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SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

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VOL. 8 NO. 338

DISASTER-READY

President Rodrigo R. Duterte listens to Isabela Governor Faustino Dy III as the latter shows the various equipment prepared by the provincial government in responding to the victims of Typhoon "Ompong." The President later presided over a situation briefing with the members of his cabinet and local government officials at the Provincial Capitol Guest House in Isabela on September 18, 2018 to discuss the disaster response measures on the aftermath of Typhoon "Ompong." Story on page 3.

KING RODRIGUEZ / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

Myanmar to overtake PH if corruption not addressed: PRRD

BY JELLY MUSICO Philippine News Agency MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday warned that Myanmar will overtake the Philippines if corruption as well as peace and order problem will not

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2013 typhoon kills thousands in Philippines

be addressed immediately.

“If we cannot take care of corruption, mas lalo na talagang ma-overtake na tayo ng Myanmar (Myanmar will really overtake us),” Duterte said during the situation briefing on the effects of

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❱❱ PAGE 13 Myanmar to

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Philippine News

SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

FRIDAY

Militants free 3 Indonesian hostages in southern Philippines

BY JIM GOMEZ The Associated Press MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Muslim militants have freed three Indonesian men they kidnapped at sea early last year off Malaysia then brought them to their jungle hideouts in the southern Philippines, officials said Sunday.

The Indonesians were freed Friday with the help of the Moro National Liberation Front, a rebel group that signed a peace deal with the Philippinegovernment, in Indanan town in Sulu province, police said.

The released hostages, Hamdam Salim, Subandi Sattuh and Sudarlan Samansung, were to be handed to the Indonesian ambassador in southern Zamboanga city later Sunday, the military said.

While cruising on board a speedboat, the three were taken at gunpoint by suspected Abu Sayyaf militants off Malaysia’s Sabah state on Borneo island in January last year. The hostages were brought aboard motorboats to the gunmen’s jungle hideout in Sulu, a poor, predominantly Muslim province in the southern Philippines where the Abu Sayyaf has had a presence

since the late 1980s, security officials said.

An Abu Sayyaf commander, Marjan Sahidjuan, who uses nom de guerre Apo Mike, led the abductors who freed the captives in exchange for a ransom, a security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to talk to media.

Regional military spokesman Lt. Col. Gerry Besana said the military is unaware of any ransom payment and added that relentless offensives pressured the kidnappers to let go of their hostages.

Efforts by the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia to beef up security along their massive sea border have considerably eased piracy and kidnappings in the past months primarily by the Abu Sayyaf, which is blacklisted by the United States and the Philippines as a terrorist organization.

The Philippine police, however, said that the two Indonesian skippers of a Malaysian fishing boat were abducted on Tuesday off Semporna Islands in Sabah, Malaysia, and also taken by suspected militants armed with M-16 rifles toward the southern Philippines.

The Philippine military said it was trying to confirm the reported kidnapping. ■

Sen. Antonio Trillanes.

CESAR TOMAMBO / PUBLIC RELATIONS AND INFORMATION BUREAU

Trillanes says Paolo Duterte, Mans Carpio’s libel case meant to ‘harass’ him

BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer SENATOR ANTONIO “Sonny” Trillanes IV said the libel case that President Rodrigo Duterte’s eldest son, Paolo Duterte, and his son-in-law Manases “Mans” Carpio filed against him is another way to ‘harass’ him.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, September 18, Trillanes confirmed that his camp received a notice regarding the libel complaint by the younger Duterte and Carpio wherein the Senator was ordered to file a counter-affidavit within 10 days from receipt.

“Mukhang pinapaspasan nila itong libel case na ito at may mga hakbang ang aking abogado (It seems like they are rushing this libel case but my lawyer has steps on how) to deal with that particular case,” Trillanes said.

“Pero it’s very very obvious na talagang naghahanap ng mga paraan (But it is very very obvious that they are really looking for a way) to shake me down, to harass me, pero haharapin po natin ‘yan (but we will face that),” he added.

In his complaint, the former Davao City Vice Mayor accused Trillanes of making “downright false, baseless, and unfounded” claims after the latter, in a radio interview with DYAB Cebu in September 2017, said the younger Duterte and Carpio conspired with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in extorting car-hailing company Uber and other similar companies.

The Presidential son also said Trillanes “defamed and labelled” them of corruption and extortion in which the Road Board and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) were involved.

Trillanes, however, told reporters that

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he could not remember the radio interview that the younger Duterte was referring to in his complaint.

“Alam niyo for some reason, chinarge niya ako doon sa isang interview daw sa Cebu na hindi ko nga maalala kung anuman ‘yun. Pero hindi tungkol sa links niya sa ilegal na droga (You know for some reason, he charged me for an interview in Cebu that I do not even remember whatever it was. But it was not about his links with illegal drugs),” he said.

According to him, the libel suit can just be the ploy of the then Vice Mayor to ‘bring’ him to Davao City, where the Duterte family is influential.

“Very obvious ‘yung gusto nilang gawin.

Dadalhin nila sa teritoryo nila, mag-iimpluwensya sila (They are very obvious on what they were trying to do. They want to bring me in their territory where they can influence),” the Senator said.

“Alam n’yo, ‘yung mga judges diyan sa Davao City, eh nakaka-receive sila ng special allowances from the city government.

Eh ‘yung kapatid ang mayor, so maliwanag na makakaimpluwensya ‘yun (You know, those judges in Davao City, they receive special allowances from the city government. The mayor is the younger Duterte’s sister so it is clear that they can influence there),” he added, referring to Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

Trillanes, who earlier announced that he will not leave the Senate premises until the issue on the revocation of his amnesty is resolved, said he will even go to Davao City to answer the complaints against him if it is needed.

This was not the first time the Presidential son and his brother-in-law filed a civil case against the Senator. The two slapped Trillanes with a complaint in 2017 for similar accusation in relation to the P6.4-billion shabu shipment controversy. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

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Philippine policeman: Villagers refused advice to flee storm

BY AARON FAVILA AND JOEAL CALUPITAN The Associated Press ITOGON, PHILIPPINES — A Philippine police officer who tried to persuade residents of a mining camp to move to safety as a powerful typhoon approached said Tuesday they refused to leave, and a day later the storm triggered a huge landslide that buried dozens of people.

Police Senior Inspector Heherson Zambale said in an interview with The Associated Press that he was stunned after learning that the massive landslide had covered a chapel and bunkhouses in the mountain village where he and other officials had met with some of the victims a day before the tragedy struck on Saturday.

Typhoon Mangkhut, the most powerful storm to hit the Philippines this year, left at

least 74 people dead and dozens of others missing, mostly in the avalanche in the gold-mining town of Itogon in Benguet province. The storm later blew on to Hong Kong and southern China, where it caused more deaths and damage.

Zambale said he and other local officials tried to convince the villagers, mostly small-scale miners and their families, to move to a safer evacuation centre as the typhoon approached.

A villager officer who accompanied Zambale used a megaphone to warn people that Mangkhut was extraordinarily powerful and everybody should leave, he said.

The villagers told the policemen that they thought the chapel and nearby bunkhouses were on stable ground, and that they would only move away if the storm became severe, he said.

Zambale said he saw about 15 villagers outside the chapel and

bunkhouses. “Some were smiling and there were some who were just quiet. Some were listening to us,” he said.

Police photographs obtained by the AP showed the officers in hard hats and light green raincoats talking with the villagers outside of what appears to be the concrete chapel and nearby bunkhouse, with piles of sandbags nearby. Part of the mountain slope, covered in green foliage, can be seen behind the buildings.

Zambale, who has battled insurgents and criminals for eight years, said he had a bad feeling about the clearing where the buildings stood near a river, surrounded by tall mountains.

Some villagers heeded the warnings and left before the typhoon struck.

“But many were left behind,” Zambale said.

Rescuers have recovered 14 bodies from the avalanche and at least 58 other people remain

OMPONG AFTERMATH. Aerial shot of Northern Luzon.

missing, he said. Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan said Monday it was unlikely any of the missing are still alive, although rescuers continued to search.

Regional police commander Rolando Nana said a special police unit scanned the landslidehit area with radar that can detect heart beats, but found no sign of life.

As more than 300 rescuers, including police and soldiers, used shovels and picks

to search for the missing, Zambale said he still remembers the faces of the villagers he tried to convince to flee.

“I really feel sad, I cannot describe the emotion,” he said.

“It’s not only the people who don’t listen. They have children, wives, elderly parents who will all suffer.” ■ Associated Press journalists Jim Gomez and Bullit Marquez in Manila contributed to this report.

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Duterte urges public to donate to gov’t instead of TV stations

BY AZER PARROCHA Philippine News Agency MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Tuesday urged the public to send donations for victims of Typhoon Ompong (Mangkhut) to the government, particularly the military, and or humanitarian organization Red Cross instead of private TV stations.

“I will not mention it but yung mga (those) prominent TV network, I’m giving you a testimony, personal. Ang sabi (They say), mag-donate kayo, used clothes ganun, sa kanila (to them) then they’ll give you a bank account number where you can deposit your donation. You’re better off giving it to government or to the military and let them distribute it direct,” Duterte said in a situation briefing at the Provincial Capitol Guest House in Isabela.

Duterte claimed that he personally saw how staff members of a TV station, which he did not name, would sort out donations that were usable for them.

Pres. Rodrigo Duterte.

“Because I have a TV program, nakikita ko yung matatanda diyan sa opisina (I can see the older employees in the office) they were sorting out the things that were usable or are usable for them,” Duterte said.

“Maniwala kayo sa akin (Believe me) as your president, I’m giving you what I saw and what I have learned so ’yan lang muna (that’s all for now),” he added.

The President acknowledged that people have a tendency to distrust the government’s sincerity in terms of disaster relief efforts but noted that most officials are really just doing their job.

“Hindi naman mapilit ang perception ng tao sa amin (We cannot force the perception of people on us),” Duterte said.

“But most of the officials who have sworn their duty to the people, nandiyan ‘yan nagta-trabaho (they’re just doing their job),” he added.

Duterte also lauded the local government units (LGUs) of Isabela province for their quick disaster response on the onslaught of the typhoon.

KING RODRIGUEZ / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

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“Ang pumunta ako dito is (I came government every year. here) to congratulate the officials, the Duterte said he did not “hate” mingovernor, vice governor and everybody ing as long as it was legal, but noted that of you who were ready at the forefront such an activity “cannot go on.” really to face the onslaught and I admire “I do not hate mining--it’s allowed but the preparation…” Duterte said.

I would say that the time has come when He called on ofour motherland is ficials anew to build overused and abused more gyms that could and this cannot go serve as refuge cenon,” Duterte said. ters for families dis“I’d like to ask them placed by calamities Duterte how much PHP70 and minimize the use claimed that billion can do to the of public schools as he personally country if you comevacuation centers. saw how staff pare it to the losses Duterte, meanmembers of of the Philippines bewhile, said he was una TV station, cause of mining,” he sure about calling for which he did added. a revolution against not name, Duterte earlier said mining, noting that it would sort out he would someday has “abused” the redonations that confront Congress sources of the counwere usable for on the need to close try. them. the mining industry He criticized “minfollowing the Itogon ing people” for ocmining site tragedy. cupying and mining “He (Duterte) has watershed areas. insinuated already that it is right time “I don’t know if I’d have to call a revolu- for everyone to consider doing away tion just for mining. Revolution in the sense with mining,” Presidential spokesperthat I’ll not use the arms but I’ll force them son Harry Roque said. out,” Duterte said, adding that he would Roque said the President is amenable have to consult with his economic team. that his suggestion would need a legislaThe mining industry has been con- tive approval, possibly by repealing the tributing at least PHP70 billion to the Philippine Mining Act. ■

South Korea donates P16.2-M to typhoon-hit PH PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY MANILA — The South Korean embassy in Manila on Tuesday announced a USD300,000 or about PHP16.2 millionworth of humanitarian assistance to the typhoon-hit regions in the Philippines.

“To help relieve the suffering of communities from the typhoon damages, the government of the Republic of Korea had decided to provide the Philippines

with humanitarian aid of USD300,000 through an appropriate channel,” the embassy said in a statement.

The embassy expressed optimism that the victims of Typhoon Ompong (Mangkhut) will recover from the destruction to properties and loss of lives.

“The Korean people and the Government of the Republic of Korea are deeply saddened by the news of hardship Filipinos are going through, including massive number of casualties and inju-

ries,” it said.

“We are confident that the people of the Philippines, under the leadership of President Rodrigo Duterte, will recover from the damages soon.”

South Korea is among the foreign governments and international organizations, which have provided aid to the Philippines on its recovery and relief efforts in the aftermath of “Ompong.”

Earlier, the French embassy in Manila also expressed readiness to extend pos-

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sible assistance to the country.

“We extend our sympathy to all affected by this catastrophe, and express our solidarity with the Philippine authorities, with which we stand ready to examine the assistance and aid they may need to face the consequences of this tragedy,” it said in a statement.

As of 6 a.m. Tuesday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said a total of 893,844 persons were affected by the typhoon. ■

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FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

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Philippine News

SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

FRIDAY

AP WAS THERE:

2013 typhoon kills thousands in Philippines

BY TODD PITMAN The Associated Press TACLOBAN, PHILIPPINES — Filipinos are facing the powerful Typhoon Mangkhut with the memory of another devastating storm still fresh in their minds.

Nearly five years ago, Typhoon Haiyan left more than 7,300 people dead or missing, flattened entire villages, swept ships inland and displaced more than 5 million in the central Philippines — well to the south of Mangkhut’s path. Haiyan demolished about a million houses and displaced more than 4 million people in one of the country’s poorest regions.

The Associated Press is republishing this Nov. 13, 2013, story written by Todd Pitman in Tacloban, the city hardest hit by the typhoon. *** TACLOBAN, PHILIPPINES — Two days before the typhoon hit, officials rolled through this city with bullhorns, urging residents to get to higher ground or take refuge in evacuation centres. Warnings were broadcast on state television and radio.

Some left. Some didn’t.

Residents steeled themselves for the high winds, floods and mudslides that routinely come with the typhoons that afflict this tropical nation. But virtually no one was prepared for Typhoon Haiyan’s storm surge, a 6-meter-high (20-foot-high) wall of water headed straight for them.

“It was supposed to be safe,” said Linda Maie, who stayed in her one-room house more than half a kilometre (mile) inland.

She had heard the warnings but said her Tacloban (tuk-LOHban) neighbourhood “has never even flooded in my 61 years.”

Her family stocked up on canned food, water and candles and covered their TV, laptops and appliances in plastic bags. But when her 16-year-old daughter, Alexa Wung, awoke at 5 a.m. Friday to howling winds and heavy rain, it was clear that Haiyan was not a typical storm.

The house was shaking. Its wooden door frame and window hinges were banging. Peeking through the windows, Alexa saw doors and screens flying

Tacloban after Typhoon Haiyan.

TROCAIRE / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, CC BY 2.0

and crashing. across the islands so fast that came through the doors. The Their neighbourhood was the country might have escaped master bed was floating. coming apart. a major catastrophe. The real“Then we all got on the piano, Water began seeping in ity was that Tacloban and other and it started floating through through the doorway as Alexa hard-hit communities had been the hallway,” he said. “The wahuddled in the tiny house with cut off, with electricity and cell- ter kept rising, and we eventuher mother and brother. Then phone towers knocked out. ally climbed up into the attic it burst through like an exploThe worries, in Talcoban and and stayed there for a day and sion, ripping half the door off around the world, had been a half.” and quickly flooding the room on the wind much more than *** with knee-high water. Within the water. That’s why many of In another part of Tacloban, minutes, it was chest-high. the 800,000 people who were Eflide Bacsal was standing By now, the family was on the evacuated found themselves in the kitchen of her family’s dining table, watching in hor- in seemingly sturdy concrete home when the wall of water hit ror. Alexa’s brother, Victor Vin- buildings that could not protect with a furious roar. cent, glanced at the ceiling as them when the storm surge sea “It was like a bomb BOOM!” the precious pocket of air grew water pushed by the typhoon said her 23-year-old sister, smaller. They thought of escap- rushed in.

Gennette Bacsal. “It felt like an ing, but Linda earthquake.” couldn’t swim.

The wave Alexa checked smashed through her cellphone. the windows and It was 8:30 a.m.

But I had no idea it was going to be swept Eflide off The icon for her this hell. … Nobody imagined what her feet, sucking mobile service was about to happen. the 26-year-old provider was reunder the swirlplaced with a ciring water. She cle with a slash frantically waved through it. her arms, trying “I knew then that even if we “Everybody knew a big storm to find something to grasp. Her could scream for help, nobody was coming,” said Mark Burke, fingers closed around the power in the world could hear us,” Al- an American native of Washing- cord to the refrigerator. She held exa said. “We were cut off from ton state who lives in Tacloban on as tight as she could and tried everything.” with his three small children to pull herself to the surface, And the water was still rising. and worked as a civilian pilot on but the water only pushed her *** contracts supporting U.S. naval deeper.

It would be more than a day forces in the region. “But I had She couldn’t breathe. before the outside world knew no idea it was going to be this Couldn’t think. Couldn’t see. what had happened. hell. … Nobody imagined what In her panic, she began swalHaiyan was among the most was about to happen.” lowing water. Everything went powerful typhoons on record The water rose so high that black. She felt herself dying. when it struck, with wind es- some residents punched holes She surrendered. timates at landfall as high as in their roofs with their bare And then, a hand appeared 315 kph (195 mph). But the hands to escape. her father’s. He grabbed her first news reports hours later Burke and his kids hid in a shirt and yanked her to the sursuggested that it had moved bedroom until a wall of mud face. www.canadianinquirer.net

He hauled Eflide to the second floor of their home, where they waited along with Eflide’s sisters and mother until the surge had passed.

Other family members were less fortunate. Relatives including Eflide and Gennette’s brother, 38-year-old Gonathan Bacsal, had taken refuge in a church, but they fled as water rushed in. As they ran through nearby woods, a cousin was decapitated by a piece of metal that whizzed through the air.

Young and elderly relatives who could not swim were trapped by the rising water, but the family said Gonathan rescued many of them. He, too, was killed by debris: The storm blew several nails and a shard of metal into his neck. *** As Alexa and her family stood on their dining table, they contemplated their own deaths.

The water was at Alexa’s chest, and her mother’s chin.

“Where will we go? What can we hang on to?” Alexa cried.

They were still amazed by the flood. No typhoon could cause this, Alexa thought.

Then her mother was splashed by water on her lips.

It was salty. It dawned on them: This was from the sea.

Fish flittered across Alexa’s back, and she recoiled in a panic.

The family was at their very limit, and so, thankfully, was the storm. The water stopped rising, and began, very slowly, to recede. It was again kneehigh by the time Alexa walked outside.

Their neighbourhood, of barber shops and restaurants and homes and streets filled with small buses known here as jeepneys, was gone. There was only a vast sea of debris: wooden beams filled with nails, shattered toilets and glass, concrete rubble, uprooted trees, twisted power transformers.

Survivors wandered, dazed and wounded, covered in mud and grime. Many were barefoot with seeping gashes in their feet and bruises all over. Some covered their wounds with cloth, or diapers.

“Tacloban was unrecognizable,” Alexa said. “It was as if ❱❱ PAGE 10 2013 typhoon

Philippine News

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

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No special treatment for Palparan at Bilibid PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY MANILA — There will be no special treatment for retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan who will be detained at the maximum security compound of the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City, Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said Monday.

The BuCor chief said the retired Army official will undergo normal procedures.

“The (first) five days quarantine period, he will undergo medical examination to determine (his) physical state and mental health. Then he will (undergo) briefing on prison rule and regulations,” dela Rosa told reporters.

Dela Rosa said once Palparan arrives at the NBP, he will go to

Reception Diagnostic Center (RDC) and will stay there for 60 days.

“Then after five days, the remaining 55 days will be used for assessment purposes to assess him on what program will be reformatory or rehabilitation program to undergo while serving his sentence. After 60 days, we will be ready to transfer (him) to his regular dormitory,” dela Rosa told reporters on Monday when sought for comment.

Dela Rosa noted that Palparan will be placed at the maximum security compound because he was sentenced to reclusion perpetua or imprisonment of up to 40 years, which is the highest penalty.

On Monday, the Malolos City Regional Trial Court (RTC) found Palparan and Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado Jr. and S/Sgt. Edgardo Osorio guilty of kid-

Jovito Palparan.

napping and serious illegal detention in connection with the disappearance of University of

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the Philippines (UP) students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan in 2006.

Malolos RTC Branch 15 Judge Alexander Tamayo sentenced the three to reclusion perpetua or imprisonment of up to 40 years.

They was also ordered by the court to pay the amount of pay PHP300,000 each in civil indemnity and moral damages to the families of the two UP students.

On Aug. 12, 2014, Palparan was arrested in a house in Sta. Mesa, Manila after three years in hiding.

He was arrested by virtue of an arrest warrant issued by the Malolos RTC in 2011 in connection with the kidnapping and serious iallegal detention charges filed by the relatives of the two missing UP students.

Prior to the promulgation of the case, Palparan was detained in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City. ■

Cimatu orders review of all ‘Minahang Bayan’ applications PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY MANILA — Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu has ordered the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) to “revisit and validate” all applications for People’s Small-Scale Mining Areas or “Minahang Bayan” sites across the country to determine their safety against geological hazards.

“We will be stricter in approving Minahang Bayan sites, and affirm whether they conform to standards that are safe, especially for the miners,” Cimatu said.

The DENR chief also directed the MGB to make sure the shelters provided to small-scale miners are safe and do not pose risk to them.

