals, even though Bitcoin doesn’t guarantee anonymity, since it documents every transaction in a public forum. According to the BBC, Wright supported his claim to being the founder by signing digital messages using cryptographic keys used during the early days www.canadianinquirer.net
of Bitcoin. The Economist magazine also had access to Wright and says on its website that “nagging questions remain” about his claims. Wright also posted a highly technical blog post asserting his role. If Wright is the founder, he is likely a very wealthy person. The person going by the pseudonym Nakamoto is believed to have amassed about 1 million Bitcoins, which would be worth about $450 million if converted to cash, the BBC says. Jon Matonis, one of the founding directors of the Bitcoin Foundation, which says it helps support the use of the currency, told the BBC he is convinced that Wright is who he claims to be and is responsi-
ble for a brilliant achievement. The hunt for Bitcoin’s founder had become a mission for some journalists. Attention focused for a time on a Finnish sociologist, a Japanese math whiz and a Japanese-American engineer. In December, the technology magazine Wired and the website Gizmodo both published lengthy investigations based on documents and emails that concluded Wright was probably the man behind the pseudonym. He was living in an upscale suburb of Sydney at the time. The reports were circumstantial and contained no proof. But Wright’s new statements, and his use of Nakamoto’s own encrypted signature, known as a PGP key, appear to have confirmed his role. ■
Technology
FRIDAY MAY 6, 2016
31
From new to old, some of the Oculus Rift delays flatten gun safety features over time virtual reality fan fervour THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BY RYAN NAKASHIMA The Associated Press
DAYTONA BEACH, Floridabased iGun Technology Corp. has been developing a “smart gun,” a firearm that uses a ring with a chip in it to send a signal to a circuit board embedded in the firearm so that only an authorized user can fire the gun. But this isn’t the only technology that exists or is being developed. A look at other efforts to build a “smart gun” and earlier efforts at making firearms safer: RFID or radio frequency identification
Armatix GmbH of Unterfoehring, Germany, has developed a handgun that uses a watch that sends signals to the handgun. The iP1 is a .22-calibre pistol that carries a 10-round magazine. The accompanying watch must be within 10 inches of the handgun for it to fire. At least two gun dealers in the United States made it available to customers in 2014 — one in California, another in Maryland. Both ceased soon after amid an outcry among gunrights advocates. One concern is a New Jersey law that mandates that within three years of a smart gun being commercially available, only those types of guns could be bought and sold in the state. The cost also is considerably more than a standard handgun, which can generally run around $450. Instead, the iP1 costs more than $1,300 and the buyer also has to purchase the watch separately for an additional several hundred dollars. Biometrics
Among those exploring the use of biometrics — similar to what is used to unlock some iPhones — is a teenager from Colorado. Kai Kloepfer received a grant from the Smart Tech Challenges Foundation to develop the technology, which would fire the handgun only when it recognized a finger placed on the grip. Kloepfer was partly inspired by the shooting at a theatre in Aurora, Colorado, in July 2012, which is about an hour from his home in Boulder. He has since
Efforts to make guns safer with technology are not new.
founded Aegen Technologies, a startup company devoted to developing firearms using biometrics and other smart-gun technologies. He will be attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology this fall after taking a year off after high school to spend more time developing his technology. What other safety mechanisms exist?
