Philippine Canadian Inquirer Issue #11

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TUESDAY MAY 1, 2012

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canada news Harper Government expands Self-serve border ( On page 7 ) Expanded Pipeline Risk is Too High for Vancouver

By Mayor Gregor Robertson ( On page 8 )

Alberta Election 2012

Photo by Joan Bondoc

( On page 9 )

Flag Raising, Pista ng Bayan and Historama: Vancouver Pinoys unite for freedom day rites ( On page 17 )

SUMMER of 2012. Children frolic along Roxas Boulevard as the sun slips serenely, intensely, surely into the horizon to create that daily spectacular of the Manila Bay sunset.

K-12: No more force-feeding

by Christine O. Avendaño Philippine Daily Inquirer

The days of the old basic education program that President Benigno Aquino III likens to “force-feeding” are over.

At the formal launch of his flagship Kindergarten to Year 12 program— commonly referred to as the K to 12 program—in Malacañang, Mr. Aquino said it marked the start of a new day for the country’s youth who will now be given a “good opportunity to learn and achieve knowledge.”

To be implemented in phases starting this school year, the K to 12 program will eventually see two years being added to the old four-year high school program.

Universal kindergarten started in school year 2011-2012.

The new curriculum for Grades 1 to 7 (high school year 1) will be implemented in the 2012-2013 school year, and progressively carried out in succeeding school years.

Grade 11 (high school year 5) will be introduced in school year 2016-2017.

Grade 12 (high school year 6) will be implemented in school year 2017-2018.

1st batch graduates ’18 The first batch of students to go through K to 12 will graduate in March 2018.

A 12-year program is “found to be [the] adequate period for learning under basic education and is a requirement for recognition of professionals abroad,” according to the Department of Education.

“The new curriculum will give each Filipino child the necessary abilities for our century or what they call 21st-century skills,” Education Secretary Armin Luistro said in a speech at the launch of the new program.

Odds against PH In his speech, the President said the Philippines is the only country in Asia and the third in the world (the two other nations

are in Africa) still adhering to a 10-year basic education cycle.

“How can Filipinos compete when they already fall short in the number of years they spend studying in school? Right from the start the odds are already against us,” he said in Filipino.

Mr. Aquino said the 10-year basic education program cycle could be compared to “force-feeding.”

“You will be given 10 years to swallow, chew and to enter into your system all the lessons. There is no chance for students to knowledge—it’s really just forcefeeding,” he said.

As a result, the information was not being processed well, not being given the proper context, and the implications not better explained, he said.

“That’s why at times [information] enters one ear and leaves the other. In just a few days, lessons are forgotten,” the President said.

More on page 5

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explorASIAN 2012: The Magical Encounter ( On page 20 )

Labour groups say foreign worker changes attack Canadian wages ( On page 23 )

TV star Rick Mercer picks fave towns ( On page 30 )

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News-Phils

TUESDAY May 1, 2012 2

Scarborough belongs to PH, old maps show Documents back claim, says solon

by Michael Lim Ubac Philippine Daily Inquirer

OLD MAPS dating back to Spanish colonial times may hold the key to the claim of the Philippines to Scarborough Shoal.

Known as “Bajo Scarburo,” the shoal now called Panatag by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), has been part of the known world since 1734, when European cartographers began to map the world in an age of conquest.

In fact, Bajo Scarburo appeared on a map of the “Archipelago Filipino” as a constituent part of Sambalez (Zambales province) in a topographic map of the country “drawn under the direction of Ildefonso de Aragon on April 15, 1820.”

Sen. Edgardo J. Angara, who has a collection of ancient maps of the country, told the INQUIRER that the maps would easily disprove the territorial claim of China to the shoal and its surrounding waters, which, he said, had no historical or legal grounds under the United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Sea (Unclos).

“It’s clear that Scarborough Shoal is part of our cartography during the Spanish colonial times,” he said. “We have maps (reproduced) from the original,

which was made in 1734. During that time, Scarborough is already part of the Philippines.”

The DFA has asked Beijing to resolve the dispute through arbitration in the United Nationsbacked International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea, but China swiftly rejected this.

As in the dispute over the Spratly Islands involving six nations, including the Philippines and China, Beijing has always preferred bilateral, where it has a clear advantage over smaller nations, over a multilateral approach.

But the DFA is standing by its decision to seek international arbitration with or without China.

The manuscript maps can be found in full-color in the hardbound book titled, “Mapping the Philippines: The Spanish Period,” authored by Angara, Jose Ma. A. Cariño and Sonia P. Ner, and published by the Rural Empowerment Assistance and Development in September 2009.

The book contains another map, which was published in Madrid in 1875 and republished by the US Department of War in 1899, a year after the Philippines was ceded to the United States in the Treaty of Paris. It bears the description: “This is a general map of the Philippine Archipelago arising from the work of the Hydrographic

Commission of the Philippines under the command of Claudio Montero y Gray.”

were based on the Morillo Map. It was the mother of all maps,” Angara said.

‘Mother of all maps’ The 1875 map was the “product of the most comprehensive mapping and charting work in the Philippines lasting more than 20 years (1849-1870).”

Angara said the original maps were deposited at Spain’s Museo Naval de Madrid.

A Jesuit scholar, Pedro Morillo y Velarde, came up with the first “complete map of the Philippines,” said the senator.

This was later known as the “Morillo Map,” which delineated the Philippine territory under Spanish rule, and which became the basis for the Treaty of Paris.

Three original copies of the Morillo Map are kept in Madrid, Paris and Washington, which were parties to the treaty.

For US$20 million, the treaty gave away the Philippines to the United States following the humiliating defeat of Spain in the Spanish-american War, which ended Spain’s empire in the Americas and the Pacific and set the stage for US colonial hegemony.

“We have a historic title to it (Scarborough Shoal) as early as the 17th century. It’s already on our map. All the cartographic maps subsequent to 1734

Strong evidence “That should be a strong evidence of our ownership of Scarborough,” he said.

He noted that Scarborough Shoal’s “extreme proximity” to Zambales, 220 kilometers, compared to 840 km from the nearest coast of China in Hainan province Asked whether the maps would establish beyond any doubt the Philippine sovereignty over Scarborough, Angara said: “It’s one strong evidence, and we have other pieces of evidence.”

Angara, who coauthored Senate Bill No. 2181, which defines the baseline of the Philippine archipelago, said maps had always interested him.

