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VOL. 5 NO. 270
APPEAL TO LEGISLATORS
Human rights activists call on legislators not to reimpose the death penalty during their "Lakbay Buhay" protest campaign. They gathered at Welcome Rotunda in Quezon City and marched to the University of Santo Tomas in Manila on Sunday. GRIG MONTEGRANDE / PDI
Duterte declares martial rule in besieged Mindanao BY JIM GOMEZ AND TERESA CEROJANO The Associated Press MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte warned Wednesday that he’ll be harsh in enforcing martial law in his country’s south as he abruptly left Moscow to deal with a
crisis at home sparked by a Muslim extremist siege on a city, where militants burned buildings overnight and are feared to have taken hostages. Duterte declared martial rule for 60 days in the entire southern Mindanao region, the restive third of the Philippine archipelago, Tuesday evening to
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The firestorm over Alex Tizon’s Lola
18 Ariana Grande fans tremble as they recall Manchester attack ❱❱ PAGE 21
❱❱ PAGE 10 Duterte declares
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Duterte: China threatened war over sea dispute BY LEILA B. SALAVERRIA Philippine Daily Inquirer
Senator Cynthia A. Villar leads the MOA signing of a cash-for-work program for the construction of a communal septic tank in Baseco compound in Tondo, Manila. Villar says the program would benefit the 4Ps beneficiaries of the government who belong to the poorest members of the community. PNA PHOTO COURTESY OF OFFICE OF SENATOR VILLAR
In list of richest senators, Villar KOs Pacquiao BY CHRISTINE O. AVENDAÑO Philippine Daily Inquirer
Following Pacquiao is Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto whose net worth was at P522.6 million, the bulk coming from real and personal properSEN. MANNY Pacquiao’s million dollar ties he shares with his wife, actress and boxing earnings were no match against Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos. Sen. Cynthia Villar’s real estate billions, The other senators with riches worth thus failing to knock her out from her in the millions include Senators Juan ranking as the richest senator for 2016. Edgardo Angara at P123.9 million and According to their statements of as- Juan Miguel Zubiri at P121.7 million. sets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs) Trailing them were Sen. Sherwin for 2016, Villar’s net worth was at P3.6 Gatchalian (P92.1 million), Sen. Grace billion, slightly up from her 2015 net Poe-Llamanzares (P88.4 million), Senworth of P3.5 billion. ate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon Villar has held the title as the richest (P82.4 million), Sen. JV Ejercito (P79.1 senator since she replaced her husband, million), Sen. Richard Gordon (P66.9 former Sen. Manuel million), Senate MaVillar Jr., in the Senjority Leader Vicente ate. Sotto (P63.8 million), Pacquiao, who Sen. Nancy Binay was the wealthiest Villar has held (P60.48 million), Sen. congressman last the title as Loren Legarda (P40.9 year, declared his the richest million), Sen. Panfilo net worth last year senator since Lacson (P38.7 milat P3.072 billion or she replaced lion), Sen. Bam AquiP600 million less her husband, no (P33.8 million) than Villar’s riches. former Sen. Sen. Alan Peter CayAnd while Villar Manuel Villar etano (P24.1 million), accounted her bilJr., in the Sen. Joel Villanueva lions from compaSenate. (P21.5 million) and nies that included Sen. Gregorio Honareal estate giant Vista san II (P21.2 million). Land & Lifescapes With net worths Inc., as chair of the board, Pacquiao had less than P20 million were Senate Presimore land as his assets than her. dent Aquilino Pimentel III (P17.7 milVillar listed six real properties—most- lion), and Sen. Risa Hontiveros (P16.3 ly lots—valued at P4.5 million, Pac- million). quiao’s more than a hundred properties Senators with networths less than are worth P1.569 billion. P10 million include Francis Pangilinan Counting among Pacquiao’s proper- (P9.28 million), Leila de Lima (P6.61 ties were his Forbes Park home valued at million), Francis Escudero (P6.602 milP388 million and his Los Angeles home lion) and Antonio Trillanes IV (P6.5 milworth P115 million. He also owns many lion). homes and lots in the southern city of Trillanes declared total assets of General Santos and Sarangani province. P16.01 million but his liabilities—that Senators complied with the law to file included housing and personal loans— their SALN as of Dec.31, 2016. were at P9.5 million. ■
PRESIDENT DUTERTE for the first time said on Friday that Chinese President Xi Jinping had threatened war if the Philippines insisted on pressing its claims in the South China Sea, parrying criticisms that he had been weak in pushing the issue and failing to use the arbitral ruling as leverage. “I really said, ‘It’s ours. I’d like you to listen for a while.’ I said, ‘Mr. Xi Jinping, I would insist that that is ours and I will drill oil there,’” Mr. Duterte said in a speech at the National Convention of the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary in Davao City. China may claim ownership, but he said his view was that he could drill for oil because that area, which the government calls the West Philippine Sea, belongs to the Philippines. “They replied to me, ‘We are friends. We do not want to quarrel with you. … We want to maintain the present warm relationship. But if you force the issue, we’ll go to war,’” Mr. Duterte said. “What more could I say?” he added. National Security Adviser Hermogenes
Esperon said the meeting between the two leaders took place in Beijing during the President’s visit to China earlier this week for the One Belt, One Road initiative, an international trade conference. Mr. Duterte said he had insisted to China that the International Arbitral Tribunal had invalidated Beijing’s expansive claims over the South China Sea, but that the Chinese government replied that its claims were historical. China also said it would be forced to tell him the truth if he pressed the issue. “What’s the truth? We will be forced to go to war,” he said. But China also indicated that it was willing to discuss the arbitral ruling in the future. “China said if we remain friends, it said, ‘We will talk about the arbitral ruling. But it cannot be now. You know why? You are not the only claimant. Vietnam is also a virulent claimant,’” he said. He said that if it were just up to him, “we will have to fight.” But he said that with China’s superior military force, the war would result in a “massacre and it will destroy everything.” “The first to be struck would be Palawan,” he said. ■
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PH may weaken its South China Sea claims by accepting favors from China, says expert BY JODEE A. AGONCILLO Philippine Daily Inquirer HONOLULU/TOKYO — Asia analysts have warned that by accepting aid from and improving trade with China, the Philippines could weaken its maritime claims in the South China Sea and undermine a multilateral approach to resolving the territorial dispute. In recent interviews with Southeast Asian journalists, they also said Beijing could blunt any intervention by the United States in the territorial row with threats to stop cooperating with Washington in the standoff with North Korea over Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program. The dispute over the Spratlys and other islands, reefs and atolls in the South China Sea also involve other claimants— Vietnam, Taiwan, Brunei and Malaysia. The Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia belong to the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), which has called for a peaceful resolution of the overlapping claims. Professor Eric Harwit of the Asian Studies Program of the University of
Philippine Ambassador to China Jose Santiago Sta. Romana faces media after last Friday’s 1st Meeting on the Bilateral Consultative Mechanism on the South China Sea which he described as “historic and excellent meeting.” CHINA RADIO INTERNATIONAL
Hawaii said that in receiving favorable trade terms from China, Manila could be seen to be “doing a very quick 180-degree turn on their claims to those islands” in exchange for short-term benefits like more fishing rights. “China likes to see a united Asean for other issues like trade, but for those kind of strategic issues like control of the South China Sea ... China would rather work bilaterally and not see a united
front,” Harwit said. The Philippine government proudly cited $1 billion in development aid pledges from China after last week’s “Belt and Road” summit initiated by Beijing to expand its trade and infrastructure investments across Asia, Africa and Europe. In contrast, President Duterte rejected $280 million in aid from the European Union because it allegedly included conditions that allowed the EU to interfere in the country’s internal affairs. Harwit also said Mr. Duterte “seemed to have since abdicated” his predecessor’s earlier claim to the disputed territories and last year’s ruling by an international arbitral tribunal nullifying China’s vast claims to the South China Sea. He said Manila’s actions could set a precedent for how China would deal
with its territorial rivals. “So China might say, ‘Okay, look, the Philippines is going along with what we want, how about you, Vietnam, why don’t you do the same thing as the Philippines?’” Harwit said. Harwit said China was also trying to get support “in one way or another” from its Asean allies like Myanmar, which does not have any interest in the South China Sea, and Cambodia, which benefits from lots of Chinese investments. China’s way of getting such support has worried Prof. Narushige Michishita of the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo. He said Japan, China’s rival over some islands in the East China Sea, saw China using its aid to get other countries in the region “to turn a blind eye” to Chinese activities in the South China Sea. “That’s the problem,” he said. Harwit said the South China Sea dispute was not yet a priority for US President Donald Trump, who saw the tension on the Korean peninsula as the more urgent crisis in Asia. Introducing the South China Sea conflict into US-China relations at this time could prompt Beijing to say, “‘Well, if you’re going to pressure us on the South China Sea, well, we’re not going to help you on North Korea,’” Harwit said. Denny Roy, a research fellow at the East-West Center in Hawaii, agreed that the Trump administration preferred to “keep a low profile on American disappointment with the South China Sea for now.” ■
Leni shares inspiring stories on radio show BY NIKKO DIZON Philippine Daily Inquirer
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VICE PRESIDENT Leni Robredo has thought of a way to counter the vile and negative commentaries mostly directed at her on social media: fill it with positive stories. “We have seen how today, there’s been so much fighting on social media. Even our [radio] program, instead of focusing on how to help, [others] are injecting all the negativity they could, all the anger,” Robredo said in Filipino on Sunday on the second episode of her weekly radio show, BISErbisyong Leni. Robredo said she wanted to use her radio program to call on citizens to share their own inspiring stories with others.
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Her office puts up a “traveling gallery,” featuring stories of ordinary Filipinos who have risen against the odds, inspiring and motivating others to do the same. “With ‘ Istorya ng Pag-asa,’ we want to highlight inspiring stories that touch our hearts instead of fighting and faultfinding … These are stories that will bring hope,” Robredo said. On Sunday, Robredo featured the story of Tina Robles, a principal in a Navotas school, whose exemplary work as a public teacher committed to improving public school education has been recognized by various organizations. On her show’s pilot episode on May 14, Robredo talked to Dyan Rodriguez, a nutrition advocate, and Lorna Tambaoan, a solo parent. ■
Philippine News
FRIDAY MAY 26, 2017
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Año made to retire early for DILG job BY LEILA B. SALAVERRIA Philippine Daily Inquirer
Department of Interior and Local Government Unit (DILG) Assistant Secretary for Plans and Program, Professor Epimaco V. Densing III (right), and PCSupt. Dennis A. Siervo, PNP-HRAO discusses Extrajudicial Killings in the Philippines. JESS M. ESCAROS JR. / PNA
Rule of lawin war on drugs—AFP chief BY PHILIP C. TUBEZA Philippine Daily Inquirer OUTGOING MILITARY chief Eduardo Año said Friday he would apply the rule of law in a campaign against drug syndicates when he takes over the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). Año made the pledge as President Duterte personally set June 2 for the DILG to be turned over to the 55-yearold Año who reaches the military retirement age of 56 in October. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said he tried on Thursday to persuade Mr. Duterte to extend Año’s tour in the military but the President rejected the idea. “(The President) said ‘No, no, no, no. Let’s have the turnover by June 2,’” Lorenzana quoted Mr. Duterte as saying. When told of the President’s remarks at the closing of the Philippine-US “Balikatan” exercise at Camp Aguinaldo, Año said he was still awaiting official instructions. “I have not received an official order. I will just have to prepare,” he said, conceding that Mr. Duterte might be in a hurry to have him transferred because the DILG is a big agency. “The DILG is big. It has big responsibilities. Because the DILG plays a big role in (Mr. Duterte’s) program, he needs a permanent and regular secretary to take over immediately,” Año said. But the general, who spent most of his military career as an intelligence officer, said he understood the challenges he is facing. Many ways
“I believe I have enough knowledge and information on how to run the team in the DILG. There is already an existing
team in the DILG. I will just be joining the team,” he said. He also recognized that one of the problems in the war against drugs was the local and international criticism it had been getting. Año said the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency would lead the antidrug campaign with the support of the Philippine National Police. “We’ll find many ways to defeat the (drug menace) using and following the rule of law,” Año said, adding that the PNP should retool its image. “It’s very important that the image of the PNP should be morally high so that we can get the cooperation of the public,” he said.
ARMED FORCES of the Philippines chief Gen. Eduardo Año was made to leave his military post a few months ahead of his mandatory retirement so that he could smoothly move on to his next job as head of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Malacañang said on Saturday. But presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella also said no replacement had been lined up yet for Año. The early retirement “is to pave the way for a smooth transition to his formal assumption as the incoming secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government,” Abella said in a statement. Año will assume the post on June 2, as directed by President Duterte, who turned down Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana’s request to extend the tour of the chief of staff. As for Año’s successor, Abella said Malacañang was waiting for recommendations from the military.
From users to syndicates
Año said he would also shift the focus from street dealers and users to drug syndicates. “What we will do is really focus on the drug syndicates that supply these drugs to the communities. You really need to go to the source,” Año said. “It’s like the insurgency. We have to address the root causes. It is also the same in the war on drugs. We will work together on that. We will make a good holistic approach on the war on drugs,” he added. Asked about the transition at the Armed Forces, Año said the Board of Generals has yet to submit to the President the names of his possible successor. “We will recommend at least three names and then the President will decide who is the possible successor as the next Chief of Staff,” he added. However, his early retirement should not have a bad effect on the AFP’s plans and programs. “They’re not centered on one personality,” he said. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net
He said the AFP Board of Generals had yet to submit a shortlist of candidates to the President. As DILG chief, Año will have supervision over the Philippine National Police, which is at the forefront of Mr. Duterte’s controversial war against illegal drugs, blamed for the deaths of thousands of drug suspects. The President and his allies have denied that the extrajudicial killings were state-sponsored. In a speech before gun dealers on Friday, Mr. Duterte said he would also direct Año to ensure that no firearms would land in the hands of enemies of the state. In announcing Año’s appointment to the DILG, the President said he had a problem with the police and expressed dismay at the activities of police officers who had been linked to crimes. Año has said that he would make sure to follow the rule of law in the drug war and would focus on running after the syndicates that supply the illegal substances. ■
Philippine News
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MAY 26, 2017
FRIDAY
Lex Talionis: Bond of brothers Lex Talionis (law of retaliation) seems to be living up to its Latin meaning, as its members have taken over important government posts with a vengeance BY FE ZAMORA Philippine Daily Inquirer Publisher Philippine Canadian Inquirer, Inc. Correspondents Jane Moraleda Cheng Ilagan Katherine Padilla Deby Mangabat Phoebe Balubar Socorro Newland Bolet Arevalo Administration Head Victoria Yong Graphic Designer Shanice Garcia Photographers Angelo Siglos Vic Vargas For photo submissions, please email editor@canadianinquirer.net For General Inquiries, please email info@canadianinquirer.net For Sales Inquiries, please email sales@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
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Member
A GROWING number of President Duterte’s “brods” in the Lex Talionis fraternity now hold key and juicy positions in government. Its members particularly lord it over at the Department of Justice where fraternity stalwart Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II holds fort. What do Social Security System Commissioner Arthur Amansec, Prosecutor General Victor Sepulveda, Witness Protection Program Director Alexander Ramos, Bureau of Corrections chief BenjaPRESIDENTIAL PHOTO min delos Santos and newly designated Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi while John Paul Ganalon is the general “It was swift. They were so arrogant Arabia Adnan Alonto have in common? counsel of the Corporate Governance that some ranking DOJ prosecutors They are among the growing number for Government-Owned and Operated were not even allowed time to pack their of Lex Talionis fraternity members who Corporations. things. This had never happened beare holding key, if not juicy, positions in Mel John Verzosa is deputy adminis- fore,” the source said. the government, and were handpicked trator of the National Tobacco AdminAguirre’s plan to replace the entire by their fraternity brother, President istration, and Thomas Lajom III is a body with Lex Talionis members was Duterte. director of the Subic Bay Metropolitan however thwarted by prosecutors who While it still has to produce a Chief Authority. cited provisions in the law creating the Justice of the Supreme Court, Lex TaNueva Ecija chief prosecutor and for- National Prosecution Service. lionis can already boast of two Associate mer Lex Talionis chairman Danilo Yang “There’s a provision that prohibits Justices, namely Jose Catral Mendoza is the incumbent president of the Pros- transfers without the consent of the and Bienvenido Reyes, who were ap- ecutors’ League of the Philippines. prosecutor, and only for a period of three pointed by former Presidents Gloria ArBut nowhere is Lex Talionis more months,” one of the sources explained of royo and Benigno Aquino, respectively. entrenched than in the Department of Republic Act No. 10071. Mr. Duterte is expected to appoint Justice (DOJ) where fraternity stalwart And who can forget Deputy Immigramore Lex Talionis members as vacan- Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II holds fort. tion Commissioners Al Argosino and Micies are expected in the high court. Justice Undersecretaries Antonio chael Robles? He had felt “betrayed,” AguWhen that happens, Lex Talionis would Kho Jr., Erickson Balmes, Raymund Me- irre himself said of his two appointees who be the first non-Greek lettered “ruling” cate, and Reynante Orceo are Aguirre’s were seen on CCTV carting off millions of fraternity, easing out Upsilon Sigma Phi fraternity brothers. Another undersec- what turned out to be bribe money from of University of the Philippines. retary, Deo Marco, is the son of a Lex Ta- Chinese casino mogul Jack Lam. Described as an “exclusive fraternal or- lionis member. The Lex Talionis Fraternitas (Sodaliganization of Filipino tas Ducum Futurojurists, legal practirum) was founded on tioners and law stuSeptember 29, 1969, dents,” Lex Talionis at San Beda College has risen from being a It was swift. They were so arrogant that some of Law in Manila. A middle-tier fraternity ranking DOJ prosecutors were not even chapter in Ateneo to a position of influallowed time to pack their things. This had de Davao University ence in terms of rank never happened before. School of Law was esand number in govtablished in 1974 and ernment. was registered with The chair and chief the SEC in 1983. operating officer of the Philippine AmuseJustice Assistant Secretary George ment and Gaming Corporation, Alfredo O. Ortha II is also a fraternity brother, Eye for an eye Lim, is the incumbent president of Lex along with Senior Assistant State ProseAccording to its website, the fraterniTalionis. Another frat man, Edwin Ber- cutor Peter L. Ong, head of the DOJ pan- ty name Lex Talionis is Latin for “law of mudez, is senior vice president of Pagcor. el that worked on the case filed against retaliation,” or the dictum more popuMr. Duterte’s staunch critic, Sen. Leila larly known as “an eye for an eye; a tooth SEC, Amlac posts de Lima. for a tooth.” Sodalitas ducum futurorum Constitutionalist and law book author By law, the DOJ has a budget for three is Latin for “solidarity of future leaders.” Dennis Funa is head of the Insurance undersecretaries and three assistant An Inquirer source close to the fraterCommission and member of the AntiM- secretaries, a longtime prosecutor told nity said Lex Talionis “is a secret society, oney Laundering Council (Amlac); Emil the Inquirer. Aguirre can maintain five and those violating the secrecy rule are Aquino is a commissioner of the Securi- undersecretaries and 3 assistant secre- punished with expulsion.” ties and Exchange Commission (SEC). taries only with additional budget from The source traced the roots of Lex Former head of the Commission of Malacañang, the source added. Talionis to “Lex,” a fraternity founded Human Rights in Region XI, Alberto SiDOJ employees recalled how Lex Ta- by Bienvenido Marquez Jr., a student at paco Jr., is the chair and CEO of Philip- lionis members swooped down on the pine Mining Development Corporation, agency last year for a takeover. ❱❱ PAGE 13 Lex Talionis www.canadianinquirer.net
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FRIDAY MAY 26, 2017
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The firestorm over PH, US end shortened, scaled Alex Tizon’s Lola back ‘Balikatan’ The article spurred lengthy, heated debates on social media BY CHECHE V. MORAL Philippine Daily Inquirer
treated Lola: she was a slave. “Wasn’t paid. Toiled every day. Was tonguelashed for sitting too long or falling asleep too A HOTLY debated topic on so- early. Was struck for talking cial media in the past week was back. Wore hand-me-downs. the cover story of The Atlantic’s Ate scraps and leftovers by herJune issue—a long, powerful self in the kitchen. Rarely left narrative both acutely moving the house. Had no friends or and vexing by Pulitzer Prize- hobbies outside the family. Had winning journalist Alex Tizon, no private quarters.” about the woman he called his The article spurred lengthy, family’s slave for 56 years. heated debates on social media. The Philippine-born Tizon There were those who praised refers to Eudocia Tomas Pulido, Tizon—who, at age 57, died in known to him as Lola, the wom- his sleep in March, on the day an gifted to his mother as her The Atlantic decided to put his personal slave, story on its cover and who devotfor his courage edly raised him and honesty to and his four sibbring Lola’s story lings as his parLola lived a to light—his final ents struggled to harrowing life act of contrition, fulfill the Ameriof indentured they wrote. can dream. servitude. Others were Until the piece outraged and came out last railed at the week, Lola was writer for being the big, dirty secomplicit to his cret of the Tizons, who, as the parents’ sins. He could’ve done writer was growing up, were a more, and sooner, they said. His poster family of model immi- essay romanticized slavery, othgrants to their American neigh- ers said, and it did nothing to bors. absolve him of his family’s sins Lola lived a harrowing life of against this woman whose life indentured servitude. As an ad- they stole. olescent, Tizon struggled with Lola’s story also touched the his helplessness and guilt over core of a painful and sensitive what he felt was serious mis- period of America’s past when treatment of the woman who African-Americans were tradlovingly cared for him and his ed and treated as commodity. siblings. Many readers and social media It was Tizon’s livid older commenters equated Lola’s brother who put a label to what case with American slavery—a the young boy already felt was point Filipinos found peevish, askew in the way his parents citing cultural nuances. ■