Efforts to make guns safer with technology are not new. Many firearms include “trigger guards,” the casing that loops under the trigger, and a “safety” switch that, when engaged, prevents the gun from firing, for example. In the 1880s, Smith & Wesson made a revolver it called “child-proof.” It had what is known as a grip safety that must be squeezed at the same time the trigger is pulled for the gun to discharge. The company stopped making firearms with that feature in the 1940s. Other companies still use a grip safety, including the iGun Technology shotgun that also includes a programmable ring that sends a signal to the firearm to discharge. Springfield Armory produces a line of handguns with a grip safety, including the XD Compact model. It was involved in an accidental shooting in March. Authorities said a 4-year-old boy in Florida was in the back seat when he
shot his mother, who was driving, with the .45-calibre handgun. What the gun lobby says
The gun lobby is wary of the smart-gun technologies and questions their reliability. In a crisis, the gun owner needs to have confidence that it’s a reliable weapon of defence — that it works and works instantaneously. “There’s no way to practice for the batteries going dead or just when it doesn’t recognize your print,” said Erich Pratt, executive director of Gun Owners of America. “You don’t want to be messing with buttons. ... The bad guy in your home isn’t going to have to boot up his weapon.” While the gun lobby has reservations about the reliability of the technology, it contends it is not opposed to people looking to develop a smart gun. It is concerned that if a smart gun were successfully brought to market, it would propel the government to then mandate that all firearms have that technology. “We, the industry, are not opposed to R&D and development of this technology. We’re only opposed to mandates,” said Larry Keane, senior vice-president and general counsel for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, which represents manufacturers. “Not everybody wants or needs that feature.” ■ www.canadianinquirer.net
LOS ANGELES — Virtual reality, oddly enough, isn’t immune to the problems that arise in practical reality. Just ask would-be fans of the Oculus Rift headset, many — possibly most — of whom are still waiting for their $600 gadgets more than four weeks after they started shipping . The delay, naturally, has sparked online grousing and even some data-based activism, including the creation of a crowdsourced spreadsheet for tracking who received their prized VR gear and when. Some longtime supporters of Oculus have declared themselves alienated by the company’s inability to deliver; others have defected to rival VR systems, or are at least considering it. Christian Cantrell, a software engineer and science-fiction author in Sterling, Virginia, put in his pre-order roughly 15 minutes after Oculus started accepting them in January — and is still waiting. It’s been a “bummer,” he says, because he passed up buying a rival headset, the HTC Vive, hoping to be part of a VR “renaissance” with Rift. “I’ve been kind of like an Oculus believer,” he says. “But if they bump it again, I might just order a Vive.” It’s too soon to say how the delays will affect Oculus, much less the overall acceptance of VR, a technology that submerges users in realistic artificial worlds. (Early VR “experiences” consist primarily of video games). In other contexts, big companies like Apple have managed to weather shortages and shipping delays for products such as the Apple Watch and its new iPhone SE. But some find the Rift delays intolerable, especially given that Oculus is no fledgling startup, but part of Facebook — the social network bought it two years ago for $2 billion. “There’s an element of inexcusable incompetence going on,” says J.P. Gownder, a Forrester Research analyst, who placed his preorder in the first 10 minutes but doesn’t expect his Rift until mid-May. Experienced hardware manufacturers would have set up suppliers months or years in advance
to avoid these types of problems, Gownder says. The fact that Oculus managed to bungle its launch with more than three years to prepare, plus the backing of Facebook, is “scandalous,” he says. Oculus, which has blamed the delays on an “unexpected component shortage,” declined to comment on specifics. It told the AP in a statement it has moved to address the shortage and expects deliveries to accelerate in coming weeks. By way of apology, Oculus said it will offer free shipping to customers who ordered before April 1. Few have been as disappointed as some of the company’s earliest supporters. Back in January, Oculus founder Palmer Luckey announced that 5,600 of the company’s first Kickstarter backers would be eligible for a free headset. He then tweeted on the eve of first deliveries that the gifts would “start arriving” two days before others, giving the impression Kickstarter backers would get theirs first. It didn’t happen. Unhappy customers gathered on Reddit to complain and to figure out where they stood in line; one poster catalogued the frustration on a crowdsourced spreadsheet. While not necessarily representative of the entire Oculus customer base, that data shows that of the 131 early Kickstarter backers who submitted responses, only 28 report receiving a unit. Of 1,399 pre-order customers, just 165 say they got a Rift. The virtual reality boom is just getting going, and the competition is growing. Sony will release its PlayStation VR headset later this year. Google is expected to expand on its primitive Cardboard viewer, and recent Apple acquisitions suggest that it may also be jumping into the field soon. Meanwhile, the Rift is losing some of its first-mover appeal. Some games originally designed to be Oculus exclusives have now been hacked to work on the HTC Vive, which launched about a week after the Rift, but hasn’t experienced shipping delays. Customers who bought Rift games before receiving their headset can now get digital keys so they can play the games in real reality, on a regular PC. ■
