Philippine Canadian Inquirer #240

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OCTOBER 21, 2016

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VOL. 10 NO. 240

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When you question the war vs illegal drugs

Justice chief: not aware of petition for pardon, clemency

Words can hurt country, Carpio warns Duterte

Thailand’s late king also artist, jazz musician, inventor

How to make a low cost 3.5-meter raft from PVC

CLOSING RITES American Marines fold their flag during the closing ceremony of the Philippine Amphibious Landing Exercise in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, on Tuesday.

GRIG MONTEGRANDE / PDI

Du30 won’t compromise PH stand on WPS

President to sign economic agreements with China

BY GIL CABACUNGAN Philippine Daily Inquirer

not enter into any agreement with China which will be prejudicial to the country’s interest in the West Philippine Sea,

PRESIDENT RODRIGO Duterte will

Canadian writers and musicians celebrate Bob Dylan’s Nobel Prize

Mulroney no fan of Trump but says Canada to lose if Democrats control the Senate

BY ROSS MAROWITS The Canadian Press MONTREAL — Brian Mulroney is no fan of Donald Trump’s promise to rip up NAFTA, but the former prime minister says Hillary Clinton’s shift to the left is bad for Canadian trade, especially if the Democrats regain control of the Senate.

The former Conservative leader told the Montreal Board of Trade that Clinton’s decision to accept the “wacky arguments” about trade put forward by socialist former rival Sen. Bernie Sanders is troubling.

Clinton has come out against the

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❱❱ PAGE 16 Mulroney no

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Philippine News

OCTOBER 21, 2016

FRIDAY

House panel approves Confidentiality in drug test results Con-Ass as Charter in schools assured, senator says change mode

BY AZER N. PARROCHA Philippines News Agency

BY FILANE Z. CERVANTES Philippines News Agency MANILA — The House of Representatives Committee on Constitutional Amendments on Wednesday approved a concurrent resolution calling Congress to constitute itself as a constituent assembly (Conass) to propose amendments to the 1987 Constitution.

The Constitutional Amendments committee approved the motion led by House deputy speaker Gwendolyn Garcia with 32 votes on the affirmative, 7 negative and 3 abstention.

A technical working group will also be created to consolidate the bills proposing Conass as a mode for Charter overhaul.

The House is also awaiting the issuance of President Rodrigo Duterte’s executive order creating a 25-man Constitutional Commission to aid Congress, acting as constituent assembly, in amending the present constitution towards the shift to a federal form of government.

There are three modes of amending the Constitution: a constituent assembly, a constitutional convention, and a People’s initiative.

MANILA — Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV said Tuesday concerned government agencies have assured that the results of drug tests conducted in public schools will be “confidential”.

This was among the topics tackled in the Senate hearing on the teaching of reproductive health, the dangers of illegal drugs, and the responsible use of social media in public schools.

“What is important is the DDB, PDEA and even DepEd (Dangerous Drugs Board, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and Department of

Education) stressed that all the results should be confidential,” Aquino told reporters in an interview.

He said that regardless of the results, it cannot and should not be used to embarrass or expel a student from school.

“The purpose of it is really more for policy, to know how it (the drug problem) is in our schools. This is not to single out students who tested positive in the drug test,” Aquino said.

“Even though we’re supporting the mandatory drug testing, it should not be used as a shame campaign. Instead, we help students through a rehab program or even through peer counseling,” he added.

He also said that there has

been no objection from parties involved.

The education department earlier said that it is eyeing mandatory drug tests for teachers and students, with the consent of their parents, in all public schools nationwide.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones told reporters that this will be the department’s contribution to the intensified campaign against illegal drugs under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Briones said that although teachers are required to take drug tests at their expense before they are hired for employment, the department wants to conduct it annually with the expense to be shouldered by the government. ■

When you question the war vs illegal drugs The daily sight of dead bodies—even those of alleged criminals—chips away at one’s humanity

BY RAFFY LERMA Philippine Daily Inquirer I HAVE seen death many times in my work as a photographer, but the daily sight of suffering can take its toll. You shoot, as is expected of you, but every click of the shutter chips away at your humanity.

There was a body dumped on a dimly lit street corner in Sampaloc, Manila. The man’s head was wrapped in packaging tape, his hands bound with rope and his chest marked with multiple stab wounds.

Cardboard justice

As the coroner slowly removed the packaging tape from the corpse’s head, I saw the nameless man’s dying expression. He was obviously gasping for air, struggling for life in his last moments.

It was a most inhuman way to die, I thought to myself. To be reduced to a faceless body, judged only by a cardboard proclaiming your supposed crime.

“Pusher ako, ’wag tularan. (I’m a pusher: Do not emulate me).”

His is but one of the hundreds of unresolved murders in this administration’s to-

tal war against illegal drugs.

Unclaimed, with no family to grieve him, the dead man faced a pauper’s burial, with no wake nor religious service to acknowledge that he was once part of a community.

The drug war was the centerpiece of the presidential campaign of then Davao City mayor, now President Duterte.

He promised to fatten the fishes in Manila Bay on the bodies of thousands of drug personalities and criminals that he said he would dump in the murky waters.

After the first 100 days of the Duterte administration, it is now clear that the war on drugs and criminality is dead serious and fueled by a scorched earth policy that has seen bodies pile up on street corners, dumped like so much garbage at all hours of the night.

Questioning drug war

The last time I pounded the streets on a graveyard shift was in 2007. Finding dead bodies on Metro Manila streets was not yet a nightly occurrence.

But in July 2016 alone, I saw more bodies and death on the streets of the Metro than I’ve encountered for an entire year in 2007.

A body lying on the street, a gun beside it, becomes a too familiar scene in what police report as encounters with drug pushers in the Philippines. Countries across Asia have adopted draconian policies against drugs.

RAFFY LERMA / PDI

There are nights when I question the supposed noble intentions of this war.

One of these occasions was when I saw a grieving Jennilyn Olayres holding the lifeless body of her partner, Michael Siaron, along Edsa Rotonda in Pasay City.

It had been a particularly busy and bloody night. We were responding to various calls telling us of corpses left behind by unknown assailants.

They had dreams

Siaron, by all accounts, was an admitted drug user. But her partner said he had long stopped using the illegal substance. www.canadianinquirer.net

He was a thoughtful and kind man, Olayres said. They had plans for a better life, they had dreams, she added.

On July 23, Siaron was gunned down by masked men on a motorcycle while he was on his pedicab waiting for passengers. The men shot him three times, and left a cardboard sign tagging him as a drug pusher.

Most brutal on poor

I saw Olayres calling out for help as she cradled her husband.

Maybe there was still life in there.

Maybe there was still hope.

It was then that I realized that the drug war was most brutal on the most disadvantaged and

vulnerable sector of society. One rainy night at the crime scene of a buy-bust operation, a saleslady asked what the commotion was all about. “Na- duterte, (Another Duterte casualty),” said one bystander. The term is quickly gaining currency. I recall my first night covering the drug war. A body had been dumped on the corner of Taft Avenue and Pedro Gil in Manila. The victim was found inside a sack, his hands tied with nylon rope, his head wrapped in packaging tape. A cardboard sign beside the corpse listed his supposed crimes.

Where’s the compassion?

A small crowd had gathered, and was startled when a shriek from a street dweller broke the silence. Asked if she knew the victim, she said no, but she was crying.

“Hindi ba kayo naawa? Hindi ba kayo naawa sa patay? (Have you no pity? Do you not feel sorry for the dead?)”

At that moment, the words of this nameless street dweller made the most sense. She reminded everyone about humanity and compassion, and how they may have already been buried beneath the pile of bodies we’ve somehow gotten used to. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY OCTOBER 21, 2016

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Looking for dad Beneath that puzzled look and the shroud that Alzheimer’s had thrown over his memory still lies the man I’ve known and loved as Dad

BY NIKKO DIZON Philippine Daily Inquirer THIS ISN’T a nice story. It’s a sad one, but one that my Dad’s neurologist said must be told.

It’s about how Alzheimer’s Disease has become an unwelcome part of our family. This isn’t a nice story. It’s a sad one, but one that my Dad’s neurologist said must be told. It’s about how Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) has become an unwelcome and permanent part of our family and Dad’s constant companion. The debilitating illness has been behind the puzzled look he now gives when asked simple questions he can no longer comprehend.

When that happens, all I can do is hold his hand and squeeze it, willing the man I’ve known as Dad to be himself again.

Before AD took over, my father, Oscar, a 70-year-old retired mechanical engineer, used to annoy us with his corny jokes. He laughed at his own silliness, was enthralled with the Beatles and loved to drive fast.

Dad’s favorite pastime was going to car shows, usually with me and my younger brother, Raymund. Inspired by the stuff he saw at these auto fairs, my father built two jeeps and restored two sedans.

‘Frankenstein’ car

He gave me the first jeep he had assembled and as a college girl, it felt way too cool to be driving a Wrangler around Diliman. My best friend, Daphne, and I named it “Major Tom.” In my first years as a journalist, he would give me a Toyota that he had restored using scrap materials. I named it “Frankie,” short for “Frankenstein,” because its parts came from different Toyota models.

And while my brother scolded me for once driving Major Tom through a bamboo grove and for getting it stalled on East Avenue because the gas tank was empty, Dad had no harsh words for me.

Compared to Mom, he had always been timid and was like Mom’s shadow at home, letting her take the lead in almost every family matter.

When my older sister, Michelle, got married in 2005 and

it was my parents’ turn to give their speech, Dad simply said: “Good evening everyone, our message will be given by the Speaker of the House.” He then handed Mom the microphone.

But Dad was clearly an eagle that kept a protective eye on his brood.

When I landed a government job in Pasay City at 21, he followed me on my early morning drive to work for a whole week.

He wanted to make sure that I got there safely before he headed off to work himself.

My dad also had my sister’s back, even in faraway New York during that Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.

He was visiting some cousins in Los Angeles, but by sheer grit got himself on the last plane out of LA to get to JFK and be with my sister.

These are my memories that sadly enough, Dad can no longer share. The loss of memory was because Daddy’s brain has begun to shrink, a result of extensive damage to the neurons, or the nerve cells.

In November last year, as I was preparing for the Apec coverage, my Dad complained of difficulty in breathing. Because the doctors wanted to make sure there was nothing wrong with his heart, they gave him a series of tests, including an MRI to scan his brain.

The MRI showed that his brain—the part that controls the mind’s executive function— has again shrunk a little.

Irreversible

Decades after Dr. Alois Alzheimer noticed in 1906 the unusual number of plaques and tangles in the brain of a woman who exhibited memory loss, language impairment and behavioral abnormality before dying from a peculiar mental illness, the ailment now named after him has become the most common irreversible form of dementia.

“In dementia, at least two of the brain’s executive functions (attention, concentration, abstract thinking and judgment) deteriorate enough to [impair] the individual’s capacity to carry out the activities of daily living,” said Dad’s neurologist, Dr. Socorro Martinez.

Our family is lucky that we

have a strong support system.

Relatives and friends, in their own little ways, have been helping us cope. What I appreciate most is that they include Dad in our conversations, talk to him kindly and always try to make him laugh.

Dad joins me and my friends for lunch and dinner out, and even concerts. He’s also part of my brother-inlaw Patrick’s bowling club whenever he’s in the US, where he scores a strike every now and then.

It’s always difficult for Dad to leave the US and leave my sister and his grandchildren. But home in the Philippines is where he’s most comfortable as it looks familiar and gives him faint reminders of what he used to do.

Weknow he still yearns to drive but his lack of orientation and slow reflex make that impossible now. Early this year, we finally sold his beloved butter yellow Beetle simply because he could no longer continue its restoration.

At the house where we’ve lived for nearly four decades, Daddy and I would engage in conversation like we were playing Pinoy Henyo or charades because he could not articulate his thoughts. It rests on me to supply the words and put the whole story together for him.

Frustrating

While these conversations can be exhausting and frustrating for Dad, they also give our family a good laugh. Dealing with AD, you need a lot of humor to get you through the day.

Mom and I get tremendous help from my sister-in-law, Paw, who’d take Dad to watch my nephew’s school plays or swimming lessons after which they’d go to the mall.

At the end of the day, however, it’s just Dad, Momand me at home.

I‘ve learned to manage the house while taking care of Dad. Recently, our sliding door got stuck and Dad watched me fix it.

“I used to do that,” he said. I assured him he still can.

We let Daddy lock the house at night, as he normally did preAD. We double-check it when he’s gone to bed.

Once, Mom admitted that she had asked herself if she would www.canadianinquirer.net

rather Dad had cancer instead of AD. I asked if she had an answer and Mommy said she had none.

Slow dance

Though she’s the most affected by Dad’s condition, Mommy is also the strongest in the family. She’s systematic, almost clinical, in how we deal with Dad’s situation day in, day out.

I never saw her cry, until last August when at our joint birthday party, a cousin sang “What a Wonderful World,” and Daddy sang along. My Mom pulled Dad to the center of the living room and swayed with him in a slow dance. Her tears voiced fears that they might not be able to dance again as much as they used to.

Last year, Mommy and I decided to take turns, because caregivers need caring, too.

Right now, it’s my turn to be Dad’s chief caregiver while Mom takes a break. She’s had her turn since May when they left for the US. Soon, Mom and I will be a tag team once again. Our goal is to be able to find fun and exciting activities for Daddy to keep him from staying in bed and sleeping all day.

While the financial cost of taking care of Dad is staggering, the emotional cost is unquantifiable.

More advanced and progressive countries have AD-friendly communities where patients are allowed to move around by themselves, with caregivers supervising them. Such setup restores their dignity and faith in themselves.

The Philippines definitely has a long way to go.

Luckily, we are clannish by nature, with immediate family members taking care of loved ones afflicted with AD. The challenge is when the primary caregivers—the spouse or children—are overseas. Then there’s the stigma we still have to deal with, such as the common notion that people with AD are crazy or “nakulam” (bewitched).

Dog tag

Another problem is when the

AD patient gets disoriented and wanders off. We had to get Daddy a dog tag with his name and our contact number after he went “missing” for nearly four hours late last year.

But Daddy sauntered back home, telling us he simply wanted to go around Araneta Center by himself.

Otherwise, people with AD are clingy. Dad would always ask me where I was going when he sees me dressed for work. I’d tell him I have to go to the office and he’ll respond with a sad face.

But as it has been our pre-AD routine, Daddy would always open the gate for me as I drive off to work, and wait up at night so he can open the gate.

Even with this story, I am still in that painful process of accepting that my Dad is slowly fading from us. Because what do you do when told that there is no known cure for what ails your father?

To this day, I feel guilty about not being able to have Dad diagnosed earlier. Having lived with my parents all my life, why didn’t I pay closer attention to him?

But as Martinez told me last year, the most important thing to do for Daddy is to give him the best quality of life while he was still… OK. Things can be discouraging, however. Lately, I noticed that he would refer to mom as “Ate Lirio and I would remind him that he calls her “Darling.”

He’s forgotten my name once and I tried to ignore how painful that was. Even at 40, I still dream that Dad would one day walk me down the aisle. I pray that should that day come, he’d still know that I am Nicolette and he is Dad. ■

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Philippine News

OCTOBER 21, 2016

FRIDAY

Floods kill 24 in Vietnam as Typhoon Sarika looms THE ASSOCIATED PRESS HANOI, VIETNAM — Floods triggered by heavy rains have killed 24 people and left four others missing in central Vietnam, disaster officials said Monday, as Typhoon Sarika approaches after leaving at least two people dead and displacing more than 150,000 in the Philippines.

In the worst-hit province of Quang Binh, 18 people died and authorities are searching for three others who are missing, disaster official Tran Le Dang

Hung said.

Six people died and one was reported missing in three other central provinces.

“We are worried. We have instructed district governments to outline plans for evacuating people from high-risk areas to cope with the Typhoon,” Hung said by telephone from Quang Binh.

Heavy rains of up to 90 centimetres (3 feet) on Friday and Saturday submerged 125,000 homes in the region, temporarily disrupted the North-South Highway and damaged infrastructure, crops and fish farms.

Hung said the floods have re-

ceded in most areas in Quang Binh.

In the Philippines, fast-moving Sarika Typhoon blew out of the northern Philippines on Sunday after leaving at least two people dead and displacing more than 150,000, though the region was spared a major disaster due in part to the storm’s speed.

The Typhoon is over in the South China Sea and was moving at the speed of 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) to 20 kilometres (12.5 miles) per hour heading toward northern Vietnam, according to Vietnam’s national weather forecast centre. ■

Sen. Lacson insists on need to abolish ‘padrino system’ in PNP appointments

BY AZER N. PARROCHA Philippines News Agency

told reporters in an interview.

“What happens is, the principle of the chain of command is invalidated. The loyalty goes to the local government executives. That’s why there are abuses,” he added.

Lacson’s measure, Senate Bill

to local executives who invoke their appointive authority.

The senator pointed out that past controversies have develMANILA — Senator Panfilo Lacoped the perception that conson on Tuesday stressed anew flict of interest arises when the importance of giving the provincial directors and police provincial/district directors of chiefs are indebted to local the Philippine chief executives National Police because of the (PNP) the authorlatter’s appointity to select the ive authority. city or town chief The loyalty goes to the local At present, of police in an efgovernment executives. That’s why the law considfort to abolish the there are abuses. ers governors ‘padrino system’ and mayors as (political patrondeputized repreage) among unisentatives of the formed men and women.

971, also gives the PNP regional National Police Commission “Professionalism is missing director the authority to choose in their respective territorial here because police officers who the provincial/district director. jurisdictions, with governors want to be COPs (chiefs of police) He explained that this measure choosing the police provincial or PD (police directors) simply is meant to encourage local po- director and mayors selecting approach governors and may- lice commanders to concentrate the local city or town chief of ors,” Lacson, a former PNP chief, on their job and not be indebted police. ■

www.canadianinquirer.net

Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos flashes the peace sign to Marcos loyalists holding vigil outside the Supreme Court. The temporary restraining order on the burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani of the late strongman President Ferdinand E. Marcos expired on October 18.

AVITO C. DALAN / PNA

Pres. Duterte respects SC ruling to extend ante order stopping Marcos burial — Palace

BY JELLY F. MUSICO Philippines News Agency MANILA — Malacanang on Tuesday said President Rodrigo Duterte will respect the Supreme Court (SC) decision on the proposal to bury former President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

“The President is so clear about him respecting the decision of the SC on that matter,” Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Assistant Secretary for Operations and Special Concerns Ana Marie Banaag said in a press briefing.

Banaag made this reaction on the SC’s decision to extend to Nov. 8 the status quo ante (SQA) order stopping the Department of National Defense and Armed Forces of the Philippines from preparing Marcos burial at the heroes’ cemetery.

It was the second time the SC extended the stay order since it was issued on Aug. 23. The last time was Sept. 18.

The SC decision was based on the petition filed by the martial law victims last Aug. 15.

Before the Tuesday’s SC extended ante order, Marcos’ children — former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos,Jr., Irene Marcos and Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos joined at least 1,000 Marcos supporters who held an overnight vigil in front of the SC along Padre Faura.

Marcos died while in exile in Hawaii in 1989, three years after a bloodless People Power revolution forced him to leave Malacanang after two decades in power.

President Rodrigo Duterte believes Marcos deserves to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani being a former president and a soldier.

Philippine News

FRIDAY OCTOBER 21, 2016

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Social welfare dept. continues to pre-position relief for ‘Lawin’, families affected by ‘Karen’ start to return home

BY LEILANI S. JUNIO Philippines News Agency MANILA — Field offices of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) have been replenishing and prepositioning relief supplies in preparation for Typhoon Lawin’s landfall in Luzon.

Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo assured the public that her department is keeping close tabs on the status of relief goods pre-positioned for local government units (LGUs) in areas that are expected to be affected by ‘Lawin’.

Taguiwalo noted that the field office in Ilocos has already stashed goods in 12 satellite warehouses that are accessible to LGUs in case they need assistance. It also has a standby fund of PHP2.2 million that can be used for the emergency purchase of relief supplies.

“The pre-positioned items are in the form of food and non-food-items, consisting of ready-to-eat rice, tuna, bottled mineral water, mats, blankets, malongs, mosquito nets, water jugs, and used clothing,” she said.

Meanwhile, she said the field office in Cagayan Valley has 10,370 family food

Office of Civil Defense (OCD) spokesperson Mina Marasigan (right) advises the public to continue monitoring Typhoon Karen during a media briefing at the OCD Lobby in Camp Aguinaldo.

JOEY O. RAZON / PNA

packs stored in its warehouse on top of the 12,900 packs and 3,696 pieces of ready-to-eat food (RTEF) that have been pre-positioned in Cagayan and Isabela. It also has a standby fund of PHP4 million.

Overall, the department’s central and field offices, and the National Resource Operations Center (NROC) have a total stockpile and standby funds amounting to PHP1,285,679,783.54.

Disaster ops for ‘Karen’

Meanwhile, Taguiwalo said that field offices in areas hit by Typhoon Karen continue to assist LGUs in attending to the needs of displaced families.

She said that to date, PHP7.96 million worth of relief assistance has been provided to the affected families. Of the amount, the department extended PHP4.16 million while concerned LGUs

Filipino ambassador says wanted drug suspect arrested in UAE

BY JON GAMBRELL The Associated Press DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES — A man named by Philippines’ president as a major drug kingpin was arrested in the capital of the United Arab Emirates after apparently fleeing his country, a Filipino diplomat said Monday.

Rolando “Kerwin” Espinosa Jr. was arrested Sunday night in an apartment in Abu Dhabi, Ambassador Constancio Vingno Jr. told The Associated Press.

Abu Dhabi investigators used intelligence gathered by the Philippine National Police to locate Espinosa, Vingno said. He said that his country hopes to extradite Espinosa soon.

Filipino media quoted local police as saying an overseas Filipino worker tipped off authorities.

An Interpol red notice for Espinosa, the son of a mayor also accused of being a drug kingpin, says he is wanted on drug and weapons charges.

It wasn’t clear if he had a lawyer. Vingno said Espinosa hadn’t requested consular assistance.

Espinosa and his father had been warned by Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte they faced potentially being shot on sight if they didn’t turn themselves in.

It’s part of Duterte’s deadly crackdown on illegal drugs in his southeast Asian country that’s seen more than 1,300 suspects killed in gunbattles with police — an average of 36 killings a day since he took office on June 30. Human rights group criticize the campaign as condoning extrajudicial killings.

Vingno said it was unclear if anyone else would face charges over Espinosa hiding in the UAE. Emirati officials did not immediately comment on his arrest.

However, Vingno stressed that Espinosa’s arrest shouldn’t be taken as a stain on the reputation of the 600,000 Filipinos working across the UAE. “It should not reflect on the people we are,” he said. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

shared PHP3.7 million.

“We are also relieved to report that the total number of evacuation centers is now down to 251 from 600 when the typhoon was at its peak,” she said.

So far, all evacuation centers in the Cagayan Valley region have closed, along with a number in the Bicol region.

However, some 11,077 families or 54,296 persons remain in evacuation centers in Ilocos, Central Luzon, CALABARZON and in other parts of Bicol as of 2 a.m. Tuesday.

She also confirmed that the production of family food packs is ongoing in other regions in time for ‘Lawin’.

The social welfare chief reiterated her call to the public to be alert to ensure their safety and to work with local authorities for the prompt delivery of relief supplies.