“This fascination extends to collecting old maps. I think I was initially attracted to them out of curiosity and because of their age and rarity. Maps define our territory and our sense of nationhood. As a student of history, I realize how maps determine the fate of both the colonized and the colonizers, and how even to this day, the matter of geographic boundaries and the desire to expand or defend them underlie most of the turmoil in the world,” he said. ■

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News-Phils

3 TUESDAY MAY 1, 2012

Mayor tagged in ‘chainsaw massacre’ seeks new probe

AFP: War games not directed at China

by Marlon Ramos Philippine Daily Inquirer THE MAYOR of a Maguindanao town, who had gone into hiding after he was implicated in a so-called “chainsaw massacre” in the province, has asked for a reinvestigation of the multiple murder case filed against him by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in connection with the grisly killings.

In a 21-page motion before the Cotabato City Regional Trial Court, Mayor Samer Uy of Datu Piang town accused Cotabato provincial prosecutor Rodolfo Yanson of railroading the filing of the criminal information against him and five others.

In his petition, Uy asked the lower court to remand the case to the provincial prosecutor’s office for a preliminary investigation and to recall the arrest warrant it had issued against them on March 22.

Uy, brother-in-law of former Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr., claimed that Yanson “unduly abridged in haste the conduct of preliminary investigation” in favor of the complainant, Penengkong Abdulrasid, by purportedly denying them of their chance to controvert the allegations against them.

Rights disregarded “(Yanson) disregarded the rights of the accused to file (his) counter-affidavit, right to the due process of law and to equal protection of the law,” Uy said in a petition dated April 17.

“By the actuations of (Yanson)... (he) showed his utmost bias, prejudice and partiality in favor of the private complainant.

He railroaded this case at the expense of herein accused,” the petition added.

Aside from the mayor, also charged with multiple murder were Sukarno Tapaya Uspo, Ben Carandang, Sherhan Uy, Musib Tan and Mike Brando.

Skeletal remains The case stemmed from the discovery of skeletal remains that a team of investigators from the DOJ and National Bureau of Investigation unearthed in Shariff Aguak, the capital town of Maguindanao.

Uy was believed to have been involved in the slaughter of at least 18 people who were supposedly killed with the use of chainsaws.

The victims were said to be behind the 2003 murder of the late Datu Piang Mayor Saudi Ampatuan Sr., son of Andal Sr. who, along with other sons and relatives, were arrested for the massacre of 57 people, among them 32 media workers, in Maguindanao on Nov. 23, 2009.

Just one day Uy lamented that Cotabato RTC Branch 15 Judge George Jabino had ordered their arrest merely a day after the criminal information was submitted “without considering the voluminous documents of the case and the lack of counter-affidavits of the respondents.”

He noted that Abdulrasid had filed the same complaint against him in 2010 which, according to him, was also handled by Yanson.

“The case filed by the complainant... is similar to the one she filed way back in 2010,” he said. “That 2010 case had been dismissed by the Cotabato City RTC Branch 13 for lack of probable cause.” ■

by DJ Yap Philippine Daily Inquirer

THE ARMED Forces of the Philippines shrugged off Beijing’s warning that military exercises between Filipino and US forces could lead to a confrontation with China.

On the 12th day of a standoff at Panatag Shoal, Maj. Emmanuel Garcia said China had no reason to feel concerned about the annual Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) exercises that started a week ago.

The AFP’S spokesperson for Balikatan said in a radio interview that the two-week event, which features naval drills and humanitarian activities, was not in any way related to the impasse in an area known internationally as Scarborough Shoal and called Huangyan Island by China, which insists it is part of its territory.

“We maintain that the Panatag Shoal is not connected in any way to Balikatan exercises. The Balikatan has long been planned, and its purpose is interoperability between US and Philippine troops and exchange of ideas,” Garcia said on dzbb.

“It is too far. The Balikatan is being conducted in many places, such as Fort Magsaysay ( in Nueva Ecija) …

Ternate, Cavite … Palawan,” Garcia said, pointing out that these areas are far from the West Philippine Sea, known to the rest of the world as the South China Sea. On Saturday, in a commentary in the official Liberation Army Daily, China’s military warned the United States that the Balikatan exercises had raised risks of armed confrontation over the disputed area, in what news reports described as its “toughest highlevel warning yet” following weeks of tension.

“Anyone with clear eyes saw long ago that behind these drills is reflected

a mentality that will lead the South China Sea issue down a fork in the road towards military confrontation and resolution through armed force,” said the commentary in the Chinese paper, which is the chief mouthpiece of the People’s Liberation Army.

“Through this kind of meddling and intervention, the United States will only stir up the entire South China Sea situation towards increasing chaos and this will inevitably have a massive impact on regional peace and stability.”

The Pentagon said Balikatan was a regular exercise “not tied to any current situation.”

“The focus of this year’s exercise is on disaster response and civic assistance,” said Navy Cmdr. Leslie Hull-ryde, the Pentagon spokesperson.

Not directed vs China A Philippine Coast Guard search and rescue vessel, the BRP Edsa, is facing off with two Chinese vessels at the shoal in an impasse that began on April 10 when Beijing’s surveillance ships stopped the Philippine Navy from investigating poaching of marine life by eight Chinese fishing boats, which later slipped away.

Garcia stressed that although both sides would continue Balikatan on “traditional combat maneuvers,” the exercises would largely focus on noncombat aspects, such as humanitarian and disaster response.

He said activities in Palawan mostly involved “civic assistance projects.”

“We are not going to stop Balikatan (in spite of China’s warnings). This has long been planned, whether there are issues or not with Panatag Shoal,” he said. “This is not directed toward or against any nation.”

In a statement, Gen. Jessie Dellosa, AFP chief of staff, said the Balikatan 2012 “aims to strengthen and enhance internal Philippine HADR (humanitarian and disaster response) processes through collaborative dialogue.”

“The different approaches employed by other countries in HADR will surely help us widen our perspective and improve our policies, procedures, preparations and responses in the emergence of natural calamities and manmade disasters in the Philippines,” he said.

Scarborough Shoal lies 120 kilometers off Zambales province, and is well within the Philippines’ 370 km exclusive economic zone, according

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to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). China claims the shoal, along with the Spratlys. Aside from the Philippines and China, four other countries are claiming the mineral-rich Spratlys.

China ‘war-mongering’ “It seems they are the ones warmongering,” said Lt. Gen. Juancho Sabban, AFP Western Command chief, reacting to the Chinese warning. “There is no issue about any effect the Balikatan might have on the West Philippine Sea,” he said in a phone interview with Camp Aguinaldo reporters from his base in Puerto Princesa.

Sabban said Balikatan involved a “purely field training exercise and CMO (civil-military operations), which are not related to the West Philippine Sea or China.”

“So where are their allegations coming from?” he said.

He said the exercises involving some 4,500 American troops and 2,300 Filipino soldiers would push through regardless of China’s warnings. It does not concern China anyway,” Sabban said, adding that there was no point responding to China’s allegation as “it is very far from the truth.”

“Let them be. That’s mongering,” he added.