32
MAY 6, 2016
FRIDAY
Travel
Greetings from Asbury Park, LOCOMOTIVE LUNCH: opening first hotel in 50 years Vintage railway car goes gourmet on tour of Calgary park
BY SHAWN MARSH The Associated Press
ASBURY PARK, N.J. — In the Jersey shore city that gave Bruce Springsteen’s debut album its name, owners of the first new hotel to open there in more than 50 years hope they can convince locals and tourists alike that what was once considered a slum by the sea is now a destination with a bright future. Designer Anda Andrei and hotel operator David Bowd have transformed the vacant Salvation Army Retired Officers Home into The Asbury, a 110-room hotel that will permit guests to check in at any time of day, for accommodations ranging from ocean view suites to rooms featuring bunk beds that can sleep up to eight. The company has spent about $46 million on the property, which had an outstanding judgment of $8.5 million against the previous owners at the time of foreclosure. From the ground floor to the roof, the hotel offers options for the spectrum of Asbury Park’s diverse visitors, whom Bowd calls “a melting pot” of young, old, artists, musicians and gays. Previous rebuilding attempts in Asbury Park — made famous by Springsteen’s 1973 album “Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.” — have seen grand ideas and great expectations collapse because of shallow pockets in economic downturns. But iStar Inc., which is developing the hotel and beachfront, believes it has a long-term strategy. “It’s all part of elevating the customer experience and trying to make the waterfront great,” said senior vice-president Brian Cheripka. “You have this eclectic community. This urban vibe. This little city by the sea, and there’s this opportunity to get it right.” The beach has been drawing crowds since the late 1800s, and the city once boasted as many
BY CHRIS PURDY The Canadian Press
Asbury Park, NJ skyline..
as 100 hotels and 600,000 annual visitors, said Asbury Park Historical Society president Don Stine. Its popularity started to wane in the 1960s, when the development of the Garden State Parkway, a highway that runs the length of the state, opened access to other shore towns and a mall drew customers away from the shopping district. That, in tandem with a race riot in 1970, had Asbury withering away, with seagulls outnumbering humans on the beaches and many hotels being boarded up or becoming de facto homes for the deinstitutionalized, who wandered the streets and boardwalk through the 1980s. Back then, the city seemed grey and depressing even on a sunny day. “There was more demolition than construction, especially at the beachfront,” Stine said. “You had to have faith Asbury would come back, and I think we’re into a great revival of the seashore resort’s prime real estate,” he said. The revival began with spurts of development in the 1990s and early 2000s, initially fueled by gays seeking a cheaper alternative to New York’s Hamptons and Fire Island. Developers
LHCOLLINS / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
built condominiums and rejuvenated downtown storefronts, which sold or rented for less than other oceanfront towns. A range of restaurants opened, and a series of annual festivals drew patrons to the city’s two major hotels. The food is one of the reasons Madeleine Berk, of Miami, loves Asbury. When she’s up from Florida, she hits the restaurants with friends before attending concerts throughout the year. Candy Cohen travels frequently to Asbury from her home in Englewood, Florida, for the music scene and to support the Light of Day Foundation concerts, which raise money for research into Parkinson’s disease, and often feature surprise Springsteen performances. The self-proclaimed “honorary Jersey girl” has previously chosen her hotel based on its proximity to the concert venue. She said she was excited about the new hotel, which is across from Convention Hall and several blocks from The Stone Pony bar and club. For the new hotel’s designer, the goal was to be the “centre of gravity” in the town. “The magic of this is fun, creating a true adult camp,” Andrei said. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net
