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JULY 22, 2016

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VOL. 7 NO. 227

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Ateneo mourns murder of HS math teacher

Palace: thanks for trust and confidence in Duterte

Unusual protest goes viral

Bloodshed fills headlines; public filled with anxiety

Montebello, Que., with history and scenery

Trudeau skips traditional channels to convince youth to join nat'l council

BY TERRY PEDWELL The Canadian Press

HOT STUFF Philippine National Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa shows packs of “shabu” seized in several raids that became part of the P1.77 billion worth of illegal drugs destroyed by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Trece Martires City in Cavite province on Thursday.

RAFFY LERMA / PDI

Philippine court clears Arroyo of plunder, orders her freed

BY TERESA CEROJANO The Associated Press MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The Philippine Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a plunder case against former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and

ordered her freed immediately after nearly five years of hospital detention — a decision the grateful ex-leader indicated can help her deal with those who “through self-serving interpretation and implementation of the law” made

So, Is It a Career You Want?

OTTAWA — Justin Trudeau skipped over normal government communication channels Tuesday in a bid to speak directly to young people he wants to see serve on a national council to advise him on their priorities.

Trudeau launched the application process for the council on Twitter, then spent an hour taking questions on the social media site about how the council will work.

“How we pass legislation that better reflects the concerns that young people have right now and the world they want to be a part of in the future is what this prime minister’s youth council is all about,” Trudeau said in a recorded video message to kick off the event.

“I can’t wait for everyone to sign up and join.”

Between July 22 and Aug. 12, anyone between the ages of 16 and 24 can apply for seats on the 30-member council, which will advise the prime minister on issues affecting youth, including

❱❱ PAGE 22 ❱❱ PAGE 12 Philippine court

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS:

❱❱ PAGE 18 Trudeau skips

FILIPINO-CANADIAN IN FOCUS InFocus.canadianinquirer.net

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JULY 22, 2016

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FRIDAY

Philippine News

FRIDAY JULY 22, 2016

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Ateneo mourns murder of HS math teacher

BY JODEE AGONCILLO AND MARICAR BRIZUELA Philippine Daily Inquirer TRIBUTES POURED in for an Ateneo High School teacher who was shot dead on his way home on Monday night by an unidentified gunman.

In tweets and posts on social media, netizens and members of the Ateneo community expressed grief and sadness at the death of Ateneo teacher Emmanuel “Em-J” Jose Pavia, 24, who sustained three gunshot wounds in the head and back.

Chief Insp. Eduardo Cayetano, chief of the station investigation unit of Marikina City Police, said his men were looking into the possibility that Pavia’s anti-illegal drugs advocacy may have something to do with his death.

But initial reports said Pavia was helping somebody who was being robbed that night when the gunman shot him along St. Joseph Avenue at Dela Costa Homes in Barangay Barangka, Marikina City, past 7 on Monday night.

At Ateneo High School, classes were suspended on Tuesday to give way to a 2:30 p.m. Mass in the covered court, where family, friends, fellow faculty and students paid their last respects to Pavia.

“Thank you for being one of the biggest inspiration to me. You taught me to smile no matter what happens. For that, I am eternally grateful,” one of his students wrote on the dedication wall next to the teacher’s coffin.

Twitter user Alvin Joseph Dolores described Pavia as an “A teacher. A modern-day hero. Not just another dead body.”

Alo Lantin tweeted that Pavia “died for being a good person.”

His former students and their parents also recalled how he was in the classroom. “I wish we could say ‘good bye and thank you sir’ one last time,” said Twitter user Ryan Herrera.

Inspirational

“He was ‘very close and inspirational to the boys,’” said an Ateneo parent.

Added another: “He was a favorite of a lot of kids even if his subject was math.”

In a phone interview with the Inquirer, the assistant principal for student affairs and formation, Ronan B. Capinding, described Pavia as “very young, funny, intelligent and thoughtful.”

Capinding added: “We are all still in shock and stunned by what happened. I am also really weary and sad after learning about the news last night.”

Pavia, who was on his fourth year of teaching at Ateneo High School, graduated from Ateneo Grade School in 2005, Ateneo High School in 2009 and was a member of the Loyola School’s Batch

Pavia came from a family of teachers: his parents, Gerardo and Margarita Pavia, taught religion and math respectively, while a younger brother taught English, also at Ateneo. The youngest sibling is still in college.

JAY GREGORIO / FACEBOOK PHOTO

2013.

Pavia came from a family of teachers: his parents, Gerardo and Margarita Pavia, taught religion and math respectively, while a younger brother taught English, also at Ateneo. The youngest sibling is still in college.

An official of the Ateneo Homeowners Association who refused to be named, said that after the killing, neighbors saw a man on a motorcycle roaming the area around midnight of Monday and very early Tuesday morning.

The man, he said, was holding a bayong (native woven bag) and sat on a gutter.

Simple, peace-loving

Witness Honorato Olaguer, 76, Pavia’s neighbor, told police that he was inside his house when he heard three gunshots.

He then saw Pavia lying on the ground and rushed him to Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center. Pavia was declared dead around 8:30 p.m.

Another longtime neighbor, Nora Gonzales, described Pavia’s family as very simple, peace-loving and had never been engaged in any fight before.

Friends who knew Pavia recalled how he motivated his students to strive for excellence.

On the Ateneo website, Pavia was quoted as saying during a school-wide reflection: “(A)im for the moon because that way, even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.”

He also spoke of what he learned about true excellence from his former teacher, Onofre Pagsanghan.

but do them extraordinarily well.”

Pavia was a natural leader even in high school, his friends recalled. “It was natural for him to be concerned for other people,” said Brian Tamase who had been friends with Pavia since 2008.

Pavia, Tamase said, had a “nice approach” to students. “He was always smiling and you just know he had a hap-

py disposition… (which) was infectious.”

“He was the most reliable person I know. The most helpful. The kind of friend anyone would love having,” said Kevin Guiling, another of Pavia’s high school friends.

A photo of Pavia on Twitter showed his words projected on a screen during one of his classes. The words read: “As a teacher, my greatest and only wish is that at the end of it all, I hope my students (would) have grown to trust me in such a way that if I tried to push them off a cliff, they’d let me. They’d let me because at that point, they already know I’ll run to the bottom as fast as I can to catch them. Or (that) I wouldn’t have to, because I’ve already taught them how to fly.”

Orange B. Sanchez retweeted: “I am hurting. I am angry. I will never understand why. My heart is broken. Rest in peace my dear friend… This crazy, cruel, evil world doesn’t deserve an angel like you, @emjpavia.

Posted Jay Gregorio: “Goodnight to a great man, Emmanuel Jose Pavia, it is time to rest, friend. You will be missed but we know you are watching over us.

God is with you, bless your soul.” ■ With a report from Louie Greg A. Rivera

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Natural leader

Pavia’s English teacher in first year high school taught him “to believe that you don’t have to be doing something extra special, unique or different, to be considered extraordinary. Rather, you can just continue to do ordinary things,

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Philippine News

JULY 22, 2016

FRIDAY

QC lawmaker refutes video Pasig cops use identifying him as drug lord songs, testimonies to convince drug users to change PHILIPPINES NEWS AGENCY

MANILA — Rep. Alfredo Vargas III (5th District-Quezon City) on Tuesday took exception to a birthday party video identifying him as big time drug lord Herbert “Ampang” Colangco.

The video, which has gone viral, showed Senator Leila De Lima singing at her birthday party while a voiceover is narrating that the senator was singing for one of her alleged protected big time drug lords.

At the background, however, is not Colangco but Vargas.

“I just want to make it clear that it was me in that video and not Mr. Herbert Colangco. I

had sore eyes during that time so I had to wear sunglasses and could not properly shake hands with everybody,” Vargas said.

Vargas said he was invited by De Lima to attend her birthday being part of the Liberal Party slate in the May 2016 elections.

“I was at Senator Leila De Lima’s birthday party last year at the DOJ quadrangle as a guest.

It was a simple case of mistaken identity, perhaps because the video was blurred,” Vargas said.

The lawmaker called on netizens to be careful in making big assumptions like this and be more discerning in forwarding videos that come from unknown sources.

Colangco is a convicted robbery gang leader who has been

serving time at the maximumsecurity compound since 2009.

He had been tagged in several bank robberies in Metro Manila since the early 2000s. Police said the Colangco gang had also worked together with other notorious crime syndicates like the Waray-Waray and Ozamis robbery groups.

Two years ago, Colangco got the attention of the public because he became an artist inside the national penitentiary with television networks calling him “Bilibid Idol.”

Colangco even received a Platinum Certification in his album Kinabukasan, produced by Ivory Records, which according to him did not expect that he would receive that award. ■

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BY GIL CABACUNGAN Philippine Daily Inquirer “PANGARAP KO’Y di maabot.

Dahil sa bawal na gamot. Akin nang pinagsisihan ang aking kamalian (I could not realize my dream because of illegal drugs.

I now regret my mistake).”

These regretful lyrics of “Bawal na Gamot,” a song about the perils of drug addiction, set the tone for a special project of the Pasig City police who on Saturday had its officers sing and jam with close to 600 confessed drug users who had surrendered in droves over the past few days.

Joined by members of the city’s antidrug abuse council and led by their chief, Senior Supt. Jose Hidalgo Jr., the local lawmen gamely led the singing of “Bawal,” “May Bukas Pa” and “Magbago Ka”—classic Filipino pop songs about hope and fresh starts—with hands raised and swinging as the verses flashed on a videoke screen.

“They (the policemen) sang with us like we were friends.

I realized we were almost the same, that we shared the same experience and they were also once addicted to something,” said Aldrin Rubio, 45, who joined the chorus with 570 other men at the Community Baptist Church in Pasig.

Rubio said he surrendered on Friday after being hooked on drugs for almost 30 years.

“After seeing what happened to my friends—some of whom were killed—I was afraid that I would share the same fate. I got scared of the police,” he told the INQUIRER. But last Saturday, Rubio said he saw a different side to law enforcers. “Now, I know I will surrender, not because of fear but because of love. I love my family and I want to restore my broken relationship with my children,” he added.

Saturday’s program started around 9 a.m. with a magic show, a lecture on illegal drugs, their effects, criminal cases

that awaited users and pushers as well as what was expected of them after their surrender.

Hidalgo said the Pasig City government was offering a total drug rehabilitation program with spiritual, social and financial intervention.

Also in attendance was Mayor Robert Eusebio who told the yielding drug dependents to take advantage of the opportunity being given to them by the police, the government and God. “Some people surrender because they [read in the] newspapers that they will die if they do not surrender. No. You are not surrendering to me. You are changing for yourself, your family. Do it for yourself,” he told them.

“Wala sa Pasig ang pagawaan ng plastic. Kaya ‘wag tayong plastic sa pagbabago natin (We do not have a plastics factory here in Pasig. So let’s be sincere in our desire to change ourselves),” Eusebio said.

The surrenderors, meanwhile, clapped and cheered when Zenaida Concepcion, head of the city’s Anti-Drug Abuse Council, discussed the possibility of the government providing them with scholarships and/or funds for putting up a business should they complete the skills training at the Pasig City Livelihood Center and the drug rehabilitation program.

But what got the audience’s attention were the testimonies of policemen and one of the lecturers who admitted to drug use.

Insp. Roberto Garcia of the Pasig City police station investigation and detection unit and Dr. Rally Abalon, national director of Over Edge Philippines and a very active campaigner against illegal drugs, both admitted to drug experimentation. Both, however, said they successfully kicked the habit.

Digi Antonio, now the executive assistant of the Cainta vice ❱❱ PAGE 13 Pasig cops

Philippine News

FRIDAY JULY 22, 2016

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Pinol orders audit of PHP100-M used for procurement of farm machineries, equipment Lucena City police and local officials administer the pledging session of some 1,200 illegal drug offenders from the city’s 10 out of 33 barangays after they voluntarily surrendered to authorities en masse.

PNA CALABARZON BUREAU

Drug lords at NBP offered PHP50-M for my head — Aguirre

BY PERFECTO T. RAYMUNDO Philippines News Agency MANILA — Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Vitaliano N. Aguirre II on Wednesday divulged that drug lords at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City has offered a PHP50million bounty for his head after he refused to accept bribes from drug lords detained at the national penitentiary.

The NBP is under the control and supervision of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), an attached agency of the DOJ. During Wednesday’s take-over of 320 Special Action Force (SAF) at the NBP, Aguirre disclosed that he had received information that drug lords tried to pool their resources to offer him a PHP100million bribe.

“Big drug lords have already wanted to pool their resources so they can offer me PHP100 million but they could not offer me because I can’t be corrupted and so they hired somebody to kill me for PHP50 million,” Aguirre told members of the media.

The DOJ Secretary said that he revealed the threat for the drug lords not to continue with their plan.

“That is why I revealed this to you, so that if they have plans (of having me killed) then maybe they won’t push through,” Aguirre said.

The 320 SAF troopers replaced the prison guards at the NBP who are set to undergo retraining.

This was after the pronouncements of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte that illegal drugs are being manufactured and drug trade starts at the NBP. With the President’s pronouncements, Aguirre, on his first day in office last July 1 vowed to replace officers in-

side the NBP and crackdown on perpetrators of the widespread selling of illegal drugs in the country.

Aguirre also promised to put up PHP10-million worth of signal jammers that would stop illegal transactions of drug lords inside the national penitentiary.

According to the DOJ Secretary, the take-over could take two months as they will need to take and reeducate almost all the employees inside the NBP. “It could take months, actually, because we are going to take out every guard and almost all employees except those that are indispensable in the running day-to-day activities of the BuCor and all of them will undergo training, more than 200 of them and re-education,” Aguirre said.

This, Aguirre said, would solve the issues inside the BuCor which he described as the “most corrupt organization in the bureaucracy.”

“Every aspect of life inside the bureau is turned into a money-making venture, even the sale of cigarettes. One stick of cigarette will cost you PHP150. I could not believe the corruption,” Aguirre said.

Aguirre added that even the budget for food which is PHP50 per inmate has been reduced to PHP40 as the PHP10 goes to the pockets of the officers.

According to Aguirre, appointed acting BuCor Chief Director General Rolly Asuncion will be replaced by Marine Maj. Gen. Alexander Balutan when he officially retires from his post on August 1.

Balutan, when he assumes position, promised to replace and reshuffle the prison superintendent at the NBP. Balutan is also planning to assign Philippine Marines to inspect individuals that will visit detainees at the NBP. ■

BY LILYBETH G. ISON Philippines News Agency MANILA — Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel “Manny” Pinol has ordered for an audit of government funds used in the procurement of farm machineries and equipment to be distributed to farmer beneficiaries.

“While many farmers of Central Mindanao have to be content with using the slow moving carabao to plow their rice fields, modern agriculture equipment worth over PHP100-million have been left under the elements in the 35-hectare compound of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Tupi, South Cotabato. Some of the equipment units were bought by the government as long as four years ago while the more expensive ones, including multi-million peso rice and corn harvesters and tractors are about a year old,” noted Pinol in a statement.

In the guidelines issued by former DA Secretary Proceso Alcala, the farmers or farmer groups were supposed to shoulder 15 percent of the cost of the equipment with the agriculture department paying for 85 percent.

Pinol said when he asked OIC Director Carlene Collado why the machineries were not distributed, she said it was because the farmers could not come up with a 15 percent cash equity which the DA required from them as their counterpart.

“Honestly, I do not understand why farmers would have to be asked to make the complete payment for machineries procured by the government,” he said adding that the government “does not procure on installment or partial payment process.”

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As such, Pinol said he is planning to have a “50:50” share of equity but this will be divided into four years for farmers to avail of farm machineries and equipment.

“Magiging 50:50 na instead na 15 percent ang equity nila ( farmers). Kalahati ng cost ng equipment ibabalik nila kasi iroroll over natin, pero spread over four years. Pumayag naman sila (The farmers’ equity will be split to 50:50, instead of the old 15%. Half of the cost will be covered because we will shell out, but the payment will be spread over four years. They have agreed to this set-up),” he said.

Meanwhile, Pinol said he had directed the Internal Audit Service, retired Phil.

Marines Colonel Danny Luna, to come up with a report on this misuse of government funds and assets.

He also directed that the farm machineries and equipment be immediately rehabilitated, repaired and repainted to be distributed to farmers or local government units.

The DA chief also said that he will ask lawyers of the Department “to study this case and determine the administrative and criminal liability of the officials behind the procurement and non-distribution of these machineries.”

“I believe that by keeping the equipment and machineries in the compound unused for a long period of time, government was defrauded of the value of money it spent in buying the said equipment.

Worse, farmers were also deprived of one to four years of increased productivity which could have been achieved had the equipment and machineries were released earlier. Any which way, it is altogether wrong and immoral,” he stressed. ■

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Philippine News

FRIDAY JULY 22, 2016

7

No double standard in drug war–Palace Other suspects urged to prove they’re clean

BY MARLON RAMOS Philippine Daily Inquirer WHY DID the “Punisher” let alleged drug Triad boss Peter Lim live another day?

The Palace could not give the exact reason, but Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar yesterday sought to assure the public that there was no double standard in the government’s war against illegal drugs.

Lim, a wealthy businessman from Cebu, met with President Duterte in Davao City on Friday night as bodies of poor drug suspects continued to turn up in various parts of the country.

An INQUIRER count since July 1 showed at least 179 people have been killed in police operations against illegal drugs. Another 64 drug-related deaths have been blamed on vigilantes. Most of the victims—described as drug lords and pushers—were killed in slum areas and looked impoverished.

Mr. Duterte, who earned the monicker “Punisher” for advocating the summary killings of suspected criminals when he was mayor of Davao City, said in a televised address on July 7 that he would execute Lim the minute the businessman set foot in the country on his return from a reported overseas trip.

The President, however, let the Cebu trader leave the regional office of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Authority in one piece after their meeting.

“The alleged drug lord Peter Lim has come out in the open. He [wants to clear] his name and he has expressed his intention to the President that he will do just that,” Andanar told state- run dzRV radio.

Burden now on Lim

“The burden now is [on] Peter Lim and we do encourage the rest of the suspects to do the same,” he added.

During their conversation, the President repeated his warning to Lim that he would have him executed if investigation showed that he was the same Peter Lim, alias Jaguar, who was running the drug Triad in the Visayas region.

Unlike Lim, many of those killed in police operations and vigilante-style attacks were not given the chance to talk with the most powerful man in the country to defend themselves.

“I threatened to have you killed. You know, I’ll really have you killed if I get [evidence]. I’ll really finish you off,” the President bluntly told him, according to a video of the meeting the government released on YouTube.

Asked why the President did not kill Lim as he had warned, Andanar said: “Well,

Peter Lim has already expressed his intentions to clear his name. Let’s leave it at that.”

“Let’s just wait until the final investigation comes out. Let’s just wait for Mr. Peter Lim’s evidence and what he can show to clear [his name of ] this allegation,” Andanar insisted.

No discrimination

He then challenged those claiming that the Duterte administration has been discriminating against poor drug addicts and street-level drug peddlers.

“Those questions have to be supported by facts, by empirical evidence,” he said. “As far as we know, the operation of the Philippine National Police has always been in pursuit of those who are peddling and pushing drugs.”

Andanar said Mr. Duterte was the first and only Chief Executive who boldly identified in public those involved in the illegal drug trade.

The President earlier named five active and retired senior police officials as protectors of illegal drug syndicates.

Said Andanar: “The President has even named the Level 5 drug lords … [who] are the highest … in the hierarchy of those who are selling illegal drugs.”

Five more Malaysians kidnapped by ASG — Dureza

BY JELLY F. MUSICO Philippines News Agency MANILA — Presidential peace adviser Jesus Dureza on Tuesday announced that the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) kidnapped five more Malaysians on Monday afternoon in Lahad Datu, Sabah.

“I heard today that they took five more Malaysians in Lahad Datu and the Indonesians are still there,” Dureza said in a press conference in Malacanang.

Dureza said a Norweigan national was still in the hands of the ASG bandits.

Dureza said the five Malaysians were kidnapped at 7:16 p.m. Monday while they were on board a Tawau, Sabah-base tugboat T/B Serudong that was traveling from Sandakan to Semporna.

Those kidnapped Malaysians were identified as Abdurahim Bin Summas, Tayudin Anjut, Mohammad Redzuah Bin Ismael, Mohammad Jumadil Bin Rahim and Fandy Bin Bakran.

“When Malaysian authorities recovered on said date the said boat running

unmanned at vicinity seawater of Lahad Datu, Sabah bordering Tawi-Tawi, it was found out that following named crews are already missing and believed to be abducted,” Dureza informed the media.

During the press conference, Dureza said “there are efforts” from Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founding chairman Nur Misuari to help in the release of the Norwegian hostage.

“There were efforts from Misuari and he’d like to do coordination,” Dureza said.

Misuari is facing arrest for the rebellion charges in connection with the 2013 Zamboanga City siege that killed 200 people.

Dureza said the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte was talking with Misuari and his Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) as part of the inclusive “Roadmap to Peace” that President Duterte approved last Monday.

The Roadmap to Peace cover all groups fighting the government, including the Communist Party of the Philippines. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

“As far as I can remember in the history, I have not seen a President who has been so brave in announcing to the public the people who are allegedly behind this menace of drugs,” he continued.

Drug matrix

Andanar said he himself had seen the names of people on the “drug matrix” that Mr. Duterte showed to the public during his July 7 address.

He said the contents of the list could make people’s stomachs turn. “What I can only tell you is that if you see the matrix, you’ll probably say that it is really unbelievable and it will really make you throw up.”

Andanar said the matrix showed that only a handful of people were behind the agony of some 1.8 Filipinos who are hooked on illegal substances.

“It’s really distressing to see that only a few people are selling illegal drugs, but the lives of millions of our countrymen and our youth are being destroyed,” he said.

As to the local officials who were also into the distribution of illegal drugs, he said Mr. Duterte would identify them “in time along with other persons of interest.” ■

Philippine News

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JULY 22, 2016

FRIDAY

Sandiganbayan issues HDOs vs. former VP Binay, son Junjun and 19 others 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.