She also encouraged the public to report any need for rescue and relief through tel. nos. 911 and 911-1292 or through satellite phones by dialing 8821651075445; or send e-mails via the social media through Facebook and twitter accounts by tagging #RescuePH, #Relief PH, #FloodPH, #KarenPH and #LawinPH; or use the Mobile App Batingaw. ■

Philippine News

8

OCTOBER 21, 2016

FRIDAY

Gov’t urged to fix flaws in anti-illegal drugs campaign

BY AZER N. PARROCHA Philippines News Agency Publisher Philippine Canadian Inquirer, Inc. Correspondents Jane Moraleda Socorro Newland Bolet Arevalo Katherine Padilla Gerna Lane Sotana 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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Member

MANILA — Amid unresolved killings linked to the anti-illegal drugs campaign of the current administration, a senator on Tuesday urged the government to fix the campaign’s defects to prevent the number of killings from increasing.

Senator Leila de Lima made this call citing an alternate report submitted by the Ateneo Human Rights Center (AHRC) last week noting that the administration has failed in addressing extrajudicial and summary killings in the country.

The report also noted that the administration was more concerned on “winning the war on drugs, rather than investigating and preventing these killings.”

Moreover, it also noted several defects

in the implementation of intensified anti-illegal drug campaign which, as of last Sept. 15, claimed the lives of 986 since June 30, including innocent individuals, including children, treated as “collateral damage” in the anti-drive campaign.

“The rash of extrajudicial and summary killings has become a serious concern not only domestically but also internationally. We cannot claim success in the government’s war against drugs if there are innocent individuals who are being summarily killed or those apprehended were not accorded due process of the law,” de Lima said.

De Lima, who was former justice secretary, earlier filed Senate Bill No. 1197 which seeks to define extrajudicial killings and imposing penalties of life imprisonment without parole for any public officer, person in authority, agency of a person in authority or private indi-

vidual who would be found guilty of extrajudicial killing.

Under the measure, the local chief executive and chief of police shall also be presumed administratively negligent when there is a notable increase of extrajudicial killing cases within their area of jurisdiction, except in conflict-stricken communities.

De Lima also proposed the creation of an Inter-Agency Council Against Extrajudicial Killings (Anti-EJK Council) to address institutional barriers to investigation of extrajudicial killings among concerned government agencies.

The proposed Anti-EJK Council will coordinate with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and Commission on Human Rights (CHR), to adhere to minimum standards in the conduct of regular police intervention operations. ■

Justice chief says he is not aware of 5 inmate-witnesses’ petition for pardon, clemency PHILIPPINES NEWS AGENCY MANILA — Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Tuesday he is not aware of the pending applications for pardon or executive clemency of five of the 12 inmates of the New Bilibid Prison who testified during the congressional probe into the proliferation of illegal drugs inside the penitentiary, but vowed to look into it.

“I was never aware of their pending applications. Never brought to my attention but pardoning them was never considered,” Aguirre said in a text message to reporters when sought for comment on the issue.

Asked if he would recommend their pardon or executive clemency, Aguirre said he will have to study it first.

“Don’t know yet. I will study,” he said in the text message.

Magdalo Partylist Rep. Gary Alejano has disclosed that he wrote a letter to the Board of Pardons and Parole (BPP) dated Oct. 11, inquiring if any of the 12 Bilibid inmates have any pending application for pardon and executive clemency.

According to the Board, Engelberto Durano, Nonilo Arile Andaya, Jaime Patcho, Jojo Baligad and Vicente Sy have submitted their petitions – Durano on

JESS M. ESCAROS JR. / PNA

Oct. 27, 2015 and Andaya on Jan. 25, 2011.

Patcho’s request was returned to the Bureau of Corrections last April 15, while the applications of Baligad and Sy are for verification of pending criminal cases.

Meanwhile, high-profile inmates Rodolfo Magleo, Herbert Colanggo, Noel Martinez, Froilan Trestiza, Hans Anton Tan, Jaybee Sebastian and Peter Co do not have any pending application.

The BPP is under the supervision of the justice secretary, who in turn is under the supervision of the president.

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Executive clemency can be granted by the president upon the recommendation of the BPP to pardon convicts, commute their sentences, or defer the implementation of their sentences.

Earlier, Aguirre said the government did not promise anything to the inmates when they decided to reveal what they knew about the illegal drugs trade in the NBP and how millions of drug money allegedly went into the campaign of former justice secretary and now Senator Leila de Lima. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY OCTOBER 21, 2016

9

China says visit by Philippine president restores trust

BY CHRISTOPHER BODEEN AND JIM GOMEZ The Associated Press

Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, escorted by Regional Director Chief Supt. Gilbert Sosa, troops the line.

PNP-PIO / PNA

Respect right to life, top officials urged

BY JEANNETTE I. ANDRADE Philippine Daily Inquirer THE CATHOLIC laity and clergy have called on President Duterte and the country’s top cop Director General Ronald Dela Rosa to uphold and respect every Filipino’s right to life.

The Social Action Network (SAN) on Drugs and Extrajudicial Violence of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines expressed alarm over the surge in the number of drug-related killings in the country.

The network, composed of lay ministers and priests from the 86 Arch or Diocesan social action centers nationwide, pointed out in a statement that Mr. Duterte and Dela Rosa’s “shoot to kill order” on drug offenders was an “apparent instigation of extrajudicial violence.”

Reminding the country’s top officials of the commandment, “Thou shall not kill” while expressing support for the President’s war on illegal drugs, the SAN members urged the President to stop the killings.

“The drug problem must be solved. It destroys both human life and family. It also brings harm to the fabric of our society. It is a complex problem, an obstacle to justice, peace, development and common good. We express our full support for President Duterte’s goal in eradicating illegal drugs and criminality in the country, and applaud his political will

and determination toward the goal,” they said.

SAN added: “However, the President’s pronouncements which imply support for extrajudicial killings and disregard for due process are deplorable,” adding that the killing of suspected drug traffickers without due process was “morally unacceptable” and violated human rights as well as the rule of law.

They stressed that the end would not justify the means.

“We cannot achieve a just and peaceful society through illegal, immoral and fundamentally evil means,” they said.

The network observed that the poor were always more vulnerable to loss of life, destruction, and suppression of their rights, citing reports that the majority of those slain were poor.

“We call upon President Duterte to put a stop to extrajudicial violence. While fulfilling duty to eradicate illegal drugs, the President has authority and therefore a greater obligation to be in the forefront of respecting the rule of law, which calls for respect for the judicial process in his fight against crime and illegal drugs,” SAN said.

They also called on Philippine National Police chief Dela Rosa to adhere to their mission as protector of the people.

“Let the rule of law and rule of engagement be observed at all times with appropriate charges and punishment imposed for any violation,” they said, adding that the cases against suspected drug offenders must be filed in court. ■

with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other officials on Thursday. The Philippine draft of a proposed joint statement touches on the restoration of permits BEIJING — This week’s visit to for Filipino agricultural exports, China by Philippine President China’s support for Duterte’s Rodrigo Duterte points toward a campaign against illegal drugs, restoration of trust between the boosting tourism and enhancsides following recent tensions ing Coast Guard co-operation to over their South China Sea teravoid misunderstandings at sea. ritorial dispute, China’s official Details are still being worked news agency said Tuesday. out, officials say, and it remains The visit by the recently elected unclear whether the thorny isDuterte, who was sue of the South due to arrive in China Sea terBeijing later in the ritorial disputes day, will be a step will be reflected toward ending Should he demonstrate his good in the statement. years of estrangefaith, the trip will present a long China was to ment between the overdue opportunity for the two offer “assistance countries, Xinnations […] to heal the wounds of the in personnel hua News Agency past few years. training and dosaid. nation of equip“Should he ment to aid in demonstrate his the fight against good faith, the trip will pres- Sea just three months ago. illegal drugs,” according to the ent a long overdue opportunity China refused to take part in Philippine draft seen by The for the two nations, which en- the litigation or accept the rul- Associated Press. joy longstanding friendship, to ing, which said China’s historiDuterte’s deadly battle heal the wounds of the past few cal claim to virtually the entire against drug dealers and abusyears and steer their relation- strategic waterbody wasn’t sup- ers has been a defining issue of ship back to the right course,” ported by international law. his political career, prompting Xinhua said in a commentary.

“The verdict issued by a law- him to lash out at Obama and Duterte’s visit will help de- abusing tribunal has no place in other foreign critics and furfine how far he wants to shift al- the negotiations at all,” Xinhua ther propelling him toward raplegiance from the United States said. prochement with an uncritical to an Asian superpower locked Duterte is scheduled to meet Beijing. ■

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in a territorial standoff with his small, impoverished country, and the Philippines’ 65-year alliance with the U.S. — a key pillar of President Barack Obama’s rebalance to Asia — could hang in the balance.

The Xinhua editorial signals how China hopes to use the visit to regain lost ground in a Southeast Asian nation that won a major arbitration lawsuit against Beijing’s massive territorial claims in the South China

10

Philippine News

OCTOBER 21, 2016

FRIDAY

Solons won’t recommend prosecution of De Lima

BY MARLON RAMOS AND NIKKO DIZON Philippine Daily Inquirer DESPITE HER bashing in the House of Representatives, Sen. Leila de Lima is likely to escape a prosecution recommendation from the lawmakers that she received payola from convicts operating a multi-billion-peso illegal drug business from the national penitentiary when she was the justice secretary.

Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, chair of the House committee on justice, said his panel’s report would be submitted to its members today for deliberation, stressing it would be in aid of legislation, not prosecution.

“Personally, the revelations in these committee hearings made it more imperative for us … to reimpose the death penalty,” Umali said in a radio interview.

“The four pillars of the criminal justice system are failing the people,” he said, referring to law enforcement, prosecution, the courts and the penal institutions.

“This is why you have to raise

the level of fear factor among these convicted felons instead of letting them enjoy and do the things that kept them from reformation because the correctional pillar of the criminal justice system is failing,” Umali said.

tion on complaints filed before us,” he said.

“So whatever will be our findings, it will be forwarded to and reviewed by the Ombudsman,” he added. “I’m not using my (authority) only to persecute her.”

On Tuesday, the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, which had openly supported Mr. Duterte’s presidential campaign, filed a drug trafficking

association with suspected pork barrel racket brains Janet Lim-Napoles.

Both charges were in connection with her supposed complicity in allowing inmates at New Bilibid Prison, many of them convicted Chinese drug lords, to transact Death penalty illegal drugs in exchange for The restoration of the death millions of pesos in payoffs, an penalty is one of the priorallegation De Lima has veheity measures mently denied. pushed by PresiAguirre, one dent Duterte in of Mr. Duterte’s Congress. most trusted Although the It was also her who first issued the friends, pointed House is stayimmigration lookout bulletin order out that it was ing away from during her time as justice secretary.

De Lima herself recommending What she did then are just coming who first argued charges against back to her. that the DOJ De Lima, Justice had concurrent Secretary Vijurisdiction with taliano Aguirre the antigraft II is pursuing the preliminary case against De Lima and seven body in handling criminal casinvestigation of drug traffick- others, including a convicted es against public officials when ing charges against her despite kidnapper and her former se- she was justice secretary in the her protestations that the Of- curity aide who had testified previous Aquino administrafice of the Ombudsman, not the against her in a congressional tion.

Department of Justice (DOJ), inquiry.

“The DOJ during her time should do it.

Two days later, a similar conducted many preliminary “The Ombudsman has prima- complaint was jointly filed by investigation on cases which ry jurisdiction on those cases,” former National Bureau of In- are cognizable by the SandiAguirre conceded. “However, vestigation Deputy Directors ganbayan. She said it was corwe will still conduct a prelimi- Ruel Lasala and Reynaldo Es- rect during her time. Now that nary investigation because the meralda, who were both axed we’re doing it, she’s saying we’re DOJ has concurrent jurisdic- by De Lima for their purported wrong,” Aguirre said.

All about karma

less on economic agreements.

In the words of the President, we want a soft landing. Although we are not planning to compromise any issues, everything is about timing,” said Abella in a radio interview.

Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines in the South China Sea dispute.

Manila lodged the case in response to what is now a fouryear blockade by China’s coastguard at the Scarborough Shoal, a prime fishing patch.

China has never recognized the case, but has been outraged by it, leaving much of the region on edge.

While generous with his praise of China, Duterte has still insisted Filipino fishermen should have unhindered access to the shoal.

Zhao said he was confident a solution could be found and eventually the two countries could create “a sea of peace and cooperation.” “The Chinese side is very much interested in fishery cooperation.

That is a kind of response to your president’s concern about fishermen,” he said when asked by a reporter about granting Duterte his wish. ■

He said De Lima had ordered a preliminary investigation into the pork barrel scam and the plunder case against former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on the alleged misuse of P366 million in intelligence funds of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

“This is nothing new to her because it was her who first did this,” he said. “It was also her who first issued the immigration lookout bulletin order during her time as justice secretary. What she did then are just coming back to her.”

De Lima conducted factfinding probes on all cases pertaining to the P10-billion pork barrel racket, which the DOJ then submitted to the Ombudsman for preliminary investigation.

De Lima, pictured by the President’s allies as the country’s biggest coddler of drug lords, had accused Aguirre of prejudging the complaints against her, saying it was obvious why her rivals went to the DOJ and not the Ombudsman.

“I’m not using my office to persecute her. I will only prosecute her,” Aguirre maintained. ■

Du30 won’t... declared Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella.

Abella made the assurance amid a warning from Associate Justice Antonio Carpio that Mr. Duterte could face impeachment if he “concedes our sovereignty of Scarborough shoal.”

The President had earlier referred to Scarborough Shoal as a “fishpond” which was outside the country’s 22-kilometer territory. He has said that fighting a war with China for Scarborough was unwinnable and that he would rather sit down and get trade, investments, aid and loans from China.

The arbitral court ruled on numerous issues but in terms of the Scarborough Shoal, it concluded no country had sovereign rights over the tranquil, rocky outcrop, thus all states with overlapping claims were entitled to fish there.

“Let’s just let them talk. As far as I know, this is based more or ❰❰ 1

Exciting things

The President is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, National People’s Congress Chair Zhang Dejiang and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang during his state visit from Oct. 19 to 21.

Abella said the President would sign agreements “in various fields of cooperation” during the state visit which would include a delegation of nearly 500 businessmen.

“We expect good results for the country and it will read an economic increase. There are exciting things that are coming up,” said Abella.

Beijing’s ambassador to the Philippines said on Friday the two sides could pursue broad

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte reaffirms his commitment to further strengthen the ties with Brunei during the State Banquet at the Istana Nurul Iman. Also in photo are Brunei Darussalam Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’zzaddin Waddaulah (right) and Prince Haji’ Abdul Malik.

RICHARD MADELO / PPD / PNA

business ties while still at odds over sovereignty.

At a press conference, Zhao Jianhua said there was common ground on the South China Sea that both sides could work from, including on the disputed www.canadianinquirer.net

Scarborough Shoal.

Four-year blockade

Duterte’s rapprochement with China marks an astonishing reversal in Philippine foreign policy since July, when the

Philippine News

FRIDAY OCTOBER 21, 2016

Words can hurt country, Carpio warns Duterte

BY JODEE A. AGONCILLO Philippine Daily Inquirer BE CAREFUL what you say in public, it just might boomerang.

Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio yesterday warned President Duterte against making public declarations that could hurt the country, as he expressed fears of the possibility of entering into a “joint development” with China that would push the Philippines to surrender areas in the South China Sea it claims part of its exclusive economic zone.

Caprio issued the warning before students and lawyers at the Asian Institute of Management’s Brewing @ AIM, where he presented his position on exercising sovereignty over Philippine territory in the South China Sea. The magistrate said he had tried his best to inform the President about his stance on the disputed territory, and had offered to make a presentation to Mr. Duterte before his state visit to China on Oct. 20.

Different kind of person

“The President is a different kind of person. But I sent word to make a presentation before he leaves. I am more than ready to sit down. I am doing everything despite the fact that I’m from the Supreme Court…but I cannot impose myself on him,” Carpio said.

He said he had already briefed the secretaries of defense, justice and foreign affairs, the national security adviser and the office of Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar on the issue.

He was told the President had seen the slides of his presentation.

DOTr eyes additional routes for P2P bus service to ease traffic congestion PHILIPPINES NEWS AGENCY

RAMON FVELASQUEZ / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Carpio expressed concern about how the President was dealing with the territorial dispute with China.

South China Sea case, China offered the Philippines what it deems a “win-win” situation.

You want loans, trains?

Binding declaration

“When the head of state makes an inaugural or national declaration, that’s binding on the state. When the President says Scarborough is not our territory, that could bind us in a subsequent case. So we have to be very careful. We don’t say those things in public that can boomerang on us,” he told the audience.

“Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal—that’s Philippine territory. We have sovereignty and jurisdiction. You can’t say that Scarborough is not our territory. It might be taken against us in the next litigation,” he said.

Replying to a question from the audience, Carpio said that if the President concedes sovereignty claims over Scarborough Shoal, he could be impeached.

“But we can never recover Scarborough forever,” he said.

Carpio noted that during the previous tribunal hearing of the

“We will send many tourists a year to the Philippines, we can do whatever we want, railway, train, whatever; we can lend you soft loans; we will send our company to invest [in huge amounts] in the Philippines,” said Carpio of China’s proposed deal to the country.

But China wanted the Philippines to concede its sovereignty and enter into a joint development with China in return, which means the country has surrendered, Carpio said.

“That was a very generous offer when you count it in dollars but we turned it down,” Carpio said.

Later, China repeated that offer and opted to share a 50-50 revenue with the Philippines, so long as the latter concedes its sovereignty, Carpio said.

Carpio emphasized the need for the Philippines to send patrol groups over our economic zone as it “beefs up military presence.” ■

www.canadianinquirer.net

11

MANILA — The Department of Transportation is seeking to expand the areas serviced by the premium point to point (P2P) buses as part of efforts to improve public transportation and ease the traffic congestion in Metro Manila.

DOTr Assistant Secretary for Land Transportation Mark De Leon stated that the department is evaluating to add six more routes for the P2P buses as he acknowledged that EDSA’s capacity has been fully congested due to the increasing number of private vehicles.

According to De Leon, EDSA is overcapacitated by more than 125-130 percent as around 7,500 cars are traversing the thoroughfare in excess of its capacity of 6,000 vehicles.

“The DOTr is doing steps to reduce capacity in EDSA through the rollout of P2P buses alongside with other measures in easing traffic congestion,” De Leon said in an interview with reporters.

He noted that the P2P buses were initiated by the government in order for the public to patronize public transportation.

“We need to improve public transport in order to reduce car usage,” the transportation official stressed. He disclosed that around 40 percent of P2P bus riders were previous car owners.

The premium P2P bus service is a new public utility ve-

hicle (PUV) sub-category created by the DOTr that offers commuters another safe and reliable mode of transportation. It allows shorter travel time, as buses depart on a fixed schedule and travel directly from the terminal to the dropoff point.

The P2P buses are currently operating in the following routes: Trinoma to Glorietta 5; Alabang Town Center to Greenbelt 1; SM North EDSA to SM Megamall; Robinson’s Galleria to Park Square and Fairview to Makati. It is also operating 24 hours in the routes of SM North EDSA to SM Megamall and Trinoma to Glorietta 5.

The DOTr has asked mall operators not to conduct weekday sales and submit their own traffic management plans, no window hours for private vehicles and road digging moratorium except for government flagship projects as short term solutions to ease traffic congestion in Metro Manila.

Also, the Inter-Agency Council on Traffic and the Metro Manila Council, the policymaking body of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority consisting of 17 mayors, agreed to establish a single ticketing system that will impose uniform fines and penalties for traffic violators.

The department intends to pursue infrastructure projects such as bus rapid transit, intermodal bus terminals and expansion of the LRT and MRT systems as long term solutions in addressing the traffic situation. ■

12

Philippine News

OCTOBER 21, 2016

FRIDAY

Across-the-board wage hike Estrada wants could worsen inequality — NEDA arrest of 16 local

gov’t officials, policemen involved in drugs hastened

PHILIPPINES NEWS AGENCY MANILA — The National Economic and Development Authority, together with the Department of Finance, Department of Budget and Management, and the Department of Trade and Industry, stood against the PHP125 across-theboard (ATB) wage increase for workers in the private sector, saying it could worsen inequality across regions.

The PHP125 ATB daily wage hike is anticipated to be filed in the 17th Congress.

“While the Economic Managers want to raise the living standards of workers and their families, we do not support the PHP125 daily wage increase as it is likely to have adverse impacts on economic growth, employment, and inflation,” said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia in his letter to the President.

“Similarly, we do not support uniform wage increases across regions as this may erode the attractiveness of other regions for labor-intensive industries and enterprises, consequently worsening inequality across the regions,” Secretary Pernia added.

According to a position paper signed by Secretary Pernia, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno and Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, an increase in wage will have implications on the cost of doing business, and hence, on the decisions of firms and enterprises to produce, employ, and the prices at which they sell their products.

“The cost of living and cost of doing business vary in every region. This is why we have regional wage boards that set minimum wages based on sev-

BY LILY O. RAMOS Philippines News Agency Department of Agriculture (DA) Undersecretary for Fisheries and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) National Director Eduardo B. Gongona and Vice Mayor Andrea Del Rosario of Calatagan, Batangas exchange ideas on how they can help fisherfolks during closed season BEN BRIONES / PNA

eral factors affecting prices in their respective regions.

If we have uniform wage hikes, then employers, especially startups and small and medium enterprises, in areas where other costs like utilities and logistics are high, could be discouraged from hiring more workers. And the unemployed or underemployed workers in these regions could lose the opportunity to be fully and gainfully employed.

In some cases, enterprises may also have to increase the prices of goods and services they sell because of the higher labor cost, thus pushing prices upwards,” explained NEDA Officer-inCharge and Deputy DirectorGeneral Rosemarie Edillon.

According to a simulation study conducted by the NEDA that analyzes the impact of a PHP125 ATB wage increase in all regions, the proposed wage increase could result in upward pressures on prices from 2017 to 2018, the strongest of which could be felt in 2017, when inflation could rise to 9.7 percent from a baseline of 2.1 percent.

The study also shows that the wage increase could displace around 500,000 workers in

2017, which can raise full-year unemployment rate to 7.3 percent.

Furthermore, increasing wage ATB is expected to significantly reduce real GDP growth to 5.5 percent from a baseline of 6.5 percent in 2017.

“This will have a more pronounced effect on the poor, who are expected to suffer the most from any significant increase in inflation rate and reduction in economic growth and employment,” reads the position paper.

“Such a policy will likely have the unintended consequence of worsening inequality, and will be detrimental to regions as it will erode their attractiveness as investment destinations, particularly for labor-intensive industries,” it adds.

The Economic Managers recommended, instead, to maintain and strengthen the current tripartite mechanism for regional minimum wage setting that takes into account the unique economic situation of the region.

At the same time, infrastructure in the regions should be increased, especially those relating to connectivity, in order to improve the investment climate in the regions. ■

www.canadianinquirer.net

MANILA — Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada on Tuesday ordered Manila Police District (MPD) director Senior Supt. Joel Coronel to hasten the operation against 16 “highvalue” targets (HVTs) to serve as example to other unscrupulous city officials that are into drugs.