Just Friendly consultations Zhang Hua, spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Manila, dismissed suggestion that Beijing was escalating tensions at Panatag.

“We have been very restrained until now,” Zhang said in a text message.

“We did not aggravate the situation as some said.”

“First, Huangyan Island is part of China’s territory. Second, it is the Philippine Navy that first pointed their guns to our fishermen,” he told the INQUIRER. “We have not sent our Navy (to the shoal) yet, but only civilian ships.”

He confirmed reports that a huge Chinese fishery and maritime law enforcement ship had arrived in the shoal and had linked up with another Chinese vessel. But he said the vessel was “there for fisheries administration.”

Zhang said China’s “door is always open” for what he called “friendly consultations” with the Philippines on the dispute.

Negotiations between the two sides ended in a “stalemate,” according spokespersons of the two sides. ■

News-Phils Merits, not grudge, deciding Hacienda Luisita case–lawmakers TUESDAY MAY 1, 2012 4

by Gil C. Cabacungan Jr. Philippine Daily Inquirer LAWMAKERS spearheading the impeachment of Chief Justice Renato Corona said they expect the Supreme Court’s final ruling on the issue of compensation for President Aquino’s relatives for Hacienda Luisita to be based on the “merits” of the case rather on “the grudge” some magistrates hold against the President.

Marikina City Rep. Romero Quimbo, spokesperson of the prosecution panel against Corona, said the Hacienda Luisita land reform case was “an entirely different matter” from the impeachment trial.

Corona’s impeachment trial at the Senate will resume two weeks after the high court’s scheduled decision on compensation for the Aquino family for the sugar estate.

CJ connecting “The members of the House have always looked at the issue of Hacienda Luisita as separate and independent from the impeachment of Chief Justice Corona. It has only been the Chief Justice himself who has been connecting this issue to the impeachment in his unsuccessful attempt to gain public sympathy. Like with all cases pending before it, we expect the SC to act with independence and competence in deciding the case considering that its decisions are unappealable,” said Quimbo in a text message.

Another spokesperson of the House prosecutors, Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara, said: “Let’s wait for the decision.

I don’t expect the justices to decide on considerations other than the merits and the evidence in the case.”

But Angara conceded that the Luisita ruling could influence the senator-judges, who might give credit to Corona’s claim that the Cojuangcos’ refusal to let go of their land without a huge compensation was one of the reasons

for his impeachment by the President’s allies in the House.

“That is the difference with regular court cases and the impeachment case, because in the latter, the senator-judges... have a wider latitude or discretion, so long as their decision is not arbitrary,” said Angara.

Overshadowed On the other hand, Kabataan party-list Rep. Raymond Palatino lamented that such a landmark agrarian reform decision by the Supreme Court, which has been anticipated for decades, would be overshadowed and tainted by the impeachment trial of Corona.

“It’s unfortunate that the promulgation of the SC decision on the Hacienda Luisita case will take place at a time when there’s a bitter conflict between the Chief Justice and the President. For a long time, farmers have been at the losing end because of partisan politics. Hacienda Luisita is a social justice issue and if the SC decides in favor of the small farmers, it must be seen as a delayed legal recognition of the historical right of the hacienda workers—a necessary judicial intervention to end a half-century of criminal landlordism.”

Palatino dismissed fears the high court ruling could have a bearing on the impeachment trial, saying that this should be seen in a broader context.

Other haciendas “The SC decision will not only affect the Cojuangcos since it will have a bearing on other haciendas under an SDO (stock distribution option) plan,” said Palatino.

In a unanimous vote last November, the high tribunal rescinded the SDO plan as an alternative to the distribution of land to the farmer-beneficiaries. Tuesday’s anticipated ruling will lay down how much compensation the owners of the land should get.

Akbayan party-list Rep. Walden Bello was confident

the high court would not use the Hacienda Luisita ruling as payback against the President for moving to kick out the Chief Justice.

“Justices not belonging to the Corona gang, like Justice Sereno, are likely to vote against the Hacienda Luisita management. I do not think PNoy favors a high compensation for Hacienda Luisita interests,” said Bello.

He said all the speculation linking the Luisita issue to the Corona impeachment trial could have been avoided had the President been more vocal and forceful about his stand on his family’s estate.

“He could and should have acted more proactively on the side of the tenants early on to show the country where he stood in the matter,” said Bello.

Mr. Aquino’s family acquired Hacienda Luisita, the former Tabacalera Estate, with government-backed loans on the condition that it would eventually be distributed to the farmers.

Protesters killed The Cojuangco family fought the land reform legislation in court, eventually acquiring the option (under President Corazon Aquino’s Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program) to distribute stocks to the farmers instead of the land itself.

The farmers have questioned the SDO program and various management decisions since then. A strike at the plantation several years ago led to the death of several protesters. Up to now, farmers complain that military units are deployed inside the Hacienda.

The Supreme Court finally ruled that the land should be distributed. On the issue of compensation, the lawyers are arguing over the baseline year to be used to determine the value of the land should be determined. ■

Lawmakers, gov’t execs warned vs SALN gaps

by Gil C. Cabacungan Jr. Philippine Daily Inquirer

WITH THE deadline for the filing of statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) drawing nearer, Civil Service Commission (CSC) Chair Secretary Francisco Duque warned lawmakers and government officials that a “wide discrepancy” between their declared net worth in 2011 and 2010 would raise a red flag that would prompt authorities to probe deeper into their actual wealth.

Irregularities are clues Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez echoed the warning, saying that a noticeable disparity in the 2011 and 2010 SALNS could mean that a lawmaker or government official had been understating his personal fortune over the years.

He said that lawmakers and government officials should be ready to explain the discrepancy to avoid being charged with violation of the code of conduct Rodriguez said workers in the bureaucracy who failed to make a full report in their SALN, such as indicating only the fair market value of a property while neglecting to disclose its acquisition cost, www.canadianinquirer.net

its assessed value and improvements undertaken, were likely to appear to be making wild swings in their statements.

People employed by the government have up to April 30 this year to submit their 2011 SALNS. The declarations are expected to receive closer public scrutiny this year in the wake of the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona, who is being accused by prosecutors of failing to fully disclose all his properties and of depressing the value of his assets.

Maguindanao Rep. Simeon Datumanong said that a mere discrepancy in the SALNS, such as the valuation of the property, might not be a violation in itself.

Isabela Rep. Giorgidi Aggabao, a member of the House prosecution team, also said that a simple variance between this year’s SALN and the previous year’s should not immediately arouse suspicion.

“If the net worth remains static from year to year, that is a red flag that the SALN is contrived.

