Philippine Canadian Inquirer #372

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MAY 24, 2019

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VOL. 5 NO. 372

PROCLAMATION OF SENATORS

The National Board of Canvassers (NBOC) proclaims the 12 winning senators at the PICC Tent Forum in Pasay City on Wednesday (May 22, 2019). Leading the senators-elect with the highest number of votes are reelectionist Senators Cynthia Villar (in yellow dress) and Grace Poe-Llamanzares (in white dress) followed by former Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go (3rd place), come-backing senator Pilar Juliana “Pia” Cayetano (4th), former Philippine National Police chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa (5th), reelectionist Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara (6th); comebacking senator Manuel “Lito” Lapid (7th); former Ilocos Norte governor Maria Imelda Josefa “Imee” Marcos (8th); former Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Francis Tolentino (9th); reelectionist Aquilino Martin “Koko” Pimentel III (10th); former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr. (11th); and reelectionist Maria Lourdes “Nancy” Binay (12th).

JESS M. ESCAROS JR. / PNA

Comelec proclaims Senate winners

BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer NINE DAYS after the Filipino people cast their votes for the May 13 midterm elections, the 12 winning senators have now been proclaimed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

The proclamation was held on Wednesday, May 22, at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City.

Leading the winning circle is in-

cumbent Senator Cynthia Villar with 25,283,727 votes, followed by Senator Grace Poe with 22,029,788 voted, based on Comelec’s final and official tally.

Landing on the third spot is President Rodrigo Duterte’s former aide Christopher “Bong” Go with 20,657,702 votes, then Taguig Representative Pia Cayetano with 19, 789,019 votes. Placing fifth in the list is the country’s former top cop Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa with 19,004,225 votes.

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Marawi residents allowed to return starting July: Task force

21 PRRD will bare state of health if it’s serious: Palace

❱❱ PAGE 3 Comelec proclaims

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❱❱ PAGE 10

US delay to Huawei ban gives tech sector time to adjust

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MAY 24, 2019

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Philippine News

FRIDAY MAY 24, 2019

3

Mid-term polls usher in fresh faces, new era of politics

BY CHRISTINE CUDIS Philippine News Agency MANILA — As the mid-term elections nears its conclusion, results show that voters chose to try a new brand of leadership, not only in national posts but also in local governments as well.

Aside from the various issues that cropped up as the votes were counted, a more shocking moment also unfolded — the people have elected young, passionate, and idealistic leaders.

With these attributes combined with a fresh face and promise of change, these new local chief executives brought down incumbents with big names who ruled for generations.

Vico Sotto (Pasig City)

While he was born to TV host-comedian Vic Sotto and actress Coney Reyes, Vico seemed to have a different path to take on and is more than just an eye candy.

His mayoralty bid seemed to be like bumping into a thick wall as he faced incumbent Robert Eusebio, whose family ruled the city for 27 years.

The 29-year Pasig mayor-elect is a Political Science graduate from Ateneo de Manila University. He was recognized best-performing councilor in 2016.

The young politician banked on healthcare for Pasig residents, especially those from the eastern part of the city which he describes as the people who were left behind; localized freedom of information, and anti-corruption. He also mentioned although the city cradles PHP10.7-billion budget, one of the country’s biggest, residents do not get to benefit.

In 1992, Vicente “Enteng” Eusebio — the family’s patriarch — was elected as the city’s mayor. When his nine-year term ended in 2001, he was succeeded by his wife, Soledad Cruz-Eusebio. Vicente again ran in 2004 while Robert ran in 2007 and served as mayor until 2013. He ran again in 2016, replacing his wife Maribel, who served as mayor from 2013 to 2016.

Isko Moreno (Manila)

Manila mayor-elect Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, a former scavenger, vowed to restore the Philippine capital city to its old glory, describing it as “deteriorating” now because of dirty surroundings.

The former actor-turned-politician eyes to create physical development by building more green projects and more breathing spaces in the city.

Moreno, who also served as Manila councilor and vice mayor, also wanted the proposed social amelioration or poverty alleviation program and the 10-year infrastructure program to be felt by Manileño’s in the next 12 months.

The 44-year-old actor-turned-politician won against former president and reelectionist Joseph Estrada.

Prior to his candidacy for Manila mayor, Moreno also served as Undersecretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

I am overwhelmed. Thank you, Pasig, for trusting me. I am blessed to be the face of this fight, but I understand that this goes way beyond any one of us.

VICO SOTTO/FACEBOOK

After serving as vice mayor from 2010 to 2016, Zamora tried his luck for the city’s top post but lost to Guia Gomez, mother of senatorial bet JV Ejercito.

The victory of the long-time vice mayor put an end to the five-decade control of the Ejercito-Estrada clan in the City of San Juan.

The new mayor benchmarked his campaign on the promise of a new San Juan, offering its residents free WiFi in all public areas, high-rise in-city housing, and affordable healthcare.

Francis Zamora (San Juan)

After being a groomsman for a long time, this year’s election finally saw 41-year-old Francis Zamora become the groom.

Zamora, a former basketball player and businessman, defeated Janella Estrada, daughter of senatorial bet Jinggoy Estrada, in the mayoralty race.

Comelec proclaims... ❰❰ 1

Reelectionist Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, on the other hand, ranked sixth with 18,161,862 votes, while former senator and actor Manuel “Lito” Lapid finished seventh with 16,965,464.

The daughter of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, Maria Imelda Josefa “Imee” Marcos, also entered the “Magic 12” with 15,882,628 votes, securing the eighth spot. She was then followed by former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chair Francis Tolentino with 15,510,026 votes, Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel with 14,668,665 votes, and former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr. with 14,624,445.

Completing the winners of the 2019

senatorial race is Senator Nancy Binay who garnered 14,504,936 votes.

The new set of senators, who were accompanied by their families, also received their certificate of proclamation.

The senators-elect will be serving at the upper chamber until June 30, 2025.

The Comelec, sitting as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC), postponed the proclamation of winning senators and party-list groups on Tuesday, saying that they were still canvassing election returns from Saudi Arabia that time and waiting for those from Washington D.C. to “make sure that there will be no movement in ranking of elected officials,” the poll body’s spokesperson James Jimenez said in a mix of Filipino and English. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

He also spoke of transforming San Juan into a smart city that would compete once more with wealthy neighbors Makati, Taguig, and Quezon City.

Francis is the son of Lone District of San Juan Rep. Ronaldo Zamora.

Estrada, meanwhile, anchored her campaign on the legacy of her family, which could be traced as far back as when her grandfather Joseph first won as mayor in 1969.

The former president was succeeded

by Jinggoy, her uncle JV, and Gomez. ■

Philippine News

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MAY 24, 2019

FINAL AND OFFICIAL TALLY

Senatorial Election 2019 1

2

3

Cynthia Villar/Website

Grace Poe/Facebook

VILLAR, CYNTHIA (NP) 25,283,727

5

13

Senator Koko Pimentel/Facebook

14

JV Ejercito/Facebook

EJERCITO, JV (NPC) 14,313,727

LAPID, LITO (NPC) 16,965,464

11

PIMENTEL, KOKO (PDP-LBN) 14,668,665

Bam Aquino/Facebook

AQUINO, BAM (LP) 14,144,923

CAYETANO, PIA (NP) 19,789,019

Lito Lapid/Facebook

ANGARA, SONNY (LDP) 18,161,862

Francis Tolentino/Facebook

Pia Cayetano/Facebook

8

Sonny Angara/Facebook

10

TOLENTINO, FRANCIS (PDP-LBN) 15,510,026

GO, BONG (PDP-LBN) 20,657,702

7

Avito Dalan/PNA

9

Bong Go/Facebook

POE, GRACE (IND) 22,029,788

6

DELA ROSA, BATO (PDP-LBN) 19,004,225

4

Imee Marcos/Facebook

MARCOS, IMEE (NP) 15,882,628

12

Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr./Facebook

REVILLA, BONG (LAKAS) 14,624,445

Nancy Binay/Facebook

BINAY, NANCY (UNA) 14,504,936

VOTER’S TURNOUT

74.31%

TOTAL VALID BALLOTS

47,296,442

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FRIDAY

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FRIDAY MAY 24, 2019

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Philippine News

MAY 24, 2019

FRIDAY

Pangilinan tenders resignation as LP president

BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer SENATOR FRANCIS “Kiko” Pangilinan on Tuesday, May 21, announced that he is stepping down from his post as the president of the Liberal Party (LP), holding himself accountable for the defeat of all Otso Diretso senatorial candidates.

“As campaign manager for the Otso Diretso slate, I was unable to ensure our victory in the elections and I therefore assume full responsibility for the outcome and hold myself primarily accountable for this defeat and have tendered my resignation as president of the LP effective June 30, 2019,” he said in a statement.

Pangilinan has tendered his resignation letter to Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo, the party’s chairperson.

Apart from the senator, Quezon City 6th District Congressman Kit Belmonte also resigned from his post as LP secretary-general.

Lawyer Barry Gutierrez, Robredo’s spokesperson, however, said the Vice President rejected the resignation of the two.

“The VP has not accepted Senator

Kiko’s and Cong. Kit’s resignations.

Much work remains to be done, and they will do it, together,” he said.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec), sitting as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC), has yet to proclaim the winning senatorial candidates and partylist groups in the May 13 midterm polls.

Based on the partial and official tally as of Monday night, May 20, those senatorial candidates who entered the winning circle are Cynthia Villar, Grace Poe, Christopher “Bong” Go, Pia Cayetano, Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, Manuel “Lito” Lapid, Maria Imelda Josefa “Imee” Marcos, Francis Tolentino, Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel, Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr., and Nancy Binay.

While some of his fellow Otso Diretso senatorial bets had accepted their defeat, reelectionist Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, who earlier broke into the “Magic 12” in the poll body’s partial and official tally, has expressed gratitude to his supporters and asked them to “continue praying for me, better yet, please continue praying for and loving our country.” ■

Divide land parcels into individual titles, PRRD tells DAR

BY CHRISTINE CUDIS Philippine News Agency MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte ordered the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to facilitate the survey and re-documentation of collective land titles to certificates of land ownership awards (CLOA).

According to a study made in 2017, some 2.251 million hectares collective CLOAs of agricultural lands have been issued by DAR. Of these landholdings, 76 percent were awarded to agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARB), who were not actually engaged in collective farming.

“This has affected farmer’s individual property rights and has discouraged farmers from making long term improvements on the land. And I don’t blame them,” Agrarian Reform Secretary John R. Castriciones said in a statement.

“If you own part of a collective CLOA, it’s hard to make decisions on what crops to plant and how to plan your farm. Why? Because you have to consult other farmers and what the majority wants will prevail,” he added. “This is also the reason why the President wants all collective land titles issued by the Department transformed to individual titles. Separate CLOAs for each farmerbeneficiary is better because it enables them to have a clear and defined ownership of parcels of land.”

In another study made by the Land Bank of the Philippines, one of the major reasons for the low collection rate of

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land amortization is that many titles distributed to ARBs were collective CLOAs, thus individual amortizations could not be properly computed and collected.

The directive to divide collective parcels of lots was given by the President during the 36th Cabinet Meeting held on April 1, 2019, at the Malacañan Palace.

In the course of the discussion, the President instructed the DAR to convene a task force and come up with a program to ensure the distribution of individual CLOAs from the collective titles and remaining workable balance of agricultural lands.

“To accomplish the President’s directive, we have created a separate office that will facilitate the ‘parcelization’ of collective CLOAs into individual CLOAs,” Castriciones said.

The office, called Agrarian Reform Title Stabilization (ARTS) and headed

by Undersecretary David Erro, will form teams and provide timeline and guidelines in the implementation of the said order.

During the Cabinet meeting, the President also acknowledged that the conduct of the survey would require financing.

As such, the President said he will exert all efforts to respond to the required funding for the hiring of surveyors and survey equipment.

In relation to this, Duterte instructed the Finance Secretary to raise funds to support the DAR’s program. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY MAY 24, 2019

7

DepEd decries alleged plan to repeal K to 12 program

BY MA. TERESA MONTEMAYOR Philippine News Agency MANILA — The Department of Education (DepEd) has no plan to repeal the K to 12 Basic Education Program implementation.

“The department maintains its stand that the K to 12 Program is a prompt necessity that pushing it back might prove detrimental to the accelerating and increasing demands on education. The challenges still abound but the support of the national and local government, and of stakeholders in the private sector and the community, has been overwhelming that it silences doubts and strengthens the resolve to move forward with change today,” DepEd said in a statement released Monday.

The department was reacting to sentiments and questions on social media pertaining to the “supposed plan to scrap the K to 12 program,” which the DepEd described as “based on

misinformation and lack of discernment.”

Such claim rooted from the news on the plan of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to “review and change the system for its K to 12 Transition Program,” which was mistaken as the implementation of the entire K to 12 Program.

“These two are not one and the same. The implementation of the K to 12 Program has seen numerous gains for the basic education system, which include the initial results of the Senior High School (SHS) Program surpassing expectations in enrollment and transition rates and in providing free or highly subsidized SHS education to more than 2.7 million learners in public and private schools two years after the SHS Program implementation,” the DepEd said.

It noted that the K to 12 implementation is mandated by the law under Republic Act 10533 or the “Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, hence, it cannot “arbitrarily discontinue

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION – PHILIPPINES/FACEBOOK

the program.”

“As with any law, the implementation, amendment, expansion, or repeal of the K to 12 Program is within the ambit of the legislative branch of the government comprised of the Senate of the Philippines and the House of Representatives,” the statement read.

DepEd said people should consult its official website and social media accounts “before spreading assertions and en-

gaging discussions on its policies, programs, and projects that may influence the opinion, decision, or action of our primary stakeholders — our learners.”

On May 9, Kabataan Rep. Sarah Elago filed a resolution urging the Duterte administration to review and stop the K to 12 program after CHED chairperson Prospero de Vera III admitted defects, such as the stalled implementation of projects

and non-provision of salary for project-based researchers.

“We have said time and again that the K to 12 program will not answer the country’s declining quality of education,” she said in a statement after filing House of Representatives Resolution 2557.

Elago added that improving the quality of education would “truly address the needs of the Filipino youth and Philippine society in general.” ■

PH, China discuss 3 Filipinos held captive in ways to bolster drug Libya come back home — DFA control cooperation

BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer

BY CHRISTOPHER LLOYD CALIWAN Philippine News Agency MANILA — The Philippines and China discussed ways to boost cooperation on intelligence and investigation of drug cases during the 3rd Bilateral Meeting on Drug Control Cooperation hosted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) at the South Palms Resort in Panglao, Bohol on May 20-23.

Aaron N. Aquino, the PDEA director general, spearheaded the Philippine delegation, mostly PDEA officials, while the Chinese contingent was led by Deputy Secretary General Zhang Meirong of the Office of the National Narcotics

Control Commission (ONNCC) and Commissar of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) under Ministry of Public Security (MPS) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

Aquino said other topics discussed during the four-day bilateral meeting were current drug trends and situations affecting both countries, updated information on the cases of drug personalities jointly investigated by both agencies, and best practices and actionable programs in the field of preventive drug education and law enforcement.

He said the holding of the bilateral meeting is in accordance with the Protocol on Cooperation signed between PDEA and ❱❱ PAGE 13 PH, China

THE THREE Filipino civil engineers who were taken hostage in Libya finally returned to the country on Saturday, May 18.

Along with Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Hjayceelyn M. Quintana, the three arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2, where they were welcomed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. “We are glad that we are able to bring them home alive and safe to their families,” Locsin said.

“These Filipinos coming home to their families are living proof that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will never leave a Filipino in danger behind,” he added. www.canadianinquirer.net

In a series of tweets, Locsin also shared some photos of him meeting the three and their families.

“The 3 hostages are home,” he said.

“I told them the President would have strung me up if they did not come back safe. They said they knew he was watching over them,” he added on another post.

On Friday, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation announced the release of the Filipinos and South Korean national who were taken by armed men from the site of the Great Man-Made River project in the southern part of Libya last July 2018.

The ministry, in its statement posted on its website, said the UAE government communicated with the Libyan National Army “to work on releasing

them and ensure their safety,” after they received requests from the Philippines and South Korea.

“The release of these innocent civilians has been made after intensive efforts to convey a message about the significance and importance of strengthening security and peace in Libya, and to contain criminal practices by armed groups who hold civilians captive without any consideration to international charters and norms,” it said.

“In this case, they did not consider that these civilians work for companies that are serving national interests of Libya and its people,” it added.

The Philippine government has expressed its gratitude to the governments of UAE, Libya, and South Korea for their efforts that led to the release of the three Filipinos and their Korean colleague. ■

Philippine News

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MAY 24, 2019

FRIDAY

Marawi residents allowed to return starting July: Task force PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY Correspondent/Hosts Bea Kirstein T. Manalaysay Joanna Belle Deala Gianna Llanes Arianne Grace U. Lacanilao Violeta Arevelo Babes Newland Graphic Design Shanice Garcia Ginno Alcantara Arlnie Colleene Talain Singca Account Manager Kristopher Yong Director/Producer Boom Dayupay Photographers/Videographers Ginno Alcantara Maria Crizandra Baylon Mariano Luis V. Quintos, Jr. Sales Aireen De Asis Dennis Cruz Operations and Admin Victoria Yong Amelia Insigne Management Alan Yong Victoria Yong For photo submissions, please email editor@canadianinquirer.net For General Inquiries, please email info@canadianinquirer.net For Sales Inquiries, please email sales@canadianinquirer.net or contact 778-788-4998 Philippine Canadian Inquirer is located at #1820-666 Burrard Street Vancouver BC V6C 2X8 Canada

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MANILA — Displaced residents of Marawi City in certain areas of ground zero may start returning to their homes in July for repair works, as the debris clearing operations have been moving smoothly despite previous legal constraints, the Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) said on Monday.

Task force chairperson, Secretary Eduardo del Rosario, who also heads the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, discussed updates on the government’s rehabilitation efforts in war-torn Marawi City ahead of its second anniversary, during the third episode of “The Virtual Presser.”

Del Rosario said the return of residents will be conducted in phases, allowing two of the nine sectors in the most affected area every month, given that they have secured their repair permits from the city government.

“We can say that the debris management is going on smoothly and we are on target. In fact, starting July of the year — July 30 — we will start allowing the residents to go back in Sector 1. (Sectors) 2 and 3 will be in August, and the last will be (in) November, wherein Sectors 8 and 9 will be allowed to come in to repair their destroyed building,” he said.

This is after the clearing of unexploded explosives and ordinances was stopped in November until February due to legal problems.

Nevertheless, del Rosario said debris management operations are now 90 percent complete.

He added that the displaced families from the most affected area may reside in their homes by the “early part of 2020” when water and electricity facilities would already be available.

Some 17,000 to 18,000 of the 44,000 displaced families are currently living in evacuation centers provided by the government, while others are staying with their relatives in nearby areas.

The government provided about 1,750 temporary shelters and it intends to complete 4,500 more by the end of the year.

It is also conducting land development for the construction of about 1,500 permanent units as donated by the San Miguel Foundation.

Moreover, the TFBM said it is confident that the government will complete repair of the most affected area by December 2021, despite the delays.

This also includes the construction of 24 infrastructure projects that will start in the third quarter of the year.

“The timeline is not adversely affected whatsoever. The government will

The Task Force Bangon Marawi through the National Housing Authority transferred 195 displaced families from Bito Buadi Itowa Evacuation Center and 155 home-based IDPs to the Boganga Lakeview Transitory Shelter.

TASK FORCE BANGON MARAWI

complete the rehabilitation of the most affected area by December of 2021. We are confident in (the) December 2021 deadline. It is very attainable,” del Rosario said.

Humanitarian aid, livelihood projects

Del Rosario said the government has spent about PHP15 billion in humanitarian assistance, on top of PHP6.5 billion sourced from multilateral partners and other non-government organizations.

This includes the trade department’s business and livelihood intervention, and China’s grants to build a sports complex, a public market, and the construction of roads and bridges.

So far, the government has secured PHP35-billion official development assistance from development partners of which, PHP30 billion are loans, and PHP5 billion are grants.

Moreover, del Rosario called on the local community around the besieged area not to support terrorists amid reports of Islamic State-inspired militants’ growing influence in Mindanao.

“Aside from the infrastructure development in Marawi City and Lanao del Sur, basically, in the whole of Mindanao, the government now is engaging the populace themselves. Telling them that we must support the government by not providing sanctuary, especially to foreign terrorists,” he said.