The MPD announced earlier that they are investigating 16 local and national government officials in Manila, including police officers allegedly involved in illegal drugs.

“Government officials who are involved in drugs do not deserve any mercy. They’re even worse than the ordinary street pushers because they took an oath to uphold the law and serve the people,” Estrada said in disgust.

Estrada assured Coronel of his full support in going after the 16 HVTs in the MPD’s drug list.

“We will support you all the way. We will provide whatever you need, so long as these targets are put behind bars,” he told Coronel.

Recently, Estrada procured PHP20-million worth of brand new firearms for the MPD policemen on top of the PHP45million fund he released for the allowance of the 4,652-strong city police force.

Since his assumption to office in 2013, he has allotted

PHP1.9 billion for crime prevention program, which includes PHP136 million in back allowances of MPD members and the procurement of 41 new mobile patrol cars and 110 electric personal transporters.

In an interview late Monday evening, Coronel said the 16 HVTs, whom he said are “public servants”, are from the Manila City Hall, barangay, national government offices based in Manila, and from the Philippine National Police (PNP).

“They’re both elected and appointed (officials). Some are drug users, coddlers, traffickers, or protectors, including from the PNP,” Coronel bared.

“We have been monitoring them. Once we are done with the validation and it proved positive, we will conduct an operation – either entrapment, arrest or neutralization,” he said.

Coronel said they identified the 16 high-profile drug suspects (HVTs), other arrested drug suspects, and those who surrendered and provided most of the information which were backed up by records from the MPD’s Anti-Illegal Drugs Division and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

In the past two weeks, 38 drug suspects have been arrested while 200 surrendered in the MPD’s sustained anti-drug and criminality operations, according to Coronel. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY OCTOBER 21, 2016

13

Tribal leaders ask Congress to address militarization, land use conversion of ancestral lands

BY FILANE MIKEE CERVANTES Philippines News Agency MANILA — Leaders of various national minority groups called on the House of Representatives on Tuesday to help them in the fight against landgrabbing and the militarization of their communities under the continuing implementation of

Oplan Bayanihan.

Leaders include Matigsalog woman chieftain Bai Bibyaon Ligkayan Bigkay, Datu Cho Monico, Jerome Aba of Suara Bangsamoro, Minda Dalinan of the Kahugpungan ng mga Lumad sa Halayong Habagatang Mindanao, and Nenita Condez of the Salabukan Nok G’Taw Subanen.

The tribal leaders, who are part of the ongoing “Lakbay-

an ng Pambansang Minorya para sa Sariling Pagpapasya at Makatarungang Kapayapaan,” decried the continued militarization of ancestral lands through Oplan Bayanihan.

In a news briefing Tuesday, Kabataan Partylist Rep. Sarah Elago said Oplan Bayanihan, which she described as a “counterinsurgency scheme”, continues to terrorize tribal communities.

Duterte tells foes: God made me president

‘Part of my destiny’

And since he became President due to divine intervention, Mr. Duterte said it was easy for him to brush aside rumors of his imminent exit, either through impeachment or coup d’etat or assassination by the Central Intelligence Agency.

“Don’t scare me, you people from Manila with your plan to hold a rally next year and remove me from office. Because if I go, that is part of my destiny.

That is what it is so don’t come out in newspapers warning Dutere about a coup d’etat or others,” he said.

“If I become President for just two months or two years, that is part of my destiny, what God gave me. So I just let them threaten me with launching a

BY CHRISTINE O. AVENDAÑO Philippine Daily Inquirer

Residents and local government officials of Batanes greet President Rodrigo Duterte upon arrival.

BEN BRIONES / PNA

coup d’etat or people power, these sons of a…,” he said.

“But if I reach six years, you’re all dead,” he added.

As God was his main backer, Mr. Duterte said he owed nothing to anybody, even the “rich” kingmakers who refused to contribute to his campaign until they were sure of his victory.

But by that time, Mr. Duterte said it was too late and he rejected their contributions.

Not new to intrigue

He said he was not new to these kinds of intrigue in office, starting with his more than two decades as Davao City mayor during which time allegations of his ties to liquidation squads

reined in. In this light, we urge Congress to support the 2-year land use conversion moratorium of agricultural lands, which addresses the longstanding ploy of unscrupulous landowners and real estate developers to convert prime agricultural lands for industrial, residential, and commercial purposes to escape coverage from the agrarian reform law,” Elago said. ■

‘Verbal judo’ vs druggies

BY GIL C. CABACUNGAN Philippine Daily Inquirer LIKE JOB, President Duterte believes that God gives and takes away.

So if God wants him to finish his entire six-year term, it’s tough luck for his opponents.

They just have to endure it.

In a speech in Batanes province on Friday, Mr. Duterte talked extensively about how improbable his victory was in May’s presidential election— no financial resources and a national political machinery— and, after 100 days in office, he said, “I tend to believe now, that it was God who gave it to me.”

The tribal leaders also called on Congress to support the proposed two-year ban on land use conversion, saying that land use conversion has also affected ancestral lands, which are being turned into agro-industrial plantations, especially in Mindanao.

“Even our national minorities attest to the fact that land use conversion of agricultural lands is a monster that must be

hounded him.

He said he got through the worst of what his political rivals, the “yellow,” threw at him in the elections, especially when they realized that he wasn’t going down in the polls before Election Day. ‘Garbage’

He said this was the time when “garbage” like the death squad allegations and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV’s exposé on billions of pesos allegedly stashed in his undisclosed bank accounts started to come out.

“If I had that much money, you won’t even see me here. At my age of 71, I’d rather travel anywhere,” he said. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

“VERBAL JUDO” may serve as an antidote to certain extrajudicial killings that have marred the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

A police chief on Thursday pushed for using verbal judo to “disarm” drug suspects police personnel were about to arrest as part of the war on drugs.

“Just by your use of words, you would have overcome the enemy,” Cebu provincial director Senior Supt. Eric Noble said, pitching the use of verbal judo, which he noted was used by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in its operations.

Noble was among police regional directors who testified on details of their police antidrug operations at the last hearing of the joint Senate committees investigating alleged extrajudicial killings amid the bloody war on drugs.

PNP guideline

Sen. Gregorio Honasan II asked how policemen go about arresting drug suspects and enhancing the police guideline of “move, communicate, shoot” so that mistakes would not be committed “at the expense of human lives and this issue of extrajudicial killings would go away.”

Honasan referred to policemen as “protector[s] of life, liberty and property,” including criminals.

Policemen have to know the use of force, in which they have basic training, according to Noble.

But Noble said policemen should

adopt the training of the FBI, which makes use of verbal skills to overcome the enemy. He called this set of skills “verbal judo.”

Like Philippine National Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa, Noble attended the FBI Academy and specialized in “psychological leadership” and in criminal reactions.

“We should study this verbal use of force. We should study the profiles of people to be arrested so that when we call their attention (during police operations) they would surrender right away,” the Cebu provincial director told Honasan.

Noble said this could render the use of force “unnecessary.”

Disarming with words

Policemen, according to the Cebu police chief, could use the suspect’s language and choose certain words that would coax him to surrender.

He expressed hope that this kind of training would be used at the PNP Academy and regional training centers.

In Cebu province, Noble said drug suspects tended to shoot at arresting policemen right away.

He said the police had seized 97 firearms, eight of which were high-powered, like M14 rifles.

The Cebu police are investigating the death of 52 other drug suspects, who, he said, were killed by unknown assailants.

Sen. Leila de Lima lauded Noble for his statements, saying there are other ways to neutralize suspects.

“Because killing should be the last resort. I think that’s understood by everyone,” De Lima said. ■

Opinion

14

OCTOBER 21, 2016

FRIDAY

ANALYSIS

Duterte’s ‘acoustics war on drugs’

By Amando Doronila Philippine Daily Inquirer AT THE end of President Duterte’s first 100 days, the Social Weather Stations released results of a survey showing that President Duterte maintained an “excellent” trust rating in his first three months in office.

The poll, taken Sept. 24-27 and published by BusinessWorld, showed that 83 percent of the respondents have “much trust” in Mr. Duterte, 9 percent “undecided” and 8 percent with “little trust,” yielding an excellent +76 net trust rating. Under the SWS scheme of ratings, it classifies at least a +70-percent net trust rating as “excellent.”

But the poll noted a politically significant finding—that is, the latest rating of Mr. Duterte is three percentage points less than his “excellent” +79 in June. The drop signaled what

appeared to be the beginning of the end or “meltdown” of Mr. Duterte’s “reign of terror” through extrajudicial executions in a brutal drug war.

Nonetheless, the results sent the Duterte administration into delirious euphoric mood, with the exuberant claim that “validated the people’s overwhelming support for the President’s policy of change in government.’’ According to Malacañang’s drumbeaters, the excellent trust ratings would “further motivate his administration to continue fighting illegal drugs and crime, curbing corruption and sustaining the momentum of economic growth.”

The ratings not only brought relief to the embattled Duterte regime, they also came amid the tempestuous explosion of outrage from the United Nations, the United States and other Western democracies,

and from human rights oversight organizations, which were alarmed by the unabated rise in the number of drug-related deaths (at least 3,500 Filipinos, at the latest count) since Mr. Duterte took power last June 30.

In the past few weeks, the Duterte administration has come under fire over the abuse of power and gross violation of human rights. In the face of this global backlash, the President fanned the flames of outrage by giving himself a “modest” rating for his performance in his first 100 days in office: “On a scale of 1-10, I give myself a 6,” he said. “To me, it is a modest achievement. I’m not ambitious, in scoring myself. I only deal with reality. Success to me is something else.” He did not elaborate. Did he mean that 3,500 dead bodies were a “modest achievement”?

Despite his self-rated “mod-

est achievement,” his popularity soared in the polls during his first three months in an apparent endorsement by Filipinos of his brutal crackdown on crime. He appeared to be stoking the lust for more bloodletting to gain popular favor.

Yet, the first three months have been marked by uncertainty and instability over the direction of his administration in foreign and economic affairs.

He has embroiled himself in controversies with the United Nations and foreign leaders, pouring scorn and insults on them for calling for a stop to the extrajudicial killings in the Philippines.

Mr. Duterte has declared his administration at war not only with the drug syndicates but more so—in the guise of pursuing an independent foreign policy—with international leaders and groups for their act of calling attention to the human

rights violations in his crackdown. And each time the President, in this xenophobic posturing, unleashes from his foul mouth expletives, not heard in civilized discourse and international conferences, to abuse them, the government creates enemies. He has become a center of attention of other state heads because of his mercurial volatility and outbursts.

This brawling and confrontational behavior is driven by his obsession with a single issue—killing citizens without the rule of law; and whose ideology can be summed up in one word—DEATH. Truly, Mr. Duterte has declared a state of lawless violence in presenting himself as the savior of the country from the scourge of illegal drugs.

This has reverberated around the world with the sound and fury of an “acoustics war on drugs.” ■

AT LARGE

Remembering the King

By Rina Jimenez-David Philippine Daily Inquirer I MUST have been in Grade 2 at the then Maryknoll College when my older sister Chona and I were selected to play two of the children of King Mongkut of Siam, in a stage version of “The King and I.” Based on the novel “Anna and the King of Siam” by Margaret Landon, which in turn was based on the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, who worked as a tutor to the King’s children in the early 1860s, “The King and I” was made into a Broadway musical by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. It was later adapted into a movie.

At the time of the restaging, Maryknoll was using all-female casts for both female and male roles. All I remember clearly was the requirement for my sister and I to have our hair cut into short bobs and to appear onstage barefoot, albeit clad in glittery costumes.

Maybe that was why I’ve always held Thailand, the name adopted by Siam in modern times, with fondness. And by the same token, this may be why I’ve followed the goingson in the royal household. Also because King Bhumibol, until his death a few days ago, was revered by most Thais, and served as the longest reigning monarch in the world.

Then there is Queen Sirikit, who, during a visit to Manila in 1963, mesmerized us Pinoys with her gracious, graceful, world-class beauty. Even in her later years, she always seemed to me to embody the kindness, the gentility of the Thais.

Of course, time has inflicted serious blows on both the stature and reputation of the Thai Royal Family. The King and Queen have been models of decorum and service to their people, but the Thais have not been so lucky with the royal heirs who often shock and dismay the public with their scandal-

ous behavior.

It didn’t help, too, that the royals became embroiled in Thailand’s tumultuous politics through the decades, although observers concede that the King has been his country’s main stabilizing force, rallying his people through coups and electoral controversies. One wonders how Thailand will fare now, with a military junta in charge of state affairs (having forced through a recent referendum on a rewritten Constitution) and thereby jeopardizing the “democratic project” in our economically progressive neighbor.

To remember King Bhumibol, let me quote his gracious words uttered during his state visit in 1963 and recently posted on Facebook by the Ortigas Foundation’s John Silva.

“The Queen and I have come to this beautiful country … bearing with us the friendship and high regard of our people for the Filipino people. We come to www.canadianinquirer.net

reaffirm the fact that within the borders of our kingdom live a people who are as one with the Filipinos in desiring peace and prosperity for the entire SouthEast Asia region.

“We are overwhelmed by the warmth of this welcome that you have extended to us, and we can even feel that we are not in a foreign land. For it has been said that the Filipinos and the Thais look more alike than any other peoples in Asia, and they may have been brothers once upon a time.

“Perhaps, in the dawn of history, or before it, on some crossroads in the heartland of Asia, the ancestors of the Filipinos and the Thais all belonged to the same great family.”

Brothers and sisters are we.

My sympathies to all my Thai friends!

There is a church in Butuan where the altar is covered not with marble or religious images but with a gleaming wall of wood. Friends said the altar

was built partly to pay tribute to the lumber industry, which has been a major contributor to the economy of the Caraga region.

Since my visit took place more than 20 years ago, I’m not sure if the lumber industry is as dominant as it was.

But despite the growing clamor against the industry mainly from environmentalists, it continues to play a big role in the economy.

On Oct. 25 and 26, the Philippine Wood Producers Association will hold the first Philippine Wood Expo and Forum, gathering wood specialists, businesses and enthusiasts from all over the world.

The Expo to be held at the Centennial Ballroom of the Manila Hotel will “showcase sustainable trends and innovation in the wood industry, while also raising relevant environmental issues and benefits of using wood products to mitigate climate change.” ■

Opinion

FRIDAY OCTOBER 21, 2016

15

PUBLIC LIVES

When cops turn into masked killers

By Randy David Philippine Daily Inquirer We don’t know if Philippine National Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa realizes it. But no other event since the Duterte administration came to power has dealt a greater blow to the credibility of the police in the war on drugs than the treacherous killing last Sunday of anticrime crusader Zenaida Luz in Oriental Mindoro.

Ms. Luz’s killers drove by her house on a motorcycle wearing a bonnet and a mask. It was close to midnight. She was shot in cold blood while standing in front of her house, waiting for someone who had contacted her asking for help.

It was clearly a ruse.

Responding to a distress call from village officials, a police patrol team caught up with the fleeing masked killers, who traded shots with them. Cornered and wounded, the gunmen desperately shouted “Tropa, tropa!” to signal that they were friendly troops. To their horror and shock, the police recognized the gunmen as indeed from their ranks. The assailants turned out to be Senior Insp.

Magdaleno Pimentel Jr. and Insp.

Markson Almeranez—out of their

uniforms, moonlighting as vigilan- murder would have been explained have known that she was in poste killers. away as the outcome of a personal session of information about their The twowere brought to hospital vendetta that had nothing to do involvement in criminal activity, and are under police custody. It is with her anticrime work. Even whether drug-related or not. They not clear what their motive was worse, she could have been de- could be among the so-called “ninfor the murder of Ms. Luz, the re- picted as an unwitting coddler of ja cops”—policemen who make a gional chair of the anticrime group drug offenders, someone who had living reselling confiscated shabu, Citizens Crime Watch. In an ideal incurred the ire and enmity of an- or working as protectors of drug world, she would have been their tidrug vigilantes. syndicates. essential ally, a pillar in the comSurely, in a season where the What ought to alarm all of us munity’s campaign against crime. police have their hands full going is the manner in which brazen One could imagine how a dif- after drug syndicates, no one would murders like that of Ms. Luz are ferent narrative would have taken have suspected police officers as normalized in the prevailing atshape if her killers had managed the killers of this 51-year-old law- mosphere of daily killings. It is obto flee in the darkvious from the meness and remained thodical way in unknown. I doubt which police offiWhat ought to alarm all of us is the manner in which if any serious efcers Pimentel and brazen murders like that of Ms. Luz are normalized in the fort to investigate Almeranez carried prevailing atmosphere of daily killings. would have been out their brutal mounted. Instead, deed that they had false accounts of the murder would abiding and civic-spirited woman. meant to mislead investigators by have been circulated. And she Why would anyone in the police passing it off as an integral part of would have been portrayed as the want to eliminate someone like the many-sided drug war. Pimentel victim of vicious drug traders that her? There could be any number wore a bonnet and a jacket, while have been on a killing rampage, of reasons—reasons that precisely Almeranez donned a wig and a targeting anticrime crusaders and warrant a serious rethinking of this mask. They used a small motortheir own people who could point administration’s gruesome anti- bike, a vehicle that, unfortunately, to them. drug war. has become the signature of vigiZenaida Luz had been an active But I can think of only one rea- lante-style killings. and fearless civic leader who en- son Senior Inspector Pimentel and People who express deep rescouraged and helped drug pushers Inspector Almeranez, both of them ervations about the daily killing and users to take back their lives graduates of the Philippine Na- of suspected drug peddlers and and seek rehabilitation. tional Police Academy, would want addicts are told they have nothAlternatively, her senseless to silence Zenaida Luz. They must ing to worry about so long as they

themselves are not into drugs.

But—given that a lot of crimes can be committed and concealed under the cover of the war on drugs—this assurance hardly inspires confidence. It presumes many things that a modern society would be foolish to ignore.

It assumes that the police themselves have cleansed their ranks, a process that admittedly is not accomplished overnight. One needs to ask how an entire institution could have been so misled about these two officers, particularly Insp. Markson Almeranez. No less than PNP Chief Dela Rosa recently pinned a medal on him as an outstanding police commissioned officer of Calapan City. Almeranez was in the top 10 of the PNPA graduating class of 2013, and was the chief of police of Socorro town in Oriental Mindoro. How could this man’s criminal inclinations have passed unnoticed by his superiors and peers?

The most grievous thing about the daily killings in our midst is not just the body count. It is also the fact that, when the public becomes desensitized, there will be no serious demand and no real effort to investigate these crimes. That is when an entire society begins its descent to barbarism. ■

LOOKING BACK

Before we had refrigerators

By Ambeth R. Ocampo Philippine Daily Inquirer One of my Japanese foodie friends warned me about Tokyo fastfood joints like the “kaiten sushi” that tourists find quaint: Plates of sushi roll out on a conveyor belt and you just take what you want; when you are done, a waitress checks the number and color of the plates on your table and gives you the bill.

The problem with this is that one cannot be sure how long the sushi has been traveling on the conveyor belt, exposed to the air and the patrons’ breath. In a real sushi shop, the fish is freshly sliced and placed on freshly rolled, vinegared rice.

Avoiding conveyor-belt sushi is a warning I have heeded, but eating at rice-topping joints like Yoshinoya or Matsuya is something I indulge in because of the quick, cheap meals. My foodie friend found me out once and said that if I continued eating at these fastfood joints, my palate would be ru-

ined beyond repair. I thought this a longanisa, and tocino that are aird- ber how upset I would be when rather snobbish thing to say, until I ried, salted, or smoked to preserve served instant sinigang. Up to a reflected on the history behind ev- the food without refrigeration. We time I could actually tell the real eryday Filipino food. eat these with fried rice and egg in from the instant, but then over Pork or chicken adobo (from the the morning, not realizing their time, instant sinigang has ruined Spanish “adobar,” which means to long history. my palate beyond repair. A fond marinate or pickle in vinegar) is Sinigang, a common Filipino childhood memory of summers cooked in vinegar, garlic, bay leaf, dish we used to cook from scratch, in Pampanga was going into the soy sauce for coloring, and a dash consisted of pork or fish cooked in kitchen for a snack: From a bell jar each of salt, pepper and MSG for a broth made with fresh tamarind filled with bagoong— salty, pink, perfect seasoning. fermented shrimp Contrary to popupaste—we fished lar belief, adobo out cooked pork.

Today, people cook sinigang with instant broth from a is not a Spanish It was probably cube or a sachet. It makes things as easy as 1-2-3, but it is no dish; it was already binagoongan, but longer authentic. in the Philippines I remember that when the colonizwe could scoop out ers arrived, but they forgot to list boiled and mashed (although some of the bagoong, not small pieces what the pre-Spanish Filipinos people prefer tamarind for pork of liempo or pork belly, but whole called it. The Spanish called the and guava for fish). Today, people pork chops! Eaten with leftover dish “adobado,” which we later cook sinigang with instant broth rice, it was heaven on earth. If there shortened to adobo. from a cube or a sachet. It makes were microwave ovens then and we Adobo is not the name of the dish things as easy as 1-2-3, but it is no heated up this snack, it would have but the process of cooking, and the longer authentic. The taste may been perfect. cooking was meant to preserve the approximate that made painstakI am old enough to know that meat in an age before refrigeration. ingly from rice washing and fresh some common Filipino dishes were It is the same with breakfast sta- tamarind or guava, but it is not the not cooked simply to be tasty but, ples like tapa, tuyo, daing, tinapa, same. I am old enough to remem- rather, for preservation. Before

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the coming of ice plants and refrigerators, Pampangos were forced to preserve their meals and, necessity being the mother of invention, gave us tocino, tapa and longanisa that are still popular today. Mangoes were kept in molasses to keep for a year and still be crisp. Monggo, garbanzos, beans and macapuno are aptly called “sweet preserves.”

Pickled eggs and vegetables (i.e., achara) served as side dishes to certain foods. So did burong asan, or fish preserved in fermented rice—a side dish that could keep for months. Unfortunately, buro or balaw-balaw is an acquired taste; some people are turned off by it because it resembles cat vomit.

Even hearty soups like nilaga and sinigang could keep for days without refrigeration, and were said to get better and richer with each reheating.

Please indulge me. I have been fiddling with food in the past week or so, trying to find Filipino identity on a plate and my palate. ■

16

OCTOBER 21, 2016

FRIDAY

Canada News Tears, tributes for former cabinet minister, premier Jim Prentice in Parliament

BY JONATHAN HAYWARD The Canadian Press OTTAWA — Tributes to former federal cabinet minister and Alberta premier Jim Prentice are pouring in days after he and three others died in a plane crash, from tearful memories shared on Parliament Hill to quietly hand-written messages.

Interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose choked back tears as she spoke about Prentice in the House of Commons on Monday.

“He was a true gentleman politician — kind and possessing a love of public policy and public service,” she said. “That was true, whether he was in opposition or on the government benches in this House or, of course, working for the people of Alberta as the province’s 16th premier.

“His loss is Alberta’s loss but it’s also Canada’s loss. We hope his loved ones find strength in each other — even in their grief

— and that Jim’s memory will focus and purpose and pas- hearted person. A genuine polibe a blessing to them in time.” sion to serve the Canadian tician who wanted to help,” said After a moment of silence for people, to serve Albertans and Wong.