“Their (small-scale miners) residences should be far enough from identified geohazard areas,” he said.

Cimatu issued the statement after the MGB office in the Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR) confirmed that 10 associations of small-scale miners had been granted temporary

mining contracts in Itogon, Benguet, pending the declaration of a Minahang Bayan.

Itogon is site of recent typhoon-induced landslides, where dozens have remained missing and feared dead as of posting time.

The landslides were a result of torrential rainfall brought by Typhoon Ompong, which battered the region over the weekend.

Cimatu immediately ordered the revocation of all the temporary contracts effective immediately, and called a halt to all small-scale mining activities in the region.

The contracts were issued by virtue of Executive Order (EO) 79 issued in 2012. EO 79 aims to implement mining reforms in the country to ensure environmental protection and promote responsible utilization of mineral resources.

One of the provisions to improve small-scale mining activities is to allow them only within declared Minahang Bayan sites (public mine sites), pursuant to Republic Act 7076 or the People’s Small Scale Mining Act of 1991.

Cimatu said he would request the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police to help the MGB impose complete stoppage of all mining activities in CAR. He also ordered the MGB to review all geohazard maps in the country and determine which are in known mining sites.

The environment chief then urged local government units (LGUs) to consult geohazard maps prepared and issued by the DENR, which clearly indicate landslide and flood-prone areas.

The LGUs, he said, should “not hesitate in evacuating residents and workers during calamities, even if you have to carry them out bodily.”

“Their lives are more important,” he added.

Cimatu also underscored the need to regulate small-scale mining, and ensure their compliance with regulations on human and environmental safety, such as health and sanitation, prohibition on the use of mercury, and containment of tailings. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

SENATOR MANNY PACQUIAO / FACEBOOK

Pacquiao is new chair of Senate ethics panel

BY JOSE CIELITO REGANIT Philippine News Agency MANILA — Senator Manny Pacquiao was elected Tuesday as chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, replacing Senate President Vicente Sotto III. Sotto chaired the panel when Senator Aquilino Pimentel III was still the Senate President.

The Senate President does not chair any committee as he is considered a member of all Senate panels.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri moved for the election of Pacquiao.

Hearing no objections, Sotto approved the motion and formalized Pacquiao’s election.

Meanwhile, Senator Grace Poe was elected as member of the Ethics panel vice Pacquiao.

Poe joins Senators Panfilo Lacson, Gregorio Honasan II, Risa Hontiveros, and Paolo Benigno Aquino IV as members of the committee which hears all matters relating to the conduct, rights, privileges, safety, dignity, integrity, and reputation of the Senate and its members. ■

Philippine News

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SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

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Enough fund for free college education in 2019 available: CHED

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Member

MANILA — The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on Tuesday said there is enough budget for the implementation of the free college tuition law, despite the significant cut in the agency’s proposed budget for 2019.

“It is not true that there is no money for the implementation of RA 10931.

The budget has been increased by 3.9 billion so we are confident that the law will be implemented as the commitment of President (Rodrigo) Duterte to free higher education is very solid, “ CHED Officer-in-Charge J. Prospero De Vera III said in a press briefing in Quezon City.

De Vera added that the budget for free quality tertiary education has been increased from PHP40,000,919 in 2018 to PHP43,975,919 for 2019.

Meanwhile, CHED’s proposed PHP83.02 billion budget was down to PHP50.44 billion, resulting in a decrease of fund for its Student Financial Allocation Program which includes regular grants and merit scholarships, the “Tulong Dunong” program, tuition subsidy for medical students in eights state universities and colleges, and subsidy for children of sugarcane workers and rebel returnees.

De Vera explained that there will be no or less impact on students enrolled in public colleges and universities with regard to budget cut because their tuition and miscellaneous fees are free.

“The ones who will be affected are those in the Tulong Dunong program which supports scholars enrolled in private institutions, they will no longer have assistance from the government to offset their tuition and miscellaneous,” he said.

J. Prospero De Vera III.

DR. MARIA TERESITA SEMANA VIA PROF POPOY DE VERA / FACEBOOK

To date, there are 359,000 “Tulong Dunong” scholars who have benefited from the program even before the implementation of Republic Act 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education.

De Vera added that there are 1,200 students taking up medical programs in eight state universities and colleges and universities nationwide and children of rebel returnees who would be affected by the budget cut.

“Last year, no allocation was made for the medical, students also this year, and we will have to ask because there are certain bills which can be realigned to provide for this and we hope those bills will

become laws. For the children of rebel returnees, we will need to find ways to fund that because when the president goes around he promised to the rebel returnees he assured the future education of their children,” he said.

De Vera said they will continue to look for strategies to raise funds, citing the commission’s thrust in helping all their current scholars.

“We are working with the house and the senate to see what we can do we want to continue helping the current scholars and we are hopeful that this can be addressed during the hearings at the house and the senate,” he added. ■

‘Ompong’-affected individuals reach 1-M

BY JELLY MUSICO Philippine News Agency MANILA — The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) announced that families affected by Typhoon Ompong has climbed to some one million individuals or 264,304 families residing in 3,780 barangays in Regions 1, 2, 3, 4A, 4B, the National Capital Region (NCR) and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

In its 6 a.m. update Wednesday, the

agency said this figure is equivalent to 1,096,799 individuals.

Affected families being aided in 471 evacuation centers are placed at 15,577 or around 61, 271 persons.

While those being helped in the outside are placed at 21,587 families or 87,209 individuals.

A total of 6,479 houses were reported damaged, 572 totally and 5,907 partially, in Regions 1, 2, 3, and the CAR. As of Wednesday, the casualty count from the typhoon is still placed at eight dead, two missing, and 21 injured.

Typhoon Ompong has also affected

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288 road sections and six bridges in Region 1, 2, 3, 5, CAR, of which 180 road sections and four bridges are now passable as of Sept. 19.

A total of 386 flooded areas were reported in Regions 1, 3, 4A, 4B, of which flooding in 79 localities have already subsided.

While damages to agriculture is pegged at PHP14,339,237.631,02 at Regions 1, 2, 3, 4A, and the CAR. Affected farmers in the CAR alone is placed at 171,932, the NDRRMC added. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

9

Telco services being Solon seeks PRRD nod FSL restored in areas as national language affected by ‘Ompong’ PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY

PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY

Highway, Caggay; Cagayan Capitol Grounds; Barangay halls of Ugac Sur, Ugac Norte, Cataggaman Nuevo, Pardo, Viejo, MANILA — Communications Linao Norte and Linao del Sur; services are being restored in Ilocos Norte capitol grounds; areas that were affected by Ty- Pasuquin municipal hall; Baphoon Ompong amid repairs on rangay Fuerte, Caoayan, Ilocos the network facilities of tele- Sur; Bantay, Ilocos Sur; Candon communications firms.

Plaza, Ilocos Sur; Barangay LaGlobe Telecom said all its binab West Tabacal in Cauayan, cell sites in the provinces of Isabela; Bejosano Subdivision Cagayan, except the municipal- Public Market in Ilagan, Isaity of Baggao, Apayao and Ilocos bela; and Barangay Uno in TuNorte, are fully restored as of 6 mauini, also in Isabela. p.m. Sunday (Sept. 16).

Globe has likewise extended The telco expects to restore its free, unlimited GoWiFi sernetwork coverage in Baggao on vice — in partnership with the Monday once the fallen trees Robinson’s Malls at the foland toppled electric posts are lowing malls until Wednesday, cleared.

September 19: Robinsons IloBaggao was cos, Robinsons among the arLaoag, and Robeas hardest hit insons Tuguegby Ompong, acarao. cording to the PLDT and its Department of We are wireless subsidDefense. expecting iary, Smart ComPower outages full munications, and multiple firestoration said its services ber cuts caused of services in Northern and by the strong in affected Central Luzon winds resulted to areas within are now at 96 network disrupthe day percent restored tions in Cagayan, depending a day after OmApayao, Abra on the pong struck and Ilocos Norte. availability these areas on “We want to of Saturday. assure our cuscommercial Network restomers that power. toration works Globe is exerting for Smart’s moall means posbile services are sible to immebeing conducted diately restore in the provinces telecommunicaof Cagayan, Bentions services in areas adverse- guet, Apayao, Mountain Provly affected by Typhoon Om- ince and Kalinga. The typhoon pong,” said Peter Tan, head of caused power outages and damoperations, of Globe’s Network aged network facilities in these Technical Group. areas, causing significant im“We are expecting full res- pact in the telco’s operations. toration of services in affected “PLDT and Smart network areas within the day depending restoration teams have been on the availability of commer- working round-the-clock to cial power,” he added. bring back voice, SMS and data Globe has deployed critical services to the affected areas,” tools and equipment to facili- PLDT-Smart said in its statetate the process of recovering ment. its service and working round Smart has set up its Libreng the clock to repair damaged fa- Tawag and charging stations cilities. to residents affected by the tyIt has deployed additional Li- phoon as it continues to conbreng Tawag and free charging duct restoration activities on stations this morning in Shell its facilities. ■ Station Tuguegarao, National

MANILA — Senator Francis Escudero is urging President Rodrigo R. Duterte to sign into law the measure declaring Filipino sign language (FSL) as the national sign language following the adoption of the Senate version of the bill at the House of Representatives.

“I thank our House counterparts and all those who worked hard for the passage of this bill.

I hope the President will sign it,” the chairman of the Senate committee on education, arts and culture said in a news release issued Tuesday.

Escudero said sign language is not an international or universal language since each country may have different sign languages, depending on its own native tongue.

“We want to recognize our own sign language for the benefit of deaf Filipinos who are in need of better access to communication and information.

We want them to know and to feel that we recognize and uphold their fundamental rights,” the senator said.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO),

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CHIZ ESCUDERO / FACEBOOK

more than 5 percent of the world’s population, or about 466 million people, have disabling hearing loss. Out of this number, 34 million are children.

In the Philippines, however, hearing impairment was at 17 percent or 97,957 per 577,345 population, based on data from the Department of Health National Registry in 1997.

The World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) said about 70 million deaf people use sign language as their mother tongue and that it is also the first language of some deaf-blind people.

Under the bill, FSL will be promoted and supported as the language of official communication in public transactions involving the deaf. The

bill will also be mandating the use of FSL in schools, broadcast media and in the workplaces where there are deaf people.

FSL will be the medium of instruction in deaf education and will also be the official language of legal interpretation in public hearings, proceedings and other legal transactions of courts and tribunals concerning deaf people.

Escudero reiterated that having our own national sign language is in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which seeks to “promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms of persons with disabilities.” ■

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Philippine News

SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

108 Filipinos under UAE amnesty program arrive in Manila

BY JOYCE ANN L. ROCAMORA Philippine News Agency MANILA — A total of 108 Filipinos from Dubai who availed of the amnesty program of the United Arab Emirates government arrived in Manila on Wednesday.

The latest batch, composed of an infant and 107 overseas Filipino workers, brings to 838 the total number of Filipinos repatriated since August 2018.

The amnesty program of the UAE government started in August and is expected to end by October 2018. Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Sarah Lou Arriola estimates that there are around 10,000 undocumented and overstaying Filipinos in the Gulf state. ployer in 2008 and has since as a stay-in employee.”

“Only few have registered, we worked part-time in different Similar to others, the 60-year estimate that there are 10,000 households. old Filipina from Ilocos Norte to 15,000 (undocumented/ “Now, I’m really glad to be has yet visited her home until overstaying) Filipinos (in home,” the Filipina from Zam- the amnesty and repatriation UAE),” she told the Philippine boanga said. came September 2018.

News Agency Most of the (PNA). repatriates from Of this figure, the latest batch the official exadmitted they plained some are entered UAE opting to avail of I had to pay rent because I can’t possessing tourUAE’s “job seekwork as a stay-in employee. ist visas in search er’s visa,” which for employment. allows them to Meanwhile, fix their employsome were document papers mented but ran within a period of six months.

Another overstaying Filipina, away from their employers due “Some chose to stay, while Leticia Gawiran, also expressed to abuse and unfair working some opted to come home,” she gratitude for the assistance ex- conditions. noted. tended to her after availing of According to Arriola, the A 54-year old factory worker the amnesty.

DFA, through its assistanceturned domestic helper who Gawiran has been working to-nationals fund and the legal asked not to be named said as a domestic helper in Dubai assistance fund, financed all paUAE’s amnesty and the repa- since 2003. Her working visa pers and even the OFWs plane triation program of the Depart- expired in 2007 and has also tickets. ment of Foreign Affairs allowed worked in different employers.

Upon arrival at the Ninoy her to come home from her 11“After leaving my employer, Aquino International Airport, year stay in Dubai.

I’ve worked in different house- the returning Filipinos were Overworked and paid with holds,” she told the PNA. “I had also given USD100 cash assisvery low wage, she left her em- to pay rent because I can’t work tance each. ■

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FRIDAY

2013 typhoon... ❰❰ 6

Tacloban never existed at all.” *** There was something else in the flatted landscape: corpses.

And five days after Haiyan levelled Tacloban, many are still there.

Scores of them lay at roadsides for authorities to retrieve, covered with whatever people could find corrugated iron rooftop slabs, wooden planks, cardboard, a broken desk drawer.

Two bodies wrapped in white tarps lay on a bus-stop bench.

Another sat on the ground below. People rolling luggage and carrying backpacks walked past, covering their mouths to protect against the sickly stench.

One orange dump truck moved through the city to collect the remains. Emergency workers unloaded a dozen of them at building that once sold souvenirs. In all, there were more than 170 bodies in black bags, spread side by side.

Bulldozers have cleared debris from most main streets, but the sidewalks are filled with everything imaginable: broken speakers, typewriters, cables, artificial Christmas trees.

There have been no major food distributions. The city’s main hospital has been gutted.

Medicines are running out. Police can be seen chasing scavengers through the streets.

International humanitarian organizations have yet to arrive. With no tents, people are sleeping in destroyed homes.

One family took shelter in the shade of a giant uprooted tree, and cooked under a ripped grey rooftop held down with a broken basketball pole.

And some people are even farther away from help. On Tuesday, military helicopters flew 15 minutes from Tacloban to the wasteland of a town called Tanawan, past a lake with bodies still floating in it and over bridges that had collapsed.

Amid the ruins, desperate residents frantically waved their arms. Many had scrawled desperate messages in the ruins: “HELP! FOOD. WATER.” Some messages appeared to be in chalk. One cry for help was spelled out in white clothing. *** Today, American and Filipino C-130 cargo aircraft roar constantly at the Tacloban airport.

Each plane can only take out around 150 people, and every flight is a disappointment to hundreds of residents left behind on the tarmac.

Gennette and Eflide have made it to Cebu. Burke and his kids flew to Manila.

Alexa and her mother walked two hours to the ravaged airport terminal in hopes of leaving. Victor asked them to leave, so he could worry about guarding the house instead of feeding them.

They were near the front of the flight line on Tuesday.

But after a C-130 landed, the crowd surged to try to get to the plane. The crush of people was so intense that a 7-year-old girl passed out. Alexa and Linda could not endure it and stepped away.

They sat on a curb, under an umbrella. Alexa was in tears.

Their destroyed city lay behind them, an apocalyptic graveyard marked with disfigured trees and ruin. They said the government, and the world, had done nothing to help them.

Their new plan: to leave Tacloban by bus and reach relatives in Manila.

Alexa said she will return, eventually.

“Filipinos have a saying: Weeds don’t die easily,” she said. “When it’s safe, when there is electricity, when it’s livable, I’ll come back.” ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

11

Trillanes ‘in paranoia’ over casing claim: Palace

BY JELLY MUSICO Philippine News Agency MANILA — Senator Antonio Trillanes IV could be in a state of paranoia for claiming suspicious-looking men have been casing his house while he remains holed up in the Senate, Malacañang said Tuesday.

“First, it’s drama; now it appears to be paranoia,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said when asked in a Palace press briefing about the opposition senator’s claim.

Trillanes has also reportedly said the suspicious-looking men on board “unregistered” vehicles could be from the government intelligence units.

Roque refuted Trillanes’ suspicion, saying President Rodrigo Duterte has left Trillanes’ voided amnesty to the Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC).

“I think it’s very clear, the President has left the matter to the RTC of Makati; and so as the Supreme Court,” Roque said.

On August 31, Duterte issued Proclamation 572 declaring void ab initio (from the beginning) the amnesty granted by the previous administration to Trillanes.

Pres. Spokesman Harry Roque, Jr.

Duterte cited Trillanes’ failure to comply with mandatory requirements such as amnesty application form and admission of guilt to the crimes of rebellion he committed against former President and now House Speaker Gloria

Peter Lim still in PH, no need to ask Interpol help yet: DOJ

BY CHRISTOPHER LLOYD CALIWAN Philippine News Agency MANILA — There is no need for now to seek assistance from the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) in locating businessman and alleged drug lord Peter Lim. “Too early to alert Interpol. No record that Peter Lim has left the country since his indictment,” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said in a text message Wednesday.

As per records from the Bureau of Immigration (BI), Lim left the country in March and returned four days later.

Since then, there was no record of his departure from the Philippines.

Guevarra earlier warned persons coddling Lim, who has been indicted for conspiracy to trade in illegal drugs, that they will be prosecuted for obstruction of justice.

A bounty was also put up for any information that could lead to Lim’s arrest.

“The government is also ready to give a reward of PHP500,000 to anyone who can give information on the exact whereabouts of accused Peter Go Lim,

provided that such information will lead to the actual arrest of said fugitive,” Guevarra said.

During the arraignment on Aug. 28, neither Lim nor his co-accused Ruel Malindangan showed up but the other two accused — self-confessed drug dealer Rolando “Kerwin” Espinosa and Marcelo Adorco — pleaded not guilty to the two counts of the non-bailable offense of conspiracy to commit illegal drug trade.

Both Espinosa and Adorco are in government custody, while Malindangan is at-large and is also the subject of an arrest warrant issued by Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 65 Judge Gina Bibat-Palamos.

Last Aug. 14, the court issued a warrant of arrest against Lim after evaluating the information and supporting evidence filed by the Department of Justice.

Palamos also ordered the BI to prevent Lim from leaving the country by issuing a Hold Departure Order last August 17.

Espinosa, Adorco, and Malindangan are also facing two counts of conspiracy to commit illegal drug trade at the Manila RTC and Makati RTC, along with convicted drug lord Peter Co and alleged drug supplier Lovely Impal. ■

ALBERT ALCAIN / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

Macapagal-Arroyo.

In his proclamation, Duterte ordered the military and police “to employ all lawful means” to arrest Trillanes, prompting the former Navy officer to seek refuge in the Senate.

Trillanes requested for temporary

restraining order against Proclamation 572 but the Supreme Court (SC) turned it down.

Despite the SC’s verdict, Duterte still opted to wait for Makati RTC’s decision on the Department of Justice’s request to issue an alias warrant of arrest and a hold departure order against Trillanes.

Roque had earlier said Trillanes is just trying to make drama to gain political mileage for staying in the Senate since September 3, despite assurances from the government that he will not be arrested without a court order.

He said the SC ruling has actually removed legal impediment to arrest Trillanes, but Duterte decided to wait for the lower court’s decision out of respect.

“There is no legal impediment but there is such a thing as respect for the courts,” Roque said in a previous press briefing.

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said Trillanes’ amnesty was also null and void from the very beginning since it was former Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and not former President Benigno Aquino III who approved his amnesty.

Duterte, a former fiscal, has also agreed that only the President has the power to grant amnesty and pardon. ■

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The agency agreement of RC Flyer Force, as represented by Anarciso F. Ramos and LBC has been terminated effective immediately.

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4162927211 | 4162922478 if the abovementioned entity or person continues to represent themselves as agent of LBC.

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12

Philippine News

SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

FRIDAY

Nancy Binay chides Mocha Uson, Drew Olivar for ‘mocking’ sign language

BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT Secretary Margaux “Mocha” Uson and blogger Andrew Olivar are now receiving backlash from Senator Nancy Binay for ‘mocking’ sign language in their latest controversial video.

In a Facebook live shared by Uson last Thursday, September 13 to her five million followers, the Palace official asked Olivar to imitate a hearing-impaired person to which Olivar obliged.

While the blogger can be seen doing gestures and making sounds like the deaf, Uson can be heard laughing in the background.

This behavior did not sit well with Binay who authored the Filipino Sign Language (FSL) bill which will give the Filipino deaf an official medium of instruction and communication.

“Hindi nakakatuwa ang huling video ni Asec. Mocha Uson at Drew Olivar (Asec. Mocha Uson and Drew Olivar’s recent video is not funny). It is disrespectful to the sizeable deaf/ mute community who already struggle in airing their concerns and aspirations,” Binay

said on Monday, September 17.

“I wish to remind Asec. Mocha that as a public official, it is paramount that she refrain from mocking the people she serves. And just so the others also become more aware, making fun of persons with disabilities is in violation of the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons,” she continued.

Under Republic Act (RA) 9442, any person is prohibited “from vilifying any person with disability which could result into loss of self-esteem of the latter.”

For a first-time violator, he or she will be fined at least P50,000 to 100,000 or imprisonment of six months to two years, or both at the discretion of the court.

For any subsequent violation, that person will be fined at least P100,000 to P200,000 or be imprisoned for two years to six years, or both depending on the court.

Binay told Uson and Olivar that by committing such ‘discriminatory’ actions, they “set back our efforts to make our society more inclusive.”

“Again, sign language should never be made an amusement piece,” the Senator said.

Sign language is not a joke

Apart from Binay, an advocate of the Deaf community in the country also slammed the Palace official and the blogger, saying that their video has ‘reminded’ her of those individuals who disrespected her with their ‘offensive’ gestures.’