CALGARY — It’s a gourmet lunch to go like no other. A three-course, two-hour meal is served in a gleaming vintage railway car as it’s pulled by an antique steam engine around Calgary’s sprawling Heritage Park. The historical village first offered its time-travelling railway lunch last spring and summer and, after much success, is doing it again starting May 24. Tickets are already on sale and likely to go fast. Park spokeswoman Barb Munro says lunch tickets sold out quickly in 2015 and there was a waiting list. “It’s such a neat experience — a unique experience that you can’t really find anywhere else,” she says. The rail car is one of 15 solarium units built by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1929 to take well-to-do tourists through the Rocky Mountains. The cars had expansive windows, mahogany and walnut wood panelling — even a smoking room. “It was all very elegant,” Munro says. “It was the 20s, right — the golden age of luxury.” The cars were converted over the years for other uses before they were released from service. In 2011, the River Forth car, sitting in a Calgary rail yard with its doors pulled off and pigeon poop and garbage inside, was sold to Heritage Park for $1. Over the next four years, park workers cleaned it up, chipped away old paint and found some of the original wood panelling. Munro says one of the panel pieces was shipped to Europe, where the intricate design work was replicated for the entire car. Elegant fixtures, Oriental rugs, and tables covered with
crisp, white linens — with room enough to seat 36 people — eventually transformed the dumpy River Forth into a historic dining car. The cost of the restoration came to about $850,000. Staff also got their hands on old menus, which helped inspire the food selection for the modern railway meal, Munro says. Patrons this year will get to sip wine as they dine on pear and fig salad, pan-seared trout or filet mignon lyonnaise, and vanilla and toasted almond creme brulee. Most of the food, served by staff in historical uniform, is prepared in the park’s main restaurant and finished in a small service kitchen in the dining car. While the train journeys around two kilometres of track, it stops at three stations, allowing other park patrons to get on and off other cars. The range in scenery is sublime: the gleaming Glenmore Reservoir with mountain peaks behind it, the flashy Calgary skyline, the park’s historic boardwalk and shops, an antique midway and ferris wheel, First Nations camps with teepees and horses and grazing cows in a green pasture. When it’s not in use, the dining car is parked so other park guests can take a peek. It’s also available for rent for private parties and weddings. If you go
Lunch is served on the River Forth car on Tuesdays, May 24 through Aug. 30, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. It’s also available on the “Railway Days” weekend of Sept. 24-25, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The meal costs $129.90 for a table of two or $259.80 for a table of four. Don’t forget — you still need to pay park admission, but get 25 per cent off with a meal ticket. To book tickets, call 403268-8500. ■
Travel
FRIDAY MAY 6, 2016
33
Taking advantage of airline schedule changes to save money BY SCOTT MAYEROWITZ The Associated Press NEW YORK — Airline schedule changes are often frustrating. Suddenly a midmorning flight shifts to one leaving before sunrise or a leisurely layover turns into a mad dash to the next gate. Savvy travellers, however, realize that sometimes schedule changes — usually an hour or more — allow the freedom to make itinerary adjustments without paying hundreds of dollars in fees. Airlines typically publish schedules 11 months in advance. Southwest Airlines generally keeps to its schedule but American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines make many changes during that time. Some shift flights by a minute or two. But others dramatically alter itineraries, and that’s where fliers can benefit. Let’s say a family is flying from Orlando home to Boston. They really want the 4:30 p.m. flight to get a few extra hours at the pool. But that flight is $60 more per person than the 9 a.m. flight. So they book the earlier, cheaper flight. A few months pass and the schedule changes. That 9 a.m. flight now leaves at 7:15 a.m. Most passengers might grum-
ble and accept the very earlier wakeup. But they shouldn’t. That big of a schedule change provides fliers the ability to change — for free — to almost any other flight the airline offers, including the costlier 4:30 p.m. flight originally desired. Sometimes passengers can even shift their flight a day earlier or later, as long as they depart within 24 hours of their original time. Normally, such changes would cost $200 per passenger plus any difference of fare. “The fact that you can change is generally made clear. They don’t make it clear what you can change to,” says Brett Snyder, who runs an air travel assistance company called Cranky Concierge. “The rules are crazy and complex.” A good rule of thumb is to call the airline if your flight shifts an hour or more. Travellers should also be aware of smaller changes that might turn a tight connection into one that breaks the airline’s minimum amount of time allowed for a layover. Minimum connection times vary by airline and airport and even by terminal. For instance, on domestic itineraries Delta allows as little as 35 minutes to connect in Atlanta, United 30 minutes in San Francisco and American 25 min-
Travellers should also be aware of smaller changes that might turn a tight connection into one that breaks the airline’s minimum amount of time allowed for a layover.