Prentice, Prime Minister Justin his drive to leave everything “I think the idea is lost among Trudeau said everyone on both that he touched a little bit bet- some getting into politics, but I sides of the House feels the loss. ter than when he first started,” think his objectives have never “We will all miss his intelli- said Travel Alberta CEO Royce wavered.” gence, honesty, thoughtfulness Chwin, after penning a message Wong was also a patient of opand the kindness he brought at Calgary’s McDougall Centre. tometrist Ken Gellatly, the fatherto his work. in-law of one of Jim was a man Prentice’s three of deep convicdaughters and antions, who dediother victim of the cated his life to He was a true gentleman politician — plane crash. public service, kind and possessing a love of public “He was ever to the people of policy and public service. so kind to me,” Alberta and to said Wong. “He all Canadians,” literally opened Trudeau said. up my eyes. It’s “I cherish the time I spent Paul Wong, who met Prentice an unbelievable tragedy.” working with Jim and will a few times while volunteering Prentice was on board a small always remember his kind, for the CIBC Run for the Cure, jet that went down Thursday thoughtful manner.” said he also wanted to use his night after it left the airport in In Calgary, people were stop- entry to express gratitude.

Kelowna, B.C. The plane was ping at the downtown provin“I said, ‘How can you thank en route to the Springbank aircial building to sign books of someone whose mission in life port, outside Calgary. condolence set up in the foyer. is to make the world a better Retired RCMP officer and Books were also filling up at the place for everyone?”’ aviation enthusiast Jim Kruk legislature in Edmonton and on Wong said he was struck by was identified as the pilot. Methe province’s website.

Prentice’s down-to-earth manner. dia reports have said the fourth “I just thanked Jim for his “I think he was a very kind- victim was Calgary business-

man Sheldon Reid.

The Transportation Safety Board has said the plane disappeared from radar shortly after it took off and no emergency calls or signals were made before the crash.

On Monday the board reiterated its call for Transport Canada to require flight data or cockpit voice recorders to be carried on smaller planes as part of its investigation of the crash near Kelowna. The plane was not equipped with voice or data recorders, and was not required to carry the devices.

Prentice, 60, served as a federal aboriginal affairs minister, environment minister and industry minister before he quit federal politics in 2010 to take on a post as a senior executive with CIBC. Four years later, he won the leadership race for the Alberta Progressive Conservatives and became premier. He quit politics in May 2015 after the Alberta NDP swept the Progressive Conservatives from power. ■

to be the case, it will be a defeat for Canada in the area of international trade.”

Mulroney is a fervent defender of free trade as one of the architects of the 1988 deal with the United States and subsequent extension to include Mexico.

He called Trump’s call to cancel the North American Free Trade Agreement “illusory.”

worry Canadians, especially relating to challenges in securing a new softwood lumber agreement.

“It was always complicated for Canada and the United States, but it’s a challenge that has become more complex because of the protectionist wind that currently blows,” she told reporters in Ottawa. ■

Mulroney no...

Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement she worked on as secretary of state and criticizes NAFTA, which her husband enacted as president.

Her positions make the situation more complicated, Mulroney said.

“If the Democrats retake control of the Senate, which seems ❰❰ 1

Mulroney said the Republican nominee would face political blowback from senators in 38 states that depend on trade with Canada to support 11-million jobs.

And despite Trump’s anti-Mexican rhetoric, he said NAFTA is having the desired impact since for the first time in 25 years, more Mexicans are

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returning home from the U.S. to chase prosperity.

“Mr. Trump doesn’t yet understand that. The treaty at the same time resolved economic questions and problems surrounding immigration,” Mulroney said.

International Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland said protectionist forces in the U.S. should

17

FRIDAY OCTOBER 21, 2016

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Canada News

OCTOBER 21, 2016

FRIDAY

Vancouver home Ethical commerce: Canadian prices may have retailers make giving back seen ‘final hurrah,’ part of the bottom line Royal LePage says

BY LINDA NGUYEN The Canadian Press

BY JONATHAN HAYWARD The Canadian Press

same month last year — but prices have continued to rise.

“It often takes about six months ... for prices to catch up TORONTO — Royal LePage with a change in demand, either CEO Phil Soper says house on the upside or the downside,” prices in Greater Vancouver says Soper. grew 30.6 per cent year-overHowever, he adds that the year in the third quarter of the trend of declining home sales year, marking what may have started long before the introbeen the real estate market’s duction of the foreign buyer “final hurrah.” tax. Many would-be buyers The real estate agency says have simply moved to the sidethe average house price in the lines as prices have spiralled region soared to $1.19 million out of their reach, he says. in the three-month period Soper says the new tax can’t that ended Sept. 30, up from be blamed as the sole cause if $914,705 during the same quar- home prices begin to drop in ter last year. the coming quarters — but it The average price of a home certainly may be the catalyst. in Greater Toronto rose to “You take a lineman in profes$693,154 over the third quar- sional football — a great, big huter, up 13.6 per man being — and cent compared they’re sort of to last year, when teetering on their the average heels,” he says. home price was There will “A child comes $610,308. be some along and pushes In Edmonton, transactions them on their where the detaken out chest and they cline in oil prices of play with topple over. The has hurt the real the new tax impacted a estate market, regulations. very small group the average cost of people in a of a home was very narrow down 3.1 per cent geographic and to $374,712 from house price range $386,829 a year ago. in one city, yet it came at a time Royal LePage says its nation- when the market was already al house price composite — a cooling. It represents that push figure based on 53 of the coun- in the chest to something that try’s largest real estate mar- was already ready to change.” kets — showed that the average As for new mortgage rules inprice of a home climbed 12 per troduced by Ottawa earlier this cent from a year ago to $545,414 month, Soper says fears associin the third quarter. ated with those changes have Soper says he expects that been exaggerated. price growth in Vancouver will He predicts that prices in slow or even reverse in the Ontario and many other parts months ahead as the effects of of the country will continue to recent federal and provincial rise, in spite of new measures government rule changes begin including a requirement that to be felt. lenders apply stress tests to all In August, the B.C. govern- mortgage borrowers. ment introduced a 15 per cent “There will be some transactax on foreigners purchasing tions taken out of play with the homes in Vancouver. new regulations,” says Soper.

Home sales in the city have “It’s just a mathematical cerbeen falling since then — with tainty. But I don’t think it will recently released figures indi- be enough to reverse the posicating a 32.6 per cent drop in tive trend that we see across the September compared to the country.” ■

TORONTO — Derek Woodgate didn’t know it at the time, but seeing a documentary about childhood malnutrition would change his life.

He watched the film last year and knows it was the catalyst that helped push him and his wife Jen to start Cuddle+Kind, a company that donates 10 meals for every hand-knit doll sold.

Mark Schwartz, an associate professor of business ethics, said it’s becoming important for companies to show that they care about more than just the bottom line.

“Over the years, it’s become much more mainstream,” said Schwartz, who teaches at York U n i v e r s i t y ’s School of Administrative Studies.

“The larger companies in the world, they really have no choice. All the industries realize that they have to be seen as giving back to the society and the community in which they operate.”

He said customers may be more willing to choose businesses that share their same values or ethics, if all other factors, such as price, quality and services are the same compared to a competitor.

“There’s a bigger impact when the contribution is more directly linked to the nature of your product and your service,” said Schwartz.

“If you buy a pair of shoes, and you know a pair of shoes is going to a child in the developing world, it would make more of a difference. Or knowing that the farmers who are growing your coffee are treated fairly and that their communities are benefiting — I think the link is much more direct and much stronger.”

Although there is little Canadian data tracking corporate social giving, a recent U.S. retail www.canadianinquirer.net

study by consulting firm PwC found that it’s a topic that it is on the forefront of shoppers’ minds.

The report, titled 2016 Holiday Outlook, says 60 per cent of consumers surveyed say they hold retailers who make charitable donations and work on sustainability and community involvement in high esteem.

A third of consumers say they plan on spending more money at these retailers. The data was taken largely from a survey of more than 2,300 Americans and 200 retailers.

Derek Woodgate said customers like knowing that their purchase of a colourful hand knit doll also helps support fair wages f o r

female artisans in Peru and also provide meals to Breakfast Club of Canada, World Food Program USA and Children’s Hunger Fund, which feeds children in schools and orphanages around the world.

“First and foremost, as parents with three children ourselves, being able to provide nutrition so our children can thrive and other children can thrive was critical,” he said.

“It just broke our hearts. It moved us to want to help.”

When brothers Kalen and Derrick Emsley started Tentree in 2012, their mission was simple: how could they make money to plant more trees?

The pair had a carbon-offsetting company but wanted to expand their efforts, so they launched a casual clothing line

that would plant 10 trees for every item purchased.

Four years and a deal on CBC’s Dragon’s Den later, Tentree now sells clothes in shops across Canada, the U.S. and Australia. In that time, it has planted more than 9.4 million trees, mostly in Madagascar and Ethiopia.

“We knew that it was a cool idea for people to represent and wear what they feel was important,” said 26-year-old Kalen Emsley.

“For them to have something on them and help the environment... apparel was a neat way of making that happen.”

He said customers are willing to pay a few dollars more for their T-shirts, jogging pants and sweaters if they believe in the company’s ethos. It costs the company between 20 and 40 cents to plant each tree and has also helped them build a school, buy a boat to transport medical supplies and work with villages to give them a hand up.

The company’s goal is to stay within these communities for at least seven years to make a sustainable impact.

“Our margins are much lower than other apparel brands,” Kalen Emsley said.

“For us, it’s more important that things are done ethically, responsibly and environmentally.”

Cindy Hardy named her soap business Joa Bath and Body because it loosely translates to “for good” in Korean.

The former legal assistant makes natural soaps from ingredients such as honey, lavender and oatmeal in her Ottawa kitchen and donates a bar of soap for every bar sold to women’s shelters.

Since 2008, the company has given away more than 100 bars.

“Our motto is to be good to yourself and that involves giving back,” said Hardy. “Businesses that give back will have it come back to them in the long run.” ■

19

FRIDAY OCTOBER 21, 2016

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Canada News

OCTOBER 21, 2016

FRIDAY

Toronto anti-mining groups laud El Salvador win vs. OceanaGold in World Bank court

BY ARTEMIO BORBA SOME PEOPLE demonstrated in front of the office of MP Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s Minister of International Trade, to show their solidarity with the people of El Salvador on Friday October 14.

The gathering coordinated by anti-mining groups was set following the schedule of the verdict of the World Bank tribunal on the case of the mining firm Canadian-Australian mining company OceanaGold against the tiny Central American country this month.

Earlier on that day, an international tribunal ruled that OceanaGold’s case was without merit and also ordered that the firm pay the Salvadoran government $8 million out of the $300 million lawsuit at the World Bank’s International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).

Meera Karunananthan spoke in the rally via phone patch from Washington, D.C., where the ICSID is criticized as a “kangaroo court” made the decision.

She said that they were “very pleased with the outcome” of the case but that it should serve as a caution.

“Salvadoran movements have been pushing for bold initiatives addressing the country’s environmental challenges, including a more robust water policy and a permanent ban on metal mining, but these policy

Connie Sorio of Kairos: “Long live international solidarity!”

proposals have been stalled under the threat of this lawsuit,” she said.

For Rachel Small of the Council of Canadians, it was “a relief” but would not equate it to justice being served.

“This is not a victory. If we are celebrating anything today, it’s the continued fight and struggle of the people of El Salvador and the ongoing resistance with the same mining company in the Philippines,” she said.

Seven-year battle

The conflict in the miningaffected Salvadoran communities dates back in 2007 when the people stood up fighting to stop OceanaGold (formerly Pacific Rim) from opening a gold mine in the town of Cabañas.

The Salvadoran government did not approve the proposed mine over fears of water pollution and scarcity in the country. The water crisis is one of the biggest issues in El Salvador, where some 90 percent of surface water resources are considered unsafe to drink by international standards. Metal mining makes the situation even worse with contamination.

In 2009, the same year OceanaGold filed the lawsuit, the newly-elected left-wing government through a national roundtable of organizations, tried to institutionalize a moratorium on new mining projects.

Didipio, Philippines

Similarly in the Philippines,

Holding banners that read “Stop Corporate Bullying: ‘Free’ trade is a financial weapon” and “Mining Injustice is Canada’s Foreign Policy” those gathered denounced the overall lack of transparency and democracy associated with private tribunals.

the controversial President Rodrigo Duterte has also recently ordered suspension of companies which did not pass the audit of the country’s mining industry. OceanaGold’s flagship operation, the Didipio GoldCopper mine, in the province of Nueva Vizcaya, was one of the 20 miners directly hit by the suspension orders last month.

Didipio is pumping out around 100,000 ounces of gold and 14,000 tonnes of copper each year, and is expected to operate out to 2030 and beyond.

Connie Sorio from Kairos read from a solidarity statement released by organizations in the Philippines also spoke out against the potential harms of OceanaGold’s operations.

Local organizations in Nueva

Vizcaya are calling for an end to mining operations and for their lands to be rehabilitated. The statement highlighted “massive environmental degradation, human rights abuses, and the pollution of waterways and agricultural lands in the area.”

“This decision will definitely inspire the people in Didipio, Nueva Vizcaya in the Philippines to continue the struggle.

And hopefully, with the solidarity of the people in Canada, the people in El Salvador and other countries, OceanaGold will finally leave their community,” she said.

The Friday rally was organized by the Toronto-based Mining Injustice Solidarity Network, and the Council of Canadians. ■

Wikileaks highlights: What’s in those hacked emails Trump is talking about

BY ALEXANDER PANETTA The Canadian Press WASHINGTON — Donald Trump is fuming at the media.

He’s upset they’re focusing on his sexual conduct, instead of the emails being posted to the Wikileaks site. His erratic response to groping allegations hasn’t helped — he’s made headlines by disparaging his accusers’ physical appearance;

calling the election rigged; and demanding Hillary Clinton undergo a drug test.

But what’s actually in those emails?

Thousands of messages have been purportedly stolen from the Clinton campaign — by Russian hackers, according to U.S. intelligence. Clinton’s campaign won’t confirm the messages’ authenticity. It says this is worse than the Watergate break-in, with a hostile gov-

ernment trying to influence an American election.

The emails are being released in batches. So far, they mention: President Barack Obama: Obama exchanged messages with Clinton on her private email, according to an email purportedly from a senior aide.

Obama has said he only learned the same way everyone else did that Clinton never used government email — in the news. www.canadianinquirer.net

To Trump, this is damning. He alleges, without evidence, that the reason Clinton never got charged by the FBI for mishandling classified information is that the FBI’s boss, Obama, also used to email her now-notorious personal account.

They considered making an exception for friendly countries — they cited Canada as an example. In the end, they accepted everything. An email purportedly from Clinton’s communications director says: “Take the money!!”

Foreign lobbyists: The Clinton campaign debated whether to accept donations from Washington lobbyists representing foreign interests.

Secretary of State Bloomberg? An aide to Michael Bloomberg responded, ❱❱ PAGE 22 Wikileaks highlights

World News

FRIDAY OCTOBER 21, 2016

21

Thailand’s late king also Thais buy artist, jazz musician, inventor commemorative currency note honouring late king

BY DENIS D. GRAY The Associated Press BANGKOK — Aside from his kingly duties — and they were immense — Thailand’s late King Bhumibol Adulyadej took time during his 70-year reign to compose music (and jam with some of the world’s jazz legends), build sailing craft (and win an international yachting race), paint surrealistic oils and have some 20 patents registered for an assortment of inventions.

Here’s a look at the many pursuits of Bhumibol, who died last week at the age of 88:

BY DENIS D. GRAY The Associated Press

Musician

“He is simply the coolest king in the land,” declared American jazz great Lionel Hampton of Bhumibol’s talent on the saxophone. He also played clarinet, trumpet and the piano, often with his own palace band, and one of the highlights of a 1960 visit to New York was a twohour jam session with Benny Goodman.

Largely self-taught, he is credited with nearly 50 compositions, including a threemovement ballet previewed in Vienna and songs that are still frequently heard in Thailand, including “Falling Rain” and “Candlelight Blues.” Six of his songs were included in a 1950 Broadway musical, “Peepshow,” with one, “Blue Night,” described by one critic as a “sensuous beguine.”

Inventor

Having tinkered since childhood and studied some science and engineering in Switzerland, the king came up with inventions throughout much of his reign, with 20 patents and 19 trademarks registered under his name and some garnering international awards.

Most were related to rural development, although he also configured a new gun mount on helicopters and offered ideas on how to prevent the M-16, the standard U.S. assault rifle in the Vietnam War, from jamming.

Pondering how to prevent annual flooding in Bangkok, he recalled from childhood pet monkeys munching on bananas,

1000 WORDS / SHUTTERSTOCK.COMV

then retaining the food in their cheeks to later swallow. The king’s “monkey cheeks” initiative featured reservoirs on the peripheries of Bangkok into which onrushing water was diverted and later flushed into the sea or used for irrigation.

His inventions included a biofuel from palm oil and the low-cost Chaipattana aerator, which resembles a paddle wheel on old steamers and can be inserted into rivers, canals and marshes to counter water pollution. The aerators can be seen across Thailand, including at the royal residence in Bangkok.

A 2005 European patent, number 1491088, describes a technique for seeding clouds to induce rain over droughtstricken areas. Dubbed the “super sandwich,” pilots disperse environmentally friendly chemicals to form cool and warm clouds at different altitudes.

Artist, author, sailor

Bhumibol was 8 when he

got hold of his first camera — a Coronet Midget given by his mother — and rarely was one out of reach through most of his life, capturing both domestic scenes and documenting his efforts to improve rural lives.

The king’s more than 60 sculptures and paintings range from traditionally realistic to expressionistic and abstract.

Some are starkly contemporary.

“This is called ‘Subversion’ — there is greed, anger and evil. I painted it with a knitting needle,” he said of one.

The king also penned several books, including one about a beloved stray dog that he had adopted.

A keen sportsman until hobbled by illnesses over the past decade, he teamed up with one of his daughters to win a yachting gold medal in the 1967 Southeast Asian Peninsular Games. A year later, he challenged another royal sailor, Britain’s visiting Prince Philip, to a race. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

BANGKOK — Thais waited patiently in long queues outside government banks Tuesday to secure special commemorative 100 baht currency notes in honour of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

The note was released five years ago by the Bank of Thailand, but interest in it was renewed after the king’s death on Oct. 13.

People began lining up in the early morning at banks around the country to purchase the note, which was available for twice its face value at 200 baht ($5.71).

The banknote features images of the king visiting Thai people, planting grass and playing the saxophone. The side with the special images is printed with metallic gold ink.

“I want to keep every single note that has a portrait of the king, because one day they’ll be all gone since we’ll be living under a new monarch,” said Surinamon Rakkaew, a 24-year-old.

Because of the huge demand, at least one bank, the Govern-

ment Savings Bank that had a stock of 90,000 bills, said it will limit the sale to five bills per customer.

“We believe that all 90,000 bills will be distributed today and we are in the process of requesting more bills from the Bank of Thailand,” said Vitai Ratanakorn, a top official of the bank. He said he expects a new stock of 200,000 bills will become available on Thursday.

Bhumibol’s death after a reign of 70 years has triggered an intense outpouring of grief in Thailand, where the monarchy is revered. Since his death, Thais have been quick to purchase items or partake in activities, such as alms-giving, as ways to commemorate the memory of the late king.

“I came to exchange my bills as a memento so that one day I can commemorate the late king Rama IX,” said 35-yearold Pawan Tomuean, using the king’s formal title, as he carefully inserted his newly acquired bill into a protective case. “One day I will be able to celebrate his goodness and all the great things he did for this nation.” ■

Australia to provide further humanitarian assistance to Iraq PHILIPPINES NEWS AGENCY CANBERRA — Australia will provide USD 7.5 million worth of humanitarian assistance to Iraq during the coalition’s military operation to defeat Islamic State (IS) in the region, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said on Tuesday.

Bishop said the donation to the city of Mosul is in addition the USD 45 million already contributed to Iraq by Australia,

adding that the money would be used to ensure Iraqi civilians remain safe during the fighting.

“Australia will provide an additional USD 7.5 million in life-saving support to Mosul’s civilians,” Bishop said in a statement on Tuesday.

The foreign minister added that the commencement of the operation to drive IS out of Mosul — and out of the Middle East — was an “important milestone” in the fight against the terror organization. ■

22

World News

Rising cost of living a major concern for Malaysians, says iProperty.com PHILIPPINES NEWS AGENCY KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysians are concerned about the rising cost of living and would like a reduction in income tax, more efforts to curb crime and delivery of affordable housing schemes, according to a survey by iProperty.com Malaysia.

Part of the REA Group, iProperty.com Malaysia is the country’s main property portal, offering comprehensive property listings, related real-estate services and project marketing services.

While the nation waits for the Budget 2017 to be announced on October 21, iProperty.com Malaysia has conducted an online survey on approximately 300 respondents, highlighting the big issues affecting Malaysians, REA Group Chief Operating Officer-International Arthur Charlaftis said in a statement.

“We’ve seen significant increases in the cost of living in Malaysia, including price increases in fuel, toll-ways and public transport, as well as the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax last year, which is having a significant impact on Malaysian families,” he said.

The survey results also demonstrated that Malaysians were hoping to see Budget 2017 provide more affordable housing schemes.

Malaysia has a relatively young population and work-

force, and there is strong demand for affordable residential properties in major urban centres, Charlaftis said.

“With transport costs also increasing, this young and growing segment of property seekers are looking for a property in the cities, often close to their workplace,” he added.

According to the State of Households II Report published by the Khazanah Research Institute (KRI), Malaysia’s median monthly household income in 2014 was RM4,585 while the average monthly income was RM6,141.

This means the average household looks to spend between RM200,000 and RM300,000 on a property.

Meanwhile, REA Group Chief Economist Nerida Conisbee said there is high demand for properties within the price range, and there’s a real opportunity for the Government to incentivise developers to build more of these types of properties.

“Residential properties priced at RM500,000 and above are only within the reach of households earning at least RM15,000 per month, which equates to six per cent of the Malaysian population,” he said.

“The Government could also look to other Asian countries where affordability has been an issue, such as Singapore or Hong Kong where they have intervened to provide more affordable housing,” Conisbee added. ■

OCTOBER 21, 2016

FRIDAY

Wikileaks highlights... when asked by a Clinton friend whether the billionaire-exmayor was interested in an administration job under Clinton: “Secty of state. Which ain’t gonna happen.” The friend Neera Tanden, head of a progressive think-tank, forwarded the email to campaign chair John Podesta and said: “Something to know for down the road.” ❰❰ 20

Qatar connection: The Persian Gulf state donated $1 million to the Clinton Foundation for Bill Clinton’s birthday in 2012. A year later, Hillary Clinton told an audience at Goldman Sachs, according to leaked transcripts, that Qatar and other Gulf states were funding jihadist groups in Syrian’s civil war.

Primary favours: Leaked emails suggest the Clinton campaign asked the Illinois state government to move back the date of the primary, to hurt Republicans. They feared an early Illinois primary would benefit moderate Republican candidates. A purported email from Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook says the Clintons, “won’t forget,” what friends do for them.

Obama push poll: Outside groups endorsing Clinton’s 2008 bid conducted a whispercampaign against Obama. In a January 2008 email, a pollingfirm employee tells friends of Clinton that it added antiObama questions to a poll “as requested.” The questions refer to his past use of cocaine; his Muslim father; and him not wearing an American flag lapel pin.