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BY SAMMY F. MARTIN Philippines News Agency MANILA — The anti-graft court Sandiganbayan issued hold departure orders (HDOs) on Tuesday against former Vice President Jejomar Binay, his son, dismissed Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay, and 19 others in connection with the criminal cases filed against them in connection with the allegedly anomalous construction of the PHP2.28-billion Makati parking building.

The HDO was signed by Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice and Third Division Chairperson Amparo Cabotaje-Tang Former Makati mayor Junjun Binay.

FACEBOOK PHOTO and her Associate Justices Samuel Martires and Sarah Jane Fernandez. sary to carry its orders into effect, more Parking Building.

Aside from the two Binays, co-respon- specifically, to preserve and maintain In the new set of cases filed by the dents were former city administrator the effectiveness of its jurisdiction over Ombudsman on July 14, the Binays and Marjorie De Veyra, former city legal of- the case/s…Hereby orders the Commis- several other former senior officials of ficer Pio Kenneth Dasal, former budget sioner of the Bureau of Immigration to the Makati City government are being officer Lorenza Amores, former city hold departure from the Philippines of accused of anomalies in the design stage central planning management heads the above-named accused,” a copy of the as well as in Phases I, II and III of the Virginia Hernandez and Line dela Peña, HDO read. construction stage of the project. former Bids and Awards Committee Separate set of HDOs was issued for The court said in its order that the is(BAC) head Giovanni Condes, former each charge against the respondents suance of the HDOs against the responBAC vice chairman Ulysses Orienza, in connection with the Makati parking dents is to render them “at all times former BAC Secretariat head Manolito building anomaly. amenable to the writs and processes of Uyaco, former BAC Technical WorkMeanwhile, Daniel Subido, lawyer of the Court.” ing Group chairman Rodel Nayve, for- Binay, said that the HDO has no effect The Ombudsman said payments tomer city engineers Mario Badillo, Arnel on the cases being heard by the anti- taling PHP11,011,294.77 was given to Cadangan and Emerito Magat, former graft court against his client.

MANA “despite its failure to deliver the city accountants Leonila Querijero and “A Hold Departure Order is a neces- approved plans and specifications under Cecilio Lim III, former acting city ac- sary consequence of the mere filing of the contract.” countant Raydes Pestaño, former city an Information in the Sandiganbayan. It It added that the Binays also awarded treasurer Nelia Barlis, former General is applicable to all,” Subido said. three contracts totaling PHP1.486 bilServices Department officer Norman “We are confident that these frivolous lion to Hilmarc’s Construction CorporaFlores, Orlando Mation for Phases I, II teo from Mana Archiand III of the project tecture and Interior through a rigged or Design Co. (MANA), “simulated public and Efren Canlas of Ombudsman investigators said the contracts bidding.”

Hilmarc’s Construcwere awarded to Hilmarc’s despite the absence Ombudsman intion Company (Hilof approved budget appropriation, project plan, vestigators said marc’s). and specifications. the contracts were Based on the inforawarded to Hilmarc’s mation on the cases, despite the absence the two Binays, in of approved budget conspiracy with the other city officials, cases will be dismissed,” he added. appropriation, project plan, and speciawarded a contract to Mana ArchitecFormer VP Binay is facing four counts fications. ture and Interior Design Co. (MANA) of graft, nine counts of falsification of They said the invitation to bid supposfor the design of the Makati City Hall public documents and one count of mal- edly published in the tabloid Balita was Building II project, allegedly without versation of public funds in connection falsified. public bidding. with the anomaly.

They added that the Binays approved The Binays, with their co-responHis son is facing two counts of graft the release of payments to Hilmarc’s dents, were ordered barred from leaving and one count of malversation as co-ac- despite being fully aware that its acthe country except when there is prior cused of his father. complishment reports were “baseless” approval from the Sandiganbayan Third These are apart from the graft and as there were no supporting documents Division. falsification of public documents cases submitted to back them.

The court directed the Bureau of Im- that the Office of the Ombudsman had The former vice president posted a migration to include the names of the filed against the younger Binay in Feb- total bail of PHP376,000 on Friday last Binays and the other respondents in the ruary of this year as primary accused for week in exchange for his provision liblong list of the bureau’s HDOs. alleged anomalies in Phases IV and V of erty from the cases.

“This Court, in the exercise of its in- the construction of the Makati City Hall The younger Binay and the other reherent power to use all means neces- Building II, also referred as the Makati spondents posted bail on the same day. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

Philippine News

FRIDAY JULY 22, 2016

9

Palace thanks Filipinos for trust and confidence in President Duterte

BY LESLIE D. VENZON Philippines News Agency MANILA — Malacañang on Wednesday thanked the public for their trust and confidence in President Rodrigo Duterte — an inspiration to the administration in its implementation of programs for the benefit of Filipinos.

In a survey undertaken by independent pollster Pulse Asia from July 2-8, Pres. Duterte is the most trusted national official with a rating of 91 percent and “practically no one distrusting him.”

“This record-high trust rating of 91 percent, as reflected in the July 2-8 Pulse Asia survey, is a humbling reminder that the genuine and meaningful change that our people aspire for is now being felt,” said Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar in a statement.

Andanar noted that the high trust rating indicated the people’s overwhelming support to the governance of Pres.

Duterte.

“This expression of confidence, therefore, shall serve as an inspiration to Duterte administration to continuously

make a real difference to make our people’s lives better, safer, and healthier,” he said.

“A position of leadership is often a lonely one. However, a servant leader, as they say, has to take people where they don’t want to go, but ought to be,” he added.

The survey was conducted just days after President Duterte took office on June 30 for a term of six years.

The same survey showed that Vice President Leni Robredo garnered a 62 percent trust rating and Supreme Court Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno with 35 percent. ■

President Rodrigo Duterte along with PNP Chief Ronald dela Rosa.

REY BANIQUET / PPD

Dureza: Peace roadmap to pave the way for federalism PHILIPPINES NEWS AGENCY

committed to all signed peace agreements, but will also be consistent with planned reforms.

“We are now in the process of MANILA — In a meeting in implementing the peace agreeMalacañang on Monday, Presi- ments that have been signed, dent Rodrigo R. Duterte ap- first, in 1996 with the Moro proved the new “Roadmap to National Liberation Front of Peace” that will address is- Nur Misuari; then, we have sues with various rebel groups, the recent CAB or the ComPresidential Adviser on the prehensive Agreement for the Peace Process Jesus Dureza an- Bangsamoro with the MILF; nounced during a press briefing and, of course, we have also to on Tuesday. deal with the governance unit Work on a proposed Bangsam- called the Autonomous Region oro enabling law will be done si- for Muslim Mindanao covered multaneously with the effort to by Republic Act 9054. Perhaps install a federal we can put also system of govin the same level ernment, Dureza the concerns of said, adding that the IPs or the Luthe mechanism is mads as covered aimed at setting We are now in by the Indigup a federal state the process of enous Peoples’ of the Bangsamimplementing Rights Act,” Duoro and will prothe peace reza said. ceed towards a agreements In the same nationwide fedthat have been Malacañang eral setup. signed. meeting, PRRD “This will covalso approved er our engagethe resumption ments with the of peace talks Bangsamoro and with the CPPthe CPP-NPA-NDF, and then, NDF-NPA. The panel headed of course, our effort to do clo- by Labor Secretary Silvestre sure to the agreements with the Bello III led in the oath-taking other rebel groups like the Cor- of the new panel members. The dillera People’s Liberation Army formal talks with the commuand the RBB,” Dureza said. nist rebels have been set on AuUnder the Duterte adminis- gust 20 to 27 this year. tration, the peace process with Also present in the said meetcommunist and Muslim rebels ing were the two presumptive will not only be inclusive and leaders of Congress: Senator

Aquilino Pimentel III and Representative Pantaleon Alvarez.

“We thought that the legislative branch would be a very important component of our work for peace because the Executive department, which I represent, would merely sign an agreement. But we know very well that implementation of an enabling law will have to

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come through Congress and that Congress should approve it,” Dureza explained.

The Peace Roadmap is going to pick up the pieces that were left off from the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC), which was tasked to come up with a draft Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL). The BTC will be recomposed under the Road-

map as approved by President Duterte.

The all-Moro BTC will be mandated to do two things: to draft a more inclusive proposed enabling law that will be filed with Congress in lieu of the BBL; and to propose amendments to the Constitution as originally stated in the mandate of the BTC. ■

10

Philippine News

JULY 22, 2016

FRIDAY

‘Poorer provinces to get equal share of pie in federal system’

BY GIL CABACUNGAN Philippine Daily Inquirer THE DUTERTE administration is planning to group poor provinces with their more wealthy neighbors in dividing the Philippines under a proposed federal form of government.

Incoming Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said this plan would address concerns raised by some lawmakers that shifting from a unitary presidential system to a federal form of government would be unfair to poor prov-

inces or regions.

A federal system refers to a two-tier government system which combines a central administration and autonomous regional or state governments, such as in the United States, Germany, Canada, Switzerland and India, among others. Regional governments would generate their own income.

“On the fear that poor regions (i.e., Samar and Leyte) may suffer under federalism, we will assure the people that we have already devised a plan wherein poor provinces will be grouped

with better performing ones in order to help them strive and attain a better performing region,” Alvarez said.

Quezon City Rep. Feliciano Belmonte Jr. had previously warned that it would not be easy shifting to federalism because of the huge gaps in income and resources among provinces and regions.

“What will happen to the places that are relatively poor at the moment and dependent on getting a share from the income of the rich regions?” Belmonte asked.

Unusual protest goes viral #CarboardJustice campaign gets netizens talking

BY MARICAR B. BRIZUELA Philippine Daily Inquirer BOTHERED BY the surge in the number of extrajudicial killings in the country over the past weeks, a University of the Philippines Diliman student decided to go out in public last Wednesday with a cardboard bearing the message “Lahat tayo posibleng drug pusher (We can all be drug pushers)” pinned to her shirt.

Adrienne Onday, a 19-yearold sociology student, said that she wore her “accessory” when she took the train from her house in Marikina City to De La Salle University in Manila, where she was to give a talk on student activism.

Her sign was patterned after the dozens found beside the bodies of suspected criminals or drug addicts dumped in the streets.

According to her, the #CardboardJustice campaign was started by her and her friend, Hope Swann, last week to call for a stop to the growing number of victims of extrajudicial killings following President Duterte’s declaration of an all-out war on criminality and drugs.

“My friend thought about the idea days before we took the campaign to the streets. I saw what she did and copied it that day because I knew I will be encountering a lot of people last Wednesday,” Onday told the INQUIRER. According to her, her sign drew a lot of reactions from fel-

While he did not give any details of President Duterte’s proposed redivision of the Philippines, Alvarez maintained that only federalism would allow the regions to realize their full economic potential as self-governing units and to reduce strife.

Alvarez said that once a federal system of government was in place, there would be no need for a Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) because Muslim Mindanao would already have its own autonomous region coexisting with other autonomous regions.

QC exploring new solutions to traffic woes PHILIPPINES NEWS AGENCY

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low commuters. Some looked like they wanted to ask her questions but refrained from doing so.

Asked why she joined the protest, Onday explained that it attracted her interest as she was studying human rights in her sociology class. Another thing she learned was that labels about people were not an accurate way to describe who they were.

“When people are called rapists, criminals or drug pushers, it’s like you consider them animals and not human beings,” Onday said, adding that people who commit mistakes should be given a second chance instead of being killed without due process.

A posting of her experience on Facebook has, as of Sunday afternoon, gotten 14,000 likes and 4,800 shares.

Aside from Onday and Swann, two other friends have also started similar cardboard signs whenever they take to the streets.

“We are really glad for the attention because I think this is something that has not been done by those who are against the killings,” she said.

Not everyone, however, approve of her actions with some calling Onday an attentionseeker and her protest, a “stunt.”

“I don’t want to take them seriously. I try not to let them affect me but it gets to a point that these things have become exhausting to read,” she said.

Despite the negative reactions and her mother’s disapproval, Onday said she would continue her #CardboardJustice to get more people “to talk about what is happening and get the message to the people who can do something about this.”

She added that other organizations from UP and other schools had also expressed interest in joining her protest.

“We will not stop until the number of those killed go down,” she told the INQUIRER. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

Alvarez has filed House Resolution No. 1 on the conduct of a constitutional convention (Con-con) to start the process of shifting to federalism.

The Alvarez resolution would ban lawmakers and other public officials from being elected to the Con-con unless they quit their posts and have no political affiliations.

It would require delegates to disclose their financial and business interests and notify the Con-con and Congress of potential conflicts of interest in matters under consideration. ■

MANILA — The Quezon City government on Tuesday said it will push for the shortening of court proceedings on expropriation cases and also for adoption of amendments on the rules of the Commission on Audit (COA) on land acquisition for socialized housing as among the solutions that Vice President Leni Robredo could consider in addressing the problem of informal settlements in urban areas.

Mayor Herbert Bautista, in a meeting with the city’s housing officials, said both initiatives were necessary to avoid delays in the implementation of the government’s mass housing projects for the poor.

Based on the city’s presentation, long court proceedings and the existing COA requirement often prevent landowners from selling their lands. The absence of relocation slots from the National Housing Authority (NHA) has also been considered as an obstacle in implementing government on-site housing projects.

All said initiatives to be presented by the city government form part of the national comprehensive program that the city is proposing for the national government to create in an effort to address the country’s concern on informal settlements, including relocation.

While the city government

has remained committed to providing housing for the poor, Bautista admitted that it cannot solve the problem on ISFs alone.

“The problem of addressing the concern on informal settlements in Quezon City is a very challenging thrust of my administration. But, we can help make this challenge manageable though the pathways of collaboration and teamwork among ourselves,” the Mayor said.

Based on the presentation of secretary to the mayor Tadeo Palma, there are about 195,061 ISFs presently occupying danger areas such as waterways, road right of ways as well as various government projects and properties.

Records of the QC Housing, Community Development and Resettlement Department (HCDRD) indicate that the city’s relocation requirement stands at 64,481 ISFs. New socialized housing communities aptly called “Bistekvilles” were built by the city government, under the Bautista administration, in an effort to provide housing for the city’s poor.

The city government has ongoing plans for the development of at least 32 Bistekville housing projects.

Among those already inaugurated are the Bistekville projects Barangays in Payatas, Kaligayahan, Escopa II and III and Fairview. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY JULY 22, 2016

11

Itu Aba: PH biggest worry is biggest win

BY TARRA QUISMUNDO Philippine Daily Inquirer THE ROCK of contention was the Philippine legal team’s “biggest worry.”

But in the end, the status of Itu Aba, the largest feature in the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, turned out to be one of the Philippines’ most significant scores in its challenge to China’s claim to almost all of the South China Sea in the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.

For two solicitors general who led the team in the Philippines’ biggest international legal battle, the classification of Itu Aba as a rock, not an island, has been the greatest relief.

The UN-backed tribunal’s decision meant that the feature, long under the control of Taiwan, which calls it Taiping Island, does not entitle any claimant to a 370-kilometer exclusive economic zone (EEZ), precluding any overlap with the Philippines’ nearest coast in Palawan.

It is among the highlights of the unanimous ruling handed down by the tribunal on Tuesday, invalidating China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea, nearly a full grant of the Philippines’ position on maritime entitlements in the heavily contested waters.

“Now I can tell you. At 5 p.m. on Tuesday, my worry was Itu Aba. Because we really didn’t know how the tribunal was going to rule,” said former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay, who argued the Philippines’ case before the tribunal.

“When the ruling was released, that was Ben’s (Supreme Court Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa) first question: “What’s the ruling on Itu Aba?” ‘Biggest worry’

“It was the biggest worry,” said Supreme Court Associate

Justice Francis Jardeleza, also a former solicitor general.

Jardeleza was the government’s chief trial lawyer when it decided to initiate arbitration proceedings against China in January 2013.

Hilbay, who joined the Office of the Solicitor General in the same month but largely to handle the country’s defense for the reproductive health law, took on the role when Jardeleza was appointed to the Supreme Court in August 2014.

Had the tribunal ruled otherwise, Jardeleza said, it would have spelled further danger of encroachment by other claimants into Philippine waters.

Had the tribunal ruled that Itu Aba was an island, its EEZ “would reach the coast of Palawan and Reed Bank (Recto Bank),” a feature within the Philippines’ EEZ where the country had been exploring for oil and gas.

Whether Itu Aba should be included in the case was the subject of debate within the legal team and among outsiders who strongly supported the Philippine claim—a matter that Jardeleza and Hilbay disclosed only after the case had been decided.

Differences in legal strategy at the time had even drawn for Jardeleza allegations of betrayal, particularly from Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, a staunch supporter of the Philippine case.

Risky for PH

“In the beginning, nobody said, ‘Include Itu Aba.’ Nobody. Not (Paul) Reichler (the Philippines’ lead lawyer), not the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). Nobody,” Jardeleza told the INQUIRER in an interview on Thursday.

“Nobody wanted to mention Itu Aba because the risk was, if the tribunal ruled that it was an island, there would be an overlap of the EEZs,” he said.

The feature was not in the original complaint against Chi-

sified as a “completely submerged” feature within the Philippines’ EEZ. Knock on Jardeleza

Itu Aba is among the highlights of the unanimous ruling on PH's case at the international tribunal.

ASIA MARITIME TRANSPARENCY INITIATIVE / FLICKR

na that the Philippines brought in January 2013.

In the following months, Jardeleza’s said scholars started taunting the Philippines in news reports for missing the largest feature in the Spratlys in its case.

Jardeleza said members of the legal team were one in saying the Philippines should not amend the complaint to include Itu Aba, as that “would be admitting that you forgot about it.”

“The political reason is, if you were the one to include it and you lose politically, the next stage is that an aircraft carrier of China will park in Palawan and they can say, ‘Well, we have overlapping EEZs so we can go up to here.’ And that’s because of us,” Jardeleza said.

Written into ‘memorial’

Still, Reichler, of the international firm Foley Hoag who was commissioned for the case because of his experience in international arbitration, wrote 17 paragraphs about Itu Aba in the Philippines’ “memorial” in the case.

The memorial—a “long explanation of the complaint,” according to Hilbay—was in the works at the time.

Then President Benigno Aquino III eventually decided to include Itu Aba in the memorial, which was filed in March 2014, through mere mention, which made it “an incidental issue that might be relevant for deciding the major issues,” Hilbay said.

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Later, it was the tribunal itself that asked the Philippines to submit further pleadings tackling Itu Aba—the strategy that Hilbay and Jardeleza said they had been eyeing all along. “[The tribunal] knew Itu Aba was going to be crucial because it’s the largest feature. The tribunal itself was the one who compelled us to discuss Itu Aba, so it’s they signaling to us that we could not decide a lot of the issues you raised without looking at Itu Aba. But it’s the tribunal, not the [Philippines, that raised it as a feature whose status must be clarified],” Hilbay said.

It’s a rock

In the end, the Philippines won by asserting its position that Itu Aba was a rock, not an island. Taiwan, which occupies Itu Aba and has built an airport on it, rejected the ruling.

Apart from Itu Aba, Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, Burgos (Gaven) Reef North, Chigua (McKennan) Reef, Mabini (Johnson South) Reef, Calderon (Cuarteron) Reef, and Kagitingan (Fiery Cross) Reef were also classified as rocks.

Zamora (Subi) Reef, Hughes Reef (no Philippine name), Panganiban (Mischief ) Reef, Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, and Gaven (Gavin) South Reef were classified as low-tide elevations that do not generate any maritime entitlement.

Recto (Reed) Bank was clas-

The inclusion of Itu Aba in the memorial was raised against Jardeleza when he was being considered for appointment to the Supreme Court.

Jardeleza was accused of betraying national interest when he pressed for the deletion of the Itu Aba information from the memorial.

Carpio raised the matter as a question on his integrity before the Judicial and Bar Council, the body that short-lists and endorses nominees for justices to Malacañang.

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno joined Carpio in opposing Jardeleza’s nomination.

“I kept quiet, even if I was being called a traitor. I did not respond. Why? Because if I had confirmed that we were fighting about Itu Aba, what do you think the Chinese intelligence would have done? It would have meant you were confirming that we were scared. So I kept my peace,” Jardeleza said, dealing with the controversy for the first time.

Hilbay described the disagreement between Carpio and Jardeleza as “a debate over strategy.” “It was tactical,” he said. Jardelez said the hurtful allegations caused him sleepless nights but he held on to the discipline of keeping mum.

“My only complain is, just because we disagree, I’m seen as less loyal to my country … especially if you (Carpio) have nothing to do with this case,” he said.

“Do not say the other guy is less patriotic than you are. We are all patriots,” he said. “[It] really hurts to be called a traitor by somebody who has nothing to do with the case.”

Jardeleza said he and Carpio maintained “civil” professional relations on the Supreme Court. ■

12

Philippine News

JULY 22, 2016

FRIDAY

Philippine court... her suffer.

The 15 justices voted 11-4 to grant Arroyo’s petition seeking to dismiss the case before the special anti-graft Sandiganbayan court because of insufficient evidence, Supreme Court spokesman Theodore Te said. The case involved the alleged misuse of 366 million pesos ($7.8 million) from the state lottery agency, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

Arroyo thanked the court “for finally stopping the persecution I had unjustly gone through the last five years” and President Rodrigo Duterte “for allowing due process to take its course.”

She released a statement while still detained in the hospital, with the serving of the court’s order for an immediate release apparently delayed by paperwork.

“It is my fervent hope that nobody else will suffer the persecution that had been levied on me through self-serving interpretation and implementation of the law,” she said. “And that the disregard for truth for which I was made to suffer be dealt with accordingly at the soonest possible time.”

Arroyo was detained under former President Benigno Aquino III, who accused her of corruption and misrule. Aquino’s successor, Duterte, however, has said the plunder case against her was weak. She rejected his offer of a pardon because it would require that she be first convicted, preferring to fight the allegation.