ALEX TIZON / TWITTER
BY PHILIP C. TUBEZA Philippine Daily Inquirer PHILIPPINE AND US officials yesterday formally ended a scaledback, shortened military exchange that shifted focus on disaster relief following President Duterte’s statements seeking an end to the annual exercises called “Balikatan.” Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana led closing ceremonies of the 33rd PhilippineUS Balikatan exercises at Camp Aguinaldo. “This year’s Balikatan proved to be very beneficial and critically important to our armed forces,” said Lorenzana during the ceremonies. “It allowed us to boost our regional capacity for humanitarian disaster relief operations and for counterterrorism,” Lorenzana said. “Let us continue this yearly, not just to meet our obligation under the Mutual Defense Treaty but also to strengthen the bond of friendship, as well
as our friendly relations with other nations,” he added. US Ambassador Sung Kim said the exercises would help the Philippines and the United States face challenges brought by an “increasingly complex and volatile security environment.” “Now more than ever, our armed forces must work together closely,” said Kim. “Exercises like Balikatan build upon the long and productive history between our two militaries and ensure that we are always ready to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in defense of our lives, our shared values and international rulesbased order,” Kim added. “Balikatan is indeed a great reflection of our enduring alliance and the deep bond between our two peoples, and I know that we just finished, but we’re already looking forward to training together as friends, partners and allies for next year’s Balikatan,” he said. Balikatan 2017, which began on May 8, was scaled down from almost 10,000 soldiers
last year to 5,400 troops but also included 80 troops from Australia and observers from Japan and Southeast Asian countries. “Our joint undertakings are manifestations of our commitment to unity, trust and the willingness to come to each other’s aid in times of need,” said Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Eduardo Año. “Aside from meeting old friends and making new ones, this endeavor has unveiled many breakthroughs significant to our shared aspiration of achieving global security and stability. I am certain that the new learnings from this year’s exercises will enable us to raise the level of our interoperability ever higher,” he added. Filipino and American troops conducted training exercises in different areas of expertise, including live fire advanced marksmanship, small unit tactics, countering improvised explosive devices, maritime interdiction and amphibious raids. ■
VACC to gov’t: No deal with Mighty BY MARLON RAMOS Philippine Daily Inquirer A GROUP of anticorruption advocates on Sunday called on the government not to entertain any compromise deal with homegrown cigarette maker Mighty Corp., whose top executives were facing investigation for alleged nonpayment of P36.5 billion in excise taxes on its cigarette products. The Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) also urged the Duterte administration to revoke the business license of Mighty to send a stern warning to all tax evaders. President Duterte previously said he was willing to drop the criminal cases against Mighty owner Alexander Wongchuking if he would pay P3 billion, or double of what Mighty allegedly offered the government as settlement for its tax liabilities. www.canadianinquirer.net
But Dante Jimenez, VACC founding chair, said such an arrangement was “simply unacceptable” since Mighty’s actual tax liabilities could be more than tenfold of what Mr. Duterte had asked from Wongchuking as computed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). Instead of entering into a compromise agreement, he said the government might allow Mighty to settle its tax deficiencies through staggered payment, a proposal which the Chief Executive had already thumbed down. “We, in the VACC, believe that … the assessed tax liability … should be collected in full. There should be no compromise when it comes to tax collections because our government needs money now more than ever,” Jimenez added. The VACC leader said the money which the BIR could collect from Mighty would
be put to good use by funding the President’s “Build, Build, Build” program to usher in the country’s “golden age of infrastructure.” The BIR has filed two separate tax evasion cases with the Department of Justice ( DOJ) against Wongchuking, Mighty president Edilberto Adan, vice president Oscar Barrientos and treasurer Ernesto Victa. On March, the BIR lodged a case against Mighty’s senior executives over their alleged failure to pay excise taxes amounting to P9.6 billion. Two weeks ago, another criminal complaint was filed in the DOJ by the BIR against Mighty officials for the nonpayment of P26.93 billion in excise taxes. In both cases, the BIR accused the Bulacan-based company of using spurious tax stamps on cigarette packs it produced which were seized by authorities in several raids on Mighty’s warehouses. ■
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Philippine News
MAY 26, 2017
FRIDAY
Duterte declares... try to crush Muslim extremists who have aligned themselves with the Islamic State group and occupied a hospital, jail and other buildings and battled troops in an audacious attack in Marawi City. Martial law could be extended for a year depending on how long the problem could be quelled, Duterte said on board a plane en route to the Philippines. “I said I would be harsh and I warned everybody not to force my hand into it,” Duterte said. “I have to do it to preserve the republic.” Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said troops raided the hideout of a top terrorist suspect in Marawi on Tuesday, sparking a gunbattle that prompted the militants to call for reinforcements from an allied group, the Maute. He said dozens of gunmen occupied city hall, a hospital and a jail and burned a Catholic church, a college and some houses in a bold attack that killed at least two soldiers and a police officer and wounded 12 others. Several militants were killed in the fighting in Marawi city in Lanao del Sur province, about 830 kilometres (520 miles) south of Manila, but others continued to lay siege to the largely Muslim city of more than 200,000 people, officials said, adding that power was cut in the city in the chaos. “The whole of Marawi city is blacked out, there is no light, and there are Maute snipers all around,” Lorenzana said in the ❰❰ 1
news conference in Moscow, which was broadcast live in the Philippines. Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said he informed his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, of Duterte’s decision to fly home early to deal with the crisis. Cayetano said he would stay behind in Moscow, where a number of agreements are to be signed between the governments. Duterte met late Tuesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin and said he is counting on Russia to supply weapons for the Philippines to fight terrorism. “Of course, our country needs modern weapons, we had orders in the United States, but now the situation there is not very smooth and in order to fight the Islamic State, with their units and factions, we need modern weapons,” he said, according to Russian state news agency Tass. Duterte’s martial law declaration will help government forces carry out searches and arrests and detain rebel suspects more quickly, Lorenzana said. He said offensives would also be staged in other southern provinces plagued by extremist groups. Despite the extremists’ moves, Lorenzana said the government remains in control of the situation in Marawi city and other security trouble spots in the south. Military chief of staff Gen. Eduardo Ano said the fighting started when troops attacked a hideout for Muslim extremist leader Isnilon Hapilon.
Assistant Secretary Ana Marie Banaag, of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), thanked the officers of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) after receiving their Manifest of Support to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte's declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao. ULAP is the umbrella organization of all leagues of local government units (LGUs) in the country.
AVITO C. DALAN / PNA
Hapilon reportedly has been chosen to lead an Islamic State group branch in Southeast Asia and is on the U.S. Department of Justice list of most-wanted terrorists worldwide, with a reward of up to $5 million for his capture. An Arabic-speaking Islamic preacher known for his expertise in commando assaults, he pledged allegiance to the IS group in 2014, according to security officials. Ano said Hapilon, who was wounded by a military airstrike in January, and more than a dozen of his men summoned reinforcements from their Maute allies. Nearly 50 gunmen in all managed to enter the city, Ano said. About 20 of the gunmen took position in a hospital, where they raised a black Islamic State group-style flag at the gate, and 10 other militants were fighting troops and police near a provin-
cial jail, he said. Troops sealed off major entry and exit points to prevent Hapilon from escaping, Ano told The Associated Press by telephone from Moscow, where he was accompanying Duterte. “They did some burnings, they showed up in another area so it looked chaotic, but it’s actually a small group facing an overwhelming number of government forces,” Ano said. “We will conduct houseto-house clearing and do everything to remove the threat there. We can do that easily,” Ano said, but added it was more difficult in an urban setting because of the need to avoid civilian casualties. The Maute group is one of less than a dozen new armed Muslim groups that have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group and formed a loose alliance in the southern Philip-
pines in recent years. Hapilon was reportedly designated the leader of the alliance. The Maute has been blamed for a bomb attack that killed 15 people in southern Davao city, Duterte’s hometown, last September and a number of attacks on government forces in Lanao, although it has faced setbacks from a series of military offensives. Last month, troops backed by airstrikes killed dozens of Maute militants and captured their jungle camp near Lanao del Sur’s Piagapo town. Troops found homemade bombs, grenades, combat uniforms and passports of suspected Indonesian militants in the camp, the military said. While pursuing peace talks with two large Muslim rebel groups in the south of the predominantly Roman Catholic nation, Duterte has ordered the military to destroy smaller extremist groups which have tried to align with the Islamic State group. Duterte had repeatedly threatened to place the south, the scene of decades-long Muslim uprisings, under martial law if extremist violence spiraled out of control. Human rights groups have expressed fears that martial law powers could further embolden Duterte, whom they have accused of allowing extrajudicial killings of thousands of drug suspects in a crackdown on illegal drugs. ■ Associated Press writer Jim Heintz in Moscow contributed to this report.
Martial law in Mindanao necessary to suppress lawless violence – Palace BY CIELITO M. REGANIT Philippines News Agency MANILA — Malacañang on Wednesday said President Rodrigo Duterte placed the entire Mindanao island under martial law to suppress terrorist groups from wreaking further havoc in Southern Philippines. “In order to suppress lawless violence and rebellion and for public safety, it is necessary to declare Martial Law in
the entire island of Mindanao, including Sulu, Jolo and TawiTawi for a period of 60 days,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement. “The government is in full control of the situation and is fully aware that the Maute/ ISIS and similar groups have the capability, though limited, to disturb the peace; these have shown no hesitation in causing havoc, taking innocent lives and destroying property,” Abel-
la added. Earlier, Malacañang said that foremost in President Duterte’s mind is the nation’s interest and asked for public calm and cooperation. “Let us be clear that first and foremost, the President’s priority is the nation’s interest. He has full confidence in the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police’s management of the situation. We ask that the residents take all precaution, www.canadianinquirer.net
cooperate with authorities, and stay calm,” Abella said. President Duterte declared the entire Mindanao island under martial law following clashes between government troops and members of the Maute group in Marawi City. The development also prompted Duterte to cut short his official visit to Moscow and fly back home at the soonest. The violence started Tuesday afternoon after the military conducted operations to flush
out Isnilon Hapilon, a top terrorist suspect, from his hideout in Marawi City. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that two soldiers and one police officer were killed, while 12 others were wounded in the ongoing clashes. Several facilities were also torched by the terror group including St. Mary’s Church, the city jail, the Ninoy Aquino School, and Dansalan College. ■
Philippine News
FRIDAY MAY 26, 2017
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Lacson eyes caucus to discuss Senate stand on martial law BY AZER N. PARROCHA Philippines News Agency
Rodrigo Duterte to submit within 48 hours from proclaiming martial law, a report to Congress, whether in person or in writing. If Congress does not agree with the declaration of martial law, it can by voting jointly — by a vote of at least a majority of all its members in regular or special session — revoke the proclamation or suspension. He said that the Senate could not hold a joint session with the Congress until Pres. Duterte has submitted his report within 48 hours upon his declaration. He further said that the Senate could “take its time unless there is an urgency to revoke.” “Remember when we revoke the proclamation, the Presi-
could have allowed the Maute terrorist group from wreaking havoc in Marawi City when the Philippine National Police (PNP) was conducting its own operations. “We really need to find out what actually happened before we give judgment if there is a failure or not,” “…We should have learned our lesson from Mamasapano. Why did it happen again?” he asked but stressing the need to get a clearer picture of the story.
MANILA — Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday said that he is suggesting the need to hold a caucus with all senators to discuss a common stand on Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration of martial law in Mindanao. “We would suggest we hold an all-senators’ caucus just to pick the brains of our fellow senators what their position is on the matter,” Lacson told reporters in an interview. Keep calm Lacson, however, acknowlSen. Gringo Honasan, for his edged that the Senate could be part, urged the public to keep deemed “irrelevant” because by calm and note that the situation sheer numbers there are only in Marawi is “contained and lo23 senators as opposed to 292 calized.” congressperson. He also as“(The) Senate sured that the itself will have a Congress would common stand do its part in ason what to do We really need to find out what suring checks with the procactually happened before we give and balances in lamation by the judgment if there is a failure or not. the declaration president, then of martial law in we may opt to Mindanao. make our voices “What is imheard at least in that joint ses- dent cannot set that aside. That portant is to reassure the pubsion,” he added. becomes final. The President lic not to overreact. The situaSo far, he said that he has has no veto power if the Con- tion is first localized and it is already spoken to Sen. Loren gress rejects his proclamation contained not only by armed Legarda regarding the planned by a majority vote. That’s also forces and the police but by all caucus. She has already called clear in the Constitution,” he government agencies working the attention of Senate Presi- said. together. This the prerogative dent-Pro Tempore Ralph Recto Lacson, former Philippine of the President, Congress will and Senate Majority Leader Vi- National Police (PNP) chief, be participating. There will be cente Sotto II. meanwhile expressed confi- a reporting system and a monSenate Pres. Aquilino Pimen- dence that the Armed Forces of itoring system,” Honasan said. tel III is on an official trip with the Philippines is “professional “There is a need to reassure the President in Moscow, Rus- enough” to handle the situation our people that this is nothing sia. and prevent abuses. really unusual. What we want “…We hold an all-senators’ “There should be no abuses. to do is prevent this from hapcaucus just to discuss among But I think the AFP is profes- pening again,” he added. ourselves first, being the other sional enough to handle the Malacañang on Wedneshalf of the Congress as an insti- situation,” he added. day said Pres. Rodrigo Duterte tution. Even if by sheer numHe said it is best to allow the placed the entire Mindanao isbers we are irrelevant but at military to contain the situa- land under martial law for 60 least, we have discussed this,” tion first. days to suppress terrorist groups he said. The senator said that it is too from wreaking further havoc in Lacson also reminded Pres. early to say if a “failure of intel” Southern Philippines. ■
www.canadianinquirer.net
PNA
4 Malabon cops facing kidnapping, extortion raps undergo inquest at DOJ BY CHRISTOPHER LLOYD T. CALIWAN Philippines News Agency MANILA — Four out of 11 active members of the Philippine National Police were subjected to inquest proceedings at the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday following their arrest on charges of kidnapping, robbery and use of illegal drugs. Senior Police Officer 2 (SPO2) Ricky Pelicano, PO2 Wilson Sanchez, PO1 Joselito Ereneo and P01 Frances Camua were all member of Malabon City police were subjected to inquest proceedings before the DOJ for violation of Article 294 (robbery), Article 267 (Kidnapping) of the Revised Penal code, violation of R.A 6935 (An act Preventing and Penalizing Carnapping) and R.A 9165 Art. II Sec. 29 (Comprehensive Dangerous Act of 2002).
The four cops asked for a preliminary investigation as they executed their respective waiver of their rights under Article 125 of the Revised Penal Code with the assistance of Atty. Raymond Palad. Joint teams from the Philippine National Police (PNP), Northern Police District and the PNP Counter-Intelligence Task Force (CITF), Anti-Kidnapping Group; Malabon City Police Station; and Highway Patrol Group arrested the four suspects. The team, however is still hunting down the seven other cohorts who are members of the PNP’s Civil Security Group (CSG) and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG). The seven cops who are still at large identified as SPO2 Gerry Dela Torre assigned at CIDG; ❱❱ PAGE 22 4 Malabon
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Philippine News
MAY 26, 2017
FRIDAY
Pres. Duterte asks Putin for arms BY KRIS M. CRISMUNDO Philippines News Agency MOSCOW — President Rodrigo Duterte has requested Russian President Vladimir Putin for a soft loan for weapons which will be used by the Philippine government in its fight against terrorism. President Duterte made this request during his bilateral meeting with the Russian leader at the Grand Kremlin Palace here Tuesday evening (early Wednesday morning in Manila). It was made after President Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao, as Islamic Statebacked Maute terrorist group besieged Marawi City and clashed with government troops.
The bilateral meeting of the two leaders was initially scheduled on Thursday but President Duterte decided to fly back to the Philippines early Wednesday morning here. The meeting was moved to around 10 p.m. of Tuesday here — past 3 a.m. Wednesday in Manila. President Putin was not in Moscow on Tuesday but decided to return to Kremlin to meet President Duterte before his trip back to Manila. “As you probably know, I spent this day away from Moscow in one of our regions. And that I have seized the chance to see you in person,” President Putin said. “My colleagues and myself definitely understand quite well that you do have to come back to return to your mother-
land,” he added. The Russian leader also expressed his sympathy to those affected by the terrorist attack in Marawi City. “And let me express hope that the conflict that you have just mentioned will be resolved as soon as possible and with minimal losses and casualties,” Putin said. He also assured that the full package of bilateral documents will be signed — a defense cooperation is included in the package of bilateral documents. In an interview with Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana here, he said Russia can help the Philippines in fighting against terrorists, particularly preventing the ISIS to spread in the country.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte meets with Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow prior to his return to the Philippines. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
“They are aggressive in fighting against ISIS,” Lorenzana told the Philippine News Agency. “If you look at the current events in the Middle East, they are into heavily fighting against ISIS in Syria,” he added. He mentioned that he and his Russian counterpart had discussions in Moscow last month prior to the visit of the Philip-
pines’ official delegation this week. “We talk about this ISIS problem. This is a worldwide problem already, a global problem,” the DND chief stressed. “We are very concerned, the President, that it could bring the trouble in Visayas and Metro Manila and then Luzon,” he added. ■
SolGen backs call for PCGG, OGCC abolition to streamline legal services for gov’t agencies BY CHRISTOPHER LLOYD T. CALIWAN Philippines News Agency MANILA — Solicitor General Jose C. Calida on Wednesday echoed the House of Representatives’ proposal to abolish the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) and the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC) and transfer all its authorities and responsibilities to the OSG. Calida said that the proposed abolition of the two agencies would result in a leaner, cleaner government bureacracy in a bid to effectively address the people’s urgent needs. “Consolidating the legal services under the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) will eliminate redundant, duplicative
and overlapping functions since the OSG, OGCC and PCGG only serve one client - the Republic of the Philippines,” Calida said in a statement. “The integration of the functions of the OGCC and PCGG will promote the use of alternative dispute mechanisms, avoid protracted court litigations, and encourage consistency in the legal position of government agencies,” Calida further explained. Earlier, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez of Davao del Norte, House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas of Ilocos Norte and House justice panel Chairman Reynaldo Umali of Oriental Mindoro have filed House Bill 5233 seeking to abolish the PCGG and OGCC and transfer all its authorities and responsibilities to the OSG, whose head
will have the rank of a Cabinet secretary. The bill, which will become the OSG charter, proposes to authorize the solicitor general to grant immunity from criminal prosecution to any person who provides information or testifies in any investigation previously conducted by the PCGG or future cases investigated by the OSG involving illgotten wealth. Appearing before the Committee on Justice of the House of Representatives for the proposed OSG Bill, Calida maintained that the OSG has been representing the government in ill-gotten wealth cases since the PCGG’s creation. Calida also noted several instances when GOCCs sought the OSG’s counsel instead of the OGCC, citing the cases involv-
www.canadianinquirer.net
ing GOCCs such as the Bases Conversion and Development Authroity, Philippine Ports Authority, Philippine Economic Zone Authority and Manila International Airport Authority. Instead of the Department of Justice (DOJ), OSG will now be attached to the Office of the President (OP) for budgetary purposes under the proposed bill. According to Calida, this is more in accord with the Constitution as the President shall have control of all the executive departments, bureaus, and offices. “Considering that the President is the primary client of the OSG, this set-up will secure the fiduciary relationship between the two offices. The position of the OSG in a lot of cases have policy ramifications,” Calida
explained. The proposed bill also grants the OSG fiscal autonomy, which will allow the Solicitor General to acquire a new building to house additional lawyers and administrative personnel that will be hired as a consequence of the expansion. “This is a welcome opportunity to promote the government’s policy to right-size the bureaucracy,” Calida opined. “The benefits of a streamlined and more efficient bureaucracy that results from the proposed bill cannot be quantified,” the government’s top lawyer added. ■
FRIDAY MAY 26, 2017
Philippine News
Marcelino a free man after beating drug raps
De Lima seeks furlough to vote for Senate bills
BY PHILIP C. TUBEZA AND MARLON RAMOS Philippine Daily Inquirer
BY CHRISTINE O. AVENDAÑO Philippine Daily Inquirer
SAYING FORGIVENESS is more powerful than vengeance, Marine Lt. Col. Ferdinand Marcelino walked out a free man from his detention cell in Camp Aguinaldo on Thursday afternoon after a Manila court ordered his release. Marcelino thanked the Armed Forces of the Philippines, particularly its chief of staff, Gen. Eduardo Año, for its support and his lawyer, Persida Rueda Acosta, chief of the Public Attorney’s Office, for working for his release. “I’m very happy because finally I have achieved justice. I don’t know how to thank those people who continued to trust me and give their support. It’s not easy being in jail,” he said.