Generally, SALN values should vary from year to year because it’s well nigh impossible that the year end cash balance, for instance, would be exactly the same from year to year,” said Aggabao. ■

News-Phils

5 TUESDAY MAY 1, 2012

K-12: No ... Page 1 ‘Vehicle’ to face world But with the start of the K to 12 program, the education now being given the youth will be of “top quality” and help spur the development of rich and poor alike.

The program will be the “vehicle” for the country to face the world and its challenges, he said.

“Through the K to 12, I am confident that Juan de la Cruz will be able to prosper not only for him and his family but even the nation itself,” he said.

The President said that aside from providing this new kind of basic education in the country, his administration will continue to work to correct the shortcomings of the education system, including building more classrooms, training more teachers and buying more textbooks.

All iPad-based Mr. Aquino disclosed that the government intends that all reading materials in public schools will eventually be “tablet-based.”

This way, if errors are found in the textbooks “we will just ask the server to make the changes,” he said.

“We do not need anymore to order the recall of many textbooks,” the President said.

Mr. Aquino said Luistro is just waiting for the price of tablet devices to go down further to “meet our target.”

He said the purchase of some of these tablet devices will be covered by the P238.8-billion budget of the education department this year.■

Hackers bring Ph-China dispute to cyberspace

by Christine O. Avendaño

Philippine Daily Inquirer

OUTNUMBERED in terms of warships, warplanes and ground troops, the Philippines wants no war with China even in cyberspace.

After hackers from both sides defaced each other’s websites, dramatizing the two countries’ conflicting claims over Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, President Aquino’s deputy spokesperson Abigail Valte urged both Filipinos and Chinese to homepage content with a digitized image of a Guy Fawkes mask. The hacker said: “Chinese government is clearly retarded. Scarborough Shoal is ours!”

Guy Fawkes is a 16th-century English protester. His mask symbolizes the global protest hacking group called “Anonymous.”

Also attacked was a Chinese government website, where hackers posted a map of the West Philippine Sea and said the Spratly Islands—also a disputed cluster of isles and believed rich in oil and natural gas—belonged to the Philippines.

The UP website, meanwhile, was back online.

Valte did not think the cyber attacks would affect efforts by Manila and Beijing to find a diplomatic solution to the standoff in Panatag.

“We don’t see that it will have any negative effect on the talks. We will continue to pursue the talks. We will continue to pursue the diplomatic track,” she said.

At present, talks between the two sides were “on and off,” according to Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang.

Malacañang, at the same time, gave China its assurance that the current Philippine military exercises with the United States had nothing to do with the issue of Panatag, saying the exercises had been scheduled for some time.■

Ordinary folk to monitor desk deliveries to Mindanao schools

by Tarra Quismundo

Philippine Daily Inquirer

AIMING to ensure the delivery of new furniture to schools in Mindanao in time for the next academic year, a civil society group will help keep an eye on the process, the Department of Education (Deped) said.

The Deped has promised to solve the furniture shortage in Mindanao schools in time for the new school year in June.

To ensure that the shortage will be dealt with, the nonprofit group Procurement Watch Inc. is launching

Bantay Eskuwela in Mindanao, which will tap communities to monitor furniture deliveries by the Deped and its contractors to 185 schools in the region.

The Deped said the program, introduced in Metro Manila in 2009, would be launched in schools on Samal Island, in Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur and Compostela Valley.

The program’s introduction in Mindanao expands its scope outside the pilot sites, including Bulacan, Tagbilaran City, Ilocos Norte, Quezon City and Rizal province, the Deped said. The program was initially launched with help from the Australian Agency for International Development.

“We are very pleased with the assistance provided by private and civil society organizations in ensuring that our schools will get their much needed resources in good quality and on time,” Education Secretary Armin Luistro said in a statement.

“This is a critical measure and one that we cannot do on our own as

we continue to fill resource gaps in the public school system,” Luistro added.

Under the program, Bantay Eskuwela will work with the Deped in monitoring whether contractors are delivering the furniture “at the right time, with the right quantity and of the right quality based on Deped specifications.”

“This new initiative will highlight the importance and success of using school-based monitors in achieving value for money and transparency adopting a participatory approach and monitoring the procurement of school arm chairs and also school buildings,” the Deped said.

Bantay Eskuwela will enlist at least 250 volunteers from the school communities for the monitoring effort.

“Even if I don’t have money, I give my time to Bantay Eskwela,” Yoyong Villegas, a longtime volunteer, said in a statement. “We can’t count on [the] government to do everything.

It doesn’t have enough money or people. We have to help.” ■

Solons: Who’s afraid to ax GMA?

by Gil C. Cabacungan Jr.

Philippine Daily Inquirer

TWO LAWMAKERS have wondered why President Aquino’s allies were suddenly gun-shy about suspending former President Gloria Macapagal-arroyo from the House of Representatives after they had acted so swiftly to impeach Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez and Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) partylist Rep. Antonio Tinio said the President should mobilize his allies in the House to suspend Arroyo, now a representative from Pampanga, “to serve as a test of this administration’s commitment to prosecute the former president without wavering and without compromise.”

“The swift impeachment of Chief Justice Corona has shown that Malacañang can muster the numbers in the name of its anticorruption campaign,” Tinio said.

Aquino allies in the House signed in less than a day an impeachment complaint against Corona after the Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order on an administrative travel ban imposed on Arroyo.

Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares said there was no reason for the House not to heed the appeal of the Office of the Ombudsman which, through its Special Prosecutor, filed a petition asking the Sandiganbayan’s Fourth Division to suspend Arroyo as the representative of Pampanga’s second district pending the resolution of a case against her in the controversial $329-million National Broadband Network-zte deal during her term.

“I think anybody can be suspended in Congress as long as there is a twothirds vote,”

said Colmenares. Both Colmenares and Tinio belong to the administration coalition.

Current and former allies of Arroyo have come out to contest the calls for her suspension.

Maguindanao Rep. Simeon Datumanong said that under the Constitution, only Congress with two-thirds of its members voting, could decide on the suspension of one of its members.

Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II said the House would defy the Sandiganbayan should it grant the Ombudsman’s appeal to suspend Arroyo.

In a phone interview, Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said that suspending one of the members involved a process which would start with a complaint filed in the ethics committee.

Since Arroyo’s pending cases involved her actions as the former president, Rodriguez said the ethics committee had no jurisdiction over her case.

Rodriguez also said that Congress could only act on cases that have been decided with finality by the Supreme Court, noting that a Sandiganbayan ruling was still subject to an appeal in the high court.

Only 25 behind her The lower house has 286 members and only 191 votes would be required to suspend Arroyo, who has less than 25 members still behind her.

Tinio noted that House leaders had been boasting about getting more than the 188 signatures needed to impeach Corona in December and that they had even formed a Movement 188 to show their unity.