Aquino has not commented on the court decision. But his former justice secretary and now Senator Leila de Lima said the Supreme Court seems to have assumed a role as a “trier of facts” in the case, supplanting the anti-graft court’s assessment when it declared there was insufficient evidence of guilt. ❰❰ 1

Supreme Court Administrator Theodore Te (right) announces the 11-4 vote of the highest court ordering the immediate release from detention of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for insufficiency of evidence over her alleged misuse of the intelligence funds of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. Her legal counsel, Atty. Laurence Hector Arroyo, answers questions during the press conference following the decision.

AVITO C. DALAN / PNA

“It’s disappointing,” she told allowed to post bail. She was Joseph Estrada was ousted in a reporters. “Why did they have later charged with plunder. De- revolt she helped lead. to wait for the change in admin- spite her detention, she was reShe won regular elections in istration to issue that ruling?” elected to Congress in May. She 2004 but her presidency was Jesus Dureza, who had been stayed in a hospital rather than rocked by a series of corrupArroyo’s adviser on peace talks a prison because of her degen- tion and vote-rigging scandals, with communist and Muslim erative lumbar spine disease including wiretapped converrebels told reporters: “I rejoice and neck ailment that prompt- sations with an election official over this decision that has al- ed her to use a wheelchair and where some alleged she disready given her what she rightly brace in public. cussed ensuring her vote lead. deserves which Arroyo admitis justice.” ted talking to an Dureza said election official he congratuand apologized lated Arroyo in It is my fervent hope that nobody for her “lapse a phone call and else will suffer the persecution that in judgment” in heard many suphad been levied on me through making such a porters in the self-serving interpretation and call but said the background as implementation of the law. conversation ocshe spoke. Ducurred after the reza was reapvotes had been pointed as peace counted. talks adviser under Duterte, A daughter of a former PhilipRaul Lambino, one of Arwho added a number of Arroyo pine president and a classmate royo’s lawyers, said the mood allies to his Cabinet. of former U.S. President Bill turned jubilant in Arroyo’s hosArroyo, 69, finished her tu- Clinton at Georgetown Univer- pital room when word leaked multuous nine-year term in sity, Arroyo had been a senator that the country’s highest court 2010 but was arrested the fol- and vice-president before sud- was set to strike down the only lowing year on an election denly rising to the presidency criminal case keeping her defraud charge, for which she was in 2001 after then-President tained. Arroyo was smiling in

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the picture he took with her.

Another Arroyo lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio, said the Supreme Court “has once again proven itself to be the final bastion of justice and the rule of law.”

The ruling, he said, validated the position of the Arroyo camp that the charges against her were “nothing more than disingenuous attempts at political persecution.”

“We are reminding the Supreme Court that the Arroyo government left behind 1,206 victims of political killings and 206 victims of enforced disappearances among activists, peasants, and human rights workers,” said Cristina Palabay, secretary general of the human rights group Karapatan.

She said the 2009 massacre of 58 people, including 32 journalists, in the world’s worst single killing of media workers, also happened during Arroyo’s term.

Karapatan said “while plunderers and murderers like Arroyo are set free from prison, more than 500 political prisoners remain in jail, many of them arrested during the Arroyo regime.”

As of late Tuesday, Arroyo was still detained. Her lawyers waited for a copy of the court order but left the Supreme Court without one at the end of office hours, saying they will just return on Wednesday.

Under the court’s procedure, Lambino said, the Supreme Court sheriff has to give a copy of the order to the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan, whose sheriff would provide a copy to the police security office in charge of Arroyo’s detention.

The police security would then release her. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY JULY 22, 2016

13

16,090 cops are on alert Bayani Fernando faces on SONA day: NCRPO 13 graft raps over P1.6-M birthday gift

BY CHRISTOPHER LLOYD T. CALIWAN Philippines News Agency

MANILA — A total of 16,090 police are on alert for security during President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s first-ever StateOf-the-Nation Address (SONA) this coming July 25, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Acting Regional Director, Chief Supt. Oscar Albayalde said on Tuesday.

Albayalde said that around 11,000 cops would be deployed in vicinity and expected to upgrade the alert level by weekend.

“Yung 16,000 that includes the reserve, naka-alert. For the vicinity and deployment, around mga 11,000. Ayaw ng ating presidente na maraming nakikita. Buong Batasan yon (The 16,000 already includes the reserve, alert. For the vicinity and deployment, around 11,000. Our president does not want them to be very visible. It will be for the whole Batasan area),” he told reporters.

The NCRPO chief said that don’t expect violent militant groups to hold protest actions during the SONA. “We do not expect violent rallyists ngayon. Mga rallyists are actually supporters of our president. We take lessons sa Malacanang na pinapasok. Meron din tayong ginagawa doong contingency na baka payagan ng ating presidente, palapitin sa Batasan gate. Depende sa utos ng ating presidente. This time baka wala na container vans, merong naka-ready but not on the road na kitang-kita sa kalsada (We do not expect violent this time. The

rallyists are actually supporters of our president. We take lessons that they should be entertained in Malacanang instead. We also conduct contingencies that our President might allow: to let them come nearer the Batasan gate. It depends on his orders. This time, there might be no container vans, though they are ready but not on the road where they are visible),” he said.

Albayalde said the NCRPO’s readiness was packed with firm adherence of human rights law as he ordered all District Directors, Chiefs of Police and Station commanders to strictly observe maximum tolerance, particularly in crowd and cause-oriented groups management.

He added that same route would be used during the SONA as protest rallies were banned within the two-kilometer zone of the House of Representatives when President Duterte delivers his speech.

Demonstrators will not be allowed beyond the St. Peter Parish Church at Commonwealth Avenue.

In separate interview, Chief Insp.

Kimberly Molitas, chief of NCRPO Public Information Office, said that the Deputy Director for NCRPO operations continued to hold dialogues with stake holders, protesters, which aims to establish coordination, cooperation and understanding between the police.

She said that police would exercise maximum tolerance but at the same time asked the militant groups to do their share and police their ranks to ensure a peaceful and orderly SONA day.

Molitas added that so far there was no monitored security threats but that PNP continued to be very vigilant. ■

Pasig cops... mayor and a member of the Community Baptist Church, also testified on how illegal drugs affected his life.

“I experienced how my father used to take illegal drugs and have pot sessions with his friends in his own room. And I witnessed how he died because of illegal drugs. And I am glad to witness how all of you want change, and how you desire to get away from this destructive vice,” he said.

Like a Sunday worship service, the surrenderors were given the choice to turn their lives over to God. Some were intently listening while others were in tears.

Joshua San Pedro, 24, told the INQUIRER it was his first time to attend a worship service.

“I know Jesus but only from afar, from my neighbors, but I never felt him. But today, I know He is real. It felt strange,” San Pedro said. ❰❰ 4

San Pedro, the youngest of six children, started using drugs when he was 22 after his mother died. His father was imprisoned also because of illegal drugs.

“I never grew up with a father. Nobody advised me what to do. I did not have a clear direction in life. But now, all I want is to change. I don’t want to stay this way,” he said.

SPO4 Rogelio Baltazar, executive police officer of the Pasig Police and a church volunteer, told the INQUIRER: “Our goal really is to bring them closer to God.” Baltazar said he knows what the surrenderors are going through since he once used drugs himself.

“I thought, what could be the best way to help and rehabilitate them? And that is through getting them closer to God. We are one spirit, soul and body,” he added.

“We (the police) should not be feared.

We are all in this together,” he said. ■

BY DJ YAP Philippine Daily Inquirer FOR RECEIVING birthday cash gifts totaling P1.6 million—one of several questionable disbursements using Metro Manila Film Fest (MMFF) funds—former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chair Bayani Fernando, now Marikina City representative, is facing graft charges.

In a news release on Tuesday, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales said she had ordered the filing of 13 graft cases against Fernando and five other former or incumbent MMDA officials for violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Fernando’s corespondents were MMDA assistant general manager Edenison Fainsan and former officials Leonila Querijero, Rolando Josef, Cleofe Ablog and Robert Nacianceno who served as the agency’s general manager.

At the same time, Morales ordered the dismissal and perpetual disqualification from public office of Fainsan and Querijero after it found them guilty of grave misconduct. If already retired, they face a fine equivalent to their one-year salary.

In the charge sheet, the Ombudsman cited a special audit conducted by the Commission on Audit (COA) which found several irregularities in the disbursement of MMFF funds.

It cited several notices of disallowance issued by the COA on some disbursements made from 2003 until 2009.

These included a P1.6-million birthday cash gift for Fernando, P11.8 million in expenses for cultural projects and P10.8 million in cash incentives granted to the chair and members of the MMFF executive committee.

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The COA noted irregularities such as “lack of official receipts issued by the local government units to prove receipt of funds granted for cultural projects, the absence of duly approved payrolls for the cash incentives, and issuance of the checks for cash incentives in the name of Ablog and on a pay-to-cash basis.”

Morales said the respondents’ “conspiratorial act of authorizing and approving the irregular payments and expenditures depleted the funds of the MMFF, thereby causing it undue injury.”

Fernando served as MMDA chair from June 2002 until December 2009. Before that, he was mayor of Marikina City from 1992 to 2001, after which he was succeeded by his wife Ma. Lourdes Fernando. In 2010, he ran for Vice President but lost.

In August 2009, Fernando admitted at a hearing of the Senate blue ribbon committee that he received a total of P1.6 million in birthday cash gifts from the MMFF for four of the seven years he chaired the MMFF. According to news reports, he received P500,000 each in 2003 and 2004; P100,000 in 2005 and another P500,000 in 2006.

Reached for comment, Fernando said the P1.6 million was not a birthday cash gift but the “honorarium” given to members of the MMFF executive committee since they do not receive any salary for their work.

“There’s nothing irregular [about it],” Fernando, who filed a motion for reconsideration yesterday, told the Inquirer in a phone interview. “We deserve to be given an honorarium for a job well done.”

He said that he believed the case against them would not prosper. ■ With Jovic Yee

Opinion

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JULY 22, 2016

FRIDAY

ANALYSIS

PH-China talks to test Rody’s diplomatic mettle

By Amando Doronila Philippine Daily Inquirer CANBERRA—While the Philippines eyes bilateral talks with China, Beijing slammed the door on Manila, saying it cannot negotiate with the Philippines if the Duterte administration does not scrap the historic ruling of the arbitral tribunal in The Hague on the South China Sea dispute.

“China will not allow any negotiation based on the ruling,” Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said in a press briefing on Wednesday.

Liu made the statement after a journalist asked him if the Philippines’ rejection of the ruling was a “precondition for the resumption of negotiations.” The query provoked a scornful reply from Liu. The Philippines “welcomed” the decision that invalidated China’s claim to almost all of the South China Sea. “China expects the new Filipino government to cooperate and recognize that the ruling is nothing more than a piece of waste paper and cannot be enforced. China hopes that the Filipino side will set aside the award

and return to the negotiation table,” Liu said.

The rebuff came as President Duterte was reported to be eagerly pursuing bilateral talks with China.

The INQUIRER reported that Mr. Duterte had met with Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua at least three times and was considering offers of “goodwill” from China, such as building a railway from Metro Manila to Clark Field in Pampanga province in two years.

Bilateral negotiations with China after the ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration come as a test for the mettle of Mr. Duterte in diplomacy and foreign affairs for which he has scarcely any experience given that much of his experience in public service derives from his limited experience as Davao City mayor for 23 years.

Naïve, simplistic view Cabinet officials are reported to hold the rather naïve and simplistic view that the arbitral tribunal’s ruling has given the Philippines a leverage in bilateral talks with China.

For example, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said on Thursday, “We have to talk with China. We can-

not avoid it.”

Quoting Mr. Duterte, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said, “We will start the bilateral talks. And now we are starting from a better position because we are in the right place.”

Prior to the ruling, Rappler reported that the Department of Foreign Affairs had expected that a diplomatic victory in The Hague would allow the Philippines to “at least negotiate from a strong position.”

This official position flies in the face of reality, of Chinese Foreign Minister Liu’s statement that poured contempt on the Philippine view.

He said China viewed the tribunal’s ruling as merely “a pile of invalid papers which will never be observed … I kindly advise to throw the papers concerning the arbitration into the rubbish bin, put them aside on book shelves, or put them in the archives.

The disputes will eventually have to return to the table of negotiations and China hopes the Philippines to return to the track of bilateral negotiations.” (On China’s own terms, we may add.)

Debate at Asem Nevertheless, the issue of the ruling resurfaced in a vehement debate

at another forum, the biennial AsiaEurope Meeting (Asem) in Ulaanbataar, Mongolia.

China, which boycotted the hearings at the arbitral tribunal, protested against bringing the issue to Asem, claiming it was “not an appropriate venue” to discuss the South China Sea dispute.

In anticipation of an adverse ruling from the tribunal, China sought to reassert its claims in the South China Sea by building a network of artificial islands capable of supporting military operations, and last week reiterated its right to declare an air defense identification zone in the area, which would demand civilian flights to submit to the authority of the Chinese military.

The Philippines told Asem leaders in Ulaanbataar that it considered the ruling invalidating China’s claims in the South China Sea as a “milestone decision” as it called on them for support to help bring a peaceful solution to the dispute.

Speaking at the Asem summit, Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay said that while the tribunal’s decision favored the Philippines, it is now prepared to move forward with China to ease tensions.

While Asem heard calls from European Union leaders for China to abide by the decision, Beijing reacted angrily to the calls rebuking it for rejecting the decision.

Rules-based global order Solicitor General Jose Calida pointed out that the ruling renewed faith in international law. He told a forum on the South China Sea at the University of the Philippines College of Law on Friday that the ruling “confirms that no one state can claim virtually an entire sea. The award is a historic win not only for the Philippines … it renews humanity’s faith in a rules-based global order.”

Calida said the President was pushing for the opening of bilateral negotiations with China on joint development in the disputed waters. “The baseline of any negotiations should be the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration,” he said.

The Philippines has gained enough from the arbitration award and “we will not concede any of the awards given to us,” he said.

He emphasized that any negotiations with China would have to “respect the first option.” ■

PUBLIC LIVES

Paradoxes in the South China Sea issue

By Randy David Philippine Daily Inquirer THE SOUTH China Sea controversy is wrapped in paradoxes that are symptomatic of the tension between the practical realities of the geopolitical system of unequal nationstates and the universal norms of an emergent global legal order. China is part of the world system of nation-states, yet it acts like a regional hegemon standing above international law.

The first paradox, of course, is that, while it is called the South China Sea, this body of water does not belong to China. China claims all of it, citing “historic rights” to maritime territory demarcated by a so-called “ninedash line.” We have turned to calling our own side of the ocean the West Philippine Sea. Yet, these are international waters.

Unlike the United States, China has ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), which lays down the principles, legal norms, and modes of settlement applicable to maritime disputes. In 2013, the Philippines, an early Unclos signatory, filed a case opposing China’s “nine-dash line” at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Netherlands. China responded with

a “Position Paper” challenging the indeed, not even the dry measured members not “to flaunt” the victory court’s jurisdiction over the case. It language of the arbitral award can or “taunt” the losing party. But, the also served notice that it would not mask the excoriation to which the real problem, it seems to me, is how participate in the proceedings nor court effectively subjects China. any conscientious Filipino negotiawould it abide by the court’s decision.

Unfortunately, the text of the rul- tor can avoid referring to the tribuThat is the second paradox: China ing leaves little room, if any, for China nal’s ruling without appearing to sell demands to be heard but it refuses to to save face. I doubt if the other coun- the nation’s interests and self-esteem submit to arbitration. tries that have staked their claims to to the bully next door.

The Philippines is no less caught the South China Sea are in any posiIf we fail to give proper recogniin this web of paradoxes. In its July tion either to help soften the ruling’s tion and importance to the decision 12, 2016, ruling, the arbitral tribu- blow to China’s claims. Perhaps, this we have just won, we would become nal granted almost all of the Philip- is the right time for the Association of the world’s laughingstock. No inpine government’s claims. Yet, in the Southeast Asian Nations to make its ternational tribunal would take us face of this unprecedented victory, presence felt by taking its cue from seriously from here on. More imits incumbent ofportantly, we would ficials have acted as be undermining But, the real problem, it seems to me, is how any though the country the worthy idea conscientious Filipino negotiator can avoid referring to the has lost the case. of an autonomous That is the third global legal order tribunal’s ruling without appearing to sell the nation’s interests paradox. that could regulate and self-esteem to the bully next door.

It has taken a lot relations among of nerve for the Philippines to sue a the tribunal’s ruling and speaking up nations and formulate rational soluprickly big power like China. Against for its members as they seek a just tions to conflicts in an increasingly the counsel of many of its neighbors and equitable relationship with Chi- complex world. in the region, it chose to follow what na. The Asean could begin by reviving The tribunal knew the grave imwas generally regarded as a reckless, the long-stalled project of a Code of portance of the case before it. It was impractical, and futile course. Every- Conduct in the South China Sea. mindful of the limits of its mandate one knew that any ruling would be It has been suggested that the and authority—that it had no power difficult to enforce. Thus, after pay- Philippines could initiate the heal- to decide sovereignty, or to demaring a heavy cost for alienating China, ing process by piously avoiding any cate maritime boundaries. Its juristhe Philippines stood to gain nothing reference to the decision when it diction was confined to determinbut a moral victory. Now it wishes to goes into bilateral talks with China. ing the scope of legitimate maritime repair damaged relations and soothe Indeed, the usually blunt President territory for purposes of exploiting a neighbor’s wounded feelings. For, Duterte has admonished his Cabinet resources.

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Here, the governing norm is the 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone that Unclos gives to coastal countries. Similarly, an island in the middle of the ocean generates its own EEZ if it can be shown to be capable of supporting human habitation. Hightide rock formations are allowed 12 nautical miles of territorial sea, but not reefs or banks that appear only at low tide. The tribunal ruled that the Spratlys are no more than rock formations, not real islands. Mischief and Subi, where China has built its major bases on reclaimed land, are declared as no more than reefs, with no entitlement to 12-mile territorial sea, or to a 200-mile EEZ. By its masterful framing of the issues, the tribunal succeeded in using its limited mandate to put to rest the most contentious territorial issues in the South China Sea. Indeed, enforcement is another matter. But, the judges could have made life easier for themselves by simply pleading lack of jurisdiction. That was China’s demand. Yet they took the case and did their work. The least we can do to show our appreciation for this exemplary demonstration of professional integrity is to not abandon the conviction that led us to file the case in the first place. ■

Opinion

FRIDAY JULY 22, 2016

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AT LARGE

Rampage in Nice

By Rina Jimenez-David Philippine Daily Inquirer IN THE algorithm of grief, how do we figure out the truck attack on holiday-makers in Nice?

We in the news trade have a formula of sorts to determine the “worth” of a story. We go by what is known in J-school as the “elements” of news.

Significance: How important is this story, how many people will it affect?

Prominence: How wellknown or important are the people involved?

Proximity: How near did an event occur to the location of the reader?

Timing: How recently did it occur?

Other elements that may add to or detract from the value of a story are: oddity, drama, or what is otherwise known as “human interest.”

Another interpretation of the hierarchy of news values is the situation depicted by a wellknown cartoon strip. A plane full of white politicians and rich business people crashes into a mountain. Of course, the story lands on the front pages and the prime newscasts of most newspapers and TV stations around the world. At about the same time, another plane, with the same number of passengers who are as a whole poor “ordinary” travelers, also crashes. Where does

the story land in the media? Depending on where the passengers or airline originated, it could end up on the front page or in “foreign” news.

But it’s doubtful if the tragedy would merit international or even regional coverage.

“Objectivity” may be a prime value among journalists, but we all know that a thousand things color the judgments made by reporters, desk people, editors, and even readers every day. And the judgments journalists render depends very much on who we are, what we value, and who or what we think is important.

As another journalist said, tonguein-cheek, at a media conference: “News is whatever interests an editor at a particular time.” If the editor of a paper is a stamp collector, chances are the sale of a rare stamp will merit front-page treatment. *** WHICH brings us back to Nice.

In previous weeks and months, there were several posts on social media commenting on the varying degrees of coverage of the sadly escalating number of “terrorist” attacks in different parts of the world. While there was almost blanket coverage of shootings, suicide bombings and attacks carried out in Europe and in

the United States, many observed, similar rampages, with perhaps even more victims, carried out in the Middle East, Africa and Asia were largely ignored by international media.

Or, there may have been obligatory coverage, but the “tone” of the coverage and commentary—so difficult to measure by any metric—was so much more muted or perfunctory for incidents that took place in the developing world, or involving people of color.

There are those who will raise an eyebrow at the emotional reaction in the days after the Bastille Day truck attack. But one point we need to remember is that, aside from the locale of the scene of mayhem and murder, the victims were people of different races and faiths, including some Tunisian migrants to France, like the prime suspect who was found dead when the truck he was driving finally came to a stop. *** AND human interest there was and is aplenty in Nice.

“There are a lot of crazy people in this world,” Madame Bourmault, who lives two minutes from the promenade or seaside walk where the attack took place, told The Guardian.

“What else can you say?” she add-

ed, recalling the early hours of the celebration when “in a fraction of a second, the music stopped and there was a lot of screaming. Everyone was running and no one was helping.”

By latest count, 84 people, including 10 children, were killed that Thursday night. A total of 202 people were injured, while 52 remain in critical care, including three or four children in “extremely critical condition.”

The most interesting, compelling and mystifying human interest story from the tragedy is that of the attacker, Mohamed LahouaiejBouhlel, who was born in Tunis but had lived in France for many years.

Working as a chauffeur and delivery man, Lahouaiej-Bouhlel had had a history of making threats and of violence and petty theft, police in Nice said. In both instances when he was haled to court, the driver was handed suspended sentences.

But so far he has not been linked to terror organizations nor has there been “evidence of radicalization,” as was the case with other suspects involved in terrorist attacks. Many of them were migrants—or even residents—who seemed to have been drawn to radicalism, particularly the type espoused by the Islamic State, through the internet or during visits

to their countries of origin. *** THERE is a strong possibility that LahouaiejBouhlel was what law enforcers call a “lone wolf.” And it is frightening indeed that “crazy people,” or simply individuals with deepseated personal resentments that they have projected onto the bigger society, can find ideological, cultural, or even religious justifications for their actions.