“Our natural sign language is NOT A JOKE!!! It is a visual language of the Deaf people, the means of communication of the Deaf community around the world. It serves as [a] bridge between hearing advocates and deaf people,” Ma. Anaditha Maico Angcay said.

“How would you feel if others say bad words to you? Angry?

Hurt? Disrespected? That is how we feel with your video, we felt disrespected… You work as [a] government official, right?

What gives you the right to do this to us?” she added.

Angcay said she wanted the duo to understand how much deaf people feel disrespected over their video, because of all people, hearing-impaired individuals should feel “respected and protected” by those who are in the government.

Uson and Olivar had separately issued an apology to the deaf community for their actions.

Sen. Nancy Binay.

“Humingi na po ng paumanhin si Andrew Olivar sa kaniyang pagsa-sign language na may pabiro. Gayunpaman,I take full responsibility sa ginawa ng aking radio show partner at kaibigan. Kaya po sa ating mga kapatid sadeaf community nawa’y tanggapin niyo po ang aking sorry. Please forgive me (Andrew Olivar has already apologized for his actions. Even so, I take full responsibility for what my radio show partner and friend did. So for our brothers and sisters in the deaf community, I hope you accept my apology. Please forgive me),” Uson said.

For his part, Olivar said,

NANCY BINAY / FACEBOOK

“Alam kong mali ako. Hindi ako magri-reason out (I know I’m wrong. I will not reason out).

I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry po. Patawarin niyo po ako. Patawarin niyo po ako sa pagiging insensitive ko, sa pagiging childish ko (Please forgive me. Forgive me for being insensitive and childish).”

The Palace, meanwhile, refused to give a comment, saying that it will leave the matter up to Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar.

This is the second time the two were put in the hot waters after their controversial ‘ipederalismo’ video last August. ■

Senate to closely scrutinize proposed 2019 budget

BY JOSE CIELITO REGANIT Philippine News Agency MANILA — Senate President Vicente Sotto on Tuesday assured that the Senate would closely scrutinize any amendments that the House of Representatives would make in the proposed 2019 National Expenditure Program (NEP) before it would be approved into law.

In an ambush interview, Sotto said as far as the Senate is concerned, “nothing is written in stone,” especially in very important pieces of legislation like the General Appropriations Bill (GAB).

“Before it becomes the General Appropriations Act (GAA) which is the law already, we will scrutinize it the way the Senate

scrutinizes it,” he said.

The Senate leader stressed that whatever the House amends in the GAB, whether a decrease or an increase in allocation, would be carefully studied by the Senate.

“Hindi naman kami pwedeng magpasa lang kung ano yung dumaan sa amin dito lalo na pagdating sa budget (We cannot just pass everything that is transmitted to us especially when it comes to the budget), because the budget is the single most important piece of legislation that Congress has to pass,” Sotto said.

The Senate President issued the statements amid reports that plenary deliberations on the proposed PHP3.757-trillion National Expenditure Program submitted by Malacañang were stalled, allegedly over the inclu-

sion of some PHP55 billion in “insertions.”

Sotto’s statements were backed by his colleagues, saying they will scrutinize the GAB for any “pork barrel” insertions.

Senator Panfilo Lacson said careful scrutiny is needed, especially since the Senate was able to identify billions of pesos of supposed pork barrel funds in the past.

“Oo, nagawa namin ito noong 2016. May PHP8.3 billion na na-identify (Yes, we were able to do it in 2016. We identified PHP 8.3 billion as pork),” he said in a radio interview.

“Actually nasuportahan ng kasamahan ko sa Senado, ilagay ito sa free tuition. Kaya wala pa ang batas sa free tuition, nagkaroon ng pondo na PHP8 billion (My colleagues supported the proposal to allocate it to free tuwww.canadianinquirer.net

ition. That’s why even if the law on free tuition has not yet been passed then, there is already a PHP8-billion fund),” Lacson said.

He added that another PHP86 billion in pork barrel funds were identified in the 2017 budget lumped as a single allocation for right road right of way (RROW) settlement under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

As for the reported PHP55billion pork barrel in the 2019 budget, Lacson said the funds were allocated to the Department of Education and the Department of Transportation for projects that were allegedly identified by congressmen.

“Kung kani-kanino man, yan ang hahanapin natin ngayon. Pero pork pa rin yan (We will look for them who-

ever’s projects they are. It’s still pork),”Lacson said.

Meanwhile, Senate Minority leader Franklin Drilon warned that he will oppose the passage of the GAB itself if the insertions are retained.

“I will oppose the passage of the budget and filibuster, if needed, if these pork barrel allocations/insertions remain,” Drilon said in a text message to Senate reporters.

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, on the other hand, expressed optimism that Congress would be able to pass the GAB on time despite the reported bickering in the House and the Senate’s careful scrutiny.

“We will wait for the House to pass their version of the budget. I expect the budget to be passed on time by December,” Recto said in a separate text message. ■

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

13

Time to take second serious look on mining: PRRD PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said it is time for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to take a second serious look on the mining practices in the country.

Duterte made the remark in the wake of a landslide that hit a mining site in Itogon that left 34 people dead and 42 missing at the height of Typhoon Ompong.

“That mining thing has really contributed a lot of heartaches for the Filipino people. It is time for us, particularly the DENR, General (Roy) Cimatu, to take a second look seriously now regarding the dangers of open pit mining,” Duterte said in a command conference held to assess the damage of Typhoon Ompong in Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR) at the capitol building in La Trinidad, Benguet.

“Though I must admit that we earn about 70 billion a year.

And if you’re ready to accept that as a good, as a profit, let us make it simple for the country, but in the end, how much do you lose in the process?,” he added.

Duterte said he would someday confront Congress to close the mining industry to “give the mother earth respite.”

Before the command conference, Duterte visited the families of the landslide victims.

Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher “Bong” Go informed Palace reporters that PHP25,000 worth of goods and funeral and burial assistance plus PHP20,000 cash will be given to the families of the landslide casualties.

Duterte commended all the local officials particularly mayors and governors of the typhoon-affected areas for lending their cooperation during the typhoon’s onslaught.

He also thanked the military and police personnel as well as other individuals who are working hard work “to serve the people” particularly those who remain missing.

In a separate press conference on Monday, Cimatu announced

KARL NORMAN ALONZO / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

that he has officially ordered the suspension of all small-scale mining operations in CAR “to prevent further danger in lives of small-scale miners.”

Cimatu said the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police will send troops to CAR “to effect this stoppage of all mining activities especially here in Itogon.”

He repeated his cease and desist order in front of the President, calling on the small-scale miners to cooperate and stop all mining activities in the region.

In the same press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque assured that the national and local governments will not stop the search and rescue operations until all the missing people are accounted for.

“Patuloy ang (We will continue) search and rescue efforts particularly in Itogon. Hindi tayo titigil hanggang hindi naaaccount ang lahat (We will not stop until everyone is accounted for),” Roque assured.

Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs Francis Tolentino informed the President that the around 12,000 miners bound to be affected by the small-scale mining suspension will be provided with emergency employment and livelihood assistance.

In his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July, Duterte warned the mining industry not to destroy the environment, saying environmental protection is one of his

government’s priorities.

“To the mining industry, I say this once again and maybe for the last time, do not destroy the environment or compromise our resources; repair what you have mismanaged,” Duterte said in his SONA. “Try to change management radically because this time, you will have restrictive policies — a prohibition of open-pit mining is one,” he added.

During his visit in Ilocos Norte on Sunday, Duterte said he is “hell-bent” on stopping destructive mining in the country.

“I pity my country. And if I do not decide really to stop it. Although we are earning PHP70 billion in taxes in mining. But if you compare it with the destruction and on the long term, our children will suffer,” Duterte said.

“Mining must stop. And if I cannot stop it during my time as President, nobody can. Because it’s big business and the pressure is just too great,” he added.

He said destructive mining would “result in a perdition for the country.”

Duterte said open-pit mining operations have created holes like bottle cap on lands which caused for soil erosion and other environmental hazards.

On Tuesday, Duterte is scheduled to visit Isabela, another “Ompong”’s hard-hit provinces in northern Luzon.

Last Sunday, he visited Tuguegarao City in Cagayan province and Ilocos Norte. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

Myanmar to... ❰❰ 1

Typhoon Ompong in Duterte, meanwhile, lauded Isabela province. the soldiers for their “unwaverA report of the ing dedication” to protect the World Bank in 2017 showed the people and defend the nation.

Philippines was the third big“By being here, we also honor gest economy behind Indone- the sacrifices of our wounded sia and Thailand in Southeast and fallen soldiers who have Asia while Myanmar ranked fought for the freedom we curseventh out of 10 countries in rently enjoy. In fact, the conferthe region. ment of the Order of Lapu-Lapu Duterte said he is now per- to four of you today is proof of fecting his proposed amend- your patriotism and bravery in ments to the procurement law face of danger,” Duterte said. that he would submit “one of “Because of your valiant efthese days” to Congress. forts, we have convinced almost He did not elaborate but he a hundred NPA surrenderrecently described the lowest ors who decided to return to bid as the source of corruption the fold of the law and we also from the national government successfully recovered 45 firedown to the barangay (village) arms,” he added. level.

He also lauded the military “That lowest bid should be for their assistance particuout of the picture. It has not larly in the relief and recovery contributed to our national of communities affected by Tydevelopment. It phoon Ompong. has not contrib“The Filipino uted anything to people are gratethe lessening or ful for your herostopping of corism and as your ruption. Rather, Commander-init is being perBy being Chief, I assure petuated to this here, you that you are day, this moment we also not alone in this to just rob govhonor the fight. You have ernment of monsacrifices my full support ey,” Duterte said of our and I stand by during his visit wounded you as we secure in Ilocos Norte and fallen a safer future for last Sunday. soldiers our children,” he Duterte said who have said. the peace and fought for The war order problem the freedom against corrupis another imwe currently tion as well as mediate concern enjoy. peace and orthat should be der are two of addressed if the Duterte’s eleccounty wants to tion promises entice more inthat made him vestors and tourthe first leader of ists to come in. the country from Mindanao.

He said if the conflict in Others include the campaign Mindanao and the problem of against illegal drugs, lower insurgency will not be solved, crime rate and poverty reduc“we cannot have a progressive tion. country.”

Duterte fired some of his ap“We do not have the riches pointees allegedly linked to but we can always struggle, corruption and illegal activities. make our country safe so that He told the military that the they can come in, investors or country needs “reliable and tourists,” Duterte said. determined” leaders who will Speaking before troops at continue to fight the ills of soCamp Melchor F. dela Cruz in ciety and help in realizing a Isabela on Tuesday, Duterte shared vision of “stronger and said he is hoping thay peace will safer nation.” be achieved by the second quar“With your bravery and pater of next year. triotism, I am optimistic we will “And I think that kung maa- one day defeat all threats to our wa ang Panginoong Diyos (if sovereignty, improve the lives God will have mercy on us), this of our people and strengthen will be over by about the second the foundation of a more inquarter of next year,” Duterte clusive and progressive tomorsaid. row,” he said. ■

14

Philippine News

SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

FRIDAY

Filipino-Canadians TV network asked to submit copy concerned about of 2011 report on Trillanes' amnesty family after typhoon hits Philippines

BY CHRISTOPHER LLOYD CALIWAN Philippine News Agency

BY ALANNA RIZZA The Canadian Press MEMBERS OF Canada’s Filipino community expressed concern about family and friends in the Philippines after a fierce typhoon hit the country over the weekend, triggering landslides and building collapses that left dozens dead.

Local authorities said Typhoon Mangkhut had killed 66 people in the Philippines and four in China, where it weakened to a tropical storm that was expected to continue to produce rain and strong winds through Tuesday.

For Quebec resident Luzviminda Mazzone, the last two days had been particularly stressful as she hadn’t been able to reach her extended family in the northern part of the Philippines where the typhoon made landfall on Saturday.

“I can only pray that they’re OK,” said Mazzone, who is the president of the Federation of Filipino Canadian Associations of Quebec. “Otherwise there’s not much I can do.”

Mazzone said her cousins live in the province of Cagayan, where at least three deaths have been reported and buildings have been damaged.

“Right now the only thing I can depend on is the news for updates,” Mazzone said, adding that her association was also planning a fundraiser to support aid efforts in the region.

Augusto Cuyugan, president of the Filipino-Canadian Association of Niagara, said he had been able to reach family and

friends in the central pat of the Philippines who told him they had missed the worst of the typhoon.

While his loved ones were safe, Cuyugan said he was still concerned about others who may not have been as lucky and said his association was planning to raise money to help those in need.

“Victims of typhoons lose everything. So we need to do something here in Canada to help them out, “he said. “In Canada, and even in the United States, we have a lot of Filipinos that came here to North America...so we need to fundraise to help the victims of the typhoon.”

In Hamilton, members of the Filipino community were reaching out to check on one another.

“It’s important, with disasters like this, that communities in Canada and here in Hamilton come together because some people have relatives in those areas and they need that community,” said Ruby Amog, president of the United Filipino Canadian Seniors Association of Hamilton.

“The Filipino community is a tight community.”

Typhoon Mangkhut prompted about 87,000 people to evacuate from high-risk areas of the Philippines over the weekend.

The weather system was also the most powerful typhoon to hit Hong Kong since 1979, packing winds of 195 kilometres per hour. ■ with files from the Associated Press

MANILA — The Makati City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 150 has ordered GMA Network to provide a copy of a news report about Senator Antonio Trillanes IV availing of amnesty for soldiers who participated in the series of uprisings against the Arroyo administration.

In an order, Judge Elmo Alameda granted the ex-parte motion of the prosecution for the issuance of a subpoena duces tecum to Marissa Flores, GMA senior vice president for news and public affairs, to submit an authenticated copy of the story titled “Trillanes avails of amnesty, admits breaking rules.’”

A subpoena duces tecum or subpoena for production of evidence is a court summon ordering the recipient to appear before the court and produce documents or other tangible evidence for use at a hearing or trial.

“Accordingly, let a subpoena Duces Tecum be issued directing Ms. Marissa Flores, Senior Vice President thru Atty. Jose Vener Ibarra, General Counsel of GMA Network News TV for the production of the duly authenticated copy of the GMA News TV Report entitled: Trillanes avails amnesty, admits “breaking rules” published on January 5, 2011 3:09 p.m. by Mark Meruenas, GMANews TV and to submit it to this court,” read the order.

Alameda also ordered the TV network to furnish the Department of Justice a copy of the report.

Acting Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon said their motion is part of their reply to

www.canadianinquirer.net

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.

Trillanes’ opposition in connection with the hold departure order (HDO) and an alias arrest warrant on the Senator.

Based on the report, Trillanes admitted that he filled out an application form and signed the sections that state they were agreeing to their “general admission of guilt” that they violated military rules and the Revised Penal Code (RPC).

It cited that despite admitting guilt, Trillanes said he never regretted participating in the 2003 Oakwood mutiny.

In the 2003 uprising, some 300 soldiers, who collectively identified themselves as the “Magdalo” group, took over a posh hotel in Makati City to air their grievances against the Arroyo administration.

He insisted that he and his colleagues, who participated in the uprising, never denied that what they did in 2003 was something out of the ordinary.

The Makati RTC Branch 150 handled the rebellion case against Trillanes and other Magdalo soldiers over the Manila Peninsula siege in 2007.

The case, however, was dis-

AVITO C. DALAN / PNA

missed after former president Benigno Aquino III issued an amnesty to the mutineers.

In Proclamation 572, President Rodrigo Duterte declared the amnesty given to Trillanes as void ab initio.

During last Friday’s hearing, Alameda ordered the prosecution to submit its reply within five days to the comment/opposition filed by Trillanes on the motion of the DOJ, asking the court to issue a warrant and an HDO against him.

In his comment/opposition, Trillanes insisted that the case against him has been dismissed seven years ago and that it can no longer be revived by a mere proclamation and a motion by the DOJ. Aside from the reply and rejoinder, both parties have been required to submit their evidence to support their claims.

After the submission of all the pleadings, the court said the case is deemed submitted for resolution.

“Thereafter, the incidents shall be deemed submitted for resolution,” the Makati court order read. ■

15

Canada News ‘I am really upset:’ Video shows Trudeau meeting with Saskatchewan chiefs

BY KELLY GERALDINE MALONE The Canadian Press SASKATOON — A Saskatchewan chief says a video posted online showing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau telling First Nations leaders he is upset about how time was managed in a recent meeting is unfortunate.

Chief Bobby Cameron, with the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, said a closed-door meeting with the prime minister last week was productive, but the frustration depicted in the video is real.

“We require more time to discuss the many crises facing our First Nations communities,” Cameron said in a statement on Monday.

Trudeau met with the Saskatchewan chiefs on Sept. 12 when he was in Saskatoon for the Liberal Party’s annual caucus retreat.

In the video, which is about 3 1/2 minutes long, Trudeau said the plan was to meet with about eight people for an hourlong discussion. But around 30 people showed up and there wasn’t enough time for every-

one to speak.

Some unidentified people in the video say they drove hours to take part in the meeting but, 45 minutes in, only a handful of people had addressed the prime minister.

“I am really, really upset about this,” Trudeau said in the video.

“It wasn’t for me to interrupt the previous speakers. Bobby (Cameron), there shouldn’t have been every single person speaking for eight minutes in this meeting. That is not the spirit of reconciliation, of the nation-to-nation relationship we are supposed to have.”

Cameron said the video was not leaked by the FSIN executive or staff.

The FSIN, which represents 74 First Nations in Saskatchewan, said time will be set aside in the future for the First Nations leaders who were unable to voice their concerns.

The Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement that Trudeau was unable to get through all the issues put forward in the meeting, but looks forward to connecting with First Nations leaders in Saskatchewan in the future.

Later during a live interview

event with Maclean’s magazine in Ottawa on Monday night, Trudeau said all of the people who showed up at the meeting were divided into three groups, and that each group was supposed to get 20 minutes to speak.

He said the first group took 45 to 50 minutes, and he said he couldn’t interrupt because he wasn’t chairing the meeting.

It meant the remaining groups didn’t have the time to say what they’d wanted in the 10 minutes that was left, he said.

“So, yeah, this is something that matters deeply to me and I was frustrated that there were a number of people who’d driven hours to come, sit down and meet with the prime minister who weren’t able to because there was some poor time management taken by the organizers of the meeting,” Trudeau said.

After the video surfaced online Sunday, some criticized Trudeau.

Russ Diabo, a policy analyst who recently ran for national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, tweeted that it showed “Trudeau’s arrogance and petulance towards First Nation

JUSTIN TRUDEAU / FACEBOOK

chiefs.” He posted the video on YouTube but did not film it.

“I was appalled when I saw it, but not surprised,” said Diabo from Innisfil, Ont., on Sunday.

“It indicates to me how he treats First Nations leadership.”

But national Chief Perry Bellegarde said he watched the video and was not “overly concerned” about Trudeau’s tone.

“I’ve chaired meetings where you have chiefs and it is difficult to turn a chief off when they’re on a roll because they don’t always have access to a leader like

the prime minister ofCanada,” he said.

Bellegarde said chiefs often want ample time to discuss issues including new schools, clean water and sewage.

“To me, it was just an example of frustration because any time you have a meeting with the prime minister, there’s got to be a very structured agenda,” he said. ■ with files from Kristy Kirkup in Ottawa and Rob Drinkwater in Edmonton

N.B. Tories promise to protect province’s historic covered bridges

BY ALEX COOKE The Canadian Press ST. MARTINS, N.B. — New Brunswick’s opposition leader says he will work to preserve the province’s historic covered bridges — sometimes known as “kissing bridges” — if his party forms the government after this month’s election.

In a press release, Progressive Conservative leader Blaine Higgs said the government isn’t doing enough to protect the aging bridges from being torn down and replaced with concrete or steel structures.

“In 1953 we had 340 covered bridges. Today there are only 58,” Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs said in a release.

“With every bridge we lose, we are also losing our connection to our past.”

Higgs said the province has world-class expertise in timber structure construction and there is no need to continue replacing the wooden bridges with concrete or steel.

He said he plans to work with Wood Research and Development Ltd., an international company whose Canadian headquarters are located in

Lower Cape, to figure out ways to keep them standing.

“We have world-class expertise in cost-effective timber structure construction right here in New Brunswick,” said Higgs. “As long as that’s the case, there is no excuse for a Bailey bridge made of steel.”

At the end of July, concerned New Brunswick residents held two rallies to ask the government to protect what’s left of their covered bridges.

Dan Tingley, senior design engineer at Wood Research and Development, said at the time that with proper maintenance, timber bridges can last www.canadianinquirer.net

just as long, or even longer, than their steel or concrete counterparts.

During his time at University of New Brunswick in the 1980s, Tingley helped develop a way to make timber last longer: creating high-strength laminates out of fibres like Kevlar and carbon, then attaching it to the timber elements to help prevent decay and increase bridge capacity.

“A timber bridge, properly built, will outlast a steel bridge by twofold and outlast a concrete bridge by threefold,” he said.

Ray Boucher, president of the

Covered Bridges Conservation Association of New Brunswick, said in July that only three of the 58 covered bridges in the province are protected as heritage structures, including the Hartland Covered Bridge, the longest existing bridge of its kind in the world.

“We are the only Atlantic province that has covered bridges within our boundaries,” said Boucher at the time, noting that Quebec and Ontario are the only other Canadian provinces with covered bridges.