DETAINED SEN. Leila de Lima is asking Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III to back her bid to seek occasional furlough so she could cast her vote in crucial landmark legislation. “The minimum that I request is an expression of support for my desire to be occasionally granted furlough by the court in charge of my detention, for purposes of voting on crucial landmark legislation, on a caseto-case basis,” she said in a letter to Pimentel dated May 11, which was released to the media by her office on Sunday. De Lima said this was the only available recourse for her since the Supreme Court had earlier ruled against detained lawmakers being given the privilege of attending all legislative sessions or hearings or being placed under the custody of Congress. De Lima is currently detained inside a Philippine National Police facility in Camp Crame, Quezon City, as she awaits trial for drug-related cases she said were trumpedup charges brought against her by the Duterte administration. In her three-page letter, she told Pimentel she was seeking
The Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 49 on Thursday ordered the release of Marine Lt. Col. Ferdinand Marcelino and his Chinese cohort Yan Yi Shou from detention after the DOJ dropped the drug charges against them. PNA
Besides, Marco said, “a show of liberality is within the competence” of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II. The military freed Marcelino after receiving a copy of the court order for his release.
Charges junked
The Manila Regional Trial Court ordered the release of Marcelino and his Chinese informant, Yan Yi Shou, after the Department of Justice (DOJ) junked the drug trafficking charges against them for insufficiency of evidence. The DOJ released a resolution earlier on Thursday ordering the dismissal of the charges brought against Marcelino and Yan after their arrest in a raid on an apartment in Sta. Cruz, Manila, on Jan. 21, 2016. Agents of the Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency (PDEA), where Marcelino once served as chief of the Special Enforcement Service, seized P380 million worth of illegal drugs from the apartment, which was allegedly used as laboratory for manufacturing crystal meth, locally known as “shabu.” The DOJ applied the principle of “liberality” in granting Marcelino’s petition for review, as the motion was filed beyond the 15-day limit for seeking an appeal. “[The] same is merely procedural and thus may be waived by the department for compelling reasons and in the interest of justice,” the DOJ said in the 13-page resolution dated May 17 and signed by Justice Undersecretary Deo Marco.
The DOJ also upheld its May 23, 2016, resolution that threw out the complaint filed by the PDEA against Marcelino and Yan for insufficiency of evidence. Petition for bail
No plans to hit back
Marcelino said he had no plans yet of bringing countercharges against his accusers. “We still have to consider that. There are many things to consider like my financial capability [to pursue charges] but justice has to be served,” he said. “As they say, forgiveness is more powerful than vengeance and compassion is greater than hatred,” he added. Marcelino, whose reputation as a top drug buster has been clouded by his arrest on drug charges, retires in 2029. He said he would wait for instructions from the AFP leadership for his next assignment. DOJ overturns own decision
But the Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group said it would “exert all legal remedies to rectify” the DOJ resolution that led to Marcelino’s release. In withdrawing the case against Marcelino and Yan, the DOJ overturned its Sept. 15, 2016, decision that recommended the indictment of the pair for violation of Section 11 of Republic Act No. 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, for possession of illicit substances.
Six months after his arrest, a Quezon City Regional Trial Court judge granted Marcelino’s petition for bail, saying the evidence presented against him by the PDEA and the PNP were “irrelevant and immaterial.” “Crucial in applying the foregoing principles in the instant case is whether [Marcelino and Yan] ... were in possession, actual or constructive, of dangerous drugs. We rule in the negative,” Marco said. In dropping the case, the DOJ believed Marcelino’s explanation that Yan was his informant and that they were in the area to conduct a covert operation on the drug laboratory. Marcelino, whose successful career as a PDEA agent made him a legend of sorts among narcs, vehemently denied the allegation that he was a member of a drug syndicate. He presented the certifications issued separately by former National Bureau of Investigation Director Virgilio Mendez and Brig. Gen. Ronald Villanueva, the chief of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Both officials spoke highly of Marcelino’s significant role and accomplishments in the government’s campaign against illegal drugs. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net
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the Senate’s help, saying she had “not yet been stripped of my office, and no penalty has yet been imposed on me.” “At present, I am a mere detention prisoner in full possession of political and civil rights, the exercise of which are limited only by the deprivation of my physical liberty, but not by the deprivation of rights which by law have not yet been denied me,” De Lima said. The senator noted that detained prisoners in recent elections had been allowed by the Commission on Elections to register as voters and vote in municipal and city jails. She said this could be applied in her case as she was not yet convicted and had the mandate of 14 million Filipinos who voted for her in the May 2016 polls as one of the Senate representatives. “My right to vote, therefore, can be given effect by the mere expediency of supporting my request for occasional furloughs in order to attend Senate sessions and to cast my vote on crucial landmark legislation,” De Lima said. She said she did not think this was too much to ask the Senate since the request for a leave of absence was not merely to go to a birthday party or other personal functions “but to attend to matters of legislation and sovereign representation.” ■
Lex Talionis... San Beda College of Law, in the late 1960s. A native of Quezon province, Marquez would be elected to the Marcos-era National Assembly in 1984, and would later become Quezon representative from 1987 to 1992. “Lex” proved shortlived, according to the source, and would later split into Lex Talionis and Lex Leonum. Among those who joined Lex Talionis were Aguirre, the late Ambassador Roy Señeres, retired Judge Antonio Eugenio, Associate Justice Jose Mendoza, andAbdullah Mamao, who would become the presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers. ❰❰ 8
Forming Lex Leonum then were Arthur Tugade and Rodolfo Salalima, whom Mr. Duterte would appoint transportation secretary and information and communications technology secretary, respectively. These days, Lex Talionis, Lex Leonum and alumni of San Beda College of Law have formed a united front behind Mr. Duterte, their most famous graduate. In fact, next to being from Davao City and other parts of Mindanao, it appears that the other important criteria for appointment to a government post are membership in Lex Talionis and a diploma from San Beda College of Law. ■
Opinion
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MAY 26, 2017
FRIDAY
‘Hello Garci’ general, 25 others get CA nod BY AZER N. PARROCHA Philippines News Agency MANILA — The Commission on Appointments (CA) on Wednesday confirmed the appointment of 25 generals and senior officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), including a general involved in the controversial “Hello Garci” scandal during the 2004 presidential elections. Before he was confirmed, Brig. Gen. Pedro Sumayo answered several questions on his involvement in the scandal particularly on wiretapping the phones of then-President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Virgilo Garcillano. It may be recalled that the scandal involved a conversation
between Arroyo and Garcil- vowed to the CA that wiretap- rank of Rear Admiral lano were election results were ping will never happen again. 4. Arnel Dela Vega to the rank rigged in Arroyo’s favor. “I assure sir that that will of Major General Grilling came mostly from never happen again sir, my job 5. Jess Estoesta to the rank of Senators Panfilo Lascon and now is to defend the network Brigadier General Gringo Honasan who ques- and the infrastructure of the 6. Perfecto Rimando Jr. to the tioned the intention of wire- Armed Forces of the Philip- rank of Brigadier General tapping and reprimanded him, pines,” Sumayo said. 7. Francisco Mendoza Jr. to who was lieutenant colonel for Below is the list of officers the rank of Brigadier General the AFP’s Intelligence Service confirmed by the Commission 8. Arnulfo Matanguihan to that time, for allowing it to hap- on Appointments: the rank of Brigadier General pen. 9. Melquides Sumayo said Ordiales to the that he was rank of Brigadier aware of alleged General wiretapping, My job now is to defend the network 10. Manolo which he said, and the infrastructure of the Armed Samarita to the was not part of Forces of the Philippines. rank of Brigadier their operations General that time. 11. Emmanuel He further said Salamat to the that a military rank of Major probe on the wiretapping inci1. Carlito Galvez Jr. to the General dent was conducted but he did rank of Lieutenant General 12. Glorivine Dida to the rank not know the results because he 2. Danilo Rodelas to the rank of Brigadier General had moved to another unit. of Rear Admiral 13. Ramiro Manuel Rey to the The general, meanwhile, 3. Allan Ferdinand Cusi to the rank of Brigadier General
14. Nixon Fortes to the rank of Brigadier General 15. Raniel Ramiro to the rank of Brigadier General 16. Robert Empedrad to the rank of Rear Admiral 17. Felipe Beljar to the rank of Brigadier General 18. Pedro Sumayo to the rank of Brigadier General 19. Ronnie Evangelista to the rank of Major General 20. Felicisimo Budiongan to the rank of Brigadier General 21. Henrico Rennaldo Macalalad to the rank of Brigadier General 22. Jose Faustino Jr. to the rank of Brigadier General 23. Lope Dagoy to the rank of Brigadier General 24. Erickson Gloria to the rank of Brigadier General 25. Ernesto Lopena to the rank of Brigadier General 26. Pelagio Valenzuela to the rank of Brigadier General. ■
PUBLIC LIVES
Aid with no strings attached? By Randy David Philippine Daily Inquirer Last Friday the newly appointed secretary of foreign affairs, Alan Peter Cayetano, made this statement with regard to foreign aid: “We will not accept aid from any country if there are strings attached, if there are conditions, because we are an independent nation, and we have an independent foreign policy.” This statement echoes the Duterte administration’s recent announcement that it is rejecting all new foreign assistance from the European Union on the ground that the EU has been interfering in the Philippines’ domestic affairs. The European Parliament has previously criticized the jailing of Sen. Leila de Lima, a staunch critic of President Duterte. It has also called out the Duterte administration’s conduct of the antidrug war for its seeming disregard of the rule of law, even as it warns against the administration’s plan to restore the death penalty and lower the age of criminal liability. Indeed, the EU, the Philippines’ second largest trading partner and a major source of official development assistance particularly for projects in southern Mindanao, has been vocal in criticizing the administration’s resentful attitude toward human rights advocacy. Mr.
Duterte has not bothered to hide the very least, a responsible donor consequences—some economic, his deep hatred for critics of his an- would try to make sure the funds some political, and some environtidrug war. The other day, he pub- allotted are used for the purpose mental. When a country accepts licly threatened to behead human for which they are intended. In tons of aid from another country, rights activists who obstruct the the development community, any it most likely also accepts certain administration’s war on drugs. donor or creditor that says this is tacit expectations on the conduct Even the President’s own Cabi- none of its business immediately of its foreign relations. net members are often unable to raises red flags. Does aid from China come with tell when their boss is making a It can only mean that important no strings attached? One only statement of policy, or is just let- tacit understandings between do- needs to take a look at the countries ting out steam. Socioeconomic nor and recipient are not fit to be that supported China on the South Planning secretary Ernesto Pernia written, and that certain obliga- China Sea dispute to see what aid was incredulous whentold that the tions are being incurred accord- can deliver. From the start, China President had made the decision ing to unstated norms of reciproc- had maintained that the Permato turn downall nent Court of Arfuture EUgrants bitration did not There is no such thing as free aid. What there is is that make any refhave jurisdiction a country’s option to choose from a menu of available erence to complior was illegitimeans with which to develop its economy and raise the ancewith norms mate. The Asian quality of life of its people. on governance Maritime Transand human rights. parency Initiative Pernia, who worked with the Asian ity. The absence of transparency is (Amti) tracked international opinDevelopment Bank for a long time, the single most common source of ion on this landmark case. On the would surely have a more balanced corruption in all so-called devel- eve of the verdict, China claimed understanding of the complexi- opment partnerships that involve that more than 60 countries ties of foreign aid than either Mr. large sums of foreign money. A few backed its stand. The Amti checked Duterte or Secretary Cayetano. It private pockets are lined but no de- this and found that of this number, is astonishing that he had not been velopment takes place, and, worse, only 31 publicly confirmed their consulted on such a major decision the recipient country and future support, while 4 denied backing affecting the country’s economic generations are left paying for ac- China’s position. Twenty-six other direction. cumulated debts. countries in China’s list chose to It is naive for any government There is no such thing as free aid. remain silent or vague. to think that foreign development What there is is a country’s option China’s staunchest supporters assistance—whether in the form to choose from a menu of avail- come from Africa, a continent into of outright grants, or interest-free able means with which to develop which it has poured billions of dolloans, or loans offered at conces- its economy and raise the quality lars in aid. They formed China’s sional rates and terms—is freely of life of its people. All these avail- “hakot” crowd. Seven African given without any expectation. At able means carry some costs, and countries and one tiny Pacific na-
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tion, with no imaginable economic or geostrategic interest in the region but all recipients of Chinese aid, lent their names and joined the party—Gambia, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Niger, South Sudan, Togo and Vanuatu. In contrast, 40 countries backed the legitimacy of the arbitral tribunal, calling on China and the Philippines to respect its decision. It is worth noting that much of the strong support for the Philippines has come from its traditional friends—the United States, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, and Europe. Of the Asean countries, only Vietnam—in a display of sovereignty and geostrategic wisdom—stuck its neck out to support us all the way. And now, for reasons not entirely clear to our allies and to the Filipino people, our government is poised to becomeChina’smost loyal vassal in the region. The message we’ve been sending out to the world since Mr. Duterte took power almost a year ago is that we are prepared to junk the arbitral tribunal award we fought so hard to win in exchange for Chinese aid and investments. But let’s be clear about this: These goodies come not with strings attached, but with a rope by which to hang ourselves. ■
Opinion
FRIDAY MAY 26, 2017
15
AT LARGE
‘Santacruzan’ and ‘guinataang halo-halo’ By Rina Jimenez-David Philippine Daily Inquirer IF YOU should find yourself driving from the city to a beach or mountain destination toward the end of May, keep your eyes peeled for any of the numerous “Santacruzan” processions on the highway or main streets. The Santacruzan (after “Santa Cruz,” or the Holy Cross) commemorates the finding of the True Cross by Queen Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, the first Christian king. It has been described as a “religio-historical beauty pageant,” often featuring actresses, beauty queens, or local beauties who parade around towns and city districts escorted by barong- clad youngmenunder arches fashioned from bent bamboo and festooned with paper flowers. Each figure in the Santacruzan is accompanied by other men or boys holding up torches, lamps, or roman
candles, and as the procession winds its way through crowds lining the route, it can turn into a rambunctious occasion, with a brass band or drumand-lyre corps filling the air with solemn hymns alternating with festive music. In all probability, the Santacruzan was introduced here by Spanish missionaries, cannily using spectacle andmythto strengthen thenatives’ burgeoning faith and religiosity. I don’t know if the “Flores de Mayo” (or Flowers of May, a devotion to foster the people’s love for “Mama Mary”) is older than the Santacruzan. But the two have long been linked, with the flower offering and novena culminating in the Santacruzan at the end of the month. Since the Santacruzan features tableaus depicting the many titles held by the Virgin Mary, along with other biblical figures like Methusela, Queen Judith, Ruth and Naomi, and of
course Queen Helena and her son Constantine, it could be said that the procession is a dramatization of the Rosary and the events of Mary’s life, as well as a literally moving lesson in bible history. *** I write today of the Santacruzan because in my childhood I took part in one. I forget now what figure I was representing, but my participation was solicited by distant Jimenez relatives who lived in Sampaloc, Manila, if I remember right. My gown was probably rented since I don’t remember seeing it hanging in any closet at home. What I recall is that it was mostly red, overlaid with white lace along with sequins and fake pearls. A tiara came along with it. And I do remember it was the first time I ever wore makeup, which soon turned sticky in the evening heat. Memories of the procession
are blurry at best. I can just remember being blinded by the roman candles and being annoyed by the boywhoserved as myescort since he kept grabbing at my hand. My most vivid memory was after the procession in our relatives’ house, where for the first time I encountered the native snack guinataang halo-halo, a mix of boiled yam and bananas, sago pearls and sticky rice balls that was redolent with the aroma of coconut milk. I remember it vividly because, as an older relative handed me a bowl of the concoction, my mother grabbed it away, warning me: “Don’t eat this, it’s too late at night and you’ll end up with a bad tummy.” I’ve had occasion to try many a bowl of guinataang halo-halo since, but nothing can beat the taste (or promise of it) of that elusive first bowl ever. *** One other interesting devel-
opment in Santacruzan history is that the Philippines’ gay community soon adopted it wholeheartedly. Movies, TV shows and TV news shows would be filled each May with scenes of gay Santacruzans, the crossdressing queens, heroines and Virgin personas outdoing their all-woman counterparts, fashionable and flamboyant, posing outrageously, and batting kilometric false eyelashes. Inevitably, the Church intervened, issuing an edict forbidding gay versions of the religious event. I don’t know what our Church leaders were so offended by: the eyelash-batting, the increasingly risqué gowns, the offensive behavior of the drunken men on the sidelines. But surely not all of these were the gay participants’ fault? I wouldn’t be surprised if underground gay Santacruzans are still being held furtively, far from public attention but literally gay as ever. ■
lated as early as the 16th century as “Aba Ginoong Maria.” Textbook history obscures so many nuances, but generally the Maguinoo was a nobleman—the top of the social pyramid. A Datu, Raja, or Lakan, as in Lakandula, was a Maguinoo who controlled a community. When the Spanish arrived in Manila, they met Rajah Matanda (Old Rajah), different from Raja Mora/Mura (the Young Raja aka Soliman). The “vassals” of the Maguinoo were called “Timawa,” who were free (not slaves) or commoners who cultivated their own land and did not need to pay tribute to the Maguinoo but were asked to work his land or fight his battles. The other “vassal” was known as “Maharlica,” a member of a warrior class who provided military service to the Maguinoo. Contrary to popular belief, the Maharlica were not Maguinoo or nobility, but they could buy their freedom and become Timawa. Lower down are the “Ali-
pin” (Luzon) or “Oripun” (Visayas)—both loosely translated as “slave.” These were not free like the Timawa and Maharlica; their status was dependent on debt, and they had to buy their freedom. There were two kinds of Alipin: the “aliping namamahay” (those who literally lived in the home or land of their master) and the “aliping sagigilid” (literally a slave who lives at the edge or the margins of a house or land). The aliping namamahay were above the aliping sagigilid; some had their own dwellings and lived outside the home, unlike the aliping sagigilid who textbook history makes out to be the lowest in society because it doesn’t want to teach about the “bulisik” or “bulislis,” who were slaves indebted to or owned by slaves. Bulislis literally means seeing the exposed genitals of someone whose skirt is held or lifted up. Things are more complex than textbook history makes them out to be. ■
LOOKING BACK
Slaves in the house By Ambeth R. Ocampo Philippine Daily Inquirer PEOPLE ARE talking about “My Family’s Slave,” the Atlantic Monthly cover story by the late Alex Tizon. It is powerfully written, hits the gut, but the reaction differs from reader to reader. It opens with the author bringing the ashes of Eudocia Tomas Pulido from the United States to her lahar-blighted birthplace in Tarlac: “She was 18 years old when my grandfather gave her to mymother as a gift, and when my family moved to the United States, we brought her with us. No other word but slave encompassed the life she lived. Her days began before everyone else woke and ended after we went to bed. She prepared three meals a day, cleaned the house, waited on my parents, and took care of my four siblings and me. My parents never paid her, and they scolded her constantly. She wasn’t kept in leg irons, but she might as well have
been. So many nights, on my way to the bathroom, I’d spot her sleeping in a corner, slumped against a mound of laundry, her fingers clutching a garment she was in the middle of folding.” The woman was definitely abused, and many employers in the Philippines are rightfully shocked at the story because kasambahay are paid (but not as much as they should), plus SSS and PhilHealth contributions. The woman in the Tizon story was treated like a slave, while kasambahay are treated like poor relations. Tizon’s story reminded me of the old house help in my grandmother’s house who had been with the family for two or three generations. I am happy to note, though, that bondage ended in the third generation for those diligent enough to finish high school or college and seek better jobs elsewhere. Some took the shortcut: getting married to leave domestic service. Tizon grew up in America
and missed out on one little detail: Eudocia Pulido was known as “Lola,” which might have been her nickname, but “Lola” is more than “grandmother”—it is a term, a relation, of respect, with many shades of meaning in Philippine culture. The grade-school Araling Panlipunan describes social structure in pre-Spanish Philippine society as a pyramid with the top occupied by the “Maguinoo,” whose names were preceded by honorific titles: Guinoo, Ginoo, Gat, Panginoon, or Poon, which mean “Lord” (the feminine form was “Dayang”). The 19th-century dandy Pedro Paterno claimed ancestry in pre-Spanish nobility and fashioned himself as the “Maguinoo Paterno,” the Prince of Luzon. In the 9th-century Laguna Copper Plate Inscription is a reference to Dayang (Lady) Angkatan. The Catholic prayer to the Virgin that opens with the angelic salutation “Ave Maria” or “Hail Mary” has been transwww.canadianinquirer.net
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MAY 26, 2017
FRIDAY
Canada News Canada dives deep into data to make case to U.S. on NAFTA, says Freeland BY MIKE BLANCHFIELD The Canadian Press
million Americans depend on Canada for their jobs. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also assigned 11 cabinet ministers to key U.S. states to make the case for NAFTA and thinning borders. Freeland added a new set of numbers to illustrate the government’s work on that front during a day-long conference of politicians and business leaders in Mexico City. She said that since Trump’s January inauguration, there have been 235 meetings between Canadian and U.S. government officials; 110 Canadian political visits to the U.S; highlevel meetings with Trump and
tionship. “We have a lot of numbers to back that up. We’ve broken it down to specific congressional OTTAWA — The federal govdistricts,” she said. ernment is using a deep mine Freeland recalled a meeting of digital data to map out what she had with Paul Ryan, Speakit says are the economic bener of the House of Representaefits to the United States of its tives, in which she apparently unfettered trade with Canada, dazzled him with data about his says Foreign Affairs Minister Wisconsin district. Chrystia Freeland. “I told him that his district Freeland told an audience in did a billion dollars of trade Mexico City on Tuesday that with Canada. And he was the government’s trove of data shocked. He said, ‘just mine? A drills down into individual U.S. billion dollars of exports?’ congressional districts to show “I said, ‘yes Speaker, that’s the local upside of the trading right.”’ relationship with Canada. Mexican Foreign Affairs The data is all part of the Secretary Luis Videgaray said Liberal governMexico has ment’s full-court been mounting press on the a similar politiTrump adminiscal offensive in tration to demThe Trudeau government has Washington that onstrate the benrepeated the talking point that has resulted efits of the North 35 U.S. states call Canada their in “countless” American Free top customer, while nine million meetings with Trade AgreeAmericans depend on Canada for American counment. President their jobs. terparts. Donald Trump But unlike has savaged Canada, he said NAFTA and Mexico isn’t acthreatened to scrap the three- 13 of his cabinet secretaries. tually counting the number of country trade pact if it can’t be Canadians have also met 115 meetings, adding: “that would renegotiated to his satisfaction. members of Congress and 35 be a good practice, we should Canada, in response, has state governors or lieutenant- start counting how many.” mounted an information cam- governors, she added. Freeland chimed in, saying: “I paign on Trump and his cabi“If you’re an American offi- have a spreadsheet in my office, net, as well as Congress, state cial or legislator, it’s been hard Luis.” and local governments to un- to avoid a Canadian. EveryDespite the emphasis on the derline the mutually beneficial where they turn, we try to be U.S., Freeland reassured the trade between the countries. there,” said Freeland. Mexicans that Canada is comThe Trudeau government The message was the same mitted to a three-way renegohas repeated the talking point every time, she said: that Cana- tiation of NAFTA. that 35 U.S. states call Canada da and the U.S. enjoy a balanced She downplayed any suggestheir top customer, while nine and mutually beneficial rela- tion the NAFTA renegotiation
Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland.