And the sad truth of the matter is that the media may have something to do with this development. Is it possible that the coverage we have given to mass attacks and massacres have not only fired up the imagination of unhinged individuals, but have also given them blueprints for bringing their deadly impulses to life?

In the wake of the rampage in Nice in the midst of fireworks to celebrate Bastille Day, it is difficult to remain immune to feelings of horror, anger, shock and grief at this story. How one man felt no compunction about ramming into a crowd of revelers, all of whom wanted nothing more than to gather by the seaside to celebrate a country’s independence, is a matter for reflection, and for remembering, now, more than ever, to live as if each day is your last. ■

LOOKING BACK

Reading paintings as history

By Ambeth R. Ocampo Philippine Daily Inquirer AUCTION FRENZY and exaggerated prices have brought long-forgotten works by Fernando Amorsolo into the art market in the last few years.

In the past, one could see these works only in museums and socially pedigreed private collections; today, works by Filipino masters can be seen or had anytime by anyone who has money.

It is distressing that people sometimes look at names and signatures rather than pictures, and that people take a second look at paintings, not for their beauty or importance, but for their price tags or the social cachet they bring to the owner. But it is an exciting time to be a Filipino art historian these days because so many works are being made available for study, and the resulting research can help revise existing narratives and conventions.

Amorsolo is best known for his brilliantly backlit landscapes, flattering portraits, and genre paintings of tanned, smiling dalaga in traditional rural costumes before World War II, rather than for a small group of works, mostly made and recopied

in the 1950s, that depict scenes from Philippines. He even consulted with free. The good thing about not having Philippine history. These historical prominent scholars at the time, like much to refer to is that one is free to paintings are a departure from his Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera, Epi- speculate or imagine. regular commercial output both in fanio de los Santos, and even his best Amorsolo based much of his hissubject and size. friend, Guillermo Tolentino, who, torical paintings on costumes and “First Baptism,” for example, is aside from being the most promi- weapons found in museums or still a work of large dimensions that re- nent sculptor of his time was also an in use by cultural communities. He quired many detailed sketches and acknowledged authority on the pre- made many pencil sketches and studies for each figure, plus addi- colonial syllabary or baybayin. From small oil studies from life that comtional visual research for the details other sources Amorsolo was able to prise visual documentation of Minlike grass mats, Oriental ceramics copy the arms and armor that Ma- danao costumes, particularly those and other elements that created gellan and his men might have worn of the Bagobo, known for their fine the scene of the contact period of when they arrived in the Philippines color sense and intricate beadwork. the 16th century. Each of these di- in 1521.

In reconstructing images of the preverse elements was Spanish past, Amordrawn, with color solo supplemented It is a professional bias, but when I look at paintings I see studies, and carethe scant historical beyond the canvas and try to tease out what the artist read or the fully set in an overmaterial he had at research he did to paint them. all composition hand with his imagbefore being transination. ferred to the large canvas. Sad to say Reviewing Amorsolo’s historical He did not lack live models for his that the artist must have thought his paintings that have come to light in paintings, and some of the sweetwork striking as history, but it was recent auctions made me appreciate faced women in his historical paintsomewhat theatrical or contrived as the challenge he faced when deal- ings were based on members of his a painting. ing with the costumes of precolonial family. All the important women in I often wonder what process Filipinos. The illustrations from the the paintings are adorned with gold Amorsolo went through to paint “Boxer Codex” circa 1590 were not as jewelry that has lately been suphistory, or if he could be called a well-known or available as they are ported by archeological discoveries visual historian of the Philippines. today. Amorsolo may have heard of now on view at the Bangko Sentral To execute his paintings of the pre- the Codex or saw black-and-white re- ng Pilipinas Museum and the Ayala Spanish and contact-period Philip- productions in his time, while in the Museum. A work titled “Early Sulu pines of the 16th century, he read up 21st century one can download the Wedding” made me smile because on available Spanish accounts of the entire Codex, in high resolution, for it depicts the bride kneeling before

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an imam practically naked save for a garland and a necklace. Her elaborate headdress is inspired by Indonesian rather than Philippine examples.

In another canvas the Filipinos are depicted carrying different types of shields—one a Bagobo from the south, the other a Kalinga type from the north. These props are visually engaging and make me wonder if the scene and its detail are likely or not.

Amorsolo’s historical paintings provide us much more than a dated visual historiography. To fully appreciate them, the viewer has to go beyond the form and detail to see the delicate balance between history and imagination. It is a professional bias, but when I look at paintings I see beyond the canvas and try to tease out what the artist read or the research he did to paint them.

One can enjoy a painting at face value, for the picture itself; it can also be enjoyed for the monetary value it commands. But I think Amorsolo’s historical paintings reflect the desire to search for and capture that elusive thing we call national identity. Now that we can visit the National Museum free of charge, lets hope people will visit more than once and read the paintings like history. ■

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JULY 22, 2016

FRIDAY

Canada News Happy trails: Justin Trudeau rides off into sunset from Calgary Stampede

BY BILL GRAVELAND The Canadian Press CALGARY — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau put on his cowboy hats and boots one more time Saturday assuring a screaming audience at a Calgary Stampede breakfast that Albertans are picking themselves up again after a slump in the economy.

“Can I get a ya-hoo?!”

Trudeau asked as he took the stage at a pancake breakfast hosted by his cabinet colleague Kent Hehr.

“What an amazing pleasure it is for me to be back, every year at Stampede ... to celebrate the Greatest Show on Earth, to celebrate the friendliest, happiest week in all of Canada here at Stampede,” said Trudeau to loud applause and whistles.

Any celebration in Alberta is under a cloud these days.

Oil and gas have long been the mainspring of Alberta’s

economy, delivering multibillion-dollar surpluses earlier this decade.

But the benchmark price for oil has fallen from a high of more than US$100 a barrel in June 2014 to about US$46 today.

Every $1 drop in the average price of oil over the course of a year drains $170 million from Alberta’s coffers. The provincial deficit is expected to exceed $10 billion this year.

The downturn has resulted in cancelled or delayed energy products and the loss of tens of thousands of jobs in the Alberta oilpatch.

“A big part of Calgary, a big part of Canada’s identity is looking out for each other in tough times as well,” Trudeau said. “We know that things haven’t been easy here in Alberta, and after years and years of Alberta doing great and supporting the rest of the country, it’s time for the rest of the country to be supporting Alberta.

“I’ll tell you the truth, I know Calgarians, I know Albertans.

You don’t need a lot of support.

You guys are doing great. You’re picking yourselves up again after a slump.”

Trudeau has been getting pressure from the energy sector and the Alberta government to approve pipelines so oil can get to international market.

Premier Rachel Notley said last week there can’t be any unnecessary federal delays when it comes approving a new pipeline — any pipeline — to transport Alberta’s oil.

The future of the Northern Gateway pipeline proposal is now in the hands of Trudeau’s government after the Federal Court of Appeal quashed a permit issued for the project.

Kinder Morgan’s bid to triple the capacity of its existing Trans Mountain pipeline between Edmonton and Burnaby, B.C., is before the federal government after the National Energy Board sanctioned the

“A big part of Calgary, a big part of Canada’s identity is looking out for each other in tough times as well,” Trudeau said.

DROP OF LIGHT / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

$6.8-billion project in May. “We just can’t dither on this for a lot longer,” warned Notley.

But the prime minister pointed out at a Friday news conference that the former Conservative government of Stephen Harper was unable to accomplish the task with 10 years in office.

“The fact that in eight months we haven’t completed something that 10 years of the previous government was unable to complete is high expectations of me,” Trudeau said “We’re working hard to get this done the right way because that’s what Canadians expect.” ■

Republican platform calls for reviving the Keystone XL Canadian oil pipeline

BY ALEXANDER PANETTA The Canadian Press CLEVELAND — Reviving the Keystone XL pipeline project from Canada has become an official policy of the Republican party in the 2016 election, with its inclusion in the platform that's just been approved at the national convention.

The ill-fated oil pipeline is the only detailed reference to Canada in the 66-page document adopted by delegates to the convention in Cleveland which meets through Thursday.

“Our Canadian neighbors can count on our co-operation and respect,” the platform says.

“To advance North America's so to satisfy environmentalists and would also have carried energy independence, we in- who support the Democratic some American oil. tend to reverse the current ad- party.

It's hardly surprising to see it ministration's blocking of the The decision last fall to re- referenced in the platform: supKeystone XL Pipeline. Apart fuse a cross-border permit port for Keystone XL had been from its economic value, that ended years of suspense over longstanding Republican policy project has beand was in the come a symbol 2012 platform. in the contest It's also supportbetween the ed by presumppublic's desire We think that oil should come from tive presidential for economic Canada and American shale deposits nominee Donald development rather than from Venezuela and Saudi Trump. and the governArabia — countries that do not share It's also worth ment's hostilAmerican values. noting that a ity to growth. We party platform stand with the plays a different people.” role here than in The document accuses the the project, which if completed Canada. In Canada, it's viewed Obama administration of kill- would have carried just under as a to-do list that governments ing the project for purely politi- one-quarter of the oil Canada are expected to try completing cal motives, saying it simply did exports daily to U.S. refineries if they have a parliamentary www.canadianinquirer.net

majority. In the U.S., individual parties rarely have such power to force through their whole legislative agenda — so a platform is considered more of a guide than a list of boxes to tick.

A decision to approve Keystone would ultimately rest with the president.

Trump has been supportive, although he's sent mixed messages about whether he'd approve it or insist on better terms from Calgary-based TransCanada Corp. The company had already agreed to include some American oil — less than 10 per cent of its contents.

TransCanada has taken legal ❱❱ PAGE 18 Republican platform

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FRIDAY JULY 22, 2016

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18

Canada News

Trudeau skips... employment, access to education and climate change.

Employment is an issue of particular concern, with the country’s youth unemployment rate standing at 13 per cent and almost 363,000 young people looking for work in June.

Trudeau vowed during last year’s campaign to offer a 12 month holiday on employment insurance premiums to employers who give permanent jobs to people aged 18-24. But the proposed measure didn’t receive a mention in the March budget.

Successful applicants from the first round will be invited to meet with Trudeau in October.

A second set of applications will be accepted until October 7, with the added members joining the inaugural group for a meeting with the prime minister next year.

Trudeau’s Twitter session marked the first time he used an online-only channel to make an announcement as prime minister, foregoing a regular press release or news confer❰❰ 1

ence in front of reporters and cameras, his office said.

Trudeau did launch the Liberal party platform via Facebook Live during the election campaign, but media organizations were present for the unveiling.

At one point during his tenure as prime minister, Stephen Harper announced an entire cabinet shuffle via Twitter, before later issuing the standard media products.

While using social media to push an unfiltered political statement holds promise for staying on message, it does have its drawbacks, as evidenced Tuesday.

Many of the questions posed to the prime minister touched on his youth council message, but some participants had other things on their minds.

“Are you starting a new boy band,” one asked. “No,” was Trudeau’s quick response.

“On a scale of 1 - 10, how excited are you for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story?” asked another.

Trudeau responded: “42.” ■

Tory leadership candidate Maxime Bernier favours free trade deal with China

BY FANNIE OLIVIER The Canadian Press OTTAWA — Signing a freetrade deal with China would allow Canada to increase its exports by $7.7 billion a year, Conservative leadership candidate Maxime Bernier said Monday.

Such an agreement would also provide Canada the opportunity to raise the issue of human rights with the Asian giant, he said.

“Although there is no easy answer to solve these problems with a magic wand, neither a disengagement from or a weak engagement toward China will give Canadians a credible voice to talk about reform or progress on these matters,” he told a news conference.

Canada would benefit from “closer attention” from China

if their economies were linked, although he acknowledged China would remain a “sovereign” country.

Since announcing his bid to replace Stephen Harper, Bernier has angered farmers by coming out in favour of ditching the supply management system that currently governs milk, eggs and poultry.

He has also endorsed the privatization of Canada Post while opposing federal aid to Bombardier Inc. (TSX:BBD.B).

Bernier, 53, believes his various positions will help him in his fundraising drive, which is off to a slow start and sees him still need to collect the second payment of $25,000 required to stay in the leadership race.

“We officially began our (fi❱❱ PAGE 29 Tory leadership

JULY 22, 2016

FRIDAY

Suspect in Calgary deaths had ‘criminally entrenched lifestyle:’ parole board

BY CHINTA PUXLEY The Canadian Press CALGARY — Parole board documents say a man accused of killing a Calgary mother and daughter had a 20-year criminal history but didn’t pose a threat to society when he was granted full parole in 2010.

Edward Delten Downey is facing two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Sara Baillie and her five-yearold daughter Taliyah Marsman. The 34-year-old waitress was found dead in her home on July 11 and an Amber Alert was issued for the little girl. Police found Taliyah’s body late Thursday in a rural area just east of Calgary.

Downey had not retained a lawyer when he was charged and is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday. None of the charges against him has been proven in court.

Documents from the Parole Board of Canada granting Downey full parole in 2010 say the 46-year-old’s criminal history began in 1990 with a series of convictions including

possession of a credit card obtained by crime and possession of a restricted weapon.

“It is evident that you have been involved in criminal activity over the years; however, it has been sporadic at times,” said the parole board report dated May 2010.

“Overall, you have relied on the use of prostitution and drug trafficking to support yourself; have been found in possession of loaded firearms and knives and sizable quantities of illicit drugs suggesting entrenched involvement in the illicit drug business on a commercial scale.”

At the time, Downey had been serving four years for drug trafficking and possession of a firearm.

The board said Downey had lived a “criminally entrenched lifestyle” despite a “positive upbringing, void of any physical abuse or substance abuse.”

The report said Downey had four children from previous relationships who lived with their respective mothers.

“You do not provide child support for your children.”

The board said Downey said he has never struggled with al-

cohol addiction but “gambling has been problematic for you in the past.”

But the board said he had “gained credibility and stability” during his partial release and didn’t appear to be returning to criminal activity. At the time, Downey had the support of a common-law wife who had recently purchased a business.

While Downey was helping out with the business, the parole board stated he was also working full time as a truck driver.

“There is no information or indication that you have returned to criminal activity during this time,” the report concluded.

“You have strong community support from your common-law wife and your sister.”

In granting Downey full parole, the board said it was satisfied “you will not present an undue risk to society given the progress you continue to make and the commitment to a positive reintegration you have shown.”

Police have said Downey knew both Baillie and her daughter but have not talked about the nature of their relationship. ■

Republican platform... action against the U.S. government. It filed for NAFTA arbitration last month, and is seeking $15 billion in damages. Like the GOP, it claims the rejection was arbitrary and politically driven.

When President Barack Obama announced his policy last fall, he did declare a political purpose to his decision: the desire to set an example before the Paris climate summit about the need to sacrifice some fossil-fuel projects.

But his critics pointed out that his own administration had concluded killing Keystone wouldn't help the climate.

Studies found that the only way rejection might make a difference is if it coincided with a long and painful slump in oil prices and if no other pipelines got built out of Canada. ❰❰ 16

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Environmentalists point out that those bad-case scenarios for the oilsands are currently unfolding, so rejecting Keystone will, in fact, make a significant difference in carbon emissions.

The company says the project remains viable.

“We continue to appreciate the political support for Keystone XL ... Keystone XL continues to make sense,” said a statement from company spokesman James Millar.

“The United States imports over seven million barrels of foreign oil a day and will do so for decades. We think that oil should come from Canada and American shale deposits rather than from Venezuela and Saudi Arabia — countries that do not share American values.”

As for the rest of the GOP

platform, it didn't include any reference to Trump's promise to undo the NAFTA trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, nor did it mention his opposition to the TransPacific Partnership. It simply referred to a need for better trade deals.

It also mentioned Canada in passing, in a section on religious freedom.

The platform called for the next president to advocate more forcefully for religious liberty abroad at a time when, it said, China is destroying churches; Europeans are being jailed for home-schooling kids; “and even Canada threatens pastors for their preaching” — which may have been a reference to human-rights complaints against religious figures for actions deemed anti-gay. ■

Canada News

FRIDAY JULY 22, 2016

19

Living wage proponents look to spark national movement with pay increases

BY ALEKSANDRA SAGAN The Canadian Press TORONTO — Earlier this year, Charlie Vanderpol’s hourly wage — along with many of her colleagues — jumped a couple of dollars. For the Muskoka Brewery’s retail store employee, the raise meant she could start saving for renovations on her house in Bracebridge, Ont. Her employer boosted wages for about half of its roughly 120 workers as part of a commitment announced late last month to pay everyone a living wage.

Muskoka Brewery is one of more than 200 Canadian companies recognizing that minimum wage may not be enough and new measures might be necessary to help the country’s working poor. Proponents say it not only helps people make ends meet, but can also benefit businesses and their communities.

Living wage is typically calculated by determining the net hourly wage a person needs to pay for necessities and modest social activities (like movie tickets) for a family with two working parents and two young children in certain communities.

In Toronto, for example, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives determined that hourly wage is $18.52 compared to the province’s $11.25 minimum wage. In Vancouver, the Living Wage for Families Campaign said it’s $20.64, more than $10 above British Columbia’s minimum wage.

The living wage rate in the Muskoka region north of Toronto, where Muskoka Brewery is located, is expected to be finalized in the fall, said Kelly Watson, the company’s director of people and development. But she said she expects the brewery is already paying close to what the living wage will be.

Vanderpol recalled feeling relieved and excited when the brewery told its employees of its living wage initiative.

“It really relieves a lot of stress in your life,” she said.

Muskoka Brewery is among more than 200 employers in Ontario, B.C., Saskatchewan and Alberta that have pledged to pay their employees a living wage, according to Living Wage Canada.

Tom Cooper, co-ordinator of the Ontario Living Wage Network, calls the living wage “a win-win-win.”

Happier, more relaxed employees result in increased productivity, lower turnover and less sick time used, he said.

It’s something Watson says she’s noticed at the brewery.

“You’re really allowing that employee’s family to live a much healthier, more sustainable lifestyle, and that resonates when they come into work because then they’re able

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to focus on work more and be more productive and engaged,” she said.

The shift to a living wage can also boost a community’s economy, Cooper said, as workers are likely to spend some of their extra income on local goods and services.

Still, it can be difficult to convince businesses to increase paycheques at the expense of their bottom line.

One of the biggest challenges, Cooper said, is when an organization boosts all their employees’ pay to a living wage in one go. The network sometimes suggests a staggered approach — for example, making the change first for full-time employees and then including part-timers a year later.

Cooper said he hopes the calls for a living wage grow louder across Canada.

“I think living wage needs to become a national movement,” he said.

For that to happen, more evidence is needed to show businesses how the pay bump can benefit them, said Todd White, chair of the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, which took the living wage pledge several years ago.

Cooper’s network is working on what he says will result in “an air-tight case.” Along with two universities, the network has started to gather feedback from the businesses that have implemented a living wage so far, as well as their employees.

Results are expected this fall and early next year.

Meanwhile, the school board is working with its local living wage chapter to potentially study whether a living wage income can impact students’ academic performance.

“So that’s, I think, the next step … really proving the benefit, the benefits and the socialeconomic impacts on all those involved.” ■

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World News

JULY 22, 2016

FRIDAY

Bloodshed fills headlines, confronting public with anxiety

BY ADAM GELLER The Associated Press ORLANDO. Istanbul. Dallas.

Nice. And now, again, Baton Rouge. Ever since a gunman opened fire on Florida nightclub goers five weeks ago, killing 49, we’ve been buffeted by images of bloodshed.

The scenes of the violence are often far away and disconnected from one another. But all too often, the victims — whether they’re patrolling the streets or out for an evening of fireworks — remind us of ourselves, our families, our neighbours. To many people, the barrage has started to feel inescapable. As non-stop news coverage and social media confront people with video of conflict and death, the images have begun to exact a collective toll of exhaustion and anxiety.

“The world is crazy right now.

It is complete chaos,” Lauren Rose, sister-in-law of Montrell Jackson, one of the three police officers slain in Louisiana, said Monday. “And it all needs to stop, everything. We all need peace.”

Such feelings reach far beyond Baton Rouge, which has been rocked since the July 5 killing of Alton Sterling, the first of two recent, highly publicized shootings of black men by police officers. It doesn’t matter if there is no connection between those shootings and last

week’s fatal truck rampage in France. Together, they contribute to a sense of turmoil that seems beyond easy resolution.

“It’s scary but yet I don’t know how, like in Nice and stuff, how that can be prevented,” Terri Smith, a legal secretary from Richfield, Minnesota, said Monday. “You get tired of it after a while, I mean, and you’re kind of helpless.”

Cheri Lovre, a Portland, Oregon crisis counsellor who specializes in working with children, teachers and communities after school shootings, said conversations in recent days increasingly convince her that even people far removed from violence are experiencing a vague, but unsettling sense of angst.

“The effect is trickling down to all of us,” said Lovre, who has counselled people after shootings at Colorado’s Columbine High School, in Newtown, Connecticut, and in other communities. “When you have the TV on and it (the violence) is in your living room, Nice is suddenly right here.”

In some ways, we’ve been here before.

Look back to recent history — the upheaval that came around the Civil Rights movement, the threats of the Cold War — and there are plenty of reminders of times when fear and uncertainly lingered over day-to-day life in the U.S. Tom Rosenstiel, executive director of the American Press

Institute, compared the current moment to 1968, when the already troubling story line of the Vietnam War was interrupted by the assassinations of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy, only to be followed by riots around the country and protests at the national political conventions.

Such groupings of events can cause people to question their own safety and how others think, he said.

“When those seven stories on the front page or the 15 stories in the newscast or so much of your Twitter feed is filled with things that are as inexplicable as the terrorist truck attack in Nice or a veteran doing a deranged ambush of police in Baton Rouge, it’s hard to get your mind around these things,” he said.

But there were no social media networks in 1968, no 24hour news channels. Today, those feed into an unending cycle of anxiety.

“This isn’t just about television. It’s about the constant ability to get alerts about things that are wrong in the world because we, again, don’t have breaking news about what’s going right,” said Shana Gadarian, a political scientist at Syracuse University.