The New Brunswick election takes place Sept. 24. ■

16

Canada News

SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

FRIDAY

Overnight sitting helps Ontario govt get closer to passing council cutting bill

BY PAOLA LORIGGIO AND SHAWN JEFFORDS The Canadian Press

— the police officers who have to work at night, the nurses who have to work at night and factory workers who have to work at night,” he said. “We were fighting for the taxpayers of this great city.”

TORONTO — A rare overnight session at The midnight session had drawn the Ontario legislature that saw protest- crowds of protesters to the legislature. ers and politicians gather for debate on a Some heckled Progressive Conservabill slashing the size of Toronto’s council tive politicians with cries of “shame, moved the government closer Monday shame,” inside the house until the to passing the legislation, which has Speaker cleared the public galleries. thrown the municipal election in Cana- Others protested outside, chanting “Let da’s largest city into chaos. us in!” and “Our city, not Ford’s!” as poThe Progressive Conservatives, who’ve lice officers stood in front of the doors. been rushing to push through the reinBy midday Monday, the majority had troduced bill after a judge ruled an earlier left, but protest signs remained scattered version unconstitutional last week, said on the grounds outside the legislature. they expected to bring the matter to a Ford, who has drawn much criticism final vote on Thursday — about a month for invoking a rarely used constitutional before Toronto goes to the polls. provision to forge ahead with his counPremier Doug Ford said the overnight cil-cutting plan, maintained that the session was an indicator of the govern- majority of Ontarians supported him. ment’s commitment to passing the con“We are the only ones listening to the troversial legislation, which shrinks To- people — not the disruptors, not the proronto’s electoral map to 25 wards from fessional activists that we’ve seen over 47 before the Oct. 22 election. the last few days. And when you stand up Joel_CanadianInquirer_print.pdf 1 2017-10-05 3:45 PM “We were here last night, like tens for the people, the people will stand with of thousands, if not hundreds of thou- you,” he told the legislature. “The peosands, of people around this province ple are behind us, and I can tell you my

Ontario legislature overnight session.

friends, we will never, ever back down.”

Later in the day, the government downplayed suggestions there hadn’t been enough debate on the bill, which is dubbed the Efficient Local Government Act. “We feel like we’ve heard from all sides,” said government house leader Todd Smith. “We want to provide that certainty to the City of Toronto and the clerk there as quickly as we possibly can.”

The New Democrats, meanwhile, said the protests at the legislature indicated many oppose the government’s move.

“I would prefer to be here even longer debating this bill,” said NDP Leader Andrea Horwath. “But the government is going to ram it through because, just like they didn’t want to hear the voices of those hundreds of people through the wee hours of the morning, they’re not interested in hearing our voice either.”

Horwath briefly left the overnight debate to speak to protesters gathered outside the legislature and told them she was proud to see so many rally to defend charter rights at such an unusual time.

“Interfering in ongoing elections has … a chilling effect on our democracy,” she said later inside the house. “The reality is this government behaved inappropriately, rammed this change forward without any kind of consultation while the elections were already underway.”

Last Monday, an Ontario Superior Court Judge ruled that an earlier version of the bill violated the freedom of expression rights of voters and candidates because it reduced Toronto’s wards in the middle of an election campaign.

Ford said his government would appeal the decision and reintroduce the legislation with the notwithstanding clause, which allows his government to override the court ruling.

The premier’s use of the notwithstanding clause has been denounced by the opposition parties, prominent Canadian politicians and hundreds of legal professionals.

The province has also applied for Ontario’s Court of Appeal to stay last week’s ruling. That case will be heard on

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@FORDNATION / TWITTER

Tuesday and if a stay is granted, it would mean last week’s decision will be put on hold until an appeal is heard, and a 25ward vote would proceed.

“All of this is driving more chaos, more uncertainty and more costs,” Liberal legislator Mitzie Hunter said of the added confusion caused by the stay application.

Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner said the premier’s actions have put the municipal election in jeopardy.

“This premier has manufactured a crisis by meddling with elections and trampling on local democracy,” he said. “The Conservatives are acting with impunity, trying to suspend people’s Charter rights under the cover of darkness while Ontarians are asleep. “ Evangeline Cowie and Ana Buzdugan, two Grade 12 students from Toronto, had watched the overnight debate for a short time before the public galleries were cleared. The pair said they felt it was important to show their opposition to the bill — even on a school night.

“It’s going to send a message that everyone is ready, is prepared to do whatever it takes to go against that decision,” said Cowie, who attended with her parents.

“History is kind of going to be made today so I feel like it’s important to be here, especially for something that concerns Toronto and its citizens so much,” Buzdugan added.

Frank Griggs expressed similar motivations.

“I hope this sends a message to some of the Conservative MPPs that might at least consider voting against this bill based on the feelings of their own constituents and also just their own sense of decency and their own idea of what democracy should be,” Griggs said.

The Tory government has maintained that its actions are necessary and within its rights.

Last week, City of Toronto clerk Ulli Watkiss said that with each passing day it’s becoming “virtually impossible” to ensure a fair election. ■

Canada News

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

Quebec leaders try to woo anglophones in first ever English language debate

BY GIUSEPPE VALIANTE The Canadian Press MONTREAL — Quebec’s four would-be premiers sparred in their second language on Monday, making pitches in choppy English to the anglophone community in the province’s first-ever televised Englishlanguage debate.

The leaders described how Anglo-Quebecers are respected members of the community, despite the fact a mini-controversy erupted in the province about the fact there was actually going to be an English-language debate.

“French is the official language in Quebec,” Liberal Leader Philippe Couillard said. “But English is not a foreign language.”

He asked Parti Quebecois Leader Jean-Francois Lisee if he could say the same thing.

“Yes,” said Lisee. “French is the official and common language.

English is a Quebec language.”

Francois Legault, leader of the Coalition Avenir Quebec, whose party is leading the polls, said “anglophones are part of Quebec history and the anglophone community played a huge role in building Quebec society.”

Manon Masse, co-spokesperson for the fourth-placed party, Quebec solidaire, said her party is committed to instituting quotas to ensure the civil service has a certain percentage of visible minorities and representation from the English-speaking community.

While the debate themes were targeted to the province’s anglophone minority, such as access to the labour market for English-speaking youth, the election campaign’s hot-button theme of immigration quickly surged to the forefront.

Couillard, responding to a debate question from an anglophone refugee from Nigeria, said, “the way we talk about immigration and immigrants is not always positive.”

“It’s distressful the way you speak about immigrants,” he said directly to Legault, whose party wants to expel immi-

Legault in hot seat after incorrectly answering question on immigration THE CANADIAN PRESS

CAROLINE INGRAM / FLICKR, CC BY-ND 2.0

grants who fail to pass a French test after three years in the province.

“Immigrants need to feel welcome by their political leaders.”

Legault fired back that his party’s policy is “reasonable and done in other countries.”

The debate moderators asked each leader if they would hold an inquiry into the topic of systemic racism in Quebec, should they be elected premier Oct. 1.

Couillard and the Liberals tried to host a similar conference in 2017 but cancelled it after coming under intense pressure from the PQ and the Coalition.

Only Masse, whose English is the poorest among the leaders, said “of course” she would.

Couillard, Legault and Parti Quebecois Leader Jean-Francois Lisee said no.

“There is racism in Quebec,” Legault said. “But no systemic racism.”

Earlier in the debate, Legault told Anglos that, “you are no longer forced to choose between Quebec and Canada.”

Instead of being forced to choose between the “old and tired Liberal government” and the sovereigntist PQ, Legault said his party is offering Quebecers a “strong Quebec within Canada” when they vote.

“The Liberals have been in power for 15 long years,” he said, glossing over the PQ minority government between 2012 and 2014. “It’s time for a change.”

Lisee began his opening speech by reminding Anglos his party has promised to not hold

a sovereignty referendum within a first mandate.

He made sure to state “French should be the common language” in the province, but also said his party defended the English-speaking community during the Liberals’ centralization efforts in the health network.

“I recognize the value of Quebec’s English-speaking community,” Lisee said. “I stood with you in battles against the Liberal government when it took away control over English hospitals and tried to scrap English school boards.”

Couillard, whose party has historically enjoyed the overwhelming support of the anglophone community, said his strong fiscal management in the early years of his mandate has allowed the province to have the means to reinvest in health care and education services.

Masse said her party will end tax breaks for big corporations and the “super-rich.”

While Monday night’s debate was historic, it was certainly not without controversy.

Pundits on French-language television said the English-language debate set a “dangerous precedent” because future party leaders will be under strong pressure to attend similar debates in following elections.

A nationalist group went to far as to accuse Lisee of “betraying” his people for participating in the English debate.

The first debate took place last week, while another French-language showdown is scheduled for Thursday. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

17

MONTREAL — Coalition Avenir Quebec Leader Francois Legault said Sunday he was on “solid ground” with his immigration proposals, despite having incorrectly answered a question on the subject.

Legault drew criticism on Saturday after making a mistake on how long a permanent resident had to wait before applying for citizenship.

On Day 25 of Quebec’s election campaign, he told a Montreal-area news conference that he wouldn’t have been a very good game show contestant, and that he should have researched the question instead of answering.

“Maybe I wouldn’t have won ‘Genies en l’herbe’ yesterday,” he said, referring to a RadioCanada trivia show who name translates to ‘Budding geniuses.’

He added that he should have taken the matter under advisement rather than answering incorrectly.

However, he went on to make another mistake when he said Canada’s test for new immigrants comes when they apply for permanent residency, rather than citizenship. “(The test) is before, to have permanent residency, I’ll double check to be certain, I’ll take it under advisement,” he said.

Immigration is a central tenet of Legault’s party platform, which includes a proposal to reduce immigration by 20 per cent and require new arrivals to pass a French and values test within three years of arriving as a condition of staying in the province.

Legault said Sunday he’d spent “almost all night” reading about the federal-provincial accord, which he plans to renegotiate with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau if he is elected.

Despite his factual errors, he insisted he was on “solid ground” when it comes to immigration.

Predictably, the two other party leaders piled on Legault for his mistakes again on Sunday, with Parti Quebecois Leader Jean-Francois Lisee suggesting Legault’s answers should “disqualify” him from being elected.

“You’re not ready to be premier when you don’t know the basics of your main file,” Lisee said.

Liberal Leader Philippe Couillard, for his part, said his rival only brought up immigration “solely to cause squabbling and division.”

Relationships between the province and Ottawa were also a theme for Lisee on Sunday, who ventured into Ontario to pitch his party as the best one to defend Quebec’s interests.

Standing outside Parliament in Ottawa, Lisee said he would use the threat of a referendum to scare the federal government and get the best deal for the province — an option not available to the Liberals or the Coalition.

In the shadow of the Peace Tower, he argued that Quebec is being shortchanged some $2.6 billion by Ottawa each year, and that he is the best person to recover the money.

Meanwhile on Sunday, Couillard unveiled a plan to charge Quebec sales tax on all companies that sell goods in the province, including foreign ones.

Currently, Quebec charges tax on Canadian companies and those who provide “intangible goods,” such as the streaming service Netflix.

Using the example of Amazon, Couillard said he would require companies outside the country to also register to pay sales tax to Revenu Quebec.

He seemed to have trouble explaining how he’d compel foreign companies to sign up to pay, before finally saying packages wouldn’t be delivered unless a company complied.

Legault announced he would spend $1.2 billion per year over five years to renovate and enlarge Quebec’s schools, which is lower than the Liberals’ planned investment of $1.5 billion.

When asked about the discrepancy, Legault said he could get the job done within the budget he proposed, adding the Liberals’ promises were “not credible.” ■ With files from Patrice Bergeron in Coteau-du-Lac, Stephanie Marin in Ottawa, and Caroline Plante in Quebec City

18

World News

SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

FRIDAY

US again slashing number of refugees it will accept

BY SUSANNAH GEORGE The Associated Press WASHINGTON — The U.S. will slash the number of refugees it will accept for a second straight year, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, insisting amid criticism from human rights groups that the country is still committed to providing sanctuary to people fleeing the world’s danger zones.

Up to 30,000 refugees will be allowed into the country next year, down from a cap of 45,000 this year. It will be the lowest ceiling on admissions since the program began in 1980. The announcement Monday came despite calls from global humanitarian groups that this year’s cap of 45,000 was too low.

Pompeo sought to head off potential criticism of the reduction by noting that the U.S. would process more than 280,000 asylum claims in addition to more than 800,000 already inside the country who are awaiting a resolution of their claims.

“These expansive figures continue the United States’ long-standing record as the most generous nation in the world when it comes to protection-based immigration and assistance,” he said.

The 30,000 cap is the maximum number of refugees the U.S. will admit during the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1. The actual number allowed in could be lower. So far this year, the U.S. has only admitted 20,918 refugees for the fiscal year set to end in two weeks, according to State Department records.

President Barack Obama raised the ceiling to 110,000 in 2017, but the pace slowed dramatically after President Donald Trump took office and issued an executive order addressing refugees. In 2016, the last full year of the Obama administration, the U.S. welcomed nearly 85,000 refugees.

Pompeo said the lower ceiling reflected commitment to aiding families forced to flee their homes by war, persecution or natural disasters while “priori-

tizing the safety and well-being of the American people.” He cited the case of an Iraqi refugee who was arrested in California for killing a policeman in his homeland while fighting for the Islamic State organization.

“This year’s proposed refugee ceiling must be considered in the context of the many other forms of protection and assistance offered by the United States,” he said, citing U.S. contributions to foreign aid and other forms of humanitarian assistance.

Amnesty International accused the Trump administration of “abandoning” refugees with the lower cap.

“This is the lowest goal in the history of the program, and compounded by this administration’s history of creating road block after road block for refugees to arrive, this must be perceived as an all-out attack against our country’s ability to resettle refugees both now and in the future,” said Ryan Mace of Amnesty International.

Worldwide, there were some 25.4 million refugees last year,

www.canadianinquirer.net

according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, with many more people internally displaced within their home countries. Most aid groups and governments advocate resettlement as a last resort, preferring to allow refugees to return to their homes if conditions improve, rather than permanently moving to another country.

During the ceiling announcement Monday Pompeo advocated U.S. efforts “to end conflicts that drive displacement in the first place and to target the application of foreign aid in a smarter way.”

Trump has made limiting immigration a centerpiece of his policy agenda. The Trump administration’s “zero-tolerance” policy that forcibly separated families at the U.S. southern border sparked outrage among Republicans and Democrats alike.

Last year Trump temporarily banned visitors from a handful of Muslim-majority nations, and insists he’ll build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Trump has linked increased

immigration to increased crime in the United States. Yet, according to resettlement agencies in the United States, the U.S. vetting process is one of the world’s toughest. Of the 3 million refugees admitted to the U.S. since 1975, not one has been arrested for carrying out a lethal terror attack on U.S. soil, according to resettlement agencies.

Most applicants to the U.S. refugee program spend at least three years being interviewed, undergoing biometric checks and medical exams, and filling out paperwork. Cases are screened by the Defence Department, FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies.

After they are resettled, refugees continue to undergo security checks in the United States for five years or more.

The Trump administration added requirements, including longer background checks and more screenings for females and males between 14 and 50 from certain countries, including Iraq. ■

World News

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

19

5 ways Trump’s tariffs on $200B in China goods could be felt

BY JOSH BOAK The Associated Press BALTIMORE — By imposing taxes on an additional $200 billion in Chinese goods, President Donald Trump has intensified a battle of wills between the world’s two largest economies — and the outcome is far from certain.

No one knows how long the tariffs announced Monday might last. No one knows if Beijing will yield as pressure builds or instead stiffen its resolve and keep retaliating. No one knows if a politically divided United States will serve to undercut Trump’s aggressive tactics.

But what’s clear is that the latest fight in the escalating trade war is likely, one way or another, to affect consumers, companies, markets, the economy and the political landscape.

And how all that plays out could determine whether Trump’s negotiating gamble proves a triumph or a failure.

Here is a look at 5 potential consequences: Consumers

Unlike the first two rounds of tariffs totalling $50 billion, the new taxes launched by Trump would more directly hit American consumers. As counterintuitive as it might seem, the president sees this fact as ultimately helping U.S. workers.

In the end, he calculates, some short-term pain will lead to new trade policies and accords that will prove more favourable to American companies and individuals.

“As president, it is my duty to protect the interests of working men and women, farmers, ranchers, businesses, and our country itself,” Trump said in a statement.

Starting Monday, the United States is to begin charging a 10 per cent tax on thousands of Chinese imports — tires, windshield wipers, baseball gloves, bicycles, snakeskin pants, backpacks, trombone cases, refrigerators and wooden furniture, among others. The list runs 194 pages.

Unless the administration reaches a truce with Beijing, Trump’s import tax will jump

to 25 per cent in 2019. What’s more, if Beijing retaliates, Trump says he’s ready to impose tariffs on an additional $267 billion in Chinese goods.

The result could be higher prices for American consumers, because most companies are expected to pass on the cost to their customers. After Trump announced tariffs on washing machines toward the start of 2018, the price for laundry equipment shot up 16 per cent between February and May, according to an analysis

by Mark Perry, an economics professor at the Flint campus of the University of Michigan and a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think-tank .

The tariffs could put a dent in consumer spending, though many economists think the impact on the overall economy will be minimal.

“The mere talk of tariffs on all remaining Chinese imports is of serious concern to retailers since tariffs of that magnitude would touch every aspect of American life,” said Matthew Shay, chief executive of the National Retail Federation, a trade group for retailers.

they’ve built across countries and calculate where best to deploy workers.

“They’re definitely going to move jobs,” Murphy said.

“What Trump is doing is increasing the cost, and he’s introducing uncertainty into trade relations. Businesses can deal with costs. It’s the uncertainty they can’t deal with.”

Companies

Financial markets

Many companies have warned that Trump’s tariffs threaten to disrupt their businesses and depress their revenue.

The monthly manufacturing index by the Institute of Supply Management noted that some companies have expressed concern about tariffs despite an otherwise robust U.S. economy.

One food and beverage firm in the ISM survey said, “Suppliers appear to be bracing us for cost increases, given increased talk of tariffs and inflation.”

Trump’s tariffs, with their uncertain duration, make it difficult for companies to plan for the future. Ted Murphy, a trade lawyer and a partner at Baker McKenzie, said the president is signalling that many companies will need to rethink their operations.

No longer can they ignore tariffs, which were low and mostly headed lower before Trump took office. They now need to rethink the supply chains

GAGE SKIDMORE / FLICKR, CC BY-SA 2.0

So far, at least, the stock market has taken the threats of tariffs in stride. Share prices have dipped, only to then resume their growth, in part because of deep corporate tax cuts that took effect this year and a solid U.S. economy in its 10th straight year of expansion.

But the new round of tariffs risks triggering a more alarming response by investors. The additional taxes suggest that the two countries are struggling to make progress in settling their differences. The issues include Chinese companies’ theft of U.S. intellectual property and a widening trade gap as U.S. consumers have become more dependent on comparatively cheap Chinese imports.

“It’s definitely a setback for the market that they can’t seem to get to the table,” said J.J. Kinahan, chief market strategist for TD Ameritrade.

Kinahan said technology companies seem especially vulnerable to retaliation from Beiwww.canadianinquirer.net

jing, which could include tariffs on components as well as restrictions on access to websites and services.

Global economy

A prolonged trade war between the United States, the world’s largest economy, and China, the second-largest, would ripple through the rest of the globe, potentially affecting economies from Buenos Aires to Istanbul.

Tariffs could translate into less trade, which could hinder growth in smaller nations. The U.S. dollar has already begun to rise in value as trade tensions have mounted. This has insulated the United States from higher prices.

But the higher-valued dollar has also diminished the value of the Turkish lira and the Argentine peso, among others. This trend has weighed heavily on their economies. In the meantime, the value of the Chinese yuan has dropped relative to the dollar, making it easier for Beijing to withstand U.S. tariffs.

Many emerging economies depend on shipping commodities to China. If the Chinese economy slows under the weight of U.S. import taxes, the global economy might also stumble, according to Stephanie Segal, deputy director of the Center for Strategic and International and Studies, a Washington think-tank.

Politics

The Republicans’ control of the House and the Senate is at stake in the midterm congressional races in November.

Trump has portrayed the import taxes as a winning electoral issue because they’re forcing other countries to compromise with the United States.

But public opinion suggests that his tariffs could prove a vulnerability. A poll released Aug. 24 by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 61 per cent of Americans disapproved of the president’s handling of trade negotiations.

If Democrats win, it would possibly repudiate Trump’s approach. But if many Republicans retain their seats, it could vindicate Trump’s choice to announce tariffs so close to the elections.

Democratic Sen. Heidi Heitkamp clearly regards the new Trump tariffs as potentially helping her in a tough re-election contest in North Dakota.

She immediately denounced them Monday night as crushing farmers who ship crops to China.

“Many family farms are afraid they won’t be able to pay the bills if this misguided trade war continues,” Heitkamp said in a statement. “There are smart ways to deal with China’s cheating on trade, but stepping on our farmers is not one of them.” ■

World News

20

SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

FRIDAY

Experts air new concerns about UN response to Myanmar crisis

BY JAMEY KEATEN The Associated Press

Sound Rivers, September 17, 2018.

MATT BUTLER VIA WATERKEEPER ALLIANCE INC. / FLICKR, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Flood victims get food and water; rain spreads to Northeast

BY CHUCK BURTON AND MARTHA WAGGONER The Associated Press WILMINGTON, N.C. — Still stranded by Florence’s epic floods days after the hurricane hit North Carolina, Wilmington residents lined up by the hundreds Tuesday for free food, water and tarps as officials struggled to open new routes to one of the state’s largest cities.