“I was told during our engagement dialogue with Maranao residents, I was asked if the government is certain if we can assure them that a similar incident

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will happen again in the future. And I told them: it may, or may not happen.

But it will not happen if the general populace will support the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police by providing information relevant in neutralizing the presence of the terrorists,” he added.

The TFBM, in partnership with the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Office of the Global Media Affairs and the Philippine Information Agency, will hold a reporting tour in Marawi City on May 23-24, in time for the second anniversary of the Marawi siege.

“The day of the Marawi siege, we are having dinner with the Sultans of Marawi City, the Sultanate League, so that we can get and engage with the Sultans, who are the leaders in Marwi City.

And, of course, your effort to bring the international media on the 23rd. About 40 media personalities will be going there to see for themselves the rehabilitation efforts of the government in Marawi City,” del Rosario said.

“Task Force Bangon Marawi is committed to rehabilitating Marawi City to bring back (a) better Marawi, per instruction of our President Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” he said.

The Virtual Presser, organized by the PCOO Office of the Global Media Affairs, is an interactive online video platform where journalists based abroad can ask top government officials of the Duterte administration questions on the nation’s pressing issues relevant to the global conversation. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY MAY 24, 2019

9

PH, Japan to sign Bill on flexible work arrangements investment deals on hurdles final reading at Senate AI, data analytics PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY MANILA — The Philippines is eyeing to ink two investment agreements with Japan in hightech industries during President Rodrigo Duterte’s official visit to Tokyo next week.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez, in a presser on May 16, said his agency has received “a lot” of letters of intent from Japanese companies to invest and expand their businesses in the Philippines, with two deals ready for signing.

“We have two in the list already. They are more in the high-tech, AI (artificial intelligence) sector, data analytics, we’re seeing that. And of course, others are in manufacturing, as well,” Lopez said.

During his guesting at “The Virtual Presser,” Lopez discussed the latest developments on the trade and investment agreements previously signed during Duterte’s participation in the Belt and Road Forum in April, as well as the Philippine delegation’s agenda in the upcoming visit to Japan for the Future of Asia forum, organized

by Nikkei, on May 30-31.

Lopez said the government is seeking for a high-level bilateral meeting between Duterte and Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of the forum.

“Typically, on a normal visit, there is always that attempt to have that bilateral meeting.

I mean they’re good friends.

We’ve seen that even in the visit of Prime Minister Abe in the home of our president in Davao.

And we expect continuing discussions on many things and that includes a lot of cooperation not only in the economic trade and investment, but also security cooperation, anti-terrorism, and all that. These are things that both leaders would update each other on and reconfirm their commitment,” he said.

“Apart from the overall, the macroeconomic reforms, certainly the President will push

for greater bilateral trading, investment relationship with Japan. If he is addressing Japanese investors, certainly we expect more Japanese trade deals, and Japan has been a big investor in the Philippines. We’d like to invite more of them,” he added.

Moreover, Lopez said the government may also review the Japan – Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) comprehensive bilateral trade and investment deal.

“At any rate, this JPEPA is really bound for a review.

And that, when this was initiated, the initial objective of the country — this has been raised

by President Duterte to Prime Minister Abe — is somehow for Japan to allow greater access for some agriculture products, like banana, and lowering tariff rates for banana to our exports to Japan. So that’s a commodity, plus other agriculture products,” Lopez said.

“That’s a primary concern.

This has been raised, and it was agreed that these negotiations can be adjusted in the review of the JPEPA. We can expect hopefully an improvement of market access to Philippine products going to Japan,” he added.

BY FILANE MIKEE CERVANTES Philippine News Agency

MANILA — The Senate approved on third reading on Monday a bill that will give employers and employees an option to adopt flexible working arrangements.

With 17 affirmative votes and no negative votes, the Senate approved Bill 1571 or the proposed Alternative Working Arrangement Act. The bill seeks to amend Article 83 of the Labor Code by making an exception to the normal eight hours of work a day, when the exigency of business operations requires the adoption of a mutually agreed voluntary work arrangement between the employer and the employee.

Under the proposal, alternative working hours shall not exceed 48 hours a week and there is no reduction of existing benefits.

Senator Joel Villanueva, author and sponsor of the measure, said his proposal is an “answer to the changes in the labor market and in the nature of employment.”

“As I always say, we are now in

the age of robotics, the so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution or Industry 4.0. Today, work need not be confined in a certain place or office. Work need not happen at the same time. Work can be done remotely,” he said.

Villanueva, chairman of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development, noted that an alternative working arrangement or flexible working is a necessity and that every Filipino worker deserves to have this statutory right.

The senator shared that some companies are already

implementing non-traditional working arrangements, such as flexitime, four-day workweek, compressed workweek, working from home, shift flexibility, among others, to give their workers more independence and control over their work.

Apart from the benefits the bill provides to employees, the senator said the bill has massive benefits as well to employers.

Among the benefits of flexible working arrangement to employers are less expense on recruitment and training, and huge savings resulting from the reduction of traffic congestion. ■

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China deals

Lopez also lauded the President’s move to set aside geopolitical issues with China to reap trade and investment deals.

“What we have started to see ever since of course the relationship between our two countries have improved following the visit of our President to China and meeting face to face President Xi Jinping, a lot of investments have come in.

Just in terms of numbers, what used to be a very minuscule level of above PHP50 million dollars, about two to three years ago, it’s now close to a billion dollars and we expect more,” Lopez said.

He said Chinese companies have injected funds into the energy, manufacturing, and infrastructure sectors, on top of the

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Philippine News

MAY 24, 2019

FRIDAY

Senate approves creation of PH Space Agency

BY FILANE MIKEE CERVANTES Philippine News Agency

Pres. Spokesperson Salvador Panelo.

YANCY LIM/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

PRRD will bare state of health if it’s serious: Palace

BY AZER PARROCHA Philippine News Agency MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte will reveal the state of his health if it is a serious cause for public concern, Malacañang reassured on Monday amid rumors that the Chief Executive suffered cardiac arrest over the weekend.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo allayed fears that Duterte was rushed to a private hospital on Sunday, saying the President was only out of the public eye for a week to finish signing papers.

“Let me assure the nation that if there is anything wrong with the President’s health, serious enough to be of our concern, he will tell us and he said so himself many times over,” Panelo said in a Palace briefing.

He said Duterte spent his weekend at the Bahay Pagbabago, formerly called Bahay Pangarap, the President’s residence in Malacañan Palace.

“Nandun lang siya sa (He was just in the) Bahay Pagbabago

signing papers. I talked to him yesterday (Sunday). His voice was very strong. Wala, natawa lang (he laughed off the rumors),” Panelo said.

He noted that whenever the President does not have public engagements, he is most likely working and would rather not get disturbed.

“Ayaw ng naiistorbo yun kasi pag nasa labas siya, ang daming gustong makausap sa kanya (He would not want to be disturbed because when he’s outside, too many people want to speak to him),” Panelo said.

“Eh napakabait niyang tao, di naman tumatanggi so ang focus sa kaniyang signing papers, reading documents, memo di niya magawa, kaya siguro he decides to stay put (And he’s such a good person, he doesn’t decline. So he can’t focus on signing papers, reading documents, memos, that’s why he decided to stay put),” he added.

Panelo, however, said Duterte neither confirmed nor denied having visited a private hospital for a routine checkup or any other purpose and asked media

to draw their own conclusions.

He said for the President, rumors about suffering cardiac arrest was not a “serious matter.”

“Kasi kung serious yun (Because if it’s serious) he would always tell the public about it. It started as a chismis, e di pinabayaan na lang (a rumor so he let it be),” Panelo said.

The Presidential spokesperson, meanwhile, thanked the public for being concerned about the President’s health.

“Thank you for the concern, I’m sure many people were concerned kahit chismis lang (even if it is just a rumor),” Panelo said.

On Sunday, former Special Assistant to the President and among the leading senatorial bets, Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go shared a photo of himself sharing a meal with the Duterte to quash speculations the Chief Executive was rushed to the hospital.

Panelo said Duterte has been in Manila since Friday spending private family time with his partner Honeylet Avanceña and daughter Kitty. ■

www.canadianinquirer.net

MANILA — The Senate on Monday approved on third and final reading a bill seeking to strengthen the country’s space program with the creation of a Philippine Space Agency.

With 18 affirmative votes and no negative votes, the Senate passed Bill 1983, otherwise known as an Act Establishing the Philippine Space Development and Utilization Policy and Creating the Philippine Space Agency.

Senator Benigno Aquino IV, author and sponsor of the measure, said the launch of a space program in the Philippines would give Filipinos a new perspective and valuable insights that could help solve some of the country’s biggest problem.

“Satellites can improve disaster management, from providing accurate information that allow early warnings and predicting of disasters to reliable and quick communication during relief and recovery operations,” Aquino said.

He said space technology could also enhance production and profitability of agribusinesses due to soil and weather monitoring and assessment.

It could help conserve and preserve the environment, improve urban planning, transportation and communication networks.

Aquino expressed hope that the proposed legislation would propel the Philippines to be space-capable in the next decade.

If enacted into law, the Philippine Space Development and

Utilization Policy, as stated in the bill, would serve as the Philippines’ strategic roadmap for space development.

Under the bill, initial funding for the space program in the amount of PHP1 billion will be taken from the current fiscal year’s appropriation of the Office of the President.

The amount for the subsequent operation and maintenance of the PhilSA will be included in the General Appropriations Act. Additional funding amounting to PHP10 billion will come from the gross income of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) for five years after the effectivity of the act, with PHP2 billion to be released to PhilSA yearly.

PhilSA may also derive income on its specialized products, services and royalties, as well as accept funding from loans, contributions, grants, bequests, gifts, donations provided that such grants, bequests, contribution and donations from foreign governments will be approved by the President upon the recommendation of the PhilSA director general.

According to the bill, the PhilSA office and its research facilities will be housed in at least 30 hectares of land under the administration of the BCDA within the Clark Special Economic Zone in Pampanga and Tarlac.

Additional areas for research and launch sites will also be developed in the future. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY MAY 24, 2019

11

27 ‘narco’ politicians won in mid-term polls: PNP

BY CHRISTOPHER LLOYD CALIWAN Philippine News Agency MANILA – Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief, Gen. Oscar Albayalde, on Monday bared that 27 politicians included in the narco-list of President Rodrigo Duterte have won in the

May 13 mid-term elections.

“Actually, out of the 47 na nasa narco-list, 37 ang tumakbo at 27 ang nanalo. Yun ‘yung nasa data namin. (Out of 47 who are on the narco list, 37 ran and 27 won. That is based on our data),” he said in a press conference at Camp Crame.

Abayalde refused to reveal the names of the 27 politicians

but said some of them won in the mayoral and gubernatorial elections.

Last March, Duterte released the list containing the names of politicians allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade.

Albayalde said the investigation against the alleged narcopoliticians will continue and they will gather solid evidences

to be used in the filing of criminal and administrative charges against them.

“Well, continuous naman ang pag iimbestiga sa kanila and as the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) has said, kapag merong nakitang ebidensya laban sa kanila (continuous investigation is ongoing against them

and as the DILG has said, if there are evidences against them), they will file cases, both criminal and administrative,” he said.

He said the winning narcopoliticians came from Central Luzon and Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon). ■

PH to shoulder shipping cost, as Econ managers to Canada fails to take back trash decide on PH move on US-China trade war

BY AZER PARROCHA Philippine News Agency MANILA — Upset by the failure of Canada to get back containers of trash it dumped in the Philippines in 2013, President Rodrigo Duterte is willing to pay a private shipping company that will return the garbage to the North American country, Malacañang said on Wednesday.

The Canadian government had earlier committed to shoulder the expenses of shipping out the waste, but failed to meet the May 15 deadline set by Duterte.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the President has decided to take matters in his own hands and let the Philippine government spend for the shipment following the delay.

“As a result of this offending delay, the President has instructed the appropriate office to look for a private shipping company which will bring back Canada’s trash to the latter’s jurisdiction,” said Panelo in a Palace briefing.

“The government of the Philippines will shoulder all expenses. And we do not mind,” he added, stressing that the search for a private shipping company is already being carried out.

Panelo said if Canada refused to take their trash back, Philippine government will be forced to take seriously the President’s earlier pronouncement to dump the waste on their shores.

“If Canada will not accept their trash, we will leave the same within its territorial waters or 12 nautical miles out to

BY AZER PARROCHA Philippine News Agency

PTV / FACEBOOK

sea from the baseline of any of their country’s shores,” Panelo said.

Panelo said the President is “upset” about the delay “extremely disappointed” that Canada has yet to give a clear timeline as to when it would retrieve its trash.

“You must remember the deadline was May 15 and thereafter no word from it. He just says he will do something about it. I think we’re just being given the runaround,” Panelo said.

“Their pronouncements are neither here nor there. There is no definite position when they will take back the trash and the President is so upset about this.

It’s been there for five years,” he added.

According to the spokesperson, it seemed like Canada is not taking the Philippines seriously, which is an insult to Filipinos.

“The President’s stance is principled as it is uncompromising: The Philippines as an independent sovereign nation

must not be treated as trash by other foreign nations. We hope this message resonates well with the other countries of the world,” Panelo said.

Panelo said the President will stand pat on his decision, noting that any head of state could so easily order the trash to be shipped out.

“The President has already made his position. He in fact even said he will declare war so that’s how annoyed he is. Every Filipino should really feel insulted by this trash staying with us for five years and any head of state can just get that within a week, within a few days,” Panelo said.

Meanwhile, Panelo assured that Filipino workers in Canada will not be affected by the trash row between the two countries.

Asked if the President is also prepared to sever ties with the North American country, Panelo said: “I think that is going to that direction.”

Canada has yet to respond to the Palace announcement. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

country’s exports.

It further said that the Philippines, known for its highly skilled English-speaking workMANILA — The Duterte ad- force, could become an alterministration’s economic man- native destination for factories agers will decide on the steps seeking to avoid the US-China the government must take in trade war. relation to the trade war beAccording to the FEF, the tween the United States and government should immediChina, Malacañang said on ately pass the second package Monday. of the Tax Reform for AccelThis after the Foundation eration and Inclusion (TRAIN) for Economic Freedom (FEF), or Tax Reform for Attracta public advoing Better and cacy organizaHigh- Quality tion, urged the Opportunities Duterte admin(TRABAHO) Bill istration to take Whatever the to remove unceradvantage of recommendation tainty about the the trade war by of the Secretary tax regime on luring Chinese of Finance fiscal incentives factories to the and the other and corporate Philippines. economic income taxes.

Presidential managers, the It urged the Spokesperson President will be government to Salvador Panelo evaluating that. pass the Pubsaid President lic Service Act Rodrigo Duterte, Amendment to who has relied liberalize foron China to fund eign investment many of the government’s in- in transportation and telecomfrastructure projects, would munications; to swiftly impletake into consideration the ment the Ease of Doing Busirecommendations given by his ness Act as its implementing economic team. rules and regulations (IRR) “Whatever the recommenda- have yet to be issued; and desist tion of the Secretary of Finance from passing the Security of and the other economic manag- Tenure bill or ending the end of ers, the President will be evalu- contract act, which is pending ating that,” Panelo said in a Pal- in the Senate, noting that it will ace briefing. hamper the flexibility of firms.

The FEF said luring these The FEF also encouraged the factories to the Philippines government to “seriously and would greatly boost manufac- quickly” implement the “Build, turing, result in higher pay- Build, Build” infrastructure ing jobs, technology transfer, program and shift to Publicand increase and diversify the Private Partnership. ■

Philippine News

12

MAY 24, 2019

FRIDAY

Envoy vows to protect Senate identifies priority bills Canada-PH relations for last days of 17th Congress

BY JOYCE ANN L. ROCAMORA Philippine News Agency MANILA – Canadian Ambassador John Holmes has vowed to protect his country’s relations with the Philippines amid the brewing diplomatic rift over Ottawa’s exported garbage in Manila that resulted in the recall of Filipino envoys from the country.

“I cannot comment on the specifics of that issue. I just want to say that we have a good relationship with the Philippines and my job is to protect that relationship,” Holmes said in an interview in Makati on Thursday night.

“I’m confident that we will have excellent relations for a long time with our friends from the Philippines,” he added.

Asked if any Canadian representative has already met with Philippine authorities follow-

ing the recall announcement on Thursday, Holmes also declined to comment.

Reporters, as of posting, were awaiting details from the Department of Foreign Affairs whether meetings have already been convened after Canada missed the deadline for the pullout of its waste on Wednesday.

Although disappointed on the recall, Canada has reiterated commitments to closely engage the Philippines in coming up with “a swift resolution of this important issue.”

2019 marks the 70th anniversary of Canadian-Philippine diplomatic relations, which range from people-to-people cooperation, education, and trade.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, meanwhile, believes the recall of envoys would not result in the severing of ties with Canada and that trade ties between the two countries would “simply continue” since the garbage shipment is a “separate issue.” ■

BY FILANE MIKEE CERVANTES Philippine News Agency MANILA – Senators have identified several priority measures that they aim to pass on third and final reading before the 17th Congress adjourns in June.

Emerging from a majority caucus on Monday, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said among the important bills the Senate aims to approve upon the resumption of the session are the anti-terrorism bill, amendments to the anti-wiretapping law, and a bill lowering the minimum age of criminal responsibility.

Senate Bill 2204, otherwise known as the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2019, seeks to amend Republic Act 9372, or the Human Security Act, by redefining the acts of terrorism that are punishable by law.

Senate Bill 2198, or “An Act

Senate Pres. Vicente "Tito" Sotto III.

Strengthening the Youth Social Welfare Programs and Extending the Scope of Reformation and Rehabilitation of Children in Conflict with the Law,” recommends the lowering of the minimum age of criminal liability from 15 years to 12 years old.

Senate Bill 1210, the Expanded Anti-Wire Tapping Act of 2016, seeks to exempt the following crimes from the antiwiretapping coverage: coup d’etat, conspiracy to commit

SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES / FACEBOOK

coup d’etat, robbery in band, highway robbery, money laundering and violation of the antiillegal drugs law.

Earlier, Senate President Vicente Sotto III also identified several proposed priority measures, among them the Public Services Act, Budget Reform Act, Rightsizing the National Government Act, the Salary Standardization Law, the Reformation of Children in Conflict with the Law. ■

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FRIDAY MAY 24, 2019

PNP forms task group to probe killing of lawyers

BY CHRISTOPHER LLOYD CALIWAN Philippine News Agency MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) has created a special investigation task group (SITG) to investigate the killing of two lawyers in Pangasinan and Rizal last week, PNP chief, Gen. Oscar Albayalde, said on Monday.

Albayalde said the task group has been instructed to conduct in-depth probe on the killing of lawyers Edilberto Gollar Jr. in Rodriguez, Rizal; and Val Crisostomo in Dagupan City, Pangasian on Friday (May 17).

“As of this time wala pa silang maliwanag na resulta nung kanilang ginagawang imbestigasyon. Ang tinitingnan nila dito is may problema sa trabaho, work related that’s one and another is parang land dispute ang tinitingnan nilang anggulo (Their investigation has no clear results yet. They’re looking at possible work-related angle or land dispute),” said Abayalde in a press briefing.

Golla was gunned down by unidentified assailants on board a car while Crisostomo, a lawyer of Gaming technology firm Globaltech Mobile Online Corporation (Globaltech), was shot dead in front of the Hall of Justice in Dagupan.

Albayalde reiterated his directive to maintain intensified police operations particularly in the checkpoints to prevent

similar incidents from happening again.

Meanwhile, Globaltech head for legal, Atty. Bernard Vitriolo, condemned the murder of their colleague.

“We condemn in the strongest terms this cold-blooded murder in broad daylight of our lawyer who was merely doing his job,” said Vitriolo in a statement.

He said the murder of Crisostomo was very likely connected to the Peryahan ng Bayan (PnB) operations in Pangasinan after the Court of Appeals allowed Globaltech to operate the digit games nationwide.

“The attack was not just on our lawyer and our company, but also on the country’s justice system as it seemed to send a message that our enemies, the enemies of Peryahan ng Bayan, do not subject themselves to the laws of men, and the Rule of Law,” Vitriolo said.

Vitriolo said Crisostomo was one of their lawyers pursuing the cases against several National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents who have allegedly conducted illegal raids and arrests of the Globaltech personnel who are manning the PnB games in Pangasinan.

“This will not stop us from pushing for our PnB games as a solution to the deficiencies and weaknesses of the PCSO’s (Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office) Small Town Lottery program,” Vitriolo said. ■

PH, China... ❰❰ 7

its Chinese counterpart agencies in Beijing, China on Oct. 20, 2016 to effectively suppress and control drug crimes between the two nations.