The heightened anxiety can serve a positive purpose, forcing people to identify problems and their sources and seek out solutions, Gadarian said.

“The only way this is going to

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#BlackLivesMatter protestors holding a poster during march on City Hall following ruling on LAPD fatal shooting of African American female Redel Jones.

BETTO RODRIGUES / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

get solved is if people with cooler heads, with credibility, get together and talk through these issues,” said Jarrod Berguan, police chief in San Bernardino, California, where 14 people were killed in a terror shooting last year. “It is never going to happen because people are making short little soundbites on the news, or because people are going to the Internet to absorb whatever information they want to absorb from people who share their viewpoints.”

But news of violence can overwhelm our ability to sort through the situation and reflect on the paths of action.

“People have lost the ability to step back even for a second and consider the possibility that as horrible as it is, that it might not be some sort of some grand world coming apart,” said Steve Gorelick, a criminologist and lecturer in the department

of film and media studies at Hunter College City University of New York. “How are we supposed to solve or even think about all these things at once?

You can’t.”

If there’s any consolation, though, it’s that we are not alone in our anxieties.

In Minneapolis, airline pilot Keith Schmidt paused during a layover Monday to ponder the state of things. The way the world is going, he said, he might have to start carrying his concealed handgun more often.

“It’s really kind of scary when the country is killing the police officers,” said Schmidt, who lives in Arlington, Texas. “I would say chaos and or anarchy could be around the corner.”

In New York, secretary Rita Donovan voiced similar uncertainty. ❱❱ PAGE 22 Bloodshed fills

World News

FRIDAY JULY 22, 2016

21

Turkey’s Erdogan recounts night Trump campaign of coup, mulls death penalty dismisses criticism of Melania Trump speech

BY DOMINIQUE SOGUEL AND SUZAN FRASER The Associated Press ISTANBUL — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a series of televised appearances overnight in which he disclosed dramatic details of his survival on the night of a failed coup and raised the spectre of reintroducing the death penalty to punish conspirators.

He told U.S. broadcaster CNN he narrowly escaped death after coup plotters stormed the resort town of Marmaris where he was vacationing.

“Had I stayed 10, 15 additional minutes, I would have been killed or I would have been taken,” he said in the interview broadcast late Monday.

Addressing hundreds of supporters outside his Istanbul residence in the early hours of Tuesday, Erdogan responded to calls for the death penalty with the simple statement: “You cannot put aside the people’s demands.”

Turkey’s state-run news agency says courts have ordered 85 generals and admirals jailed pending trial over their roles in the failed coup attempt.

Dozens of others were still being questioned.

Anadolu Agency said Tuesday those formally arrested include former air force commander Gen. Akin Ozturk, alleged to be the ringleader of

BY ERICA WERNER AND SCOTT BAUER The Associated Press

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

the July 15 uprising, and Gen. Adem Hududi, commander of Turkey’s 2nd Army, which is in charge of countering possible threats to Turkey from Syria, Iran and Iraq.

Ozturk has denied the allegation, saying he neither planned nor directed the coup, according to the Anadolu Agency.

Authorities have rounded up thousands said to have been involved in the coup, which killed 208 government supporters and 24 coup plotters. The government maintains that Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based Muslim cleric, was behind the coup, and has vociferously de-

ORLOK / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

manded his extradition.

Thousands of officials suspected of links to Gulen were purged from the judiciary and the Interior Ministry.

“No democracy shall allow for soldiers, prosecutors, police, judges, and bureaucrats to take orders from an outside organization instead of the institutional bureaucracy,” said Erdogan.

The president and other officials have strongly suggested the government is considering reinstating the death penalty, a practice abolished in 2004 as ❱❱ PAGE 36 Turkey’s Erdogan

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CLEVELAND — The Trump campaign on Tuesday dismissed criticism that Melania Trump directly lifted two passages nearly word-for-word from the speech that first lady Michelle Obama delivered in 2008 at the Democratic National Convention, calling the complaints “just absurd.”

“There’s no cribbing of Michelle Obama’s speech,” Paul Manafort, Trump’s campaign manager, said Tuesday morning in a CNN interview. “Certainly, there’s no feeling on her part that she did it,” he said.

“What she did was use words that are common words.”

Mrs. Trump’s star turn at the Republican National Convention Monday night captivated a GOP crowd that had rarely heard from the wife of Donald Trump. The passages in question focused on lessons that Trump’s wife says she learned from her parents and the relevance of their lessons in her experience as a mother.

Manafort said Mrs. Trump was aware of “how her speech was going to be scrutinized” and said any notion that she picked up portions of Mrs. Obama’s convention talk was

“just absurd.”

The White House declined to comment on similarities between the two prime-time speeches, but the issue is likely to arise at the daily White House briefing.

The passages in question came near the beginning of Mrs. Trump’s roughly 10-minute speech. Her address was otherwise distinct from the address that Mrs. Obama gave when then-Sen. Barack Obama was being nominated for president.

In Mrs. Trump’s speech in Cleveland, she said: “From a young age, my parents impressed on me the values that you work hard for what you want in life, that your word is your bond and you do what you say and keep your promise, that you treat people with respect.

They taught and showed me values and morals in their daily life.”

In Mrs. Obama’s 2008 speech in Denver, she said: “And Barack and I were raised with so many of the same values: like, you work hard for what you want in life, that your word is your bond, that you do what you say you’re going to do, that you treat people with dignity and respect, even if you don’t know them and even if you don’t ❱❱ PAGE 36 Trump campaign

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JULY 22, 2016

FRIDAY

PANGARAP: SO, OUR JOURNEY BEGINS

So, Is It a Career You Want?

BY BOLET AREVALO

IF IT IS A CAREER YOU WANT, THEN THAT MIGHT HAVE TO WAIT A BIT UNTIL YOU ARE ABLE TO UPGRADE YOUR SKILLS OR GET THE NECESSARY CERTIFICATIONS. When a friend of mine back home was waiting for his approval, he would constantly check on the status of my job hunting, perhaps using me as a barometer for his own dilemma.

I would repeatedly tell him, “There are many jobs if you are not picky.” He could not use me as a barometer because, at a certain point, I was very particular about not landing at any kind of job just to earn money.

I was hoping I could be choosy, and postponed serious job hunting a bit.

There is a school of thought that says, “Just go and grab any job and everything will go from there.”

The other school of thought is, “No, don’t do it. Go find your own line or field of discipline.

Do not waste time doing jobs that you hate.”

Apparently, there should be a third school of thought, “Go, get any job. But do it part-time so you have time to continue looking for the job you like or for going back to school to upgrade your skills or get the certificate or license you need.”

Just as there is a “fine” city, there is a “certificate” country.

The first instils discipline and the second puts great importance on education as a way to get started right or move ahead.

It simply means you need to get certified or licensed for a job, any job, not necessarily the one you want or you are looking for. A certificate to cut hair or

I needed to do something or become someone I could be happy about, something that I could leave tangibly with my children and make them proud of me. I may never get rich but I can be happy.

do nails. A certificate to touch food and serve it right. Certificate this. Certificate that. A license to sell houses. A license to sell insurance. A license to sell investment instruments. So you can just imagine how overwhelming it is to get the license you need to be a practising doctor, lawyer or something along a professional line.

So if you want your career, you move toward it step-by-step.

Whether it is by getting degree or simply passing an evaluation, to get an education or upgrade your skills is the way to go.

Schools or learning institutions are just about everywhere.

They can be government-run or maintained by private institutions.

The first school of thought is “Just get any job and you will go from there.” The second school of thought is, “Do not waste your time on a job you hate. Go find a job in your own line of discipline or education.” Apparently there should be a third school of thought, that is, “Go get any job. But do it part-time so you will have time to look for the one you really like or go back to school to upgrade.”

So, What Do You Study?

Sean Hanan, a 48-year-old equipment operator, said the past few weeks’ events worry him that people are being split into opposing camps. Hanan lives on the same block south of Kansas City that Gavin Eu-

gene Long, who killed three law enforcement officers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, did when Long was in high school.

“Things are going a little bit crazy,” said Hanan, who’s between jobs. “Most people are

MIGRATION MAY GIVE YOU THE TIME AND THE CHANCE TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL AND STUDY FOR SOMETHING YOU HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO GO INTO. After having a successful hometown career, coming to Canada was like embarking on a new career. Being in a new place to start a new life gives you an opportunity to dream anew.

There were many things that I wanted to do as a young graduate, but because my hands were full with family and a demanding job, I was not able to do them. Of course, I loved my job immensely. I was able to make use of my talents, skills and was able to develop new ones as well. Even still, sometime in your lifetime, you will find there are things you want to do but have kept postponing because you are unable to find time for them.

Migrating can get you excited and make you realize that you might really have that time. And why not? If you have brought enough money to tide you over while you go about gallivanting and figuring out what you want

to do differently, yes, you can.

However, without enough financial provision, you will find yourself face-to-face with the reality that you still need to get a job at once. Lucky you if you find a job in the same area that you were doing back home.

Nevertheless, in that same job, you may find that you need to upgrade your education or skills. You may need to get your license or certification. I had to do that to be able to go back to banking and selling financial products. I was asked to study for my mutual funds license, which I did, although the job didn’t come that soon.

Even still, you need to get your certificate or license to penetrate certain job markets.

And it is more stringent and complicated if your line happens to be in a regulated profession. You also need your license or upgrades if you want to be moved or promoted at work, or maybe even ask for a raise.

You can also study for something you always wanted to do but never got around to doing.

After getting my investment funds certificate, I studied “How to Write a Book.” Earlier I said

that writing is my first love, and they say your first love never dies. This is the reason why you are now reading this book.

I needed to do something or become someone I could be happy about, something that I could leave tangibly with my children and make them proud of me. I may never get rich but I can be happy.

The next possible step is for you to study something that you have never done but always knew you could do. Keep an open mind. What you see around tells you that there is a perfect way to go. Some courses are in demand and lead to higher-paying starting salaries.

Taking that into account is simply smart and rational. Health care, senior care, homestaging, digital arts, special education, hair and cosmetics, and other areas of study will allow you to easily find work because they are in demand.

Migration presents you with the possibility of studying for something you wanted, something entirely new, or something you may consider because it presents a higher chance of getting good employment. Upgrading is needed to get some jobs, expect promotions at work, or deserve a raise. Whatever you get into, make sure you are happy about what you are doing. That is the only reason that will make you hold on and finish the race. ■ Bolet is a marketing communications practitioner and dabbles in writing as a personal passion.

She is author-publisher of the book: The Most Practical Immigrating and Job Hunting Survival Guide, proven simple steps to success without the fears and the doubts. The book is available in Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Chapters/Indigo, the Reading Room and other online bookshops worldwide.

Bloodshed fills...

“There’s no sense to this,” said Donovan, 63, of Nutley, New Jersey, while on a lunch break.

“This time has reminded me of the bad time of the 1960s.”

And in Grandview, Missouri, ❰❰ 20

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just trying to feed their families and not get shot by someone with an ideological agenda.”

He added, “It’s all just starting to blur together.” ■ Associated Press reporters Sha-

ron Cohen in Chicago, John Hanna in Grandview, Missouri, Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis, Matt Sedensky in New York, Amy Taxin in Tustin, California, and Joshua Replogle in Baton Rouge contributed to this story.

Community News

FRIDAY JULY 22, 2016

23

Filipino-Canadian Artist in Mad Pride: Mad City Group Exhibit

BY MIGRANTE BC

S.U.C.C.E.S.S.’s Foundation’s annual Walk with the Dragon was successfully held at the Lumbermen’s Arch, Stanley Park with over 10,000 participants and raised another $385,000 for the continuance and enhancement of social services at S.U.C.C.E.S.S. for the Metro Vancouver communities.

Team Canada names four singers for Karaoke World Championships KARAOKE WORLD Championships Canada recently announced the first four singers who will represent Team Canada at the 2016 Karaoke World Championships scheduled for November 1 – 6, in Vancouver, Canada.

The winners are: Ladies Champion: Allison Cociani - 39 - East Vancouver; Men’s Champion: Patrick Dang - 59 – Vancouver; Duet Champions: Melanie Dawn - 26 - Burnaby and Daniel Escobar - 26 Coquitlam.

They won their spots after a grueling 10-week qualifying event held at the Two Lions Public House in North Vancouver.

For men’s champion Patrick Dang it completes a journey that started over 40 years ago.

“As an aspiring musician in my teens I formed a rock band in high school and always wanted to pursue music. But like most people, professional life takes over. Now as president of Sprott Shaw College, the biggest private college in BC and oldest in Canada, and in my 50s, I decided to go back to my love of music.

KWC has allowed me to relive my younger years and make up for lost time. I love it and feel that singing is truly an extension

‘MAD PRIDE: Mad City’ opened with a reception at the Gallery Gachet in Gastown, Vancouver.

More than a dozen artists joined the exhibit to show that “art is a means of survival.” In the exhibit statement, they declare that it is “the union of art, politics and community to make change.”

Filipino-Canadian Mildred Grace German is featured in the group exhibit with her artwork entitled, “Para|digma.” According to German, this is a play on the English word “Paradigm” and she has uses this word to express what in Tagalog, her first language, means: para meaning to “stop” and digma meaning “war.”

German says her artwork ”aims to raise awareness on the ongoing mad cause-and-effects of forced migration, oppression, and the systemic global human rights violations.”

She added that she paints to communicate the complexity of transnational trauma, and to address the issues affecting migrant workers, their families and communities.

“Paradigmas are not easily forgotten, not easily hidden, not easily forgiven. As human rights violations occur, the trauma too occurs, as such as a cause-effect pattern. The longing for justice and “for what can be done” becomes the discourse. Therefore, to struggle for human rights, the right to life and safety is justified. In society, to include, not exclude the traumatized, and to believe the trauma will be healed are brave acts of immeasurable love,” she said.

German was born and raised in the Philippines and came to Vancouver, Canada as a migrant youth in the late 90s on the sponsorship of her mother.

German’s exposure to transnational issues and her experience as a Filipino-Canadian migrant inspired her latest artwork “Para|digma.” ■

Team Canada.

of who I am as a person.”

“I am so thrilled to be a part of this competition and super excited for the chance to show Vancouver, and the world, what I'm made of”, remarked ladies champion Allision Cociani.

“This opportunity means so much to me. I want to make our country proud and I know this experience is going to help me in my dream of pursuing a life as a professional singer and composer.”

“This is the 1st time in 15 years that the Karaoke World Championships will take place in North America,” says KWC Canada President and KWC Vancouver 2016 CEO Whit-

ney-John Stuart “To have 50 percent of Team Canada represented by singers from the local area is great for Vancouver and for amateur singing in the region.”

The rest of Team Canada will be chosen at the KWC Canada National Karaoke Championships grand finale on Aug. 24 to 28, at the Deerfoot Casino in Calgary, AB. Over 50 singers from across the country will perform. The top mens, ladies and duet national champions will join the rest of Team Canada as they compete against 25+ other countries including Japan, China, Russia, Spain, the United States and more. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

(Clockwise) Mad Pride: Mad City poster; Mildred German with her sister; the artist with Migrante BC Coordinator Jane Ordinario; and with friend Priscilla.

24

JULY 22, 2016

FRIDAY

Entertainment “Prince of the New OPM” Timmy Pavino tours U.S.A. & Canada

BY BABES CASTRONEWLAND VANCOUVER, B.C. — There is no stopping to attaining superstardom (yes, read this writer’s lips: this young lad will become the next big thing!) for this dashing baritone heartthrob.

Timmy Pavino’s name was an overnight household sensation when he became top 8 finalist at ABS-CBN’s The Voice of The Philippines (TVOP) Season 2, under Team Lea (Salonga).

With his voice as smooth as silk, Timmy’s take on various covers, both OPM and international billboard ditties, has etched versatility without losing his vocal identity as premier pop balladeer. He takes no qualms about being compared to other TVOP Season 2 co-alumni Jason Dy (grand prize winner), Daryl Ong, etc. who are being branded as pop R&B sensations. Timmy takes so much pride and joy in sharing his own gift of music without competing or comparing himself to anyone. For him, there is always room for ev-

eryone to excel in. He’s always grounded and generous with praises for other young artists.

Such a rare trait in this time and age.

Timmy or “Tim” undeniably continues to shine in Philippine radio/television and high profile live music concerts.

When “Mr. Energy” superstar himself, Gary Valenciano, mounted a 2-night major concerts entitled “Gary V Presents” at the Kia Theatre earlier this month, Timmy was amongst Gary V’s specially handpicked co-performers.

“Performing with Tito Gary on one stage was my ultimate lifelong aspiration ever since I started performing as a young kid. It was a dream come true for me and I’m forever grateful to him and to Tita Angeli (née Pangilinan, Gary V’s wife) for allowing me the rare opportunity. It was one magical, unforgettable moment of my life that I will never forget”, Timmy gushed all over his social media accounts.

Another significant feather to his cap was performing alongside a stellar cast of seasoned artists (Gary V, Kyla, Janno Gibbs, Jaya, etc.) at “Instant

Concert 3 in 1 — Mga Awit Nila De Pano, Marcelo at Simon” at the Music Museum on July 14, 2016. These are 3 highly acclaimed contemporary inspirational songwriters — N. Arnel de Pano (Lead Me, Lord; Lipad Ng Pangarap, etc.), Urban Music/PhilPop 2013 Awardee Jungee Marcelo (Bespren, Say Yahweh, etc.) and Elzar “Dodjie” Simon of Papuri Song Festival fame. De Pano gave a touching introduction to Timmy before

performing, “Lipad Ng Pangarap”. A song De Pano penned in honor of all Filipino household helpers working overseas to support their families back home. Timmy has already sung that song many times before. But performing it all over again at the concert has given him deeper connection to the meaning of the song.

Currently touted as “The Prince of the New OPM”, Timmy is managed by Stages Pro-

duction Specialists and under StarMusic recording label. His first self-titled album has just been released and he will be touring Canada and the USA to promote it starting July 24 (Chapel of St. Mary, Portland, OR), July 30 (Meydenbauer, Bellevue WA), August 4 (Burnaby BC), August 6 (Mississauga ON) and August 7 (Victoria BC). ■ babescastronewland@gmail.com

AlDub’s Imagine You & Me to be shown internationally IMAGINE YOU & Me, the anniversary film offering from the phenomenal love team of Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza, which premiered in Philippine cinemas last July 13, will also capture hearts worldwide with international screenings in US, Guam, Canada, Italy, UK, Australia, Singapore, UAE and New Zealand.

The news, posted on the film’s official Facebook account, thrilled AlDub fans across the world who are excited to celebrate a year of love and laughter which began with the pair’s

serendipitous encounter on the Philippines’ longest-running noon time show Eat Bulaga last year. The film, produced

by APT Entertainment, GMA Films, and M-Zet Television, Inc, has already become a hit at the box office, drawing thousands of moviegoers across the Philippines on its opening day.

Meanwhile, on the love team’s 50th weeksary featured on Eat Bulaga, the two recalled their unforgettable journey through a Wall of Memories filled with photos of their most memorable moments in the

past year.

As part of the celebration, the music video for their movie’s theme song, also titled Imagine You & Me, was then shown to viewers for the first time.

It was a very personal project for Alden and Maine, having performed the song as a duet, with Maine penning the lyrics herself. It was set to music composed by Vic Sotto and arranged by Jimmy Antiporda.

With the film premiere and the pair’s continued success, Alden and Maine, as well as AlDub Nation as their fans are collecwww.canadianinquirer.net

Maine Mendoza and Alden Richards.

tively called, definitely have all the reason to celebrate the year

that has passed and the many more milestones ahead. ■

Entertainment

FRIDAY JULY 22, 2016

25

Aiza: Having a baby, not NCCA post, her priority

BY MARINEL R. CRUZ Philippine Daily Inquirer SINGER AIZA Seguerra, rumored to be President Duterte’s bet for the position of National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) commissioner, said that while she would “not close the door on” the possibility of serving the people, this was not her priority.

Aiza’s presence at a recent NCCA sectoral consultation fueled speculations that she would be appointed commissioner. The singer, as well as her partner, actress Liza Diño, supported Duterte’s presidential campaign.

“I’d like to call Liza and me Digong’s bridges (in arts and culture). What we’re doing for him right now is simply consolidating whatever information that the agencies related to the NCCA are giving us.

Once we are given the schedule to meet with him, we will submit our report,” she told the INQUIRER. Aiza said her and Diño’s priority is to have a baby via in vitro fertilization. “We’ve planned

this long before Digong decided to run. We’ll be away for three months. I guess when Liza is already pregnant, we will no longer have problems, but the first three months will be very critical.”

Asked whether or not she would accept the position if offered to her, Aiza remained noncommittal. She said: “We’re not closing our doors. You never know. Digong has only begun his six-year term.”

However, Seguerra said that she hoped for the next NCCA head to “strengthen and broaden the agency’s influence. The goal should be to bring arts and culture to the grassroots level and, at the same time, to develop a film council that will effectively represent Philippine cinema abroad.”

She added: “Right now, Liza is trying to learn everything she can about the Korean film council. She said we could take up after it. We also want to be able to point out what we lack in terms of arts and culture.

Hopefully, the NCCA can find allies in the Department of Education and all the LGUs (local government units).” ■

Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin finalize divorce THE ASSOCIATED PRESS LOS ANGELES — Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin are officially uncoupled after a judge finalized their divorce.

The judgment signed by a Los Angeles judge on Thursday provides few details, but states neither Paltrow or Martin will pay spousal support.

The actress and Coldplay frontman married in December 2003 and have two children together, ages 12 and 10.

In March 2014, the pair announced they were separating

and undergoing a process called “conscious uncoupling.” The announcement on Paltrow’s lifestyle website, goop, drew attention to the term coined

by Los Angeles therapist and author Katherine Woodward Thomas, who has created a fivestep “Conscious Uncoupling” online process.

Paltrow filed for divorce the following month, citing irreconcilable differences.

She won an Oscar in 1998 for her role in “Shakespeare in Love.” Martin and his band Coldplay have won six Grammy Awards. ■

Kim Kardashian-West and Kanye West.

SKY CINEMA / SHUTTERSTOCK

Team TayTay or Kimye?