utes in Phoenix. The general rule: if your connection has shrunk to under 45 minutes, call the airline. “They tend to be pretty flexible as long as it is a legitimate change,” Snyder says. Fliers should be aware of alternatives. Go to the airline’s website and search
flights by schedule. When calling to for a change, ask for specific flights. Also, check other airlines. You might be able to get a refund and buy a new ticket on another carrier. However, airfare typically increases closer to the date of travel. ■
Wee lief! Dogs get airport bathrooms of their own BY WILLIAM MATHIS The Associated Press NEW YORK — Little Simba couldn’t wait to check it out. The toy poodle was among the first to try a special bathroom just for animals at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, among a growing number of “pet relief facilities” being installed at major air hubs across the nation. “There’s a fire hydrant in there!” Simba’s owner, Heidi Liddell, announced as she opened the pawprint-marked door between the men’s and women’s rooms. It didn’t take long for the dog to sidle up to the little red hydrant atop a patch of artificial turf and do her business. A dispenser of plastic doggie bags and a hose was provided for the owners to clean the area up for the next pet. The 70-square-foot room, at JFK’s sprawling Terminal 4, allows dogs and other animals to relieve themselves without needing to exit the building to find a place to go outside — a step that requires an annoying second trip through the security line. “We had seen an increase of passen-
gers travelling with pets and we decided to do it sooner rather than later,” said Susana Cunha, vice-president of the management company that operates the terminal. Guide and service dogs, emotional support animals and other pets travelling with passengers are all welcome to use the facilities. A federal regulation will require that all airports that service over 10,000 passengers per year install a pet relief area in every terminal by this August. Airports that already have them include Dulles International outside Washington D.C., Chicago’s O’Hare and SeattleTacoma International. “With long flights and short transit time frames, passengers would not have enough time with plane changes to come back through security,” said Karen Greis, a consumer services manager for the Guide Dog Foundation, a non-profit that trains service dogs and participated in the design of the new facility. “Having relief areas inside the terminal is a stress reliever for the handlers.” That was certainly the case for Taylor Robbins, who had already missed one flight from JFK to Atlanta and was un-
sure if she had enough time to go back outside to find a place to walk her terrier John John. “It’s really clean, it gets the job done and he seemed to understand he could use it,” she said after exiting the doggie restroom. “Without this he would have had to hold it in.” Other pet owners were encouraged by the convenience. Mark Shadowens, from Lake Tahoe,
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California, peered into the new facility with a smile. He said he and his wife Helen would love to travel with their Jack Russell terrier, Bella, but fears not being able to find a place to let her go to the bathroom. “We travel with our pet a lot, just not on airlines,” Shadowens said. “We like to go see the world and I think we would bring her if there were places like this.” ■
Events
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2016 Spring Litter Pick-Up By the Canadian-Filipino Association of Yukon and Lantay Dance Ensemble WHEN/WHERE: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., May 7, at Porter Creek. Assembly: 5:30 p.m. at Wann cor. Hickory
MAY 6, 2016
2016 Annual General Meeting By the Canadian-Filipino Association of Yukon WHEN/WHERE: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 28, at the Multicultural Centre of the Yukon, 4141D 4th Ave., Whitehorse, YT MORE INFO: Potluck event
Tunog ng Pagbabago Duterte By Tunog ng Pagbabago Alberta WHEN/WHERE: 5 to 11 p.m., May 7, at Polish Canadian Centre 301515th St. NE, Calgary,NUNAVUT AB NORTHWEST MORE INFO: $10 admission; 3 for TERRITORIES $25; 4 for $35
YUKON
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 Bldg., 597 Parliament St., Suite 103, Toronto, On. MORE INFO: Call (416) 928-9355 Tagalog Class By Filipino Center Toronto WHEN/WHERE: 10 to 11 a.m., every