This was why Tinio found it perplexing that the majority coalition would be hesitant to take direct aim at the main target of past

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impeachments.

“Gloria Arroyo took the unprecedented step, as a sitting president, of running for and securing a congressional seat precisely so that she could avail of the institutional privileges and protection of the House once she left Malacañang. The suspension of Rep. Gloria Arroyo is a political, not legal, matter to be decided by votes on the floor rather than the citation of rules. In so doing, the House will send out the message that it will not provide sanctuary to the principal perpetrator of electoral sabotage, graft and corruption, and human rights violations under the previous administration,” said Tinio.

Arroyo has denied all the charges against her.

Rather switch than fight The Liberal Party-led coalition in the House includes former Arroyo allies who had switched to the ruling party or formed the new National Unity Party. But Colmenares said their previous links were not enough to explain why they would be reluctant to suspend Arroyo. “I believe that they are afraid of setting a precedent in Congress and effectively ending its status as a sanctuary for criminals,” he said.

The six-page petition of acting Prosecution Bureau IV Director Rabendranath Uy argued that suspension was mandatory for officials facing valid graft charges. Arroyo is currently under hospital detention for a nonbailable offense, electoral sabotage. The Department of Justice and the Commission on Elections accused her of manipulating the results of the 2007 senatorial elections in Mindanao. ■

News-Phils

TUESDAY MAY 1, 2012 6

P-noy wants ERC to review Visayas power rate hike told stakeholders in the Mindanao power industry that consumers in the island have to pay a little more in exchange for a steady and sustainable supply of electricity. Mindanao has been in the grip of brownouts because of limited power supply in recent weeks.

by Norman Bordadora Philippine Daily Inquirer

MACTAN City—President Aquino expressed doubts about the power rate increase that the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) had recently approved for implementation in the Visayas, and said that a review of the decision is in order.

“We are not sure that the increase is warranted,” President Aquino told leaders of the electronics industry that attended the 17th World Electronics Forum here. He said both the executive branch and Congress would make representation with the ERC to propose a review of the 60.60-centavo power rate adjustment it had imposed on power consumers in the Visayas.

Mr. Aquino made the remarks a week after he

Congress first “Congress first, then also the Executive (branch) will be making appropriate representations with the ERC to review this particular decision,” the President added.

Mr. Aquino indicated that the review was the short-term approach to the increase in power rates in the Visayas. He also expressed support for amendments to the Energy and Power Industry Reform Act. “The law that created the ERC is about 10 years old. It is actually the subject of various proposed amendments and has not yet achieved the start of the wholesale electronic spot market which is supposed to actually bring down the prices of electricity,” the President said. “We are trying to accelerate that whole process. We are also encouraging more power-generating companies to set up their plants,” he added.

The administration is of the position that an increase in the number of power producers would drive down the price of electricity. It has proposed

GMA birthday potluck turns into feast for poor

by Julie M. Aurelio Philippine Daily Inquirer

WHAT began as a post-birthday potluck for former President Gloria Macapagal-arroyo became an extended party with poor families who lost their homes in a fire on Agham Road in Quezon City on Friday.

Arroyo’s well-wishers who visited her at Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) shared the food they brought for the celebration with the fire victims.

Candaba Mayor Jerry Pelayo said the former President instructed her spokesperson, Elena Bautista-Horn, to ask her Pampanga allies to give some of the food for her birthday celebration to the fire victims.

“She heard about the [Agham] residents’ plight and told us late Friday night to share [with them] what we [would] bring,” Pelayo said in a phone interview.

Arroyo, now holding her Pampanga district’s seat in the House of Representatives, was allowed to hold a party at VMMC, where she is detained on electoral sabotage charges, to celebrate her 65th birthday on April 5. But the date fell on Maundy Thursday of Holy Week.

The Pasay City court hearing the case limited the number of guests to 500 and ordered the party to be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. only.

Delayed party But the celebration was also delayed because Arroyo caught shingles and needed to get well first.

According to Pelayo, the gathering was held to give Pampanga’s local leaders a chance to greet the congresswoman.

“There were no VIPS, no Cabinet secretaries, no talk of politics. It was just some 500 local officials, including barangay leaders,” he said.

Pelayo noted that it was also the 15th death anniversary of Arroyo’s father, President Diosdado Macapagal.

He said the guests offered to bring food for the celebration.

The feast consisted of native Pampanga food, including buro, grilled fish, adobo, salted egg, rice cakes and corn, which came neatly wrapped in banana leaves. There were five roast pigs ( lechon).

Pampanga food Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said in a separate interview that the former President also prepared native Pampanga food, including menudo and caldereta.

“It was a very simple celebration,” Topacio said.

Pelayo said Horn called him Friday night with a message from Arroyo to share some of the food with the fire victims.

“We coordinated with the social workers from

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increased private sector participation as a solution to the power shortage that has resulted in intermittent brownouts in Mindanao in recent weeks.

Not happy “We have changed the way power is generated in this country. I’m not happy with the pace (of improvements in the power industry)… so we will accelerate that process,” President Aquino said.

“We are cognizant of the fact that the price of electricity in this country is a major deterrent to further investments and we are trying to accelerate the process where the benefits under the Epira Law will be realized the soonest, so that we can have a more competitive electricity rate structure within the country,” the President told the electronics stakeholders.

A recent World Bank report cited high power rates as one of the reasons why the economic gains made by the Aquino administration have yet to be fully felt by most Filipinos.

While indicating support for the privatization of power assets in Mindanao as mandated by the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Epira), President Aquino also said that the executive branch was in favor of reviewing the Epira.

He said a council of stakeholders would have to review the rate increases to ensure that they remain reasonable. ■ the city government for the orderly distribution of the food,” Pelayo said.

Arroyo’s aides carried the food to the fire victims’ shelter in Barangay Pagasa. The food included lechon, balut, corn and rice cakes. Pampanga mayors donated rice for the fire victims.

A Mass was held at the VMMC covered court, near the presidential suite, at 10 a.m. Arroyo’s birthday celebration followed.

Pelayo said the guests included members of the Macapagal and Arroyo clans. ‘ Very happy’ “She was very happy,” Pelayo said, noting it was the first time that Arroyo could be with many people from Pampanga since her arrest.

Arroyo gamely blew the candles on her bluethemed birthday cake, Pelayo said.

There was no talk of politics between Arroyo and her Pampanga allies, he said.

“She asked after Pampanga, [the] preparations for disaster mitigation, the latest news in the outside world,” he said.

Pelayo said Arroyo asked her guests to pray for the country to be spared from calamities, especially during the rainy season.

Topacio had the same observations. He said Arroyo appeared to be very glad to be among her fellow Kapampangans.