Fans pick sides after beef stirs

BY MESFIN FEKADU The Associated Press

lengthy statement saying not all of West’s lyrics about her were revealed to her.

During the very friendly NEW YORK — Taylor Swift phone call, West, 39, tells Swift, probably wishes she could time 26, he wants to use the line, “I travel back to “1989” after the feel like me and Taylor might month she’s having. still have sex.” While Swift On Sunday, her bitter feud didn’t scream out of excitewith Kanye West and his wife, ment, she told West it was fine Kim Kardashian, exploded afand said she appreciated the ter Kardashian released a seheads up, and the pair talked ries of Snapchats that seemed about their friendship — which to suggest that Swift lied when at one time seemed unlikely she said she didn’t know about, given their first meeting in or approve, West’s infamous 2009 led to one of the most “Famous” line where he raps publicized feuds in music histhat he and Swift might have tory (for those who have been sex because “I made that bitch absent from pop culture for the famous.” The drama came just last decade, that was when West days after her hijacked the ex, DJ Calvin stage from Swift Harris, called as she was acher out on Twitcepting an award ter and accused While Swift didn’t scream out of and said Beyonce her of sabotage, excitement, she told West it was fine did better work). and unfavourand said she appreciated the heads The pair made able public scruup, and the pair talked about their up in 2015 and tiny of her muchfriendship. seemed to be on photographed good terms when new romance the song was rewith actor Tom leased in FebruHiddleston. one I can believe?’ ...Between ary. But the full line included, It’s an avalanche of bad pub- the recent Calvin Harris tweets, “I made that bitch famous,” and licity. The question is, can pop the Tom Hiddleston news and Swift said she was not aware music’s golden girl shake it off? now this, I think people are tak- he was going to call her the B“What (Kanye has) done ing a step back — even some of word. now is to at least try to say to her biggest fans — and wonder“He promised to play the song the world, ‘I’m exposing this ing if this ‘is the Taylor I know. for me, but he never did ...Being person. I am laying her naked. Is this person I’ve adored for falsely painted as a liar when I Here is a naked image of her in how many years?”’ said Lauren was never given the full story my video and here is the footage Moraski, Huffington Post’s en- or played any part of the song is of her talking with me, having a tertainment editorial director. character assassination,” Swift conversation that you may beKardashian delivered what wrote on social media Sunday. lieve we didn’t have,”’ Rolling seemed to be a knockout punch But online, some were brandStone Contributing Editor Joe Sunday with the videos. They ing her with the L-word — liar.

Levy said in an interview. “And featured Swift’s phone conver- Critics pointed to the stateonce you go that far, it’s very, sation with West about his song very hard to put the toothpaste “Famous.” Swift later posted a ❱❱ PAGE 33 Team TayTay www.canadianinquirer.net

back in the tube.”

After the battle between West, Kardashian and Swift played out on social media, many were quick to weigh in. Some celebrities, from Justin Bieber to Selena Gomez, posted that the world should be focused on more love and less hate, others didn’t hold their tongues late Sunday and Monday.

“This is a God’s dream,” rapper Vince Staples tweeted of the drama.

The takedown of Swift had some looking at her differently on Monday.

“People are scratching their heads saying, ‘You know what, is she all that great? Is this some-

26

JULY 22, 2016

FRIDAY

Lifestyle The lure of Pokemon Go: Respite from a summer of violence

BY BARBARA ORTUTAY The Associated Press

from “PokeStops,” which are based on real-life landmarks — or often like pseudo-landmarks, such as an old church doorway no one else cares about.

The game turns into a virtual tour guide, as it forces me to notice little sights along my daily route, ones I’ve been too preoccupied to see until now — probably because my eyes were glued to my phone.

For instance, our midtown Manhattan office has a lot of weird little plaques and markers nearby, such as “Gold Leaf on Printing Cards Building,” whatever that is. There’s also a community garden called Alice’s Garden just blocks away.

Without “Pokemon,” I probably wouldn’t have noticed a mural near home dedicated to Wu-Tang Clan founding member Ol’ Dirty Bastard, who died 12 years ago.

ten into car accidents.

On the flip side, “Pokemon Go” has sparked spontaneous conversations with fellow playNEW YORK — It’s easy to see ers and others curious about the appeal of “Pokemon Go.” the phenomenon. These are Coming out of nowhere in folks I might have otherwise what’s been an otherwise soulignored while texting or playcrushing summer filled with ing the far-more-solitary “Canendless shootings and other dy Crush.” Because it’s based horrors, the smartphone game on real-world surroundings, offers an escape, without re“Pokemon” boosts interactions moving us completely from the rather than shuts people out. real world.

Having reached Level 5, I am I started playing it for the now part of a team. I chose Insame reason I devoured the stinct over Mystic and Valor.

Harry Potter books, tended virInstinct seems not to overthink tual cows on “FarmVille” and stuff, though my best friend suffered through all three “50 joined Mystic and declared our Shades of Grey” books, plus a friendship over. movie.

I can now visit “gyms” to It was pure, objective inteltrain creatures and fight Pokelectual curiosity about a popumon captured by other players. lar cultural phenomenon that I haven’t gathered up the courinvolves traipsing to real-life age yet to enter a Poke-world places to pick up virtual redgym, much like in real life as and-white balls of late. My boyto throw at onfriend assures screen monsters. me that I need to Put another go to the gym to way, everyone The characters are meant for children, train. Um ... OK. else was doing it. yet adults are using them to lighten From what It hasn’t gone our world for a little bit.

I hear, Pokesmoothly, yet I world gyms can can’t stop. also be social as I’m not one for strangers contutorials or howverge around to guides . Give me a gadget or The game gets intense when real-life locations. Sometimes, app, and have it work. Some- Pokemon — these cute, some- too real. The Auschwitz memoone had to explain that you get times-angry monsters with rial has banned the game on its transported to a virtual Poke- magical powers — appear in the grounds, for good reason. world only when there are digi- vicinity. Time freezes, and I’m The game seems to get more tal monsters called Pokemon transported inside the Poke- complex as you move along, nearby. world, ignoring everything and I’m not sure how long I will Until then, you see the world around me as I try to capture keep playing if it does. through a digital map, similar Pokemon by flicking Poke Balls.

As a busy working mother, to Google’s or Apple’s. You walk I’ve bumped into people. Oth- I like that I don’t have to take around collecting “Poke Balls” ers have twisted ankles or got- time out from my day to play it.

www.canadianinquirer.net

Until then, you see the world through a digital map, similar to Google’s or Apple’s. You walk around collecting “Poke Balls” from “PokeStops,” which are based on real-life landmarks — or often like pseudo-landmarks.

RANDY MIRAMONTEZ / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

I can look for Poke Balls during my commute. I can chase Pokemon while strolling around my neighbourhood with the baby, grocery shopping with the baby or going to the park with the baby.

I don’t particularly want to battle with others. I don’t want my cute pocket-monsters to evolve into scary giant monsters, much in the same way I’m apprehensive about my baby evolving into a teenager.

For now, though, I am having a great time collecting a growing array of strange creatures, along with 185 Poke Balls, three sets of incense to lure Pokemon, and some potions and medicines I don’t quite understand yet — I’m sure they’ll be useful at some point.

I welcome the ability to take my mind off police shootings,

the gay nightclub massacre in Florida, horrific attacks on civilians in France, a coup attempt Turkey, a mosquitoborne Zika virus causing brain damage in the womb and a fraught, divisive U.S. election season. Plus, the death of my cousin at 42, three weeks after he found out he had cancer.

I’ll stop before I’ll make us all depressed.

“Pokemon Go” is a surprise hit for many of us not versed in this massive Japanese gaming, cartoon, toy and comic book franchise. The characters are meant for children, yet adults are using them to lighten our world for a little bit.

There is a sense of joyous accomplishment in catching a Pokemon at times when everything else seems too overwhelming. ■

Lifestyle

FRIDAY JULY 22, 2016

27

Most drivers admit angry, aggressive behaviour or road rage

BY JOAN LOWY The Associated Press WASHINGTON — Nearly 8 of every 10 U.S. drivers admit expressing anger, aggression or road rage at least once in the previous year, according to a survey released Thursday by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. The behaviour could include following too closely, yelling at another driver, cutting them off or making angry gestures.

While that’s dangerous enough, an estimated 8 million drivers engaged in more extreme behaviour on streets and roads that might be considered “road rage,” including bumping or ramming a vehicle on purpose or getting out of their cars to confront another driver, the foundation said.

No surprise to sociologists, the most aggressive and aggrieved drivers are young men ages 19 to 39. Male drivers were three times more likely than females to have gotten out of a car to confront another driver or rammed another vehicle on purpose.

“Far too many drivers are

losing themselves in the heat of the moment and lashing out in ways that could turn deadly,” Jurek Grabowski, the foundation’s research director, warned.

The foundation’s findings are based on a nationally representative online survey of 2,705 licensed drivers who had driven at least once in the previous 30 days. The survey was conducted in 2014, but its results are just now being released.

Research indicates aggressive driving contributes substantially to fatal crashes and appears to be increasing, the foundation said in a report based on the survey.

Nearly 9 in 10 drivers saw aggressive driving as “a serious threat to their personal safety,” the foundation said. And more than half of drivers perceived road rage as a bigger problem than in a survey three years earlier.

The most common behaviour, reported by roughly half of all drivers, was purposely tailgating another vehicle.

That translates to about 104 million drivers when spread over the national population of motorists. Nearly half of driv-

Far too many drivers are losing themselves in the heat of the moment and lashing out in ways that could turn deadly.

ers reported yelling at another driver and honking their horn “to show annoyance or anger.”

About a third of drivers indicated they’d made angry gestures at another driver.

Gesturing, honking and yelling at other drivers were significantly more prevalent in the Northeast. For example, Northeastern drivers were 30 per cent more likely to say they’d made an angry gesture at another motorist. Other types of aggressive behaviour didn’t vary much by region.

About 1 in 4 drivers said they

had purposely tried to block another driver from changing lanes, and nearly 12 per cent reported they had cut off another vehicle on purpose.

Drivers who reported other unsafe behaviour like speeding and running red lights were also more likely to show aggression. For example, drivers who reported speeding on a freeway in the previous month were also four times more likely to have cut off another vehicle in traffic.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration esti-

mates that about two-thirds of crash deaths involve aggressive driving. The agency recently reported that traffic deaths surged last year to 35,200 as drivers racked up more miles behind the wheel than ever before.

Jake Nelson, AAA’s director of traffic safety advocacy, urged motorists to “maintain a cool head and focus on reaching your destination safely.”

“Don’t risk escalating a frustrating situation, because you never know what the other driver might do,” he said.

It is disconcerting, but not surprising that so many drivers admit to aggressive behaviour or road rage behind the wheel, said Jonathan Adkins, executive director of the Governors Highway Safety Association, which represents state highway safety offices.

“For some reason yelling, honking impatiently, or making angry gestures while driving — behaviours that we typically would not do when walking behind a slower person on a sidewalk, for example — are still deemed socially acceptable from the relatively anonymous confines of our cars,” he said. ■

Ribbons and bows: Daddies get schooled on how to style daughters’ hair

BY CHRIS PURDY The Canadian Press SCOTT DRY faked his way through his first French braid and learned that the trick to a perfect bun is using more “whatever they’re called” — bobby pins.

By the end of class, his smiling six-year-old daughter was itching to race home and show Mom that Daddy did her hairdo.

“I wouldn’t say I’m an expert,” says Dry, a 43-year-old married father of two.

“I’ll never be as good as Mom. I’m OK with that.”

Dry was one of 15 fathers who recently took part in a fatherdaughter hair workshop at the Luna salon in Chestermere, a

bedroom community east of Calgary.

It’s one of several such classes that have popped up in Canada in the last few months, part of a global trend that started last year.

“Dads are getting a little bit more involved with their daughters and doing their hair,” says Luna manager, Reyse Van Gelder.

A Facebook post about the fad caught her eye, so she put together the salon’s first free class last October. Another followed in March and another is anticipated for this summer.

And when some moms also in need of hairstyling skills asked to join this year, Van Gelder started a mother-daughter class too. It was held separately from

the fathers’ class so the men wouldn’t feel overwhelmed.

The dads were given lessons on everything from how to brush hair without the squealing and tears to creating fancy French and fish-tail braids.

And not all of them had clumsy fingers.

“I also met a dad who knew how to French braid better than I could, so it was like, ‘Why are you even here?”’

For some of the men, Van Gelder says, it was simply a fun way to bond with their daughters.

All the girls left with goody bags filled with elastics, brushes, bows and barrettes.

The father-daughter hair craze — spawning classes as far away as Australia and Europe www.canadianinquirer.net

— even made waves in a heartwarming Super Bowl commercial in February. A hair care product company showed three players in the National Football League attempting to do their young daughters’ hair with their rookie fingers.

“I don’t know why they make these barrettes so complicated for guys,” Pittsburgh Steeler Deangelo Williams says in the ad, as he struggles to wrap a pink bobbled elastic around the end of a braid.

The scene is likely to be typical in many father-daughter hair classes, some of which have morphed into fundraising events with names like “Beer and Braids.” The best hairstyling dad usually takes home a six-pack.

In a February class at the Coiffure D salon in Trois-Rivieres, Que., one father reportedly confessed to using a vacuum cleaner at home to suck his daughter’s hair into a ponytail. He promised to never do it again.

“There’s so much that’s targeted towards moms,” says Eva Shortt, an event planner who organized a “Hair 101: Dad & Daughter Hairstyling” class at Whipper Snipperz Cuts for Kids in Guelph, Ont., last winter.

She says many of the dads in the class were big and tough guys, some with tattoos.

“They were just so sweet with their daughters. It was amazing to see,” Shortt says.

“I definitely want to do it again.” ■

28

JULY 22, 2016

FRIDAY

Business Convenience, desire for exclusive products behind rise of grocery-free agents

BY LINDA NGUYEN The Canadian Press TORONTO — It’s one of Vancouver’s worst kept secrets.

Since 2012, diehard fans of U.S. grocery chain Trader Joe’s have been able to get their hands on Speculoos Cookie Butter and Triple Ginger Snaps at a tiny storefront in the city’s beach neighbourhood.

The cheekily named Pirate Joe’s, which first opened under the guise of a traditional Romanian bakery, has shelves and shelves of more than a thousand Trader Joe’s products and was the brainchild of owner and founder Mike Hallatt.

After being closed for four months, the store is set to reopen this week at a bigger location.

Hallatt says customers gravitate towards his business because of brand loyalty and a frustration with the choices and prices at his big-box grocery competitors.

“There are people who appreciate the selection that having Trader Joe’s products in Vancouver gives them. Right now, with the consolidation of

the grocery industry, you’re just seeing the usual suspects more and more often,” he said.

“The distributors are consolidating and you’re just ending up with very few players. What happens is that innovation always, always, slacks off when you have consolidation like that because people are able to raise the prices and drop the selection.”

Like many foodies, Hallatt was well aware that Trader Joe’s had a cult following, with Canadians flocking to the U.S. on shopping trips and numerous websites dedicated to their favourite products.

In 2012, Hallatt began taking weekly trips to the nearest Trader Joe’s in Bellingham, Wash., about 90 kilometres away and stuffed his Honda Element with groceries.

The popularity of the store grew as word of mouth spread.

Hallatt soon found himself making more frequent trips south of the border and even hiring local workers — mostly college students and retired grandmothers — to do his shopping.

Trader Joe’s quickly learned about Pirate Joe’s and hit back by launching legal action in the U.S.

PIRATEJOES.CA

The U.S. Federal Court eventually sided with Hallatt, ruling that Trader Joe’s could not prove that it was suffering economic hardship as a result of Pirate Joe’s operations because the U.S. company doesn’t have any locations in Canada. Trader Joe’s has appealed.

Hallatt is banned at every Trader Joe’s store in the U.S. but admits he still visits from time to time in disguise, sometimes donning glasses and a pinstriped suit.

Pirate Joe’s now operates three vans and employs about half a dozen shoppers. It opened a warehouse in the U.S. to stockpile goods but that has since been

shut down due to a declining Canadian dollar, Hallatt says.

He says customers who shop at Pirate Joe’s can expect to pay a 30 per cent markup after the currency exchange. The most popular items it carries are frozen meals, coffee, wild rice and body care products like soaps and sunblock.

Pirate Joe’s is not the only small grocery delivery service in the country.

In November, a husband and wife team started Comfort.to to bring Costco orders to those living in downtown Toronto who don’t have a store membership, want to avoid the shopping crowds or lack the time or

access to a vehicle to get to the chain’s suburban stores.

Since its launch, Comfort.to has had more than 1,200 orders — sometimes up to 25 deliveries per weekend. Each customer is charged a flat fee of $10 for a delivery.

The appeal of the service, says 29-year-old founder Vitaliy Savitsky, is that customers, especially those living downtown, want better value on their grocery bills.

“Think of us as being sort of being the friendly mom who helps her son get groceries,” said Savitsky, who left his day job at an investment bank to run the startup.

“We are the same customer as everyone else.”

Ron Damiani, a spokesman for Costco Canada, says the retailer is a wholesaler and therefore doesn’t take issue with Comfort.to reselling its products to people who may not have memberships.

“We’ve been selling as a wholesaler since the very beginning. If you’re a convenience store, clothing store, then you’re likely selling our product to people who may also not be members.” ■

Stocks seen to rise Fashion house Coach lobbies

BY DORIS DUMLAOABADILLA Philippine Daily Inquirer AFTER BREAKING past the 8,000 mark, the local stock barometer is seen to rise further on followthrough buying this week as investor sentiment remains mostly upbeat.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) rose by 258.54 points or 3.33 percent last week to close at 8,030.06 on Friday.

Expectation of better secondquarter earnings and positive investor sentiment pushed share prices higher last week,

BDO Unibank chief strategist Jonathan Ravelas said. He noted that the local bourse had posted the biggest weekly net inflow of $157.4 million since May 27.

“Chartwise, the week’s close at 8,030.06 continues to support the the view that the market has still some gas to retry the 8,136 levels in the near-term,” Ravelas said, referring to the PSEi’s all-time high level hit in April 2015.

“However, one may note that momentum indicators are at overbought territory and volume is declining,” Ravelas said, explaining this could be “an early indication that the market may be nearing a top.” ■

for tax breaks for PH-made bags

BY AMY R. REMO Philippine Daily Inquirer FASHION BRAND Coach and two American industry associations urged the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to include Philippine-made luggage and travel goods on its list of dutyfree products.

Angus McRae, head of supply chain at the New York-based Coach Inc., said the fashion line viewed the Philippines “as a major sourcing partner with the www.canadianinquirer.net

potential to grow immediately.

Philippine-based factories are capable of producing bags that meet Coach’s needs.”

McRae said it wanted to expand its sourcing options in the Philippines and other countries.

“Coach estimates that it would shift the majority of its production currently taking place in China.”

The USTR earlier this month announced leather goods from Sub Saharan African countries have been included on the US’ generalized system of preferences (GSP). It, however, de-

ferred ruling on the applications of the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, among others.

The American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) and Outdoor Industry Association expressed disappointment over the USTR’s decision.

“If President Obama had granted benefits to travel goods from all GSP-eligible countries, we estimate the industry would have received benefits that could exceed $75 million dollars during the first year alone,” AAFA president and CEO Rick Helfenbein said in a statement. ■

29

FRIDAY JULY 22, 2016

Sports Summer sports seek ‘individual’ Earthquakes not blanket ban on Russians beat Toronto FC

BY STEPHEN WILSON The Associated Press LONDON — Summer Olympic sports federations said on Tuesday they are ready to deal with “individual cases” of Russian doping, rather than endorse a total ban on the Russian team for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

The Association of Summer Olympic International Federations, which represents the 28 sports in the games, said it recognized the “gravity and extent of the doping activities in Russia” as detailed in Monday’s report by World Anti-Doping Agency investigator Richard McLaren.

The report, which accused Russia’s sports ministry of overseeing doping of the country’s Olympic athletes on a vast scale, listed 20 summer sports as being part of the cheating conspiracy.

WADA and other anti-doping officials urged the International Olympic Committee to consider the unprecedented step of excluding the entire Russian contingent from the Rio Games. The IOC executive board was meeting by teleconference later Tuesday to weight its options.

Any IOC decisions may not be definitive, as the Court of Arbitration for Sport is scheduled to rule on Thursday on Russia’s appeal against the IAAF ban on its track and field athletes from competing in Rio. The summer sports association made clear they do not support a blanket ban.

The association asked WADA “to immediately provide all the detailed information to the 20 international federations concerned so that they may begin processing the individual cases under their own separate rules and regulations as soon as possible, and in line with the WADA Code and the Olympic Charter.

“It is important to focus on

the need for individual justice in all these cases.”

The association said it endorses all federation decisions, “including those that take into account collective responsibility of organizations under the IFs’ governance.”

That means, rather than applying a total ban, federations could suspend individual Russian sports. That’s already the case with the IAAF, which barred Russia’s track athletes from the games following previous WADA-commissioned reports into Russian doping.

“ASOIF fully supports a policy of zero tolerance in bringing all individuals linked to antidoping violations to justice,” the statement said.

The summer association’s position falls in line with recent comments by IOC President Thomas Bach, who has cited the need to strike a balance between “individual justice and collective punishment.” He said last week that, if summer sports were implicated in the McLaren report, the international federations would have to decide on the eligibility of Russian athletes “on an individual basis.”

McLaren’s report uncovered a state-run doping scheme that ensnared 28 sports, both summer and winter, and ran from 2011 to 2015.

The investigation told of 312 positive tests that Russia’s deputy minister of sport directed lab workers not to report to WADA. Russia’s intelligence serve, the FSB, was also involved, the report said. It also provided further details of the swapping of doping samples to protect Russian dopers, including medallists , at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi.

“I’m shocked and devastated

by what’s been going on,” said Paul Melia, the head of Canada’s anti-doping organization, after the findings were delivered on Monday in Toronto. “And I can only imagine how betrayed the clean athletes of the world are feeling today in the face of this evidence.”