Under the Protocol, which is in effect for five years, the Philippines and China agreed to establish and maintain cooperation involving information, data intelligence exchange and investigation on drug crimes, assistance in the repatriation of drug criminals, and exchange and training of narcotics investigators.

Joint training programs on drug law enforcement and customs control and shared investigations on drug trafficking and abuse were also conducted in different key cities of China, such as Yunan province, Guandong province, Fuzhou City, Hangzhou City, Beijing, and Shanghai.

The PRC donated laboratory equipment, such as the Liquid Mass Combination Instrument, to PDEA’s Laboratory Service, thus augmenting the agency’s forensic examination capabilities.

Aquino thanked the Chinese government for the equipment and free training courses that boosted the agency’s crusade against the trafficking of the bulk supply of illegal drugs in the country, perpetrated by drug cartels and international

JOEY O. RAZON/PNA

PDEA TOP STORIES/FACEBOOK

drug trafficking organizations.

“We need all the support we can gather from our neighboring countries, particularly in terms of cross-border law enforcement and customs control,” he added.

The series of bilateral meetings also helped foster close cooperation and timely coordination between PDEA and the ONNCC, NCB, MPS that led to the discovery of a large-scale shabu laboratory inside a farm in Barangay Santo Niño, Ibaan, Batangas.

The two countries’ strengthened cooperation has also resulted in the dismantling of the country’s first-ever illegal facility used in the manufacture of the party drug, ecstasy, in Barangay Tinajeros and a smallscale clandestine laboratory used in the manufacture of liq-

uid shabu in Barangay Santolan, both in Malabon City, and the neutralization of a clandestine laboratory inside a luxurious residential condominium in Pasay City.

The Philippines and China started their cooperation against illicit trafficking and abuse of psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals in 2001 through the signing of a memorandum of agreement between the Department of Foreign Affairs and the MPS. “The Filipino and Chinese cultures and traditions may dictate different approaches and diversities. We may be geographically separated and speak different languages, but we share the same vision of a world free from the clutches of illegal drugs,” Aquino said. ■

other hand, the reality is also this global trade tension that affects basically all other countries, then all trading partners of the Philippines will definitely be affected and we can’t avoid the fact that orders from these countries and the general trading environment will also experience a slowdown,” he said.

He said the DTI is looking to boost the presence of Filipino products in non-traditional markets, such as Russia, South America, and Africa; while also diversifying its trade portfolio to new products such as food, chemicals, auto parts, aerospace parts, activated carbon, designoriented garments, furniture, business process management, design, graphics, animation, and game development.

Moreover, Lopez also said that the win of Duterte-endorsed senatorial candidates

in the mid-term elections will help the DTI push for liberalizing trade and investment restrictions, such as the further easing of the Retail Trade Liberalization Act, and the Public Service Act. Lopez added that the DTI will support the lowering of the corporate income tax rate from 30 percent to 20 percent and the rationalization of fiscal incentives through the Tax Reform for Attracting Better and HighQuality Opportunities (TRABAHO) bill.

The Virtual Presser, organized by the PCOO Office of the Global Media Affairs, is an interactive online video platform where journalists based abroad can ask top government officials of the Duterte administration questions on the nation’s pressing issues relevant to the global conversation. ■

PH, Japan... ❰❰ 9

USD9 billion official development assistance pledged by the Chinese government to aid in the Philippines’ “Build, Build, Build” program.

Lopez also noted that the Chinese government itself has not only been encouraging its businessmen to invest in the Philippines, but also to import more Philippine products.

US-China trade war

PNP Chief, Gen. Oscar Albayalde.

Mr. Zhang Meirong Deputy Secretary General, National Narcotics Control Commission (NNCC), Commissar of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Ministry of Public Security (MPS) of China received a PDEA badge replica from PDEA Director General Aaron N Aquino and Deputy Director General for Administration Irish C Calaguas in appreciation of NNCC’s support the Philippine anti-drug campaign.

Moreover, Lopez also said that the government is readying Philippine businesses to brace for the impact of the USChina trade war, despite some positive short-term effects.

“To a certain extent, there can be some silver lining in terms of being able to attract the relocators of businesses, manufacturing facilities from China to the Philippines. But on the www.canadianinquirer.net

14

Canada News Canadian retaliatory tariffs lifted as U.S. kills steel aluminum penalties

BY MIA RABSON The Canadian Press

Health Minister Christine Elliott.

@CELLIOTTABILITY / TWITTER

Health units worried about province’s plans to consolidate 35 agencies into 10

BY SHAWN JEFFORDS The Canadian Press TORONTO — Public health units across Ontario are raising concerns about a sweeping amalgamation of their services planned by the province, saying the changes could affect the delivery of programs and lead to layoffs.

Dr. Robert Kyle, president of the Association of Local Public Health Agencies, said the units have so far received only “high

level” information from the government about the consolidation of 35 units into 10 — a process set to get underway later this year.

The planned transformation comes as the government lowers its public health spending, requiring municipalities to contribute millions more to their health budgets than anticipated. By 2021-2022, the provincial cut is expected to be $200 million annually. ❱❱ PAGE 18 Health units

Trump tweeted late Sunday that U.S. farmers “can begin doing business again with Mexico and Canada.”

“They have both taken the tariff penalties off of your great agricultural product,” Trump wrote. “Please be sure that you are treated fairly.”

A Canadian official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, said Trump’s tweet reinforces to Canada that “our retaliatory tariffs were key to resolving this.”

The Canadian tariffs were carefully selected to both match the dollar value of the tariffs Canadian companies were paying to the U.S., as well as to target popular products in

OTTAWA — Canada collected more than $1.27 billion from the retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products over the last year and all of it will go to the Canadian steel and aluminum industry even though the steel trade war with the United States is over.

Canada and the United States reached an agreement Friday to see the U.S. lift the nearly yearold import duties on steel and aluminum President Donald Trump imposed last June arguing the imports threatened national security. Canada had always called the tariffs illegal and absurd and demanded they be lifted immediately.

Canada’s ratification of the new North American Our retaliatory tariffs were key trade agreement resolving this. also hinged on the tariffs coming off.

That officially happened states of prominent RepubliMonday and as a result Finance can lawmakers or swing states Minister Bill Morneau said where voters might voice their Canada had also lifted the retal- displeasure. iatory duties Canada imposed That included, for example, on U.S. steel and aluminum and Kentucky bourbon from the more than 70 other U.S. prod- home state of Senate Majority ucts including licorice, coffee, Leader Mitch McConnell, and sleeping bags and ketchup. pickles, gherkins, lawn mow“The removal of tariffs and ers and yogurt, which are all countermeasures is a true win- big industries in Wisconsin, the win for everyone involved, and state of former House of Repregreat news for Canadian and sentatives Speaker Paul Ryan.

American workers, for our Chocolate and toilet paper, communities, and our econo- key exports from Pennsylvania mies,” Morneau said in a writ- which is home to Hershey and ten statement. the Scott Paper Company, were

www.canadianinquirer.net

among the swing-state products targeted, as was Florida orange juice.

Canada’s tariffs imposed a 25 per cent surtax on U.S. steel imports, and 10 per cent on aluminum and the other 75 listed products. A Finance official said as of April 30, Canada had collected $1.27 billion from the retaliatory measures, but that figure is expected to climb as Canada Border Services Agency gets final reports from Canadian importers.

Canada announced a $2 billion aid package to the steel and aluminum industry to help them weather the impact of the U.S. trade war, including exempting Canadian companies from paying the import duties on steel and aluminum if they couldn’t source the product to within Canada or had contracts requiring them to import from the United States.

Funds were also there to help with work sharing agreements, training and diversifying export markets.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau indicated Friday that the funds to help the industry are not being erased even though the tariffs have been lifted.

“The financial assistance is still there,” he said. “We made $2 billion worth of commitments last summer to support our industry. We’re going to continue to look at how the industry can continue to grow and invest.” ■

Canada News

FRIDAY MAY 24, 2019

15

Justin Trudeau credits immigration for Canada’s growing tech sector

BY ALANNA RIZZA The Canadian Press TORONTO — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told hundreds of attendees at a conference in Toronto on Monday that Canada’s thriving technology sector is a result of the country’s openness to immigrants and he hopes Canadians will continue to view immigration positively.

Trudeau was the first keynote speaker at the four-day conference, called Collision, which is being held in Canada for the first time.

Organizers are calling the event North America’s fastest growing technology conference, and this is the first time it is being held outside the United States.

While being interviewed by Shahrzad Rafati, founder and CEO of Canadian entertainment company BroadbandTV Corporation, Trudeau stressed that Canada has become a major source of talent for tech all

over the world and that it is attracting entrepreneurs to the country.

He also cited the federal government’s investments in education and research as reasons for success in Canadian companies and startups.

“Access to talent obviously comes from immigration and it comes from training young and educating Canadians right,” said Trudeau.

He said while many countries including the U.S. are “are closing themselves off more to immigration,” Canada is staying open.

“As we see anxieties and worries around the world, Canadians know that we get more resilient communities, we get better solutions, we get better innovations, when we bring in people from all around the world. That’s why we are doing well even at a time of anxiety — we have seen the Canadian economy flourish over the past few years,” Trudeau said.

Rafati also asked the prime

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau.

minister about his recent announcement regarding the creation of a digital charter that

JUSTIN TRUDEAU / FACEBOOK

would combat hate speech, misinformation and election interference.

Last week at the VivaTech conference in Paris, Trudeau said he’s confident the framework his government will propose will restore the faith of citizens while holding online platforms accountable.

Rafati asked the prime minister to go into further detail about the proposal, but Trudeau only said it would focus on the government working collaboratively with tech companies to ensure citizen’s personal information is safe and that solutions are made in regards to online harassment.

Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains is expected to provide more details at a summit on digital governance in Ottawa in late May. “What you wouldn’t allow in a personal space — in a real space — shouldn’t be happening where people spend so much more time — in a virtual space,” Trudeau said.

The Collision conference runs from Monday to Thursday at the Enercare Centre. ■

Municipalities grapple with hundreds of millions in provincial funding cuts

BY ALLISON JONES The Canadian Press TORONTO — Ontario’s municipalities say they may be forced to raise taxes or cut services due to provincial government cuts that will likely equal well over half a billion dollars in lost annual funding and foregone revenue.

Since the Progressive Conservative government released its first budget last month that set out a plan to eliminate an $11.7-billion deficit over five years, word of various cuts has been reaching municipalities in dribs and drabs.

They are working to tally up the numbers and extract more information from the province — complaining that it hasn’t been especially forthcoming — but preliminary figures show municipalities will be out at least several hundreds of millions of dollars a year once the changes are fully phased in.

Large municipality mayors

have called it “downloading by stealth,” saying the province is attempting to balance its budget on the backs of local taxpayers. The cuts are coming long after municipalities, which operate on calendar and not fiscal years, have passed their budgets. They are weighing tax hikes, service cuts and/or delaying capital projects to make up for the losses.

“There only is one taxpayer,” Toronto Mayor John Tory said recently.

“I’ve pointed out the irony of the minister of finance almost in the first three paragraphs of his budget speech saying ‘We’re very proud of the fact that we didn’t raise any taxes this year.’

And yet they knew, I assume, they were going to be sending us letters and emails within hours or days, causing us to have to raise taxes.”

The City of Toronto alone estimates that the cuts will cost it $178 million this year.

Pat Vanini, the executive director of the Association of Mu-

nicipalities of Ontario, said local governments are struggling to determine firm numbers on what the cuts will cost them.

“The challenge we’ve got is every day it seems like something new is coming,” she said.

“It’s not the first time this has happened, but it’s really difficult to work with, particularly when you don’t have really good, precise information. In the absence of that you do the best you can. You have to make certain assumptions.”

Ontario announced in its budget that it is cancelling an increase to municipalities’ share of gas tax funding. When the previous Liberal government announced it was doubling municipalities’ share from two cents to four cents, it was estimated that would mean $642 million in 2021-22. Last year they received $364 million.

While the figures are calculated annually and it is difficult to pinpoint an exact amount of foregone revenue, municiwww.canadianinquirer.net

Toronto Mayor John Tory.

palities had been planning for their share to double and were counting on the funds for transit projects, since the Tories promised during the election to honour the doubled share.

The province notified municipal public health units in phone calls that it will reduce its cost-sharing levels from 100

JOHN TORY / FACEBOOK

per cent or 75 per cent in some cases, to 60 to 70 per cent for some municipalities, and 50 per cent for Toronto. The move will save the province $200 million a year by 2021-22.

Child care funding that goes to municipalities has been ❱❱ PAGE 17 Municipalities grapple

16

Canada News

MAY 24, 2019

FRIDAY

Money laundering report a wake-up call for Canada, but some provinces skeptical

BY LAURA KANE The Canadian Press VANCOUVER — The authors of a report that found $47 billion was laundered across Canada last year debated whether to include a graph that indicated Alberta, Ontario and the Prairies were hotspots for dirty money, says the lead writer.

Maureen Maloney said her expert panel used the best mathematical model available to reach the estimates, but it’s more reliable at a national level than a provincial one, so they questioned whether to publish the figures.

“But we thought, ‘No, we need to do this, because people need to know it’s not just a B.C. problem,’ “ said Maloney, the province’s former deputy attorney general and a public policy professor at Simon Fraser University.

“It’s a big B.C. problem, but it’s everybody’s problem. And to the extent that B.C. starts fixing our problem or at least makes our province less enticing to money launderers, they’re going to go elsewhere. They’re not going to disappear.”

The report, one of two recently released by the B.C. government, aimed to sound a nationwide alarm about money laundering. But some provinces have reacted with skepticism, as Alberta questioned the numbers and Ontario said it will monitor the issue.

Maloney said there is no reliable data on money laundering in Canada, so the panel used what’s known as the gravity model, which estimates the flow of dirty money between countries based on characteristics including GDP per capita and crime rates. The panel divided Canada into six regions and

treated each region as a country.

The panel estimated that Alberta led the country for money laundering in 2015 with $10.2 billion, followed by Ontario with $8.2 billion and the Prairies — Saskatchewan and Manitoba combined — with $6.5 billion.

To the surprise of many, B.C. came in fourth with $6.2 billion, scuttling its reputation as the money laundering capital of Canada.

The authors noted that the relatively high estimates in Alberta and the Prairies might arise from the importance the model places on crime rates and GDP levels, which were high prior to the oil downturn.

“If money laundering in Alberta and the Prairies have been overestimated … that implies that money laundering in B.C., Ontario and Quebec have likely been underestimated,” the report said.

Still, the panel concluded that money laundering is corroding “the very fabric of society” across Canada, and laid out a vision for it to become a national priority. Multiple recommendations call for the B.C. government to persuade its provincial and federal partners to take action.

Other provinces have yet to confront the issue with the zeal of B.C., which announced this week it will hold a public inquiry.

Alberta Justice Minister Doug Schweitzer said the province takes criminal activity seriously, but the figure presented in the report is the product of modelling that may not be completely reliable.

“We use intelligence from front-line law enforcement agencies, not data we can’t verify. We will continue to work with our law enforcement part-

ners to protect law-abiding Albertans,” he said in a statement.

Money laundering is nearly impossible to quantify because, by nature, it’s hidden, but the report’s estimate for Alberta seems high, said Greg Draper, a national lead of valuations, forensics and litigation support with law firm MNP LLP and a former RCMP investigator based in Calgary.

“I would expect that Vancouver has a bigger issue than Alberta, which is not to say that Alberta does not face its own money laundering risks,” he said, adding illicit money is being washed through the province’s casinos, housing and cash businesses.

Ontario’s real estate association was so alarmed by Maloney’s report that it contacted its provincial government to call for a beneficial ownership registry. B.C. has already announced plans for such a registry, which collects the names of people buying property using corporations, trusts and num-

www.canadianinquirer.net

bered companies.

“Today, drug lords, gun runners and other criminals can hide behind the veil of Canada’s privacy laws,” said Tim Hudak, chief executive officer of the Ontario Real Estate Association and a former provincial Progressive Conservative leader.

Ontario Finance Minister Vic Fedeli wasn’t available for an interview and in a statement his department didn’t indicate it was planning to take any urgent action.

“What I can tell you is that we are discussing this issue with our federal and provincial partners — most recently at the last meeting of Canada’s finance ministers. This is something we will continue to monitor,” said spokesman Peter Spadoni.

Both Saskatchewan and Manitoba said they are taking measures to combat money laundering and pointed to their civil-forfeiture programs, which enable provinces to seize assets believed to be the pro-

ceeds of crime without laying criminal charges.

Saskatchewan added that it will pursue legislative amendments to ensure that corporations hold accurate and up to date information on beneficial owners. But it noted it was difficult to draw conclusions about the province from the Maloney report.

“The report itself states there are limitations on the methodology, so it isn’t clear what proportion of the Prairie figure in the report applies to Saskatchewan,” it said.

Jason Childs, an economics professor at the University of Regina, said he would expect money laundering to be worse in B.C. due to its sky-high real estate market, but Saskatchewan’s gaming industry is extremely vulnerable.

“We have a lot of comparatively small casinos that are going to be operating with different levels of oversight,” he said. “And then you’ve got, also, a lot of cash business going on in Saskatchewan still.”

As for the federal government, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described the reports as “alarming” and said his government has strengthened audits on real-estate transactions and is working with provinces to do more.

Maloney said better data is needed, but if anything, the panel’s estimates might actually be lower than the reality.

“Our numbers are not definitive. Nobody’s numbers can be definitive. But we think at the moment, given the data that is available to us, this is probably the best guesstimate there is,” she said.

“But I would say if we were erring on any side, it would be on a cautious, conservative side.” ■

Canada News

FRIDAY MAY 24, 2019

17

Municipalities grapple... ❰❰ 15

JUSTIN TRUDEAU / FACEBOOK

Canada introducing digital charter to combat hate speech, misinformation

BY CATHERINE LEVESQUE The Canadian Press PARIS — A new digital charter will dictate how the country will combat hate speech, misinformation and online electoral interference in Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a technology conference in Paris on Thursday.

Trudeau made the announcement at the VivaTech conference, an international summit that brings together startups and technology leaders.

The announcement was short on details, which Trudeau says will be revealed in various announcements over the coming weeks.

Notably, Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains is expected to talk about the initiative at a summit on digital governance in Ottawa in late May. The prime minister said he’s confident the proposed framework will restore the faith of citizens while holding platforms accountable.

Social media and combating online extremism were at the top of the agenda as Trudeau winds down his two day trip to France.

In addition to a working lunch with French president Emmanuel Macron, Trudeau met with New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern earlier Thursday in a bilateral meeting.

Ardern said it was one thing to offer condolences following the Christchurch mosque attacks that left 51 dead, but it was quite another to put those words

into action as Canada has done in signing on to the “Christchurch Call” — a pledge involving several world leaders and internet giants to stop the spread of hate online.

At the end of the summit, Facebook, Google, Twitter and other technology giants pledged to step up their efforts to prevent their platforms from being used to spread hatred, help extremist groups organize and broadcast attacks.

Trudeau and Ardern discussed online violence and extremism in their respective countries, but also broached trade and security commitments around the world.

Following a bilateral meeting and working lunch, Trudeau and Macron spoke to reporters briefly outside the presidential Elysee Palace.

The two leaders discussed “ensuring that the web giants and tech companies take more responsibility for their social and community impacts, including against hatred and violence,” Trudeau said.

He repeated that he was heartbroken during a visit to the fire-ravaged Notre Dame Cathedral, but was inspired by the work and courage of Paris firefighters who were able to salvage much of the building.

He repeated a pledge Wednesday to offer any support needed in the rebuilding of the landmark church — one day after he announced Canada’s pledge to offer steel and softwood lumber.

The prime minister was to meet Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales later Thursday. ■

more difficult to pin down. Ontario has allocated $80 million less this year than last year, but municipalities and the child-care sector say that number will be much larger, perhaps even double, once cost-sharing changes take shape for programs such as to create more licensed, not-for-profit child-care spaces.

The province has budgeted $93 million less this year on child-care capital spending. A ministry spokeswoman said funding for all previously approved projects remains in place, but the previous government didn’t have an implementation plan beyond last year, they are not proceeding with that spending this year.