The death toll from the storm rose to at least 32 in three states, with 25 fatalities in North Carolina, as remnants of the oncepowerful Category 4 hurricane — now reduced to a rainy, windy mass of low pressure — dumped rain on the heavily populated Northeast.

Parts of southern New Hampshire and much of Massachusetts were under a flash flood warning, and a tornado warning was issued near Salem, Massachusetts.

In Wilmington, population 120,000, workers began handing out supplies using a system that resembled a fast-food restaurant drive-thru: Drivers pulled up to pallets lining a street, placed an order and left without having to get out.

Todd Tremain needed tarps to cover up spots where Florence’s winds ripped shingles off his roof. “The roof is leaking, messing up the inside of the house,” he said.

Others got a case of bottled water or military MREs, or field rations. An olive-drab military forklift moved around huge pallets loaded with supplies.

Four days after Florence blew ashore and began unloading more than 2 feet of rain that paralyzed much of North Carolina, Wilmington was still virtually cut off from the rest of the state, with just one road tentatively open as a supply route.

Officials said they will open roads as flooding recedes and downed trees and power lines are cleared away. It’s not clear when that might happen.

Items have been brought into the city by big military trucks and helicopters, which also have been used to pluck hundreds of desperate people from atop homes and other structures.

“Thank you,” a shirtless Willie Schubert mouthed to members of a Coast Guard helicopter crew who picked up him and his dog Lucky from atop a house encircled by water in Pollocksville on Monday. It wasn’t clear how long he had been stranded.

The dead include a 1-year-old boy who was swept away after his mother drove into floodwaters and lost her grip on him.

Authorities in Virginia said one person was dead after an apparent tornado.

The rain finally stopped ❱❱ PAGE 36 Flood victims

as usual’, with development goals and humanitarian access prioritized only,” the authors wrote.

They cited allegations that GENEVA — U.N.-backed invessome U.N. personnel who tried tigators who examined a crackto pursue a human rights agendown by Myanmar security da “were ignored, criticized, forces that caused hundreds of sidelined or blocked in these thousands of Rohingya Musefforts.” lims to flee to neighbouring They alluded to criticism Bangladesh issued a searing from Fieldview Solutions, an critique Tuesday of the United outside group that works to Nations’ own response to the advance human rights, in July human rights crisis. that cited some in U.N. and huIn a 432-page report, the manitarian circles for not doing members of a “fact-finding misenough to expand their “politision” on Myanmar fleshed out cal space” in Myanmar, and alpreliminary findings and recleging: “The Myanmar governommendations released in a ment has learned that it can shorter version three weeks ago. count on U.N. and humanitarThe investigators reiterated ian self-censorship.” that senior Myanmar military The U.N. experts said they leaders should be prosecuted regretted that some U.N. entifor war crimes, crimes against ties and staffers showed “a lack humanity and of co-operation” genocide against with their work, the Rohingya and “appeared during a deadly to view it as a crackdown that The Myanmar government has threat, rather erupted in August learned that it can count on U.N. than a means to 2017 following and humanitarian self-censorship. address the most militant attacks deep rooted huon security posts man rights chalin Rakhine state. lenges facing The full report Myanmar.” also provided new details about ICC and its government has “This attitude and approach the investigators’ concerns about snubbed a ruling by the court’s must change,” they added. the how the United Nations re- judges that said the ICC has juThe investigators did acacted during that spasm of vio- risdiction to investigate alleged knowledge that some people in lence. The investigators pointed crimes against the Rohingya. the country had faced “intimiout the “only statement” from The investigators decried dation and reprisals” for their the U.N. resident co-ordinator’s little or no response from the “engagement” with the United office “was to condemn the Myanmar government to their Nations.

ARSA (militant group) attacks findings, which were provided The team reiterated their urand losses suffered by the Myan- to it in advance. gent call for “a comprehensive, mar security forces.”

On Tuesday, Myanmar has a independent inquiry into the The fact-finding mission was chance to respond directly to United Nations’ involvement created by the U.N.-backed Hu- the allegations: its new ambas- in Myanmar since 2011, with a man Rights Council in March sador in Geneva, Kyaw Moe view to establishing whether 2017 after years of abuses Tun, was set to speak during everything possible to prevent against ethnic minorities in an “interactive dialogue” at the or mitigate the unfolding crises Myanmar, with a focus on the Human Rights Council, after was done,” as well as drawing period since 2011 when the the fact-finding team shared lessons and — “as appropriate” country began opening up af- some of its findings with the — making recommendations on ter decades of isolation under a 47-member body. accountability. long-ruling military junta.

The full report’s critique of They also said a second factThough the investigators the United Nations focused not finding mission should be aulooked at the treatment of mi- only on its response to Rohing- thorized to examine the connority groups across the South- ya crisis, but its efforts across tinued threats to human rights east Asian nation, their mandate the country. of the Rohingya and others came just six months before For example, the investiga- throughout Myanmar. crackdown against the Rohingya tors noted that the U.N. had The investigators bemoaned in Rakhine, injecting the mission rolled out a “Human Rights Up that “there has been no review of with far greater importance to Front Action Plan” in Myanmar what happened, of where the aphelp detail those abuses, crimes in 2013, but said its “human proach taken had some positive and human rights violations. rights driven” approach was effect and where it did not, and of The full report provides a “rarely, if ever, pursued.” how the U.N’.s approach could be detailed analysis of violence “Rather, it was largely ‘business improved in future crises.” ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

in Kachin, Shan and Rakhine states, much of which has been documented and made public through collection of witness accounts, satellite imagery and other sources of information. It pointed to allegations of crimes against humanity and war crimes on the part of the military and other security forces, including murder, torture, pillaging, execution without due process, rape, sexual slavery and taking hostages.

It said some acts by ethnic armed groups and the Rohingya militant organization ARSA could also constitute war crimes.

Crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide can be considered by international tribunals such as the International Criminal Court, but Myanmar is not a party to the

World News

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

21

New Zealand celebrates 125 years of women having the vote

BY NICK PERRY The Associated Press WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND — New Zealand became the first nation in the world to allow women to vote 125 years ago, and hundreds of people celebrated the anniversary on Wednesday by turning out to gatherings and speeches. Some wore period costumes or white camellia flowers, a symbol of the historic movement.

New Zealand’s female lawmakers also marked the occasion by re-enacting an all-male photograph of lawmakers taken more than a century ago. This time, the photograph featured New Zealand’s third female Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in the centre, holding her 3-month-old baby Neve.

Ardern was also the guest editor for the “suffrage edition” of the country’s largest daily newspaper, The New Zealand Herald, although some ques-

tioned whether that move could taint the political neutrality the paper seeks in its journalism.

Liberal lawmakers introduced a new bill Wednesday that they say is aimed at addressing historic lower pay for women by making it easier for workers to make claims for pay equity.

“It reminds us that that is what we are here for,” said Acting Minister for Women Eugenie Sage, referring to the photo session, proposed law change and other advancements for women. “That is why we got the vote.”

Earlier in the day, Ardern spoke to hundreds of people gathered in Auckland, telling them her own great-greatgrandmother had signed the petition for women to get the vote back in 1893.

In her edition of the newspaper, Ardern wrote that she felt an “enormous sense of responsibility” to capture women’s voices and highlight the extraordinary

within the ordinary. She pointed out that she left the content and placement of political stories to the news editor.

The paper featured a photograph of Ardern, who is liberal, with New Zealand’s two previous female prime ministers, Jenny Shipley and Helen Clark.

The focus on a diverse group of women throughout the paper was applauded by many readers.

But conservative commentator David Farrar compared the treatment of Ardern by the newspaper, which also featured her in a large billboard, to North Korea’s reverence for its leader Kim Jong Un. “This is very efficient,” Farrar wrote on his site Kiwiblog.

“Having the PM edit the Herald directly cuts out the middle man!”

The news organization Stuff pointed out that while New Zealand had made global history by giving women the vote, one of its own newspapers had

Eugenie Sage.

GREEN PARTY NZ / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, CC BY-SA 4.0

been on the wrong side of that history by saying in an editorial at the time that the “shrieking sisterhood” had forced the vote on women.

Other parts of The Press editorial have better withstood the

march of history.

“They must take part in the elections,” the 1893 editorial said of women. “They, too, must study public questions, and seek to make their influence felt.” ■

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22

World News

SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

FRIDAY

Obama’s return: Good or bad for Democrats?

BY JUANA SUMMERS AND MARC LEVY The Associated Press WASHINGTON — Nearly two years out of the White House, former President Barack Obama is facing another political test.

To the delight of many Democrats, he’s stepped back into the fray that former presidents often try to avoid, campaigning for Democratic candidates ahead of the midterms and blasting the political culture of the Trump era. He attracted a large, adoring crowd this past week in Ohio and will be in Pennsylvania on Friday campaigning for Democratic Sen. Bob Casey.

But Obama’s return poses challenges for both the former president and his party.

For one, Obama has struggled to turn admiration for him into votes when he’s not on the ballot. Democrats lost significant ground in the 2010 and 2014 midterms and his enthusiastic campaigning for Hillary Clinton didn’t carry her across the finish line in 2016. Perhaps more importantly, Obama’s public re-entry into politics could serve as a motivating factor for Republicans, potentially handing the GOP a gift at a time when they face an uphill battle to maintain their grip on Congress.

“This is perfect for us,” said Rep. Lou Barletta, the Republican challenging Casey for the Senate seat. “It will energize Republicans as a reminder.”

The former president will also “energize those blue-collar Democrats who worried about their jobs under Obama and went out to vote for Donald Trump,” Barletta added.

For their part, Democrats say an Obama visit is a huge boon. Massive crowds give candidates and the party a chance to organize, update contact lists, motivate new donors and boost volunteerism.

Michael Halle, the campaign manager for Richard Cordray, the Democratic candidate for governor in Ohio, said Obama’s visit sent a message about the stakes of the race, which could have implications for redistricting and voting rights in the future.

“First and foremost, it’s important for the people who live in Ohio,” he said.

“But secondly, there are also significant national implications, and I think the (former) president weighed those in making the decision.”

An aide to the former president said Obama is aware that he does not have a strong record of aiding Democrats in midterm elections and that his presence can have the effect of galvanizing Republican voters. The aide said Obama would take a strategic approach to the midterm races and pointed to the light footprint that the former president kept earlier www.canadianinquirer.net

in his post-presidency. That’s when he recorded a get-out-the-vote robocall for Democrat Doug Jones, rather than travel to Alabama to appear with Jones ahead of his upset Senate victory. The aide cast the decision as an example of how Obama could still lend his voice in a part of the country where he is less popular.

The aide lacked authorization to discuss publicly Obama’s thinking and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Scott Mulhauser, who served as VicePresident Joe Biden’s deputy chief of staff during the 2012 election, said Obama left office as the “most admired man in the country, and his popularity has only increased since.”

“Part of his success is being strategic in his approach to campaigning — coordinating with campaigns to maximize his impact and minimize any blowback, stumping where it makes sense and avoiding where it doesn’t,” Mulhauser said, noting Obama’s role in the Jones campaign.

“He’s rightfully out on the trail for certain campaigns, taking a pass on others and recording calls and sending emails on behalf of those that want to use him and his popularity in a targeted manner.”

In Pennsylvania, Obama returns to a state he carried twice but that swung to Trump in 2016. The state features critical contests for Congress and governor.

Rep. Dwight Evans of Philadelphia, where Obama will campaign, said that the former president’s presence will be important for his ability to motivate African-American voters, college-aged voters and the poor.

“I think that he can help Democrats, and I think it needs to be really targeted,” Evans said.

Both African-Americans and collegeage voters were crucial to Obama’s victories in 2008 and 2012, and because Obama was the first black president, Evans said, “he can say some things to the African-American community that cannot be said by anybody else.”

While in Philadelphia, Obama will fundraise for Senate Democrats in general and in particular, Casey, who was among Obama’s earliest Senate backers when he sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008.

While Obama’s full schedule is taking shape, aides say he is weighing how to best engage on behalf of Democratic candidates across the nation. Earlier this year, he endorsed more than 80 Democrats across more than a dozen states, and aides say a second wave of endorsements is expected this fall.

Brenda Boots, 42, who attended the Ohio rally, said Obama is a welcome presence and hoped he would inject the governor’s race with new life.

“How could he hurt?” she asked. “I don’t think he could hurt.” ■

23

Entertainment Will Dingdong Dantes run for a Senate seat?

BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer EVER SINCE he was named as one of the Liberal Party’s (LP’s) possible Senatorial candidates in the 2019 elections, actor Jose Sixto “Dingdong” Dantes has not yet confirmed whether he really has a plan to run for a seat in the upper chamber or not.

Well thanks to comedian and talent manager Ogie Diaz, Dingdong has finally broken the ice on the supposed push for his candidacy.

The 38-year-old actor addressed the issue on Facebook on Monday, September 17, when he commented on Ogie’s “Mama Ogs Answers” post.

The comedian, on his post, was responding to variety of questions such as his stand on Communications Assistant Secretary Margaux “Mocha” Uson and her friend Andrew Olivar’s latest video of making

DINGDONG DANTES / FACEBOOK

fun of sign language, the never-ending traffic problem on

Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA), the rising prices of

red chili in the country, among others — until someone asked him whether he approves of Dingdong possibly running for Senator.

“Oo naman. Sobra. Mas disente kesa sa Pepedederalismo (Of course, very much. Much dissent than the ‘Pepederalismo’),” Ogie answered, referring to the other controversial video of Mocha and Andrew last August.

He then mentioned Dingdong’s Facebook account in the comment section, saying, “Will Support Jose Sixto Gonzalez Dantes III for senator!”

Reacting to Ogie’s remark, Dingdong wrote back, ”Salamat sa tiwala, Ogie. Pero hindi po ako tatakbong Senador(Thank you for your trust, Ogie. But I will not run for Senator).”

Apparently disappointed to Dingdong’s disclosure, the comedian replied, ”Ay, sad naman (Oh, that’s sad).”

Dingdong’s wife, Marian Rivera, earlier said his husband

will ‘definitely’ run for public office although she was not sure what position her husband, who was a former Commissioner-at-Large for the National Youth Commission (NYC), was eyeing for.

“Panget siguro kung sa akin manggagaling ‘Oy, tatakbo ’yung asawa ko,’ ‘oy ganitong posisyon siya.’ Siguro ibigay natin sa kanya ‘yan. Kung tatakbo siya [o] kung ‘di siya tatakbo. Nasa sa kanya ‘yan (It is not good if it will come from me like ‘Hey, my husband will run,’ ‘hey, he will run to this position.’ Maybe, let’s just give it to him whether he will run or not. It is up to him),” the Kapuso “Primetime Queen” said.

Aside from Dingdong, other entertainment personalities reported to be included in the LP’s list are actress Agot Isidro, singers Leah Navarro, and Jim Paredes who are also known for being open on expressing their political views. ■

Golden Year Mutya ng Pilipinas Winners Crowned

BY GIANNA LLANES Philippine Canadian Inquirer MUTYA NG Pilipinas celebrated their 50th anniversary at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on September 16. The night ended with four queens crowned out of fifty girls who competed, to represent the Philippines at various pageants overseas.

Last year’s winner Ilene Astrid De Vera crowned her successor Sharifa Akeel, Mutya ng Sultan Kudarat. Proudly Muslim, she wore a more conservative one-piece rather than the rest of her competitors wearing bikinis during the swimsuit portion.

When asked about diversity in beauty pageants during the question and answer round, she

stated, “I will set myself as an example of it because Mutya ng Pilipinas openly accepted me for who I am despite of my religion. It only means that Mutya ng Pilipinas promotes diversity, beauty in diversity.”

Crowned by her predecessor Jannie Ali-poon, Julieane “Aya” Fernandez of Taguig won Mutya ng Pilipinas Miss Tourism International.

She will compete in Malaysia this December, attempting to reign victorious like Ali-poon.

During the question and answer round, she was asked to talk about self-care, of which Fernandez answered, “What advice I can give to my generation on maintaining beauty is that beauty comes from within. But above all, a woman will stand out if she is beautiful in and out.”

Crowned ladies in Mutya ng Pilipinas 2018.

Joining Akeel and Fernandez in the list of winners are Mutya ng Pilipinas-Global Beauty Queen 2018 Pauline Amelinckx of Bohol and Mutya ng Pilipinas-Tourism Queen of the Year International 2018 Kesha Ramachandran of Iloilo. Mutya ng www.canadianinquirer.net

Navotas Kristine Malicsi won second runner-up, while Mutya ng Muntinlupa Mary Justine Teng won first runner-up. To round off the list of winners is Jade Roberts, Mutya ng Australia, who was crowned Mutya ng Pilipinas – Overseas Filipino

MUTYA NG PILIPINAS / FACEBOOK

Communities 2018.

With Mutya ng Pilipinas celebrating their golden year, all of the ladies’ evening gowns and swimsuits were in gold. Marc Nelson and Iza Calzado hosted the competition. ■

24

Entertainment

SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

FRIDAY

Kathryn Bernardo gets emotional over ‘The Hows Of Us’ success

BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer KATHRYN BERNARDO cannot hold her tears back as her latest movie with her partner, Daniel Padilla, has earned almost half a billion, making it one of the country’s highest-grossing films.

But behind the success of her movie, Kathryn shared that there are some hardships and difficulties she had to face.

“Hindi siya naging madali. Sobrang hirap, grabe ‘yung challenges, grabe ‘yung pressure, pero ang sarap lang sa pakiramdam na, alam mo ‘yon, nandito na tayo sa victory party natin (It was not easy. It was really hard, the challenges and pressure is there but it feels good tht, you know, we are here now in our victory party),” the emotional 22-yearold actress said in the film’s thanksgiving party on Wednesday night.

Kathryn then admitted that it has not been an easy journey for her earlier this year.

“I felt so lost early this year. Ang dami kong doubts sa sarili ko (I have so many

doubts to myself )… parang napagod na ako sa lahat and then dumating ‘tong ‘The Hows of Us’ (I felt like I’m tired of everything and then ‘The Hows of Us’ came),’” she said.

The actress, however, did not further elaborate what she has been through but she recalled that she had a meeting on her second shooting day with her film’s director Cathy Garcia-Molina, where the latter asked her if she wanted the project.

“I said ‘yes.’ Sabi nila (They said), ’okay as long as gusto mo nandito kami para tulungan ka (we are just here to help you),’” Kathryn said.

“Hindi naman ako nabigo hanggang matapos ‘yung pelikula kasi grabe po ‘yung tulong nila sa’kin especially DirekCathy na hindi napagod at hindi siya nagsawang maniwala sa’kin (They did not fail me until the end of the movie because they were a big help to me especially Director Cathy who never got tired and never gets tired of believing in me),” she added.

Expessing her gratitude to Cathy, the young star told everyone in the event, “Hindi ko alam kung paano magsimula

SCREENSHOT FROM TRAILER

kay Direk Cathy kasi (I do not know where I should start with Director Cathy because) I felt like she saved me and she (really) did talaga. Sa lahat po ng praises na nare-receive dito sa movie it’s because of her (The praises that this movie receives is because of her).”

Daniel, of course, did not lose the opportunity to praise his girlfriend in front of the crowd.

“Dinala niya talaga niya, silang dalawa ni Direk Cathy. Nilupitan nila masyado (She handled it all along with Di-

rector Cathy. They really did well). So, congratulations, Val. You made it!” the actor told Kathryn.

Star Cinema earlier announced on its Instagram account that ‘The Hows of Us’ earned P505,672,777.80-million to be exact.

Since it was shown in cinemas, the movie has received a lot of praises from Kathryn and Daniel’s fans, their co-celebrities, and several moviegoers, with some sharing their thoughts and realizations about the film. ■

Moira Dela Torre speaks out about participation in ‘Marcos Fest’

BY GIANNA LLANES Philippine Canadian Inquirer SINGER MOIRA dela Torre responded to critics who claimed that she was a supporter of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos after participating in “Marcos Fest,” a free concert in honor of the past president’s 101st birthday. The event occurred last September 11 at Ilocos Norte Centennial Arena in Laoag City.

Moira posted on Twitter, “This Marcos Fest was supposed to be called IMillennial Fest. I am not a Marcos apologetic. Never will I be.”

She continued, “From the earlier reminders till before we got there, they addressed it as the Ilocano Millennial Night.

Not once was his name brought up.”

She even shared a screenshot of the text message from her management with all of the flight details, where the event was named ‘Ilocano Millenial Night.’ Dela Torre was replying to a netizen’s tweet saying, “So let me be clear about this: I performed for the people of www.canadianinquirer.net

Ilocos and NOT for Marcos.”

She added, “It was the producer who failed to give us all the information. I think he purposely left that out to keep us from not accepting the event… which makes me even angrier.”

Cornerstone Entertainment came to Moira’s defense telling Rappler “Considering that the name of the fiesta event in Ilocos Norte held last September 11, 2018, was changed from ‘Ilocano Millenial Night’ to ‘Marcos Fest,’ Cornerstone Entertainment Inc. wishes to clarify that Moira’s performance in said fiesta was nonpolitical in nature as she neither endorses nor is she affiliated in any way with the Marcoses.”

It added, “The performance was solely made for the warm people of Ilocos Norte in relation to the celebration of their fiesta.”

Moira is not one to shy away from sharing her political views, back in 2016 tweeting that while she believes President Rodrigo Duterte’s speeches could use some improvement, “God did not make him our leader by accident.” She has then deleted the post, however. ■

Entertainment

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

25

Iñigo Pascual gets touching birthday message from his father

BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer

LEV RADIN / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Celebs turn out to help Rihanna’s Diamond Ball shine bright

BY MESFIN FEKADU The Associated Press NEW YORK — Rihanna’s Diamond Ball shined in its fourth year and continued to make a name as one of the industry’s white-hot and must-attend parties — all while raising money for charity.