“I couldn’t understand a word of what they were saying in Kapampangan except for potang bengi (tonight),” he said. ■

7 TUESDAY may 1, 2012

News-Phils News-Canada

TUESDAY MARCH 20, 2012 10

A

Organ donation clickcameras. away: security guards andaCCTV a government agency. He also planned to take over our provide their own Harper Government expands Self-serve border 7R /RV %DxRV FRPPXQLW\ Dr. Enrique Tolentino Jr., vice chancellor small farm in Quezon,� German said.

Manitoba sets up online for An easy, secure and innovative approachRay to passenger screening coming soon to other was the second UPLB student killed near the community affairs, said the recent events might also registry for donors D 5D\ RI KRSH Canadian UPLB airports campus. He was stabbed dead by unidentified justify the university’s need for a higher budget to put up

dormitories inside the campus. The Canadian screening and robbers. expands the work the Building off the success in more Vancouver, Canadian Border A Services Agency does to the pilot project will be moved to full few days before, high school student Rochel Press streamline the border process for Canadian program status and expanded to other Geronda, 14, was raped and killed in the same vicinity. In Ray of hope travellers.â€? international starting LOS BAĂ‘OS, LAGUNA—Ray Bernard PeĂąaranda’s “UPLB is a very beautiful place, butWI Ithink October last year, UPLB computer scienceairports studentacross GivenCanada N N Iit’s P Ethe G ABC is an innovative new concept that with MontrĂŠal’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau last conversation with his family was in a phone Grace Cebanico was raped and killed. local officials’ responsibility to keep it- safe.

We really Manitobans in June 2012. conference the night before he was killed. uses self-serve, automated Germanwant said. “Ray was technology a very sweetto son.International He would Airport often give his hope to find justice so we can move on,� who process Canadian travellers returning to Travellers should have all of the “His sister was telling him that they should graduate On Friday, police arrested Carl “Dactil� de Guzman, mother a massage and a manicure and would sometimes to be organ Canada. As result, Canadian travellers necessary documents on hand when they together in 2013. I do not know if it was a premonition or sleep in Daraga, on can Thursday, Tyrone withwait us intimes, our room,� was also 27, andAlbay, tissue and donors now register will experience shorter less German approachsaid. the “He kiosk, including the Canada something, but Ray said he might not be able to do so,� andvery Kennedy 19, surrendered to broadcaster closeprocessing to Anna because was hisServices idol.� Agency (CBSA) congestion, faster at the she Border E311Terbio, online. said Ray’s father, German, 56.

Raffy Tulfo andAny Philippine Police Director airport. The self-serve kiosks are easy to Declaration Card, their Canadian passport residentNational of the province 18 or At that time, German thought that Rayuse wasandagain General Nicanor Bartolome.

Terbio, the one who CCTVs do notOutposts, require pre-registration by or Canadian permanent resident card, and older can register to become a donor travellers or payment of any membership all receipts for purchases made abroad. teasing his sister, Anna, 23, who was taking a master’s On March 12, student organizations led an indignation allegedly stabbed PeĂąaranda in the chest, was held at www.signupforlife.ca To use the about kiosk, their the traveller degree at the University of the Philippines fees. in Diliman, rally. Ray’s classmates shared testimonies the their detentionThe cellinformation of the Laguna officein in lost atplaces willpolice be stored a “Canadian cardCruz in thetown, said Laguna police director Senior Quezon City. But the next call the family received on travellers friend. returning home will passport or permanent residentSta. secure government database, which soon havehis a convenient new option these to cleartragic document reader, inserts completed Sunday was fromBritish Ray’s friend, telling them about Gilbert Cruz on Friday. De Guzman “We condemn and senseless deaths.theirSuperintendent Vancouver, Columbia the border,â€? said Minister Moore. “Our E311 Declaration Card in the kiosk and can be accessed quickly by doctors. death. the suspects’ motorcycle.

We will not stop until justice is served no matter how allegedly drove Manitobans — The Honourable James Moore, Senior Government will will continue to have continue to look at ways follows the instructions on the screen. Once German, agricultural engineer and like his wife, long it may take,� said chancellor Dr. Rex Cruz at the Terbio and De Guzman were named by confessed Minister foran British Columbia, on behalf to ensure Canadians travelling abroad have the transaction is completed a transaction other ways of registering — by of the Honourable Vic Toews, Minister ofof Rizal Flordeliza, 53, a professor at University System Beltran, who earlier surrendered to attended by around students. their health cards or the blue a fast, safe, andrally secure experience at our 200 receipt is issued. The travellerlookout reports Joseph to signing Public Safety, and Larry Berg, President in Tanay, Rizal, said Ray did good in his academics police. Alldonor three suspects now facedby robbery with Another rally was seta Border with Services Bayan Officer Munafor the airports.�and verification cards distributed Manitoba and Executive Officer of Vancouver was Chief a candidate for cum laude in agriculture at UP Los Airport homicide charges at a court in Calamba City, said Cruz.

Representative CasiĂąo, a UPLB alumnus, as authentication “Vancouver Authority Teddy continues of their identity and visual Public Insurance.

Airport Authority, announced the expansion to focus on developing BaĂąos (UPLB). buried at also a public guest. and implementing of their passport or permanentGeronda’s resident remains The newwere registry website gives of the Automated Border Clearance (ABC) cutting-edge technology that facilitates the card. The ABC kiosk allows up to four In fact, Ray was supposed to be awarded his (village) Anos in Los BaĂąos on During the meeting of the multisectoral Peace and cemetery in Barangay pilot project at Vancouver International efficient and secure movement of passengers travellers residing at the same address to be donors the chance to help promote certificate as a college scholar (dean’s lister) during the Wednesday, while Ray’s burial took place Sunday at Order Council, the municipal government of Los BaĂąos organ donation, through an optional Airport (YVR). through YVR,â€? said Mr.proposals Berg. “We are 100 processed in a single transaction if theyofare 103rd founding anniversary of the UPLB College of Haven Rest Memorial Park in Tanay. approved to install more lampposts, police “Our Government is committed to pleased to be the first airport in Canada to all identified on the same E311 Declaration link to their social media accounts Agriculture. instead Ray’s certificate and village outposts at every entry and exit point in all “Maybe Rayonhad died for a reason.