BRITISH COLUMBIA ALBERTA
Kamayan Dinner By Victoria Filipino-Canadian Caregivers Association WHEN/WHERE: May 6, from 5 p.m. onwards at the Bayanihan Centre, 1709 Blanshard St., Victoria B.C. MORE INFO: Call Connie 250-508-4988 for tickets Following the Silk Routes and Beyond in Vancouver By ExplorAsian 2016 WHEN/WHERE: up to May 31 at the Chinese Cultural Centre, 555 Columbia St.. Vancouver Celebration of Love By Tzu Chi Canada WHEN/WHERE: 10 a.m. May 8, at Churchill Secondary, 7055 Heather St., Vancouver, B.C. MORE INFO: Free prize draw for plane tickets Free Knitting and Crocheting Classes By The Seniors Brigade Society of BC with PH Bagong PAg-Asa Society of BC, Zambales Society of BC and Filipino Zodiac Circle of BC WHEN/WHERE: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on May 7, 14, 21 and 28 at 2nd Flr. 5288 Joyce St., Vancouver, B.C. MORE INFO: Call 604-453-5885 or email seniorsbrigade@yahoo.ca Pag-Ibig/SSS/Philhealth Information Session By I-Remit WHEN/WHERE: 1 to 5 p.m., May 14, at 8132 Park Road, Richmond B.C. MORE INFO: To register, contact Jenny at 778-3848788 Temporary Foreign Workers Uncontested Divorce Clinic By Law Courts Center WHEN/WHERE: Saturdays from 2 to 4 p.m., at the Justice Education Society at the Provincial Court of BC Room 260 800 Hornby St., Vancouver B.C. MORE INFO: To book an appointment, call/text 778322-2839 or email: tfw.divorce@gmail.com
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Saturday, Filipino Centre Toronto Homework/Tutorial Class By FCT WHEN/WHERE: 11a.m. to 12 nn, every Saturday, Filipino Centre Toronto, 597 Parliament St., Suite 103, Toronto, ON MORE INFO: For registrations, call 416-9289355. The office, at 597 Parliament St., Suite 103, Toronto, is open on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 1 to 6 p.m.
NEWFOUNDLAND
MANITOBA
SASKATCHEWAN
FRIDAY
ONTARIO
QUEBEC
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. 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 Anna de Quito 604-763-2210. Free Counselling Support Group By Mosaic WHEN/WHERE: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., every last Monday of the month, at Mosaic Burnaby Centre for Immigrants, 5902 Kingsway, Vancouver, B.C. MORE INFO: Call Darae (604)254-9626 Breaking Isolation: Engaging & Empowering Older Women Against Violence & Abuse By ISS of BC WHEN/WHERE: 9 a.m. to 12 nn, Tuesdays & Thursdays up to May 19, at R, 200-504 Cottonwood Ave. Coquitlam, B.C. MORE INFO: Contact Liza dela Rosa 778-861-8499 or email at liza.delarosa@issbc.org Asian Waters: Watercolour Exhibition by Etsu Inoue, Angela Leung and Esmie Gayo McLaren By Jeunesse Gallery of Fine Arts WHEN/WHERE: Up to May 31, at Jeunesse Gallery of Fine Arts, 2668 W. 4th Ave., Vancouver, B.C. www.canadianinquirer.net
Free Legal Clinic for Low Income Temporary Foreign Workers With NOVA Access Pro Bono Lawyers By Mosaic SCOTIA WHEN/WHERE: 7 to 9 p.m., May 9, at Mosaic, 1720 Grant St., 2nd Floor, Vancouver, B.C. MORE INFO: Register for a free 30-minute legal consultation with Access Pro Bono lawyers on issues related to Temporary Foreign Workers and immigration, such as renewing/extending your work permit, applying for permanent residency, etc. Appointments required. Healthy Brain Workshop By Mosaic WHEN/WHERE: 12 to 2 p.m., May 9, at Mosaic Burnaby Centre for Immigrants, 5902 Kingsway St., Vancouver, B.C. MORE INFO: Maintain a healthy brain! Learn strategies and set goals to reduce stress and to reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s. Language support available upon request. In partnership with the Alzheimer Society of BC. Call Eliza (604)-438-8214 Renting It Right By Mosaic WHEN/WHERE: 1 to 3 p.m., May 9, at Mosaic Vancouver Computer Lab, 1720 Grant St., Vancouver, B.C. MORE INFO: A free online course created by the Justice Education Society and the Tenant Resource & Advisory Centre (TRAC) that helps tenants find the right rental options, understand the rental process and learn about tenant rights and responsibilities. Call Joy- (604)-254-9626 ext 484 Stumbling Through Paradise Book Launch By Eleonor Guerrero-Campbell WHEN/WHERE: 1:30-4:30 p.m., May 21, at Multipurpose Rm. 4, Olympic Village Creekside Community Center, 1 Athletes Way, Vancouver, B.C.