The pop star, fashionista and makeup mogul held the black-tie gala for her Clara Lionel Foundation on Thursday in New York City, where Childish Gambino performed and Tiffany Haddish bid $75,000 on earrings.

The “Girls Trip” superstar, per usual, was in an electrifying mood at Cipriani Wall Street. When the Chopard earrings were being auctioned, the recent Emmy winner told her competition: “Let me have something in this world.” The earrings were valued at $112,000.

Haddish watched Gambino, who performed “This Is America,” “3005” and more songs, like a die-hard fan right in front of the stage, evening yelling her catch phrase — “she ready” — while the Emmy-winning “Atlanta” actor performed his Grammy-winning soul anthem, “Redbone.”

Issa Rae, the Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated creator of HBO’s “Insecure,” hosted the event and happily told the audience: “Rihanna knows my name y’all!”

Trevor Noah, Odell Beckham Jr., Brian Tyree Henry, Paris Hilton, Normani, Meek Mill and A$AP Rocky were among the famous faces who attended the event for Rihanna’s organization, which promotes education and arts globally and assists emergency response programs.

The 30-year-old singer started the foundation in 2012 and named it after her

grandparents, Clara and Lionel Braithwaite.

“In the past I’ve wanted to support so many causes and you go to one foundation for this and one foundation for that.

And I don’t think it’s fair to turn your back on someone else who needs help just because it doesn’t fit into the bracket of your mould. And I don’t think charities should be moulded like that— not for me anyways,” she said in an interview with The Associated Press. “Some people, it works for them, but for me personally, I couldn’t sleep knowing that I can’t help someone with AIDS because my charity’s about cancer. Everybody needs help, you don’t even know what that means, it could be schools supplies, it could be something as light as that.

But we would always, always reach out and support, so this going to be an evergrowing charity.”

The Clara Lionel Foundation, which has supported those affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Maria, has set a goal to raise $25 million for an emergency response fund by next year’s Diamond Ball. The organization also has a scholarship fund as well as oncology and nuclear medicine in Barbados, where Rihanna was born and raise.

Seth Meyers surprised the audience when he showed up to help with the live auction, which raised more than $1 million. Other attendees included Gucci Mane, Teyana Taylor, La La Anthony, Fabolous, Gayle King, Nipsey Hussle, Skylar Diggins, Justine Skye and DJ Mustard, who performed after Gambino.

Hugh Evans, the CEO of Global Citizen, received the 2018 Diamond Ball Award. ■

PIOLO PASCUAL has always been all praised for his son, Iñigo. That’s why it is not surprising that as the young actor turned 21 yesterday, September 14, Piolo made an adorable gesture to express his love for his unico hijo.

Sharing his birthday greeting to Iñigo in an Instagram post, Piolo said, “Looking at you makes me wanna ask the Lord what I’ve done to deserve a son like you… it’s been 21 years yet it still feels like yesterday.”

For Piolo, being with his son every single day feels like a “new discovery” for him.

“Seeing you tread your own path just makes me feel proud knowing there’s still more to conquer and a lot more milestones to be reached…” the 41-yearold actor said.

He continued, “One thing I know for sure, a lot more people will get to see and experience your world class talent…

It only gets better from here.”

Just like other parents who are always there to support their children as they watch them develop into their own unique person, Piolo told Iñigo that he does not have to constantly remind him that he will always be at his son’s side every step of the way.

“I’ll always be your biggest fan. I love you very much and may the good Lord grant your heart’s desire and more,” he said.

Iñigo has proven to the world that he is not just the son of one of the wellknown actors in the entertainment industry but he also got those skills.

Apart from his good looks that makes many girls turn their heads to him, Iñigo also caught the public’s attention as he grooves under the spotlight and shows off his singing prowess and acting chops.

As a matter of fact, the 21-year-old artist released his new song, Lumang Tugtugin, on his special day.

His friends and fans also sent their birthday wishes to Iñigo and congratulated him for his new song. ■

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26

Lifestyle Opening night at Vancouver Fashion Week S/S19 VANCOUVER, BC — Opening Gala night at Vancouver Art Gallery’s šxʷƛ̓ ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square (formerly Vancouver Art Gallery’s North Plaza/ Georgia Plaza) marked a sensational evening of runway shows for Vancouver Fashion Week.

First up, the Originator Awards were announced to celebrate key people who have helped grow the Vancouver fashion industry. From Stylists to Retailers, Teachers to Makeup Artists, all manner of skills and professions were commended.

On the first night of SS19, attendees were privy to the Designer Preview. The sampling was eclectic and innovative with a range of designers on full display. From ethereal and feminine silhouettes, playful blush pink structured dresses with palm prints, to gothic, veiled Spanish gowns, the Designer Preview had a bit of everything.

With such varied pieces, intrigue and excitement were felt throughout the crowd with anticipation bubbling around collections yet to come throughout the week.

Vietnamese Designer PHUONG MY began her SS19 show with the ringing resonance of dulcet bells, thus, setting a harmonious tone to her collection. With an exquisite blend of sumptuous silks and a subdued colour scheme, My’s polished models took the runway with poise to kick off Vancouver Fashion Week’s first full collection. The palette was filled with dusty baby blues and reds, with dashes of periwinkle and navy throughout. My took a modern take on classic silhouettes that accentuate the fe-

TRISTEN WILLIAMS / SUPPLIED

male form with tapered peplum waistlines, exquisitely tailored silk folds, and varied demure necklines. An elegant feminine strength is exuded throughout.

6-D Sebastian Masuda presented ‘Reboot the Kawaii’, featuring acidic candy colours, synthetic fabrics, faux fur, and an excess of embellishments.

Digital printed leggings, biker jackets, and a tulle skirt layered with transparent PVC, gave a youthful and casual feel in neon colours. Japanese artist, Masuda Sebastian, questions “what

is fashion?” with a multicoloured fur ensemble with huge towering headpiece; a dramatic look. Harnesses, lace-up belts, and fur clutch bags accessorize the collection. A men’s outfit featuring a hot pink ‘Bijou jacket’, with glistening pins on the lapel, worn with knee-length shorts, gives a fresh look for the SS19 season.

For Vancouver Fashion Week, opening night was full of delights.

The generosity and commitment of our sponsors is more

www.canadianinquirer.net

DAVID DAI / SUPPLIED

vital than ever. Please help us by acknowledging their support for Vancouver Fashion Week S/ S19. This season we would like to thank our official sponsors Alkaline Water, Meiomi Wine, and Dueck Auto Group.

About Vancouver Fashion Week (VFW)

Vancouver Fashion Week is the fastest-growing fashion week in the world and the only industry event that actively seeks out to showcase international award-winning design-

ers from over 25 global fashion capitals. For 31 seasons, VFW has celebrated multiculturalism and up-and- coming designers on their runways. VFW strives to identify undiscovered designers by providing an accessible and internationallyreputable platform. Through international media coverage and cogent buyer connectivity, VFW has provided the exposure to project past designers on to international success. ■

Lifestyle

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

27

How to ‘love craft’ your relationships for health and happiness

BY CARRIE JENKINS Professor of Philosophy and Canada Research Chair University of British Columbia, The Canadian Press YOU KNOW how to find happiness: Just meet Prince Charming (or Cinderella), overcome all obstacles, get married. The end.

Sure, we kind of know real life doesn’t work like that. And yet this “romantic” story remains right up there on its cultural pedestal. We measure ourselves against it when we “fail.”

I know how that feels. I’m polyamorous — in two simultaneous loving relationships — which is a “failure” condition because if you really love someone, you aren’t supposed to want anybody else.

But I’m also a philosophy professor, and I say this blinkered focus on a single story arc is making us miserable.

Can’t we dethrone the fairy tale, and celebrate a range of stories with real people in them? Wouldn’t it be more creative — not to mention more honest — to craft the role of love in our lives to fit who we truly are?

I’m not saying we’d all go around singing “Happy Days Are Here Again” if that happened, but I am saying lovecrafting is conducive to living a meaningful life, which might just be the key to a deep kind of happiness.

The freedom to choose

As philosophers are wont to do, let’s start by distinguishing two concepts of “happiness.”

One is about nice feelings: Hedonic happiness. The other is about broader well-being or flourishing — what Aristotle called eudaimonia. If you are eudaimonic, you might be deeply satisfied with your life, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you feel good all the time.

Philosophers love to pull apart concepts like this, but we also like to mash disparate concepts together and see what happens. My conceptual recipe for love-crafting has three main ingredients drawn from happiness research, the world of business and management

and the philosophy of love. A strange brew, sure, but hear me out.

Let’s start with happiness. It is quite well known that happiness is tied to agency — that is, making one’s own decisions.

The link can be understood partly in biological terms. As neuroscientist Alex Korb explains, one study using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure brain activity shows that: “(a)ctively choosing caused changes in attention circuits and in how the participants felt about the action, and it increased rewarding dopamine activity.”

Dopamine feels good, but there’s more to it than just that.

Psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl’s work with suicidal prisoners in Nazi death camps led him to conclude that having a sense of meaning or purpose in life is ultimately what makes it worth living. He stresses agency in this connection, noting that: “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms — to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

This wasn’t in her job description — she chose to make it part of her role.

This is huge, because the connection with agency brings eudaimonia into view. As Annie Dillard powerfully reminds us in The Writing Life, “(h)ow we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”

N o w for the third ingredient: Intentional l o v e .

This has r o o t s in the thought of social psychologist Eric Fromm, psychiatrist M. Scott Peck and feminist cultural critic bell hooks. In All About Love, hooks, for instance, says that: “(l)ove is an act of will, both an intention and an action,” and that “will also implies choice.

We do not have to love. We choose to love.”

ful way to exercise agency, even when your role has been Reshape the raw materials externally prescribed.

OK, but what does this have to 3) Love, like work, can be do with business and managepractised intentionally and ment? Here we thoughtfully. toss job-crafting Conclusion? into the mix.

Love-crafting This concept was has got to be introduced by worth a try. researchers Amy Some forge a network of So what would Wr z e s n i e w s k i loving friendships that (gasp!) it look like? Betand Jane Dutton doesn’t include a focal romantic ter to ask what in 2001 to “caprelationship. it does look ture the actions like. Many loveemployees take crafters “break to shape, mold, the rules” (as and re-define their jobs.”

Although we are taught to do some of their job-crafting Although a job description think of love as out of control, counterparts). determines the “raw materi- something we “fall” into, an Some forge a network of lovals” you have to work with, “addiction,” and even a form ing friendships that (gasp!) job-crafters creatively reshape of “madness,” that is not inten- doesn’t include a focal romantheir work for better alignment tional love. tic relationship. Some craft with their strengths and values. non-monogamous marriages, Wrzesniewski describes one Break the rules non-sexual romances, queer of the original inspirations for Now to combine the ingredi- loves and all kinds of things we their theory: A hospital cleaner ents together: don’t have labels for yet. who switched around the pic1) Exercising agency is tied to Others craft “normal” relatures in the rooms of coma pa- happiness — not just good feel- tionships. The difference betients, in case something about ings, but a deeper sense that tween a monogamous, hetero the changing environment one’s life has meaning. (etc.) relationship that’s “fallmight encourage their healing.

2) Job-crafting is a power- en” into and one that’s chosen is www.canadianinquirer.net

all the difference in the world.

As Frankl says in Man’s Search for Meaning, “happiness cannot be pursued; it must ensue.” Philosophers have tried to tell us this for centuries, and now they have empirical evidence to back them up.

Once the point sinks in, it’s obvious: Chasing a “happilyever-after” that’s externally prescribed by a one-size romantic ideal is a great way to ruin our chances of being happy-ever-at-all.

Intentionally crafting love to make it meaningful to you?

Now that might have a shot.

This does not mean a life of wall-to-wall The Hills Are Alive happiness — hedonic feelings tend to come and go.

Rather, my money is on this hypothesis: like job-crafting, love-crafting tends towards eudaimonia — the deep happiness that makes everything else possible. ■ This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

28

Lifestyle

SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

FRIDAY

Tracee Ellis Ross leads parade of pink on Emmys carpet

BY LEANNE ITALIE The Associated Press THERE WERE princess looks and stars pretty in pink, liquid metallics and a contingent in red for TV’s big night at the Emmy Awards.

Claire Foy in custom Calvin Klein by Appointment, Jessica Biel in ruffly Ralph & Russo and Scarlett Johansson in Balmain represented in white Monday, as did RuPaul in a jacket adorned with Andy Warhol designs of black Statues of Liberty on one side.

Yellow came in a variety of shades, from neon (Regina King) to mustard (16-yearold Gaten Matarazzo) to gold (Gwendoline Christie) to the lightest Easter hue, worn by a few.

And then there was Tracee Ellis Ross. Love her or scorn her in voluminous Valentino Haute Couture with puffy sleeves that surely set a world record.

“I almost shed a tear when she hit the carpet,” said Julee Wilson, fashion and beauty director for Essence magazine, of the “black-ish” star. “She cements her status as a style icon every time she gets dressed. But then again, she was birthed by Diana Ross, so it makes sense.”

Other best-dressed votes for Ellis Ross rolled in after the parade of fashion on the Emmys gold carpet in Los Angeles.

“If you plan to make the carpet all yours, it makes sense to go all out and do the volume of Valentino Haute Couture,” said Avril Graham, executive fashion and beauty editor for Harper’s Bazaar. “Absolutely perfect.”

It was bright pink. Its billowing sleeves fell off the shoulder.

It had volume to spare all the way to the ground.

Sarah Conly, executive fashion market director for Cosmopolitan and Seventeen magazines, also voted “yes” for Ellis Ross, but she appreciated some of the night’s Old Hollywood glamour as well. Particularly, Rachel Brosnahan’s asymmetrical ombre red from Oscar de la Renta, with a delicate drape effect and a matching red lip on the “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” star and winner of her first

FILE: Tracee Ellis Ross.

Thandie Newton.

FEATUREFLASH PHOTO AGENCY / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Emmy. Her ears were adorned by diamonds courtesy of Tiffany & Co. Also on Conly’s stunning list: Zazie Beetz of “Atlanta.” There’s no way to overstate the chunky blue tone jewels that adorned armour-like pieces falling down each shoulder from the halter neck of her body-hugging velvet Ralph Lauren gown.

“The detail on the cutouts on the shoulders were exquisite,” Conly said.

Erin Cunningham, senior fashion editor for the millennial-focused style site Refinery29, lauded Ellis Ross for never holding back, fashion wise, but also among her top looks was actress Poppy Delevingne in seafoam, ruffle-caped Giambattista Valli couture. It included an oversized silhouette that began just above the knee.

“The colour is unexpected and a rarity on the red carpet, and she topped the look off with a cute ribbon bow in her hair,” Cunningham said.

Delevingne also sported $200,000 worth of Amwaj citrine and diamond earrings, plus ring.

Cunningham noted pink had a renaissance in shades that felt less saccharine than usual, in-

cluding Ellis Ross.

“There was Tracee’s magenta dress, Leslie Jones’ holographic Christian Siriano suit (in pink and blue) and Thandie Newton’s one-sleeved bubblegum pink gown,” she said, referring to Newton’s one-shoulder Brandon Maxwell that looped at the neck in a long cape effect on one side.

Supermodel Gigi Hadid wore the look on Maxwell’s recent New York Fashion Week runway.

“Red carpets are always filled with your classic black and ‘naked’ dresses,” Cunningham said, “and it’s nice to see stylists pushing their clients a bit more when it comes to colour and silhouette.”

Conly was also a fan of Newton’s dress.

“She epitomizes the dreamy princess look that was so popular,” she said.

So where do these people shop? Well, while others ripped their outfits off runways or wore custom gowns, Meghan Mullally purchased her Carolina Herrera sheer black look with floral detailing online. Kristen Bell wore a classic white column gown from an unexpected brand, Solace London. www.canadianinquirer.net

While basic black is always abundant, Wilson had kind words for Keri Russell of “The Americans,” for elevating the colour in Zuhair Murad couture. It was beaded black crepe with a peplum ruffle in feathers atop a black pleated chiffon skirt.

Wilson’s verdict for Russell: “Feathers, legs and cleavage, oh my!”

Wilson was also a fan of Issa Rae’s pale blue Vera Wang custom look, with 3,000 crystals on a top that fell to the ground with a slit revealing what appeared to be loose, matching trousers. The silk V-neck was actually a jumpsuit with a split away skirt, the crystals sewn on by hand.

“There is nothing more awkward then a skirt and pant hybrid gown, but she pulls it off with such grace and ease,” Wilson said.

Penelope Cruz was in the white camp with a touch of soft grey, in feathered Chanel, landing on some highlight lists. Tiffany Haddish was a breath of fresh air and a rainbow at the same time, in bright stripes of green, red, yellow and blue, representing the Eritrean flag in honour of her dad, and courtesy of Prabal Gurung.

Sandra Oh wore crimson Ralph & Russo, though she fell short of making Emmy history when she did not win an Emmy.

Offsetting all the yellow, red, white, metallic (hello, Samira

@TRACEEELLISROSS / TWITTER

Wiley in Jenny Packham) and jewel-crusted looks was Dakota Fanning in gorgeous Dior Haute Couture. It was in a shade of jade, made of a creased pleated chiffon with a crossover front, tiny straps and a tied back.

As for the guys, Milo Ventimiglia wore a white evening jacket, but John Legend went for a navy blue tuxedo with black lapels from Gucci.

“I love when a fella strays from the traditional black tux and nails it with something a bit unexpected,” she said of Legend’s look.

His wife’s sparkly sheath gown draped in silk tulle? Not so much. It was fully beaded in geometric antique silver motifs from Zuhair Murad.

“Chrissy is stunning, smart and sassy, but this dress is the exact opposite,” Wilson said.

“That bodice, neckline makes her look matronly.”

Brian Tyree Henry of “Atlanta” went for a yellow-and-black print jacket. Tracy Morgan went for pinstripes, head to toe, spats on his dress shoes. Darren Criss stood out in a John Hardy look in a black diamond print with silver zigzags. Peter Mackenzie showed up in a kilt.

But back to Ellis Ross and her big statement in the big colour of the night.

“She really worked the volume of the dress on the red carpet,” Conly said, “and owned it rather than it owning her.” ■

29

Sports Mayweather asks Pacman for rematch this year

BY GIANNA LLANES Philippine Canadian Inquirer THE UNDEFEATED Floyd Mayweather recently announced that he is coming out of retirement for a rematch against Manny Pacquiao.

In an Instagram post, Mayweather captioned, “I’m coming back to fight Manny Pacquiao this year another 9 figure pay day on the way.”

This previous weekend, videos circulated of the two interacting at Ultra Japan music festival in Tokyo, Mayweather telling Pacquiao “I’m taking the belt in December,” with the Philippine boxer responding, “I have the belt.” Mayweather then says, “I’m taking it from you. I’m going to take it from you like I did before.”

Pacquiao’s last fight was on July 15, where he reigned victorious over Argentinian Lucas Matthysse after a seventh round knockout. When asked

by ESPN about his next match, Pacquiao stated, “Mayweather?

If he decides to go back to boxing then that is the time we are going to call the shots.”

The initial rivalry began before the two boxers’ first match in 2015, where Pacquiao was

PH rowers win 4 golds in world championships PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY

Floyd Mayweather.

defeated after a unanimous decision. The Filipino boxer claimed he had a right shoulder injury at the time, which limited his performance to 81 punches. The match reached a total record number of 4.6 million pay-per-view buys, with Mayweather receiving an estimated total of $220 million from his win, while Pacquiao earned an estimated $100 million for his participation.

There is no word yet on the exact details of the upcoming rematch, however, it is speculated to happen by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao also made the headlines last week

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for taking legal charges against promoter Top Rank, which he worked with for twelve years.

He then retracted his statements after claiming it was all just a “miscommunication.”

With this rematch between Mayweather and Pacquiao, Top Rank is choosing not to stay involved. Top Rank chief Bob Arum told CBSS Sports, “Listen to me. I will not be involved in that fight, period. At all.”

He continues saying, “Let other people do it. God love them, let them make money. It’s not for me. I want to devote my time and effort to guys who are in the prime of their careers.” ■

GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA— THE Philippines claimed two more gold medals in the 2018 International Canoe Federation (ICF) World Dragon Boat Championships here by winning the 10-seater and 20-seater senior mixed 200-meter races held at the Lake Lanier Olympic Park.

Led by veterans Hermie Macaranas and Mark Jhon Frias, the Filipinos paddled to the finish with a sudden burst of speed in the final 50 meters for a 50.46-second clocking in the small boat that drew admiration from their world-class rivals.

France settled for the silver medal in 53.056 seconds and towed third-placer Hungary (53.158), host United States (53.463), Italy (53.9) and Germany (54.437).

“On a shorter course such as the 200m, you need produce faster and powerful strokes to become successful,” said coach Diomedes Manalo after the Philippine Canoe Kayak Drag-

onboat Federation (PCKDF) paddlers surpassed their medal tally in 2016 Moscow, Russia.

The Pinoy paddlers followed exactly the game plan in capturing their fourth gold in the big boat, clocking 43.481 seconds to subdue Czech Republic (46.082) and United States (46.146).

Hungary placed fourth (46.791) followed by Germany (48.040) and Canada (50.242).

Besides the four gold medals, the national team supported by the Philippine Sports Commission and Go For Gold has also pocketed two silvers in the small boat senior men’s 500m and big boat senior mixed 2000m race, respectively.