WADA President Craig Reedie, who is also an IOC vicepresident, said: “WADA insists upon imposition of the most serious consequences to protect clean athletes from the scourge of doping in sport.”

But a blanket ban is not a sure thing.

The decision to deliver one is rife with political ramifications that involve a country that sent the third-most athletes (more than 430) to the previous Summer Olympics, four years ago in London. It puts the IOC in the position of ruling against one of its biggest supporters, a nation that spent more than $50 billion hosting the Winter Games in Sochi just two years ago.

“The right to participate at the games cannot be stolen from an athlete, who has duly qualified and has not been found guilty of doping,” said Bruno Grandi, president of gymnastics’ international federation. “Blanket bans have never been and will never be just.”

Gymnastics was not among the sports listed in the report.

Wrestling, meanwhile, accounted for 28 of the 312 unreported positives. The head of that international federation, Nenad Lalovic of Serbia, told The Associated Press “we will absolutely follow the decisions of the IOC.” Whether the IOC issues its decision on Tuesday or simply sets the table for it to come later, it could be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

CAS was hearing Russia’s appeal on Tuesday against the ban on its athletics team. ■ AP National Writer Eddie Pells contributed. www.canadianinquirer.net

2-1, snap 7 game winless streak THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SAN JOSE, Calif. — Simon Dawkins scored in the 70th minute and the San Jose Earthquakes — playing down two men most of the second half — beat Toronto FC 2-1 on Saturday night to end a seven-game winless streak.

Toronto FC coach Greg Vanney wasn’t happy watching his club drop three points on the road while playing with such an advantage against San Jose the final 40-plus minutes.

“I’m not going to make this bigger than what it is,” said Vanney. “It seems bigger than what it is because it was eight on 10 but at the end of the day it was three points. We should have taken more out of the game, at least one point given the circumstances, but we didn’t.”

Dawkins fired a right-footer from just outside the top of the

box to put the Earthquakes up 2-1.

“It was a series of errors, they should never even get a shot off to be fair,” said Vanney. “Probaly four, five errors that led to the ball being in the back of the net. With respect to them, that’s what they needed to happen to get a goal — for us to screw up.”

San Jose (6-6-7) won for the first time since beating Houston 3-1 on May 11.

Quincy Amarikwa put the Earthquakes up 1-0 in the 30th minute but, 12 minutes later, Anibal Godoy received a red card, leaving San Jose a man down.

Justin Morrow capitalized in the 44th, tapping a left-footer into a wide-open net to tie it.

Alberto Quintero drew a red card in the 53rd minute and San Jose played two men down the rest of the way.

Toronto (6-7-6) outshot San Jose 22-8. ■

Tory leadership... nancing) campaign at the beginning of July,” he said. “The campaign focused on activity on social media, on taking firm conservative stances...I believe I am the only candidate who has a plan for the prosperity of this country.”

The other hopefuls so far are Kellie Leitch, Michael Chong, Tony Clement and Deepak Obhrai. The leader will be chosen next May. Bernier, whose reputation in Quebec is that of a staunch federalist, recalled in an interview Sunday how he previously served as an adviser to Bernard Landry when the future Parti Quebecois premier was finance minister under Lucien Bouchard in the 1990s. ❰❰ 18

“It is thanks to Quebecers that Canada is what it is right now,” he said on Radio-Canada’s “Deja dimanche!” program.

“It was founded in French, by Quebecers. So, I am a very nationalist Quebecer.”

On Monday, he elaborated on what he meant.

“Being a nationalist is being a Quebecer who wants the Canadian Constitution to be respected,” he said.

“Being nationalist is knowing and believing that the Quebec government and provinces have specific powers and that they must be able to assume those responsibilities without having the federal government meddle in areas of exclusive provincial jurisdiction.” ■

30

JULY 22, 2016

FRIDAY

Technology Women entrepreneurs galvanized to disrupt male-dominated tech industry

BY TAMSYN BURGMANN The Canadian Press VANCOUVER — Technology entrepreneur Tammy Meyers does a mental count every time she attends a business conference promoting the augmented reality company she co-founded. Almost always, she’s one of the only women in the room.

Meyers is chief operating officer of QuestUpon, a British Columbia tech firm that’s been garnering accolades for virtual tourism experiences similar to the new Pokemon Go craze.

She’s been watching the province’s tech industry advance rapidly, but hasn’t seen women prosper at the same rate.

“There’s probably more of a hill to climb for women to prove themselves, when it’s a maledominated space,” she said.

Meyers blames the imbalance on factors from subtle sexism to lack of women in prominent roles, a view shared by several other female entrepreneurs. They also share a vision for spurring progress equal to the tech boom that’s transforming the provincial economy and say their involvement is key to being globally competitive.

An upcoming gathering of 500 female business leaders and another 500 young women will tackle their lagging entry into the exploding tech-driven business world. Organizers of the Vancouver forum “We for She: Championing the Next Generation,” have calculated it will take 100 years for women in Canada to achieve parity in

“If we want to kick this thing in the butt, and we want to spark and inspire and revolutionize the way women are leading the tech space, we need to colour outside of the lines.”

the industry at the current rate of advance.

Women make up 54 per cent of B.C.’s post-secondary graduates in science and technology, but hold less than 10 per cent of senior leadership, according to the B.C. Innovation Council.

The forum, taking place in October, will highlight research about the snail’s pace of change, said forum co-chair Lois Nahirney. Participants will examine unconscious bias and systemic barriers holding women back from leadership positions.

“It’s exhausting, it’s like always having to dance backwards in heels,” said Nahirney, CEO of dnaPower Inc. and chairwoman of the Premier’s Women’s Economic Council.

Creating a welcoming environment that doesn’t discrimi-

nate against hiring women and includes policies supporting life and family balance are vital to improving the dynamic, she said.

Angela Robert, a software engineer who co-founded Conquer Mobile, believes more women will enter the industry if companies allow part-time work, telecommuting and flexible maternity leave.

She said the tech ecosystem hasn’t evolved to meet women’s needs, nor does it reflect their image.

“Think of the key people who everyone looks up to, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. How is that appealing to a woman to be like those guys?”

Paris Gaudet is one of only two women in B.C. running a technology organization and

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she has encountered men “either threatened or challenged” by dealing with her.

“It’s a slight word, or subtle body language, or it’s something like, ‘Paris, are you taking notes?”‘ said Gaudet, executive director of Nanaimo-based Innovation Island.

But she’s heartened that a new generation of women may gain ground thanks to workshops such as Ladies Learning Code and the addition of coding to B.C.’s school curriculum. Gaudet is urging women to band together to establish a tech incubator “for women, about women,” to help grow businesses in the sector.

“If we want to kick this thing in the butt, and we want to spark and inspire and revolutionize the way women are

leading the tech space, we need to colour outside of the lines,” she said.

Several women working at Vancouver tech accelerators, organizations that mentor startup companies, began supporting each other coincidentally and dubbed themselves the “startup sorority.”

One core member, Vivian Chan, said she’s frustrated that gender is even an issue.

“It’s like, ‘No, no, no, take a look at what they’re doing, not that they’re female,”‘ said Chan, manager of national accelerator operations at WaveFront.

Jessica Pautsch recently lead a successful trade mission promoting her company MeshX, which has developed matchmaking software for surplus food. The firm aims to end global food shortages with a tech-based redistribution system that prevents commercial waste.

Investors are increasingly receptive to her leadership style, she said. Many business cases also support the notion that inclusive, diverse firms with nurturing environments are more successful, she added.

“Higher productivity, the higher the happiness and the higher the bottom line, ultimately.”

Women must keep taking risks to enter the industry, but B.C.’s growing tech hub is ripe for progress, said Crop Sense Chief Technology Officer Maryam Antikchi.

“If there is any place in the world where women can accelerate, it would be here.” ■

Technology

FRIDAY JULY 22, 2016

31

Pokemon Go underscores Nintendo’s rich characters, vision

BY YURI KAGEYAMA The Associated Press TOKYO — Nintendo suffered as a latecomer to smartphone games but is seeing the deep wealth of its franchise characters pay off with the success of “Pokemon Go,” even without a launch yet in Japan.

The Japanese game maker was starting to look like a casualty of history until the game was launched in the U.S. earlier this month. Not anymore.

Nintendo Co.’s management missed both the online and mobile revolutions. The popularity of “Pokemon Go” says much about the untapped value of cultural properties — at least when you’re lucky enough to deploy them in the right place at the right time.

“Nintendo might have been slow to adapt to the smartphone era, but now that it’s doing it, it’s doing it in full force and showing tremendous power,” said Hiroyuki Kubota, a financial analyst.

The windfall from what Kubota dubs “Pokenomics” could help reverse Nintendo’s fortunes, although some analysts think its impact on the company’s revenues will be limited because the game is free apart from certain revenueearning features, he said.

Nintendo’s original Pokemon game featured adventurous wanderings through a fantasy world to collect cute, imaginary monsters. “Pokemon Go” involves finding digital creatures that pop up in the screen

of your mobile device as you game might be coming to Japan move about the real world. In sometime this week. Online, the U.S., where it is extremely many Japanese are questioning popular, some people have in- why Americans are having all jured themselves in pursuit of the fun even though Pokemon the monsters, falling or getting originated in Japan. distracted while driving.

“Everyone is getting antsy.

The augmented-reality game The bigger it gets in the U.S., the could boost recognition for more frustrated fans are getNintendo’s brand that likely ting in Japan,” said Motohiko will trickle down to other sales, Tokuriki, chief marketing offiincluding analog items like cer at Tokyo-based Agile Media Pokemon cards or dolls, income Network, which specializes in from Pokemon movies, and online marketing. other Nintendo games such as Still, since “Pokemon Go” is Donkey Kong, Kubota told The based on U.S. company Niantic Associated Press.

Labs’ “Ingress” game, it made Nintendo resisted smartphones and mobile devices for years, sticking to its Nintendo’s stock has surged sense for the game to launch trusted formula as it struggled to protect its core earnings.

TINXI / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM since “Pokemon Go” became overseas first, says Tokuriki, available in the U.S., recently who has a popular blog about trading at about 26,500 yen technology.

“That’s why this is not about But Nintendo resisted smart($250) a share in Tokyo, up It took matching Niantic’s ‘Disney Go.’ This is about ‘Poke- phones and mobile devices for more than 40 per cent from its game with Pokemon charac- mon Go.’ years, sticking to its trusted forlevels before “Pokemon Go.” ters to deliver the experience “Pokemon Go” is the kind of mula as it struggled to protect Staff at Nintendo, which also that’s gripping so many people: game the creators of Pokemon its core earnings. owns the Super might have come That strategy foundered as Mario and Zelda up with 20 years the company posted losses in franchises, apago had current two of the last five fiscal years, pear simply augmented real- hit by competition from smartbaffled by the Nintendo might have been slow to ity and smart- phones and unfavourable exoverseas craze, adapt to the smartphone era, but phone technolo- change rates. referring all quenow that it’s doing it, it’s doing it in gy been available Ultimately, “Pokemon Go” ries on “Pokefull force and showing tremendous then. is aligned with the vision of its mon Go,” to its power.

N i n t e n d o former president Satoru Iwata, affiliate Pokestarted out in who died in 2015 after leadmon.

1889 as a tradi- ing Nintendo for over a dozen The affiliate tional playing- years. company refused a request Cautious Japanese might have cards maker and hit the world Contrary to the stereotype for an interview with founder squelched such a new concept, by storm with its series of video of a solitary game player glued Tsunekazu Ishihara, saying it focusing on risks from such as game consoles, starting with to a display in a room, Iwata was turning down all such re- accidents or the reported use of the Family Computer, or Fami- believed everyone is a child-atquests. A spokeswoman did the game to lure potential rob- Com for short, in the 1980s. heart, eager to go outside and answer basic questions, such bery victims.

Its Game Boy and DS hand- play, interacting with the world as denying the company has “This is about the Nintendo held machines pioneered mobile and other people. decided on a launch date for universe,” said Tokuriki, who games, and Japanese children “Video games are meant to “Pokemon Go” in Japan. was looking forward to playing have been using network con- be just one thing. Fun. Fun for Anticipation is running high, “Pokemon Go” with his fourth- nections on such machines to everyone,” he said, in one of his with rumours circulating the grade and pre-school children. play games with total strangers. most quoted comments. ■

Mexico City inaugurates world’s largest digital technology event PHILIPPINES NEWS AGENCY MEXICO CITY — The fourth edition of Digital Village, the world’s largest digital technology event that aims to teach people about new information and communications technologies (ICT), was unveiled Friday in Mexico City’s Zocalo square.

Organized by the government

of Mexico City, Mexico’s telecommunications giant Telmex and the Carlos Slim Foundation, the event will last till Aug. 5, during which over 72 training workshops will be held.

A total of 81 exhibitors showcase technology related to themes such as education, entrepreneurship, health, human development, culture, robotics, 3D animation, films, toys and even a space for a Formula 1 race car.

Visitors will be able to enjoy Internet connection with speeds up to 100 gigabytes. Organizers hope the number of visitors will top 400,000 as registered in 2015.

Event coordinator Octavio Orozco said the Digital Village hopes to reduce the gap between those who can access ICT and those who cannot in Mexico.

“The event is mainly educational but it also presents a www.canadianinquirer.net

range of products related to digital knowledge and entertainment,” Orozco said at the opening ceremony of the event.

Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera announced that the city was planning to build a permanent digital village in a 1,000-square-meter space in the neighborhood of Iztapalapa.

Mexican Minister of Communications and Transport Gerardo Ruiz Esparza also said

Mexico’s ongoing telecommunications reform would pour more resources into training digital professionals, expanding Internet coverage, and improving telephone, Internet and paid television services.

According to the National Institute of Statistics and Geography, 57.4 percent of the Mexican population were Internet users in 2014. The number grew 12.5 percent on average between 2006 and 2014. ■

32

JULY 22, 2016

FRIDAY

Travel Cactus, buffalo, golf carts and Haitians trek to the beach: Catalina Island sacred waterfalls in Voodoo festival

BY BETH J. HARPAZ The Associated Press

BY DAVID MCFADDEN The Associated Press

AVALON, CALIF. — Catalina Island is just a ferry ride from Long Beach and other points on the coast of Southern California, but it feels like it’s a world away. Go for a swim, try a buffalo milk cocktail and maybe even take a tour to catch a glimpse of real buffalo in the island’s scrubby hills. Rent a golf cart to tool around in and visit the botanical garden.

Whether you’re there for a day, an overnight or longer, there’s plenty to do. Or just lie on the beach, enjoy the scenery and do nothing at all.

Island history

Formally called Santa Catalina, the island was developed in the early 20th century as a resort by William Wrigley Jr., who made his fortune in Wrigley chewing gum and owned the Chicago Cubs baseball team.

He even brought the players to Catalina for spring training for a number of years.

The island was also used by Hollywood as a filming location. The buffalo that roam the island today are descended from animals brought to the island for a movie and left to run wild.

One of the island’s biggest landmarks, the Catalina Casino, a round, white art deco building, was built in 1929 and hosted performers from the Big Band era, drawing thousands of guests to dance the night away in its ballroom. Today it’s the site of a movie theatre.

The Catalina Island Conservancy now owns 88 per cent of the island, including more than 62 miles of undeveloped coastline.

Things to do

Get off the ferry and everything you need for a fun day is right in front of you in the compact retail district: the beach, the water, shops, restaurants,

Catalina Island in California.

bars. There’s great seafood at spots like the Bluewater Grill and the Descanso Beach Club, but there are also plenty of other dining options, from pizza to Mexican. Buffalo milk is a sweet local specialty, with milk, vodka, Kahlua, creme de cacao and banana cream liqueur blended and served over ice.

There’s a 14-year waiting list to own a car on Catalina, and the number of vehicles allowed there is strictly limited. But you can rent a golf cart at one of several businesses (one is cash only, $80 for three hours) and head up into the hills. You’ll get terrific views of boats in the harbour and the Pacific. An easy-to-follow route will take you up to the Wrigley Memorial & Botanical Garden, known for its cactus collection. (Wrigley himself was once interred at the memorial, a beautiful stone monument, but he’s now buried in Pasadena.)

Catalina also offers numerous trails and is popular with overnight campers who can be seen lining up for ferries from the mainland with gear, food

and water. For day-trippers, a popular short hike is the Garden to Sky Hike, 2.4 miles round-trip from the Wrigley Memorial. That trail also connects to a longer route, the Garden to Sky Loop Trail.

Other activities include zip lining, Segway and bike rentals, a golf course, and bus and Jeep tours of the island’s rugged hills and scrubby interior, where you might see a buffalo or two. Water activities include kayaking, snorkeling and glass-bottomed boat tours.

Just don’t be surprised if you don’t get a free glass of water with your restaurant meals.

The island, like much of Southern California, is suffering from drought conditions, but you can always buy a bottle.

SAUT D’EAU, HAITI — Some carrying candles or calabash bowls with offerings of goat meat, thousands of Haitians made a Saturday pilgrimage to bathe in sacred waterfalls and pray for everything from a good harvest to an end to Haiti’s chronic political dysfunction.

A mix of Voodoo and Christian faithful along with a cohort of young, hard-partying revelers gathered in the rushing waters of Saut d’Eau, where they scrubbed their bodies with aromatic leaves and soap. It was the final day of this year’s annual three-day festival.

A number of impoverished Haitians made long treks by foot, motorbike or crammed into the back of pickup trucks to reach the 100-tall foot falls, surrounded by white candles placed in moss and tree stumps.

A group of subsistence farmers from the coastal town of Arcahaie spent their meagre savings to travel to the falls clad in their best clothes for Voodoo rituals: purple dresseswith a red collar for the women and white shirts and pants for the men.

“I’ve come to put my sickness in the water and gain fresh luck,” said Dieudeaue Beauvil, who says she’s been struggling with a mysterious malady.

There were no shortage of younger Haitians who came

If You Go...

CATALINA ISLAND: www. catalinachamber.com Ferries depart from Long Beach, San Pedro, Newport Beach and Dana Point. Crossing time is about 75 minutes. Helicopter service and charter boats and aircraft are also available. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

Saut-d'Eau Waterfall.

mostly for a good time, drinking shots of homemade moonshine and flirting in the waters.

But many took their prayers seriously, tossing their soaked clothing into the water in a symbolic shedding of their old self. Some shook spastically when the spirits overtook them.

Haitian-American social worker Andrea Bellevue was lured from Boston to seek help from Erzulie, a spirit god of love in Voodoo, or Vodou.

“Whenever you come to her and ask her for something you shall receive,” said the Boston resident as she and many others stripped to their underwear and scrubbed their bodies with leaves.

In the nearby town of Saut d’Eau, pilgrims converged on the local church to pray to the Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel, closely associated with the Voodoo goddess of Erzulie. Saut d’Eau’s mystique owes to a 19th century legend that an image of the virgin appeared in the waterfalls.

Voodoo evolved in the 17th century from African slaves.

French colonizers forced them to practice Roman Catholicism, but many remained loyal to their African religions in secret by adopting Catholic saints to coincide with African spirits.

The Voodoo religion has long been central to Haitian life. ■ AP videographer Pierre-Richard Luxama and AP photographer Dieu NalioChery contributed to this story.

Travel

FRIDAY JULY 22, 2016

33

Montebello, Que., attracts crowds, political elite with history and scenery

BY KRISTY KIRKUP The Canadian Press MONTEBELLO, QUE. — Montebello — a small municipality in western Quebec about an hour’s drive from the nation’s capital — has a long history of attracting crowds that range from families to Canada’s political elite.

The most famous attraction is Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello — a log cabin built in 1930 situated along the Ottawa River and adjacent to the Laurentian Mountain range.

A Finnish builder supervised its construction and teams of workers, including as many as 3,500 at the peak of its construction, who used red-cedar logs cut and set by hand to erect the three main buildings on the resort.

For the first 40 years of its history, the site was a private retreat of the Seigniory Club which garnered attention from prestigious business and political figures such as former prime minister Lester B. Pearson.

In 1970, the resort was acquired by Canadian Pacific Hotels and it opened its doors to the public for the first time.

It is now maintained by Fairmont Hotels and Resorts.

Over the years it has been used for a number of historic gatherings, including the 1981 G7 economic summit attended by figures including U.S. president Ronald Reagan, British prime minister

Margaret Thatcher and Canadian prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau.

It was also used for the 2007 North American Leaders Summit — with then U.S. president George W. Bush, Mexican president Felipe Calderon and Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper — and has attracted celebrities and royalty.

Chateau Montebello is also very popular for family vacations, said marketing representative Jennifer Wilson.

“There’s a lot you can do on the resort, many activities. We have restaurants as well,” she said.

“It is a nice place to gather, relax, have a good time and enjoy the Montebello region.”

The hotel, which brings in a wide range of visitors from across Canada and the world, also offers a number of activities on site including horseback riding, kayaking, swimming and biking in the summer months.

Winter activities include ice fishing, curling, dog-sledding, sleigh rides and cross-country skiing.

“The hotel really represents the Canadian essence,” Wilson said.

It is possible to pay a fee for activities without incurring the cost of a night’s stay, Wilson said, which means people from nearby cities like Ottawa and Montreal can enjoy the property during day trips.

The municipality itself is home to a number of local vendors and restaurants, including a microbrewery, a sa-

Fairmont Le Château Montebello.

PIERRE BONA / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

voury burger joint, a chocolate shop and a local cheese factory.

Montebello has also been a huge draw for animal enthusiasts for the past 25 years.

Parc Omega, located about 10 minutes from the hotel, is home to more than 15 species of animals, including elk, red deer, caribou, coyotes, black bears, boars and buffalo.

It is best known for its path allowing park-goers to feed carrots to some animals, such as deer, from inside their vehicles.

Laughing can often be heard as a result of the close interaction, said zoologist Azalee Gaudreau.

The park itself features different environments such as lakes, a forest and a meadow.

“In all parks that I’ve been to, even

around the world, I would say here it is really special and it is really nice because the animals are really free in the park,” said Gaudreau.

The park offers other activities as well, including picnic areas and hiking trails and there is an option of staying on site overnight.