MAY 6, 2016
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MAY 6, 2016
FRIDAY
Food
This Mother’s Day, consider an epically delicious roast bird BY MEERA SODHA The Associated Press EVER SINCE my parents came to England in 1972, my mum has had a wild love affair with roast chicken. The only thing she loves even more is her family and unfortunately for her, my dad is a vegetarian. So for 41 years now, her opportunities to turn the oven on, throw caution to the wind and put a beautiful bird in to roast have been limited. She’s simply too loving a wife to torment my dad like that. That’s why every Mother’s Day, there is only one thing that we will cook: tandoori roast chicken. But this isn’t just any old roast chicken; it is one worthy of a feast. It has all the merits of a normal roast chicken, flavourful crispy skin, butter-soft meat and largely fuss-free prep, but it is much more elegant and celebratory. The chicken is made tender with a marinade of yogurt and lemon juice, then enlivened with earthy cumin, garam masala, ginger and garlic. Once the ingredients have been blended into a paste, all that’s needed is a quick rub
down and rest (the chicken, not you) before it goes into the oven, leaving you free and out of the kitchen. It’s the only time of the year we force our father into the kitchen to help with the sides (supervised, of course). But given that there are plentiful greens around this time of year, they are quick and easy, too. We love to serve this with spring’s finest asparagus, peas and spinach, a little lime pickle, toasted naan bread and some crisp white wine. All of this fuss-free cooking allows us more time for a relaxing family lunch together. Until we need to tackle the washing up, that is. TANDOORI ROAST CHICKEN
You will need a blender to make the marinade. I like to marinate the chicken first thing in the morning to give it time for the flavours to mingle. Start to finish: 2 1/2 hours (10 minutes active) Servings: 4 • 4-pound whole chicken, giblets removed • 3 green serrano chilies, roughly chopped
• 6 cloves garlic • 1 thumb-sized piece ginger • 1 tablespoon garam masala • 1/2 tablespoon cumin seeds • 3/4 teaspoon hot paprika • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper • 2 tablespoons lemon juice • 3 tablespoons canola oil • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric • 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt (or to taste) • 2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt Line a roasting pan with foil, then place the chicken in the centre. Combine all remaining ingredients except the yogurt in a blender, then puree until reduced to a fine paste. Mix in the yogurt. Rub the yogurt mixture over
all parts of the chicken, then refrigerate and allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to several hours. When ready to cook, heat the oven 350 F. Roast the chicken, not covered, on the oven’s middle shelf for 40 minutes. Baste the chicken with any juices in the pan, then lightly cover with foil. Roast for another 40 minutes, or until the meat reaches 170 F at the thigh and 165 F at the breast. Remove the chicken from the oven, leaving it covered, and set aside to rest for 15 minutes before serving. ■ Meera Sodha is an Indian foods expert and author of “Made in India: Recipes from an Indian family kitchen.”
The fresh flavour of white asparagus is worth searching for BY SARA MOULTON The Associated Press ASPARAGUS WITH ORANGE VINAIGRETTE, TOASTED HAZELNUTS
AND AGED GOAT CHEESE
Start to finish: 30 minutes Servings: 6 • 1/3 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons finely minced shallots • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper • 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil • 2 pounds fresh white asparagus, the bottom 1/2 inch discarded and the spears peeled from just below the tip down the length of the stalks • 1 cup fresh orange segments • 2 ounces crumbled aged goat cheese • 2/3 cup coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts • Chopped fresh dill, chives or tarragon, to garnish In a small saucepan over medium, simmer the orange juice until it is reduced to 2 tablespoons. Add the shallot, vinegar, mustard and salt and pepper. Whisk until the salt is dissolved, then add the oil in a stream, whisking. Set aside. In a large saucepan over medium-high, bring 3 inches of salted water to a boil. Add half the asparagus and simmer for 6 to 8
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minutes, or until tender (take one out, cut a piece off and taste to determine doneness). Transfer the spears to paper towels to drain, then cook and drain the remaining asparagus in the same manner. On a large platter toss the asparagus gently with two-thirds of the dressing, then season with salt and pepper. Transfer the asparagus to plates and top each portion with some of the orange segments, cheese, nuts, herbs and a little of the remaining dressing. Nutrition information per serving: 280 calories; 180 calories from fat (64 per cent of total calories); 20 g fat (3.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 10 mg cholesterol; 140 mg sodium; 19 g carbohydrate; 5 g fiber; 11 g sugar; 8 g protein. ■ Sara Moulton is the host of public television’s “Sara’s Weeknight Meals.” She was executive chef at Gourmet magazine for nearly 25 years and spent a decade hosting several Food Network shows, including “Cooking Live.” Her latest cookbook is “Home Cooking 101.”