Media relations: A Democratic party official who occasionally comments on CNN told the campaign during the primary that she occasionally gets advance notice of questions for network town-hall events. Donna Brazile now says she never got actual questions.

Also, the New York Times went back-and-forth with the Clinton campaign last year over which quotes it could use. In a piece this week, Times writer Mark Leibovich says he’d tried getting Clinton to do an on-therecord interview; she agreed to speak off-the-record; he later convinced her team to let him www.canadianinquirer.net

GAGE SKIDMORE / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

use some quotes from the offthe-record chat. ’Get a life,’ far left: A transcript says Clinton voiced frustration with her party’s left-wing fringe, in a private event with a union: “They come to my rallies and yell at me....

They say, ‘Will you promise never to take any fossil fuels out of the earth ever again?’ No. I won’t promise that. Get a life, you know.” ’Needy Latinos’: Clinton’s campaign chair urged her to call “needy Latinos” who required some attention before endorsing her, include former cabinet secretary and governor Bill Richardson.

Catholics: Clinton aides are being accused of disparaging Catholics. That’s because an employee at a think-tank emailed Clinton aides disparaging Fox News owner Rupert Murdoch, over baptizing his kids as Catholic; he suggested rich conservatives were attracted to Catholicism’s outdated gender roles. Clinton aide Palmieri replied. She suggested the rich might deem Catholicism more socially acceptable than evangelicalism.

Collusion: Trump says there’s proof of collusion between Clinton and the Justice Department. That’s because her aide, Brian Fallon, wrote that a department contact informed him of a court date related to a freedom-of-information case on Clinton’s records.

Fallon says that doesn’t mean collusion; there were also public records and media reports

about the upcoming hearing.

TPP — policy or politics: Opponents accuse Clinton of a cynical flip-flop over the TransPacific Partnership trade deal — she worked on it in government, opposed it in her primary. Clinton says she withdrew her support after seeing the final details. An email exchange among campaign staff suggests a political calculus. It shows a conversation right after the agreement was announced.

Clinton would oppose it — yet they discuss whether to wait a few weeks until the final text is released, to use that as a pretext.

Bank ties: In paid appearances at financial institutions, Clinton vaunted her good relationship with banks. She said she represented them for eight years as a New York senator.

She got annoyed at campaign staff when they insisted her husband cancel a speech to Morgan Stanley, the week of her campaign launch. Transcripts also show she told bankers they needed to toughen regulations and respond to public anger after the financial crisis.

Thoughtful exchanges: Clinton offered candid and detailed analysis of world events, in events at Goldman Sachs.

According to transcripts, she discussed hearing a screaming match between Chinese and Japanese leaders; the re-emergence of Japanese nationalism; Russian distrust of the Chinese; how a Syrian no-fly zone could kill civilians; and the multiple causes of U.S. legislative paralysis. ■

Community News

FRIDAY OCTOBER 21, 2016

23

When employer-funded education is tax-free

BY EVELYN JACKS Fundata Canada Inc. ACCORDING TO the Conference Board of Canada, organizations that are committed to a strong learning environment for their employees will perform better than their competitors. In fact, there are a number of tax advantages, too.

Employees should be asking their current or employers an important question when negotiating compensation arrangements, especially at year end: Are you willing to invest in my ongoing education? If so, it can be worth a lot more than money — it can make employees fu-

ture-ready, and position firms for the emerging knowledgebased economy that focuses on high value client service.

The new Conference Board of Canada report, published in early September, found that about a third of Canadian organizations indicate they have a strong learning environment.

Half find it is moderate, and about 16% say it’s weak. In the tax and financial services, medicine, pharmaceuticals, and IT industries, a strong learning culture is mandatory in a world so broadly affected by trend lines in a global economy.

Organizations with a high Learning Performance Index boast lower employee turnover

rates, enhanced performance, and engagement and more effective organizational leadership and succession management strategies.* The tax system can help to make the investment for each stakeholder to knowledge improvement more affordable.

CRA considers courses that employees take to upgrade or maintain their employment-related skills are taken primarily for the employer’s benefit. Therefore, when those costs are paid for the employee — this includes family members who work in the business — there will be no taxable benefit is assessed.

The tax-free benefit will extend to courses leading to a de-

gree, diploma, or certificate in a field related to an employee’s work. The employee, however, is expected to resume employment for a reasonable amount of time after graduation.

Even courses that are not directly related to an employer’s specific business, but that are related to the business, may qualify as a tax-free benefit.

This can include stress management courses, first aid, or language courses. These are important skills in an economy in which technology disruptors are prevalent, and growth engines within firms are driven by highly-skilled newcomers to Canada who may have initial difficulty with language barriers.

Other tax provisions are affected by these tax-free benefits.

Employees who qualify for them, for example, will not be able to claim tuition, textbook, or education tax credits on their personal tax return. Also noteworthy is that if courses are taken for an employee’s personal interest, or for skills that are unrelated to the business, the tuition paid be the employer will be considered to be a taxable benefit. * Vachon, Donna Burnett, and Hall, Colin. “The Learning Performance Index: Profiling Strong and Dynamic Learning Environments.” Donna Burnett Vachon, Colin Hall. The Conference Board of Canada. September 1, 2016. ■

Fil-Can teams Crossover and Ckatt showcased at Raptors half time

BY MIKE CRUZ

Holy Sepulchre Grand Cross for Sir George & Lady Dolly Poblete

BY FE P. TADURAN SIR GEORGE R. Poblete was promoted to the highest rank (KGCHS) in the Holy Sepulchre, in ceremonies at St. Michael Cathedral Basilica in the Archdiocese of Toronto. His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Collins officiated the ceremonies. Lady Dolly V. Poblete was also promoted to Lady Grand Cross of the Holy Sepulchre (LGCHS).

The Holy Sepulchre is the

oldest Papal Order, instituted in the 11th century. Its main objective is to maintain Christianity in the Holy Land through prayers and financial support. They have a Lieutenancy in the major provinces in Canada. In Toronto, they conduct seminars and Church Visitation in addition to the AGM and investiture. Cardinal Collins is the Grand Prior of the Lieutenancy.

During the ceremonies held recently, 7 men and 3 ladies were invested to KHC & LHS.

Seven Commanders and 4 ladies were promoted to their higher ranks. Sir George was the lone candidate promoted to the Knight Grand Cross of the Holy Sepulchre. Lady Dolly V. Poblete was among the three candidates who received the Lady Grand Cross of the Holy Sepulchre. Promotions come from the Vatican.

Sir George and Lady Dolly Poblete are the highest ranking members of the Holy Sepulcher from the Filipino-Canadian community in Canada. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

DURHAM CROSSOVER Basketball was recently given an opportunity to play and showcase their talents against CKATT at the half time break of a Toronto Raptors pre-season game at the Air Canada Center.

Both teams had a very good time and enjoyed every moment on the hard court. DCB Team members Ryan Hukom, Jeron Castronuevo, Tyler Higuit, Ayrton Serapion and Joaquin Oledan mentioned that they will truly cherish this once in lifetime experience. This was made possible through the efforts of Mr. Wally Landicho, a long time basketball organizer here in Toronto.

Toronto Raptors reached the

Eastern Conference Finals last year and with its core players Kyle Lowry, DeMar Derozan and Jonas Valunciunas, are back and expected to improve further and perhaps give the king Lebron James and defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers another run for their money.

DCB is a non-profit basketball organization based in the Durham region east of Toronto. It is mandated to help provide healthy living through the sports of basketball. Its basketball skills development program includes clinics for entry and intermediate level, high performance trainings through its advance skills program and participation to the annual SM NBTC National High School Championships in Manila. ■

24

OCTOBER 21, 2016

FRIDAY

Entertainment Affleck’s ‘The Accountant’ tops charts with $24.7M

BY LINDSEY BAHR The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Ben Affleck is still a box office draw outside of the bat suit.

His new thriller “The Accountant” opened to a charttopping $24.7 million this weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday. Gavin O’Connor directed the R-rated thriller, starring Affleck as an autistic mathematician. The film didn’t play especially well with critics, but audiences, who were 58 per cent male and 68 per cent over the age of 35, gave it a promising “A” CinemaScore.

It’s the continuation of what proves to be a long and fruitful partnership between Affleck and Warner Bros. Although “The Accountant,” which

cost a reported $40 million to produce, didn’t quite hit the heights of “Gone Girl’s” $37.5 million opening, it is in the range of some of his other Rrated fall openings with the studio. “Argo,” for instance, launched to $19.5 million in 2012, and “The Town,” took in $23.8 million in 2010.

“The Accountant” also farsurpassed Warner Bros.’ early predictions for the film, which had it in the $15 to $20 million range.

“We’re in the Ben Affleck business, and we’re proud of it.

We’ve had a lot of movies with him, and we have a lot of movies coming up with him,” said Jeff Goldstein, Warner Bros. president of domestic distribution.

“Audiences just love him.”

Affleck’s mob drama “Live

By Night,” which he wrote, directed and stars in, opens on

Christmas. He also has the DC comics films with the studio.

The weekend’s other new star-driven project, “Kevin Hart: What Now?” narrowly took second place over last week’s champ “The Girl on the Train.” The Kevin Hart concert film, which Universal Pictures distributed, took in $11.98 million. The comedian’s 2013 concert film “Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain” opened to a similar $10 million in 2013.

“We love Kevin Hart and we love our association with him.

This is our fourth collaboration with him this year alone,” said Nick Carpou, Universal’s president of domestic distribution.

“He is tireless in the way that he promotes his projects and the way that he’s always working. It’s really a pleasure to be part of it.”

In third place, “The Girl on

the Train” netted $11.975 million for Universal, bringing its domestic total to $46.6 million. With such a minuscule difference, the Universal films could easily switch places when final numbers come in on Monday.

Holdovers “Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children” and “Deepwater Horizon” rounded out the top five with $8.9 million and $6.4 million, respectively.

The weekend’s other new opener, the Mattel-inspired “Max Steel,” bombed with only $2.2 million. Open Road distributed the film starring Ben Winchell, which currently has a zero per cent on Rotten Tomatoes.

Overall, the year is still up 3.5 per cent, but the fall season is down from last year, according to box office tracker comScore.

“In the wake of the summer season, the fall always seems a little slow. This year is sort of typical in that way. We haven’t had an October breakout hit like we had with ‘Gravity’ and ‘The Martian,”’ said Paul Dergarabedian, comScore’s senior media analyst. So far, the fall’s top-grossing film is “Sully,” which has grossed $118.4 million to date.

“I’m thinking we’re going to have a renaissance at the box office in a week or two and things could turn around,” he added, noting big upcoming films like “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back,” “Doctor Strange,” and “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.”

Internationally, “Inferno,” starring Tom Hanks, opened in 53 territories to $50 million in advance of its North American release on Oct. 28. ■

How Nyoy Volante became Frankie Valli It begins, he says, with an appreciation for everything from kundiman to heavy metal to doowop

BY FRAN KATIGBAK Philippine Daily Inquirer WHAT DOES it take to be theater’s Frankie Valli, the frontman for the hit musical “Jersey Boys” whose voice can soar so uncannily high?

For Nyoy Volante, who leads the ’60s pop-rock quartet in Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment Group’s (Ateg) staging of the Tony-winning musical, it begins with an appreciation for and knowledge of a wide range of music—from kundiman to heavy metal to everything else in between, including doowop boy band harmonies.

To prepare for the role, Volante went to see the show’s London production. He also watched the 2014 film directed

by Clint Eastwood and listened to the original cast recording.

It’s all part of an effort, he said, to study what he cannot do with the role and how far he could

push it.

And yet, he admitted, singing in Frankie Valli’s falsetto still felt funny no matter the research. There were as well the exhaustive casting efforts, which required him singing with numerous male auditionees “in different combinations over and over again to make sure we got both the correct sound, and also the proper dramatic impact the roles required,” as described by director Bobby Garcia in a previous interview.

Unqualified raves

Before Volante’s acousticpop fame and his inspired performance in “Jersey Boys,” which has been getting unqualified raves (the show is on its last weekend at Meralco Theater), there was stagecraft designer and dependable stagehand Niño del Mar Volante.

He had at the time relegated music-making as a hobby, with bar shows the only outlet for

his laid-back, mellow singing and guitar-playing. Volante had instead set his sights on a career as stage and film director.

Backed by a Technical Theater degree from College of St. Benilde, he worked with prominent performance groups like Gantimpala Theater and Monique Wilson’s New Voice Company. He worked in lights, sound and production design, occasionally stumbling upon small directorial gigs.

“Sa totoo lang mas passion ko ang backstage, mas passion ko ang creating (To be honest, my passion lies backstage, in creating), and I just learned to love performing [later on],” he said.

Music simply kept knocking on his door. There was prolific composer and music producer Vehnee Saturno who, after catching one of Volante’s bar shows, offered an album deal right off the bat.

There were the bar owners who would promise to double www.canadianinquirer.net

COURTESY OF NYOY VOLANTE / FACEBOOK

his fee so he would come in for unscheduled gigs. Celebs and industry executives also flocked to his shows, and not just by coincidence, as he thought.

Lin-Manuel Miranda moment

When Volante’s career as a solo pop artist took off, theater had to take a backseat. His early acting experience had not been encouraging anyway.

His lead roles were in school productions. His acting stint with New Voice, as Punjab in a mall tour of excerpts from “Annie,” was a brief stint, though it was a surprise offer from Wilson who happened to hear the stagehand singing while he was sweeping the stage.

There was also a spot in the ❱❱ PAGE 36 How Nyoy

Entertainment

FRIDAY OCTOBER 21, 2016

25

Canadian writers and musicians Sarah G happy celebrate Bob Dylan’s to inspire Nobel Prize for literature

BY MARINEL R. CRUZ Philippine Daily Inquirer

BY LAUREN LA ROSE The Canadian Press SEVERAL CANADIAN writers and musicians are praising Bob Dylan’s selection as the Nobel Prize winner for literature, but the pick is also rankling observers who question the categorization of lyricists alongside authors and poets.

The legendary singer-songwriter became the first musician to receive the award. Dylan is the first American to win the Nobel literary honour since Toni Morrison in 1993.

“Bob Dylan is one of the greatest poets of all time,” said award-winning, Montrealbased author Kathleen Winter, citing Dylan’s 1963 track “Lay Down Your Weary Tune” among her favourites.

“If we look at his lyrics and we look at the time span, and the social importance and the artistry, there’s no question of that in my mind. And I think if people are going to get their knickers in a knot over the fact that he’s also a musician I think it’s a bit small-minded.”

Legendary Canadian singersongwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie said she spent some time with Dylan a few years ago backstage at a blues festival in Australia where they “had some laughs.”

In a statement emailed to The Canadian Press, SainteMarie praised his selection for the Nobel honour, saying the 75-year-old Dylan “should have received that award when he was 25.”

“Both the content and diversity of his music have always been astounding,” Sainte-Marie said.

“He’s maintained a real long career, which isn’t easy. And he’s still out there playing live all over the world. ‘Masters of War,’ ‘With God on Our Side,’ ‘Blowin’ in the Wind,’ and the personal attitude he carried represented freedom, creativity and individuality to a lot of people.”

Toronto poet Damian Rogers said her initial education in contemporary poetry was to read lyrics by the likes of Dylan

CHRISTIAN BERTRAND / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

and Canadian icon Leonard Cohen.

“For me, I think it’s embedded so early in my mind that poetry is an art that is very flexible and can be sung or spoken or read. All of these are completely legitimate forms of the art.”

Following Thursday’s announcement Sara Danius, the permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy, said Dylan “writes poetry for the ear” and that his works are “perfectly fine” to be read as poetry. But in the view of acclaimed Canadian author Marina Endicott, song lyrics don’t usually spring to mind when it comes to literature.

“His poetry particularly was strung together with music and indivisible from his music,” Endicott said from Edmonton.

She pointed to Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie and rock group R.E.M as prime examples of musical poets but reinforced the importance of having a separate distinction for songwriters.

“I think there should be a Nobel Prize for music. Give songwriting a prize. That would be wonderful.”

Dallas Green said he fell in love with Dylan as a writer after reading the American icon’s memoir “Chronicles: Volume One.” “Like a lot of people, when I heard (his music) I couldn’t get past the voice,” said the City and Colour songwriter.

“But after reading that book,

I went in with a different mindset, and then the melodies presented themselves with the words — and that’s when I found it.”

Green said that as he has grown as a songwriter, so, too, has his appreciation for Dylan.

“I read this quote by Dylan once where he said — and I might be getting it a little bit wrong — that the song you wrote before is irrelevant. All you can do is hang on and hope that you do it justice. I think that I really love that.

“If you think about all of the life-changing, culture-altering moments that this man has had, and it still isn’t enough for him to stop.”

Queen’s University English professor Tracy Ware said he felt a mixture of “surprise and delight” upon learning that Dylan was receiving the Nobel.

“I’m not surprised ... that there’s some resistance to it, and one reason for that is there’s always been some resistance to Dylan,” he said from Kingston, Ont. “I can remember as a kid (when) ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ came on the radio, somebody would say, ‘Turn that off!’

There’s people who couldn’t stand his voice....

“I think it’s more of a minority, now that he’s got increasing respect for all of the different kinds of songs that he sings.”

Ware said the award is typically ❱❱ PAGE 27 Canadian writers

www.canadianinquirer.net

A DIFFERENT Sarah Geronimo has emerged from a self-imposed two-month break from show biz.

The singer-actress appeared to have experienced a paradigm shift in terms of her viewpoint and goals. “I’m more energized now and motivated to work harder. I’m at a stage in my life when I’m starting to question my purpose for doing things.

“I realized that I didn’t want to work just to please people, just to be a hit. My main goal now is to share whatever talent I have in order to glorify Him, whether or not critics appreciate it.”

Speaking in Filpino, Sarah added, “There comes a point in our lives—after we have successfully filled concert venues and movie houses with appreciative people— when we realize that this shouldn’t be just about us anymore. We have to look at these as gifts from God. We have to use our talent to benefit other people.”

Sarah recently hosted a visit to the Museo Pambata in Manila for children of the Manulife-Gawad Kalinga (GK) Village in Muntinlupa City. She was also with the kids when they attended a toy-making lesson given by Plush and Play, a GK social enterprise. The project aims to build 124 houses in a community in Muntinlupa City.

Heartwarming

The 28-year-old singer-actress is featured in Manulife’s “Start Your Story” campaign.

She said the daylong event with the kids was heartwarming: “I couldn’t contain my excitement as I looked at them. I felt like I was one of them while we were making stuffed toys. I’m thankful for the opportunity to spend time with them. I hope they were able to enjoy the day as much as I did.”

Sarah also performed one of her songs, “Tala,” at the event.

At the Q&A session, Sarah told the kids: “When I was your age, there were days when I also felt too lazy to go to

school—all I wanted to do was play. Remember that studying hard is part of your preparation for a good future. Give your studies the importance they deserve.”

To the parents, she said: “Let’s support the kids every way we can. It’s important to give them the encouragement they need to develop their skills. That’s what my parents did for me. My mom said she saw my eagerness to perform as early as when I was 4 years old. They supported me, brought me to auditions and singing contests. I have experienced a lot of rejections, but my parents were there to guide me.”

Sarah said she was close to giving up when she joined the talent search, “Star for a Night,” where she became grand champion at age 14.

Before she took a break, Sarah was seen in the movie, “The Breakup Playlist,” and acted as mentor in “The Voice of the Philippines.” She has returned to cohosting the Sunday variety show, “ASAP.” Sarah said she was grateful for the break. “When I took a hiatus, I was able to cross off several items on my bucket list: cooking and pole dancing classes, mountain climbing, traveling and even spelunking (exploration of caves), which I did without any double for a TV commercial. I’m happy to be back, and in a position to inspire more people,” she said.

“For me, the happiness you feel when you’re successful in your work is only temporary.

You’ll eventually feel empty if you have no one to share it (success) with. True happiness can be seen in the smiles of the people you helped,” she said.

Sarah talked about her cousin, who left the city to teach children in rural areas. “She is a graduate of UP (University of the Philippines) and is younger than me. She opted to go up the mountains to teach there. I’m happy for her because she has already found her purpose in life. I told myself that I should be able to do that, too. I have to make time for that—to reach out to people and share with them my experiences.” ■

26

OCTOBER 21, 2016

FRIDAY

Lifestyle Nepal’s most popular Buddhist nun is a musical rock star

BY BINAJ GURUBACHARYA The Associated Press KATHMANDU, NEPAL — There is one Buddhist nun everyone in Nepal knows by name — not because she’s a religious icon and a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, nor for her work running a girl’s school and a hospital for kidney patients.

Ani Choying Drolma is famous as one of the country’s biggest pop stars.

With more than 12 albums of melodious Nepali tunes and Tibetan hymns that highlight themes of peace and harmony, the songstress in saffron robes has won hearts across the Himalayan nation and abroad.

“I am totally against the conservative, conventional idea of a Buddhist nun,” the 45-year-old nun said. Some people “think a Buddhist nun should be someone who does not come out in the media so much, who is isolated ... always in a monastery, always shy. But I don’t believe in that.”

Neither do her fans, who greet her with a roar of applause whenever she walks out on stage, and fall silent as she closes her eyes to sing.

“Every time I get frustrated with life or get angry, I just listen to Ani’s music and I calm down,” said one fan, Sunil Tuladhar. “She is my music goddess.”

But with a career deviating sharply from what conservatives in Nepal believe to be the proper path of a Buddhist, she’s caught criticism as well. One

Buddhist monk at the famed Swayambhu Shrine questioned how she can reconcile the simple life of a religious ascetic with the fame and wealth she’s amassed over her two-decade musical career.

“How can a nun be making money by selling her voice, living a luxurious life and yet claim she is a nun?” Surya Shakya asked.

Despite her fame, Drolma looks every bit the typical Nepalese Buddhist nun, with her hair shaved short and an ever-present smile. She travels the world giving concerts in countries including the United States, Brazil, China and India.

Popular composer Nhyoo Bajracharya, who has worked with Drolma, describes her music as a fusion of traditional Tibetan and Nepali styles. “They are religious songs, slow rock with flavours of blues and jazz combined,” he said.

But Drolma believes her singing goes beyond delivering a catchy tune. Her 2004 hit “Phoolko Aankhama,” which means “Eyes of the Flower” in the Nepali language, features lyrics that touch on religious teachings: “May my heart always be pure/May my words be always word of wisdom/May the sole of my feet never kill an insect.”

Her singing offers listeners a way to practice meditation and “is about invoking a spiritual quality,” she said in a recent interview with the Associated Press. “That is what I rejoice in.”

She refused to say how much

Ani Choying Drolma (left) is famous as one of the country’s biggest pop stars.

ANI CHOYING DROLMA / FACEBOOK

money she has earned from album sales and concerts, but said she donates much of it to education charities through her Nun’s Welfare Foundation and runs a kidney hospital.

Still, compared with most Nepalese living in this impoverished mountain nation, Drolma lives like a rock star — with a luxury car and a new home in an upscale neighbourhood of the capital of Kathmandu.

“It is a very conservative point of view thinking that a nun should be poor and wearing rags. That’s a wrong attitude,” she said. “My concerts make very good money, my CD sales make very good money, and I think that helps me to afford such comfortable life.”