His death will making travelThe at dean airports easierdelivered and more services such as Facebook. participate in creating and delivering an Card. ■to his family Tanay at thesaid wake.Minister not be put to waste if only this will protect and give villages, and security cameras in Please strategicsee locations. efficient for inCanadians,�

The province first announced our article on what automated approach to border processing “He had many options college.isHethat planned to hope to other students that none of these will happen There were also plans to impose a liquor ban from 12 Toews. “Automated Borderafter Clearance the registry a year ago at a cost of agricultural products you can bring to the substantially reduces the average apursue securehigher service that accelerates passenger education abroad or work in a customs companywait or time midnight to 8users.â€? a.m. and for private US ondormitory page 16. owners to DJDLQ ´ *HUPDQ VDLG Ĺś $100,000. â– for eligible

BY DORIS C. DUMLAO Philippine Daily Inquirer

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News-Canada

TUESDAY May 1, 2012 8

Expanded Pipeline Risk is Too High for Vancouver

By Mayor Gregor Robertson

word from the mayor Around lunchtime on July 24, 2007, a construction crew working near the Barnet Highway in Burnaby accidentally punctured an oil pipeline operated by Kinder Morgan.

70,000 litres of oil spilled through the storm sewers into the waters of Burrard Inlet. That oil affected 17 kilometres of shoreline; animals from migratory birds to sea stars and barnacles were heavily fouled.

As oil spills go, that’s considered minor.

Today, Kinder Morgan wants to nearly triple their pipeline’s capacity. Their $5-billion proposal will see a supertanker passing in and out of Burrard Inlet almost every day—a four-to-fivefold increase in oil-tanker traffic through Vancouver’s narrow harbour.

For Kinder Morgan, the benefits are obvious: a dramatic increase in the amount of oil they can move to market from the Alberta oil sands project.

But for Vancouver, it’s hard to find any upside. And in a city where our reputation as a beautiful, clean destination is a huge competitive advantage, it’s far too easy to find enormous danger.

A single accident with one oil tanker could cause irreversible devastation - to our ecosystem, to our economy and to our international reputation.

When I talk to Filipino-Canadian newcomers and long-time residents, they often tell me how important our clean water and air is to the health and wellbeing of their families, especially their children.

Our city is bounded on many sides – and in many ways defined by shoreline: from the working harbour, to Stanley Park and our world-famous beaches, to the world’s largest salmon-bearing river - the Fraser.

That helps to make our city beautiful for its residents, and irresistible to tourists. It’s part of what brands us around the world as a green and livable city. And our shoreline supports a rich web of life.

Now drop 10,000 deadweight tons of oil—a modest-sized tanker’s cargo—into that web.

Critics might call this fear-mongering, but given what’s at stake with even a minor spill, it’s irresponsible to NOT consider this scenario.

The damage to Vancouver tourism and our destination brand would be exceeded

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only by the toll on our local marine habitat.

The impact would go deeper, too.

Over the years, Vancouver has built a well-earned reputation as a global leader in sustainability and clean technology.

A big oil spill could erase much of that reputation overnight.

As Vancouver’s mayor, how could I ever support allowing a single, polluting industry—especially one with nearly no jobs in this city—to put Vancouver’s thriving economy and global reputation at such serious risk?

I can’t imagine creating enormous risk to tens of thousands of local jobs in tourism, hospitality, development and clean technology, and undermining our success in the world’s fastest-growing industries in the green economy.

Yes we already have oil tankers, but they are focused on local markets.

Unfortunately that oil is shipped to California to be refined, and then shipped back to BC—minus the jobs our local refineries once had. This activity wiped out BC refinery jobs and continues to put our environment at risk with every oil tanker.

But Kinder Morgan is proposing massive crude oil exports that bypass local refineries, magnify the risk to our economy and environment, and ignore Canada’s long-term domestic oil needs.

This is all happening against the backdrop of an abrupt weakening of the federal environmental review process.

Which means Kinder Morgan’s proposal will face far less scrutiny, and our communities will have much less time to give it the hard looking-over it deserves.

That’s why we’ve been advocating a broad, intense consultation by the National Energy Board. And it’s why we’ve called on Ottawa to bring local governments to the table, along with firm guarantees that industry must bear 100% of the risks and costs of a spill.

Because those risks are real. We’ve seen what oil disasters look like, at a small scale in Burnaby and a large scale with the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska. If we don’t want to see history repeated on Vancouver’s shores, we need to speak out now. ■

News-Canada

9 TUESDAY may 1, 2012

Alberta Election 2012

by Marietta Pangan-Dutkoski ALBERTA, CANADA - “Today, Alberta, you spoke. You spoke loudly.

And I want you to know, I heard you” stated Premier Alison Redford of the PC Party of Alberta in her first address after 57% of voters in Alberta chose PC as their majority government. Their 41 consecutive years in power, plus the four years of the new term will establish a record in Canadian politics.

During election day, Monday April 23, 2012, Alison Redford and her

PC Team swept the province’s polls winning 61 seats (43.9%) out of 87, leaving the closest opponent Wildrose Party (WRP) with 17 seats (34.3%), sparing 5 seats (9.9%) to distant rival Liberal (LP) and 4 seats (9.8%) for the New Democratic Party (NDP).

Redford’s riding is Calgary-Elbow, and she has become the first elected woman premier in this red neck province. Redford also acknowledged their very humbling victory against strong support for the Wildrose Party, lead by Danielle Smith.

It was a very tight 4-week campaign with polls favouring the Wildrose Party most of the time. The tide turned against Wildrose when voters heard some thorny comments on important social issues that changed their minds in favour of the PC’s.

Among the issues that influenced the results of the election was an anti-gay blog posted by WRP candidate Allan Hunsperger. That was compounded by an alleged racist comment from WRP candidate Ron Leech. Smith, fired another controversy related to the scientific theory on global warming, when she said, “science is not settled”.

Tory supporters exploited these opportunities using social media and airwaves, urging voters to block WRP from winning.

Political analysts attribute the PC victory to the 10% of undecided voters who did not make up their minds until the day of election. This block of voters is largely assumed to have been Liberals who switched their support to the Tories.

Smith admitted that her party suffered from self inflicted wounds, however she maintained an optimistic tone in her speech by saying, “Today I stand at the helm of the official opposition.”

Smith also added that election results didn’t come out the way she anticipated.

She even mentioned that, “Tonight we found out that change might take a little longer than we thought.”■

BC Ferry terminal near Nanaimo to reopen May 1st after being rammed last Dec. The Canadian Press VICTORIA - BC Ferries says a terminal near Nanaimo that was knocked out of service by a runaway ferry just days before last Christmas will be open again.

The Duke Point terminal was rammed Dec. 20 by the Coastal Inspiration after the failure of a manoeuvring control system on the ship, which is one of the fleet’s newest vessels.

There were no major injuries in the collision but the dock suffered $2 million in damage and the bow of the ferry was also mangled.

The Coastal Inspiration was back in service within a few weeks but vessels on the mid-Island run had to be re-routed to Departure Bay while the Duke Point dock was being repaired.

That work is now almost complete and BC Ferries has set the reopening of the terminal for May 1. ■

Sa Amin, KAYO PO ANG

LAGING

UNA!