The government’s expenditure estimates show $22 million less for library sector support, which is due to not proceeding with promises from the previous government, such as creating a digital public library. Base operating grants are being maintained. But $2.3 million in funding has been cut to Ontario’s two public library services, which provide support to libraries, including inter-library loans, book delivery, staff training, and pooling costs to achieve operational efficiencies.

Funding of about $17.5 million has been cut to regional tourism organiza-

tions across the province, including eliminating money for Tourism Toronto and Ottawa Tourism.

Spending figures show municipalities will get $7.7 million less for ambulance and emergency services. When asked about the cut, the health minister’s spokeswoman mentioned the government’s plan to consolidate emergency health services. No front-line paramedic will lose their job, she said.

The Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund, the province’s main transfer payment to municipalities, has been reduced by $5 million, which is about one per cent.

Conservation authorities are getting $3.7 million less this year for flood management programs — a 50 per cent cut.

Funding under the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund has been cut by $100 million, but the government said municipalities will be better off because of two new infrastructure funding streams are being opened.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said the cuts will trickle down to residents in the form of municipal property tax increases.

“The budget was vague on purpose, but the cuts are very, very clear and they’re very, very painful,” she said. ■

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The situation has chief med- will be split into two as a result of the ical officers of health across amalgamation.

Ontario worried about disrupThe change will see Simcoe residents tion to essential public health service served by a new agency with York Redelivery, Kyle said. gion, and Muskoka residents fall under “While all of this is happening, we a new North East health unit, which will have to continue to provide programs stretch all the way to James Bay and and services,” he said. “It’s almost akin Hudson Bay. to having an auto mechanic fine-tuning The agency’s chief medical officer of a car that’s still running.” health, Dr. Charles Gardner, said the Ontario’s public health units co-or- Simcoe Muskoka unit would like to see dinate services including vaccination its entire service area shift south, rather programs, infectious disease outbreak than be broken into pieces. investigations, and restaurant inspec“We doubt very much (Muskoka resitions. dents) would get the same degree of It’s unclear if the amalgamation ex- support by going to the north … with reercise will result in savings, but it could sources stretched over a much greater result in layoffs since frontline staffing territory,” Gardner said. “It’ll cost more makes up a significant portion of agency time, more resources and probably budgets, Kyle said. more money in the transition because of The government the complexity of it has said it conducted as opposed to simply a review of the provstaying together and ince’s public health going to the south.” units and believes Staff are preparing the current strucfor the change based ture does not allow on verbal direction for consistent service That’s the from the government delivery. main issue, is but need more inAmalgamating that the local formation from the the current 35 units voice gets ministry, Gardner into 10 entities by lost once you said.

2020-21 will help start moving Public health units strengthen the systowards in Southwestern Ontem, the Tories said, larger entities tario could also shift but discussions with and bigger greatly under the the agencies and muorganizations. government plan, nicipalities are unwith five units exderway to work out pected to be merged the specifics. into one large agency “Nothing is carved that will cover an in stone at this area stretching from point,” said Health Windsor to Sarnia to Minister Christine London.

Elliott. “There is a lot of consultation yet The head of the London-Middlesex to happen.”

Health Unit said he was staying optimisThe consolidation will nonetheless tic about the change but acknowledged mean that health units will have to serve it would create challenges in how serlarger geographic regions, which include vices are delivered, communities with different needs.

“The hardest part will be that this all Northern Ontario’s nine health units happens in a shrinking funding envewill be reduced to two — one in the east lope,” he said. and one in the west.

“We do important work. One of the The chief medical officer of the North top areas of focus will have to be ensurWestern Health Unit, which will likely ing that we’re able to meet the core manhave to merge with the Thunder Bay date and support our excellent staff to Health Unit, said her agency serves a do their work in an environment that’s predominantly rural population with changing dramatically and shrinking as different needs than other parts of the well.” province.

The president of the Ontario Nurses’ Many residents have limited access Association, which represents nurses at to family doctors so public health fills a a number of the health units, also raised gap in primary care, said Dr. Kit Young concerns about the amalgamation in a Hoon. She worried that some of that letter to members over the weekend. customized programing could fall by the Vicki McKenna said Premier Doug wayside under the new system.

Ford did not ask the association’s advice “That’s the main issue, is that the lo- before moving ahead with the “unnecescal voice gets lost once you start moving sary downsizing.” towards larger entities and bigger orga“We would have told him the truth: nizations,” she said. skimping on public health will make Meanwhile, the Simcoe Muskoka Dis- people sicker and drive up health care trict Health unit said it has been told it costs,” she said. ■

www.canadianinquirer.net

World News

FRIDAY MAY 24, 2019

19

Official count shows Widodo reelected as Indonesian leader THE ASSOCIATED PRESS JAKARTA, INDONESIA — Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo has been elected for a second term, official results showed Tuesday, in a victory over a would-be strongman who aligned himself with Islamic hardliners.

Official counting was completed just before midnight and the Election Commission announced the formal result early Tuesday. It said Widodo won 55.5% of the vote in the April 17 election to 45.5% for his challenger, ultra-nationalist former general Prabowo Subianto.

Thousands of police and soldiers are on high alert in the capital Jakarta, anticipating protests from supporters of Subianto, who refuses to concede defeat. The Election Commission’s headquarters in central Jakarta are barricaded with razor wire and heavily guarded.

Subianto, who also lost to Widodo in 2014, has alleged massive election fraud in the

world’s third-largest democracy but hasn’t provided any credible evidence. Votes are counted publicly and the commission posts the tabulation form from each polling station on its website, allowing for independent verification. The formal result was almost the same as the preliminary “quick count” results drawn from a sample of polling stations on election day.

Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, is an outpost of democracy in a Southeast Asian neighbourhood of authoritarian governments and is forecast to be among the world’s biggest economies by 2030. A second term for Widodo, the first Indonesian president from outside the Jakarta elite, could further cement the country’s two decades of democratization.

Widodo’s campaign highlighted his progress in poverty reduction and improving Indonesia’s inadequate infrastructure with new ports, toll roads, airports and mass rapid tran-

sit. Subianto ran a fear-based campaign, emphasizing what he sees as Indonesia’s weakness and the risk of exploitation by foreign powers or disintegration. He aligned himself with hardline Muslim groups and won massive majorities in conservative provinces but was defeated by Widodo in his populous East Java and Central Java strongholds.

Subianto declared himself the winner last month and in a video released after results were announced Tuesday again refused to concede defeat but called on supporters to refrain from violence.

Under Indonesia’s election law, Subianto can dispute the results at the constitutional Court.

He and members of his campaign team have said they will mobilize “people power” for days of street protests rather than appeal to the court because they don’t believe it will provide justice.

“We reject the results of the presidential election,” said Azis

President-elect Joko Widodo.

Subekti, one of the witnesses for Subianto at the official declaration of results. “This refusal is a moral responsibility for us to not give up the fight against injustice, fraud, arbitrariness, lies, and any actions that will harm democracy.”

Police this month have ar-

PRESIDEN JOKO WIDODO/FACEBOOK

rested 31 Islamic militants they say planned to set off bombs during expected street protests against the election result.

The Election Commission said Widodo won in 21 of 34 provinces and got 85.6 million votes compared with about 68.5 million for Subianto. ■

California eyes health care for immigrants in US illegally

BY JOSHUA GOODMAN The Associated Press SACRAMENTO, CALIF. — Lilian Serrano’s mother-in-law had lots of stomach problems, but she always blamed food.

Doctors at a San Diego-area clinic suspected Genoveva Angeles might have cancer, but they could not say for sure because they did not have the equipment to test for it and Angeles, who had been in the country illegally for 20 years, could not afford to see a specialist and did not qualify for state assistance because of her immigration status.

In September, Angeles finally learned she had gallbladder cancer. Serrano said she was in the hospital room when Angeles, in her late 60s, died about two weeks later.

“We don’t know if she would have survived treatment, but she was not even able to access it,” said Serrano, chairwoman

of the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium.

“She never had a chance to fight cancer.”

Stories like that have prompted California lawmakers to consider proposals that would make the state the first in the nation to offer governmentfunded health care to adult immigrants living in the country illegally. But the decision on who to cover may come down to cost.

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to spend about $98 million a year to cover low-income immigrants between the ages of 19 and 25 who are living in the country illegally.

The state Assembly has a bill that would cover all immigrants in California living in the country illegally over the age of 19.

But Newsom has balked at that plan because of its estimated $3.4 billion price.

“There’s 3.4 billion reasons why it is a challenge,” he said.

The state Senate wants to

cover adults ages 19 to 25, plus seniors 65 and older. That bill’s sponsor, Sen. Maria Elana Durazo, scoffed at cost concerns, noting the state has a projected $21.5 billion budget surplus.

“When we have, you know, a good budget, then what’s the reason for not addressing it?” she said.

The Senate and Assembly will finalize their budget proposals this week before beginning negotiations with the governor.

State law says a budget has to be passed by June 15 or lawmaker forfeit their pay.

At stake, according to legislative staffers, are the 3 million people left in California who don’t have health insurance.

About 1.8 million of them are immigrants in the country illegally. Of those, about 1.26 million have incomes low enough to qualify them for the MediCal program.

“Symbolically, this is quite significant. This would be establishing California as a counwww.canadianinquirer.net

ter to federal policies, both around health care and immigration,” said Larry Levitt, senior vice-president for health reform at the Kaiser Family Foundation.

If enacted, it could prompt yet another collision with the Trump administration, which has proposed a rule that could hinder immigrants’ residency applications if they rely on public assistance programs such as Medicaid.

The proposed rule from the Department of Homeland Security says the goal is to make sure “foreign nationals do not become dependent on public benefits for support.”

California is also considering a measure requiring everyone in the state to purchase health insurance. People who refuse would have to pay a penalty, and the money would go toward helping middle-income residents purchase private health insurance plans.

“We’re going to penalize the

citizens of this state that have followed the rules, but we’re going to let somebody who has not followed the rules come in here and get the services for free. I just think that’s wrong,” Republican state Sen. Jeff Stone said about coverage of people in the U.S. illegally.

Many immigrants who are in the country illegally are already enrolled for some governmentfunded programs, but they only cover emergencies and pregnancies.

Serrano was one of hundreds of immigrant activists who came to the Capitol on Monday for “Immigrant Day of Action.”

She and her husband spent the day meeting with lawmakers, sharing the story of Angeles.

“The conversation that I have is about the cost,” she said, describing her interactions with lawmakers. “The conversation we want to have is about our families.” ■

20

World News

MAY 24, 2019

FRIDAY

Ex-White House lawyer won’t testify after Trump direction

BY MICHAEL BALSAMO AND JONATHAN LEMIRE The Associated Press WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump directed his former White House Counsel Donald McGahn to defy a congressional subpoena Monday, citing a Justice Department legal opinion that maintains McGahn would have immunity from testifying about his work as a close Trump adviser. A lawyer for McGahn said he would follow the president’s wishes and skip a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday.

Trump’s action, the latest in his efforts to block every congressional probe into him and his administration, is certain to deepen the open conflict between Democrats and the president. Democrats have accused Trump and Attorney General William Barr of trying to stonewall and obstruct Congress’ oversight duties.

The House Judiciary Committee had issued a subpoena to compel McGahn to testify Tuesday, and the committee’s chairman, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., has threatened to hold McGahn in contempt of Congress if he doesn’t. Nadler has also suggested he may try and levy fines against witnesses who do not comply with committee requests.

McGahn’s lawyer, William Burck, said in a letter to Nadler that McGahn is “conscious of the duties he, as an attorney,

owes to his former client” and would decline to appear.

Still, Burck encouraged the committee to negotiate a compromise with the White House, saying his client “again finds himself facing contradictory instructions from two co-equal branches of government.”

McGahn was a key figure in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, describing ways in which the president sought to curtail that federal probe. Democrats hoped to question him as a way to focus attention on Mueller’s findings and further investigate whether Trump did obstruct justice.

“This move is just the latest act of obstruction from the White House that includes its blanket refusal to co-operate with this committee,” Nadler said in a statement. “It is also the latest example of this Administration’s disdain for law.”

Separately on Monday, a federal judge in Washington ruled against Trump in a financial records dispute, declaring the president cannot block a House subpoena for information from Mazars USA, a firm that has done accounting work for him and the Trump Organization.

And a hearing is planned in New York on Wednesday in another case, this one involving an effort by Trump, his business and his family to prevent Deutsche Bank and Capital One from complying with subpoenas from two House committees for banking and financial records.

If McGahn were to defy

Trump and testify before Congress, it could endanger his own career in Republican politics and put his law firm, Jones Day, in the president’s crosshairs.

Trump has mused about instructing Republicans to cease dealing with the firm, which is deeply intertwined in Washington with the GOP, according to one White House official and a Republican close to the White House not authorized to speak publicly about private conversations.

Administration officials mulled various legal options before settling on providing McGahn with a legal opinion from the Department of Justice to justify defying the subpoena.

“The immunity of the President’s immediate advisers from compelled congressional testimony on matters related to their official responsibilities has long been recognized and arises from the fundamental workings of the separation of powers,” the department’s opinion reads. “Accordingly, Mr. McGahn is not legally required to appear and testify about matters related to his official duties as Counsel to the President.”

The Judiciary Committee still plans on meeting even if McGahn doesn’t show up and McGahn “is expected to appear as legally required,” Nadler said.

Trump has fumed about McGahn for months, after it became clear that much of Mueller’s report was based on his testimony. The president has

Don McGahn.

bashed his former White House counsel on Twitter and has insisted to advisers that the attorney not be allowed to humiliate him in front of Congress, much as his former personal legal fixer Michael Cohen did, according to the official and Republican.

The Justice Department has long held the opinion that close presidential advisers have “absolute immunity” from being compelled to testify before Congress about their work for the president.

A federal judge rejected a similar argument in 2008 in a dispute over a subpoena for Harriet Miers, who was White House counsel to George W. Bush. U.S. District Judge John Bates said it was an unprecedented notion that a White House official would be absolutely immune from being compelled to testify before Congress. Miers had to show up for her testimony, but still had the right to assert executive privi-

GAGE SKIDMORE / FLICKR, CC BY-SA 2.0

lege in response to any specific questions posed by legislators, the judge said.

But in 2014, under the Obama administration, the Justice Department issued an opinion arguing that if Congress could force the president’s closest advisers to testify about matters that happened during their tenure, it would “threaten executive branch confidentiality, which is necessary (among other things) to ensure that the President can obtain the type of sound and candid advice that is essential to the effective discharge of his constitutional duties.”

The House Judiciary Committee voted earlier this month to hold Attorney General Barr in contempt after he defied a subpoena for an unredacted version of Mueller’s report. ■ Associated Press writers Eric Tucker, Mary Clare Jalonick, Lisa Mascaro and Mark Sherman contributed to this report.

Hundreds protest Alabama abortion ban: ‘My body, my choice!’

BY KIM CHANDLER The Associated Press MONTGOMERY, ALA. — Hundreds of demonstrators marched to the Alabama Capitol on Sunday to protest the state’s newly approved abortion ban, chanting “my body, my choice!” and “vote them out!”

The demonstration came days after Gov. Kay Ivey signed the most stringent abortion law in the nation— making per-

forming an abortion a felony in nearly all cases unless necessary for the mother’s health.

The law provides no exception for rape and incest.

“Banning abortion does not stop abortion. It stops safe abortion,” said Staci Fox, CEO and president of Planned Parenthood Southeast, addressing the cheering crowd outside the Alabama Capitol.

Alabama is part of a wave of conservative states seeking to mount new legal challenges to

Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide.

Governors in Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio and Georgia have approved bans on abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which can happen as early as the sixth week of pregnancy.

None of the laws has actually taken effect, and all are expected to be blocked by the courts as the legal challenges play out with an ultimate eye on the Supreme Court. www.canadianinquirer.net

Marchers on Sunday said the measures have energized supporters of legalized abortion, and they say they are digging in for a legal and political fight.

Along the route they took, the protesters passed by scattered counterdemonstrators raising signs against abortion.

Two speakers at the rally on the Capitol steps shared their stories of having an abortion, including a woman who came out of the crowd to describe the abortion she had after being

raped at a party at age 18.

Carrying an orange sign with a coat hanger and the caption “No Never Again,” 69-year-old Deborah Hall of Montgomery said she remembers life before Roe and can’t believe the push to return there.

“I had friends who had illegal abortions and barely survived,” said Hall, who for a time ran a clinic in Montgomery that provided abortion, birth control ❱❱ PAGE 25 Hundreds protest

21

FRIDAY MAY 24, 2019

1st black woman sworn in as Chicago mayor; vows big reforms

BY MICHAEL TARM The Associated Press

that protesters sought after the 2015 release of video of a white officer shooting black teenager Laquan McDonald 16 times.

“I believe she’s a true reformer,” said Phil Turner, who like Lightfoot, is a former federal prosecutor in Chicago. “But there’s a difference between trying to reform police and reality. She is up against a lot of entrenched forces.”

The fiercest resistance will come from rank-and-file officers and the union that represents them, which has been openly hostile to key provisions, arguing that many will tie officers’ hands and make it impossible for them to do their jobs right.

One requirement that the union singles out for criticism — and that Lightfoot has her-

duct in recent years by approving millions of dollars in lawsuit settlements.

Lightfoot is likely to fill top CHICAGO — Lori Lightfoot posts in her administration with told aldermen and other city people who support the changpowerbrokers assembled at her es. Her chief of staff, named inauguration Monday as ChiWednesday, is Maurice Classen, cago’s first black woman mayor a former prosecutor in Seattle, that she meant what she said on where he lobbied for “systemic the campaign trail about topand deep reform” of city police. to-bottom reforms in the naHe later helped develop antition’s third largest city. violence and policing strategies “For years, they’ve said Chiin cities nationwide. cago ain’t ready for reform,” He told the Chicago Sunsaid Lightfoot, speaking minTimes that Lightfoot’s adminisutes after her swearing-in at tration will be focused from her the Wintrust Arena. “Well, get first days on the job on better ready, because reform is here.” management of city costs and She spoke about curtailing ensuring that “compliance with some powers of city council the consent decree is a high members to lessen temptations priority for the Police Departfor corruption and that strucment.” tural changes to reduce gun Money will be an issue. City violence would officials recently be among her said Chicago’s top priorities.

2020 budget Hours later, she shortfall was signed an execuBut there’s a difference between around $740 tive order limittrying to reform police and million, worse ing aldermanic reality. She is up against a lot of than previously prerogative, a entrenched forces. thought. Some custom that alchanges, includlows each aldering to police man to direct training, will rezoning and period decisions in alded — is that officers docu- quire funds. But the consent detheir ward. ment each time they point their cree doesn’t spell out how much Among her toughest chal- weapons at someone, even if the city should spend — somelenges — and perhaps the one they don’t shoot. The union thing Lightfoot has criticized. most scrutinized by those out- says it will cause police to hesiLightfoot’s campaign platside the city — will be overhaul- tate, potentially putting them form called for changes that go ing the beleaguered Chicago at risk. beyond the consent decree, inPolice Department.

There’s also no guarantee of- cluding the adoption of a policy Lightfoot isn’t the first in- ficers will fully comply with any in place in New York requiring coming Chicago mayor to have new policies. Dow’s ability to that newly hired officers spend pledged to overhaul a depart- hold people in contempt if they two weeks meeting residents ment accused for decades of don’t adhere to reforms only in the neighbourhood they will abuses. But with a court-mon- goes so far, Turner said. police. itored plan, or consent decree, “You can’t hold entire entiAmong her other priorities recently approved by U.S. Dis- ties, like officers on the street, is improving the percentage trict Judge Robert Dow, she has in contempt,” he said. “The of homicide cases detectives the best chance of actually get- person nominally in charge and solve from the current 20%. A ting it done. who a judge can charge with specific proposal is for a mobile Lightfoot, who made history contempt is the mayor. But lab that can cut the time it takes in April when she defeated a she’s a proponent of reforms.” to process ballistics evidence longtime political insider to beThe plan that Dow approved from days to just a few hours. come the first black woman and in January was a culmination During her Monday speech, openly gay person elected to of the scandal surrounding Mc- Lightfoot repeatedly returned lead Chicago, signalled days be- Donald’s death and came after a to the issue of violence, saying fore her inauguration that she’s Justice Department investiga- “there is no higher calling than serious about transforming the tion concluded that racial bias restoring safety and peace in 13,000-officer force by appoint- and poor training contributed our neighbourhoods.” ing top staffers with histories to a pattern of abuse by police.