Drolma said she was 13 when her mother allowed her to join the Nagi Gompa nunnery to escape from an abusive father.

She also dreaded getting married, as she would likely have been forced to do as it was the custom in Nepal at the time.

“I had the impression that

www.canadianinquirer.net

getting married was the worst thing to do in life,” she said.

At the nunnery, just north of Kathmandu, she learned to chant the Buddhist scriptures.

But while most recited the lines quickly, she stood out — chanting melodiously and drawing the other nuns’ admiration.

In 1994, American musician Steve Tibbetts visited the nunnery and, being impressed with her voice, recorded her singing.

He returned after receiving interest from U.S. record companies, and recorded Drolma’s first album, “Cho,” released in 1997.

The album royalties and performance fees that came after left Drolma a bit stunned. Most Nepalese have humble lives, with a quarter of the country’s 28 million people living in poverty and heavily reliant on subsistence farming and remittances from family members working abroad.

“The question was, what do I do with the money?” she said.

“I realized that this money can

help me fulfil my dream, so that is how I started the school.”

She set up an educational foundation and opened the Arya Tara school, on a mountainside just south of Kathmandu. The boarding school offers about 80 girls, aged about 5 to 18, free lessons in Buddhist scripture as well as math, science and computer skills. The foundation also covers the cost of sending the girls to college.

The students, similarly clad in saffron robes, giggle and smile when talking about Drolma.

“Ani is more than my mother.

My mother gave me birth, but Ani raised me, gave me education, took care of me and is the only reason that I have reached this far,” said 17-year-old Dolma Lhamu, who is now enrolled in college.

Drolma is similarly adored at the kidney hospital she runs in Kathmandu, where hundreds of patients receive free dialysis twice a week.

She said it’s her work at the hospital and school that keep her singing and accepting invitations to perform. For the critics who question her globetrotting lifestyle or high income, she has little patience.

“People in society will have different opinions,” she said. “I try my best to see how I can improve my attitude toward life, toward people and toward the world, and to find ways to make the best use of my life.

“I am famous today, but tomorrow people will not know me. It fades away. That is the reality,” she said. ■

Lifestyle

FRIDAY OCTOBER 21, 2016

27

About 45,000 Canadians treated abroad in 2015, but experts question study

BY GEORDON OMAND The Canadian Press

was a slight decrease in 2015 from the previous year when an estimated 52,513 people left the country for medical treatment, but a jump compared with the 41,838 in 2013.

Valorie Crooks, a health geographer at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, B.C., challenged the findings, describing the numbers as inaccurate because of the lack of any definitive record of how many Canadians cross the border for treatment.

“Surveying a limited number of specialists to get some information on Canadians accessing care abroad actually really doesn’t reflect a true sense of Canadians’ involvement in medical tourism,” said Crooks.

Barua acknowledged the imperfection of the study’s research methods, but described the approach as “the best estimate we have.”

Crooks said there are many reasons people might receive treatment outside Canada, from immigrants returning to their country of origin because of a family support network, or

this is happening is not new,” she said.

The study came out days after Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump took a swipe at the Canadian health-care system during a townhall debate w i t h Demo-

VANCOUVER — Tens of thousands of Canadians left the country last year for non-emergency medical procedures, the Fraser Institute says, but some health experts are challenging the way researchers at the think tank crunched the numbers in its new study.

The Fraser Institute released a report on Wednesday suggesting 45,619 people sought health-care services abroad in 2015 and pointed to wait times as the principal culprit.

“We have some good data from physicians that point to a general estimation of how many Canadians are travelling abroad,” said Bacchus Barua, a senior analyst of health policy at the Vancouver-based institute. cratic chalThe study used results from lenger Hillary Clinton in the Fraser Institute’s annual the United States. Trump said survey asking physicians to aswhen Canadians need a big opsign a percentage to the numeration they go to the U.S. beber of their patients who recause of what he called a “cataported receiving treatment strophic” Canadian system. abroad. Those Ron Labonte, a values were then scholar of health applied to the sciences, also total number of critiqued the medical procemethodology of dures carried The whole issue of medical tourism, the Fraser Inout in Canada, as or Canadians leaving the country, is a stitute’s report, recorded by the bit of a tempest in a thimble. calling the findCanadian Instiings “really quite tute for Health a leap in terms of Information. an estimate,” beAbout 45,000 fore describing Canadians who sought out-of- so-called snowbirds who flock the number of medical tourists country care in 2015 make up to warmer climes over the win- from Canada as very small. about one per cent of the pa- ter and may access health care “The whole issue of medical tients of those physicians who abroad out of convenience. tourism, or Canadians leaving responded to the survey, the “We know that Canadians are the country, is a bit of a tempest document says. going abroad (for treatments), in a thimble,” said Labonte, The results indicate there so the Fraser Institute telling us who teaches at the universities

o f Ottawa and Saskatchewan, and at Flinders University of South Australia. “It’s not something that I think puts into serious question the Canadian health system.

“Even looking at the Fraser Institute’s numbers. ... One per cent. One in 100. Even that’s not terribly large.”

Barua stood by the results, calling for wait times to be considered in the discussion on

healthcare reform.

“Whether it’s the chief motivator for why patients are travelling abroad or not we can’t definitively say,” he said, but added that lengthy wait lists are likely at least part of the problem.

Virginia Walley, head of the Ontario Medical Association, also fingered wait times as the reason Ontarians leave for medical procedures. It’s the result of government continually underfunding health care, she added. ■

he did it because he’s an original artist.

“Then he could tell these stories within three minutes that a lot of poets and rappers try to do, so by the end of that story, you relate to that lifestyle.”

For K-os, seeing Dylan join the esteemed ranks of Nobel laureates further cements his legacy.

“I’ve always said he’s my idol, but today is a different day because he’s being acknowledged as a scientist — a word scientist.

“The Nobel Prize is often connected to scientists and inventors, and I definitely think he is that person.” ■

Canadian writers... given to writers who have been involved in social causes. In that regard, he sees parallels between Dylan and Canadian author Alice Munro, who received the same prize in 2013.

“She’s my other great delight because she also has been a really private writer, gets involved in no causes, doesn’t ❰❰ 25

sign petitions, doesn’t make public appearances. The prize simply went for her great talent — something that must also be true of Dylan.”

Canadian musician K-os said Dylan created a whole new way of speaking and language through his music.

The hip-hop artist, born Kevin Brereton, said he often tells

people that he sees Dylan’s 1965 folk-rock track “Subterranean Homesick Blues” as the first rap song and video.

“He’s talking about the streets. He’s talking about the hustle. He’s talking about giving advice on how to make it in the music industry. He’s doing all of the things that rappers do, but no one had done it yet and www.canadianinquirer.net

With files from The Associated Press.

28

Lifestyle

OCTOBER 21, 2016

FRIDAY

How to make a low cost 3.5-meter raft from PVC Pipes

BY ALFRED YONG DURING MY childhood, I have always imagined rowing along a river on a raft like Tom Sawyer and always wanted to build a raft. But somehow I ended up building a wooden rowboat and I even built a shallow water tunnel hull boat but never raft.

So this time it has to be a raft. I started thinking of how I would use the raft so the first thing I did was defined the raft’s specification.

The raft has to be: 1. Low cost 2. Light.

3. Easily trailer-able.

4. Stable for stand-up casting.

5. Comfortable.

6. Easy to build from easily available materials 7. Carry a minimum of 2 adults 8. Rivers and lakes capable.

9. Handles engine of at least 5HP 10. Can be launched and retrieved by one person 11. It has to look good With the specification out of the way, the next thing would be to select the means of floatation. Should I use bamboo? Tire tubes? Plastic drums? Drums would be awkward to roll on and off a trailer. Bamboo will not last. In the end, I settle on PVC pipes as it comes in many sizes and is relatively low costs.

PVC pipes comes in fixed length of 6 meter each so I made some flotation calculation to determine which diameter of the pipes to use and how many lengths.

I want the PVC pipes to float at least half above water level with a load of 2 adults, engines, fishing gear, etc. It worked out to be 3 full-length 6 meter of 250 cm diameter PVC pipes.

After finishing the design, I purchased the following PVC pipes and the rest of the materials.

Tools & Material

The material you would need to build this raft are: 1. 3-length of 250mm (10”) PVC Pipe 2. Epoxy glue 3. Fiberglass material and resins.

4. 18 meter of wood 5cm x 5 cm (2”x2’) (for the frames) 5. 9 meter of wood 10cm x 168 cm x 2 cm (for the braces)

➊ 250mm PVC pipes.

➋ Cut the pipe in half.

Template for the braces.

➌ Wooden braces to hold the pipes together.

figure 1

➍ Fiber glassing the front end.

➎ For the rear, cover with cardboard and then fiberglass over it.

➏

➐

After completing the fiberglass work at the back end of the tube. Screw and glue the braces onto the pipes.

6. 3.5 meter of wood 19cm high x 2cm thick (for the transom) 7. 10m of wood 10cm x 2cm x 280cm (for floor) 8. Bolts 9. Screws The tools needed to build this raft would be: 1. Circular saw 2. Jigsaw 3. Drill 4. Hammer 5. Hacksaw 6. Knife 7. Screwdriver 8. Spanner 9. Tape measure The PVC pipes comes in 6-meter length (Photo 2) so the first thing to do is to cut it into halves of 3 meter length. This is easily done with a tape measure and a hack saw. Measure the actual length of the pipe and divide it by two. This would be the mid-point. Mark this mid-point with a marker pen.

Mark the mid-point with a dot.

Repeat this while circling the pipe. Join these dots together to form a line going around the pipe at the mid-point. Cut along this line with your hacksaw. Do this for all three pipes and you would have 6 pcs of 3 meter pipes. (See Photo 3).

The next thing to do is to make the braces to attach to the pipes. Do this by first making a template of the curves of the pipe with a piece of cardboard.

Use a fine marker pen to draw along the edges of the pipe onto the cardboard copy its curves to make a template (see figure 1). With the template, mark the wood and cut out the shape of the braces (see Photo 4). You would need 5 braces for each pipe so in total you would need to cut out 30 pieces of wooden braces.

We would need to seal the front and back of the pipe to make it air-tight and waterproof. One way is to buy PVC www.canadianinquirer.net

end-caps to cap both ends but end caps for 250mm PVC pipes are not readily available. Plus, I prefer the raft to have a pointed front to cut through water. I have also experimented heating the PVC pipe to shape the pipe to have a pointed end. Heating small diameter pipes to shape it is easy but with 250mm pipe it is a different story. It was hard work but I did manage to shape it. The esthetic was not very appealing so I abandoned that technique. Instead I went back to one of my favorite material which is fiberglass. Fiberglass is easy to work with and is very strong.

I bought 6 pcs of large size (A1) cardboard. Fold it into a cone shape. Place it over the front open end of the pipe. Angle it so that the pointed end is at the top. Cut off the extra edges. Tape it to the pipe with masking tape. Repeat this for the remaining pipes. Cut pieces of the fiberglass mat, place it

➑ After completing the installation of the braces.

over the cone and spread the resin over it. Repeat this until you have covered all the cone and overlap it onto the PVC pipe (See photo 5). My suggestion is to do at least a minimum 3 layers of fiberglass. More layers mean more strength but more weight.

To cover the back end of the pipes, again, cardboard was used. Cut a piece of cardboard to cover the end. I would then put three layers of fiberglass over it (See photo 6 &7).

With the fiberglass work completed, the next thing to do is install the braces. I drilled 3 holes on each brace and screw it to the pipe with stainless steel screw through each of the 3 holes to secure it to the pipe (See figure 1). You would need to epoxy glue to strengthen and waterproof the joint. Apply it evenly throughout the area in which the wood braces ❱❱ PAGE 39 How to

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FRIDAY OCTOBER 21, 2016

Sports PHL wins two medals at King’s Cup World Sepaktakraw Championships PHILIPPINES NEWS AGENCY MANILA — The Philippines won a silver and a bronze on Tuesday at the 31st King’s Cup World Sepaktakraw Championships in Bangkok, Thailand.

The men’s team took the silver medal in the hoop event.

Thailand won the gold while Vietnam settled for the bronze.

In the women’s division, Thailand captured the gold while the Philippines pocketed the silver. Vietnam got the silver medal.

A total of 16 countries are

competing in five events in the tournament sanctioned by the International Sepaktakraw Federation (ISTAF), the world governing body in the sport.

The Philippines is in the Premier Division that also include host Thailand, Vietnam, China, Germany, Australia, the United States, France and others.

The men’s team will meet Brunei in the three-aside Regu event in Group A, which also include South Korea.

The Philippines, Vietnam and Japan are in Group A in the women’s division.

The tournament also features the Team and Double events.

Philippine Sepak Takraw Association President Karen Tanchanco Caballero said the Filipino players have a good chance in the men’s doubles and Regu as well as in the women’s Hoop and Regu.

The members of the Philippine team are Jason Huerte, Rheyjey Ortouste, Ronsited Gabayeron, Emmanuel Escote, Reznan Pabriga, John Jeffery Morcillos, John Bobier, Mark Joseph Gonzales, JC Lee, Alvin Pangan, Joeart Jumawan, Rhemwil Catana, Desiree Autor, Gelyn Evora, Josefina Maat, Mary Ann Lopez, Rizzalyn Amolacion and Kristel Carloman. ■

Filipino netter Lim wins first match in Osaka Mayor’s Cup Open

BY JEAN T. MALANUM Philippines News Agency

injury while playing at the US Open Juniors last month, said he is fit to play.

“My ankle feels 99 percent better now and I think that it will not bother me at all anymore,” said Lim, the world’s No. 47 junior player.

“The weather is good here, it’s not as hot, and the courts

years older than him.

“My expectation in this tournament is just to play. Think as every match is the final match MANILA — The country’s No. 1 and just take it one match at a junior Alberto Lim Jr. downed time,” said Lim, a college freshJapanese Ryuya Ata, 6-0, 6-2, man taking up management at on Monday in the first round of the University of the East. the Osaka Mayor’s Cup – World Joining Lim in the second Junior Tennis Championships round is compatriot John Bryat the Utsubo an Otico, who Tennis Center. prevailed over The victory Japanese Hikaru set up the ninthShiraishi. Otico seeded Lim I got a lot of confidence after winning will next meet against Japamy match today because everything No. 12 Naoki Tanese Tatsuki was working well for me. jima, a 7-6(5), 6-1 Shimamoto, who winner over Ausscored a 7-6(2), tralian Moerani 6-4 victory over Bouzige.

Australian qualiArthur Craig fier Anthony Popyrin. are perfect for my game,” added Patino, another Filipino com“I got a lot of confidence af- Lim, who also competed in the peting in this Grade A-level ter winning my match today Australian Open Juniors and tournament, lost to Japanese because everything was work- the French Open Juniors this Takeaki Ito, 2-6, 0-6. ing well for me, mixing up shot year.

Ito, who entered the main volleys and a lot of plays,” said Lim is making his second ap- draw as a qualifier, will face the 17-year-old Filipino, who pearance in the Osaka Mayor’s Yanki Erel of Turkey, who dearrived in Japan on Sunday.

Cup since 2013 when he was feated Japanese Toru Horie, Lim, who sustained an ankle against players two to three 6-2, 6-4. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

INQUIRER.NET

How phenom gymnast Charlie was discovered Meet millennial kid Charlie Manzano, the bemedalled 4-foot-4 package who has yet to grasp how good she can be in a sport in quest of a new heroine

BY JASMINE W. PAYO Philippine Daily Inquirer SPOTTING GYMNAST Ancilla Lucia Mari “Charlie” Manzano as a naturally gifted athlete was easy. Hanging from a bar, Charlie managed to do the pullover, a move in which a gymnast flips over a horizontal rod. She was just four.

“The first time we saw her on the bars, we were surprised,” says Mark Mogol, one of Charlie’s coaches at Club Gymnastica. “Right away, she knew how to hang. Then she did the pullover. And we said, ‘Wow, this kid is good.’”

It was just a summer gymnastics class. Charlie’s parents signed her up, thinking nothing much of it, just an activity their only child might enjoy just like when she did ballet.

So when coaches gave the heads-up that their daughter may be a bundle of talent, it was all a surprise.

“There’s really no one into sports in the family,” Charlie’s mother, Noreen, says with a

laugh. “I wondered where she got it from.”

Charlie admits having little memory of her first foray into the sport. Now 10, there’s still no telling though if this lithe 4-foot-4 package has already grasped how good she can be.

Months after her incredible debut in the 2016 Palarong Pambansa— where she won four gold medals in all—Charlie remains as the quiet but highly efficient student.

“From the start, we knew that Charlie can compete,” says Mogol. “But the problem that we had was she doesn’t talk much.

When you talk to her, she just nods. But it turned out to be good because she just follows our instructions. Other gymnasts can say yes, but they can’t do it. With Charlie, it’s automatic. Once she nods, she gets it.” Charlie, though, isn’t exactly shy. After a recent club tournament, where Charlie bagged the all-around title, she looked happy hanging out with gymnast friends and checking her ❱❱ PAGE 39 How phenom

30

OCTOBER 21, 2016

FRIDAY

Business ‘Tax reforms Brexit costs UK its spot among winning it for Du30’ top 5 investment destinations

BY DORIS DUMLAOABADILLA Philippine Daily Inquirer AMID A controversial all-out war on drugs, the passage of a comprehensive tax reform package could help buoy the Duterte administration into sustaining the country’s robust growth while alleviating poverty, economists said.

“In our view, the Duterte administration’s first 100 days have set a clear policy direction for the ship of state. But the government will have to deliver soon on economic benefits for the poor with the passage of tax reforms, which would prove that its performance is not limited to just the war on crime. It would help sustain Duterte’s strong support,” Citibank Philippines economist Jun Trinidad said in a research note dated Oct. 9.

Trinidad, however, noted that a policy risk would be in the form of the populist P125 daily wage hike proposed by the leftleaning faction in Congress. He added, “Government’s strong antimining bias and preference to end labor contractualization do not seem to jive with its proinvestment campaign.”

Mr. Duterte’s tax reform package seeks to reduce the maximum personal income tax from 32 percent to 25 percent and the corporate income tax from 30 percent to 25 percent. It also seeks to expand the valueadded tax (VAT) base by reducing the coverage of its exemptions. The program also bats for the adjustment of excise taxes imposed on petroleum products as well as the restructuring of the excise tax on automobiles except for buses, trucks, cargo vans, jeeps, jeepney substitutes and special purpose vehicles.

Thanks to a receptive Congress too, the President was able to clearly define the government’s policy direction, he

added.

Trinidad said the government’s goal of sustaining talks on constitutional amendments side by side with the move toward federalization, the revival of public-private partnership (PPP) projects and the recalibration of Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rules that are more “business friendly” were helping sustain strong private investments.

Mr. Duterte continued to enjoy high approval ratings in his first 100 days in office, which most political observers link to strong support for his resolute war on drugs. “Though controversial, the antidrugs war has reduced crime, particularly in the depressed/low-income key cities in Metro Manila,” Trinidad noted.

In a separate statement, the Foundation for Economic Freedom (FEF) said the tax reform package proposed by the Duterte administration could help the country sustain an annual economic growth of at least 7 percent, sharply reduce poverty to 17 percent from the current 26 percent and create more jobs over the next six years.

FEF, an advocacy group for good economic governance and market-friendly reforms, strongly commended the Department of Finance for crafting what it deemed was a “forward-looking” fiscal program.

“The proposed legislative program creates a solid foundation for the government’s vision of inclusive growth, improved public services, and improved purchasing power among consumers. We believe that this program will translate to a more comfortable life for all Filipinos along with safe, healthy, and peaceful communities all over the country,” the group said in a statement. ■

BY PAN PYLAS The Associated Press

pound makes British firms cheaper to buy, the uncertainty over Brexit looks will likely to last for months.

LONDON — Britain has lost Prime Minister Theresa May its place as one of the top five is looking to start by the end investment destinations in the of March the official talks on wake of the country’s decision Britain’s exit, which would last to leave the European Union, at least two years. She also sigaccording to a survey released nalled that her government Monday. would prioritize controls on In a half-yearly report of immigration over access to the business executives, consulting European single market, an apfirm EY said uncertainties reproach informally called a “hard lated to the Brexit vote are disBrexit” that many business leadcouraging potential investors, ers have voiced concerns over. particularly from Europe, from Brexit is just one of a slew planning deals in the country. of uncertainties that have unAccording to EY, Britain is nerved investors this year. Othnow ranked seventh in terms ers include uneven economic of investment destination over growth around the world and the coming year, behind the an array of geopolitical conUnited States, China, Germany, cerns, such as conflicts, sancCanada, France and Japan. In tions and protectionist politics. the previous survey in April, Still, EY’s survey of 1,700 exBritain was second. ecutives in 45 countries, found Steve Krouskos, EY’s global that 57 per cent of companies head of transacexpect to purtions, said there sue deals in the was a “knee-jerk” next 12 months. response, parThat’s up from ticularly in the In the longer term, we would expect April’s 50 per immediate afterthe U.K. to bounce back as a top cent and the secmath of the June M&A destination of choice but the ond-highest lev23 vote, but that short-term uncertainty is giving el in the survey’s he is optimisinvestors pause for thought.

7-year history. tic that Britain’s EY said that ranking will imwas likely due prove by the time to the fact that of the next survey in six months. relationship with the remain- deals like takeovers are viewed “In the longer term, we would ing 27 members of the EU after as a fast way to generate growth expect the U.K. to bounce back Brexit is actually enacted. That in what is otherwise a lowas a top M&A destination of includes what types of barriers growth world economy dischoice but the short-term un- to trade, such as tariffs and new rupted by non-stop technologicertainty is giving investors regulatory requirements, will be cal advances. pause for thought,” he said. “I slapped on British-based busiAccording to EY’s survey, don’t see a blackout coming.” nesses. That sort of uncertainty there’s a trend toward “smallHis confidence can to an ex- is why the pound has tanked by er, smarter” deals as opposed tent be illustrated by the fact that around 20 per cent since the to the mega blockbusters that deal-making has not so far dried vote to near $1.20. capture the headlines. EY said up since the Brexit vote — BritSome firms, Krouskos said, 49 per cent of companies alain has seen $88 billion worth may have opted to tweak the tim- ready have an average of more of deals excluding real estate, ing of their deals in light of the than five deals in the pipeline EY said, citing data from sector pound’s fall. One that many in and more than half expect to do specialist Dealogic. That’s in line the markets think was affected deals between the value of $250 with 2013 and 2014 but below by the fall in the pound was the million and $1 billion. the $255 billion registered in the near 1 billion-pound purchase of “With pipelines well-stocked, same period of 2015, which was cinema chain Odeon & UCI by executives are opting for variinflated by the mega-merger of AMC Entertainment, majority ety rather than plain vanilla in beer companies SAB Miller and owned by China’s Dalian Wanda. their deal intentions,” KrousAnheuser Busch InBev. And while the drop in the kos added. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

British firms, according to EY, continue to be attractive to foreign buyers, especially high intellectual property companies in industrials, technology and healthcare. And Britain remains the third most soughtafter country for investment among executives surveyed in the U.S. — that’s important as the U.S. typically accounts for around 40 per cent of global M&A activity.

The biggest deal since the Brexit vote was the 24 billion pound takeover ($31 billion at the time) of British technology firm ARM Holdings by Japan’s SoftBank Group in July — a month or so after the Brexit vote.