“Congratulations to our dragon boat athletes for improving on their medal tally from their last world championship,” said Go For Gold top honcho Jeremy Go. “Despite all the struggle and adversity, our team has come out on top and continues to impress.”

They defended the 20-seater senior mixed 500-m title with aplomb after kicking off their ❱❱ PAGE 33 PH rowers

Lucena tankers bag 5 golds on Day 1 of Batang Pinoy

BY PRIMO AGATEP Philippine News Agency BAGUIO CITY — Lucena City ace tankers Markus Johanne De Kam and Mervien Jules Mirandilla on Monday ruled their respective events in the swimming competition to power their team’s five gold medal haul in the opening action of the 2018 Batang Pinoy national championship co-hosted by Baguio City and Benguet.

De Kam first captured the gold in the Boys 12-under

100-meter freestyle event with 59.11 seconds held at the Baguio Athletic Bowl swimming pool.

He defeated Johan Carlo Aguilen of La Union province, who took the silver, while John Marocenel Alagon of Las Piñas settled for the bronze, clocking 1:00.94 and 1:02.02, respectively.

Half an hour later, De Kam bagged his second gold by topping the 50-meter backstroke and clocked 32.27 seconds.

He beat Vince Leano Dalman of Dipolog City who finished

with 34.78 seconds and Joshua Aban of Iligan City (35.30 seconds), who settled for the silver and bronze, respectively.

Mirandilla’s two golds came in the 100-meter freestyle (58.38 seconds) and 100 meter butterfly (59.92 seconds) in the boys 13-15 age category.

Meanwhile, Jordan Ken Lobos ruled the 50 meter breaststroke (32.41 seconds), also of the boys 13-15 age bracket.

The Laguna swimmers also got a big start by harvesting four golds capped by Roz Ciarale Encarnacion’s two golds harvest. www.canadianinquirer.net

She ruled the 200 meter individual medley (2:40.97) and 50 meter breaststroke (37.33 seconds) both in the girls 12-under category.

Roshanne Ysabell Biglete and John Marocenel Alagon reigned supreme in their respective events to add to Laguna’s gold medal haul. Biglete topped the girls 12-under 100 meter freestyle (1:04.81) while Alagon ruled the Boys 12-under 100 meter freestyle (1:05.05).

Swimmers from General Santos and Quezon City splashed their way to get three golds.

Vince Leano Dalman of Dipolog City bagged the first gold winner in the meet by topping the 200 meter individual medley (2:42.20) of the boys 12-under field. He defeated Rob Jarel Balderas of host Baguio city (2:46.09) who settled for the silver while Busty Dwyne Jalandra took the bronze (2:54.90).

Registering one gold each in the pool were the teams from Tacloban City, Ormoc City, Makati City, La Union, Cotabato City, Puerto Princesa City and Parañaque City. ■

30

Business Where are American investors? BSP enhances Dominguez asks US envoy guidelines on

currency rate risk protection program

PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY MANILA — Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III has questioned the absence of American investors in the Duterte administration’s flagship infrastructure project to develop the Clark Freeport Zone, a former United States military airbase, into the country’s next big metropolis.

In a meeting with Assistant Secretary Manisha Singh of the US State Department, Dominguez said the absence of American investors in the bidding for the New Clark City development project could indicate that American investors “have no interest” in taking part in the Philippines’ economic emergence, anchored on the “Build, Build, Build” program, the Department of Finance revealed in a statement Thursday.

He told Singh, who handles the State Department’s economic and business affairs, that he had asked the same question before members of the US-ASEAN Business Council and the American Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines (AmCham) in his separate meetings with them earlier this year.

The finance chief pointed out that the Philippine government, which is funding the transformation of the former US military base into New Clark City, had announced the public bidding for the project before the international community, but no American companies took part in the bidding process.

“Last time I spoke with (members of ) the US-ASEAN Business Council and the US Chamber here, I asked them one question. Why did they not bid for the project in Clark?

The refurbishment of the Clark airbase is done with our own funds. The project is around USD250 million. We bid this out around this time last year,”

PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III.

he told Singh during the meeting.

Dominguez said the Philippines welcomes US companies here, as their investments could prove to be beneficial to the country’s fast-growing economy. According to him, some American companies have submitted bids but only for the design component of the New Clark City project. “Maybe they don’t have an interest here,” Dominguez told Singh.

Singh, in response, said she will speak with leaders of US infrastructure companies to tell them about the immense investment opportunities in the “Build, Build, Build” program of the Duterte administration.

“We would like to participate, we would like to engage,” she said, noting that there might have been some “disconnect” that needs to be corrected to ensure that US companies are aware of the opportunities in the Philippines.

Dominguez informed Singh that New Clark City would be complemented with the development of the Clark International Airport, which will include a new passenger terminal and possibly a second runway.

This new metropolis will have a new backup government cen-

DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE / FACEBOOK

ter, world-class sports facilities, and industrial estates.

Singh said she will explore a possible tie-up between US and Japanese companies in investing in New Clark City.

During the meeting, Singh also discussed with Dominguez US President Donald Trump’s new Indo-Pacific Strategy, which aims to enhance US private sector participation in the region that includes Japan, India, the member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Australia, among other countries.

The US program also involves improving digital connectivity and cybersecurity in the region, promoting sustainable infrastructure development, and strengthening energy security and access.

Dominguez said the Indo-Pacific Strategy, in relation to the Philippines, is a “timely” effort given that bilateral trade between the Philippines and US has been expanding at a slow pace.

He also welcomed Singh’s statements on the progress of negotiations for a US-Philippines free trade agreement, with a new meeting set soon between the trade officials of the two countries. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

MANILA — The Monetary Board (MB) approved the enhanced guidelines on the Currency Rate Risk Protection Program (CRPP) aimed at easing the demand pressures in the foreign exchange spot market, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) disclosed in a statement over the weekend.

The CRPP is a hedging facility offered by the BSP through universal/commercial banks for clients who are seeking to hedge their borrowings denominated in foreign currency.

The CRPP Facility is a nondeliverable USD/PHP forward (NDF) contract between the BSP and a universal/commercial bank. In an NDF contract, only the net difference between the contracted forward rate and the spot rate shall be settled in pesos upon maturity of the contract.

Obligations eligible under the CRPP facility are the unhedged foreign currency obligations in amounts of not less than USD50,000.00 that are current and outstanding as of the date of application. These include

the following: (a) BSP-reported/registered short-term (ST) trade-related loans from eligible banks; (b) medium/longterm trade-related FCDU/RBU loans with payments maturing within 90 days as of date of application; (c) ST trade-related borrowings of oil companies from offshore banking units (OBUs); and (d) US dollar trust receipts, among others. The maximum tenor of the CRPP contract is 90 days with option to reavail.

To facilitate the transactions under the CRPP facility, the BSP provides various regulatory relief. Exposures under the CRPP facility shall not be subject to NDF position limits.

Moreover, reduced market risk capital charges shall be applied for net open positions for NDFs under this facility. Universal banks/commercial banks also do not need additional derivatives authority since transactions under the CRPP are considered generally authorized derivatives activities.

The terms, conditions and the reporting requirements of the CRPP Facility will be covered by a separate issuance on the implementing guidelines of the CRPP Facility. ■

BANGKO SENTRAL NG PILIPINAS / FACEBOOK

Business

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

31

Espenilla discounts off-cycle action ahead of policy meeting

BY JOANN VILLANUEVA Philippine News Agency MANILA — Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Nestor A. Espenilla Jr. discounted any off-cycle actions ahead of the Monetary Board’s (MB) meeting on September 27 despite the impact of inflation which may have been exacerbated by the wrath of Typhoon Ompong (Mangkhut).

“We will follow the regular cycle,” he told reporters Monday, but noted the possibility of a “strong monetary action” during the MB’s sixth rate setting late this month.

To date, the Board has increased the BSP’s key rates by 100 basis points as inflation continue to rise.

The MB is widely expected to announce another rate increase as inflation remains elevated.

Last August, rate of price increases went up to 6.4 percent from month-ago’s 5.7 percent on faster inflation rate of the food index, among others, due to supply-side factors.

To date, inflation averaged at 4.8 percent, way higher than the upper end of government’s two to four percent target until 2020.

Inflation is seen to further rise due to the damage caused

by Typhoon Ompong.

Espenilla said it is still “too early to tell the damage it caused and what the impact (is).”

“Historically, typhoons cause disruptions in supply but the impact tends to be localized and transitory. So I don’t think

it will create a problem on inflation for a longer horizon,” he explained.

The central bank chief, however, pointed out that that “for the main inflation problem we’re dealing with right now, several measures have already been announced, non-monetary and monetary measures, so we continue along with those.”

Economic managers have identified nine measures to address supply-related issues on rice, fish, meat, and vegetables as lack of supply of these items is the primary factor that have been pushing inflation to multiyear high in recent months.

Included in these measures are the release of around 4.6 million sacks of rice currently available in National Food Authority (NFA) warehouses, rep-

BSP Gov. Nestor Espenilla, Jr.

licating of issuance of certificates of necessity to allow fish imports to be distributed in wet markets around Metro Manila and other parts of the country, issuance of an Executive Order (EO) that will simplify and streamline licensing procedures for NFA’s rice imports, reduction of gap between farmgate and retail price of chicken,

BANGKO SENTRAL NG PILIPINAS / FACEBOOK

importation of sugar to direct users and for the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to prioritize the release of essential food items in the ports.

Economic managers said a draft EO for these measures has been submitted to the Office of the President and once signed the measures will be immediately implemented. ■

PH, Fujian bizmen Gatchalian open to retaining old ink 15 deals tax incentive under TRABAHO Bill

BY KRIS CRISMUNDO Philippine News Agency MANILA — Fifteen cooperation agreements and joint venture deals were signed with companies based in Fujian province, further enhancing trade and investment relations in sectors of agriculture, tourism, and real estate between the Philippines and China.

A delegation from the Fujian government, led by its Governor Tang Dengjie, visited Manila last week to explore ways of boosting economic ties with their Filipino counterparts.

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), among the business deals that were signed last week include the USD4.51-million purchase of banana from Del Monte Fresh Produce, as well as the USD6.27-million deal with Verde Horizon Agri-Ventures Corp.

“We have strong historical ties with Fujian Province and its people. Our proximity with each other has attracted so many Fujian investors to do business in the country and

partner with other Filipino business groups,” said Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez.

“Fujian investors and members of their business sector have strong interest in investing in the Philippines considering our potentials. They would also like to ride on our growing economy and join us in maintaining its momentum,” Lopez added.

Moreover, the trade chief has encouraged Fujian businessmen to explore investment opportunities in the Philippines.

Lopez mentioned that the Philippines is a strategic location for the operation of Fujian businesses with the country’s over 100 million population. It is also a gateway to the 600-million market in Southeast Asia.

As a member state of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Philippines has preferential trade agreements with the other member states of ASEAN, Japan, China, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and India.

The country is also benefiting from the generalized scheme of preferences from the European Union and the United States. ■

BY KRIS CRISMUNDO Philippine News Agency MANILA — Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Wednesday said he is open to retaining the 5-percent gross income earned (GIE) tax incentive under the Tax Reform for Attracting Better and High-Quality Opportunities (TRABAHO) Bill, the second package of the tax reform program.

On the sidelines of the Arangkada Philippines Forum 2018 in Pasay City, Gatchalian said the Senate is considering the retention of the 5-percent GIE tax incentive for certain industries depending on their cost-structure.

He, however, said the government should not be giving out such tax perks for an indefinite period.

“I do admit that we need to rationalize the concept of giving perpetual incentives,” he told reporters.

The 5-percent GIE tax incentive is given to locators registered with Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA).

The Department of Finance’s www.canadianinquirer.net

(DOF) version of this tax reform package, also known as the Tax Reform for Acceleration for Inclusion Package 2 or TRAIN 2, wants to eliminate the 5-percent GIE tax incentives extended by PEZA to its registered investors. The companies continue to enjoy the perk so long as they are operating inside a PEZA zone.

“The TRABAHO BIll that the House (of Representatives) approved is a much, I think, different version from the DOF version, in the sense that they made lot of adjustments so that jobs will not be lost,” said Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate committee on economic affairs.

“And that’s also the view of the Senate, we will make sure that we will not lose the jobs and make sure that the country will not have a negative image because we’re neglecting our contracts. We want to make sure that this bill, as intended, will make the Philippines competitive with its peers by lowering down corporate income tax to 20 percent eventually,” he added.

He said after discussions with foreign chambers, he will also

be examining the possibility of maintaining support for the electronics and semiconductor, as well as the business process outsourcing (BPO) industries.

“The semiconductor industry and BPO industry is about more or less 20 percent of our gross domestic product, very sizeable industries for our economy.

We don’t want that scenario wherein these industries will be weakened, the competitiveness will be lessened, and we want to continuously grow these industries,” Gatchalian said.

Meanwhile, Philippine Association of Multinational Companies Regional Headquarters, Inc. (PAMURI) Director Celeste Ilagan, said the BPO sector is batting to keep the 10-percent corporate income tax rate for regional operating headquarters (ROHQs) under the TRABAHO Bill.

She said the industry does not want to lose another incentive once the TRAIN 2 is passed.

ROHQs already lost the 15-percent preferential tax rate because of TRAIN law, leading to “slight contraction of number of employees in ROHQs,” Ilagan added. ■

32

Technology New era in virtual reality therapy for common phobias

BY CARLA K. JOHNSON The Associated Press DICK TRACEY didn’t have to visit a tall building to get over his fear of heights. He put on a virtual reality headset.

Through VR, he rode an elevator to a high-rise atrium that looked so real he fell to his knees.

“I needed to search with my hand for something solid around me,” he said.

He told himself, “I must look stupid. Let’s just stand up.

Nothing’s going to happen.”

Virtual reality therapy can help people like Tracey by exposing them gradually to their greatest terrors. The technology is just now reaching the mainstream after 20 years of research. Equipment is lighter and more affordable, with tech advances spilling over from the gaming industry to help people fight disabling fears of flying, heights, spiders or dogs.

And the surge in products is bringing VR to more therapists’ offices. Experts predict people with mild phobias will treat themselves successfully at home.

Research shows VR therapy can lead to real-world gains for people with phobias, and works as well as traditional exposure therapy, which slowly subjects patients to what causes anxiety for them.

For Denver librarian Nick Harrell, VR was a booster shot after traditional therapy for fear of flying. Panic drove him off a flight to Paris two years

ago, forcing him to abandon a vacation with his girlfriend.

“I don’t like being locked in the metal tube,” Harrell explained. “I couldn’t breathe. My chest was pounding.”

With help from a therapist, Harrell first faced his fears through exposure therapy. Elevators, buses and trains were good practice for airplanes.

“Within a matter of months, I was flying again,” Harrell said.

With VR recently added to his therapy, Harrell keeps fears in check. His health insurance covers the cost with a small copay.

But few people with phobias seek treatment. Too embarrassed to get help, many plan their lives around avoiding their fears.

Tracey of Oxfordshire, England, avoided heights, from ladders to breathtaking vistas.

Escalators gave the 62-year-old retiree heart palpitations. His wife walked between him and steep slopes.

Tracey’s VR therapy was part of a study . He was one of the first to try a VR world with an animated virtual coach. University of Oxford psychology professor Daniel Freeman developed the program for an Oxford spin-off with support from the National Health Service.

Freeman’s team is now at work on a VR world where people with schizophrenia can practice being in a cafe, elevator or store.

“Many of our patients are withdrawn from the world,” Freeman said. The fear-ofheights VR program shows you can automate treatment.

What is VR? Put on a headset and look around. You’ll see a simulation of an interactive, three-dimensional environment. Look up and you’ll see the sky; look down and your own hands and feet may come into view.

With exposure therapy, a therapist can accompany a person who’s afraid of heights to a tall building. With VR, a patient learns to feel safe on a virtual high-rise balcony, without leaving the therapist’s office.

Exposure works by gradually taking the oomph out of panic.

Sweaty palms and pounding hearts ease. Fears shrink to manageable levels. By riding it out, a person learns the feelings are survivable.

The best studies on VR exposure therapy have been small with fewer than 100 patients.

Increasingly VR therapy will be delivered at home via the internet, a still largely unstudied area, said Katharina Meyerbroker, a researcher at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, who has published reviews of research done in the field.

www.canadianinquirer.net

Harrell’s therapist is helping field-test VR content for a company called Limbix, an arrangement between the company and the National Mental Health Innovation Center at University of Colorado’s medical school.

Such ties are important for VR companies, which need scientific credibility to sell their products to therapists. Researchers gain too.

“We’ve all been piggybacking on this technology that was initially developed for video gaming,” said Hunter Hoffman, a research scientist at the University of Washington in Seattle who developed an early VR therapy called Spider World two decades ago. He didn’t license his arachnophobia project like other early researchers who’ve teamed up with companies to sell VR platforms and content.

Children may someday use VR to learn to cope with anxiety, said Stephen Whiteside, director of the Mayo Clinic Pediatric Anxiety Disorders Clinic, where a study targets kids with schoolwork anxieties.

In the VR scenario, a class-

room teacher hands back a school paper with a bad grade.

“You hear the voices of other kids laughing and saying you didn’t do so well,” Whiteside said. “When I first watched it, I had a visceral response myself.

It made you nervous.”

The Mayo researchers say children prefer the VR experience to traditional exposure therapy. Next they’ll test whether it works as well.

Whiteside said VR researchers everywhere must demonstrate benefits that outweigh treatment costs, which can reach $200 per session in some specialty clinics.

“The cheaper and more accessible it gets,” Whiteside said, “the easier that will be.”

VR therapy made life simpler for Tracey. After seven VR sessions, he now easily parks his car atop a multi-story garage.

He stood on the flat roof of his house to clean his carport.

“I would never have dreamed of doing that before,” he said. “I now know how much the fear of heights restricted my everyday life.” ■

Technology

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

Japan eager to be on board vertical takeoff ‘flying cars’

BY YURI KAGEYAMA The Associated Press TOKYO — Electric drones booked through smartphones pick people up from office rooftops, shortening travel time by hours, reducing the need for parking and clearing smog from the air.

This vision of the future is driving the Japanese government’s “flying car” project. Major carrier All Nippon Airways, electronics company NEC Corp. and more than a dozen other companies and academic experts hope to have a road map for the plan ready by the year’s end.

“This is such a totally new sector Japan has a good chance for not falling behind,” said Fumiaki Ebihara, the government official in charge of the project.

For now, nobody believes people are going to be zipping around in flying cars any time soon. Many hurdles remain, such as battery life, the need for regulations and of course safety concerns. But dozens such projects are popping up around the world.

A flying car is defined as aircraft that’s electric, or hybrid electric, with driverless capabilities, that can land and takeoff vertically, according to Ebihara.

They are often called EVtol, which stands for “electric vertical takeoff and landing” aircraft. All the flying car concepts, which are like drones big enough to hold humans, promise to be better than helicopters, which are expensive to maintain, noisy to fly and require trained pilots, Ebihara and other proponents say.

“You may think of ‘Back to the Future,’ ‘Gundam,’ or ‘Doraemon,”‘ Ebihara said, referring to vehicles of flight in a Hollywood film and in Japanese cartoons featuring robots.

“Up to now, it was just a dream, but with innovations in motors and batteries, it’s time for it to become real,” he said.

Google, drone company Ehang and car manufacturer Geely in China, and Volkswagen AG of Germany have invested in flying car technology.

Nissan Motor Co. and Honda

Ferrari unveils open cockpit model as it outlines new plans

BY COLLEEN BARRY The Associated Press

Fumiaki Ebihara.

Motor Co. said they had nothing to say about flying cars, but Toyota Motor Corp. recently invested $500 million in working with Uber on self-driving technology for the ride-hailing service. Toyota group companies have also invested 42.5 million yen ($375,000) in a Japanese startup, Cartivator, that is working on a flying car.

The hope is to fly up and light the torch at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but it’s unclear it will meet that goal: at a demonstration last year the device crashed after it rose to slightly higher than eye level. A video of a more recent demonstration suggests it’s now flying more stably, though it’s being tested indoors, unmanned and chained so it won’t fly away.

There are plenty of skeptics.

Elon Musk, chief executive of electric car maker Tesla Inc., says even toy drones are noisy and blow a lot of air, which means anything that would be “1,000 times heavier” isn’t practical.

“If you want a flying car, just put wheels on a helicopter,” he said in a recent interview with podcast host and comedian Joe Rogan on YouTube. “Your neighbours are not going to be happy if you land a flying car in your backyard or on your rooftop.”

Though the Japanese government has resisted Uber’s efforts to offer ride-hailing services in Japan, limiting it to partnerships with taxi companies, it has eagerly embraced the U.S.

FUMIAKI EBIHARA / FACEBOOK

company’s work on EVtol machines.

Uber says it is considering Tokyo as its first launch city for affordable flights via its UberAir service. It says Los Angeles and Dallas, Texas, and locations in Australia, Brazil, France and India are other possible locations for its services.

Unlike regular airplanes, with their aerodynamic design and two wings, Uber’s “Elevate” structures look like small jets with several propellers on top. The company says it plans flight demonstrations as soon as 2020 and a commercial service by 2023.

Uber’s vision calls for using heliports on rooftops, but new multi-floored construction similar to parking lots for cars will likely be needed to accommodate so many more EVtol aircraft, once the service takes off.

Unmanned drones are legal in Japan, the U.S. and other countries, but there are restrictions on where they can be flown and requirements for getting approval in advance.

In Japan, drone flyers can be licensed if they take classes.

There is no requirement like drivers licenses for cars.