“People cannot and should as strong police-reform advo- Illinois’ attorney general sued not live in neighbourhoods that cates. the city to force the court’s su- resemble a war zone,” she said, Even with court backing, pervision after years of inaction adding later that “Public safety Lightfoot faces obstacles to en- by the City Council, which dealt must not be a commodity that is acting the meaningful changes with systemic police miscon- only available to the wealthy.” ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

OPEN GRID SCHEDULER / GRID ENGINE / FLICKR

US delay to Huawei ban gives tech sector time to adjust

BY JOE MCDONALD AND FRANK BAJAK The Associated Press THE UNITED States is delaying some restrictions on U.S. technology sales to Chinese tech powerhouse Huawei in what it calls an effort to ease the blow on Huawei smartphone owners and smaller U.S. telecoms providers that rely on its networking equipment.

The Trump administration insists the sanctions are unrelated to its escalating trade war with China, and many analysts see it as aimed at pressuring U.S. allies in Europe to accede to Washington’s entreaties to exclude Huawei equipment from their next-generation wireless networks, known as 5G. The U.S. government on Monday amended last week’s order restricting all technology sales to Huawei, the world’s biggest maker of mobile network gear and the No. 2 smartphone

brand. It granted a temporary, 90-day exemption, but only for existing hardware and software.

It also said that grace period could be renewed.

Shares in tech companies rose Tuesday after some news organizations erroneously reported that the amended order amounted to a blanket reprieve for Huawei.

“It’s just housekeeping. It’s not a capitulation. It’s a very pragmatic solution to avoid unintended consequences to third parties,” said Kevin Wolf, who oversaw a related case involving China’s No. 2 telecoms supplier ZTE as assistant secretary of commerce for export administration under President Barack Obama.

The U.S. claims Huawei is a cybersecurity risk and has targeted it against the backdrop of a wider battle with China over economic and technologi❱❱ PAGE 22 US delay

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cal pre-eminence that has included tariffs on billions worth of trade and limits on business. U.S. officials say Huawei is legally beholden to China’s repressive rulers but have provided no evidence that it has intentionally allowed its equipment to be used for espionage.

Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei sought to put a brave face on the situation, saying Tuesday that the company has “supply backups” if it loses access to American components. Huawei Technologies Ltd. relies on Google’s Android operating system and U.S. components suppliers for its smartphones.

“I should say this impact will be very big, but Google is an extremely good company,” Ren Zhengfei told Chinese reporters. “We are discussing emergency relief measures,” he added, without giving details.

Industry analysts say Huawei might struggle to compete if it cannot line up replacements for Google services that run afoul of the U.S. curbs.

Google says its basic services still will work on existing Huawei smartphones. However, the company would be barred from

transferring hardware or software directly to Huawei. That would affect maps or other services that require the American company’s support.

In Brussels, a senior Huawei European representative lashed out at the U.S. sanctions.

“This is dangerous. Now it is happening to Huawei. Tomorrow it can happen to any other international company,” Abraham Liu, Huawei chief representative to the European Union’s institutions, told reporters.

China’s government repeated its promise to defend Chinese companies abroad but gave no details of what Beijing might do.

The 90-day grace period announced Monday by Washington exempts from U.S. licensing requirements any technology needed to maintain and support existing networking equipment and smartphones. It also authorizes U.S. providers to alert Huawei to security vulnerabilities and engage the Chinese company in research on standards for next-generation 5G wireless networks.

“This license will allow operations to continue for exist-

ing Huawei mobile phone users and rural broadband networks,” Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross said in a statement.

But still in place are requirements that government licenses be obtained for any sales to Huawei unrelated to existing equipment.

The Commerce Department said the grace period would allow rural U.S. telecom operators that depend on Huawei equipment for “critical services” time to make other arrangements. Companies that supply software — such as Google for Huawei’s Android smartphones — can continue to provide updates.

Britain’s cybersecurity agency issued guidance saying the temporary reprieve means “people should be able to update their handsets as normal.”

In a report, the global risk assessment firm Eurasia Group said that if the sanction process helps persuade European network carriers to also shun Huawei equipment, a full ban on purchases of U.S. technology products and services could be avoided.

The move to delay the restrictions on Huawei may follow a

familiar script with the Trump administration, which in its attempt to change the U.S.’s trade relations with major economies like China and Europe has often announced restrictions or tariffs only to delay their implementation. That increases pressure on the other side but also gives them an incentive to negotiate.

It hasn’t always worked. The U.S. has announced new tariffs on European and Chinese goods several times, only to see them retaliate with tariffs on U.S. goods. That has raised the stakes in the trade wars, hurting global commerce and economic growth.

As China looks to respond to President Donald Trump’s move against Huawei, Apple makes a prominent potential target for retaliation.

Apple is Huawei’s main American rival in smartphones and its iPhones are assembled in China. The country is also Apple’s No. 2 market after the United States.

Attacking Apple might be politically awkward for Chinese leaders who have accused Washington of mistreating Huawei. Business groups say

Chinese officials are trying to reassure American companies they are welcome despite the tariffs war.

But regulators have an array of tools including tax and safety inspections that can hamper a company with no official acknowledgement it is targeted.

Huawei’s U.S. sales collapsed in 2012 after a congressional panel told phone carriers to avoid the company and its smaller Chinese competitor, ZTE Corp., as security threats.

Despite that, Huawei’s sales elsewhere have grown rapidly.

The company reported earlier its global sales rose 19.5% last year over 2017 to 721.2 billion ($105.2 billion).

Huawei smartphone shipments rose 50 per cent over a year earlier in the first three months of 2019 to 59.1 million, while the global industry’s total fell 6.6%, according to IDC. Shipments by Samsung and No. 3 Apple declined. ■ McDonald reported from Beijing and Bajak from Boston. AP researcher Shanshan Wang in Beijing and AP writers Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed to this story.

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Entertainment Andi Eigenmann Sandara Park reunites with 2NE1 shares maternity shoot, members for 10-year anniversary, opens up about new thanks fans for support family life in Siargao

BY GIANNA LLANES Philippine Canadian Inquirer

BY GIANNA LLANES Philippine Canadian Inquirer TWENTY-EIGHT-year-old actress Andi Eigenmann showcases her baby bump in a maternity shoot at her new home, the island of Siargao, sharing the captured images to her more than 1.7 million followers last May 15.

In the first photo present, captured by Nice Print Photography, Andi poses in a two-piece bikini and shell necklace with her partner surfer Philmar Alipayo, captioned, “The love we share does not expect anything to be perfect to be treated as though it is. It is simple, honest, and filled with content. And although others have tried to taint it with ill-judgment and dismay, it remains strong, and beautiful, and kind. Always kind,” adding, “That’s what fills our love with so much joy. This kind of love is possible, I know that because we built it ourselves. And we have more than enough of this to share with those around us.

Specially to our little ones.”

She then elaborates on her

new blended family with Philmar, who has two sons of his own, explaining, “Our family may not be ideal to some, but others’ perception is not our reality. I love my family, and I love our life. We are aware that it is not ordinary— because it’s extraordinary.”

Andi and Philmar announced their 14-week pregnancy last February 2019, then revealing that they are having a baby girl a month later. This is Andi’s second baby. She had her eldest daughter Ellie, now seven years old, with her former boyfriend Jake Ejercito. When talking about her bond with Ellie, the daughter of actors Mark Gil and Jaclyn Jose also elaborates, “I am extremely grateful to have Ellie by my side through this pregnancy. Everything becomes so much more special because I know how excited she is to become a big sister, and I know she will be as great to her as she has been to me and everyone she loves.”

In October 2018, Andi revealed to the Philippine Entertainment Portal that she was setting up a bed and breakfast at the Surigao del Norte island. ■

T H I R T Y- F O U R - y e a r - o l d South Korean singer Sandara Park also known by her stage name ‘Dara,’ who rose to fame in the Philippines after participating in the 2004 season of talent show Star Circle Quest, reunites with the members of Korean pop group 2NE1 to celebrate their 10-year anniversary despite disbanding in 2016.

To express their gratitude for the never-ending support of their fans, Dara and the members of 2NE1 – CL, Gong Minzy, and Park Bom – interacted with their fans last Thursday, May 16 by holding Instagram live sessions and blow out candles of a cake. Dara shares with her 7.4 million followers, “We didn’t expect that we would be given the best fans in the world. We didn’t expect that we would have fans in many parts of the world. To countries who don’t speak and understand our language.” She expresses that 2NE1 is “very grateful that Blackjacks embraced [2NE1],” referring to their fandom, saying, “because Blackjacks were

Back in 2009, the four of us in 2NE1 were excited on what the world had to offer. We didn’t expect that we would be given the best fans in the world. @DARAXXI / INSTAGRAM

everywhere, we were able to go to different countries. To places we only see on maps. 10 years later, you are still here for us.”

In the same post, Dara continues to say, “ Even when we had drastic hairstyles and outrageous stage costumes, you still loved and supported us.

I can’t believe how much you mean to us — 4 Korean girls who just wanted to perform onstage. We can’t thank you enough for the love. How we all wish we can thank each one of you and give you a hug.”

The girl group was formed in 2009 under YG Entertain-

ment, popular for their tracks “I Don’t Care,” “Can’t Nobody,” and “Lonely.” Blackjacks were shocked in November 2016 after YG Entertainment announced the disbandment, which stated, “After much consultation with rest of the members, YG has decided to officially disband 2NE1. 2NE1 has been YG’s signature girl group for the past seven years, so YG is deeply saddened to let them go.”

As a final farewell, 2NE1 released a track entitled “Goodbye” in January 2017, which topped the Billboard World Digital Songs chart. ■

‘Break from Drake’: Milwaukee radio station bans rapper’s music during Raptors Bucks series

BY DAVID FRIEND The Canadian Press TORONTO — A Milwaukee radio station is giving superstar Drake the silent treatment heading into the NBA finals.

Hosts of morning show Riggs & Alley announced this week they’ve put a temporary ban on playing the Toronto rapper’s music over their airwaves as

his hometown team battles the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals.

During the best-of-seven series, they say 103.7 KISS-FM will take a “break from Drake” in hopes it’ll help the Bucks squash the Toronto Raptors.

The co-hosts joined their producer to reveal the plans in a video posted on the radio station’s Twitter account.

“Drake’s a big smack-talker

on the basketball court,” Riggs says to his colleagues.

“I say until the series is over we take a break from playing Drake.”

The trio launch into a “break from Drake” chant before rushing into the studio and deleting his track “In My Feelings” from their radio playlist.

Pulling Drake’s music is a much bigger commitment than a few hit songs. www.canadianinquirer.net

Aside from radio favourites “Hotline Bling” and “Nice For What,” he also features on an array of other performers’ tracks, including current Billboard Hot 100 hits by Meek Mill and Summer Walker. The hosts say all those songs are taking a leave of absence from their station too.

Drake’s had a rough go of it this NBA season. The tireless courtside supporter of the Rap-

tors found himself at the centre of a supposed “Drake curse” after sports fans pointed out teams and athletes he supports often go on to lose.

After the Raptors defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 on Sunday, he played into the joke with an Instagram video that showed him wearing Sixers shorts as he celebrated the win. ■

24

Entertainment

MAY 24, 2019

FRIDAY

Is ‘Idol Philippines’ hopeful Luke Baylon, rapper Quest doing a collab?

BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer ALTHOUGH HE failed to win the ‘yeses’ of three judges when he auditioned in the reality singing television competition “Idol Philippines,” Luke Baylon still has a ticket to stardom on his hand as it seems like he will be doing a collaboration with rapper Quest.

It was none other than Quest himself who broke the news about them apparently working together, uploading a photo of him with the ‘Idol Philippines’ auditionee on Twitter on Friday night, May 17.

“Exciting times are up ahead.

Ready na kami guys (We are ready, guys)!” Quest, who is known for his hits “Sige Lang” and “Back to Love,” wrote in his

Tweet.

Further details of their project, however, have yet to be disclosed.

Quest earlier expressed his desire to work with Luke when he commented on the latter’s audition performance in the “Idol Philippines” where he serenaded the contest’s four judges — Regine Velasquez-Alcasid, Vice Ganda, James Reid, and Moira Dela Torre — with his reggae rendition of “If I Ain’t Got You” by Alicia Keys.

Luke and his reggae performance became the talk of the town after the auditionee failed to qualify for the next round as he only got one ‘yes’ vote coming from the “Asia’s Songbird.”

Disappointed with the other judges’ decision to reject Luke, many netizens threw criticisms to Moira, Vice, and James, with

some of them questioning the singing credentials of the three.

On his comment, Quest said people do not need to bash the judges for their decision because, he said, they have ‘different taste in music.’

“Respetuhin natin yun (Let’s respect that),” he said, continuing, “But I don’t want to miss the opportunity to see Luke soar. So I wanna help him if he’s okay with it.”

James had taken to Twitter to defend his ‘no’ vote, saying that he appreciates Luke for being a good singer but then they are looking for a “total package.”

“Wait till you see the 12 finalists. You’ll see why I said he wasn’t ready. For now, I wish Luke all the success is his music career. That rendition of If I Ain’t Got You was sick,” he said ■.

Aicelle Santos represents PH in Beijing

BY GIANNA LLANES Philippine Canadian Inquirer THIRTY-FOUR-year-old soul, pop, and jazz singer Aicelle Santos made the Filipino community proud last Wednesday, May 15, after being one of the Asian superstars that represented the country in front of 30,000 people at the Asian Culture Carnival in Beijing.

During the event that celebrated the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations, the former ABS-CBN Star In A Million contestant performed her rendition of “Nais Ko” by Basil Valdez, composed by National Artist for Music, Ryan Cayabyab.

Prior to the performance, the artist shared a photo of herself outside the Beijing National Stadium, also known as the Bird’s Nest, to her 383,000 followers captioned, “Today’s the day! One stage will showcase 40 different Asian cultures through music and dance. With pride and honor, we raise our flag! Let’s go Philippines!” Soon after, she also posted an image of the event’s poster, mentioning that hers was the eighth performance along with entertainers from Pakistan, Malay-

@AICELLESANTOS / INSTAGRAM

sia, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Jordan, and India. She also added that she was “fangirling over Jackie Chan, Rain, and Andrea Bocelli!”

The Asian Culture Carnival, hosted by China Media Group, features more than 1,500 performers, youth leaders, and government officials from all over the world. This year, the theme was “Celebration of Youth, Dream of Asia,” elaborating on Asian exchanges and

understandings. To open the 2019 event, Chinese President Xi Jinping presented a speech.

Aicelle Santos is best known as the “First Undefeated Pinoy Pop Star,” as she swept eight various wins for GMA 7’s Pinoy Pop Superstar, ”Rock and Soul Diva,” “Traffic Diva,” and “Soul Flair Songstress.” She is best known for her singles, “Ikaw Pa Rin,” “Make Me Believe,” “Kapangyarihan Ng Pag-Ibig,” “Liwanag,” and “Palaging Ikaw.” ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

@THEOLIVIAJORDAN / INSTAGRAM

Miss USA 2015 Olivia Jordan reveals: I was molested as a child, raped as a teenager

BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer MISS USA (United States of America) 2015 Olivia Jordan made a revelation about herself on Monday, May 20: that she experienced being molested as a kid and raped during her teenage years.

She bared this in a lengthy Instagram post, as she airs out her own take about anti-abortion law. Just last week, Alabama, USA has passed a bill banning abortion, even in cases of rape or incest. It will only be legal if the mother’s life is at risk.

Olivia, however, expressed disapproval on the passage of such bill, saying that she views it as a “direct assault” to her.

“Decisions were made for my body without my consent. My body and mind have been traumatized in ways I am still recovering from many years later,” she said, continuing, “Maybe it sounds unjust to compare criminalizing abortion to being raped; but to me, it feels the same.”

The beauty queen from Oklahoma shared how she’s been wanting to “yell” and “scream back” to those people who confront her for being pro-abortion, pro-condoms, and proaccess to birth control, but hold herself to do so as it will only result to “two people screaming” at each other.

She said she went to a Catho-

lic school, was taught “abstinence-only sex education,” watched an abortion procedure video, and did research regarding abortion. Olivia, however, said she is not forcing anyone to have the same opinion as hers, so she hopes that others who have contradicting views would do the same to her.

“Maybe you haven’t had the life experience I have had where your body has been controlled too many times without your consent but I have, and I will fight hard to stop any person from enduring the same fate,” she wrote.

“Can we recognize that within the pro-choice model we are both allowed to be right? You get to do what’s right for you, I get to do what’s right for me,” she added.

While acknowledging that anyone can share what they feel against abortion, Olivia urged them not to support policies which “strip people of their rights and their free choice.”

“Because when men make laws that govern women’s body without their consent, I feel like I am being assaulted all over again. I feel like we are letting the perpetrators win,” she stressed.

Olivia, 30, was America’s bet in the Miss Universe 2015, where Philippines’ Pia Wurtzbach was crowned as the winner. The American beauty queen finished second runnerup in the pageant. ■

Entertainment

FRIDAY MAY 24, 2019

25

Sue Ramirez on working with BLANC7’s Shinwoo: ‘Ang bait-bait’

BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer KAPAMILYA ACTRESS Sue Ramirez has nothing but good words for K-pop idol Shinwoo as she shares her experience working with him on their upcoming movie.

Sue spilled the deets in the press conference of “Sunshine Family” where she describes the kind of personality the K-pop idol has. Shinwoo was part of the seven-member boy group BLANC7 which disbanded in January 2019.

“Ang bait-bait ni Shinwoo, tapos ang cute kasi nagpapaturo rin siya sa amin mag-Tagalog at [kung] anu-anong kalokohan ang tinuturo namin sa kanya (Shinwoo is very kind. He is also cute because he asks us to teach him how to speak Tagalog and we were teaching him different foolish stuff ),” the Filipina young star said.

“It was a very fun experience and we got to sing together. Meron po kaming ni-record na kanta in Korea na magiging parte ng pelikula (We recorded a song in Korea which will be part of the movie) so it was a great experience,” she continued.

Working with Shinwoo, Sue said, also enriched her knowledge about what Korean actors and actresses are like at

work.

Perhaps noticing her co-star’s actions at the filming location, Sue shared, ”Kung papaano sila sa set na sobrang tahimik nila magtrabaho, na [kapag] work, work talaga, on time sila palagi ( They are very quiet while working in the set, that when it is work, they really work.

They always arrive on time).”

Sue also shared that she was already expecting some difficulties working with Shinwoo due to the difference in their nationalities. One struggle Sue has foreseen is the language barrier.

“Malaking factor kasi ‘yun with ‘yung workplace, kung papaano kayo magcommunicate with each other. Siyempre iba ‘yung culture, iba ‘yung way of living talaga kumpara sa Pilipinas at sa mga Koreano (It is a big factor on how are you going to communicate with each other in the workplace. Of course, we have different cultures, we also have a different way of living, comparing those in the Philippines to Koreans),” she said, adding, “Pero sobrang naging smooth lang (But it went smooth).”

Last November 2018, Sue shared a photo of her and Shinwoo in a place she described as “picture perfect view.”

“Get to know Shine and Hyunwoo soon,” the actress wrote in her caption.

“Sunshine Family” tells a story of a Filipino family living in South Korea —

Picture perfect view . Get to know Shine and Hyunwoo soon!!! @sunshinefamily2019 @springfilms #sueloveskorea @SUEANNADOODLES / INSTAGRAM

Don and Sonya Mapalad, and their children Shine and Max. Major twists and turns in their lives occurred after Don and Sonya get involved in a hit-and-run accident.

The film is a collaboration project between Film Line Pictures Production

PSYCHIC FAITH

Hundreds protest... ❰❰ 20

and other services.

“I still cannot believe it. It’s really a scary time for everybody,” she said of the push to overturn Roe. Similar demonstrations were held in Birmingham and Huntsville on Sunday.

Amanda Reyes, who runs Yellowhammer Fund, a non-profit that provides funding to help low-income women obtain abortions, said donations have begun streaming in since passage of the Alabama bill.

Groups this week paid for a small plane carrying a banner “Abortion is Okay!” to circle the Capitol and the Governor’s Mansion.

The Alabama law would make it a felony, punishable by up to 99 years or life in prison to perform an abortion. There would be no punishment for the woman receiving the abortion.

But the protest outside the Capitol Sunday comes in a state where a majority of voters recently agreed to put antiabortion language in the Alabama Constitution. Fifty-nine % of state voters in November approved the constitutional amendment saying the state recognizes

the rights of the “unborn.”

“To the bill’s many supporters, this legislation stands as a powerful testament to Alabamians’ deeply held belief that every life is precious and that every life is a sacred gift from God,” Ivey said in a statement after signing the ban into law.