Another major deal was the near $8 billion takeover of Formula One’s commercial arm by American company Liberty Media.

Many questions have been raised by the Brexit vote, notably surrounding Britain’s trading

Business

FRIDAY OCTOBER 21, 2016

31

China’s billionaires club of entrepreneurs embarks on cross Canada tour

BY ANDY BLATCHFORD The Canadian Press OTTAWA — A group of powerful Chinese business leaders set off on an eightday Canadian tour Sunday that will connect them with Canada’s corporate and political elite, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

This will be the first visit to Canada by the exclusive China Entrepreneur Club — often referred to as the billionaires club. It’s made up of 50 top Chinese firms that earn a combined $585 billion of annual gross income.

The group’s swing across Canada comes as the bilateral relationship steams ahead at an increasing rate, with Canada’s agriculture, energy and fisherhelp from a Trudeau government that ies industries, she said. has shown more openness to the Asian Cheng also believes the recent visit superpower. by the youthful Trudeau caught the atThe tour will take place only a few tention of China’s younger generation, weeks after an exchange of high-level which she says is a large market with official visits — Trudeau’s recent trip to considerable buying power.

China which was followed by Chinese Canada’s business community is set to Premier Li Keqiang’s stay in Canada. roll out a red carpet for the visiting club During those meetings, Trudeau pro- members, according to a program of the moted his government’s goal of broad- visit prepared by the group. ening Canada’s economic links with During stops in Montreal, Ottawa, the Asian superpower. He made com- Toronto and Vancouver, the delegation mitments that included the launch of will have audiences with a who’s who of exploratory talks on Canadian leaders, in free trade with the addition to Trudeau. world’s second-bigThe list includes gest economy. chief executives of At the same time, The visit will some of Canada’s bigTrudeau brought up not only widen gest banks as well as Canada’s concerns channels former prime miniswith Chinese leaders for business ter Jean Chretien, Onabout their governopportunities; it’s tario Premier Kathment’s approach to also expected to leen Wynne, Quebec human rights, rule of provide learning Premier Philippe law, governance and experiences for Couillard, Andre Descorruption. both sides. marais of Power Corp.

The China Entre(TSX:POW), Alain preneur Club is now Bellemare of Bomhoping to deepen ties bardier (TSX:BBD.B), with Canada even further. Canada’s re- Cirque du Soleil’s Daniel Lamarre, Mark lationship with its second-largest trad- Machin of the Canada Pension Plan Ining partner was considered inconsistent vestment Board and Bank of Canada govunder the previous Conservative gov- ernor Stephen Poloz. ernment.

In September, Trudeau kicked off his Maggie Cheng, the club’s secretary- first official trip to China by appearing at general, said the visit comes at a time of a Beijing event hosted by the club. Jack growing opportunities for both coun- Ma, founder of e-commerce giant Alitries. baba and the club’s chair, led a question“We have a large population and we and-answer session with Trudeau. are in a very long process of urbanizaMa will not join the Chinese delegation. And the consumer market is grow- tion on its cross-Canada trip. But the ing as well, and it will grow for a very tour will include a dozen club members, long time,” Cheng said in a phone inter- including president Ma Weihua, Tsinview through an interpreter. ghua Holdings Co. chair Xu Jinghong, “I think the private companies in Chi- Far East Holding Group Co. chair Jiang na have now grown into a (size) that can Xipei and Central China Real Estate Ltd. use a larger resource partner to further chair Frank Wu. improve the Chinese market.”

Delegations from the club have alChina is increasingly interested in ready visited the United States, the

COURTESY OF THE CHINA ENTREPRENEUR CLUB

United Kingdom, Belgium, France, Singapore, Australia, Germany and Italy.

Sarah Kutulakos, executive director of the Canada China Business Council, hopes the visit will show Canadians who may have suspicions about Chinese companies that these entrepreneurs are similar to others around the world.

She said in an interview that there were strict criteria to join the club and firms had to meet a certain standard in

several areas, including corporate social responsibility and philanthropy.

The visit will not only widen channels for business opportunities; it’s also expected to provide learning experiences for both sides, Kutulakos said.

“They’re really the vanguard of where the Chinese economy is going,” said Kutulakos.

But one expert in Canada’s ties to China said there are likely deep links between many of these entrepreneurs and the Chinese leadership.

“In China, it’s really very difficult to achieve great wealth unless you have a strongly collaborative, mutually beneficial relationship with the Chinese Communist Party’s decision makers,” said Charles Burton, a former diplomat who is now a political scientist at Brock University.

Burton said the club may try to create a subtle lobby within Canada that encourages Canadian business leaders to press their government to make economics the priority in the relationship, rather than concerns over sensitive issues like human rights and cyber security. ■

Don’t Renew! Renegotiate!!!

BY MYLENE LIM, AMP Mortgage Specialist WHEN YOU were applying for your mortgage, you went about it like pro – you shopped around for the best product suited to your needs, reviewed the terms and conditions and negotiated for the interest rate. Or perhaps, being a new buyer, you were just happy to be approved for a mortgage – any mortgage at any rate. Then you just sat back and enjoyed your home for the last five years or so.

And now you got a notice in the mail that your mortgage is up for renewal…

What should you do? Do you just assume you are being offered the best product after your last negotiation five years ago and sign on the dotted line? Of course you should not! It’s a new ball game altogether so you have to do your due diligence to find out what products are available for you in your present situation.

1st consideration: Are you just wanting to renew your existing mortgage or do you want to take advantage of your increased equity to take out some money against your property. The first option is considered a renewal while the second option is considered a refinance or equity take-out. A renewal is generally straightforward with minimal documentation while a refinance would require you to submit income documentation, get a credit record check and a new appraisal of your property.

2nd consideration: What is the best rate

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available for you? Oftentimes, your lender would send you a renewal rate that may not necessarily be the lowest they could offer. They do this because they know that a lot of borrowers do not know any better or that borrowers do not want to go through the hassle of negotiating for a lower rate. A few hours reviewing different options may save you hundreds, if not thousands, on your mortgage payments.

3rd consideration: By now you’ve been down this road a few years so hopefully you have gained some insight that not all mortgages are the same. You now have an idea that you could have more flexibility with regards terms and conditions of your mortgage. You can go for variable instead of fixed rates or vice versa. You can go for 30 or 35 years amortization instead of 25 to lower your monthly payments and alternatively you can opt for shorter amortization period. You can opt to pay a bigger lump sum amount at each calendar year to pay off your mortgage faster. You can opt for a product with minimal penalty if you want to break the mortgage early.

There are so many lending institutions in the market with so many products for you to avail of. Without the added stress of a home purchase and with more time to review your options, there is no reason for you to just sign on the dotted line when that renewal notice comes in the mail.

Take the time necessary to sit down with an experienced mortgage professional to go what the industry can offer you.

For more information, please feel free to contact me: Cel: 604 783 9097

32

OCTOBER 21, 2016

FRIDAY

Technology Obama shakes mind controlled robot hand wired to sense touch

BY LAURAN NEERGAARD The Associated Press WASHINGTON — A paralyzed man shared a handshake with President Barack Obama on Thursday by using a mindcontrolled robotic arm that, in a first for medical research, is helping to restore his sense of touch.

Obama fist-bumped Nathan Copeland’s robotic hand, and tiny chips implanted in Copeland’s brain let him use his thoughts to move the Star Treklooking metal arm attached to his wheelchair — and also let him feel subtle pressure in his own fingers when the artificial ones were touched.

He had “pretty impressive precision,” Obama said. “When I’m moving the hand, it is also sending signals to Nathan so he is feeling me touching or moving his arm.”

The president congratulated the University of Pittsburgh researchers who are developing the technology, saying, “what a story.”

The research is part of a quest to make artificial limbs that can feel. On Thursday, the Pittsburgh team reported important early findings: When they blindfolded Copeland, he could correctly identify which robotic finger they touched 84 per cent of the time.

“The majority of them, it felt like a pressure or a tingling” in his own corresponding finger, said Copeland, 30, of Dunbar, Pennsylvania, who was left paralyzed after a car accident.

When a researcher touched two fingers at the same time, “I just laughed and I said, ‘Are you trying to be tricky or something?”

Preparing to show the president how the cutting-edge research worked, Copeland said he was “circling between excited and nervous every halfhour.”

Harnessing brain waves to power prosthetics is a hot field, with a goal of giving the disabled more independence and improving artificial limbs for amputees as well. Headlines led the new study. “People have research had suggested brain in recent years have reported an incredibly difficult time in- implants could bridge that gap. experiments that let paralyzed teracting with objects, picking So surgeons at the University of people move a robotic arm objects up, manipulating them, Pittsburgh Medical Center imto touch a loved one or take a doing fairly basic things with planted electrodes in the part of drink simply by imagining the the hand if they don’t have a Copeland’s brain that controls motion. Their thoughts acti- very basic sense of touch.” what his hands feel. vate brain implants that relay Step one is placing sensors Electrically stimulating electrical signals needed to in prosthetics. The next hurdle those cells worked even though command movement. The sig- is how to allow feedback to and the car wreck that left Copeland nals are transmitted through a from those sensors. For am- mostly paralyzed happened computer to the robotic limb. putees, some scientists are at- over a decade ago, Gaunt noted.

What’s new is recreating tempting to wire nerves left in “This shows you can get natusensation using this brain- the remaining part of the per- ral sensation” through the brain controlled techimplant, added nology.

After Pittsburgh neuall, proper morobiologist Antion depends drew Schwartz. on more than Harnessing brain waves to power T h u r s d a y ’s muscle moveprosthetics is a hot field, with a report in Sciment. Reach for goal of giving the disabled more ence Translasomething and independence and improving artificial tional Medicine that sense of limbs for amputees as well. details the first touch helps you six months of naturally grasp experiments with just enough after Copeland force to hang on while not ei- son’s natural limb directly to received the brain implants ther dropping something or the robotic arm. in March 2015. The ongoing crushing it.

That’s not possible if a spi- research is becoming more “It’s not only that emotional nal cord injury has interrupted sophisticated, as he picks up connection we get,” said Robert the messages that normally objects while the electrodes Gaunt, a Pittsburgh assistant flash between the hand and the stimulate different amounts of professor of rehabilitation who brain. But previous monkey force, Copeland said in a phone

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EVAN EL-AMIN / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

interview.

While the work is in just one patient, it’s a step toward creating touch capability, said Richard Andersen, a neuroscientist at the California Institute of Technology whose team also studies mind-controlled prosthetics and is about to begin a similar experiment.

“It still needs to be determined if this tactile feedback will improve performance” in using the robotic arm, Andersen cautioned.

Copeland doesn’t get to take the robotic arm home but is proud of helping to advance the science.

“Technically when it’s over, I will have netted nothing except having done some cool stuff with some cool people,” Copeland said. “It’s cheesy, but Luke Skywalker loses his hand and then basically the next day he’s got a robot one and it’s working fine. We have to get to that point, and to do that, someone has to start it.” ■ AP Writer Josh Lederman contributed to this report.

Technology

FRIDAY OCTOBER 21, 2016

Periscope extends beyond phones as Twitter ups ante on video

BY MICHAEL LIEDTKE The Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO — Twitter is taking the smartphone shackles off its live-video service Periscope in its latest attempt to broaden its audience.

The Periscope Producer feature announced Thursday will let media companies and other users pipe live video feeds directly into Twitter, without using a smartphone to record the images. Since its debut early last year, Periscope had been confined to live video feeds taken on a smartphone.

During Producer’s testing phase last week, a Florida television station showing live video on its website used the new tool to redistribute the same feeds on Twitter. To start, Producer will be limited to a small group of media companies such as Disney’s ABC News and major brands such as Louis Vuitton.

Others can apply for approval at http://t.co/periscopeproducer.

Periscope CEO Kayvon Beykour said Producer will be available to all comers soon, something that he acknowledged could lead to unauthorized redistribution of live video. Piracy has been an issue dogging Periscope since people began using the service to broadcast live video of movies and TV shows with their smartphones.

Twitter already has been streaming more news, entertainment and sports events, including the National Football League’s Thursday Night games for 10 weeks during the season.

Twitter hopes to build a following beyond people who rely on the service to tweet their thoughts and keep tabs on what’s happening around the world. Dorsey sees Twitter evolving into the goto place for watching live video in a digital town square where people can share their opinions with each other.

Internet companies young (Snapchat) and old (Facebook) are scrambling to get on the live video train, though there are no

easy ways to make advertising money off of them yet. That’s coming, though. Some companies are already experimenting with livestreaming for marketing purposes. Automaker General Motors, for example, launched out its electric Chevy Bolt EV using Facebook Live earlier this year. Media outlets, meanwhile, are livestreaming coverage of the presidential debates in ways not seen in any previous election.

With the latest move, Periscope joins other livestreaming services such as Twitch and YouTube that allow for broadcasts from sources beyond users’ smartphones. Facebook, meanwhile, has so far stuck to a mobile-only strategy. But even with Periscope’s expanded capability, Facebook has an advantage with a larger audience.

Since the end of 2014, Twitter has picked up just 15 million monthly users to expand its audience to 313 million people through June. During the same stretch, Facebook gained 319 million users to extend its reach beyond 1.7 billion people.

In an effort to distinguish Twitter from Facebook, Dorsey has been trying to position it as the “people news network” — though with little success since he replaced Dick Costolo as CEO 15 months ago.

Things have been looking so bleak that Twitter’s board last month hired investment bankers to woo suitors that might be interested in buying the San Francisco company, according to published reports that cited unnamed people familiar with the matter.

The possibility of a sale tantalized investors until other media reports made it seem unlikely that Twitter will strike a deal soon. With a sale apparently off the table, the company’s stock has dropped by nearly 30 per cent in the past week. The shares fell 20 cents to $17.85 in early afternoon trading Thursday. ■ AP Technology Writer Barbara Ortutay in New York contributed to this report.

33

Google’s Pixel phone: Not much new, but still a standout

BY ANICK JESDANUN The Associated Press NEW YORK — Google’s ambitious new smartphone, the Pixel, doesn’t offer a lot that’s new.

Yet it’s still one of the best out there.

Google achieves that by pulling together the best features from Apple, Samsung and other phone makers and offering them at prices comparable to iPhones — starting at about $650 for the regular, 5-inch model and $770 for the 5.5-inch “XL” edition. Both versions go on sale Thursday through Verizon, Best Buy and Google’s online store.

I tested the Pixel XL model; the regular version has identical features except for its smaller display and battery — still enough for 13 hours of internet use, according to Google.

With either, you get an excellent camera and a strong voice assistant that promises to get smarter — all without the bloat common with other Android phones.

The Pixel isn’t quite an iPhone replacement, as Google wants you to believe; hardware is just part of what makes an iPhone an iPhone. But it might serve up a strong challenge to Samsung, especially as people look for alternatives to the fireprone Galaxy Note 7.

The camera

The Pixel’s image quality is superb — though purists may quibble. Colors in some shots look too strong and clean to me, thanks to software processing intended to reduce distortion and improve detail (something all phones do to some extent).

But automation pays off in another way: The Pixel will automatically combine successive shots into an animated “GIF” file, offering a fun way to share a toddler’s steps or a dog jumping. For video, the Pixel’s stabilization technology compensates for shaky hands and other movement, matching what the iPhone and Galaxy phones can do.

The Pixel borrows a quicklaunch feature from Samsung phones. Just double tap the power button to start the camwww.canadianinquirer.net

era, even if the phone is locked.

To switch between the front and rear cameras, just double twist the phone like a door knob — a feature Motorola, which Google once owned, has long offered.

Low-light images taken with the Pixel in three museums aren’t as crisp as those from the iPhone 7 and Samsung’s Galaxy S7 (which has the same camera as the Note 7). But differences are small, and the Pixel does better than typical smartphones. Where the Pixel falls short is in extreme close-ups, such as shooting a flower petal or a small bug; photos were typically blurry. The Pixel’s selfie camera is also inferior, with no front flash or control over the focus. But it’s fine in good light and at typical distances for selfies.

The assistant

Google’s voice assistant, simply known as Google Assistant, will seem familiar to those who have used Apple’s Siri or Amazon’s Alexa features.

Google’s version goes further in offering daily updates such as weather and news, though plenty of apps already offer similar capabilities through notifications. Google is also better at remembering preferences — say, if you prefer temperatures in Celsius — and at integrating with its own services, such as Translate and Photos.

But Assistant doesn’t yet sync with a similar Assistant in Google’s Allo chat app and upcoming Home speaker. And it isn’t as proactive as the Google Now assistant already built into Android phones. Google Now, for instance, will look through your Gmail account for flight reservations and remind you when to head to the airport. It will analyze your daily commute and warn of delays. Assistant waits for you to ask.

Assistant holds up well compared with Siri and Alexa, but for more, swipe from left to right to get the old Google Now back. Google says Assistant will eventually get the Google Now functionality.

Other features

If you need help, you can reach Google’s customer support and enable screen sharing

reminiscent of Amazon’s Mayday help feature. And the Pixel will work with Google’s upcoming Daydream View virtual-reality headset, much as Samsung phones have Samsung’s Gear VR. Long-pressing an app icon brings up a menu of shortcuts, such as getting directions to home or launching the selfie camera. It’s similar to the iPhone’s 3D Touch. The Pixel also offers “Night Light,” a feature that tints your screen amber by filtering out blue light that might keep you up at night.

Apple calls it Night Shift.

Pixel owners get unlimited storage of photos at original resolution, though that’s a little like offering Google search for free. Google Photos already offers unlimited storage at up to 16 megapixels; the Pixel’s camera is 12 megapixels. The free offer will make a difference for those who take video in ultra-sharp “4k” resolution, but the default setting is lower, at 1080p, which is already free at Google Photos.

What’s missing

The Pixel will be OK if you spray it with water, but don’t drop it in the pool. You also can’t expand its storage with a memory card, as you can with the S7 and Note 7 — though for $100 more, the Pixel’s 32 gigabytes of storage quadruples to 128 gigabytes, and the free online storage should take care of your photos and videos. The battery isn’t removable, though that’s true for most phones these days.

Those looking for a Note 7 replacement will find the Pixel missing a stylus. If you’re an iPhone user, you’ll have to brace yourself for the switch to Android, which would entail buying new apps and learning new ways to navigate.

Making the switch

Google tries to make it easy to switch. The phone comes with a transfer cable, and the setup process walks you through transferring photos, music and video, as long as it’s not encrypted (so scratch iTunes video). But apps won’t switch over from iPhones; you need to buy them again. ■

34

OCTOBER 21, 2016

FRIDAY

Travel Halloween treat: A night at A café where you Dracula’s castle in Transylvania can sleep, shower Diligence Café, or D-Caf, is for people driven to excel

BY ALISON MUTLER The Associated Press BRAN CASTLE, ROMANIA — Dracula’s castle will have overnight guests on Halloween, marking the first time since 1948 that anyone has slept in the Transylvanian fortress.

The site’s actual name in Bran Castle, and two people will get to sleep there Oct. 31 thanks to a promotion by Airbnb. The guests will be wined and dined, then left alone to lie down in red velvet-trimmed coffins just as Dracula did in the Bram Stoker horror novel that popularized the legend.

The castle is famous for its connection to Vlad the Impaler, a real-life prince who stayed there in the 15th century and had a cruel habit of using stakes to impale his victims. Vlad inspired Stoker’s story of Count Dracula.

The Airbnb contest to find guests for the night launched Monday. Applicants were asked to use their “vampiric wit” to imagine what they’d say to Count Dracula if they met him.

Winners will be flown to Romania and then taken to the castle set dramatically in the Carpathian Mountains. If they’re too spooked to sleep in the coffins, beds are on hand.

The castle is one of Romania’s top tourist attractions, with more than 630,000 visitors a year. Hosting the one-off Airbnb event is a descendant of Bram Stoker, Dacre Stoker.

“I want to make it both realistic and show the legend in the wonderful country that birthed the whole thing,” Stoker said in a telephone interview. He’ll play the role of Jonathan Harker, a character from the novel who encounters Dracula at the castle. When the winners arrive in a horse-drawn carriage, he plans to greet them using the same words Dracula used in his ancestor’s story: “Welcome to my house! Enter freely. Go safely, and leave something of

BY JODEE A. AGONCILLO Philippine Daily Inquirer

TODOR BOZHINOV / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

the happiness you bring!”

Stoker added that staging “Halloween night in Dracula castle” was a way of “re-creating the book, and giving people a good experience and a good scare.”

The winning pair will tour the castle, then be treated to a candlelight dinner of chicken paprikash, the same meal described in the novel. Airbnb’s rules for the night are simple: no garlic or silver jewelry — both believed to ward off vampires — and this reminder: “The count is not a fan of mirror selfies.” (According to legend, a vampire’s image cannot be seen in mirrors.)

Bran Castle was originally a military fortress, strategically set on a highway that links Transylvania to southern Romania. Vlad the Impaler did not own the castle, but is believed to have used it briefly during his incursions in Transylvania.

He is also believed to have been imprisoned in the castle for two months in 1462 when he was captured by a rival Hungarian king.

Vlad impaled his victims as punishment for wrongdoing.

His victims reputedly included all the elderly residents of one community to avenge the deaths of his father and brother.

Following World War I, the castle was given to Queen Marie in gratitude for her role in unifying Transylvania with the rest of Romania. She bequeathed it to her youngest daughter Princess Ileana. In 1948, the Communists seized it from Ileana.

In 2006, years after communism ended, the castle was returned to Ileana’s son Dominic Hapsburg, a retired New York architect. His sisters spent their childhood there. A Romanian company manages the castle which is rented for weddings, soirees and corporate events.

Hapsburg plays an active role in the site, but nobody has stayed overnight there since Hapsburg and his family were exiled from Romania.

The castle is very popular with tourists. “We just love Halloween, so what drew us to Romania was Transylvania,” said Gina Ricciardi of Boca Raton, Florida, visiting with her husband and friends. “We wanted to see Dracula’s castle and just experience the whole Dracula.”

Might Count Dracula himself show up on Oct. 31?

“Did he really die at end of the novel when he was stabbed with knife? Bram leaves the question ambiguous,” Stoker said. “But if he’s still floating around, he would make an appearance.” ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

THE TYPICAL Starbucks in the city has people engaged in small talk or hunched over their laptops in between sips of latte.

But have you heard of a coffee shop where you can stay all day, have a nap with a pillow, or even take a shower?

Diligence Café, or “D-Caf,” on Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City, is like no other coffee shop because it welcomes anyone, especially students and professionals, who need a work space in a relaxed, inspiring vibe.

For an entrance fee of P60 per hour, or P350 per day, a customer gets unlimited juice or coffee, power supply, Wi-Fi connection, and a shower service.

Initially, D-Caf also offered snacks and desserts; now it has meals for those staying the whole night. Its brewed coffee is sourced from Benguet farmers.

But what really makes DCaf different is its napping service which allows customers to doze off in comfort, with a wake-up call to boot.

“Wewant people who come here to maximize value of their money and time,” says 24-yearold Elmerei Cuevas, who runs D-Caf with business partner Anna Lorraine Uy. “This is not a place to chill.

This is a place for people who are driven, people who want to excel, people who work on their dreams,” adds Cuevas, a Materials Engineering graduate from the University of the Philippines Diliman.