might lead Canada to do a side deal with a hard-bargaining Trump administration — something Mexico doesn’t want. She said it is simply common sense that the 23-year-old agreement is “modernized” by all three members. “We don’t even feel this is a contentious issue. It’s just a matter of common sense. NAFTA can be modernized only with the agreement of the three parties.” Some groups, such as the Canadian American Business Council, have said that if the going gets too tough between Mexico and the U.S., Canada should consider going it alone on a separate deal with the U.S. Last week, the U.S. officially served notice of its intention to renegotiate NAFTA, triggering
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a 90-day consultation before the start of formal talks later this summer. Videgaray said Freeland’s presence in Mexico City sends a strong signal. “Thank you for being in Mexico,” he said. “It says a lot that you are here.” Freeland told reporters after the conference that with the U.S. starting its 90-day clock, Canada’s consultations would become more structured and formal, building on previous meetings with business, indigenous groups, unions and the provinces. Freeland offered little hint of what Canada’s negotiating strategy would be, but said one principle would be to “do no harm” to a pact that has already proven its worth. ■
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FRIDAY MAY 26, 2017
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Labour report recommends unpaid personal emergency leave for Ontario workers BY JESSICA SMITH CROSS AND ALLISON JONES The Canadian Press TORONTO — All Ontario workers should get a week of unpaid personal emergency leave a year, government-appointed experts recommended Tuesday, though they stopped short of urging paid sick leave for every employee. Two labour law experts consulted with workers, unions and businesses for two years on a wide range of work-related issues. In their report, Changing Workplaces Review, they recommend reforms to collective bargaining, strengthening workplace safety and inspection practices, wage fairness for part-time, casual, temporary, contract and seasonal employees, and increasing paid vacation time to three weeks for employees of longer than five years. The 173 recommendations do not include extending paid sick leave to all employees, despite being told during public hearings that it would be a useful protection for workers. “We heard that the combination of low income, lack of control over scheduling, lack
of benefits such as pensions and health care, personal emergency leave or sick leave, all together or in various combinations, creates a great deal of uncertainty, anxiety, and stress which undermines the quality of life and the physical well-being of a wide swath of workers in our society,” the advisers said in the report. Paid sick leave would be beneficial, but extending personal emergency leave to all employees is a more important first step, they wrote. They also recommend that personal emergency leave be available for victims of domestic violence. Currently, personal emergency leave is mandatory only from employers with 50 or more employees, and can be used for illness, injury, or urgent matters, such as the employee’s babysitter calling in sick. The advisers recommend bereavement leave be separated from personal emergency leave, with employees given three unpaid days for every applicable family member that dies, with no annual limit. Bereaved parents should also get much more time off, the report recommends. Currently, they’re not legally entitled to more than 10 days off work, un-
less a child dies from a crimerelated cause — in which case their parents can take up to 104 weeks of unpaid leave. The advisers recommend giving all parents whose child has died or disappeared the option of up to two years of unpaid leave, regardless of the cause. They also recommend increasing family medical leave from eight weeks in a six-month period to 26 weeks a year, to mirror recent federal changes. The provincial government has yet to announce which of the report’s recommendations
it will follow. Business groups, including the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, have warned the government making major changes to labour laws could have a negative impact on the province’s economic recovery and lead to job cuts. The chamber also warned raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour could harm businesses. Raising the minimum wage is not part of the Changing Workplaces Review, however, speculation that government is preparing to do so prompted
the warning. The advisers do recommend phasing out the lower minimum wage for liquor servers and eliminating the exemption of students from the minimum wage law. The advisers, C. Michael Mitchell and John C. Murray, wrote that employers would “benefit from happier and more productive workplaces,” should the changes be implemented and that better enforcement would ensure that responsible law-abiding employers wouldn’t face unfair competition from those skirting the law. While the advisers wrote that unpredictable work schedules contribute to the precariousness of work for many employees, they did not recommend specific provisions. Instead, they recommend that the government adopt “a sector-specific approach to the regulation of scheduling” as a priority. They also recommend the government “initiate an urgent study on how to provide at least a minimum standard of insured health benefits across workplaces, especially to those fulltime and part-time employees currently without coverage, and to the self-employed, including small employers.” ■
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Canada News
MAY 26, 2017
FRIDAY
Edmonton man admits to Security consultations misleading foreign nationals suggest preference about jobs in Canada for freedoms THE CANADIAN PRESS EDMONTON — An Edmonton man accused of committing immigration fraud has pleaded guilty to three charges under the federal Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. The Canada Border Services Agency says in a release that Seong Yong Park, also known as David Park, entered the plea on May 9. Park was charged for acting
as an unauthorized immigration consultant through his company and inducing at least 20 foreign nationals to come to Canada for employment under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. The agency says between 2012 and 2014, he fraudulently collected fees from his clients and got jobs for them without authorization by communicating false or misleading information. He also unlawfully helped
businesses obtain labour market impact assessments, which a federal government website says are sometimes called a confirmation letter to show there’s a need for a foreign worker if no Canadian is available to do a job. Park will be sentenced May 24 in Edmonton provincial court. The CBSA said in 2016, there were three “significant” charges laid under the federal immigration act in Edmonton. ■
Most homeowners would have mortgage trouble if payments rose by more than 10%: poll BY LINDA NGUYEN The Canadian Press TORONTO — Nearly three quarters of Canadian homeowners say they would have difficulty paying their mortgage if their payments were to increase by more than 10 per cent, says a new survey by Manulife Bank. Thirty-eight per cent of those polled say their mortgage bills could rise between one to five per cent before they would have financial difficulty; 20 per cent say they could sustain an increase in payments between six to 10 per cent before having trouble; and 14 per cent say any hike would be a problem. Twenty-two per cent said they could handle a payment increase of between 11 to 30 per cent, while the remaining seven per cent didn’t know or were unsure. “What these people don’t realize is that we’re at record low interest rates today,” said Rick Lunny, president and CEO of Manulife Bank (TSX:MFC), adding that a 10 per cent increase in mortgage payments could be the result of as little as a one per cent interest hike. “When you put it into that context, they’re not really prepared for what is inevitable.
Sooner or later, interest rates are going to rise.” The survey found that 45 per cent of millennial homeowners — those aged between 20 to 35 — would have the most difficulty making their mortgage payment within three months or less if the primary incomeearner in their families were to suddenly become unemployed. Millennials were also the group that on average had the highest amount of outstanding mortgage debt, at $223,000, while gen X-ers (those aged 36 to 52) had an average of $202,000 owing. Baby boomers (ages 53 to 70) had $180,000. Lunny said many millennials
are unprepared to deal with a financial emergency due to a lack of financial literacy and soaring amounts of debt. That group has seen their mortgage debt rise more than any other generation, according to the survey. The survey was conducted online in English and French from Feb. 1 to 14. It polled 2,098 homeowners between the ages of 20 to 69 with household incomes of $50,000 or higher. The polling industry’s professional body, the Marketing Research and Intelligence Association, says online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error because they do not randomly sample the population. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net
over new powers THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA — Protection of individual rights and freedoms trumped the idea of additional powers for security agencies and police among participants in federal consultations on national security, says a newly released summary of the exercise. Most who took part also advocated a focus on preventing terrorism by countering radicalization through promotion of diversity in Canada, better support for new immigrants and at-risk groups, and improved social programs. A majority of those who were prepared to accept some new measures and powers for agencies insisted there be additional oversight, transparency and checks and balances, says the summary, prepared independently for the government from thousands of submissions. The consultation garnered more than 58,000 responses to questions online and over 17,000 emails, as well as input at town halls, roundtables and other events. Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said Friday the information would inform important decisions about protecting national security and safeguarding rights and freedoms. The Liberals plan to introduce legislation as early as this spring to revamp the Conservative anti-terrorism bill known as C-51 and possibly propose other measures that flow from the security consultation. The Liberals promised during the last election to repeal “problematic elements” of C-51. The omnibus legislation gave the Canadian Security Intelligence Service explicit powers to disrupt terrorist threats, not just gather information about them. It also expanded information-sharing among federal agencies, created a new offence of promoting the commission of terrorist offences and broadened the government’s no-fly
list powers. The Trudeau government has committed to ensuring all CSIS warrants respect the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, to preserving legitimate protest and advocacy and to defining terrorist propaganda more clearly. It has also pledged that appeals by Canadians on the nofly list will be subject to mandatory review. The consultation summary says it was “widely felt” that current safeguards around CSIS’s threat reduction powers are “insufficient to ensure the agency acts responsibly and effectively.” The report notes that public opinion research in Canada and elsewhere has shown a consistent decline over several years in the level of trust people have in a range of institutions, including the military, police, politicians, the media and the judiciary. “This growing level of distrust in key institutions involved in national security and law enforcement was clearly evident throughout the consultations.” Many individuals and organizations were skeptical of security measures proposed in a federal discussion paper and expressed concerns about how these would affect individual rights and freedoms, the summary adds. “Furthermore, most of the participants who took part in the online consultations, as well as many experts and organizations, are reluctant to accept new powers and tools to enhance Canada’s investigative capabilities in a digital world.” A clear majority of respondents had an expectation of privacy in the digital realm equal to or higher than in the physical world. “Many participants consider their activities online and on their computers to be ‘very personal’ or ‘intimate’ and a window into their inner selves,” the ❱❱ PAGE 22 Security consultations
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FRIDAY MAY 26, 2017
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World News
MAY 26, 2017
FRIDAY
Having previously clashed, Trump and Pope Francis meet BY JONATHAN LEMIRE AND JULIE PACE The Associated Press VATICAN CITY — President Donald Trump met with Pope Francis, the famously humble pontiff with whom he has publicly clashed, concluding his tour of the ancestral homes of the world’s three largest monotheistic religions. Trump, midway through his grueling nine-day maiden international journey, called upon the pontiff at the Vatican early Wednesday where the two had a private 30-minute meeting laden with religious symbolism and ancient protocol. The president, accompanied by his wife and several aides, arrived at the Vatican just after 8 a.m. local time. The president greeted Francis in Sala del Tronetto, the room of the little throne, on the second floor of Apostolic Palace Wednesday morning. The men shook hands and Trump could be heard thanking the pope and saying it was “a great honour” to be there. They then posed for photographs and then sat down at the papal desk, the pope unsmiling, as their private meeting began. It ended a half hour later when Francis rang the bell in his private study. The pontiff was then introduced to members of Trump’s delegation, including his wife Melania, his daughter Ivanka and son-inlaw Jared Kushner, as well as aides Hope Hicks and Dan Scavino. As is tradition, the pope and president then exchanged gifts. The meeting could provide powerful imagery to Catholic voters back in the United States as well as the possibility for conflict between a president and a pope who have not often seen eye-to-eye. The two men’s often opposite worldviews collided head-on early last year, when Francis was sharply critical of Trump’s campaign pledge to build an impenetrable wall on the Mexican border and his declaration that the United States should turn away Muslim immigrants and refugees. “A person who thinks only
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about building walls, wherever bassador to Italy’s residence. his musing that Islam “hates” they may be, and not building Though both Trump and the West — is the antithesis of bridges, is not Christian,” Fran- Francis are known for their un- what the pope has been preachcis said then. The pontiff has predictability, papal visits with ing about a need for dialogue been a vocal advocate for aid- heads of state are carefully ar- with Muslims. Francis also difing refugees, particularly those ranged bits of political and reli- fers sharply with Trump on the fleeing the violence in Syria, gious theatre that follow a spe- need to combat climate change deeming it both a “moral im- cific program, with little room and economic inequality. And perative” and “Christian duty” for deviation or unwanted sur- he could react to events this to help. prises. Trump was expected to week, including the release of Trump has never been one to be given a tour of the Vatican Trump’s budget, which would let an insult, perceived or real, after he arrived and then meet dramatically cut funding to go by without a response, and with the pontiff in his library. programs that help the poor, he made no exception for the The two men were to be left and the president’s agreement world’s best-known religious alone with a translator to hold to sell military equipment to leader. He called Francis “dis- a private discussion before Saudi Arabia,. graceful” for doubting his faith. emerging again to exchange Still, experts believe it unlikely And even the pontiff’s con- gifts and farewells. the outspoken pope will do anygratulatory mesthing but be welsage sent to mark coming during Trump’s inauguhis first meeting ration contained with Trump. The a sly reference A person who thinks only about pontiff said last to their disagreebuilding walls, wherever they may week he would ment, as the be, and not building bridges, is not “never make a pope wrote that Christian. judgment about he hoped the a person without United States’ hearing him out” international and some Vatican stature would “continue to be Trump is the 13th president observers suspect he will hold his measured above all by its con- to visit the Vatican and, as part tongue, at least for now. cern for the poor, the outcast of his tour, he will view the Sis“I think that the climate (of and those in need.” tine Chapel. the meeting) will be quite good. Trump arrived in Rome In recent days, Francis and Because I think there is a muTuesday evening, his motor- Trump have been in agreement tual interest to close all the pocade closing a busy Italian high- on a need for Muslim leaders lemics of the past and to start way just after rush hour and to do more against extremists working together,” said Massiprompting hundreds of onlook- in their own communities. But mo Franco, author and political ers to briefly step out of their there are few other areas where analyst for leading daily Corrigridlocked cars to gawk at the their views align. ere della Sera. He also said the fleet of armoured vehicles. He The president’s prior anti- thought a successful staging of spent the night at the U.S. am- Muslim rhetoric — including the visit could provide Trump www.canadianinquirer.net
with a good news storyline to briefly overshadow the tumult back home over the firing of his FBI director and the ongoing Russia probe. Trump’s visit to the Eternal City comes after two stops in the Middle East where he visited the cradles of Islam and Judaism. In Saudi Arabia, he addressed dozens of Arab leaders and urged them to fight extremists at home and isolate Iran, which he depicted as menace to the region. And in Israel, Trump reaffirmed his commitment to strong ties with the nation’s longtime ally and urged both the Israelis and the Palestinians to begin the process of reaching a peace deal. No details or timetable have yet to be established for negotiations. But while Trump received extravagantly warm welcomes in Riyadh and Jerusalem, the reception could grow much cooler now that he’s reached Europe, site of widespread protests after his election. Climate change activists projected the words “Planet Earth First” on the massive dome of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican Tuesday night and protests are expected Wednesday in Rome and later in the week when Trump travels to Brussels for a NATO meeting and Sicily for a G7 gathering. ■ Associated Press writer Nicole Winfield contributed reporting.
World News
FRIDAY MAY 26, 2017
21
Ariana Grande fans tremble as they recall Manchester attack BY MIKE CORDER The Associated Press MANCHESTER, ENGLAND — Rihanna Hardy had been excited about seeing Ariana Grande ever since she got her concert ticket as a gift at Christmas. So when the day came, the 11-yearold left school a couple of hours early to make sure to get to Manchester Arena on time. Her parents, Ryan and Shauna, took the afternoon off work, and the family drove all the way from Newcastle, 225 kilometres (140 miles) northeast of Manchester. Their car’s satellite navigation system struggled to find the arena’s multistory parking lot, and they barely made it. They only just managed to buy Rihanna a black Ariana Grande tour sweatshirt before the concert started. But what was supposed to be a special night for Rihanna and thousands of other young concertgoers turned into a tragedy when a suicide bomb blasted off just outside the cavernous hall. It killed 22 people, including an 8-year-old girl, and injured 59 — the deadliest attack in Britain in more than a decade. “Poor Rihanna ... just kept asking every five or 10 seconds, ‘Are we going to die?’ Those were her exact words,” her father said. The family took their seats, close to the stage, just before the first of two supporting acts warmed up the crowd. The arena, which seats 21,000, was packed. Many clutched
pink balloons and donned cat ears, like those the 23-year-old Grande is famous for wearing. As the former star of the Nickelodeon series “Victorious” sang and danced her way through her set, the arena heated up. Young children and their parents glistened with sweat. Then, as the concert ended, the horror began. Just a few minutes after Grande finished her final song, “Dangerous Woman,” blew a kiss to the audience and left the stage, the house lights came back on. People began filing toward the exits. It was then that a suspect identified as 22-year-old Salman Abedi set off his suicide bomb in the foyer, near a road linking the venue to the city’s railway station. Witnesses described seeing bolts and other bits of metal at the scene of the blast. The boom echoed through Manchester Arena, shaking the floor with a hollow thud. Thousands of Ariana Grande fans — many of them youngsters accompanied by their parents — fell silent for a few seconds, in shock. Then the screaming started. “I thought we were going to die. It was just horrendous,” said Rihanna’s mother. Panic descended on the hall. “It was just sheer chaos,” said Kirstyn Pollard, who had a seat close to the stage. “People were trying to get off the balconies. It was awful.” Melissa Andre and two friends clambered over a security barrier in their rush to get
Inside the Manchester Arena.
out. It was already dented from other concertgoers fleeing the arena, as officials tried frantically to restore order. “A security official was on stage saying ‘Be calm, everything’s fine,”’ said Andre, 20. “I think they were just saying that to calm people down before they got out. And then when we got out, the alarm went off.” Police were called in at 10:33 p.m. As they arrived, a smell hung in the air — a bit like smoke, a bit like burning, nothing the Ryans had ever smelled before. “I can’t describe it. It was a really awful smell,” Shauna Hardy said. “And there was just alarms going off, police everywhere. Sirens everywhere. People running, screaming. It was just crazy. Absolutely crazy.” Ryan Hardy desperately tried to slow down his wife and daughter as they left the arena, worried they might fall in the
ROB SINCLAIR / FLICKR
crush of people fleeing the carnage. They emerged from the stifling heat of the concert hall into the cool night. “Everyone else was running out the entrance while he was walking out the entrance,” Rihanna — still wearing her Ariana Grande sweatshirt — said Tuesday, looking up proudly at her dad. Police and paramedics rushed to aid the wounded, wrapping some in foil blankets to keep them warm and ward off shock. Others hobbled off into the night, their clothes torn and stained by blood. Charlotte Fairclough, 14, was part of the rush to flee. “Everyone was like scrambling over each other,” she said. “Quite a few people got knocked over. It was like just a race to get out.” When Charlotte got out, she immediately called her mom, Stacy, who was waiting to pick
up her daughter and a friend. The she called again to say she’d heard a big bang. Her mother, at the time, wasn’t too worried. “I’d heard fireworks earlier in the night, so I wasn’t too concerned to start with,” she said. The full scale of the attack did not hit home until they turned on the news at a hotel. The Hardy family escaped unscathed, but the shock of the night endured even as they tried to sleep it off. When a door slammed loudly at half past five in the morning, Rihanna got frightened. “There are a lot of people killed, a lot of people injured, a lot of people missing,” Shauna Hardy said. “And we just feel so so lucky that we are all together.” ■ Associated Press writer Rob Harris in Manchester contributed.