The Alabama law has also come under criticism by some conservatives who have expressed discomfort by the lack of exceptions for rape and incest.

President Donald Trump, while not mentioning Alabama’s law, wrote in a weekend tweet that he is strongly “prolife” but favours exceptions.

“As most people know, and for those who would like to know, I am strongly Pro-Life, with the three exceptions – Rape, Incest and protecting the Life of the mother – the same position taken by Ronald Reagan,” Trump wrote in a series of tweets.

Rep. Terri Collins, the sponsor of the Alabama law, said the purpose is to challenge Roe and added that Alabama lawmakers can come back and add exemptions if states regain control of abortion access. ■

LTD. and Spring Films and is helmed by award-winning Korean director Kim Tai-Sik. Apart from Sue, veteran actors Nonie and Sharmaine Buencamino and child actor Marco Masa are also part of the cast. ■

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26

Lifestyle ‘Brigada Eskwela’: Working together towards quality education

BY MA. TERESA MONTEMAYOR Philippine News Agency MANILA — Clean classrooms, well-maintained learning tools, and attractive landscaping inspire students to go to school, study hard and persevere to reach their dreams.

In connection with this, the Department of Education (DepEd), tries its best to turn these ideals into reality through Brigada Eskwela, an annual campaign which prepares schools nationwide a few weeks before the school year starts.

Tonisito Umali, Undersecretary for Legislative Affairs, External Partnerships, and Project Management Service, told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) that the campaign was established in 2003 to address the resources gaps faced by the agency through strengthened partnerships with the communities.

“In 2017 we have expanded the concept of Brigada Eskwela, besides to clean or beautify our schools, we also make sure they are safe and prepared in time of disasters. We also have activities during the national maintenance week and we expect to sustain it for the whole year round,” he said.

Umali added the campaign also focuses on encouraging out of school children and youth (OSCY) to go back to school and finish their studies.

“Not less than 78,000 OSYs, through the ALS and regular schooling, already went back to school. We wanted to decrease

our drop out rates and make sure that all these partnerships will have positive impact on the learning outcomes of our children,” he said.

Citing this year’s theme “Matatag na Bayan para sa Maunlad na Paaralan,” Umali said the campaign reiterates the importance of everybody’s contibution in providing the Filipino youth quality education.

“Hindi natin dapat iasa lamang ito sa Kagawaran ng Edukasyon kung hindi dapat lahat tayo ay may pakialam sa pagsisiguro na may dekalidad na pasilidad para sa edukasyon ay kolektibong responsilidad nating lahat (Ensuring quality facilities for education is a collective responsibility of us all and we shouldn’t rely on the Department of Education for all these), he added.

The initiative mobilizes thousands of parents, alumni, civic groups, local businesses, non-government organizations, teachers, students, and individuals who volunteer their time and skills to do repairs on the school buildings and facilities in time for school opening.

In its year of implementation, a total of 12,533 schools participated as against the 4,000 expected school participants.

In 2008, it has become a permanent activity in the school calendar where all schools nationwide are now mandated to implement the program every second week of May. Apart from instilling school pride in the community, the Brigada Eskwela campaign provides an opportunity for every-

one to contribute in the future of the Filipino youth and in nation-building.

“We’re grateful to DepEd for allowing us to give our time, ourselves to make better the lives of others and making a positive difference through this event,” Pilmico chief operating officer Tristan Aboitiz told PNA. Pilmico is the food business unit of the Aboitiz Group of Companies.

Aboitiz said he joined the campaign in 2008, doing “practically everything.”

“I’ve done painting classrooms, painting tables, and chairs, I’ve painted murals, planted trees the only thing I haven’t done is cover books.

This is the first time I brought my oldest son, who is four years old, here as it’s an opportunity to start them young because painting is something that even a child can enjoy and over time he’d really appreciate what it truly means,” he said.

On Saturday, Aboitiz employees, including those from its corporate offices, helped the teachers, students, and parents with the different Brigada Eskwela tasks at the Pateros Elementary School.

They engaged in armchair painting, book covering, gardening and mural painting.

Citing that 400 of their employees have signed up for the event, Aboitiz said that they need not encourage them to take part in a meaningful campaign.

“That’s the beautiful thing about it, once we put it up in the calendar for the year, people sign up automatically,” he added.

www.canadianinquirer.net

MA. TERESA MONTEMAYOR / PNA

Aboitiz said they have helped improve a total of 411 schools across the Philippines, making them more conducive to learning for 218,661 students.

“Last year, the Pateros Elementary School was awarded as the second place Brigada Eskwela Implementer. This was made possible by our volunteers who shared their time and efforts last year,” he said.

With the aim to raise his children as compassionate and productive members of the society, Aboitiz said he wanted his eldest to see the true meaning of Brigada Eskwela.

“It’s a bit difficult to explain to a four-year-old child, but you kind of instill the value of responsibility and teamwork, doing something as a group which is promising for these children who are our future,” he added.

Meanwhile, Evangeline Rosario said parents must take part in Brigada Eskwela activities.

“Para makatulong sa school, para maging maaliwalas sa school para hindi mababalisa ang mga bata at mas mama-inspire sila mag-aral. Hindi naman mahirap maglinis, kung sama-sama kam-

ing gumagawa, mas magaan at mapapadali ang trabaho (To help the school, to make the school fresh so the students wouldn’t be stressed and they’ll be inspired to learn. It’s not hard to clean up, if we do it together, works becomes easier and quicker),” she said.

Rosario’s daughter, Romelyn, is a grade 6 pupil at the Pateros Elementary School. She has been supporting the school’s brigada for six years now.

“Ang anak ko tumutulong din, silang magkaklase pumupunta sa classroom nila, tapos naglilinis sila doon (My child also helps out, she and her classmates go to their classroom, they clean it),” she added.

While working on their chosen tasks, Aboitiz encouraged all the volunteers to keep in mind the lasting impact of their deeds on the learners’ lives.

“As we plant trees, we contribute to a greener environment. As we paint chairs and cover books, we help future nation builders achieve their best, and as we paint murals, we inspire them to imagine what is possible and motivate them to work their hardest,” he said. ■

Lifestyle

FRIDAY MAY 24, 2019

27

New B.C. museum policy highlights return of Indigenous remains, artifacts

BY TERRI THEODORE The Canadian Press

Tardar Sauce, more popularly known as Grumpy Cat. THE OFFICIAL GRUMPY CAT / FACEBOOK

‘Some days are grumpier than others:’ Internet-famous Grumpy Cat passes away

BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer SEEING GRUMPY Cat memes whenever we scroll on the internet usually brings us smiles and laughter, but today, seeing a photo of the internet-famous feline made our hearts shatter to pieces.

It was a tough week for the furry sensation’s family as they announce on Friday, May 17, the “unimaginably” heartbreaking news on their beloved cat’s official social media accounts that Grumpy Cat, seven, has crossed over the rainbow bridge last Tuesday, May 14.

“Despite care from top professionals, as well as from her very loving family Grumpy encountered complications from a recent urinary tract infection that unfortunately became too tough for her to overcome,” They said, adding that Grumpy Cat passed away peacefully at their home in the arms of her mommy Tabatha.

“Besides being our baby and a cherished member of the family. Grumpy Cat has helped millions of people smile all around the world — even when times were tough. Her spirit will continue to live on through her fans everywhere,” they continued.

Many netizens floated Grumpy Cat memes once again on social media as they mourn the feline’s loss. One of those who expressed grief over the fe-

line’s passing is another cyberstar cat, Monty, who has also unique facial features.

Through his owner, Monty said in a Facebook post, “Thank you so much for sharing your amazing girl with the world and for making us smile and laugh so many times!”

“Grumpy will always be in our hearts and she will never ever be forgotten! #RestInPeaceGrumpy,” he continued.

Grumpy Cat, whose real name was Tardar Sauce, caught the attention of many people across the globe when a photo of her was posted on Reddit last September 2012, five months after she was born.

Her popularity skyrocketed when her family posted some videos of her on YouTube, proving that Grumpy Cat’s photo on Reddit was indeed real and not photoshopped.

Grumpy Cat was actually not always grumpy; her family said their cat’s distinctive scowl, which sparked smiles and countless hilarious memes, and her petite size was probably caused by feline dwarfism.

“She really isn’t grumpy!

She is a super cute and cuddly kitty and loves to be held and rubbed!” her family said on Grumpy Cat’s website.

As of writing, 2.6-million followers on Instagram, 1.53-million followers on Twitter, and more than eight million followers on Facebook. ■

in repatriation grants last year to First Nations, helping them begin the process of finding and acquiring their ancestors’ reVANCOUVER — Letters to mains and artifacts. It has also Scotland sent by a woman from written the Indigenous Repathe small settlement of Victoria triation Handbook to help as a around 1850 gave Dianne Hinguide. kley more insight into why the The museum has about 700 bones of her ancestors may be ancestral remains. Neel said spread around the world. most of them were handed over One of the letters says that to the museum through devel“skulls were all the rage” in the opment when roads or homes new community, Hinkley said. were under construction and “It was all the fashion that the bones were unearthed. you had to have a skull on your Because the museum is no mantel piece,” Hinkley recalls longer a repository for remains, the letter saying. she said they’ll be searching The woman’s letter said she through the records to deterfound the remains on rock piles mine where the bones were that were all over the place and found and will ask First Nations that she “would try to get them what they want to do with their a couple of skulls, so they can ancestors’ remains. have them in their house for “It’s the right thing to do and fashion as well,” Hinkley said. the right way to do it.”

Those rock piles were actuThe B.C. museum has about ally burial cairns and the pilfer15,000 Indigenous artifacts, ing is one of the and Neel said a many reasons portion of those why Hinkley has would have been found Cowichan taken during the artifacts and repotlatch years. mains from RusNeel said most of them were They are starting sia to the United handed over to the museum the task of lookKingdom and through development when roads ing at every obfrom Israel to or homes were under construction ject to determine South Africa. and the bones were unearthed. how it came to That search the museum, she has been helped said. with a repatriaNeel said Intion grant from digenous comthe Royal B.C. Museum, which She said collectors from munities are excited about the recently changed its policies to around the world would land in prospect of having their ancesno longer collect or study an- the villages and buy or take any- tors and ancient treasures recestral remains. thing they could. turned.

The museum has also an“Their bodies, the skeletal re“There are obviously things nounced that anything it ac- mains and all of that was sold to in the collection that were purquired from Indigenous Peo- museums,” she said. chased legitimately, there’s a ples during the anti-potlatch “There must have been es- paper trail for them and those years, from 1885 to 1951, will be sentially very little cultural things really do legitimately beconsidered eligible for repatria- materials left in those villages. long to the museum collection. tion because it was obtained at They took everything, they took “What the committee did a time of duress. cedar woven maps that hung on was take a close look and said During those years, the feder- the walls, they took knitting really what we’re concerned al government banned potlatch needles, everything, fish hooks, about are the things that were ceremonies, which were impor- you name it, they collected it.” not acquired in the best of tant social events where valuHinkley said the change in times. Some communities were able gifts were given to show the museum’s policy is “huge” still very much under duress, generosity and status over ri- because it allows Indigenous even after the potlatch ban was vals. The government saw the people in the province to find dropped.” events as anti-Christian and a more information about their For the Cowichan, Hinkley waste of personal property. artifacts. She said some mu- said the other challenge is they Lou-Ann Neel, the repatria- seums, especially those in the don’t have anywhere to bring tion specialists for the Royal United Kingdom, refuse to even their treasures home. But she B.C. Museum, said by the time speak with them about the arti- said the repatriation negotiathe ban was lifted, much Indig- facts. tions tend to drag and that will enous wealth had been lost.

The Royal B.C. Museum dis- give them time to get their mu“Our regalia was gone, our tributed more than $580,000 seum ready. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

masks were gone, some of them were burnt by missionaries, some of them were just taken and confiscated. So you can’t hold a potlatch without these treasures,” said Neel, who is part of the Mamalilikulla and Kwagiulth people in Alert Bay, B.C. Neel said the loss of their belongings started with the colonial belief that Indigenous people were endangered and dying out.

“That really sparked a collecting frenzy, that sent out people: anthropologists, military, adventurers or self-proclaimed pioneers. (They) just felt like they had permission because the general sense across Canada and the U.S. was that ‘Indians’ would soon been gone.”

Hinkley said her research shows that between 1870 and 1930 museums were popping up around the world and they needed something to display.

28

Lifestyle

MAY 24, 2019

FRIDAY

Game of Thrones: Economics of mercy and other final lessons

BY PAUL WISEMAN, CHRISTOPHER RUGABER, AND JOSH BOAK The Associated Press WASHINGTON — So Daenerys broke the wheel, after all. Or at least knocked it out of alignment.

The long-suffering people of Westeros get a chance at a new beginning in the final episode of HBO’s epic series “Game of Thrones.” But Dany won’t lead the resurrection, having been stabbed to death by her lover/ nephew/erstwhile partner in wheel-breaking Jon Snow.

Instead, the realm is making a new go of it under the unconventional leadership of the charisma-free but all-knowing Bran the Broken and his adviser, Tyrion Lannister, who has endured a lengthy losing streak when it comes to wise decisionmaking.

Jon Snow, true heir to the dragon-melted glob that used to be the Iron Throne, has been exiled to the northlands. Samwell Tarly’s suggestion of a turn to democracy was quickly and predictably laughed off by the lords of Westeros.

In the Associated Press’ weekly “Wealth of Westeros “ series, we’ve been following fantasy show’s plot twists and analyzing the economic and business forces driving the story.

Here we offer some takeaways from eight seasons of beheadings, betrayals and betrothals and from the series finale in particular.

it’s cracked up to be.

Management consultant James Collins studied successful companies and found that the best leaders “were uncharismatic for the most part.”

A 2006 study by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and Yale University found that “perceptions of CEO charisma were not associated with subsequent organizational performance.”

In a 2017 writeup, Clark Waterfall, founder of the executive search firm BSG Team Ventures, argued that magnetic leaders come with drawbacks.

The power of their personalities tends “to suppress individual thinking and leadership development in subordinate teams. Leaders with charisma can create a culture of ‘followers,’ rather than young, budding leaders.”

Replacing charismatic CEOs can also lead to succession crises, Waterfall wrote.

Wait, who named a moneygrubbing sellsword the Master of Coin?

Ser Bronn of the Blackwater — an assassin and bodyguard always ready to offer his services to the highest bidder — wouldn’t seem the obvious choice to oversee the realm’s finances. But there he is in the first meeting of the post-Dany Small Council, already taking an outsize interest in financing the reconstruction of the King’s Landing’s brothels, establish-

@GAMEOFTHRONES / INSTAGRAM

and Exchange Commission to police Wall Street. Future SEC Chair Jerome Frank compared the move to “setting a wolf to herd a flock of sheep.” Confounding the skeptics, Kennedy succeeded in establishing the SEC’s credibility.

Mercy, mercy

Dany’s decision to torch King’s Landing — and her stated intention to spread dragon fire to Dorne, Winterfell, Qarth and points beyond — drove away her closest allies and led a heartbroken Jon Snow to plunge a knife into her chest to save the Charisma isn’t Instead, the remaining lords will world from her king pick the new monarchs. It’s not revolutionary Let’s face it. exactly democracy. But in the madness.

Brandon Stark context of the history of Westeros, History sug— aka the Threeit’s as momentous a change as the gests that the Eyed Raven, aka Magna Carta. retribution she Bran the Broken planned can — is missing the backfire, while personal magmercy can have netism we often associate with ments that he once patronized an economic and geopolitical and expect of leaders. Expres- with considerable frequency payoff. sionless and near-catatonic and enthusiasm.

After the end of World War most of the time, he looks like Then again, there’s precedent I, the victors demanded repathe emo kid in first-period for putting the fox in charge of ration payments that forced gym class. And, confined to his the henhouse. President Frank- Germany into economic and wheelchair, he’s no warrior in a lin D. Roosevelt famously made political chaos, discredited realm where might has always alleged financial manipulator democratic governments and made right.

Joseph Kennedy (JFK’s father) led to the rise of Adolf Hitler But maybe charisma isn’t all the first chair of the Securities and World War II. www.canadianinquirer.net

No one was more prescient in warning about the need for generous peace than the British economist John Maynard Keynes. He wrote in 1919 in “The Economic Consequence of Peace” that trapping people in poverty would destabilize the politics and progress of Europe: “If we aim deliberately at the impoverishment of Central Europe, vengeance, I dare predict, will not limp. Nothing can then delay for very long that final civil war between the forces of Reaction and the despairing convulsions of Revolution, before which the horrors of the late German war will fade into nothing, and which will destroy, whoever is victor, the civilization and the progress of our generation.”

The Allies learned. After World War II, America led the rebuilding of defeated Germany and Japan. Both turned into economic powerhouses and pillars of a post-war democratic order in the industrialized world.

Change did finally come

One question that long surrounded “Game of Thrones” was whether war, political instability, and the destruction of numerous aristocratic families

would lead to major political change for the long-suffering Westerosi.

With the end of hereditary rule, it did.

No longer will the throne (whatever it is made of ) simply pass to the oldest male heir.

(After all, newly-crowned Bran can’t have children). Instead, the remaining lords will pick the new monarchs. It’s not exactly democracy. But in the context of the history of Westeros, it’s as momentous a change as the Magna Carta.

The end of inherited power should be good for the Six Kingdoms’ economy. Family-owned businesses, where management and ownership are determined by birth, rather than merit, typically don’t perform as well over time as independently-run companies, economic research has found.

The consulting firm McKinsey & Co. says that less than a third of family businesses survive into the third generation.

And most of those that do usually install professional, independent management.

So things may be looking up for Westeros: After centuries of economic stagnation, competent management rather than inherited rule might spark some long-overdue growth. ■

29

Sports Lady Eagles reclaim top title, now UAAP S81 women’s volley champs

BY GIANNA LLANES Philippine Canadian Inquirer AFTER MISSING the crown in the finals during seasons 78, 79, and 80, the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) Lady Eagles reclaimed the top crown for the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 81 women’s volleyball division after a three-set victory over the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Lady Tigresses during Game Three of the best-of-three semifinals last Saturday, May 18 at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena in Pasay.

Kat Tolentino, who announced her exit from the team, led her team with 15 points and 11 attacks, averaging a total of 12.7 in the finals series. Teammate Maddie Madayag had 10 points off six kills and four

blocks, while Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) Bea De Leon chipped six, averaging 7.7 in the last three games. Setter Deanna Wong had 16 excellent sets with 12 digs and four points, while Jules Samonte had six points and ten excellent receptions.

Dani Ravena totalled 13 digs and seven excellent receptions.

As for the Lady Tigresses, who were seeking a championship to redeem themselves from the last nine years, they were led by senior Sisi Rondina with 18 points off 17 kills, also adding 11 digs and seven excellent receptions. Rookie Eya Laure came back from Game Two’s injury and scored a total of 10. Unfortunately, UST struggled with a total of 29 errors throughout the entire game.

The set scores ended 25-17, 25-22, and 25-22.

“First, it’s not how you start, it’s how you end it,” Ateneo head

OLIVER ALMADRO / FACEBOOK

coach Oliver Almadro told the media immediately after the game, referring to their Game One loss against their competitors, “Many people counted us out. We will not be perfect players. I will not be that perfect coach, but we worked as a team.

We worked as a family. That’s

what’s important,” adding, “Sometimes, talent, science and skills are not important. What’s important is how you train, how you trust each other and how you put the faith in God.” He concluded, “They counted out everybody, but I trusted them. That’s the most impor-

tant thing of all,” elaborating, “The system is not yet perfect, but they trusted the system.

They really worked hard. I’m just an instrument. They really were the ones who worked for it.

This is Ateneo’s third title since 2015. ■

Kat Tolentino announces Che’Lu one step closer exit from Ateneo Lady Eagles to 2019 PBA D-League

BY GIANNA LLANES Philippine Canadian Inquirer “THIS IS Kat Tolentino, number 10, signing off,” FilipinoCanadian Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) Lady Eagle Katrina Mae Tolentino ended her tearful speech at the Lady Eagles’ thanksgiving mass at the Church of the Gesu last Saturday, May 18 – an event celebrating the recent championship win of the women’s volleyball team in the 81st season of the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) against the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Lady Tigresses.

Although the six-foot-three recruit from Canada expressed uncertainty to the press after winning the third game of

the best-of-three finals on the same day, Tolentino announced finalizing her decision at the event for her alma mater a few hours later.