There are a few options for accommodations including a log cabin, a teepee and a lodging space that can fit up to six people.

making fun of Swift, she still had her defenders. Some even wondered whether Swift could sue because she didn’t know the conversation was being recorded.

Others wondered if the entire Sunday night social media smack down was real or not.

“There’s a subset of folks out there who believe that all of this is staged, who believe that this is just another moment in an agreed upon and scripted drama,” Levy said. “That we are still just keeping up with the Kardashians and the Wests and the Swifts.” ■

If You Go...

When going to Parc Omega, pack carrots to feed to the animals. Or you can pay $2.50 for a bag of carrots at the site.

You should also be prepared to pack wipes or get a car wash after the visit because animal saliva can end up on the outside of your vehicle. ■

Team TayTay... ment Swift’s publicist released when “Famous” was released months ago. Part of it said West never asked for her permission to use the lyric, but to just tweet the song, and “declined and cautioned him about releasing a song with such a strong misogynistic message.” Others questioned why Swift would be upset at West calling her a bitch but she seemed OK with him rapping about having sex with her.

Moraski said while Swift’s image won’t drastically change tomorrow as a result of the drama, she feels “this might give some people pause when they think about her.”

Swift was already on the defensive after Harris, who the singer dated for more than a year before announcing their breakup last month, lashed out on social media after Swift revealed she used a pseudonym when co-writing his latest hit, “This Is What You Came For,” which features Rihanna. Harris said he was upset because they agreed to keep the collaboration between them. ❰❰ 25

“I know you’re off tour and you need someone new to try and bury like Katy ETC but I’m not that guy, sorry. I won’t allow it,” he said last week, referring to yet another Swift beef, between her and Katy Perry (Perry famously inferred that Swift was Regina George of “Mean Girls” after Swift suggested that her song “Bad Blood” was about her).

Harris didn’t jump in the drama Monday, but other celebrities did, from Khloe Kardashian to Piers Morgan to Chloe Grace Moretz.

“Everyone in this industry needs to get their heads out of a hole and look around to realize what’s ACTUALLY happening in the REAL world,” tweeted Moretz.

Khloe Kardashian didn’t appreciate the 19-year-old’s words and posted an explicit photo of what appeared to be Moretz. The actress, who once feuded with big sister Kim, said the photo was not of her but of “some girl who was wrongfully photographed.”

Though there were plenty of memes

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Events

34

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 Saturday, Filipino Centre Toronto, Toronto

JULY 22, 2016

FRIDAY

Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 1 to 6 p.m.

Fiesta ng Kalayaan 2016

By Kalayaan WHEN/WHERE: July 30 and 31, starting at 12 noon, at Mississauga Celebration Square, 300 City Centre Drive, Mississauga, ON. MORE INFO: Featuring Kapamilya Star Gerald Anderson

CANADA EVENTS

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

View all events by scanning this QR code or visiting

http://bit.ly/ PCI-Events

Abakada Atbp Homework/Tutorial Class By the Philippine Embassy in Ottawa

By FCT WHEN/WHERE: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Aug. YUKON WHEN/WHERE: 11a.m. to 12 nn, every 14, at the Philippine Embassy in Ottawa, NUNAVUT Saturday, Filipino Centre Toronto, 597 30 Murray St., Ottawa, ON Parliament St., Suite 103,NORTHWEST Toronto, ON MORE INFO: Free Admission. Call 613TERRITORIES MORE INFO: For registrations, call 416233-1121 or email embassyofphilippines@ 928-9355. The office, at 597 Parliament rogers.com St., Suite 103, Toronto, is open on

BRITISH COLUMBIA ALBERTA

NEWFOUNDLAND

MANITOBA

SASKATCHEWAN

ONTARIO

QUEBEC

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

MORE INFO: Call (604)438-8214

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.

Summer Sunset Series

By City of Richmond WHEN/WHERE: Every Sunday up to to Aug. 28, at the Olympic Riverside Plaza All Night – Beach Volleyball 5:00 p.m. – Food Truck opens 5:15 p.m. – FREE Yoga Class 6:00 p.m. – LIVE Music Dusk – Open Air Movie (July 10, 24, August 7 and 21) MORE INFO: Visit http://richmond.ca/sunsetseries

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 Seniors Club Knitting Circle

By Mosaic WHEN/WHERE: 1–3 p.m., Tuesdays at Mosaic Burnaby Centre for Immigrants, 5902 Kingsway, Vancouver, B.C.

Enchanted Evenings Concert Series

By Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden WHEN/WHERE: 7 p.m., Thursdays, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden, 578 Carrall St., Vancouver, B.C. MORE INFO: Closed on Mondays, admission by donation

Post-Arrival Orientation Seminar

By Philippine Consulate General-Vancouver and Philippine Overseas Labor Office WHEN/WHERE: 3 to 5 p.m., July 23, at Ernie’s Kitchen, 154 Asher Rd., Kelowna, B.C. MORE INFO: To register, contact POLO at 604-6411234 Fiji Festival

By Bula! Fiji Association of BC Jai Fiji Television & Carter GM (BBy) WHEN/WHERE: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., July 23, at Swangard Stadium cor of Kingsway & Boundary Burnaby, B.C. MORE INFO: Call Vincent Prakash at 604-434-3920 Badminton and Volleyball Elimination Rounds

By MHHS www.canadianinquirer.net

WHEN/WHERE: 2 to 6:30 p.m., July 23 and 30, at Boys & Girls NOVA Club, MHHS 7595 Victoria Dr., Vancouver, B.C. SCOTIA Everytime We Say Goodbye: Classic Torch Songs

By ACAT “Anyone Can Act Theatre” WHEN/WHERE: 8 p.m., July 29, at Kaya Malay Bistro, 1063 W. Broadway, Vancouver, B.C. MORE INFO: Featuring Armi Grano, torch singer extraordinaire and guest performers – Eleanor Campbell, Melissa Briones, Esmie McLaren, Michael McLaren, Clay Campbell, Mel Tobias and Kenson Ho. Ticket price: $20 cover charge with complimentary after dinner snacks. Cash bar Tim Pavino: An Evening at the Theatre

By Pavisonworldwide.com WHEN/WHERE: 7:30 p.m., July 30, at The Theatre at Meydenbauer MORE INFO: With special guest: Joey Albert Moments of Grace: A Concert By Peter’s Chord

By United Leytenos Society in BC Canada WHEN/WHERE: 7 p.m., July 30, St. Monica Church, 12011 Woodhead Rd., Richmond, B.C. Open House & BBQ

By MHHS WHEN/WHERE: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Aug. 6, at MHHS Office: 4802 Fraser Street corner of 32nd Ave. & Fraser St., Vancouver, B.C. MORE INFO: Call 604-879-3277 PhotoLakad By the University of the Philippines Alumni Association in B.C. WHEN/WHERE: 9:30 a.m., Aug. 6, at Olympic Cauldron, Jack Poole Plaza, Vancouver, B.C.

FRIDAY JULY 22, 2016

35

Food Syrian kibbeh has many variations, other dishes combine sweet, savoury flavours

BY LOIS ABRAHAM The Canadian Press

with toasted pine nuts and chopped parsley.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

TORONTO — Anissa Helou is on a mission to record traditional Syrian recipes and culinary lore that are centuries old and passed down orally.

The chef and food writer, who was born and raised between Beirut, Lebanon, and Mashta al-Helou, Syria, wants to make sure the recipes are available for the younger generation, many of whom have been displaced from their homeland and may become integrated into another culture.

Syrian food is a very rich cuisine with regional variations, she says.

One of the most famous dishes in Syria is kibbeh, a mixture of lamb and bulgur wheat seasoned with spices.

“You can have it raw, you can have it shaped into balls and fried, or shaped into balls and cooked in yogurt, or made into disks and charcoal grilled, or made into pie and baked. The balls can also be cooked in a sumac sauce, lots of different variations. It’s one of the grandest dishes,” she says.

“And then you have the cuisine that is specific to Aleppo, which is the culinary capital of the Middle East. One of the quintessential Aleppo dishes is tiny meatballs cooked in a sour cherry sauce or cooked with quince and fresh pomegranate juice and these are called kebab.

“You have a lot of main dishes that are intriguing, that combine sweet and savoury flavours and where the meat is cooked with fruit. It’s very sophisticated and very refined.”

Mezze are small dishes served as starters that can include salads, savoury pastries, vegetables, vegetarian dishes and small meat dishes like chicken wings and sausages.

Syria is fertile, with plenty of fruit and vegetables, and known for its wonderful breads and sweets.

Syrian food is not spicy but seasoning is important and always evident, says Helou. A seven-spice mixture used in many dishes can contain black and white pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves and coriander.

Yogurt is an essential ingredient, as are nuts like pistachios, walnuts, pine nuts and almonds.

Colours are vibrant and textures varied.

“You go from crisp with the savoury

Source: Anissa Helou, chef and food writer.

Kibbeh qrass (Kibbeh balls)

Kibbeh qrass (Kibbeh balls).

pastries to the grilled meat to soft when you’re getting into the kebab dishes with the meatballs cooked with fruits or the kibbeh cooked in yogurt,” says Helou.

“If you sit down to a proper Syrian meal you would have a lot of dishes on the table. Like if I’m inviting somebody I’m not going to have one starter and one main course. I’d probably have three or four starters and maybe two or three main courses and I’d have maybe stuffed vegetables that would be very smooth velvety texture and maybe I’d have kibbeh, fried kibbeh balls and that would be crisp and sort of slightly crunchy with the stuffing with the nuts inside.

“The meal would have apart from the vibrancy of the colours and the wonderful spread that you would see on the table, you would have tart flavours, sweet and savoury flavours, you would go through a range of flavours, range of textures. It will be quite a wonderful sensory experience and sensual as well because the food is so delicious.”

Here are some recipes from Helou’s collection to try:

• 1 kg (2 lb) fresh sour cherries, pitted (or 500 g/1 lb dried sour cherries soaked overnight in 500 ml/2 cups water) • 2 to 3 pita breads, opened at the seams and cut into medium-sized triangles • Few sprigs parsley, leaves only, coarsely chopped Mix meat with spices and salt. Make small meatballs, pressing one pine nut inside each.

Saute meatballs in the butter and transfer to a sieve to drain off the excess fat.

Add flour to butter and stir for a minute or so. Add cherries. Season with a little salt and stir for a few minutes.

Let cherries simmer on low heat until cooked.

Just before serving, add meatballs to cherry sauce to heat through and serve over torn pieces of pita bread, sprinkled

Lena Antaki’s cherry kebabs

This is a quintessential dish from Aleppo, regarded as the culinary capital of Syria, says Helou.

• 500 g (1 lb) lean minced lamb • 2 ml (1/2 tsp) seven-spice mixture (or allspice) • 7 ml (1/2 tbsp) sea salt (or to taste) • Handful of pine nuts, plus extra toasted for garnish • 15 ml (1 tbsp) unsalted butter • 5 ml (1 tsp) plain flour www.canadianinquirer.net

Kibbeh balls are probably one of the most intricate and time-consuming mezze, or starter, dishes. However, they are an essential part of any mezze in Lebanon and you will soon get the hang of making the balls successfully, says Helou.

She suggests purchasing meat already ground from a butcher. Be sure to ask for the best part of the leg for both the kibbeh and stuffing.

Use very fine bulgur; otherwise, the meat mixture will be too coarse and not easy to shape.

Stuffing • 90 g (3 oz) unsalted butter • 60 g (2 oz) pine nuts • 500 g (1 lb) large onions, finely chopped • 200 g (7 oz) lean minced lamb • 10 ml (2 tsp) ground cinnamon • 10 ml (2 tsp) ground allspice • 2 ml (1/2 tsp) finely ground black pepper • Salt, to taste Kibbeh • 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered • 500 g (1 lb) finely minced lean lamb from the leg • 200 g (7 oz) fine bulgur • 10 ml (2 tsp) ground cinnamon ❱❱ PAGE 36 Syrian kibbeh

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JULY 22, 2016

Trump campaign... agree with them.”

Another passage with notable similarities that follows two sentences later in Mrs. Trump’s speech addresses her attempts to instil those values in her son.

“We need to pass those lessons on to the many generations to follow,” Mrs. Trump said. “Because we want our children in this nation to know that the only limit to your achievements is the strength of your dreams and your willingness to work for them.”

In the first lady’s 2008 speech, she said, “Barack and I set out to build lives guided by these values and to pass them onto the next generation, because we want our children — and all children in this nation — to know that the only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work hard for them.”

Trump’s campaign initially responded that Mrs. Trump’s “immigrant experience and love for America shone through in her speech.” The statement didn’t mention Mrs. Obama. “In writing her beautiful speech, Melania’s team of writers took ❰❰ 21

Syrian kibbeh... notes on her life’s inspirations, and in some instances included fragments that reflected her own thinking,” Trump spokesman Jason Miller said.

In an interview with NBC News taped ahead of her convention appearance and posted online early Tuesday, Mrs. Trump said of her speech, “I wrote it.” She added that she had “a little help.”

On the whole, Mrs. Trump presented a softer and gentler candidate. She said: “He is tough when he has to be, but he is also kind and fair and caring.

This kindness is not always noted, but it is there for all to see.

That is one reason I fell in love with him to begin with.”

The Slovenian-born former model, 24 years her husband’s junior, also reintroduced herself, showing poise as well as devotion to her adopted country and to her husband’s cause.

Mrs. Trump, appearing in a striking white dress with elbow-length sleeves ending in big, puffy cuffs, spoke after an uncharacteristically brief introduction from her husband, who kissed her and called her “my wife, an amazing mother, an incredible woman.” ■

Turkey’s Erdogan... part of Turkey’s bid to join the European Union.

“In a country where our youths are killed with tanks and bombs, if we stay silent, as political people we will be held responsible in the afterlife,” Erdogan said, pointing out that capital punishment exists in several countries around the world, including the United States and China.

Speaking to parliament, the chairman of the opposition Nationalist Movement Party, Devlet Bahceli, said his party would back legislation to reintroduce the death penalty if it was put forward by the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP. “If the AKP is ready, we are in for the death penalty,” Bahceli said.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, meanwhile, reflected the triumphant mood of authorities. He said the July 15 victory over the plotters was “epic” and that no coup in the history of ❰❰ 21

FRIDAY

Turkey had been as brutal as the one that the elected government survived.

“The force of the tanks could not beat the force of the people,” he said.

Yildirim said Turkey has sent four files to the United States on Gulen, who denies any involvement and has condemned the coup attempt.

The prime minister urged Washington not to “harbour this terrorist any longer. He is of no benefit to humanity, he is of no benefit to Islam.”

Yildirim also lashed out at Europe, whose leaders have expressed concerns over the purges underway across Turkey’s key state institutions.

“We thank our European friends for their support against the coup, however their sentences starting with ‘but’ did not please us at all,” he said. ■ Fraser reported in Ankara.

Sarah El Deeb and Cinar Kiper in Istanbul also contributed reporting.

• 10 ml (2 tsp) ground allspice • 2 ml (1/2 tsp) finely ground black pepper • Salt, to taste • Basil leaves, for garnish (optional) Melt butter in a deep frying pan over medium heat and saute pine nuts, stirring constantly, until golden brown. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

In the same butter, fry chopped onions until soft and transparent. Add minced meat and cook — mash and stir it with a spoon or fork so that it separates well and does not form lumps — until it loses all traces of pink. Remove from heat. Season with cinnamon, allspice, pepper and salt. Stir in pine nuts. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Set aside.

In a food processor, finely chop quartered onion, then add meat and process until mixed well. Wash bulgur in two or three changes of cold water, drain well and add to meat.

Pulse a few times. Transfer meat mixture to a bowl.

Prepare a bowl of lightly salted water and have it at hand.

Add cinnamon, allspice, pepper and salt and mix with your hand, dipping your hand every now and then in salted water to moisten it and the kibbeh, until spices are well incorporated.

Knead meat mixture for about 3 minutes until you have a smooth paste. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Divide kibbeh into 20 balls, each the size of a large plum.

Lightly moisten hands in salted water and place one meatball in the cup of one hand. With the index finger of your other hand burrow a hole into the meatball while rotating it. This makes the hollowing out easier and more even. You should produce a thin meat shell resembling a topless egg. Be careful not to pierce bottom or sides of meat.

Put 7 to 10 ml (1 1/2 to 2 tsp) of stuffing inside meat shell, gently pushing stuffing in with your finger, and pinch open edges together with your fingers. Cup your free fingers over the filled ball and gently shape it into a ball. Put finished ball on a non-stick baking sheet.

Continue making balls until you have finished both meat and stuffing. If you have some stuffing left, serve it warm on the side or fry some eggs on it.

Preheat oven to 180 C (350 ❰❰ 35

www.canadianinquirer.net

Semolina and nut cake.

F). Brush kibbeh balls with melted butter. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until crisp and lightly golden. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature. Garnish plate with basil leaves, if desired.

Makes 20 balls.

Source: “Levant: Recipes and Memories from the Middle East” by Anissa Helou (HarperCollins, 2013).

Syrian semolina and nut cake

This delectable syrupy sponge cake is topped with mixed nuts. This irresistible dessert is very simple to prepare.

“I make mine a little less sweet than is conventional, but it still drips with sugar syrup; I love the way the sticky sweetness is tempered by the crunchy nuts,” Helou writes.

• 300 ml (1 1/4 cups) semolina flour (regular, not fine) • 90 ml (6 tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature • 50 ml (1/4 cup) superfine sugar • 375 ml (1 1/2 cups) wholemilk yogurt • 1 ml (1/4 tsp) baking soda • 5 ml (1 tsp) tahini • 75 ml (1/3 cup) blanched almonds • 75 ml (1/3 cup) hulled unsalted pistachios • 75 ml (1/3 cup) walnut halves • 75 ml (1/3 cup) unsalted cashews • 375 ml (1 1/2 cups) Fragrant Sugar Syrup (recipe follows), room temperature In a mixing bowl, place semolina, butter and superfine sugar and work together using a spatula until well blended. Add yogurt and baking soda and mix until batter is firm.

Using tahini, grease a 25-cm (10-inch) round cake pan with sides about 4.5 cm (1 3/4 inches) high. Spread batter evenly

across prepared pan. Flatten it gently with the back of a spoon.

Cover with plastic wrap, taking care not to let the plastic touch the top of the batter, and let rest in a cool place for 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 200 C (400 F) for about 20 minutes.

Scatter nuts all over surface of batter and bake until cake is golden, about 40 minutes. Remove from oven and pour syrup all over. Don’t worry if the cake looks as if it is swimming in the syrup; it will absorb it all. Let the cake stand for 30 minutes to soak up the syrup. It may seem like too much syrup, but the cake needs it all. Of course, if you lack the Middle Eastern sweet tooth, you can decrease the amount. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Fragrant sugar syrup

• 500 ml (2 cups) superfine sugar • 7 ml (1 1/2 tsp) freshly squeezed lemon juice • 125 ml (1/2 cup) water • 15 ml (1 tbsp) rose water • 15 ml (1 tbsp) orange blossom water In a saucepan, place sugar, lemon juice and water in a saucepan and set over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to help the sugar dissolve. Boil for 3 minutes, and then add rose water and orange blossom water. Mix well and remove from heat. Let cool before using unless the recipe instructs otherwise. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Bring to room temperature before using.

Makes about 375 ml (1 1/2 cups).

Source: “Sweet Middle East: Classic Recipes, From Baklava to Fig Ice Cream” by Anissa Helou (Chronicle Books, 2015).

Seen & Scenes: Vancouver

FRIDAY JULY 22, 2016

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CAREGIVERS' CONFERENCE Scenes during the recently held Caregivers Conference 2016 organized by the Multicultural Helping House Society (Photos by Manny Noel Abuel).

GOLF TOURNAMENT The Ateneo and La Salle Alumni Associations in British Columbia held a friendly golf tournament at Quilchena Golf and Country Club in Richmond.

B.C. Here are some scenes from the game dominated by the Ateneans (Photos from Jun Mercado’s FB account).

VENNA'S BAPTISM Venna Alexandra Llonora, daughter of Jeanie-Vi and Ron Llonora of the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver and the University of British Columbia, was recently christened at St. Mary’s Parish. Reception followed at the Collingwood Community Centre (Photos from Jeanie-Vi’s FB page).

SUMMER PICNIC Once a year, U.P. alumni of British Columbia put on their sunscreen and floppy sun hats to bask in the great outdoors. This year’s al fresco summer picnic at Fraser River Park brought together an assortment of alumni from different batches and degree courses, including some of the UPAABC founding members (Photos by Charen D. Cusi) www.canadianinquirer.net

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Seen and Scenes

JULY 22, 2016

FRIDAY

BEAUTIES OF SUMMER The Beauties of Summer pageant was recently held at Rembrandt Banquet Hall in Toronto. Joan Carbon won the crown. First runner-up is Jeffannie Cortez; Second runner-up is Janine Dela Cruz; and the 3rd runner-up is Leonor Poizner. Proceeds of this event will be donated to a charity (Text and photos by Ariel Ramos).

NEW HEADQUARTERS Pidoy and Ting Pacis invited guests to the grand opening of their brand-new building, now the headquarters of AC Tristar (main dealer of Saladmaster products) (Photos by Ariel Ramos).

I-REMIT TORONTO Barrie Fiesta owner Mr. & Mrs. Cecil Asuncion and some loyal customers with Iremit Simon Sarte and Pag-ibig Fund Representative Beth Borres during the second anniversary of Barrie Fiesta food store in Barrie Ontario. (Second photo) I-Remit country head Belinda Herrera and Branch Head Simon Sarte with SSS Representative Bobby Roldan and SSS members (Photos by Manue Papa).

FILCAN FILM The Beauties of Summer pageant was recently held at Rembrandt Banquet Hall in Toronto. Joan Carbon won the crown. First runner-up is Jeffannie Cortez; Second runner-up is Janine Dela Cruz; and the 3rd runner-up is Leonor Poizner. Proceeds of this event will be donated to a charity (Text and photos by Ariel Ramos).

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

JULY 22, 2016

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CANADA

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