Seoul says NKorean object that drew fire was likely balloon BY HYUNG-JIN KIM AND KIM TONG-HYUNG The Associated Press SEOUL, KOREA, REPUBLIC OF — South Korea’s military said an unidentified object that flew across the border from rival North Korea and prompted the South to respond with warning shots on Tuesday was probably a balloon carrying Pyongyang’s propaganda leaflets.
An official from the Defence Ministry said Wednesday that the military concluded that the object was most likely a balloon after analyzing information from radar and observation equipment. The official didn’t want to be named, citing office rules. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff in a statement on Tuesday said the military broadcast a warning to North Korea in response to the object before fir-
ing the warning shots, and also that the military bolstered its air surveillance. South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, without citing a source, reported that the South fired about 90 machine-gun rounds into the air and toward North Korea. Local media had speculated the object was a North Korean military drone. North Korea often uses balloons to fly propaganda leaflets to the South. There was no immediate www.canadianinquirer.net
comment in North Korea’s state-run media, and no reports that the North had returned fire. The Koreas face off across the world’s most heavily armed border, and their militaries occasionally clash. North Korea is also building nuclear-tipped missiles and has greeted new South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who wants to reach out to the North, with two missile test-launches, part of a flurry of
tests since leader Kim Jong Un took over in late 2011. In 2014, soldiers exchanged machine-gun and rifle fire after South Korean activists released anti-North Korean propaganda balloons across the Demilitarized Zone, but no casualties were reported. In January 2016, South Korea’s military fired warning shots after a North Korean drone briefly crossed the border. ■
Community News
22
MAY 26, 2017
FRIDAY
Vancouver Tagore Society celebrated a multicultural Spring Festival EVERY YEAR Bengali communities welcome Spring through music, dance, and poetry. This long-lasting tradition got an added dimension of multiculturalism, for the third year in succession, in Tagore Spring Festival 2017, where poets, musicians and audience of different ethnicity and culture joined the celebration. The event was held at Surrey City Hall on Saturday, May 20th. Vancouver Tagore Society, which promotes Bengali culture and the works of Nobellaureate Rabindranath Tagore, organized the event with cultural grants from the City of Surrey. In a houseful auditorium, noted singer Pinu Sattar presented some versatile songs written by Bengali cultural icons like Rabindranath Tagore, Kazi Narul Islam, and Fakir Lalon Shah. He won the audience with his rich, mesmerizing voice and spellbinding singing style. Subhamoy Dasgupta accompanied him on Tabla. Emerging classical vocalist Lakshmi Menon lead a session of Carnatic classical music. Singing in a melodious environment created by traditional Carnatic instruments like mridangham, ghatam, and moorsing, she enthralled the audience with her energetic presentation and liveliness. Internationally-renowned sitar player Mohamed Assani, accompanied by Amarjeet Singh
on Tabla, presented North Indian classical music. Carla Shafer from the US, Korea-born poet Bong Ja Ahn, and Canadian poet Bernice Lever recited their poems. The most attractive segment came at the end, when several dancers of different ages performed with live music and songs on different seasons in rural Bengal, written by iconic Bengali poet and composer Kazi Nazrul Islam. Canadian dancer Alex Parappilly was cheered by the audience for his vibrant, magnificent dancing. Shankhanaad Mallick, Keka Sengupta and Avik Dey, accompanied by Sabuj Majumder, Tapas Biswas and Tom Hunter in instruments, presented the songs. Arno Kamolika, an established Bharatanatyam dancer and a former instructor at Chhayanaut, choreographed the dance pieces and lead this grand finale. ■
Security consultations...
4 Malabon...
report says. A majority of participants opposed giving government the capacity to intercept personal communications, even if a court authorizes the interception, and were against any moves to weaken encryption technology. In the online consultations, seven in 10 respondents considered their basic subscriber information — such as name, home address, phone number and email address — to be as private as the actual contents of their emails, personal diary, and medical and financial records.
❰❰ 11
❰❰ 18
Almost half said such information should be provided only in “limited circumstances” and with judicial approval. However, there was “a strong alternative view” that law enforcement faces crucial delays and roadblocks that are impeding investigations, the summary says. Those who supported this view said investigators need court-authorized, timely access to basic subscriber information, both online and on digital devices, to ensure authorities are “best able to investigate criminal activity and keep Canadians safe.” ■
PO3 Bernandino Pacoma assigned in Civil Security Group; PO3 Michael Angelo Diaz Solomon,; PO3 Luis Tayo Hizon Jr.,; PO2 Michael Papa Huerta; PO1 Jovito Cabutotan Roque Jr., and PO1 Ricky Alix Lamsen, all assigned at the Malabon police station. The arrest arose from the complaint of the family of alias “Norma”, who was abducted by said police officers in Quezon City after she visited her boyfriend Raymond Bongabon at Medium Security Compound (MSC), Bureau of Corrections (BuCor). www.canadianinquirer.net
Some 10 DEU operatives allegedly detained Norma and demanded an amount PHP2 million which was lowered to PHP1 million after negotiation in exchange for her freedom. The group also allegedly instigated the complainant to transact with her Chinese cohort for one kilo of shabu which was picked up in a hotel in Novaliches, Quezon City. The DEU operatives then contacted Bongabon to produce the PHP1 million for the release of the victim. However, the payoff did not push through and they decided to file a case against the victim,
using the seized shabu as evidence. In a statement on Tuesday, National Capital Region (NCRPO) chief Director Oscar Albayalde expressed his satisfaction for the coordination made by all concerned units which led to the success of the operation. “We are all in these effort of cleansing our ranks, we will remain relentless and we will provide the necessary support to all operating units working in our jurisdiction so that our campaign will gain results like this,” Albayalde said. ■
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FRIDAY MAY 26, 2017
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24
MAY 26, 2017
FRIDAY
Entertainment Stars save for a rainy day BY MARINEL R. CRUZ Philippine Daily Inquirer SHOW BUSINESS isn’t the most stable of jobs so actors Alden Richards, Mon Confiado, Dianne Medina and Sam Milby spend their money wisely and keep some of what they earn for a rainy day. Medina said: “Here’s my motto: It isn’t about how much you earn, but how much you save.” Here’s how they do it. Show business isn’t the most stable of jobs—and actors Alden Richards, Mon Confiado, Dianne Medina and Sam Milby are very much aware of the grave danger of spending beyond their means and ending up penniless when the job offers dry up. So, they spend their money wisely, manage their finances well, and keep some of what they earn for the proverbial rainy day. If you wonder how they do that, here’s how: Alden Richards
“I don’t let anyone manage my money,” Richards disclosed during his recent visit to the Inquirer office in Makati City. “You have to do it yourself so you’ll learn and get better at it. You get to practice making your own choices. When you realize that you’ve spent your money on the wrong things, you learn not to do it again.” Alden and actress Maine Mendoza aren’t just the most popular onscreen partners in the GMA 7 lot, but are also among the industry’s top product endorsers. In 2016, he became co-owner of a chain of restaurants. “Don’t be a ‘one-time, bigtime’ spender, or a oneday millionaire,” Richards reiterated. “Most actors don’t get paid immediately after a project, so [their fees] accumulate, so they’re sometimes given a lump sum. When you have a big amount of money, you get rattled or overwhelmed. You then start to think of things you can spend it on.”
Dianne Medina
Medina, a cousin of beauty queen Maxine Medina, probably understands Richards more than anyone else. The actress used to splurge on luxury bags and shoes when she was just starting in the business. Everything changed when her mom, Vicky-Jo, died of breast cancer in 2011. “I got used to my mom paying for everything—my bills, my driver—she even gave me a regular allowance. But when she passed away, I was forced to learn how to be financially independent,” said Medina. “While my dad has a successful build-and-sell business, he isn’t like mom. He would often tell me and my siblings that because we stay at his house, we should spend for our food and utilities and take care of our other expenses. Looking back, I realized that I would have had more money in the bank had I started saving up sooner.” Asked for pointers she could give younger celebrities, Medina said: “Here’s mymotto: ‘It isn’t about how much you earn, but how much you save.’ Also, it isn’t safe to put all your eggs in one basket. You have to know how to distribute. Learn how to invest in ventures that will make your money grow.” Medina then recalled a piece of advice from her dad: “He always tells me that you can never go wrong with investing in pieces of property because their value goes up over time.” She also has an “investment specialist” whom she consults before parting with her hardearned money. As to her penchant for shopping, the actress eventually learned to be a practical spender. “When I’m buying stuff, I remind myself, ‘Do I really need this?’ I always think: Need versus want.” However, Medina understands that part of being an actress is maintaining a media profile. “That’s why I work with a lot of sponsors—from my clothes and shoes, to my hair and skin care, from gym privileges to even my eyelash-
es. These days, it’s easy to get exdeals through social media. I believe that celebrities don’t have to spend so muchon these things. Of course, you also need to treat yourself from time to time, just don’t go overboard.” The actress added, “Show business can be very ungrateful. If you become too fat or get old, you’re out. If you get married, your market value drops. That’s our worry—RJ and I are both from show biz.” Medina has been dating actor Rodjun Cruz for eight years. “We’re working very hard so that when we eventually settle down, at least we’d have something saved for our would-be family.” Medina, an AB Communication Arts graduate of Miriam College, further pointed out: “I feel sad for some friends in the industry who chose to stop studying as soon as they started earning money. My mom pushed me to finish college as a fallback.” Medina was recently hired by PTV-4 as host of its early morning news program, and by Radio-Television Malacañang as an on-cam talent. Sam Milby
For his part, Milby, who joined the business via the reality talent search route (“Pinoy Big Brother”), said that fame and fortune can be overwhelming in the beginning. “When you experience the surge of money for the first time, you feel like you want to buy everything. I know this because I’ve experienced it,” the singer-actor said. “But you have to ask yourself, ‘Is it practical to buy this or that?’ When you spend a large amount of money on something, can you consider it an investment?” The Fil-Am heartthrob said mentors were supposed to help you live the life you want, while planning for the uncertainty that comes with a career in entertainment. “Your work as an actor is not permanent. You have to make sure you’ve got that covered. You have to put something aside, too,” he advised younger talents. www.canadianinquirer.net
Alden Richards.
Milby said his manager, Erickson Raymundo, had always guided him in terms of handling his money and expenses. “I also have a friend named Dom (Hernandez) who helps me put up businesses [like the pub, Prost],” he added. “This industry is great at helping you make money, but you should also invest while you still can.” Asked if he has already considered a fallback career, Milby said he wanted to learn as much as he could about recording. He co-produced his latest album, titled “Sam: 12,” and has since put up a recording studio in his house. “I can’t open it to the public yet, but I’d love to do that eventually,” he declared. Mon Confiado
Confiado said he had been in the entertainment business long enough to see superstars rise and fall. “When they are at the peak of their careers, they get convinced that fame, power and fortune will be theirs forever. They get surprised that two or three years later, they’re no longer in-demand, that those who are younger and more talented have already taken their place, and that they’re penniless,” the actor said. Confiado said he was grateful that he has his sister, Kai, to take care of his finances “so I can just focus on what I love do-
GMA
ing the most—acting.” With Kai’s help, he invested in a comedy bar that successfully ran for 20 years. They also put up several salons and a restaurant. “But like most businesses, we went through several ups and downs. They’re all closed now, and we have since moved on to putting up hostels for tourists in Cebu," he said. Two heads are always better than one, Confidado pointed out: “Consider yourself lucky if you have someone you can trust, be it a relative or financial adviser, to remind you to control or regulate what you spend money on.” Confiado cited the case of former child actor Niño Muhlach, whose dad helped the former child superstar manage his money wisely by putting some of it on a trust fund and investing it in several ventures. “Look at Niño now. He is stable even though he’s no longer as active in show biz,” Confiado observed. He then said celebrities like Sarah Geronimo and Toni Gonzaga, who are known to have strict parents, as well as the children of feisty actresstalent manager Annabelle Rama “are lucky to have people protecting their interests. You feel regret when you realize you’ve made mistakes—and it’s too late to make the wrong things right.” ■
Entertainment
FRIDAY MAY 26, 2017
Canadian stars with teen fans voice solidarity with Manchester after attack THE CANADIAN PRESS CANADIAN STARS with teenage followings are voicing their sympathy and solidarity for those affected by the deadly bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in England. Teen idol Shawn Mendes, pop singer Alessia Cara and YouTube star Lilly Singh all took to Twitter in the wake of the attack that killed 22 people in Manchester. Mendes, who is scheduled to play in Paris on Wednesday, issued a series of messages, describing himself as “completely heartbroken.” He said: “I am truly so sorry about what has happened in Manchester tonight. Unthink-
able events. All my love to the families affected.” The Toronto-area teen also said that “this isn’t what music is about.” Cara helped circulate an online list of those still missing after Monday’s show, adding “my heart is with u, Manchester.” Singh, who was set to perform in Malaysia on Tuesday, expressed shock at the violence and urged her fans to stay strong. “My heart and prayers go out to Ariana and everyone at her show in Manchester. I can’t even imagine the feeling. No words,” she tweeted. “In a world that can be so sad and cruel sometimes, laughter really is such a gift. Shout outs to everyone who spreads love in this life.” ■
Cannes festival holds moment of silence for Manchester BY JAKE COYLE The Associated Press CANNES, FRANCE — The Cannes Film Festival paused Tuesday for a moment of silence to honour the victims of the attack at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England. Thierry Fremaux, director of the festival, led Cannes in a minute of silence from the red-carpet steps of the Palais, the festival’s hub. The moment, he said, was to show solidarity with the victims, their families and the British people. “We are a festival of peace,” said Fremaux, who was joined by Pierre Lescure, president of the festival, actress Isabelle Huppert and festival employees. In a statement, festival organizers called Monday’s blast “yet another attack on culture, youth and joyfulness, on our freedom, generosity and tolerance, all things that the Festival and those who make it possible — the artists, professionals and spectators — hold dear.”
Some events were cancelled or curtailed due to the blast. Disney cancelled a promotional event for “Cars 3.” The festival also pulled back on some elements of its 70th anniversary, which it was celebrating Tuesday. Fireworks planned for the evening were cancelled. Cannes Mayor David Lisnard assured festivalgoers that security measures were at their highest and that Cannes would continue to carry “the universal message of culture, in a spirit of openness.” Monday’s bombing was on the minds of many at Cannes. “It’s devastating, devastating for the families that are going through this now” said Nicole Kidman. “It’s not even to be discussed. It’s just to ... pray for them.” Security has been greater than ever at the festival this year, with increased use of metal detectors and an anti-drone system. Nice, where a cargo truck last July plowed through crowds, killing 86 people, is just 20 miles away. ■
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Drake dominates, Cher reflects at Billboard Music Awards BY KRISTIN M. HALL The Associated Press DRAKE WAS a high roller in Las Vegas, beating Adele’s record for most wins at the Billboard Music Awards. Cher and Celine Dion each reflected on their own iconic careers and amazing songs on Sunday night’s awards show, while a moment of silence was held for rocker Chris Cornell, who died Thursday in Detroit. Miley Cyrus delivered an emotional, but low-key performance and Vanessa Hudgens shined as cohost. These are the top moments from the awards show. Drake’s lucky 13
The rapper broke Adele’s record with 13 wins for the night as well as an eye-catching performance in the middle of famous Fountains of Bellagio. With the streams of water and fireworks timed to his song, “Gyalchester,” the Canadian rapper danced around a platform in the water. He already had 10 awards by the time the show began, but made sure to give a shout out during his acceptance speeches to his friends in the audience including Nicki Minaj, co-host Ludacris and Lil Wayne. The Chainsmokers, who tied Drake with 22 nominations, won four awards, while other top winners, Beyonce and twenty one pilots, both won five each, but did not attend. Iconic Cher
When Cher got up to accept her Icon Award, she wasn’t afraid to do a little bragging. The singer and actress noted that she had been lucky to have a dream career for more than five decades, and at the age of 71, she said she can still hold a plank for five minutes. She certainly showed off that athletic bod in a revealing outfit with pasties and a blonde wig as she performed her ‘90s dance hit “Believe,” then changed into a teased up curly black mane and leather jacket for her performance of “If I Could Turn Back Time.” She noted she was told early on that she never was the most www.canadianinquirer.net
K-Pop group BTS won the Top Social Artist Award the same night, making it the first time for a Korean group to win in the awards show. AJEONG_JM / TISTORY.COM / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
beautiful or the most talented, but she was special and added that “luck has so much to do with my success with a little bit of something thrown in.” Hard goodbye
Rock fans were stunned to learn about the death of rocker Chris Cornell, who was found dead Thursday in his hotel room in Detroit. The lead singer of Soundgarden and Audioslave and leader of the Seattle grunge movement was honoured with a moment of silence during the awards show, which was a shorter than expected tribute to the 52-year-old singer and songwriter. However, Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons summed up his career succinctly, noting he was “a true innovator,” “a musical architect,” “a prolific songwriting” and “a legendary performer.” Titanic performance
Two decades after a movie and a song captivated the country, Celine Dion revisited her iconic hit “My Heart Will Go On,” with the same passion as ever. The Canadian singer returned to celebrate the Oscar-winning song 20 years after it topped the charts as the theme to the blockbuster “Titanic.” Under a glittering chandelier and dressed in a Met-worthy white gown, Dion wowed the audience with her performance and earned one of the biggest cheers of the night.
Vanessa geeks out
New co-host Vanessa Hudgens was acting more like a fan than an emcee with her enthusiastic intros as well as singing and dancing throughout the night. She impressed early with her rapping skills to show her love for Nicki Minaj, then tried a heartfelt rendition of Dion’s “The Power of Love.” Later on she showed up in one of Cher’s iconic stage costumes and danced along to Cher’s performance from the audience. Even Drake took notice in his acceptance speech, adding that Hudgens looked “amazing,” which drew envious looks from Nicki Minaj. New Miley
Even Miley Cyrus’ family noted the change in demeanour at this year’s award show for the former Disney star when her sister Noah Cyrus introduced her “for the first time in years with pants on.” Once known for her shocking performances of twerking and dangling naked from a wrecking ball, the singer performed the slow-burning love song “Malibu,” without much of her signature in-yourface sexiness. She paired the breezy single with a muted performance with acoustic instruments and a simple white crop top and wide brimmed hat. But the singer, who is engaged to Liam Hemsworth, couldn’t hide her emotion by the end when her eyes teared up. ■
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MAY 26, 2017
FRIDAY
Lifestyle A sherpa for happy death At Kanlungan ni Maria, a home for the elderly, Avic Alcantara makes sure no resident dies alone even if they have no families to mourn them BY MARICAR CINCO Philippine Daily Inquirer DESPITE THEIR senior moments, the residents of Kanlungan ni Maria never fail to recognize Avic Alcantara, a regular visitor at this home for the elderly in Rizal province. When Alcantara steps into the room, the dull, rheumy eyes of the residents light up, and words of welcome pour out. “You seem different today,” one of the women noted. “It’s probably my hair,” Alcantara replied. “But Avic has always been pretty,” added Brother Jun, an older man who wears dark glasses. He is blind. The devotion is mutual. For Alcantara, who has no family in the shelter, helping strangers, the poor and abandoned old people is “an extension” of her love for her parents. In fact, her connection to Kanlungan started when she sought professional help in handling her father who had dementia. “My father was on the verge of becoming violent. He was angry all the time and was getting paranoid. It was not easy going through that every day and it started affecting me,” she recalled. It was at a therapy workshop in Makati City that she first met Catholic priest Uldarico “Dari” Dioquino more than 15 years ago, a meeting that led to a strong partnership with Kanlungan ni Maria. At the time,
the home had only four elderly under the priest’s care. Sherpa
Alcantara, a businesswoman from Cainta town in Rizal, was also introduced to Hands on Manila (HOM), a volunteer service initiative of the corporate sector, which became Kanlungan’s benefactor. HOM designated Alcantara as a sherpa, a term that usually refers to Himalayan mountain guides but which the group uses for its volunteer leaders. With help from various donors, Kanlungan ni Maria began formal operations in 2002. It now cares for 20 elderly, seven of them males aged 64 to 89. The shelter, tucked in a quiet subdivision here, is owned by the Diocese of Antipolo and is run by Fr. Reynante Tolentino with the Sister Handmaids of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul (SMdC). Days at the home begin with an early morning Mass followed by morning exercises led by a nun. At a common hall where the residents take their meals, the day is spent scribbling, threading rosary beads or solving puzzles. According to Sister Juliet Mallari, SMdC, one of the administrators, the routine is broken only when there are guests—charity groups, schools or families who choose to spend special occasions, like birthdays, in the facility. Alcantara and the HOM team make sure they visit the residents at least once a month.