In her words, “I just want to say how blessed and thankful I am to God that I’m not just an athlete who had 3 ACL injuries,” adding, “But one can finally say that I’m an athlete with three ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injuries, one absolutely unforgettable championship, and one Ateneo family forever.”

She elaborated, “By the third ACL, I had already considered to stop playing volleyball and to be a regular student. It was to the point where I couldn’t even watch Ateneo games because I was afraid to see athletes jump and land or fall because of the fear of my injury. When I went

back from my third ACL injury, I asked God not just to make me healthy but to be part of a team that will help me find my passion back for volleyball. This has been that team.”

With season 81 being her first and final collegiate top trophy, Tolentino elaborated, “I’m gonna miss the 6 am call times and the 9 pm end times. We suffered a lot, we sacrificed together a lot but now we’re champions together.”

Originally from Richmond, British Columbia, the wing spiker averaged 12.7 points per game in the most recent UAAP season, also being hailed the league’s fourth-best scorer with 156 attacks, 32 blocks, and 12 aces. She began making a name for herself in the local volleyball season last Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Conference. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

playoffs after ending Enderun contention

BY GIANNA LLANES Philippine Canadian Inquirer CHE’LU BAR and Grill is still in the running for the 2019 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Developmental League (D-League) playoffs after claiming victory over Family Mart-Enderun, 77-72, last Monday, May 20 at the JCSGO Gym in Cubao.

It was Jeff Viernes, former league Most Valuable Player, who set the pace for the Revellers and caused their 6-3 winloss in the Aspirants Group, totalling 13 points, five rebounds,

and five assists throughout the entire game, including a crucial three at the last 43.5 seconds of the last quarter. Fellow Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) player Alfred Batino contributed a double-double at 14 points and 17 rebounds, while teammate Rey Suerte chipped 13 points and four rebounds.

For the Titans, a total of four turnovers in the last three minutes of the game damaged their eight-point lead at the beginning of the fourth and ended their season run with a 1-7 win❱❱ PAGE 35 Che’Lu one

30

Business Expansion of corn, sorghum areas to meet hog, poultry demand growth

BY LILYBETH ISON Philippine News Agency MANILA — With the projected increase in demand for hogs and poultry, especially in countries affected by the African swine fever (ASF), the Department of Agriculture (DA) is expanding the production areas of corn and sorghum by 100,000 hectares each.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel “Manny” Piñol, in a press briefing on Tuesday, said the additional 100,000 hectares to be planted to corn will be on top of what has already been covered by farmers this cropping season.

Piñol said most of the expansion areas for corn are located in Mindanao where planting was delayed due to the El Niño phenomenon.

The expansion of corn lands is expected to increase production by 600,000 metric tons (MT) this year.

The DA is also seeking the approval of Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez for the importation of some 300,000 MT of corn at lower tariffs to fill up the shortfall caused by El Niño in the country feed crops.

More than PHP86.42 million losses were already recorded for corn affecting more than 3,819 hectares nationwide.

On the other hand, the DA chief said the additional 100,000 hectares to be planted

with sorghum will be new areas mostly located in marginal lands, which have been largely under-utilized, including ancestral domain areas of the indigenous people.

The expansion in sorghumn production areas is projected to contribute 400,000 MT for the year .

He noted that the expansion of the corn areas, the opening of another 100,000 hectares for sorghum, and the importation of 300,000 MT of corn are part of the preparation of the DA for the expected dramatic growth of the hog and poultry sectors this year.

“The Philippine hog industry is expected to benefit from the woes of countries affected by the ASF, especially China which culled millions of breeders across the country,” said Piñol.

With China importing huge volumes of pork as a result of the ASF devastation, pork world market prices have gone up, giving the Filipino hog farmers a respite from the inflow of cheaper imported pork, he said.

In fact, Piñol said some large hog production groups are now eyeing the export of Philippine pork to China, a move which could create a supply shortage in the local market.

“With available local feed materials like corn and sorghum, local hog and poultry raisers could increase their production while at the same time reduce production cost,” he noted. ■

Bank of Canada identifies climate change as important economic weak spot

BY ANDY BLATCHFORD The Canadian Press OTTAWA — The Bank of Canada is highlighting its expanding concerns about climate change and, for the first time, is listing it among the top weak spots for the economy and the financial system.

The central bank’s financial system health report Thursday included climate change as an important vulnerability, elevating it to a category alongside its long-running worries about household debt and apprehension about the housing market The assessment is part of the Bank of Canada’s annual review that explores key weaknesses and risks surrounding financial stability.

“Economic activity and the environment are intertwined,” said the bank, which, like its international peers, is starting to make climate-change factors part of its financial stability research.

“Most experts agree that the global climate is changing and that this has growing implications for the economy. But the range of possible outcomes is large.”

Climate-change risks include the consequences of extreme weather events, such as flooding, hurricanes and severe droughts.

In Canada, the bank said insured damage to property and infrastructure averaged about $1.7 billion per year between 2008 to 2017 — 8.5 times higher than the annual average of $200 million from 1983 to 1992.

Beyond the physical damage, the bank said the shift to a lower-carbon economy will be complicated and could be costly for some.

The transition will likely lead to complicated structural adjustments for carbon-intensive sectors, such as oil and gas, and www.canadianinquirer.net

could leave insurance companies, banks and asset managers more exposed, the report said.

In some cases, the bank said fossil fuel reserves could be left in the ground, which could drain the value of important assets.

The bank said the transformation to a lower-carbon economy also will likely provide a boost to sectors like green technology and alternative energy.

Both physical and transition risks are likely to have “broad impacts on the economy,” the report said.

“Climate change is of interest to central banks because of central bank mandates and how climate change can affect economic performance on the one hand and how it can affect financial stability on the other hand,” Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz told reporters Thursday.

Last month, a letter co-authored by Bank of England governor Mark Carney and Banque de France governor Francois Villeroy de Galhau urged central bankers and decision-makers in the financial community to act on climate-related risks with concrete steps to preserve the stability of the global system.

“We need collective leadership and action across countries and we need to be ambitious,” said the letter, published in the British newspaper the Guardian.

“Climate change is a global problem, which requires global solutions, in which the whole financial sector has a crucial role to play.”

In addition to climate change, the Bank of Canada’s report also underlined the emerging vulnerability of rising corporate debt levels in the non-financial sector — a growing concern seen in other advanced economies. Some of the borrowing is of lower quality and the situ-

ation needs to be monitored closely, the bank said.

Last year, non-financial corporate debt relative to income was at 315 per cent, which the bank said was “well above its historical average.”

The bank said vulnerabilities linked to high household debt and the once-hot housing market have “declined modestly but remain significant.”

Both have been persistent weak spots in recent years and the improvements are due to a slowdown in credit growth since 2017 that coincided with stricter mortgage-lending policies and past interest-rate hikes.

The share of Canadians falling behind their debt payments remains “low and relatively steady,” the bank said. It noted, however, that since 2015 — after the oil-price slump — it’s seen a “small but steady increase” in the number of households in Alberta and Saskatchewan that have fallen behind by 60 days or more on at least one loan payment.

Housing prices in key markets of Toronto and Vancouver have cooled, but imbalances in real-estate markets are still an important vulnerability, the bank said.

Overall, the bank said Canada’s financial system is resilient, but the risk has edged up since its last report in June 2018, due in part to factors such as slower economic growth and uncertainty around global trade.

The most-important threats to the financial system are a severe Canada-wide recession, a big house-price correction and a sharp re-pricing of risk in markets, the bank said. ■

Business

FRIDAY MAY 24, 2019

31

Metro cities must become ‘smart’ to avert urban decay

BY SAUL PA-A Philippine News Agency MANILA — Real estate developers, asset managers and land use consultants said Metro Manila cities could still avert urban decay if they gear up to become “smart cities” through technology, amid the surge of urban migration and traffic congestion.

In a press conference at the CEO Forum Summit “Riding the Revolution of Real Estate,” Christophe Vicic, country head of JLL Philippines, said the Real Estate Summit brought together leaders of the real estate and construction sector to discuss disruptions in the industry and how to manage and deal with the growth momentum given the promising outlook of the country’s real estate business, which has so far sustained its growth and resilience this year.

Whether or not Metro Manila would be dead in 25 years, Vicic said he believes the will to change will make Metro Manila as only one of the centers in the Philippines in 20 years to 40 years, because other cities will grow.

Region 4-A, also known as Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), is near Metro Manila and has been ushering the construction and real estate boom with local

governments that are striking a balance between industrialization and environmental conservation, the summiteers said.

“I cannot see Metro Manila disappearing. There will be an obsolescence of some real estate but a lot of other cities in some situations have regenerated, rebuilt, taking down their old buildings, building new or not building but rather creating green space because you have a choice,” Vicic explained.

He shared that the first phase and current trend in property development is to create a master city in the new environment, in new places, which is “much easier, much cheaper.”

Vicic, whose JLL firm is advancing the “Future of Work Model,” is implementing a new strategy for transformation after spending years in Russia and the former Soviet Union states to grow with the market and become global market movers in developing assets and real estate property.

“The Philippines is a fastgrowing economy and real estate is a really wide denomination and office space is just a part of it. And there is growing demand for residential, retails, hospitality, private or commercial sectors in the Philippine property market, such as industrial warehousing, logistics hubs, and with economic boom, this is one of the fast-growing businesses,” he said.

He acknowledged that the real property sector is rarely consulted by government, a common observation in most countries, but they have since gathered experts from centers of excellence because urbanization is not new and has been there since some 2,000 years ago in the US, Europe and some big cities in Asia.

“The real challenge is which stage of the development of the city you are now and you start thinking for the future as this is the problem on how you deal with legacy or improving the legacy and build a new one,” he said, describing this as a “major challenge in the Philippines.”

He disclosed that there is a lot of private investment in real estate, where property developers and real estate consultancy firms have been working to give advice and consultancy services, making the best use of the land within future work, planning, sustainability, and livability, especially on big development issues.

“You can’t close Manila, like you did to Boracay and we’re going to build a new city because you have to do it as the city grows, with small people looking for work, more construction, and more cars, among others. But let’s start something,” Vicic urged.

According to research and data gathered by JLL for the Summit discussions, the coun-

try’s real estate sector is expected to maintain its growth and resilience in 2019, after an upward trend in the office, residential, retail and hospitality sectors of the Philippine property market last year.

In the residential sector where condominium supply grew, data obtained from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas showed condominium prices, especially in the metro, have grown by 6.4 percent, suggesting stable demand.

Workspaces are also growing steadily, with an estimated 1 million square meters of office space added to the current stock.

On the other hand, the hospitality sector is also booming with international brands coming in, including the growing rate of both local and foreign

tourism.

Janlo delos Reyes of JLL’s research and consultancy department, urged to work on real data that property developers and real estate industry could work on so they would have a full grasp of what to do with properties as the growth of real estate is expected to spill over this year, giving rise to smart cities.

Amid fears of calamities, such as an earthquake, the real estate leaders and property developers urged building contractors to have a very good standard in construction.

“I think with the cracks and collapse of some structures during the recent quakes, these testimonies should guide us to have a very high standard of construction because we cannot do away with this disaster,” Vicic said. ■

Telcos assure Huawei users of continued services despite US ban

BY AEROL JOHN PATEÑA Philippine News Agency MANILA — Major telecommunication firms in the country assured Huawei smartphone users of continuing communication services despite efforts by the United States government to ban the products of the Chinese-based technology provider in countries worldwide due to cybersecurity concerns.

In a statement on Monday, PLDT Inc. said its subscribers that have availed Huawei handsets and devices will continue to function normally on its net-

work.

“In light of the recent trade ban of the United States government on Huawei products, PLDT and Smart Communications, Inc. wish to assure its customers who have availed of Huawei handsets and devices via its official channels that said products will continue to function normally on the PLDTSmart network,” the PLDT’s statement read.

PLDT and Smart will coordinate with Huawei in addressing concerns regarding future firmware and software updates for phones, pocket WiFi units and other devices.

Meanwhile, Globe Telecom assured its customers that the current situation at Huawei will not impact its network services.

“We are aware of news circulating regarding some U.S. tech companies cutting their ties with Huawei. We have received assurance from Huawei that the company will continue to provide security updates and after sales services to its device users using the Globe network,” Globe’s statement read.

Both telcos said they will continue to provide updates on the issue particularly on its impact on their services. www.canadianinquirer.net

PLDT and Globe had partnered with Huawei Technologies for the rollout of its fifth generation (5G) mobile services in the country this year.

Media reports stated that Google barred Huawei from accessing updates to its Android operating system resulting in new designs of Huawei smartphones losing access to some Google apps.

Existing Huawei users, however, will still be able to update apps and push through security fixes, as well as update Google Play services.

Huawei said it would continue to provide security updates

and after sales services to all existing Huawei smartphone and tablet products covering those have been sold or still in stock globally.

The United States Commerce Department added Huawei to its Entity List last week preventing the company in acquiring technology from American firms without government approval.

The US alleged that the technology network of Huawei is being used for surveillance and other eavesdropping purposes by the Chinese government. ■

32

Technology Redskins recovery methods aim to reduce injuries

BY STEPHEN WHYNO The Associated Press ASHBURN, VA. — Sunglasses shield your eyes from the infrared lights that give oxygen to your body’s cells. Uggs boots, rubber gloves and shorts are the only protection from freezing temperatures as cold as minus 200 degrees. Then comes the sensory deprivation of floating pitch black in 1,000 pounds of Epsom salt while meditation music plays.

And that’s just at work. At home is a custom-made mattress designed to get just the right about of sleep.

Massage tables, zero gravity chairs, a laser-therapy table that looks like a tanning bed, a cryotherapy chamber and giant float pods make up the Washington Redskins’ state-of-theart rest and recovery room.

Combined with advanced mattress and pillow technology, it’s all part of Washington’s pursuit of better injury prevention and recovery after no NFL team put more players on season-ending injured reserve over the past two years combined.

“It’s more like restoration,” head athletic trainer Larry Hess told The Associated Press during a recent visit to the recovery room. “There’s things in here that are setting their body up to perform better in the weight room, to perform better in their meetings mentally. Mental preparedness. That’s where our advantage is.”

Professional and college sports teams are always looking for the next edge, and the Redskins hope they’re on the right track by zeroing in on rest

and relaxation as a way to keep players healthier and more focused. The idea came from Hess and owner Dan Snyder visiting English Premier League soccer clubs and discovering after nutrition and player tracking, they considered sleep the next great frontier.

Hess and player recovery director Hutch Call struck up a partnership early last season with Bedgear, which works closely with Mark Cuban’s Dallas Mavericks and provides Redskins players, coaches and staff with mattresses, pillows, sheets and blankets optimized for their needs. Call said focus gleaned from the right amount of sleep could be the difference between a receiver catching a ball and bringing it down and getting it knocked out of his hands, plus there are more practical elements.

“Our bodies go through a restoration process while we sleep, doing important things like

balancing hormones related to tissue growth, stress control, appetite and weight management,” MIT research scientist and Bedgear sleep scientist and biometrics expert Lorenzo Turicchia said. “When a person does not get the right amount of sleep, their bodies will not be able to adequately repair damaged tissues, thus prolonging the healing time. When a player has an injury, the damaged tissues need extra time to repair and heal.”

Redskins players have required plenty of healing. The team led the league with 27 players on injured reserve last season and put 19 players on in 2017.

Late in the 2017 season, sincereleased safety D.J. Swearinger criticized some teammates for not taking care of their bodies well enough to limit preventable injuries, which contributed to missing the playoffs.

“You’re not supposed to wait

www.canadianinquirer.net

till something happens to you to get treatment,” Swearinger said at the time. “You’re supposed to do stuff to prevent injuries, and I don’t think as a group we did that as much as other teams I’ve been on. ... Some injuries are freak injuries. You can’t control them. But pulls and strains and stuff like that, you can sort of control those things.”

Despite the lengthy injured list, Hess said the team reduced soft-tissue injuries — such as sprains, strains, tendinitis and damage to muscles, tendons and ligaments — by over 50 per cent last season. He hopes that progress will continue now that players have a full off-season to take advantage of the recovery room at the practice facility.

After a typical Sunday game, massage therapists and a chiropractor are available for players on Monday and then again Friday. The recovery room is always open and sometimes is the location of meetings to help

a player relax and not hunch over a desk while watching film.

The three-step restoration process starts with a minimum of 12 minutes inside a photobiomodulation bed that resembles a tanning booth and uses three types of infrared light to help repair cells all over the body. Hess said it’s good for recovery and studies have shown it improves strength on lifts in the weight room.

The next step is three fingertingling minutes inside the cryotherapy chamber, where it feels difficult to breathe because the extreme cold tricks the body into rushing blood to major organs to survive. It’s different than getting in a cold tub full of ice or putting an ice bag on because the seconds and minutes after cryotheraphy come with an endorphin release capable of waking up a groggy player.

“Your core body temperature shoots up because of the fightor-flight,” Call said. “You just had everything (go) to your major organs. Now it’s just shooting back out in your bloodstream.”

The coup de grace is up to an hour latched inside one of three Superior float tanks designed to take away all the senses and that can actually make players fall asleep. Hess said it’s supposed to replicate the weightless feeling of a baby in a womb, and it feels similar to floating in the Dead Sea. “It’s an amazing experience,” Hess said. “Our goal is to get them to that pre-sleep state to shut their body down. It will lower their heart rate. The ❱❱ PAGE 35 Abolition just

33

FRIDAY MAY 24, 2019

Experts say Canada lacks laws to tackle life and death problems posed by AI

BY CHRIS REYNOLDS The Canadian Press TORONTO — The role of artificial intelligence in Netflix’s movie suggestions and Alexa’s voice commands is commonly understood, but less known is the shadowy role AI now plays in law enforcement, immigration assessment, military programs and other areas.

Despite its status as a machine-learning innovation hub, Canada has yet to develop a regulatory regime to deal with issues of discrimination and accountability to which AI systems are prone, prompting calls for regulation — including from business leaders.

“We need the government, we need the regulation in Canada,” said Mahdi Amri, who heads AI services at Deloitte Canada.

The absence of an AI-specific legal framework undermines trust in the technology and, potentially, accountability among its providers, according to a report he co-authored.

“Basically there’s this idea that the machines will make all the decisions and the humans will have nothing to say, and we’ll be ruled by some obscure black box somewhere,” Amri said.

Robot overlords remain firmly in the realm of science fiction, but AI is increasingly involved in decisions that have serious consequences for individuals.

Since 2015, police departments in Vancouver, Edmonton, Saskatoon and London, Ont. have implemented or piloted predictive policing — automated decision-making based on data that predicts where a crime will occur or who will commit it.

The federal immigration and refugee system relies on algorithmically-driven decisions to help determine factors such as whether a marriage is genuine or someone should be designated as a “risk,” according to a Citizen Lab study, which found the practice threatens to violate human rights law.

AI testing and deployment in Canada’s military prompted Canadian AI pioneers Geoffrey Hinton and Yoshua Bengio to

warn about the dangers of robotic weapons and outsourcing lethal decisions to machines, and to call for an international agreement on their deployment.

“When you’re using any type of black box system, you don’t even know the standards that are embedded in the system or the types of data that may be used by the system that could be at risk of perpetuating bias,” said Rashida Richardson, director of policy research at New York University’s AI Now Institute.

She pointed to “horror cases,” including a predictive policing strategy in Chicago where the majority of people on a list of potential perpetrators were black men who had no arrests or shooting incidents to their name, “the same demographic that was targeted by over-policing and discriminatory police and efficiency — particularly dational rights related to due practices.” in hospitals and clinics, where process, administrative fairRichardson says it’s time to the implications can be life or ness, human rights, and justice move from lofty guidelines to death. system transparency,” states a legal reform. A recent AI Now “Right now it’s like a grey March briefing by Citizen Lab, Institute report states federal area, and everybody’s afraid the Law Commission of Ontargovernments should “over- making the decision of, ‘Okay, io and other bodies. see, audit, and monitor” the let’s use artificial intelligence to Divergent international stanuse of AI in fields like criminal improve diagnosis, or let’s use dards, trade secrecy and algojustice, health care and educa- artificial intelligence to help rithms’ constant “fluidity” pose tion, as “internal governance recommend a treatment for a obstacles to smooth regulation, structures at most technology patient,’” Bessega said. says Miriam Buiten, junior procompanies are failing to ensure She is calling for “very strong” fessor of law and economics at accountability for AI systems.” regulations around treatment the University of Mannheim.