Located in a 161-squaremeter unit on the second floor of Elizabeth Hall, D-Caf looks spacious because of the neutral colors of its interiors—gray with accents of red, teal, and yellow—which, Cuevas points out, stimulates the mind to fo-

cus on tasks at hand.

The café is open from 2 p.m. to 7 a.m. and can accommodate 50 people. Instead of soft leather couches, there are steel chairs that make you sit up straight, the better to be productive during your stay. Cuevas says the idea to open a café began in 2013 when he was still a student in UP. He remembers falling asleep while studying his lessons.

He would buy a McSaver’s meal or a large-size coffee for P50 at McDonald’s-Philcoa and study there with classmates: “Sometimes we’d take turns taking naps; we couldn’t do it at the same time because the guards would call us out.”

He also recalls going to class with no time to take a bath: “When you’re a student, time is precious... So I started dreaming of having a coffee shop for struggling students.”

Cuevas says that in January 2015 he was attending a service in Destiny Church when senior pastor Leo Carlo Panlilio spoke about 2016 being a breakthrough, a year of promotion, a year of dreams coming true.

“I held on to that word,” Cuevas points out, adding that he was further inspired by a meditation on Isaiah 55:1 of the Bible: “Buy without money. Everything is the Lord’s.”

Seven months later Cuevas met his future business partner, Uy, at the UP JFA Business Model Competition in Makati.

A Management Information graduate of Ateneo de Manila University, Uy, like Cuevas, had the habit of joining events that stimulated business ideas. They both made it to the Top 10 of the UP JFA Business Model Competition.

P3-M investment

On February this year, they presented their concept for a ❱❱ PAGE 39 A café

Travel

FRIDAY OCTOBER 21, 2016

35

Thailand’s tourism likely to weather king’s mourning period

BY TODD PITMAN The Associated Press BANGKOK — Concerts and colossal beach parties in Thailand have been cancelled. An annual festival meant to placate the country’s goddess of water with lanterns that float into the sky will not take place.

And closed for the first time in years: red-light districts in the heart of the Thai capital filled with seedy go-go bars so irrepressible they managed to stay open even through past military coups.

The death Thursday of Thailand’s revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej has plunged this Southeast Asian nation into an unprecedented period of mourning like nothing it has ever seen, and it’s likely to stay that way for some time.

But calm — not chaos — prevails, and the closures and cancellations are unlikely to last more than a month or have any serious long-term impact on tourism.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has declared a one-year mourning period and urged people to refrain from organizing entertainment events for 30 days. But he has also made clear that life must go on, and urged businesses to remain open to ensure the nation does not “lose its credibility.”

More than 30 million tourists visit Thailand every year, accounting for about 10 per cent of government revenue. The industry is one of the few bright spots in an economy that has slumped since the army ousted a democratically

elected government in 2014.

In a statement late Friday, the Tourism Authority of Thailand confirmed that tourist attractions will remain open with the exception of Bangkok’s goldgilded Grand Palace, because it “will be the venue of the royal funeral rites.”

Bhumibol’s body was transported by royal procession to the palace’s Temple of the Emerald Buddha, or Wat Phra Kaew, on Friday as thousands of people lined the roads. Widely seen here as a unifying figure and the father of the nation, Bhumibol served as monarch for 70 years — so long that most Thais have known no other.

The subdued atmosphere that has engulfed the country since his death is unmistakable, visible in the black or white dress worn by millions of Thais in a massive show of mourning that has been displayed even on mannequins in luxury shopping malls.

In Bangkok, the neon-lit dinner cruise ships that ply the majestic Chao Phraya River every night have turned off their booming music.

Even some of the capital’s most prominent red-light districts have shut down.

Nana Plaza, a three-story complex of gogo bars filled with scantily-clad women announced it was closing temporarily to “pay respect and mourn the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great.”

“It doesn’t bother me,” said Australian tourist Darren Turner, who was standing outside the all-dark plaza. “This is a man who stood on the throne unopposed for 70 years. He did a lot for his

Koh Lipe Beach Resort in Thailand.

country and his people, and it’s good to show a mark of respect for his passing.”

The neon lights of another red-light district nearby, Soi Cowboy, abruptly switched off Friday night after police and soldiers paid a visit and asked bar managers to close to show respect of the king.

Hours after Bhumibol’s death on Thursday, Richard Barrow, a Bangkokbased travel blogger, tweeted that many tourists were “asking if they should cancel their holiday.” His is advice: you should not.

No foreign government has suggested its nationals to cancel trip plans, but several have issued advisories. Canada called on its citizens to “refrain from any behaviour that may be interpreted as festive, disrespectful or disorderly,” Britain urged its nationals to “wear sombre and respectful clothing when in public,” and the U.S. called on Americans to maintain “decorum during this extended period of profound mourning.”

While Thailand’s stunning beaches and resorts remain open, some tourists’ plans to see particular events may already be ruined.

In the northern city of Chiang Mai, the city government announced the annual Yi Peng Festival set for mid-November — in which tens of thousands of lanterns float into the sky — has been cancelled.

On the island of Koh Phangan, organizers of the renowned “Full Moon” party, which had been set to begin Oct. 17, called the event off.

And in Bangkok, a sold-out concert featuring British singer Morrissey, the former frontman of The Smiths, was also cancelled.

Khaosod English, a local media outlet which reported numerous cancellations in the capital, offered prudent advice to its readers for upcoming events: “Call ahead first.” ■ Associated Press journalist Dow Kaewjinda contributed to this report.

Iloilo International Airport ranks 12th Best Airport in Asia

BY MA. CHRISTINA C. ARAYATA Philippines News Agency MANILA — The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on Tuesday shared the results of the 2016 survey of the interactive travel site, “The Guide to Sleeping in Airports” which cited Iloilo International Airport as 12th Best Airport in Asia.

Davao International Airport, on the other hand, ranked 26th.

CAAP manages the airports and commercial flights in the country.

For its 20th annual Best and Worst Airports, the travel website came up with the world’s best and worst in the regions of Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Central and South America, Europe, Middle East, North America and South Pacific.

Others which ranked best were Rajiv

Gandhi in India (13), Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport in Thailand (17), Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Indonesia (20), Nagoya Chubu Centrair International Airport in Japan (25) and Kaohsiung International Airport in Taiwan (29).

The survey rated the airports in Asia based on people’s experience in terms of comfort (rest zones and gate seating), services, facilities and things to do, food options, immigration/security, customer service and cleanliness.

Meanwhile, the Top 10 Best Airports in Asia as voted by travellers in 2016 survey were: (1) Singapore Changi, (2) Seoul Incheon, (3) Tokyo Haneda, (4) Taipei Taoyuan, (5) Osaka Kansai, (6) Hongkong International Airport, (7) Kuala Lumpur, (8) Tokyo Narita, (9) Mumbai India, and (10) Nanjing Lukou in China.

The results were based on a year-long online survey that asked travellers to cite which airports they like and don’t like to

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spend their time due to delays, transits and/or sleep in overnight (due to being stranded by flight cancellations). ■

36

OCTOBER 21, 2016

FRIDAY

Food A cod recipe with some tricks becomes a richer, meatier dish

BY MELISSA D’ARABIAN The Associated Press I THINK we all know that eating fish several times a week is a good call, both for our hearts and our brains. In the summertime, it’s easy. I love tossing a piece of fish seasoned with just a little salt and pepper on the grill, giving it a bit of char and squeezing it with bright lemon and serving it next to a lightly-dressed coleslaw or a chopped grilled veggie salad. In summer, I like not feeling full.

But winter? I crave something richer and meatier. I want food that fills my belly with warmth and coats my tongue with luscious, deep flavours. Basically, I want to eat a fatty venison stew for several months a year. Is that so wrong?

Well, I can’t eat like a bear before hibernation every day from December to March. It wouldn’t meet my health goals, and let’s face it: I don’t have that kind of braising time available to me on a casual Tuesday night.

A simple, quick sauteed fish recipe comes to the rescue! It’s a classic saute plus pan-sauce method that is more blueprint than recipe: Saute the fish and remove from the pan, add in some veggies and aromatics and cook until tender, deglaze the pan with broth, wine, or other liquid and then add finishing

touches, such as whisking in a pat of butter or adding chopped fresh herbs.

The recipe today, Quick Cod with Red Wine Pan Sauce has a few tricks up its sleeve to satisfy my winter palate. I use meaty portabella mushrooms as the veggie, which amps up the filling-factor of delicate cod. And for the sauce, I use beef broth and red wine, surprising companions for a white fish dish. But, get excited, because they work.

For minimal extra calories, this cod dish goes from summer-light to wintercomfort with these small swaps. Oh, and yes, I added a smidge of butter at the end to make the sauce glossy, but feel free to skip if you don’t want the extra fat.

Cod with red wine pan sauce

Start to finish: 10 minutes Servings: 4 • 4 5-ounce fillets of cod, rockfish or other sturdy white fish • 2 teaspoons of flour, divided • 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided • 1 shallot, minced • 8 ounces baby bella (or white) mushrooms, sliced • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 2/3 cup beef stock • 1/3 cup red wine (regular, or sweetened, such as Marsala or Madeira)

How Nyoy... ❰❰ 24

ensemble for an Atlantis production of “The Rocky Horror Show.”

But when bigger musical roles started to come, what Volante lacked in experience he made up for with a willingness

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter • chopped parsley for garnish • lemon wedges, for garnish • salt and pepper Pat the fish dry with a paper towel and season it with salt and pepper. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of flour on the fish, using a silicon brush to coat the fish very lightly with the flour.

Heat half the oil over medium high heat in a large nonstick skillet. Cook the fish until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side, flipping the fish only once to retain the nice crust. Place the fish on a warmed platter and set aside.

Add the remaining oil, shallot and mushrooms to the skillet and saute until mushrooms begin to soften, to explore and exercise other abilities.

He would sink his teeth into diverse roles, the most notable of which, before “Jersey Boys,” was as the narrator-rapper Usnavi in Atlantis’ staging of “In the Heights.”

During curtain call one night, when playwright and Manila co-director LinManuel Miranda was asked to join the actors onstage, Broadway’s rock star bowed toward Volante as a sign of praise.

“Oh my God, of course I didn’t deserve it,” Volante exclaimed. “I mean he was LinManuel Miranda, but him doing it, siyempre tumatak na yun sa puso ko (it made a mark in my heart, obviously).”

Volante also loves portraying silly characters, including Grandma (alternating with Jimmy Marquez) in “The Addams Family” and the physically demanding Donkey in “Shrek.” He even did his own makeup for those roles.

“I take pride in making a fool of myself, sa totoo lang (in all honesty),” said the self-confessed clown of the family.

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about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and remaining teaspoon of flour, and stir for a minute. Then add the stock and wine to deglaze the pan, and bring to a boil for a minute or two, until sauce starts to thicken.

Turn off the heat and add in the lemon juice and whisk in the butter to make the sauce glossy. Top with parsley and a lemon wedge for garnish. Serve the sauce with the fish, either on the side to spoon on, or on top of the fish.

(Optional: Serve the fish on a bed of baby spinach, spaghetti squash or quinoa to soak up the tasty sauce.) ■ Nutrition information per serving: 201 calories; 64 calories from fat; 7 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 61 mg cholesterol; 178 mg sodium; 6 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 2 g sugar; 24 g protein.

“There’s this impersonation show on TV (ABS-CBN’s “Your Face Sounds Familiar,” in which celebs impersonate other celebs)... I impersonated a lot of artists (Tina Turner, Justin Bieber, Sylvia la Torre, Freddie Mercury, Mike Hanopol, Katy Perry, Whitney Houston, Pavarotti, Rod Stewart) kaya medyo naging strength ko din sa show na yun na I’m from theater (so coming from a theater background actually became a strength for me in the show).” Of course, for Volante, being in theater has far exceeded the usual benefits, such as learning to be a disciplined professional.

He met his wife, actress Mikkie Bradshaw, in theater, and she has become his biggest and most valuable critic.

“She really tells me when I’m doing something that’s not right or might not work,” said Volante. “I believe her. That helps me a lot, na kapag meron akong ginagawang mali, nasasabi sa akin agad (that if I do anything wrong, I get called out immediately).” ■

Food

FRIDAY OCTOBER 21, 2016

37

Don’t settle for dull turkey gravy at Thanksgiving

BY SARA MOULTON The Associated Press JUST BECAUSE Thanksgiving mostly is about tradition doesn’t mean that we aren’t open to going off-script when it comes to side dishes and exactly how to cook the big bird.

But the gravy? It’s where innovation goes to die! Generally, we’re content to just pour some store-bought chicken broth, along with a little butter and flour, into the pan in which the turkey was roasted, then call it a day. In truth, I love pan gravy as much as anyone, but you can make a more exciting gravy with just a little more work.

We were taught in cooking school that your sauce will only be as good as the liquid you add to it. In the case of turkey gravy, that would be turkey broth.

What can be done to amp up its flavour?

To start, you want to brown the turkey parts that have been packed inside the bird — the neck and the giblets (that is, the heart and the gizzards).

Then, slice off the bird’s wings — which nobody eats anyway — and add them to the other parts. (Do not add the liver; it will make the stock bitter. Instead, just reserve or freeze it until you can saute it in butter and serve it on toast. Yum!) Browning these turkey parts in the company of some carrots and onions develops complex flavours. This is called the Maillard reaction. It’s what happens when amino acids combined with the sugars found in meat and many vegetables are heated above 300 F. Concentrated juices from these ingredients will collect in the bottom of the pan as you brown them. When you deglaze the pan, you dissolve those juices and add them to the browned ingredients, further deepening the stock’s flavour.

You may be surprised to find tomato paste among this recipe’s ingredients, but tomatoes happen to be a terrific source of umami. Umami is the fifth taste, after sweet, sour, salty and bitter. It is usually described as “meaty.” The carrots in the stock also contribute umami. Briefly sauteing the tomato paste in the skillet helps to brown it and develop its natural sugars.

needs thinning, add more of the turkey stock and the juices that accumulated on the platter where the turkey has been resting.

Reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper.

Nutrition information per 1/4 cup: 70 calories; 50 calories from fat (71 per cent of total calories); 6 g fat (1.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 5 mg cholesterol; 170 mg sodium; 4 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 1 g protein.

Mushroom gravy

Having cooked up your stock in a separate pan, you’re eventually going to want to add to it the juices that streamed out of the turkey while it roasted and use the fat that accumulated in the pan while you basted the bird. Again, this is how you intensify the gravy’s turkey flavour.

By the way, don’t despair if your turkey is missing the happy little package of giblets and neck bone usually found inside the cavity; you’ll still have the turkey wings. Just cut them off and supplement with some chicken wings. You’ll need about 8 ounces of poultry parts in total. Finally, I recommend making the turkey stock a day or two in advance of the feast.

It will make the big day itself a little less stressful.

Bigger and better turkey gravy

Start to finish: 4 hours 15 minutes (35 minutes active) Makes 5 cups • The neck, wings and giblets (about 8-ounces total) from an 18- to 24-pound turkey • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil • 1 medium yellow onion, medium-chopped • 1 medium carrot, mediumchopped • 2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled • 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth • 1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped • 2 sprigs fresh thyme • 1 bay leaf • The drippings, 1/2 cup fat and pan juices from an 18- to 24-pound roasted turkey • Butter, melted (if there isn’t enough fat from the roast to make the gravy) • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons instant flour (such as Wondra) • Kosher salt and ground black pepper Carefully chop the neck and wings into 1-inch pieces and pat them and the giblets dry. In a large skillet over medium-high, heat the oil. Add the turkey pieces and giblets, reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the onion, carrot and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Transfer the mixture to a medium saucepan and add 1 cup of water to the skillet. Deglaze the pan over high heat, scraping up the brown bits with a spatula, until all the bits have been dissolved. Pour the mixture over the turkey parts in the saucepan. Add the chicken broth and 2 cups water to the saucepan. www.canadianinquirer.net

Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, skimming the scum that rises to the surface with a skimmer or slotted spoon, until there is no more scum, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the celery, thyme and bay leaf, then simmer gently for 2 hours. Strain the stock through a colander, pressing hard on the solids. Discard the solids and measure the stock; you should have 4 cups. If you have more, return the liquid to the saucepan and simmer until it is reduced to 4 cups.

If you have less, add water to the stock to make 4 cups. Cool, cover and chill until it is time to make the gravy.

When the turkey is cooked and resting on a platter, pour all the liquid in the roasting pan into a fat separator or large glass measuring cup. Pour or skim off the fat from the cup and reserve it; leave the cooking juices in the fat separator.

You will need 1/2 cup of the fat for the gravy; if you don’t have 1/2 cup, supplement with melted butter.

Set the roasting pan on top of two burners set over mediumlow. Add the fat, followed by the flour. Whisk the mixture, preferably using a flat whisk, for 5 minutes. Add the reserved cooking juices from the roasting pan and two-thirds of the turkey stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking. If the gravy

Proceed with the master recipe up to the point of adding the fat to the roasting pan. Add half the fat and 1/3 cup minced shallots and cook over medium heat, stirring, for 3 minutes.

Add 8 ounces of assorted sliced mushrooms and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining fat and the flour and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add 1/3 cup dry sherry, Madeira or tawny port, or 1/2 cup red wine, (this is optional; you can leave the alcohol out) along with the reserved cooking juices and two-thirds of the turkey stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking. If the gravy needs thinning, add more of the turkey stock and the juices that accumulated on the platter where the turkey has been resting. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Mustard-herb gravy

Proceed with the master recipe up through the point of cooking the fat and flour for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of dry white wine (this is optional; you can leave the alcohol out) along with the reserved cooking juices and two-thirds of the turkey stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking. If the gravy needs thinning, add more of the turkey stock and the juices that accumulated on the platter where the turkey has been resting. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.

Whisk in 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard and 2 to 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil, tarragon or sage. Season with salt and pepper. ■

OCTOBER 21, 2016

38

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39

FRIDAY OCTOBER 21, 2016

A café...

How to...

one-of-a-kind coffee shop to Ariel and Nancy Meneses, who liked the idea so much that they invested P3 million to put up DCaf. Currently operating with eight employees, Cuevas says the challenge is to make the business sustainable in three months.

At the start, he admits that the idea to charge an entrance fee sounded risky—because customers may not like to be “timed.”

However, he also believes that people would come, “those who really who want to finish something and not be idle.”

He wants people to think of D-Caf as “a place where students thought of their goals and worked on them—where graduates could look back and say

❰❰ 28

❰❰ 34

COURTESY OF DILIGENCE CAFE / FACEBOOK

that the café was part of their success... that this is a place where dreams come true.”

His advice to students and future businessmen: “Keep on dreaming, write your vision,

and always remember that dreams should always be coupled with diligence.

“Diligence is working on your vision. Even if it’s not yet there, work on it.” ■

school as she has been a consistent recipient of the academic excellence award.

On the gym floor, she has hauled over 50 medals in four years of competition in local events and two international club tournaments in Singapore and Bangkok, where she again ruled as the individual allaround winner.

“She was six years old in her first competition,” says Mogol.

“She competed against gymnasts who already won medals before. But she won the allaround right away, so we knew that this kid will get even better.”

Last April, just four months before she turned 10, Charlie emerged as an instant star in the 2016 Palaro in Legazpi City, Albay. Debuting on the biggest national stage for young athletes, Charlie made it all look easy as she picked up gold medals in the single bar, floor exercises and team event, on top of silvers in the balance beam and vault, to run away with the allaround title.

“At first, her mommy was having second thoughts if Charlie could really compete in the Palaro,” Mogol recalls. “But after seeing her win the overall title in the NCR (National Capital Region-Palaro) qualifiers, we knew she could do it. So we kept telling her mommy not to worry about Charlie.”

Noreen thinks the pressure of competing weighs more on her and husband Inky than on Charlie herself.

“I’m the one who gets stressed,” says Noreen. “I pray the novena. I really get nervous when she competes.”

But Charlie’s parents have already braced themselves for more of it.

“Our goal for her is to be a member of the Philippine team, to be one of the best gymnasts in the Philippines,” says Mogol. “She can be in the national pool by 14 or 15, be in the junior team.”

Save for her sparkly leotard, there’s no air about her that she’s a rising gymnast armed with remarkable flexibility.

Ask Charlie what motivates her and who she looks up to, she just shrugs.

“You like Bea Lucero, right?”

Noreen offers.

Thirty years ago, Lucero inspired many young girls to do cartwheels and flips after a popular chocolate drink commercial made the cute, peppy gymnast the face of the sport.

But since then, there hasn’t been a local gymnast who captured the nation’s heart the way Lucero did.

Charlie’s coaches believes she can. Her family hopes she can. And Charlie may just do it, even if it’s in in her own quiet way.

How phenom... socials on her smart phone.

But ask her how the tournament was and Charlie will say, “It’s fun.”

Push more questions, like if she found any event difficult or if she got nervous, Charlie nods in each one.

“That’s how she is,” says Noreen. “When I tutor her at home, she listens and follows. Sometimes, she just keeps saying yes.

So I tell her, ‘You have to show me that you know that.’ But after her test, it turns out okay.

She knows.”

“It’s the same thing in the gym,” adds Noreen. “You’d think she didn’t absorb it. But in competition, you can see she actually understood it.”

A dentist by profession, Noreen gave up her career after getting pregnant with Charlie. She’s now a dedicated athlete’s mom, driving Charlie to training five times a week, accompanying her to local and international tournaments, while also making sure that she balances her sport and studies.

“I guess it’s all fun for her,” says Noreen. “But what’s important for us is she’s enjoying it. We ask her everytime in competition if it’s okay, if she wants to do this. If she says yes, then we go.”

Charlie, now a fifth grader at Miriam College, also excels in ❰❰ 29

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contact the pipe (see photo 8).

After completing the installation of the braces, it is time to join the 6 pipes together by joining it to the braces with 5cm x 5cm (2x2) length of woods. Measure the total width of the 6 pipes together (168 cm).

Cut 5 pcs of 5cm x 5cm (2x2) wood. Install 2 screws per brace to the 2x2 wood evenly (see figure 2).

Before putting on the floor boards, we must first complete the transom. Cut a piece of plank 168cm wide x 19cm high x 3.5cm thick). If you have trouble finding a plank of that thickness, you could join 2 pcs of planks (168cm long x19cm high x 1.75cm thick) instead (See photo 9). Screw them onto the last 5cm x 5cm (2x2) braces joint (See photo 10).

The next thing is to install the floor boards. Cut planks with length 268cm of 1.75cm thick-

ness to make the floor of the raft. Complete the flooring with 5cm x5cm (2x2) framing the floor around its edges.

Install the towing hook in front of the boat by attaching it to the 5cm x 5cm (2x2) frame.

To strengthen the transom after you have finished installing the floor boards, install a length of 5cm x 5 cm (2x2) on the edge of the boat to the transom (see photo 9).

Paint the boat to the color of your choice and perhaps decorate the boat with custom stickers.

With that, the raft is basically complete and ready for the water. But of course, it would be better to put in seats, fish finders, rod holders, etc. and make your raft into a serious fishing machine. ■ You can reach me at captfred@ fredfishing.com if you have any questions about this project.

figure 2

Join the pipes together by connecting the braces to 2x2 wood.

➒ Building the transom.

The completed boat.

➓ Just waiting for a paint job and the accessories.

40

OCTOBER 21, 2016

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FRIDAY