“[Old people] need attention as much as children do,” Mallari said. Caregivers need a lot of patience dealing with their ward, whose aging has built an impenetrable wall around them, she added. “[One of the residents] has one answer to all the questions, like ‘Where do you live?’ ‘How old are you?’ Her answer is always ‘Manuel,’” the nun said. Among the shelter’s longeststaying residents is Vangie Saballero, 86, who has been in the facility for six years now. Saballero was 10 when she left Aklan province to work as a domestic helper in Metro Manila, and eventually found her way into the family of supermodel Tweetie de Leon-Gonzalez. “I took care of Tweetie and her siblings for almost 20 years,” she recalled. When the children grew up and migrated abroad, Gonzalez’s mother decided it was better for Saballero to stay in the shelter where nurses are on standby should her blood pressure shoot up. “During holidays, the family sends for me so I can celebrate with them at home,” Saballero said of her foster family. Unlike Saballero, Josefina “Pina” Obligacion-Arellano, 88, has no holidays to look forward to. “I am an orphan. I have no home, no family,” she said. But Kanlungan visitors would always ask for her, especially after a student filmed and uploaded on YouTube a video
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of her reciting witty jokes and pickup lines from memory. “Ano susunod sa USA? USB (What comes after USA? USB)!” she quipped. The online fame led to TV interviews that, in turn, led to Arellano being invited in 2015 to guest on Pinoy Big Brother (PBB), a TV reality show. But on the third day, she asked to leave the PBB house, saying it was too cold in there. Arellano married late, at 52, saying her obligations to her parents came first. When her husband died, Arellano moved in with a family friend but later felt she had become a burden. She sought out a social welfare office until Kanlungan staff found her in 2006. Their stories struck a chord with Alcantara. “I thought it was simply concern for the elderly till I realized that my experience with my parents drove me to this advocacy,” she said. Being the youngest in the family and unmarried, Alcantara looked after her aging parents for a long time, which helped her understand the special needs of older people. When her parents died in
2014, Alcantara had to skip her visits to Kanlungan as the elderly residents reminded her of her loss. It took her six months before she could visit again. Peaceful death
Since then, she has come to accept that death lurks in every corner of the shelter. “You meet some elderly folk today and after, like, three months, they’re gone,” Alcantara said. What is even sadder, she said, was knowing that they could die “alone, insignificantly” without families to mourn or remember them. “When you talk to them, you’ll realize that they’re aware they are going anytime soon,” said Alcantara, who helps arrange the residents’ wake and funeral. “Their goal is to die a peaceful death, a happy death.” Ironically, being exposed to death so often helps Alcantara celebrate life. “You begin to accept your own mortality [and] appreciate your life more,” she said. “While you still can, live to the fullest, knowing you’ll get to that age and probably not know where you’ll end up.” ■
Lifestyle
FRIDAY MAY 26, 2017
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Almost 40 per cent of Canadians eat lunch at their desks, new research shows BY LIA LEVESQUE The Canadian Press MONTREAL — Almost 40 per cent of Canadians are eating lunch at their desks — a number that reflects increasing workplace pressures as well as shifting attitudes toward meals, says the lead author of a new study gauging the country’s eating habits. The survey, which was conducted by Nova Scotia’s Dalhousie University, found that 39 per cent of respondents ate at their desks, compared with 37 per cent who ate lunch at home. The remaining 24 per cent had lunch in a cafeteria or in a kitchen-type room. “It really speaks to how pressured workers are,” said lead author Sylvain Charlebois, a professor in food distribution and policy at Dalhousie. “To take the time to go eat any meal at work is slowly becoming a luxury.” Charlebois and his team found that 72 per cent of respondents packed their own work lunches, while 24 per cent
either bought their lunches to eat outside or ate at restaurants. People in Atlantic Canada eat lunch at their desks most often, at almost 50 per cent, the study suggested. They’re also much more likely to eat alone, with 68 per cent reporting doing so. Charlebois said the discrepancy in Atlantic Canada remains “a mystery,” although he cited an older population and longer distances to travel as possible factors. Only 36 per cent of Quebecers eat lunch alone, while the figure is 61 per cent in Ontario. When it comes to dinner, Canadians are increasingly turning to ready-made meals or eating out at restaurants, the study found. Some 41 per cent of survey respondents reported doing so once or twice a week, while three per cent said they did so every day. Only 18 per cent of participants said they never ate at restaurants or bought ready-made meals for dinner. Charlebois pointed out that
When it comes to dinner, Canadians are increasingly turning to ready-made meals or eating out at restaurants, the study found.
grocers are offering more ready-to-eat options and increasingly adding tables and chairs for people to consume food on site as a way to boost the trend. “I think the study actually speaks to the blurring lines between traditional meals and out-of-household food consumption,” he said. The study found men were more likely than women to eat at restaurants and that single people do so more often than
those who are married, separated or divorced. Meanwhile, more than twothirds of those surveyed — 67 per cent — said they eat breakfast alone most of the time, compared with 30 per cent who eat with family or friends and three per cent who eat with roomates. The survey also indicated women were three times more likely than men to skip breakfast. Taken together, Charlebois
says the results of the study show what he calls “a complete disintegration of our meal habits” and the abandonment of the traditional three-mealsa-day structure around which most days were scheduled. “Lunch was the first meal to disappear, because most people are challenged by work, and breakfast is next,” he said. He believes dietitians and nutritionists may have to adjust what kind of advice they give the public in light of changing habits. “Instead of imposing more discipline to Canadians, we need to figure out ways for Canadians to consume good healthy foods throughout the day regardless of what time of day it is,” he said. The study surveyed 1,019 Canadian adults this past March and April and has a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. The margins of error are higher for the regional breakdowns. ■ With files from Morgan Lowrie in Montreal
My sick little pony: Blind woman nurses pal back to health BY MARY ESCH The Associated Press DELMAR, N.Y. — As a blind woman, Ann Edie has relied on her hip-high miniature horse for 14 years to guide her through life’s obstacles. The fuzzy black-and-white service pony, named Panda, has led Edie across busy streets and up and down stairways, fetched her house keys and even stood quietly in restaurants while she ate her meals. So when Panda was the one needing help, Edie was glad to return the favour. The little horse was stricken with a life-threatening intestinal blockage about a year ago, and Edie and her husband have drained more than $30,000 from their retirement nest egg to pay for surgery and advanced veterinary care. They’ve spent many months nursing her
through a series of complications and back onto the streets of their suburban Albany neighbourhood. “Of course I wanted to do everything I could to save her, because she’s very special,” says Edie, a 69-year-old retired teacher who has been blind since birth. A network of horse enthusiasts who follow a blog about Panda’s training has also kicked in more than $11,000 through a crowdfunding campaign to help defray the veterinary bills that have continued to come in as she trots down the long road to recovery. “As a person with a disability, I always wanted to be responsible for my service animal and not ask for help,” Edie says. “But people wanted to do something for her. They’ve been incredibly generous.” Edie, who previously taught visually impaired children, has
had guide dogs. Her chocolate Labrador retriever, Bailey, died after nine years of service, but two German shepherds turned out to be prone to chasing kids or animals. Emotionally drained by Bailey’s death and frustrated by failures with subsequent dogs, Edie decided to try a miniature horse because they live so much longer — up to 40 years — and have traits that make them well-suited to guide work. “As herd animals, horses very much live in a social environment and are attuned to their people,” says Edie, who has other riding horses. “The communication between Panda and myself is even more acute than it was with Bailey.” Edie and her friend Alexandra Kurland, a prominent horse trainer, got Panda from a Florida breeder in 2001. Over the next two years, Kurland used clicker training to teach www.canadianinquirer.net
Panda such tasks as riding in a car, ringing a bell to go outside, relieving herself on command and walking safely along busy streets with Edie holding her leather harness. The training technique employs a hand-held clicker and treats to reinforce correct behaviour. “For many in the equine community, Panda was the one that inspired them to try clicker training with their horses,” says Kurland, who started the crowdfunding campaign last year at the urging of people who had followed her blog chronicling Panda’s training. While there are an estimated 10,000 dogs guiding blind partners in the United States, there are only about a half-dozen miniature horses in that role, says Dolores Arste, a clicker horse trainer in Galway, New York. “Other people have contacted me to ask about a guide horse,
but they lose interest when they hear how much more work a horse is,” Arste says. While a dog eats twice a day, horses eat almost constantly, relieve themselves frequently and need a stall and room to run outdoors. Panda normally spends much of her days lying around the house, playing with toys, nibbling veggie treats and snuggling while Edie plays Scrabble. But her illness has caused chronic diarrhea, forcing Panda to stay out in her stable. “I hope this all clears up soon. I miss having her indoors,” Edie said. For Edie, there’s no question that Panda is her ideal partner. “The freedom of being able to relax and work with her, walk with her, is wonderful,” Edie said, patting Panda’s flowing black mane. “It comes down to the relationship and the fact that she’s so good at what she does.” ■
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MAY 26, 2017
FRIDAY
Book spills origin tidbits, recipes from land of Shake Shack BY LEANNE ITALIE The Associated Press NEW YORK — Harken back to when Shake Shack was not a burger-flipping force in more than 130 locations around the globe. Then, in 2001, it was a hot dog cart in Madison Square Park, where it opened as part of an art installation. It operated for three summers, losing money each year. So says its creator, restaurateur Danny Meyer, in a new book full of origin tidbits and recipes from the land of the longest lines. Published this month by Clarkson Potter, “Shake Shack” was co-written by company CEO Randy Garutti and culinary director Mark Rosati. If you’re looking for culinary secrets, forget about it. The recipe for ShackSauce, for instance? Rosati, in an interview with The Associated Press, wasn’t giving it up, but the book gets Shack fanatics close with another recipe that can be made at home. It’s a fun read, part Shack kitsch and part, if you must have crinkle fries, here’s how to make some. Rosati started as a line cook at Meyer’s Gramercy Tavern before heading for the Shake Shack in Madison Square Park that replaced the cart.
“I didn’t want to go. I thought it would destroy my career,” he said. “I was going from fine dining, cooking with white truffles and foie gras, to flipping burgers? Then I saw all the same ingredients we were using at Gramercy. The same beef, the same produce and the same hospitality our company is known for. So I thought, I’ll do this for a year. Fast forward 10 years.” AP: Tell us how to think like a burger maker? Does kale ever belong on a burger? Why can’t you get a burger rare at Shake Shack? Rosati: It comes down to you need to find the finest ingredients possible if you’re going to make a really stellar burger. And kale, yeah, it can work in the right context. Maybe if it’s in the summertime and you throw the kale on the griddle and it gets a little smoky and crispy, toss in some olive oil, maybe some garlic, maybe a little Parmesan cheese and put that on top of a burger. That’s going to be pretty good. We feel the best experience is in the burgers cooked medium. We want those juices to be a little runny and drippy. That’s where the pleasure factor is. You need to use the whole muscle, or the steak, because that’s where all the flavour is. If you take the trimmings, which most
butchers do, they don’t have the flavour. That’s the real secret. AP: What’s your favourite burger? Rosati: It’s probably our SmokeShack burger. It’s very personal why I love that burger. It was the first burger we ever added to the menu since the inception of Shake Shack. We wanted to add a bacon burger and we knew it would be too easy just to add bacon. We wanted to do a burger based around the flavours and textures of bacon. I thought about chopped and pickled cherry peppers. I grew up in an Italian household. My parents would cook a pork chop and put cherry peppers in the pan. The cherry peppers brought acidity and heat, which cut through the richness of an otherwise rich meat. So it’s a cheeseburger with ShackSauce, which is a mayobased sauce, with bacon on a buttered bun. That’s a lot rich flavours and textures, so I thought about the cherry peppers. AP: The book mentions how Shake Shack comes out of the fine dining tradition. Are you suggesting that Shake Shack is fine dining? Rosati: It’s us going out and trying to source the absolute finest food, for not only our core menu, our ShackBurger, our fries, but also when we open a new city, it’s the same thing.
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We look at going to a city like Los Angeles and we reach out to a lot of our fine dining friends, be it chocolate makers, be it bakers, that we admire and we bring in that talent. When we opened in LA, I’ve always loved this jam maker called Sqirl. We blend their jam into our frozen custard for one shack in one city. It’s one of our frozen Concretes called the Rainbow Connection with the strawberry jam from that chef, Jessica Koslow. And another friend who I consider one of the best bakers in all of Los Angeles makes us an old fashioned spice doughnut, then we add sprinkles to it. You can only get it at our West Hollywood location. AP: What can you do about the lines? They’re crazy. Rosati: It’s funny because I used to wait in that line in Madison Square Park. It’s only
three blocks from Gramercy Tavern and that’s where I was working. I would go there early, wait in line for about an hour on a hot summer day, get my food and run back to the kitchen at Gramercy. My colleagues would come in and ask me to share and I was like hey man, I’m the one who put the time in there. You go and put your own time in and get your own burgers. At the end of the day, the line is the line. We can’t do anything to stop people from wanting to wait in line. The time you wait between ordering and when you pick up your food, that’s on us. We know couples who started in that line, started chatting, exchanged numbers, went out on dates. The next thing you know they’re married and asked us to cater their weddings. It’s just so surreal. ■
RIGHT AT HOME:
A fresh take on shaggy chic fringed decor BY KIM COOK The Associated Press LIKE COQUETTISH long eyelashes or chic bangs, fringe has a beguiling style that draws it every so often back into the trend orbit. Now is one of those times in fashion and home decor, thanks perhaps to our current flirtation with eclecticism and our ongoing love affair with the retro ‘70s. You’ll see many variations on fringe. Wispy bits softening the edges of textiles; thick hedge-
rows accentuating the lines of a rug or basket; longer curtains of fringe that make a piece of art or furniture that much more intriguing. Urban Outfitters, for instance, has a Moroccan pouf covered in creamy cotton, with sequined trim and several wraps of woolly fringe. There’s a bolster that marries pompoms, tassels, fringe and geometric embroidery. A wall hanging from India combines several clusters of fringe in a palette of blush, cream, apricot and grey. For the bedroom, a soft cotton comforter, in charcoal, rose, tan
or cream has rows and rows of dainty eyelash fringe. There’s a throw blanket and pillow shams with the decorative trim, too. (www.urbanoutfitters.com) Designer Nate Berkus has added fringe to several collections he’s done for Target, including lampshades and a diminutive stool. This season, there are fringed table runners and throw pillows, and a little basket with a dapper fringe belt made of lampakanay, a Philippine fiber. (www.target.com) “Fringe is one of my favourite embellishments,” says Berkus. “It always seems luxe to me.” www.canadianinquirer.net
Extra-long fringe creates a saucy skirt on a handwoven, black-and-white triangle pouf at West Elm. A Moroccan-inspired shag rug in black and grey with a sapphire streak and fringed edges brings drama to the floor. And a cotton bedspread with a Peruvian-inspired circle print is bordered with a thick fringe that punctuates the print. (www. westelm.com) At Toronto design house Elte, a Belgian linen pouf is dressed up with bone buttons and Tibetan wool fringe. (www.elte.com) From Arhaus’ Boho pillow collection, there’s a woven lum-
bar pillow trimmed in black or ivory fringe in a contemporary yet playful motif. (www.arhaus.com) And if you’re ready for something a little more dramatic on the fringe front, consider designer Laura Kirar’s Guernica lounge chair. (www.mcguirefurniture.com) The chair’s back is dressed in a full mane of black or brown leather fringe. Smooth and textured laces are needled and knotted into 3,500 holes on the cane back, and the effect is spectacular. “I love that it’s strong and opinionated,” says Kirar. ■
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FRIDAY MAY 26, 2017
Sports Phenom with pedigree Sporting excellence runs in his blood, but Jarvey Gayoso is ready to carve his own niche as the country’s next homegrown football wizard BY CEDELF P. TUPAS Philippine Daily Inquirer IT HAS been a long day at school for Jarvey Gayoso, but he’s not done yet. On this Friday afternoon, fresh from an exam at the Ateneo campus, he takes the LRT from Katipunan in Quezon City to Vito Cruz in Manila for the national Under-22 team’s training at Rizal Memorial Stadium. He may be racing against time, but there’s hardly a hint of panic in the young man, much like the calmness he shows when he’s in front of the goal— he found the back of the net 12 times for Ateneo in the men’s football tournament of UAAP Season 79. Standing six feet, Gayoso— a thirdgeneration athlete—is nimble and slippery, wiggling out of tight spaces without losing possession. He runs like a gazelle and spots a pass a second ahead of a play. “If I had a teammate like Jarvey (up front), I would love to give long balls to him,” says uncle and former national team defender Alvin Ocampo. “When he sees the space, he will run to it and finish off the play.” Jarvey has always played at a level beyond his years, but it wasn’t until early this month when he finally lifted the first major trophy of his career— the UAAP men’s football crown. It also capped a sensational season that saw him collect best striker and Most Valuable Player honors. “It’s a bit overwhelming because I’ve been trying to give Ateneo a championship for the past five years,” says Jarvey. He got plenty of help from teammates and was guided by a brilliant young coach in JP Merida, but there was no denying Jarvey’s prodigious talents in the tournament, where he scored his team’s last three goals en route to the school’s first championship since 2013. Sporting excellence runs in
Scathing report on Rio Olympics: venues ‘White Elephants’ BY STEPHEN WADE AND FILIPE DE ALMEIDA The Associated Press
JARVEY AGUIRRE / ATENEO.EDU
Jarvey’s blood. His grandfather, Ed Ocampo, is a former Mr. Football in the 1950s and Mr. Basketball in the 1960s. Jarvey’s father, Jayvee, is a former Ateneo basketball star who became a solid rotation player in the PBA’s most popular team, Ginebra, in the 1990s. Jayvee retired from the PBA in the same year Jarvey was born, 1997. Jarvey’s uncle, the younger brother of his mom Pinky, Alvin Ocampo, played for the national men’s football team while another uncle, Eddie Boy, also played varsity ball. Jayvee’s older brother, Mike, suited up for Ateneo’s basketball team. “People say he runs like his uncle Eddie Boy, and the way he turns and accelerates was the same way my brother Mike used to do it,” Jayvee says. “It’s like combining the athletic abilities of two athletes in one person.” “Of course, I’ve heard stories of how great my relatives are,” Jarvey says. “But I also have an opportunity to show them what I’m capable of and what’s expected of me. I don’t see it as an added pressure, but more of an inspiration to do better.” Jarvey, the second of four siblings, says he’d like to carve a niche of his own, not necessarily in sports. “Right now, I’m try-
ing to balance my football and academics,” says the BS management sophomore. “I want to represent the country, but it comes side by side with my goal of getting a degree.” Jarvey is already part of the pool of the Under-22 side that will see action in the Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia in August. Jayvee says he trusts his son to take his academics seriously. “I like his discipline in his education,” the father says. “He rushes to class from training and finds time to study. He’s very diligent. That type of maturity is something that I truly admire, more than just his involvement in sports.” Jayvee says that more than his son’s skills, it is his vision that makes him stand out in the football field. “What I admire about him is his peripheral vision,” says Jayvee. “I’ve never talked to him about this, but it’s the most noticeable aspect of his game that I’ve seen.” Jarvey says his immediate goal is to bring honor to the country in the SEA Games. “I plan to keep playing a high standard of football,” he says. “I want to make a name for myself and I want to extend the family’s excellence in football.” ■ www.canadianinquirer.net
RIO DE JANEIRO — A federal prosecutor looking into last year’s Rio de Janeiro Olympics says that many of the venues “are white elephants” that were built with “no planning.” The scathing report offered Monday at a public hearing confirms what The Associated Press reported several months after the games ended. Many of the venues are empty, boarded up, and have no tenants or income with the maintenance costs dumped on the federal government. “There was no planning,” federal prosecutor Leandro Mitidieri told the public hearing on the Olympics. “There was no planning when they put out the bid to host the Games. No planning. “They are white elephants today,” Mitidieri added. “What we are trying to look at here is to how to turn this into something usable.” Rio de Janeiro spend about $12 billion to organize the games, which were plagued by cost-cutting, poor attendance, and reports of bribes and corruption linked to the building of some Olympic-related facilities. The Olympic Park in suburban Barra da Tijuca, which was the largest cluster of venues, is an expanse of empty arenas with clutter still remaining from the games. The second largest cluster, in the northern area of Deodoro, is closed despite plans to open it as a public park with swimming facilities for the mostly poor who live in the area. Patricia Amorim, the undersecretary for sports in the city of Rio, said highly publicized plans were on hold to dismantle one arena and turn the remains
into four schools. The arena was the venue for handball. “It will be dismantled,” she said. “We are just waiting to know whether we will actually have resources to build these schools on other sites, or whether we will dismantle it and wait for the resources to come. Our schools need to be reformed and that’s our priority, not new schools.” Nine months after the Rio Olympics ended, the local organizing committee still owes creditors about $30 million, and 137 medals awarded during the games are rusting and need to be repaired. Former Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes, the moving force with the International Olympic Committee behind organizing last year’s Olympics, is being investigated for allegedly accepting at least 15 million reals ($5 million) in payments to facilitate construction projects tied to the games. He denies any wrongdoing. Organizing committee spokesman Mario Andrada said more than 100 medals awarded at the Olympics showed signs of rusting. He said many were bronze medals, and said many of the tarnished medals had been awarded to Americans. “Most of the problems were due to handling, poor handling,” Andrada said. “Either they fell on the floor or they were touching each other so, it was a problem of handling. Whatever was the problem with the poor handling, it took the gloss off the medal and then you see rusting.” He said the medals would be repaired at Brazil’s mint, called the Casa da Moeda. He said more than 2,000 medals were awarded at the Olympics and said “several other games had problems with medals.” ■
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FRIDAY
Business European economic rebound GT Capital wants to showing surprising strength jack up interest in Metro Pacific infra BY PAN PYLAS AND DAVID MCHUGH The Associated Press