Flying passengers over populated areas would take a quantum leap in technology, overhauling aviation regulations and air traffic safety controls and major efforts both to ensure safety and convince people ❱❱ PAGE 35 Japan eager

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33

MARANELLO, ITALY — Sportscar maker Ferrari is blazing its trail under new leadership on limited edition cars based on iconic models of the past, unveiling Tuesday the first in the Icona special series billed as the most-powerful road car in the company’s history.

Ferrari presented its Monza SP1 and SP2 sportscars — based on the classic open-top “barchetta” racing model of the 1940s and 1950s with revvedup Formula 1 technology — on the day that the new CEO, Louis Camilleri, was outlining a 5-year business plan. Camilleri took over in July after the unexpected death of CEO Sergio Marchionne, who had long anticipated his plans to transform Ferrari into a luxury goods company that focuses on highend consumer products beyond cars.

Chairman John Elkann expressed sadness at Marchionne’s sudden death, saying “he loved everything about Ferrari” and had been “looking forward to spending more time here in the coming years after his planned retirement next year from FCA,” the massmarket carmaker Fiat Chrysler

Automobiles.

Elkann said that Camilleri “understands perfectly the significance of our heritage ... to the success of the plans presented today.”

Ferrari said that fewer than 500 of the Monza SP sportscars will be produced and sold only to eligible Ferrari customers, whose preferences will define the mix of one- and two-seat models.

The open-cockpit Monza SP sportscars are “probably the closest and purest driving experience to the Formula 1,” said Nicolo Boari, the head of product marketing. He said that the engine was “the most powerful ever in Ferrari history,” boasting 810 horsepower able to reach 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph) in 2.9 seconds and 200 kilometres an hour in 7.9 seconds.

Providing a glimpse of Ferrari’s broader plans to expand its luxury profile, buyers of the Monza SP series will receive a racing jumpsuit designed by Italian high-end luxury brand Loro Piana that will also help protect the drivers against the elements. Italian leather maker Berluti is also making a leatherclad helmet-goggle combo and driving shoes for the brand. ■

PH rowers... ❰❰ 29

world championship campaign with a convincing win in the 10-seater senior mixed 500m event.

The Pinoy paddlers remain on track to secure another gold medal in the 10-seater senior men 200m on Sunday (Monday in Manila).

Jordan De Guia, John Paul Selencio, Lee Robin Santos, Jonathan Ruz, Daniel Ortega, Reymart Nevado, John Lester Delos Santos will join hands with Christine Mae Talledo, Sharmaine Mangilit, Apple

Jane Abitona, Raquel Almencion and Lealyn Baligasa in the big boat senior mixed 200m.

Maribeth Caranto has been designated steersman and Patricia Ann Bustamante as drummer.

During their world championship campaign two years ago, the Filipinos brought home three gold medals, one silver and a pair of bronzes.

In the master division, the Philippines pocketed a pair of bronze medals in the small boat men’s and mixed 200m races. ■

SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

34

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www.canadianinquirer.net

35

Travel Five things to do in Vancouver that will make your Halloween season extra spooky THE CANADIAN PRESS

11 to 31 and runs rain or shine. Tickets are $6 to $12.

VANCOUVER — The air is becoming crisp and the rain is falling but there’s another reason Metro Vancouver might feel a little spine-chilling this season.

Halloween is approaching and with it comes plenty of scary and supernatural happenings. Who says All Hallows’ Eve should only be celebrated for one day?

Here are five things to do in Vancouver this Halloween season:

Fright Night at the Pacific National Exhibition

Ghost Train in Stanley Park

The Ghost Train in the city’s famed Stanley Park takes riders on a journey through a spooky but family-friendly world. This year, join Jack O’Lantern in the dark forest, where he wanders trapped in an ancient Halloween world with a Celtic twist. The ride is open Oct.

Why settle for one haunted house when you can have eight? This year, the PNE is adding a new spooky homestead it’s calling The Bloodshed and five new rides that bring the total to 20, including the Dizzy Drop and Tea Cups. Cap off the night with ghoulish comedy shows

by The Monsters of Schlock and Singe the Clown. Select nights Oct. 6 to 31.

Tickets are $22 to $105.

Parade of Lost Souls

Stretch your imagination with a surreal procession of fantastical characters.

The Parade of Lost Souls is a decadesold tradition in East Vancouver organized by the Dusty Flowerpot Cabaret.

The route is kept secret until midnight before the event. This year’s date has not yet been publicized but it typically happens on or near Oct. 31.

West Vancouver Pumpkinfest

Get your cosy sweaters on and head to the north shore for an old fashioned harvest festival. Pick out your future jack-o’-lantern in the pumpkin patch, pet animals in the farm zone or get your face painted. The festival also includes a home and harvest competition, artisan market and entertainment. Sept. 30 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the West Vancouver Community Centre.

Ghost walks

Take a stroll back in time with one of several spooky walks offered in Metro Vancouver. Forbidden Vancouver will lead you through the backstreets and al-

leyways of Victorian Gastown with stories of smallp o x , fires and m u r der on its Lost Souls of Gastown tours starting Oct. 16.

Hear tales of hauntings on Ghostly Vancouver Tours downtown tour and the story of British Columbia’s “hanging judge” in the New Westminster tour. ■

Japan eager... ❰❰ 33

it’s safe.

Uber said at a recent presentation in Tokyo that it envisions a route between the city’s two international airports, among others.

Savings in time would add up, it said.

“This is not a rich person’s toy. This is a mass market solution,” said Adam Warmoth, product manager at Uber Elevate.

Concepts for flying cars vary greatly.

Some resemble vehicles with several propellers on top while others look more like a boat with a seat over the propellers.

Ebihara, the flying-car chief at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, says Japan is on board for “Blade Runner” style travel — despite its plentiful, efficient and well developed public transportation.

Japan’s auto and electronics industries have the technology and ability to produce super-light materials that could give the nation an edge in the flying car business, he said. Such vehicles could be tested first in uncongested, remote areas or between islands, where public transport is less accessible and safety issues would be less of a problem.

Just as the automobile vanquished horse-drawn carriages, moving shortdistance transport into the air could in theory bring a sea change in how people live, Ebihara said, pointing to the sky

outside the ministry building to stress how empty it was compared to the streets below.

Flying also has the allure of a bird’s eye view, the stuff of drone videos increasingly used in filmmaking, tourism promotion and journalism.

Atsushi Taguchi, a “drone grapher,” as specialists in drone video are called, expects test flights can be carried out even if flying cars won’t become a reality for years since the basic technology for stable flying already exists with recent advances in sensors, robotics and digital cameras.

A growing labour shortage in deliveries in Japan is adding to the pressures to realize such technology, though there are risks, said Taguchi, who teaches at the Tokyo film school Digital Hollywood.

The propellers on commercially sold drones today are dangerous, and some of his students have lost fingers with improper flying. The bigger propellers needed for vertical flight would increase the hazards and might need to be covered.

The devices might need parachutes to soften crash landings, or might have to explode into small bits to ensure pieces hitting the ground would be smaller.

“I think one of the biggest hurdles is safety,” said Taguchi. “And anything that flies will by definition crash.” ■

# 1 7 9 - 8 1 3 8 1 2 8 S t r e e t S u r r e y, B C

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36

Travel

SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

FRIDAY

Hidden underground world below French president put on view

BY SYLVIE CORBET The Associated Press PARIS — The French presidential wine cellar holds 14,000 bottles regarded as so precious, few people are allowed to enter the room. Flower bouquets are displayed at the presidential palace only for a couple of hours so they always look fresh.

And the president’s chefs use 150-year-old copper pans.

These and other behind-thescenes quirks of the Elysee Palace are getting a rare airing this weekend, when the home of French presidents since 1848 opens its heavy and usually tightly closed doors to a small, but lucky group of ordinary citizens.

On Saturday and Sunday, a few hundred people were visiting the underground kitchen, cellar and florist rooms.

They were able to buy souvenirs from a new boutique to help finance palace renovations expected to cost 100 million euros ($117 million) over the next seven years. Across France, other usually closed sites are also opening their doors for the weekend as part of European Heritage Days.

Under President Emmanuel Macron’s office and the Elysee’s 18th-century golden reception rooms is an underground world where a small battalion of workers makes the whole place tick. They labour out of sight in a maze of austere corridors and narrow rooms with artificial light and grey and beige walls.

Every morning, the basement comes to life when fresh produce, fish and meats are delivered to the kitchen and checked for quality. Most of the

food — except items like coffee and chocolate — is sourced in France.

The kitchen staff of 28 people, plus apprentices, serves 92,000-95,000 meals per year.

They cook daily for Macron and his wife Brigitte and for some Elysee employees, and handle official dinners, big events like receptions at the Chateau of Versailles west of Paris and prepare in-flight meals for the presidential plane.

Presidential tastes and menus remain one of the best kept secrets of the Elysee.

Chef Guillaume Gomez wouldn’t answer questions about the Macrons’ meals. The Elysee Palace in Paris, France.

French leader once said his favourite dish is blanquette de From the kitchen, a dark cor- them: exclusively French, of veau, a traditional veal stew in ridor leads to one of the most course. creamy white sauce. protected places of the Elysee: The multiple underground “Unlike a restaurant, we the wine cellar. corridors seem like a labyrinth work on a daily basis with the A first room presents a selec- to outsiders. But the smell of seasons, the activity and news tion of classic wines for work- flowers points the way to the events of the president,” he ing lunches and dinners and florists’ rooms. said.

Three people The basement prepare flower kitchen used to table centres be a horse stable. that will then It was converted Under President Emmanuel systematically at the end of the Macron’s office and the Elysee’s be re-used in 19th century 18th-century golden reception other bouquets. and renovated in rooms is an underground world The flowers are 1989. where a small battalion of only displayed A full set of workers makes the whole place when needed copper pots and tick. for an event, and pans from 1845then immediate1865 hang on the ly go back into wall and are used cold storage in daily. a selection of aperitif drinks. the Elysee basement.

Gomez said the copper would The second cellar, much bigFlowers come from France corrode if the pans were idle. “If ger, is protected by a locked and other producers like the it’s not used — heated, cooled door. Higher quality bottles are Netherlands and Ecuador. down, heated, cooled down — it stocked there and all visitors Marianne Fuseau, head flodies,” he said. are banned from entering. rist, explained that flowers are Plus, buying a modern stainThe head sommelier’s mis- matched to suit the tablecloths less steel replacement set sion is to select wines that fit and tableware “to avoid any bad would cost several hundred with the chef’s menu and to buy taste.” thousand euros. the finest vintages to replace She also checks the colours

VOSTOK 91 / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, CC BY-SA 2.0

don’t clash with the clothes worn by visiting heads of state.

She uses roses but avoids lilies, too fragrant, and mimosas, because they can provoke allergic reactions.

About 340 people registered on the Elysee website to visit the palace.

The presidency’s just opened online boutique sells branded mugs, pens, T-shirts and other products to help finance palace renovations.

A watch with a red-whiteand-blue wristband and a tote bag marked “Premiere Dame” (“First Lady”) are among the items. All the goodies are made in France.

European Heritage Days, also called Heritage Open Days, are held every September, with many monuments and sites across the continent opening to the public free of charge. The program was launched by the Council of Europe in 1985, and in 1999 the European Union joined in. ■

Flood victims... ❰❰ 20

and the sun peeked through on Monday, but North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper warned that dangerously high water would persist for days. He urged residents who were evacuated from the hardest-hit areas to stay away because of closed roads and floodwaters that submerged entire communities.

“There’s too much going on,” he said.

Utility crews from multiple states worked to restore power, and outages were down from a high of more than 900,000 to about 320,000 homes and businesses, nearly all in North Carolina.

Crews conducted about 700 rescues in New Hanover Coun-

ty, where Wilmington is located. About half of all homes and businesses were without power Tuesday, a big improvement from a day earlier. Roads were being cleared and the landfill was open to accept storm refuse.

Mayor Bill Saffo said he was working with the governor’s office to get more fuel into Wilmington. www.canadianinquirer.net

“At this time, things are moving as well as can be in the city,” he said.

Downgraded from a tropical depression, the deadly storm still had abundant rain and top winds around 25 mph (40 kph).

Forecasters said states in the Northeast are in for as much as 4 inches (10 centimetres) of rain before the system moves

offshore again. ■ Waggoner reported from Raleigh, North Carolina. Associated Press photographer Steve Helber in Pollocksville, North Carolina, and AP writers Jonathan Drew in Lumberton, North Carolina; Gary Robertson in Raleigh; and Jay Reeves in Atlanta contributed to this report.

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Food Berry scones that are a flaky, honey glazed brunch delight AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN THESE SCONES are a flaky, honey-glazed brunch delight, brimming with juicy, sweet berries in a buttery, rich crumb.

We achieved a perfectly crumbly texture by incorporating butter in two ways, processing some with flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt for even distribution, then pulsing more into pea-size pieces to achieve rich buttery pockets.

Tossing frozen berries in confectioners’ sugar before folding them into the flour mixture prevented them from bleeding into the dough, and a honeybutter glaze, brushed on partway through baking, gave the scones a sweet sheen. Work the

dough as little as possible, just until it comes together. Work quickly to keep the butter and berries as cold as possible for the best results.

Note that the butter is divided in this recipe. An equal amount of frozen blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries (halved) can be used in place of the mixed berries.

Mixed berry scones

Servings: 8 Start to finish: 1 hour

Scones • 8 3/4 ounces (1 3/4 cups) frozen mixed berries • 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar • 3 cups (15 ounces) all-purpose flour

• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces, chilled • 1/3 cup (2 1/3 ounces) granulated sugar • 1 tablespoon baking powder • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk • 1 large egg plus 1 large yolk Glaze • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted • 1 tablespoon honey For the scones: Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. If your berry mix contains strawberries, cut them in half. Toss berries with confectioners’ sugar in bowl;

freeze until needed.

Combine flour, 6 tablespoons butter, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt in food processor and process until butter is fully incorporated, about 15 seconds. Add remaining 6 tablespoons butter and

pulse until butter is reduced to pea-size pieces, 10 to 12 pulses.

Transfer mixture to large bowl.

Stir in berries.

Beat milk and egg and yolk together in separate bowl. Make ❱❱ PAGE 38 Berry scones

Adore pumpkin cheesecake? Make a portable version AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN WITH A tangy, rich flavour and velvety consistency, cheesecake’s characteristic qualities make it well-suited to variation: Lemon cheesecake, chocolate cheesecake, and berry cheesecake are all common. But our favourite variation might just be pumpkin cheesecake.

We love the way the tangy cream cheese offsets the warmspiced pumpkin, and we set out to create a streamlined version in the form of a pumpkin cheesecake bar.

To avoid a soggy, heavy bar, we knew the key would be to remove excess moisture from the canned pumpkin, so we cooked the puree on the stovetop to reduce it. This step also concentrated its flavour and enhanced its sweetness so it wasn’t overshadowed by the cream cheese.

Adding pumpkin pie spice to the puree as it cooked allowed its flavour to bloom. We thought

a gingersnap crust would be a fitting match for the pumpkin filling; but while the flavour of the crust was great, we found that the crushed gingersnaps baked up unappealingly hard.

To get the flavour of gingersnaps without the tooth-breaking snap we used the traditional graham crackers and simply added ground ginger to the crackers to spice them up.

Pumpkin cheesecake bars

Servings: 24 Start to finish: 3 hours

• 1 (15-ounce) can unsweetened pumpkin puree • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 15 whole graham crackers, broken into 1-inch pieces • 1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) plus 1 1/3 cups (9 1/3 ounces) sugar • 1 teaspoon ground ginger • 8 tablespoons butter, melted • 1 pound cream cheese, softened • 1 tablespoon lemon juice • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract • 4 large eggs, room temperature

Cook pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, 6 to 8 minutes. Let pumpkin mixture cool for 1 hour.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 F. Make foil sling for 13 by 9-inch baking pan by folding 2 long sheets of aluminum foil; first sheet should be 13 inches wide and second sheet should be 9 inches wide. Lay sheets of foil www.canadianinquirer.net

in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan.

Grease foil.

Process graham crackers, 1/4 cup sugar, and ginger in food processor to fine crumbs, about 15 seconds. Add melted butter and pulse until combined, about 5 pulses. Sprinkle mixture into prepared pan and press firmly into even layer. Bake until just starting to brown, 15 to 18 min-

utes. Let crust cool completely in pan on wire rack.

Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat cream cheese and remaining 1 1/3 cups sugar on medium-low speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add lemon juice, vanilla, and pumpkin mixture and mix until combined. Increase speed to medium; add eggs, one at a time, and beat until incorporated. Pour filling over crust and spread into even layer.

Bake until edges are slightly puffed and centre is just set, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cheesecake cool completely in pan on wire rack, about 2 hours. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.

Using foil overhang, lift cheesecake from pan. Cut into 24 pieces before serving. ■ Nutrition information per serving: 188 calories; 104 calories from fat; 12 g fat (6 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 67 mg cholesterol; 180 mg sodium; 19 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 16 g sugar; 3 g protein.

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SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

FRIDAY

A nutty and dense coffee cake that’s pure decadence is here AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN THIS ULTRA-RICH coffee cake is pure decadence, from its nutty topping and dramatic swirls of cinnamon sugar to its supremely moist, dense crumb. We cut softened butter into the dry ingredients for a tight, velvety crumb, and sour cream delivered distinct tang.

Sprinkling a simple streusel over the batter in two layers created a dramatic swirling effect, and topping the cake off with more streusel (this time boosted with butter and pecans) gave it a crumbly crust.

A fixed-bottom 10-inch tube pan (with a 10 cup capacity) is best for this recipe.

Note that the streusel is divided into two parts—one for the inner swirls and one for the topping.

Sour cream coffee cake with brown sugar-pecan streusel

Servings: 10-12 Start to finish: 1 hour 15 minutes (plus 2 hours 30 minutes cooling time) Streusel: • 3/4 cup (3 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour • 3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup packed (3 1/2 ounces) dark brown sugar • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon • 1 cup pecans, chopped • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces and chilled Cake: • 1 1/2 cups sour cream • 4 large eggs • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract • 2 1/4 cups (11 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour • 1 1/4 cups (8 3/4 ounces) granulated sugar • 1 tablespoon baking powder • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda • 3/4 teaspoon salt • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes and softened but still cool For the streusel: Process flour, granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and cinnamon in food 7/8processor until combined, about 15 seconds. Transfer 1 1/4 cups flour-sugar mixture to small bowl and stir in remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar; set aside filling. Add pecans and butter to food processor and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 pulses. Set aside streusel.

For the cake: Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 10 inch tube pan.

Whisk 1 cup sour cream, eggs, and vanilla together in medium bowl.

Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add butter and remaining 1/2 cup sour cream and mix until dry ingredients are moistened and mixture resembles wet sand with few large butter pieces remaining, about 1 1/2 minutes. Increase speed to medium and beat until batter comes together, about 10 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl with rubber spatula. Reduce speed to medium-low and gradually add egg mixture in 3 additions, beating for 20 seconds and scraping down sides after each addition. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until batter is light and fluffy, about 1 minute.

Using rubber spatula, spread 2 cups batter in bottom of prepared pan and smooth surface. Sprinkle evenly with 3/4 cup streusel filling (without butter

or nuts). Repeat with another 2 cups batter and remaining 3/4 cup streusel filling (without butter or nuts). Spread remaining batter over filling, then sprinkle with streusel topping (with butter and nuts).

Bake until cake feels firm to touch and skewer inserted in 7/8center comes out clean (bits of sugar from streusel may cling to skewer), 50 minutes to 1 hour, rotating cake halfway through baking.

Let cake cool in pan on wire rack for 30 minutes. Gently invert cake onto rimmed baking sheet (cake will be streusel side down); remove tube pan, place wire rack on top of cake, and invert cake streusel side up. Let cool completely, about 2 hours, before serving.

To make ahead: Cake can be wrapped in aluminum foil and stored at room temperature for up to five days. ■ Nutrition information per serving: 532 calories; 237 calories from fat; 27 g fat (12 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 120 mg cholesterol; 382 mg sodium; 69 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 43 g sugar; 7 g protein.

Berry scones... ❰❰ 37

well in centre of flour mixture and pour in milk mixture. Using rubber spatula, gently stir mixture, scraping from edges of bowl and folding inward until very shaggy dough forms and some bits of flour remain. Do not overmix.

Turn out dough onto well-floured counter and, if necessary, knead briefly until dough just comes together, about 3 turns.

Using your floured hands and bench scraper, shape dough into 12 by 4 inch rectangle, about 1 1/2 inches tall. Using knife or bench scraper, cut dough crosswise into 4 equal rectangles. Cut each rectangle diagonally into 2 triangles (you should have 8 scones total). Transfer scones to prepared sheet. Bake until scones are lightly golden on top, 16 to 18 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking.

For the glaze: While scones bake, combine melted butter and honey in small bowl. www.canadianinquirer.net

Remove scones from oven and brush tops evenly with glaze mixture. Return scones to oven and continue to bake until golden brown on top, 5 to 8 minutes longer. Transfer scones to wire rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

To make ahead: Unbaked scones can be frozen for several weeks. After cutting scones into triangles in step 4, freeze them on baking sheet. Transfer frozen scones to zipperlock freezer bag. When ready to bake, heat oven to 375 F and extend cooking time in step 4 to 23 to 26 minutes. Glaze time in step 6 will remain at 5 to 8 minutes. ■ Nutrition information per serving: 446 calories; 200 calories from fat; 23 g fat (14 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 106 mg cholesterol; 571 mg sodium; 54 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 17 g sugar; 7 g protein.

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FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

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