Seen & Scenes
FRIDAY MAY 6, 2016
STUMBLING THROUGH PARADISE
POST ARRIVAL ORIENTATION SEMINAR In photo are (from L) Esmie Gayo McLaren, Irene Querubin, Eleanor GuerreroCampbell, Mel Tobias and Techie dela Fuente (behind standing) De Malong.
The Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver and the Philippine Overseas Labor Office recently held a post-arrival orientation seminar for caregivers and temporary foreign workers. Topics discussed included labor and immigration updates; workers’ rights and responsibilities; consular services; career alternatives; and Philippine government benefits (Photos c/o Polo Vancouver BC Canada FB).
The Anyone Can Act Theater is sponsoring the launch of Eleonor Guerrero-Campbell’s book, “Stumbling Through Paradise. Shown planning the event are (starting from the head of the table going clockwise) Eleanor Campbell, Mel Tobias, Techie dela Fuente, Dorothy Uytengsu, Clayton Campbell, De Malong and Irene Querubin.
HISTORAMA IN OREGON Historama meeting with Council of FilipinoAmerican Associations of Oregon.
VISMIN GOT TALENT
Historama with Mr. and Mrs. Jaime Lim, publishers of the Fil-Am community newspaper of Oregon, The Asian Reporter
VisMin Got Talent competition was held Apr. 30 in Edmonton (Photos by Carlos Gabriel).
Historama at a dinner hosted by Atty. and Mrs. Eric Tadeo at their Washington residence.
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Seen & Scenes
MAY 6, 2016
FRIDAY
ANCOP KICK-OFF CAMPAIGN The organization known as Ancop (Answering the Cry of the Poor) held their 2016 Kick-off campaign at Rembrandt Hall on Apr. 22. Ancop President Ricky Cuenca showed the video of different places in the Philippines where Ancop built new houses for the poor, including the houses built in typhoon-devasted areas (Photos by Ariel Ramos.)
DINNER WITH I-REMIT I-Remit Canada group met and talked recently about the strong support to its programs. It recently hosted dinner for visiting Home Development Mutual Fund aka Pag-Ibig Fund officials on a roadshow in Canada. Shown in photo (from L) are Amado Dizon III, Pag-Ibig Fund vice president for international operations; Atty. Darlene Marie Basco Berberabe, Pagibig Fund chief executive officer; Belinda Lim Herrera, country head and managing director, I-Remit; Elizabeth Borres, Pag-Ibig Fund representative; and Simeon M.Sarte, Ontario I-Remit branch manager (Photo by St. Jamestown News Service, Dindo Orbeso)
MISS TEEN PHILIPPINES CANDIDATE One of the candidates in the Philippine Canadian Charitable Foundation's Miss Philippines Canada/ Miss Teen Philippines Canada 2016 in Toronto is 14-year old Shanaia Tabuac. She is a budding singer and dancer, and has performed with Charms, a group of other teen-age singers, in various Greater Toronto area community events (Photo by St. Jamestown News Service, Dindo Orbeso)
GOOD GOVERNANCE Organizers of FilCan4Good Governance-Canada recently posed with Pinoy Radio's "Sunday Talk Show with Randy" staff. Shown (from L) Boholano Guy Camacho, Cebuana Livvy Camacho, DJ Ryan Orlanda and political commentator Tony A. San Juan. The Camacho couple promoted the merits of a national good governance platform in government business and operations to expect and ensure transparency, accountability, credibility , fair and honest policy implementation for the good of the Philippines (Photo by Paulina Corpuz).
For photo submissions, please email info@canadianinquirer.net. www.canadianinquirer.net
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FRIDAY MAY 6, 2016
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MAY 6, 2016
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