BRUSSELS — Europe’s economic recovery is showing surprising strength, as key surveys of business activity and optimism hit their highest levels in years. The data released Tuesday hold out hope that the region is set to see a sustained and marked decline in its unemployment rate from the current 9.5 per cent. And the good economic news could well add pressure on the that it would increase, but only began four years ago. It’s been European Central Bank to sig- to 114.1. buoyed by strong exports of its nal a withdrawal of its extraorIfo said that was the highest cars and machinery. Stronger dinary stimulus measures. figure since 1991 and, along with consumer confidence due to One of the indicators the other data, points to growth low unemployment of 3.9 per ECB looks at when assessing of 0.6 per cent in the second cent has also supported the reits policy stance is the monthly quarter, matching the quarter- covery. survey of business activity from on-quarter growth figure of 0.6 However, for the region to financial information compa- per cent for the January-March really push on growth has to ny IHS Markit. Once again, it period. come from all corners and a was strong, with the purchas“Today’s strong German run of surveys are pointing to a ing managers’ index — a broad data add to the evidence that, pick-up, particularly in France, gauge of economic activity — not only the German economy, the eurozone’s second-largest for the 19 countries that use the but the entire eurozone econ- economy. euro currency unchanged at a omy could become the posiThe strong data mean the six-year high of 56.8 in May. tive growth surprise of 2017,” eurozone is closer to no longer The results are needing extraorconsistent with dinary stimuquarterly ecolus provided by nomic growth of the European 0.6-0.7 per cent, Germany has been the main engine Central Bank higher than the behind the region’s recovery from through its 60 first quarter’s 0.5 recession which began four years billion euros per cent growth. ago. ($67 billion) in Chris Williammonthly bond son, IHS Markit’s purchases. The chief economist, purchases pump says the consennewly printed sus forecast for second-quar- ING-Diba economist Carsten money into the economy in an ter growth of 0.4 per cent may Brzeski said. “This sentiment attempt to raise inflation that prove “overly pessimistic.” is also spreading across finan- is considered too weak, and to He also noted that job cre- cial markets, with many mar- protect the recovery from any ation has surged to the second- ket participants now realizing new troubles. The bank has said highest in nearly a decade as that the eurozone economy had it will continue the purchases at firms expand capacity and meet been written off too early.” least through year end. Analysts rising demand. The eurozone grew 0.5 per expect more hints about the The strong purchasing man- cent in the first quarter com- bank’s future plans at its June agers’ survey comes on top of pared to the quarter before, and 8 meeting and a clear roadmap the 26-year high reached by 1.7 per cent compared to the for tapering the stimulus could Germany’s Ifo monthly con- year-ago quarter. emerge in September. ■ fidence index. It rose to 114.6 Germany has been the main points for May from 113.0 in engine behind the region’s re- McHugh contributed from April. Economists had forecast covery from recession which Frankfurt, Germany. www.canadianinquirer.net
BY DORIS DUMLAOABADILLA Philippine Daily Inquirer TY FAMILY-LED GT Capital Holdings is keen on raising its interest in infrastructure holding firm Metro Pacific Investments Corp., given the opportunity to do so, while scouting for other new businesses outside the group. In an interview with Inquirer after the company’s investor briefing recently, GT Capital chief finance officer Francisco Suarez said that after raising the holding firm’s interest in Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. and infusing fresh equity into Toyota Financial Services, there would likely be no more acquisitions involving other Ty group member firms. He said GT Capital was on the lookout for new businesses, such as in infrastructure, logistics and retail-oriented commercial property or shopping malls. “Within the group we are already in a steady state. We’re looking at (opportunities) outside,” Suarez said. In the case of infrastructure holding firm Metro Pacific Investments Corp., where the group held a 15.55-percent interest, Suarez said GT Capital remained “opportunistic.” “So if there’s an opportunity to further grow our direct stake, at the right price, of course (we’ll take it),” he said. As a strategy, Suarez said GT Capital was growing based on “concentric” circles, referring to several circles with the same centerpoint. The first circle is organic growth—expansion and modernization of different companies under the group while the second circle is extracting synergy by crossselling across different groups. “The third circle is new busi-
ness, like when we invested in Metro Pacific. It’s an entirely new business not within the group,” Suarez said. Asked what new businesses the group would like to pursue, Suarez said GT Capital was keen on logistics and retail commercial. Investments in logistics, he said, would likely be through Metro Pacific. If Metro Pacific is able to close the deal to acquire Air21 from the Lina group, for instance, Suarez said this would be a big acquisition. Onr etail commercial development, Suarez said it was important to build recurring income. While property arm Federal Land can build its own leasing portfolio, Suarez said this was still a very small business at present. “It’s possible to acquire. It could be through Federal Land, or through Pro-friends (Property Company of Friends Inc.),” he said. With a landbank of 1,600 hectares, Suarez said one option would be to carve out a portion of the property and devote this to retail commercial development. He said GT Capital could also pursue infrastructure projects outside Metro Pacific. In the past, Suarez said the group had looked at investing in a port. Had such project prospered, Suarez said it would have catered to Toyota-Motor’s preinspection requirements. At present, he said the vehicles imported by Toyota were taken from the port to the Sta. Rosa facility. If GT Capital had its own port, he said the imported vehicles could be brought straight from the port to the dealer. GT Capital sees capital spending this year, reaching P47 billion. ■
Business
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Lawsuit: Fyre music fest more ‘Hunger Games’ than Coachella THE ASSOCIATED PRESS LOS ANGELES — Litigation is piling up like bonfire kindling against organizers of the Fyre Festival that flamed out in a fiasco. Angry participants had lashed out on social media with the hashtag #fyrefraud as the music festival fell apart on an island in the Bahamas in April and fraud is the first claim in a $100 million class-action suit. The suit amended earlier this month in federal court on behalf of a Los Angeles man said the events planned over two weekends were “nothing more than a get-rich-quick scam” akin to a Ponzi scheme that put the lives — and small fortunes — of thousands of participants in jeopardy. “The festival’s lack of adequate food, water, shelter, and medical care created a dan-
gerous and panicked situation among attendees — suddenly finding themselves stranded on a remote island without basic provisions — that was closer to ‘The Hunger Games’ or ‘Lord of the Flies’ than Coachella,” according to the suit filed by attorney Mark Geragos. The lawsuit is one of several filed in the wake of the disaster that unfolded on the island of Exuma late last month when inadequate planning and facilities led performers to bow out and organizers to cancel the show once billed as the “the cultural experience of the decade.” In the amended complaint filed in U.S. District Court, Geragos said 300 people had contacted his offices after the initial suit was filed last month against organizers Billy McFarland, rapper Ja Rule, whose real name is Jeffrey Atkins, and Fyre Media Inc. Among dozens of unnamed defendants are deep-pocketed
investors who provided seed money for the event. The event promoted on social media by Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, Emily Ratajkowski and other models and celebrities targeted well-heeled Millennials with ticket packages ranging from $1,200 to over $100,000 and promising five-star dining and luxury accommodations. Headliners included rockers Blink-182, hip-hop act Migos and the electronic music trio Major Lazer. Instead of putting the tropical island on the map as the next big destination music experience, Fyre Festival only succeeded in sparking outrage. Participants arrived to find a venue partly under construction, insipid food and soggy beds under leaking tents. One photo included in the suit showed a Styrofoam container with bread, two pieces of packaged cheese, lettuce and sliced
Palay output seen rising by 11.8% in 1st semester BY RONNEL W. DOMINGO Philippine Daily Inquirer PALAY PRODUCTION for the first semester is expected to reach 8.55 million tons, slightly higher than the previous forecast, despite a lower-than-expected output in the first quarter, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The PSA said the latest forecast was 10,000 tons higher than the 8.54 million tons, which was announced in January. The upgraded forecast would mean an 11.8-percent growth from the 7.65 million tons harvested in the first six months of 2016. Last week, the agency said farms turned out 4.42 million tons in the quarter ending March, jumping 12.4 percent from 3.93 million tons in the same period of 2016. First-quarter growth was attributed to a 6.4-percent expansion in planted areas, which hit 1.15 million hectares. Yield also
grew by 5.8 percent to reach 3.85 million tons per hectare. Palay production in the first quarter this year improved coming from a low base due to abnormally dry conditions brought about by the El Niño phenomenon as well as damage from strong typhoons. As for the second quarter, the PSA forecasts the harvest to grow by 11.1 percent to 4.13 million tons, based on crops that are standing in the field. In the June quarter, the PSA expects harvest area to grow but yield may contract slightly. “Probable growths in production are expected due to increments in harvest areas resulting from availability of irrigation water and sufficient rainfall during planting periods and availability of seeds from Department of Agriculture’s regional field offices and local government units (LGUs),” the PSA said. The more sanguine outlook comes as the NFA Council, the highest decision-making body of the National Food Authority,
said the agency would resume importation of milled rice to shore up its buffer stock with the approach of the lean production months of July to September. According to the PSA, nationwide stocks of milled rice were at 2.68 million tons as of April 1, 23 percent more than the inventory a month earlier. Such supply would last for 79 days, based on a national consumption volume of about 32,000 tons daily. For the NFA alone, the stockpile was placed at 327,240 tons, which is good for 10 days. This was down by 18 percent from 397,000 tons in March. Milled rice stored in households—accounting for 54 percent of national inventory— reached 1.44 million tons (42 days) from 1.15 million tons a month earlier. Commercial warehouses were holding 397,360 tons (27 days) or about one-third of total supply, increasing from 626,930 tons previously. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net
FYRE FESTIVAL / FACEBOOK
tomato. Lawsuits filed in New York and Miami federal courts made similar claims after Geragos filed the Los Angeles case. Attorney Stacey Richman, who represents Ja Rule, said he wouldn’t participate in anything fraudulent. After the event was cancelled, the rapper had posted an apology online saying he was heart-
broken, but that it was not a scam and it was not his fault. Efforts to reach McFarland, Fyre Media or attorneys who have responded to lawsuits on their behalf were unsuccessful. McFarland previously promised full refunds and offered his apology on the festival’s website. He also said he would offer free VIP passes to next year’s festival. ■
DOE opens ASEAN+3 energy forum, bares PHL LNG plan PHILIPPINES NEWS AGENCY MANILA — The Philippines’ natural gas supply from the Malampaya field is projected to last until 2024, making the country an emerging liquefied natural gas (LNG) market in Asia, Department of Energy Undersecretary Jesus Cristino Posadas said Tuesday. “We are working closely with legislators to facilitate the enactment of a law declaring energy projects as projects of national significance and for the Philippine Department of Energy to develop a program for LNG infrastructure,” Posadas said as he opened the three-day 6th ASEAN+3 (China, Japan, Korea) Oil Market and Natural Gas Forum and Business Dialogue held at the Sofitel Hotel. “We are also looking at LNG importation as an option to supplement or replace our lo-
cal natural gas to ensure sustainable supply for power and eventually to non-power applications,” he added. The forum, conducted under the platform of the Senior Officials’ Meeting on Energy (SOME) +3 and ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM) +3, aims to continue sharing knowledge and expertise, policy updates, best practices on oil and natural gas situation and developments among the ASEAN+3 member countries. The forum sessions mainly focused on updates on the oil and gas market situation and outlook, flexible and transparent LNG market for the ASEAN, oil and gas business updates, and oil and gas policy updates. Representatives and other delegates actively participated in the roundtable discussion and open forum. This is the second time the Philippines is hosting the annual forum. The first was in 2013. ■
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Technology Google aims to connect online ads to real world sales BY MICHAEL LIEDTKE The Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO — Google already monitors your online shopping — but now it’s also keeping an eye on what you’re buying in real-world stores as part of its latest effort to sell more digital advertising. The offline tracking scans most credit and debit card transactions to help Google automatically inform merchants when their digital ads translate into sales at a brick-and-mortar store. Google believes the data will show a cause-and-effect relationship between online ads and offline sales. If it works, that could help persuade merchants to boost their digital marketing budgets. Google windfall
The Mountain View, California, company already runs the world’s biggest online ad network, one that raked in $79 billion in revenue last year. That puts it in the best position to capture any additional marketing dollars spent on computers and mobile devices. Google plans to unveil the store-sales measurement tool Tuesday in San Francisco at an annual conference it hosts for its advertisers. The gathering gives Google a prime opportunity to woo advertisers — one that it surely welcomes, given that it’s still trying to overcome a marketing boycott of its YouTube video site. The boycott began
two months ago over concerns that Google hadn’t prevented major brand advertising from appearing alongside extremist video clips promoting hate and violence. Google is also introducing several other features designed to help merchants drive more traffic to their physical stores and to gain a better understanding on how digital ads appearing across a variety of devices are affecting their sales. Smarter ad tracking
Most of the new analytics twists draw upon Google’s inroads in “machine learning” — a way of “training” computers to behave more like humans — to interpret the data. Google’s search engine and Chrome web browser are a rich source of data about people’s interests and online activities that it can feed into machine-learning systems. In the case of the store sales measure tool, Google’s computers are connecting the dots between what people look at after clicking on an online ad and then what they purchase with their credit and debit cards. For instance, if someone searching for a pair of running shoes online clicked on an ad from a sporting goods store but didn’t buy anything, an advertiser might initially conclude that the ad was a waste of money. But Google says its new tool will now be able to tell if the same person bought the shoes a few days later at one of the advertiser’s brick-and-mortar stores.
Digital dossiers
Google says it has access to roughly 70 per cent of U.S. credit and debit card transactions through partnerships with other companies that track that data. That means Google still won’t be able to document every purchase made using plastic — and it still has no way of knowing when people buy something with cash. The digital dossiers that Google has compiled on the more than one billion people who use its search engine and other services, including Gmail, YouTube and Android, worry privacy watchdogs. Googlegives its users the option to limit the company’s tracking and control what types of ads they are shown. Google says its computers can collect identifying data triggered by online clicks and match it with other identifying information compiled by merchants and the issuers of credit and debit cards to figure out when a digital ad contributes to an offline purchase. Shoppers remain anonymous, meaning they aren’t identified by their names, according to Google. And the company says it doesn’t share any of its anonymized information with its advertisers; instead, it targets ads at individuals who fit demographic profiles sought by advertisers. ■
www.canadianinquirer.net
MICROSOFT
Microsoft Surface gets battery boost, better viewing angles BY ANICK JESDANUN The Associated Press NEW YORK — Microsoft is refreshing its Surface Pro tablet with longer battery life and faster processors. The new, fifth-generation device — simply called Surface Pro — won’t look or feel drastically different from its predecessor. But Microsoft is hoping its under-the-hood improvements will help it compete with newer laptop-tablet hybrids from Samsung and others. Not to mention Apple’s iPad Pro. The Redmond, Washington, company made the announcement Tuesday in Shanghai, China, in its first Surface launch outside New York. It’s a reflection of the company’s expectations of growth among a population that prizes premium gadgets from American brands. Microsoft pioneered laptop-
tablet hybrids, also known as 2-in-1s, with the original Surface in 2012. A keyboard cover turns the tablet into a laptop. But innovation has slowed down since 2014, when the Surface Pro 3 got a fully adjustable kickstand to give the screen a broader range of viewing angles, similar to real laptops. Before, the kickstand was limited to just two angles. Meanwhile, other companies have made their own 2-in-1 devices running Microsoft’s Windows 10. That success contributed to a 26 per cent revenue decline in the Surface business in the most recent quarter. And competition is growing; Samsung released new Galaxy Book models this week. Microsoft promises about 13.5 hours of battery life, or about 50 per cent more than the nine hours on the previous device, the Surface Pro 4. The ❱❱ PAGE 38 Microsoft Surface
Technology
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Uber threatens to fire key exec in self driving car dispute BY MICHAEL LIEDTKE The Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO — Uber is threatening to fire a key executive accused of stealing selfdriving car technology from a Google spin-off unless he waives his constitutional right against self-incrimination so the ride-hailing service can comply with a court order. The development raises the possibility that Uber may end up dumping Anthony Levandowski, whose expertise in robot-controlled cars is the main reason that the ride-hailing company bought Levandowski’s startup for $680 million nine months ago. Until last month, Levandowski had been running Uber’s selfdriving car division. Although he no longer is doing that, he remains a vital part of Uber’s effort to develop a fleet of robot
cars so its service eventually Any admission by Levan- until last week when Alsup iswill no longer have to rely on dowski that he possesses the sued another decision requirpeople to pick up passengers. Waymo documents could em- ing the company to return any Waymo, a self-driving car broil him in even deeper legal documents belonging to Waycompany started by Google, trouble. That’s because Way- mo by May 31. alleges Levandowski down- mo’s allegations in the civil case Alsup wrote that “in complyloaded 14,000 documents con- have been referred to the U.S. ing with this order, Uber has no taining its trade secrets before Attorney’s office in San Fran- excuse under the Fifth Amendhe founded the startup that he cisco for a potential criminal ment to pull any punches as to sold to Uber. Levandowski.” Levandowski Uber alluded has asserted his to Alsup’s stern rights under the language in its Fifth AmendIt is an act by the judicial branch of explaining its ment since Wayour federal government compelling change of heart mo filed its lawan individual to choose between to Levandowski. suit in February . preserving his livelihood and “While we But Uber is preserving his constitutional rights. have respected warning Levanyour personal dowski that he liberties, it is may lose his job our view that unless he waives the court’s order those rights and reveals wheth- investigation under an unusual requires us to make these deer he took any Waymo docu- order issued last week by U.S. mands of you,” Uber’s general ments. The San Francisco com- District Judge William Alsup. counsel, Salle Yoo, wrote in the pany made the threat in a May Uber had been standing by letter. 15 letter that became public in a Levandowski’s right use his Levandowski is fighting back court filing late Thursday. Fifth Amendment protections by trying to persuade Alsup to
Improved PHL’s mobile internet speed due to activation of evolution cell sites BY AEROL B. PATENA Philippines News Agency MANILA — Improved mobile Internet speeds may be attributed to Globe and Smart’s continuing activation of long-term evolution cell sites making use of the 700 MHz spectrum. National Telecommunications Commission Deputy Commissioner Edgardo Cabarios, when asked to comment on the latest AKAMAI report, said both telcos started co-using the frequency in May 2016. “Improvements in fixed line internet are also expected to happen as the government, thru the Department of Information and Communications Technology, finalizes its roll-out plans for the country’s national broadband network,” Cabarios added. AKAMAI, a leading content delivery network services provider for media and software delivery, and cloud security solution, recently came out with its State of the Internet Q4 2016 Report.
The Philippines’ internet performance yielded marked improvements in several areas in the report - most notable of which was that the country’s average connection speed (IPv4) for mobile internet topped the Asia Pacific region for two consecutive quarters. For the past three quarters of 2016, the AKAMAI State of the Internet Report showed a consistent improvement in the Philippines’ average mobile connection speed. In the second quarter of 2016, the country’s average mobile connection speed was pegged by AKAMAI at 8.5Mbps. In the third quarter of the same year, the outfit reported that the country’s average mobile connection speed increased to 13.9Mbps. AKAMAI then reported that the Philippines mobile internet speed clocked at 14.3Mbps in the fourth quarter of 2016. On the table presented in AKAMAI’s State of the Internet Q4 2016 Report, the Philippines’ average mobile speed of 14.3Mbps came in fastest in
the Asia Pacific cluster – topping the speeds of Australia (13.8Mbps), Japan (13.3Mbps), South Korea (12.7Mbps), New Zealand (12.5Mbps), Taiwan (12.0Mbps), Singapore (9.9Mbps), Indonesia (9.8Mbps), China (7.4Mbps), Hong Kong (7.2Mbps), Thailand (7.1Mbps), Sri Lanka (5.8Mbps), India (4.8Mbps), Vietnam (4.3Mbps) and Malaysia (3.9Mbps). The report also cited the Philippines’s improvements in other categories. On the “above 4 Mbps broadband adoption” category, the Philippines’ adoption rate is now at 31%, representing a growth rate for the country of 7.4% QoQ and 126% YoY. On the “above 10 Mbps broadband adoption” category, the Philippines’ adoption rate is now at 7.5%, representing a growth rate for the country of 39% QoQ and 292% YoY. On the “above 15 mbps broadband adoption” category, the Philippines’ adoption is now at 3.6% adoption, representing a growth rate for the country 52% QoQ and 373% YoY. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net
revise his order to protect his Fifth Amendment rights. In a filing, Levandowski’s attorneys argued that it’s unconstitutional for a judge to strong-arm an employer into pressuring a worker to give up his Fifth Amendment rights to remain on the job. “It is an act by the judicial branch of our federal government compelling an individual to choose between preserving his livelihood and preserving his constitutional rights,” Levandowski’s lawyers wrote. Waymo’s lawsuit already has handcuffed Levandowski. The case prompted Levandowski to temporarily step aside as Uber’s top self-driving car executive and avoid working on anything related to lidar, an array of sensors that enables autonomous vehicles to navigate the roads. Alsup has ordered Uber to ensure its work on lidar remains off limits to Levandowski. ■
Nokia and Apple settle long running legal disputes THE ASSOCIATED PRESS HELSINKI — Nokia and Apple have settled their numerous legal disputes after signing an agreement to work together. Nokia, once the world’s No. 1 cellphone maker and now a networks provider after selling its ailing mobile phone sector to Microsoft in 2014, described the pact as “meaningful.” Maria Varsellona, Nokia’s chief legal officer said the agreement “moves our rela-
tionship with Apple from being adversaries in court to business partners working for the benefit of our customers.” The two companies have been involved in a number of patent infringement claims over the years. Nokia, which owns a huge portfolio of patents, said it will receive an up-front cash payment from Apple, with additional revenues during the term of the agreement. Nokia did not reveal the terms of the deal as it’s confidential. ■
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CANADA
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Wanted: PERSONAL ASSISTANT - HOME CARE Permanent – Full time $14.00/hour - for 40 hours per week Anticipated start date: As soon as possible Location: Scarborough, Canada (1 vacancy) Wanted homecare personal assitant to provide care to an 85 years old elderly female suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Duty includes administer bedside and personal care to client such as aid in ambulation, bathing, personal hygiene and administration of medication. Prepare and serve nutritious meals. Perform routine housekeeping duties such as laundry and ironing clothes and linens, washing dishes, making beds and house cleaning. Taking the designated individual for walks, park, malls and doctors appointments and any other duties deemed necessary to assist the designated individual with day to day living. Preferably with 1 year to less than 2 years of work experience in elderly care. Must speak and write English. Completion of highschool graduate equivalent in Canada.Optional accomodation available at no charge on a live-in basis. (This is not a condition of employment)
email resume to: eymard.lumbre@yahoo.com
St. Louis Bar and Grill (Bolton Location) 301 Queen St. S
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Wanted: NANNY Permanent – Full time $12.25/hour, for 40 hours per week Start date: As soon as possible
Location: Vaughan, Canada
Nanny ro provide child care to four (4) children (ages 14, 11, 8 and a 4 year old special needs child). Preferably with 1 year to less than 2 years work experience and has First Aid and CPR Certificate. Duties include supervision and care for children. Bathe, dress and instruct children in personal hygiene and social development. Prepare infants and children for rest period. Take children to and from school and appointments. Prepare and serve nutritious meals. Light housekeeping duties. Must speak English, read English and write English. Secondary high school graduation certificate. Optional accomodation available at no charge on a live-in basis. (This is not a condition of employment).