Oversight should be divided and diagnosis and for a profesCanada was among the first up among agencies or groups sional to bear responsibility for states to develop an official of experts instead of hoisting any final decisions, not a soft- AI research plan, unveiling a it all onto a single AI regula- ware program. $125-million strategy in 2017. tory body, given But its focus was the unique challargely scientific lenges and reguand commercial. lations specific In December, to each industry, Basically there’s this idea that the Prime Minister the report says. machines will make all the decisions Trudeau and In health care, and the humans will have nothing French PresiAI is poised to to say, and we’ll be ruled by some dent Emmanupend the way obscure black box somewhere. uel Macron andoctors practice nounced a joint medicine as matask force to chine-learning guide AI policy systems can now analyze vast Critics say Canada lags be- development with an eye to husets of anonymized patient data hind the U.S. and the EU on ex- man rights. and images to identify health ploring AI regulation. None has Minister of Innovation, Sciproblems ranging from osteo- implemented a comprehensive ence and Economic Developporosis to lesions and signs of legal framework, but Congress ment Navdeep Bains told The blindness. and the EU Commission have Canadian Press in April a reCarolina Bessega, co-founder produced extensive reports on port was forthcoming “in the and chief scientific officer of the issue. coming months.” Asked whethMontreal-based Stradigi AI, “Critically, there is no legal er the government is open to says the regulatory void dis- framework in Canada to guide legislation around AI transcourages businesses from us- the use of these technologies parency and accountability, he ing AI, holding back innovation or their intersection with foun- said: “I think we need to take a www.canadianinquirer.net

step back to determine what are the core guiding principles.

“We’ll be coming forward with those principles to establish our ability to move forward with regards to programming, with regards to legislative changes — and it’s not only going to be simply my department, it’s a whole government approach.”

The Treasury Board of Canada has already laid out a 119-word set of principles on responsible AI use that stress transparency and proper training. The Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development highlighted the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, privacy legislation that applies broadly to commercial activities and allows a privacy commissioner to probe complaints.

“While AI may present some novel elements, it and other disruptive technologies are subject to existing laws and regulations that cover competition, intellectual property, privacy and security,” a department spokesperson said in an email.

As of April 1, 2020, government departments seeking to deploy an automated decision system must first conduct an “algorithmic impact assessment” and post the results online. ■

MAY 24, 2019

34

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35

Travel Parks Canada set for an exciting 2019 season in Rouge National Urban Park WHETHER YOU’RE looking for adventure, fun science activities for the whole family, a chance to explore history and culture, or a break from the everyday, Parks Canada has 450 000 km² of protected areas with countless unique experiences to suit your needs.

In the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Canadians and visitors to Canada are invited to explore and experience the area’s best natural, cultural, and agricultural heritage at our country’s very first national urban park.

Parks Canada’s staff at Rouge National Urban Park are set for a season full of new surprises and old favourites. There is something for everyone to do, from the youngest to the wisest!

2019 Visitor Services

Welcome areas and in-park visitor services, such as friendly Parks Canada’s staff and washrooms, throughout Rouge National Urban Park are available from May 18 until the end of October. Our Zoo Road Welcome Area hours of operation for the 2019 season are as follows: • Spring (May 18 – June 16): Wed – Sun, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Summer (June 17 – Sept. 2): 7 days a week, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Fall (Sept. 4 – Oct. 27): Wed – Sun, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Located right next to the Toronto Zoo, this area of the park is known for its hiking, birdwatching and photography opportunities. Visit the Zoo Road Welcome Area for helpful information and fun kids’ activities. Whether you are seeking a rigorous hike or a scenic stroll, Parks Canada’s staff are there to help you explore!

2019 Events

Parks Canada hosts four signature visitor experience events every season in the Rouge. Our next event is Rouge After Dark on Saturday June 8 at our Zoo Road Welcome Area from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., where you can experience the wildest nightlife in the city and get to know the dark side of the park.

Other signature events for the 2019 season include Taste of the Trail (Aug. 17), and Earth Run and Fall Festival (Oct. 19).

Parkbus

Once again, a free Parkbus shuttle service will connect GTA communities, including downtown Toronto, to Rouge National Urban Park from July to September 2019. Dubbed the “TD Rouge Express,” and sponsored by #TDCommonGround and MEC, the service operates every Saturday, Sunday, and holiday Mondays.

Che’Lu one... ❰❰ 29

loss standing. Valendre Chuaca fought hard the entire match with 18 points and eight assists, while former Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) Blue Eagle Fonso Gotladera chipped a total of 17. Marvin Hayes added double digits as well with 13 points.

In response to being one step closer to entering the quarterfinals, Che’Lu head coach Stevenson Tiu said, “No matter what happens, we should end with a win. Our fate is no longer in our hands. We’re just hoping

Rouge Beach Pond at Rouge National Urban Park. The pond is located at the mouth of the river.

THANUJAN24 – OWN WORK, CC BY-SA 4.0

Learn-to Camp

Are you interested in going on your first camping trip but don’t know where to begin? Parks Canada’s Learn-to Camp team has you covered!

The Learn-to Camp program equips you with the knowledge and skills you need to feel confident planning and carrying out your first camping adventure. Throughout the GTA, there are three ways you can get your first taste of camping or enhance your skills to take

your camping experience to a new level: • Pop-up activities: Free, dropin sessions at convenient locations and festivals throughout the GTA • Workshops: Free workshops (1-2 hours) at public libraries and community centres in the GTA • Overnight: These low-cost, overnight camping experiences take place in Glen Rouge Campground. Camping gear and workshops are provided; participants bring

their own food and sleeping bags.

Parks Canada’s staff at Rouge National Urban Park are excited to welcome new and returning guests back to experience everything that the park has to offer. For more information on Parks Canada’s visitor services and events in Rouge National Urban Park, the 2019 Parkbus offer, and Learn-to Camp opportunities across the GTA, please visit our website: www. parkscanada.gc.ca/rouge. ■

game or practice.

“It’s a problem that a lot of the players have when they’re on their feet for hours during a game and they’re getting sort of this compression and swelling in their lower limbs,” Bedgear vice-president of strategy Shana Rocheleau said. “They just kind of hodgepodge things together today to put their feet up and try to get the blood flowing.”

Coach Jay Gruden said players choose how much of the recovery techniques they want

to get involved with, and that varies throughout the roster.

He has tried out the recovery room devices himself, thinks they’re pretty cool and most importantly believes they’ll make a difference on the injury front.

“Give these guys just another way to help them recover,” Gruden said. “The players, even if it gives them a mental state of mind where, ‘Hey, I feel pretty good,’ then let’s give them every avenue to feel that way.” ■

Redskins recovery... for the better.”

On the same day, SMDC-NU achieved their fourth victory in a row in a 100-74 win against Perpetual with Dave Ildefonso having a remarkable game with 20 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Teammates John Lloyd Clemente, Patrick Yu, and Issa Gaye did not disappoint as well with 16 points, 13 points, and 11 points respectively. They’ve improved their standing with four wins and five losses in the Foundation Group. ■

❰❰ 32

temperature of the water replicates your body temperature.

Really we’re taking all sensation out.”

A player showers and puts on lotion to keep the salt from damaging skin, and then a lot of times it’s off to bed to rest up for the next grueling day. Quarterback Colt McCoy has been big on giving feedback on bedding technology, and Bedgear is working to develop ankle pillows to help athletes elevate their feet after the stress of a www.canadianinquirer.net

Travel

36

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Blame it on Bieber: Iceland canyon too popular with visitors

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FJADRÁRGLJÚFUR, ICELAND — A large sign warns motorists that Iceland’s Fjadrargljufur canyon is closed to visitors but drivers keep on coming down the narrow gravel road. A ranger at a roadblock has to explain why no one can pass: The vulnerable landscape cannot sustain more visitors.

Blame Justin Bieber, the Canadian pop star with a worldwide reach.

Bieber’s magical music video “I’ll Show You” was filmed at the canyon and seen by millions, creating overwhelming demand for the once-pristine spot. For a chance to follow in Bieber’s footsteps, his fans are not letting a few fences, signs or park rangers keep them away.

Eager visitors try to sweet-talk ranger Hanna Johannsdottir into opening the gate. Some offer bribes. They should know in advance it’s not going to work.

“Food from people’s home country is the most common bribery,” said Johannsdottir, who recently turned down a free trip to Dubai in exchange for looking the other way at trespassers.

The Bieber-inspired influx is one part of a larger challenge for Iceland — the North Atlantic island nation may be too spectacular and too popular for its own good.

Last year 2.3 million tourists visited Iceland, compared with just 600,000 eight years ago. The 20% annual uptick in visitors has been out of proportion with infrastructure that is needed to protect Iceland’s volcanic landscape, where soil forms slowly and erodes quickly.

Environment Minister Gudmundur Ingi Gudbrandsson said it is “a bit too simplistic to blame the entire situation on Justin Bieber” but urged famous, influential visitors to consider the consequences of their actions.

“Rash behaviour by one famous person can dramatically impact an entire area if the mass follows,” he told The Associated Press.

Bieber has the third-largest Twitter account at over 105 million followers, after Katy Perry and Barack Obama, according to friendorfollow.com — and he has over 112 million followers on Instagram.

In the viral video — watched over 440 million times on YouTube since 2015 — Bieber stomped on mossy vegetation, dangled his feet over a cliff and bathed in the freezing river underneath the sheer walls of the canyon.

“In Justin Bieber’s defence, the canyon did not, at the time he visited, have rope fences and designated paths to

www.canadianinquirer.net

show what was allowed and what not,” Gudbrandsson said.

Over 1 million people have visited the area since the release of the video, the Environment Agency of Iceland estimates, leaving deep scars on its vegetation. After remaining closed for all but five weeks this year, it is expected to reopen again this summer only if weather conditions are dry.

Icelanders are reluctant to fault the pop star, who enjoys enormous support on the island. About 12% of Iceland’s entire population — 38,000 people — attended his two concerts in Reykjavik, the capital, a year after the video was released.

Locals underestimated the canyon’s potential as a major attraction because it’s relatively small compared to those formed by the country’s powerful glacier rivers. But unlike others, it is easily accessed and requires less than a kilometre (0.6 mile) of trekking.

The selfies and drone images have stopped — for now — but more exposure is coming. The latest season of the popular HBO drama “Game of Thrones” features scenes filmed at the canyon. The nearby Skogar waterfall and the Svinafells glacier are also backdrops in the fictional Thrones world of warriors and dragons.

Inga Palsdottir, director of the national tourism agency Visit Iceland, said a single film shot or a viral photograph has often put overlooked places on the map.

The most extreme example, she said, is the Douglas DC-3 U.S. Navy plane that crashed on the black sand beach at Solheimasandur in 1973. The seven Americans on board all survived but the plane wreck was never removed.

“Then someone decided to dance on it and now it’s one of the most popular places in the country,” said Palsdottir.

On a foggy Wednesday morning, ranger Johannsdottir observed fresh footprints on the muddy pathway to the Fjadrargljufur canyon, indicating that someone had jumped the fence overnight.

She predicted that more people would trespass that afternoon when she left the roadblock to give a presentation at a community centre. She was right. Less than 30 minutes passed before tourists began ignoring the fences and signs.

“We came because of Justin Timberlake,” said Mikhail Samarin, a tourist from Russia, travelling with Nadia Kazachenok and Elena Malteseva, who were quick to correct the artist’s last name to Bieber.

“It was so amazing,” said Malteseva about the Bieber video. “After that, we decided it was necessary to visit this place.”

The three took turns posing for a photograph, standing at the edge of an Icelandic cliff. ■

37

Food This Chinese salt and pepper shrimp is a savory spicy joy AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN THERE’S PROBABLY no recipe that better showcases salt and pepper working in multiple ways and together than Chinese salt and pepper shrimp, an enticing dish of plump, moist fried shrimp with shells as shatteringly crispy—and appealing to eat—as fried chicken skin, and a killer savory-spicy flavour profile.

A quick salt-rice wine soak improved the shrimp’s texture, plumping them, as well as contributing flavour; the Sichuan peppercorns gave the dish sparkling spice and aromatic piquancy, while black peppercorns provided a straightforward hit of heat.

We added the black peppercorns and Sichuan peppercorns along with cayenne and sugar to the coating and then fried more of the same with ginger and garlic to make a flavourful paste that we tossed the fried shrimp in for great depth. For an extra jolt of spiciness, we also fried a couple of thinly sliced jalapenos.

We like to use frozen shrimp; thaw them overnight in the fridge or under running cold

water and blot them dry. Use a Dutch oven that holds 6 quarts or more for this recipe. Serve with steamed white rice.

Crispy salt and pepper shrimp

Servings: 4-6 Start to finish: 1 hour

• 1 1/2 pounds shell-on medium-large shrimp (31 to 40 per pound) • 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry • Kosher salt • 2 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns, coarsely ground • 2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns, coarsely ground • 2 teaspoons sugar • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper • 4 cups vegetable oil • 5 tablespoons cornstarch • 2 jalapeno chiles, stemmed, seeded, and sliced into 1/8 inch-thick rings • 3 garlic cloves, minced • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger • 2 scallions, sliced thin on bias • Shredded iceberg lettuce Adjust oven rack to uppermiddle position and heat oven to 225 F. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet and line large plate with triple layer of

paper towels. Toss shrimp with rice wine and 1 teaspoon salt in large bowl and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Combine black peppercorns, Sichuan peppercorns, sugar, and cayenne in small bowl.

Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until oil registers 385 F. Meanwhile, drain shrimp and pat dry with paper towels; wipe bowl dry with paper towels. Transfer shrimp to now-empty bowl, add 3 tablespoons cornstarch and 1 tablespoon peppercorn mixture, and toss until well coated.

Carefully add one-third of shrimp to hot oil and fry, stirring occasionally to keep shrimp from sticking together, until light brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 375 F and 385 F. Using wire skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to prepared plate and let drain briefly. Transfer shrimp to prepared rack and keep warm in oven.

Return oil to 385 F and repeat frying shrimp in 2 more batches, re-tossing each batch thoroughly with coating mixture before frying. Line plate with clean paper towels as needed.

Return oil to 385 F. Toss ja-

lapeno rings with remaining 2 tablespoons cornstarch in separate bowl. Shake off excess cornstarch, then carefully add jalapeno rings to oil and fry until crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer jalapeno rings to prepared plate. After frying, reserve 2 tablespoons frying oil.

Heat reserved oil in 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add garlic, ginger, and remaining peppercorn mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is fragrant and just beginning

to brown, about 45 seconds.

Add shrimp, scallions, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and toss to coat.

Line serving platter with shredded lettuce. Arrange shrimp on platter and sprinkle with jalapeno rings. Serve immediately.

■

Nutrition information per serving: 370 calories; 251 calories from fat; 28 g fat (2 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 143 mg cholesterol; 729 mg sodium; 11 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 2 g sugar; 16 g protein.

California fish tacos are a light and fresh surfside treat AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN A SURFSIDE treat, California fish tacos feature battered and fried crispy white fish and sprightly pickled vegetables.

When done right, they are light and fresh, with a lively mix of textures and flavours.

This recipe may look involved, but the components come together quickly, so invite your friends to help. The frying uses a mere 3/4-inch layer of oil (no splattering vats).

We made an ultrathin batter www.canadianinquirer.net

by adding two sources of carbonation, beer and baking powder; they provided lift and their slight acidity limited gluten development. Frying in batches helped maintain the oil’s temperature.

For toppings, we quick-pickled onion and jalapenos and then used the brine to brighten shredded cabbage. Slice fish on the bias if your fillets are not 4 inches wide. Serve with green salsa if desired.

California-style fish tacos

Servings: 6 Start to finish: 1 hour

Pickled Onion and Cabbage: • 1 small red onion, halved and sliced thin • 2 jalapeno chiles, stemmed and sliced into thin rings • 1 cup white wine vinegar • 2 tablespoons lime juice • 1 tablespoon sugar • Salt and pepper • 3 cups shredded green cabbage Tacos: • 2 pounds skinless white fish fillets, such as cod, haddock, or halibut ❱❱ PAGE 38 California fish

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MAY 24, 2019

FRIDAY

Take your Caesar salad to the grill to get a smoky char AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN THE SMOKY char of the grill brings a whole new dimension to plain old Caesar salad. To develop good char and maintain crisp lettuce without ending up with scorched, wilted, even slimy leaves, we used sturdy, compact romaine hearts, which withstood the heat of the grill better than whole heads.

Halving them lengthwise and grilling on just one side gave them plenty of surface area for charring without turning limp.

A hot fire meant that the heat didn’t have time to penetrate and wilt the crunchy inner leaves before the -exterior developed grill marks.

Our boldly seasoned Caesar dressing replaced the raw egg with mayonnaise. It was so good that we got the idea to brush it on the cut side of the uncooked lettuce instead of olive oil, allowing the dressing to

pick up a mildly smoky flavour on the grill along with the lettuce.

For the croutons, we brushed baguette slices with olive oil, toasted them over the coals, and then rubbed them with a garlic clove. We combined the lettuce and croutons, drizzled on extra dressing, dusted everything with Parmesan, and called tasters. The salad disappeared.

With apologies to Shakespeare: It’s not that we love Caesar less, but that we love grilled Caesar more.

Grilled Caesar salad

Servings: 6 Start to finish: 30 minutes

Dressing 1 tablespoon lemon juice • 1 garlic clove, minced • 1/2 cup mayonnaise • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard • 2 anchovy fillets, rinsed • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/2 teaspoon pepper • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil Salad • 1 (12 inch) baguette, sliced 1/2 inch thick on bias • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil • 1 garlic clove, peeled • 3 romaine lettuce hearts (18 ounces), halved lengthwise through cores • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese For the dressing: Combine lemon juice and garlic in bowl and let stand for 10 minutes.

Process lemon-garlic mixture, mayonnaise, Parmesan, vinegar, Worcestershire, mustard, anchovies, salt, and pepper in blender until smooth, about 30 seconds. With blender running, slowly add oil until incorporated. Measure out and reserve 6 tablespoons dressing for brushing romaine.

— For a charcoal grill: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts).

When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly

over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.

— For a gas grill: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes.

Leave all burners on high.

For the salad: Clean and oil cooking grate. Brush bread with oil and grill (over coals if using charcoal), uncovered, until browned, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to serving platter and rub with garlic clove. Brush cut sides of lettuce with half of reserved dressing. Place half of

lettuce, cut side down, on grill (over coals if using charcoal).

Grill, uncovered, until lightly charred, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to platter with bread. Repeat with remaining reserved dressing and lettuce. Drizzle lettuce with remaining dressing. Sprinkle with Parmesan.

Serve. ■

add cabbage, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss to combine.

For the Tacos: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 F. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Cut fish crosswise into 4 by 1-inch strips. Pat dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper.

Whisk flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt together in large bowl. Add beer and whisk until smooth. Add fish and toss to coat evenly.

Add oil to large Dutch oven until 3?4 inch deep. Heat over medium-high heat to 350 F. Remove 5 or 6 pieces of fish from batter, allowing excess to drip back into bowl, and add to hot oil, briefly dragging fish along surface of oil to prevent sticking. Adjust burner, if nec-

essary, to maintain oil temperature between 325 F and 350 F. Fry fish, stirring gently to prevent pieces from sticking together and turning as needed, until golden brown and crisp, about 8 minutes.

Using slotted spoon or spider skimmer, transfer fish to prepared wire rack and place in oven to keep warm. Return oil to 350 F and repeat with remaining fish. Serve fish and pickled onions and cabbage with tortillas, cilantro, and crema. ■

Nutrition information per serving: 443 calories; 289 calories from fat; 32 g fat (5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 15 mg cholesterol; 815 mg sodium; 30 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 2 g sugar; 8 g protein.

California fish... ❰❰ 37

• Salt and pepper • 3/4 cup allpurpose flour • 1/4 cup cornstarch • 1 teaspoon baking powder • 1 cup beer • 1 quart peanut or vegetable oil • 18 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed • 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves • 1 cup crema For the Pickled Onion and Cabbage: Combine onion and jalapenos in medium bowl.

Bring vinegar, lime juice, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt to boil in small saucepan. Pour vinegar mixture over onion mixture and let sit for at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 2 days. Transfer 1/4 cup pickling liquid to second medium bowl, www.canadianinquirer.net

Nutrition information per serving: 699 calories; 307 calories from fat; 35 g fat ( 5 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 65 mg cholesterol; 530 mg sodium; 59 g carbohydrate; 6 g fiber; 7 g sugar; 33 g protein.

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