Email your resume to: siva.maya@amdocs.com
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Permanent – Full time $26.50 hourly for 40 hours/week Work Setting: Property and Real Estate Law Employer: Event Tours Realty Location: Scarborough
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Chirstopher/ Jennifer #08 Columbine Ave. Toronto ON M4L1P3 Email: jennifer.posnikoff@bell.ca
Jillian Tishman #226 Arlington Ave.York ON M6C2Z5 ph:416.277.8043 email:supremeccc@yahoo.com
Mark Polanco#77 Winter Ave.Scarborough ON M1K4M2.Ph.647.686.6341.email:polancomark@yahoo .com
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Knowledge of English language is a must; College graduate or other non-university certificate or diploma; work experience at least 2 years to less than 3 years; area of work experience –Statistics, Reports and records, Invoices, Financial statements, Correspondence, Contracts, Charts, tables, graphs and diagrams; knowledge of Business Equipment and Computer Applications - MS Excel; MS PowerPoint; MS Word; Electronic mail; MS Outlook is essential
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Marlyn Fabros#201-12 Donora Dr Toronto ON M4B1B4 647.701.1392 e:supremeccc@yahoo.com Mayra Cosico #550 Steddick Crt Unit 37 Mississauga ON L5R3S8 Ph:647.998.8042 e:supremeccc@yahoo.com
Pays $11.54/ hour. Care for a Child/children. Permanent. Full time. 8hrs/day.40h/wk. Benf:OHIP.WSIB Req:Completion of Canadian High Sch.At least have experience in 1-2 years as a Nanny or FT Caregiving Training Sch. JOB TASK: Look after child/children, meal preparation, inddor / outdoor companionship, light housekeeping.
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Pays $14/ hr. Permanent.Full time.8 hrs/day.40h/wk.Benf:OHIP.WSIB Req: Completion of Canadian High Sch.At least have experience in 1-2 years as a FT Caregiving Training Sch. Companionship indoor/outdoor.meal preparation, cooking, household chores.help in handing the needs during the toileting, eating.
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FRIDAY MAY 26, 2017
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MAY 26, 2017
FRIDAY
Travel ASK BRIANNA:
How can I take a vacation and not rack up debt? BY BRIANNA MCGURRAN The Associated Press “Ask Brianna” is a Q&A column from NerdWallet for 20-somethings or anyone else starting out. I’m here to help you manage your money, find a job and pay off student loans — all the realworld stuff no one taught us how to do in college. Q: I want to travel this summer, but I don’t have a ton of money. How can I go on an adventure without piling on credit card debt? A: We all need time to recharge (while making our friends jealous with artfully filtered Instagram photos). But travel can be pricey: An American Express survey found respondents expected to spend, on average, $941 per person on summer trips in 2016. Booking travel on credit cards is convenient and can help you rack up rewards for future flight and hotel savings. But if you won’t be able to pay off the balance soon after you return home, a leisurely vacation might lead to months of anxiety and big interest charges. The best way to avoid debt is by saving for adventures in advance. However, for last-min-
ute travel this summer, you can still plan a thrifty trip by prioritizing low-cost airfare, opting for nontraditional lodging and picking unexpected destinations. Here’s how to save and spend wisely when you’re ready to get out of Dodge. Start a travel fund
If you have the luxury of several months to plan, set up a savings account specifically for travel. You can schedule recurring transfers from your checking account or set up direct deposit from your pay cheque. John Schneider, who runs the blog Debt Free Guys with his husband, David Auten, says they each save $50 per pay period in a travel ”slush fund.” They didn’t set up online access to the account, so they must withdraw money from it in person at their credit union. That discourages the couple from dipping into the fund to cover daily expenses, Schneider says. Of course, make sure to save at least $500 for home emergencies before shifting your resources to a travel fund. Just starting to save for summer vacation now? You won’t have much time, so if you put some expenses on a credit card, set a spending limit and make a realistic plan to pay off the balance. Stay vigilant while you’re away:
Keep a running tally of your expenses so you can cut back on the souvenir shopping if necessary. Pick locations based on airfare
Getting to your destination will often be the biggest drag on your wallet. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, for domestic trips of at least one night, transportation accounted for 39 per cent of the total cost in 2013, followed by food and alcohol (27 per cent) and lodging (26 per cent). For international trips, transportation was more than half of the cost. There’s always camping or driving to your destination, which is often cheaper than flying. But for destinations farther afield, websites like Airfarewatchdog, Google Flights and Skyscanner will let you compare airfares to your preferred destination. They’ll also show you what locations fit your budget on the dates you’re free. If you’re loyal to a specific airline, use any miles you’ve earned; check the airline’s fare calendar and pick a vacation spot that way. If you travel a lot, consider springing for a branded airline credit card. They often provide free checked bags, notes Matt Kepnes, author of “How to Travel the World on $50 a Day.” But avoid carrying a
balance. Interest can quickly cancel out baggage savings. Live large beyond hotels
Steer clear of pricey hotels and choose lower-cost options like hostels, Airbnb, staying with local hosts for free on Couchsurfing and renting vacation homes on VRBO and HomeAway. If you have your own kitchen, you can cook and make drinks at home to cut down on food and alcohol costs. Schneider also recommends house swapping, especially if you’re travelling internationally. For a monthly or annual fee, services like HomeExchange and Love Home Swap will let you list your place and swap it with other members. Home Exchange says swapping saves members “up to 58 per cent on typical vacation costs.” You can also save money on housing — and airfare, for that matter — by travelling to
less popular summer destinations. Costa Rica between May and November is one option; it’s the rainy season, which locals call the green season. You’ll explore unconventional locales, make new friends and save some of your own green. ■
There’s more to Western Visayas than Boracay BY AZER N. PARROCHA Philippines News Agency MANILA — Western Visayas is popular for Boracay but that’s not all as Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo is bent on crossselling the region’s other province destinations. Teo said on Friday that DOTRegion VI is currently offering a wide variety of tour itineraries in efforts to cross-sell different attractions. Cross-selling refers to selling a different product or
service to existing customers. “Region 6 has so much to offer for all types of visitors. They have batchoy and sweetest mangoes for those into food trips, and there’s the Ati-Atihan for those who are seeking exotic festivity,” Teo said. She noted that among the available itineraries include activities centered on naturebased tourism, eco-tourism, sun and beach, diving and marine sports, cruise and nautical. Also available are culture and heritage, pilgrimage, leisure and
entertainment, M.I.C.E., education, culinary, and farm tourism. Meanwhile, the tour packages include the Iloilo heritage and mystery tours, island adventure and escapade tours of Guimaras, Capiz, Antique, Aklan and Negros, as well as back-to-back trips with the island-towns of Carles, AjuyConcepcion, and the Gigantes group of islands. Tour packages consist of land and sea tourist transports, entrance fees, accredited tour guides, and typical Ilonggo www.canadianinquirer.net
meals and snacks. Undersecretary Alma Rita Jimenez pointed out that that with cross-selling of tourist destinations, localities become partners in tourism development by “sharing and exchanging” visitors. DOT Region VI Regional Director Helen Catalbas pointed out that Western Visayas is a major contributor to the country’s tourist arrivals, noting that it is the only region with two international airports (Kalibo and Iloilo) and three
domestic airports (Caticlan in Aklan; Roxas in Capiz; and San Jose de Buenavista in Antique). Nearby Negros Occidental has the Bacolod-Silay International Airport. It remains a part of Western Visayas until the newly-formed Negros Region is activated. The region is currently featured at the DOT Showroom, highlighting the destinations, native crafts and farm produce from the provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras and Iloilo. ■
FRIDAY MAY 26, 2017
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Food Here are 2 side salads that play nicely with grilled food THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA MOTHER’S DAY has really coopted brunch (we get it — mimosas), but dads deserve their special thing, too. Luckily, Father’s Day falls right in summer’s sweet spot, just in time for June’s inaugural grilling. It may be a cliche, but if your dad is like the ones we know, you’re not allowed to handle the steaks. That still leaves you with maybe the most important job of all (don’t tell him we said that): the sides! Choosing a side dish often comes down to a gut feeling: do these items “go together?” When pairing sides with a main course, students at The Culinary Institute of America are taught to consider the balance of the overall menu. This pairing process helps prevent that feeling we’ve all had after a plate of beef brisket, macaroni and cheese, and potato salad — and explains why the sour, briny pickles are so welcomed on that same plate. Rich, fatty proteins are especially well-suited to bright flavours like vinegar and citrus juice, because they help clean your palate of the heavy mouthfeel that can exhaust you before you’ve taken your third bite. The Culinary Institute of America’s recipe for Mexican-style Corn Salad is a play on elote, a popular Mexican street food. Elote is grilled corn smothered in Mexican crema, cotija cheese, chili powder, and a squeeze of lime. You can find this treat all over Mexico and in much of the southwestern United States, both on the cob or served in a cup. This version is less rich than the dish that inspires it, subbing crema for a tangy mix of olive oil and fresh lime juice. With the addition of crisp vegetables, this cold salad is the perfect accompaniment to grilled ribeye or tender pulled pork. On the other side of the spec-
trum, our Warm Vegetable Noodle Salad celebrates the noodle vegetable trend. Though this recipe doesn’t require a noodle maker, you can certainly use one, or buy pre-noodled veggies for a fun presentation. Tossed quickly in your saute pan, this dish takes the best of summer’s bounty and transforms it into a warm salad that is a no-brainer with chicken kabobs or lightly charred shrimp. Probably the most desirable quality of a grilling side is convenience. Grilling for a crowd can be stressful, since most of the work happens right at the last minute, and make-ahead side dishes are the key to getting everything on the table at the same time. Make the Mexican-style Corn Salad the day ahead, or prepare the ingredients and grill the corn day-of. For the Warm Vegetable Noodle Salad, julienne your veggies the day before, and then throw them in the pan for a quick saute while your grill is preheating. If you’ve got the space, you can even cook it in a cast-iron skillet on the grill. That is, if Dad lets you. Start to finish for both salads: 45 minutes Mexican-style Corn Salad
Servings: 10
• 5 ears corn, husk attached • 1 small yellow onion, small dice • 1 green bell pepper, small dice • 1 red bell pepper, small dice • 1 scallion, sliced • 1 watermelon radish, small dice • 1 Roma tomato, small dice • 4 ounces cotija cheese, crumbled • 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil • Kosher salt, to taste • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro Prepare a grill for mediumheat cooking. Peel back the husk from the corn, but do not remove outer leaves. Use a dry towel to remove the corn silk, then replace the husk to cover the corn kernels. Soak in cold water for about 10 minutes. Grill the corn, turning occasionally, until the husks begin to char, about 5 minutes. Remove from the grill and set aside to cool. Once cool, remove the charred husks and slice the kernels from the cob and transfer to a medium mixing bowl. Add the onion, bell peppers, scallion, radish, tomato, and cheese, and mix to combine. Add the lime juice and olive oil,
and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the cilantro and toss to combine. Refrigerate until serving. Chef’s Note: This salad can be served in a large serving bowl or individually, as pictured. For the grilled onion cups, cut the top 1/3 from 10 yellow onions. Grill cut-side down until lightly charred, about 2 minutes. Cool slightly before removing the interior of the onion, leaving the 3 outside layers intact. Trim the bottom of each onion to make a level surface before filling with salad and serving. Warm Vegetable Noodle Salad
Servings: 10
• 1 pound green beans, trimmed • 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter • 1/2 cup sliced yellow onion • 1 tablespoon minced garlic • 1 pound carrots, julienned • 1 pound savoy cabbage, thinly sliced • 1 pound zucchini, julienned • 1 pound yellow squash, julienned • 2 teaspoons sugar • Kosher salt, as needed • Freshly ground black pepper, as needed • 1 tablespoons sherry vinegar • 1 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans and cook until the beans are vibrant in colour and just tender, about 1 minute. Transfer to an ice water bath to cool. Drain and cut the beans in half, lengthwise. Set aside. Melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add carrots, cabbage, zucchini, and yellow squash, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add green beans and sugar, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat, add the vinegar and parsley, and stir to combine. Serve warm or at room temperature. ■ Nutrition information per serving of corn salad: 125 calories; 68 calories from fat; 8 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 11 mg cholesterol; 210 mg sodium; 13 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 5 g protein. Nutrition information per serving of noodle salad: 93 calories; 46 calories from fat; 5 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 12 mg cholesterol; 72 mg sodium; 10 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 3 g protein.
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MAY 26, 2017
FRIDAY
Montreal’s famous St Picnic size Southwestern Zucchini Viateur bagel shop still Quiches are a snap to make rolling 60 years later BY SARA MOULTON The Associated Press
THE CANADIAN PRESS MONTREAL — Ask any Montrealer and they’ll tell you: the bagels taste different here. Chewy, sesame-rolled and slightly sweet, Montreal bagels have become internationally famous — and as Joe Morena would say, it may be better not to mess with a recipe for success. Morena’s store, St-Viateur bagel, celebrated 60 years of bagelmaking with a block party in Montreal’s Mile End neighbourhood on Sunday, complete with music, games and, of course, bagels. As on any other day, dozens of people at a time lined up outside the bakery to buy hot bagels, fresh out of the oven and served in brown paper bags. While Montrealers will dispute which shop makes the best bagels in town (some are fiercely loyal to Fairmount bagel a few streets over), most agree it’s the distinctive baking process that gives the city’s bagels their taste. “Since day one we’ve always made the bagels the same way — hand-rolled, boiled in honey water, dipped in sesame and baked in a wood-burning oven,” Morena said. Since he started working at St-Viateur in 1962, Morena says he’s rolled bagels for Leonard Cohen, Celine Dion and William Shatner, among others. He became an owner in 1974, and his three sons have since
joined him in the business, which has grown to eight locations in the Montreal area including several cafes. They also have an online site that ships bagels across North America. The formula is also spreading in other ways, as a number of Montreal-style bagel shops have been cropping up in other cities — many run by former employees. Irfan Khan, who co-owns a shop in Toronto, said he learned his craft working at a number of Montreal bagel shops including St-Viateur. His Bagel Time shop on Danforth Ave. features a custommade wood-burning oven, and his bagels are made following the Montreal formula — down to the exact amount of honey in the water, he said. He said many ex-Montrealers have been showing up since he opened three weeks ago, excited for a taste of home. “If you miss anything in the recipe, you can’t get the same taste,” he said in a phone interview. One city that still does thing differently is New York City, whose citizens still prefer a larger, softer style. But when asked to comment on the long-standing rivalry, Moreno stays diplomatic. “They’re used to eating those big fluffy bagels that I don’t consider a bagel,” he said. “But they like their bagels, so who am I (to judge)? ■
Microsoft Surface... ❰❰ 32
processors inside will be faster, and lowerend models will ditch
the fan. The Surface’s stylus will now mimic pencil shading when tilted, much like the Apple Pencil for iPad Pro tablets. Along with this, Microsoft plans upgrades to its popular Office software with new pencil-like features. Microsoft will sell the stylus separately for $100. The new Pro will start at about $800 and will be available June 15 in about two dozen countries, including the U.S., China, Japan,
South Korea and much of Europe. A keyboard cover starts at about $130, or about $170 for a version that feels like fabric rather than plastic. Microsoft will have a version with cellular capabilities this summer, but didn’t immediately disclose the price. Samsung already has one out through Verizon in the U.S. for $1,300. Microsoft also recently announced a laptop — without a detachable screen — aimed at students. That also comes out on June 15, starting at about $1,000. ■
YOU’D THINK quiche would be a summer picnic staple. In practice, the beloved cheese pies are too darn messy. Cutting one into slices while you’re sitting in the wild or at the beach can be tricky. And if you figure, “Aha! I’ll slice it up ahead of time,” you discover there’s no easy way to transport the individual wedges. Finally, however you transport your quiche to the picnic, it’s gotta be served with a knife and fork. No way. Picnics are all about finger food. This recipe for Picnic Size Southwestern Zucchini Quiches provides a snazzy solution to the problem — individual cupcake-sized pies, each one neatly ensconced in its own liner. And making them is a snap because I’ve swapped out the typical labour-intensive pastry pie crust for a crumb crust made with butter-moistened Triscuit crackers. (In fact, any kind of cracker will do. So will bread crumbs.) It’s sort of like a savory version of a graham cracker crust. The filling consists of eggs, cottage cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, shredded sauteed zucchini and canned chiles. You’re welcome to replace the Monterey Jack with a different cheese and the zucchini with a different cooked vegetable. Just be sure to keep the amounts the same. This filling is poured on top of the crumb crust and baked in muffin tins. Transporting the finished quiches to the picnic is a cinch — they ride in the tins. And these little guys hold their shape beautifully. You just pick up one, peel back the paper and eat it as you would a cupcake. (I recommend using cupcake liners made of brown parchment paper, if you can find them.) And they’re versatile, too — delicious right out of the oven, at room temperature, or even cold. Picnic Size Southwestern Zucchini Quiches
Start to finish: 1 hour, 15 minutes Servings: 6
• 22 whole Triscuit crackers www.canadianinquirer.net
ground fine in a food processor (about 1 cup) or 1 cup finely ground cracker crumbs of your choice or dried bread crumbs • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, divided • 1 medium zucchini (about 6 ounces) • Kosher salt • 1/2 cup finely chopped onion • 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder • 3 large eggs • 6 ounces coarsely grated Monterey Jack cheese (about 2 1/2 cups) • 1 cup whole milk cottage cheese • One 4 1/2-ounce can chopped green chiles • Bottled salsa as an accompaniment Preheat oven to 375 F. In a medium bowl combine the crumbs with 3 tablespoons of the butter; toss well. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and slightly up the sides of twelve 1/3 cup muffin tins lined with parchment or cupcake holders. Bake the crusts in the middle of the preheated oven until they turn a slight shade darker, about 7 minutes. Remove from the oven, set aside, and reduce the oven temperature to 350 F. While the crusts are baking, grate the zucchini, preferably using the grating attachment of a food processor. Toss the zuc-
chini with 1/2 teaspoon salt; let drain in a colander for 15 minutes. Working with small handfuls, squeeze the zucchini well to remove the excess water. In a skillet heat the remaining tablespoon butter over medium-high heat, add the onion, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes. Add the zucchini and saute over medium-high heat, stirring, for 2 minutes. In a small bowl stir together flour, baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt. In a large bowl whisk the eggs well. Add the flour mixture and cheeses; stir until combined. Stir in the zucchini mixture and chiles; divide the mixture among the muffin tins. Bake the quiches in the middle of the oven until the tops are puffed and golden brown and a tester comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Eat right away (if not taking to a picnic), or let cool and then chill, covered with plastic wrap, leaving the quiches in the muffin tin. To serve: Carry the quiches to the picnic in the muffin tin and serve, topping each quiche with a spoonful of salsa. ■ Nutrition information per serving: 340 calories; 190 calories from fat; 21 g fat (11 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 156 mg cholesterol; 593 mg sodium; 22 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 17 g protein.
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FRIDAY MAY 26, 2017
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MAY 26, 2017
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