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Canada: Seen and Scenes

The team behind Philippine Historama with Tatay Tom Avendano, Consul General Jose Ampeso and Consul Anton Mandap.

TUESDAY May 1, 2012 10

Historama, a music and dance presentation on Philippine History, is happening on June 9 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Please see related story on page 17.

Filipino-Canadians enjoying the cherry blossoms at High Park in Toronto

BMO Bank of Montreal – Greater Vancouver Commercial District (GVCD) -BC Division, New Canadians Segment recently hosted a Roundtable Discussion with Parliamentary Secretary for Asia Pacific Gateway and Member of Parliament (Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge-Mission) Randy Kamp

Cristie Lane Sotana speaking on the recent immigration changes during PCTC’s networking night last April 19

Suzette Hernandez, flanked by members of the media, during her Fashion Charity Show last April 19

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Melissa and Laarni of PCI with BMO’s Mike Calingo and Pinoy Buzz’ Janice Lozano during Suzette Hernandez’ event

11 TUESDAY MAY 1, 2012

News-Canada

PINOY PRIDE VANCOUVER CELEBRATES FIRST ANNIVERSARY WITH MABUHAY 2012: MOVING FORWARD

PPV’s 2011 majestic Maranao-inspired float

Vancouver, BC – April 16, 2012 – Pinoy Pride Vancouver (PPV), the first-ever Filipino-Canadian LesbianGay-Bisexual-Transgender-Queer or Questioning (LGBTQ) group in BC, hosts Mabuhay 2012: Moving Forward to celebrate their first anniversary.

The event is also the group’s annual fundraiser for the official float entry to Vancouver Pride Parade, Western Canada’s largest parade and the city’s most colorful and highly anticipated event of the summer.

Mabuhay 2012: Moving Forward will be on May 4, 2012 (Friday) at Oasis Ultra Lounge (1240 Thurlow corner Davie Streets, Vancouver). The main attraction of the party is award-winning singer/songwriter Ms Joey Albert with the Manila Band. Artiste extraordinaire Imelda Mae Santos hosts the program.

It has been a busy first year for PPV. Along with the successful participation in the Vancouver Pride Parade, some of its members participated at the OUTGAMES and the Human Rights Conference held concurrently by GLISA-North America (Gay and Lesbian International Sports Association).

Last year, PPV hosted the Pride weekend event “Kaboom Party,” where half of the door proceeds were given to the Lighthouse of Hope, which conducts mission work in Africa and Kenya through their World Compassion Project. The group also joined several community events like The Scotia AIDS Walk for Life and the Annual Dyke March on Commercial Drive. In the Filipino community, Pinoy Pride Vancouver was present at Philippine Independence Day celebrations, Unang Hirit Pinoy Fiesta Parade and Paskong Pinoy sa PNE. MLA Mable Elmore (VancouverKensington) acts as the group’s Advisor.

Elmore says PPV has received a lot of positive feedback since their inception.

As the group moves forward to another year, she offers this advice to present and

A triumphant team at the 2011 Vancouver Pride Parade

future members, “it is very important to create a supportive community for Pinoy queers to come out. This is one way of battling discrimination and homophobia in society. PPV members should to feel comfortable in who they are. They should not feel ashamed, embarrassed or apologize for being LGBTQ. They should be confident and feel they are entitled to all the opportunities available to everyone else.”

PPV Co-Chair Santi Pelaez says that the group’s mission is “to increase visibility, raise awareness, promote acceptance and provide a welcoming space for Filipino-Canadian LGBTQ members”. Pinoy Pride Vancouver plans for more community participation and event hosting as well as engaging in new initiatives like peer discussion, collaboration and community partnership to carry out the group mission.

Stella Reyes, Co-Chair for PPV, is very optimistic about the growing number of its members. “Queer people in general, whether they be Gays or Lesbians, are often misunderstood, misrepresented and maligned. It is our group’s objective to educate, promote acceptance and raise awareness about queers in the Filipino-community and Vancouver in general. There are a lot of positive stories and noble contributions of gays and lesbians in their community.

We are no different from the loving, selfless and gifted individuals that you know out there.”

Tickets are available at Little Sister’s Book & Art Emporium. Doors open at 6pm.

Entrance fee is $20.00. The anniversary party is open to everyone. Come out and show your support to the Filipino-Canadian LGBTQ community! ■

2nd UPAABC Pinoy workers’ workshop set May 12

The University of the Philippines Alumni Association of British Columbia (UPAABC) is holding the second in a series of seminar-workshops for the Filipino-Canadian community in the province on May 12, Saturday, 4-8 p.m., at the Collingwood Neighbourhood House at 5288 Joyce Street, Vancouver.

The workshop, titled “Options and Opportunities for Workers in Transition,” is being organized by UPAABC in partnership with the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver, and is supported by I-Remit Global Remittance Services and G-Air Cargo Services.

Eric Inigo, UPAABC president, expects another good turnout for this workshop, judging from the standingroom-only (SRO) crowd and the feedback from the first edition, held last February 5 at the Metrotown Center, in Burnaby.

Meanwhile, Philippine Consul General Jose Ampeso, a staunch advocate of Filipino workers’ rights and welfare, said the Consulate General is

in full support of the activity because it greatly complements the work it is doing in assisting Filipino nationals overseas.

“The topics are very relevant, and Filipinos in B.C., especially the temporary workers, will greatly benefit from the information, advice and insights shared,” he said.

The workshop will focus on the following topics: “Immigration: Issues and Options,” by Ray Leblanc of the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC); “Getting Ready to Transition,”

by Agnes Tecson and Mary Tecson, assistant manager at the Immigrant Services Society of BC; and “Frequently Encountered Issues by Temporary Foreign Workers,” by Vice Consul Melanie Diano and Labor Attache Bernardino Julve.

It will be open to the public, but UPAABC urges participants to register early, as seats are limited.

Interested parties may register online at www.upaabc.org, or contact up.alumni.association.bc@gmail.com for details. ■

Volunteers needed!

Please help us clean the Filipino Plaza (Vanness St. west of Nanaimo Skytrain Station) on May 12, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. in preparation for the Flag Raising activity on June 2.

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For details, please e-mail info@canadianinquirer.net.

Thank you.

There’s the Rub

Opinion

TUESDAY MAY 1, 2012 12

Battering By conrado de quiros Philippine Daily Inquirer MIDAS MARQUEZ offered a most astonishing observation last week. There’s a “wave of defiance” against the law today, seen variously in Leila de Lima’s refusal to bow down to the Supreme Court’s TRO on Gloria Macapagalarroyo, Joel Reyes’ refusal to surrender, and SM’S refusal to stop its plan to mow down pine trees to build a parking lot.

P-noy’s “relentless battering” of Renato Corona, Marquez said, hasn’t just brought down Corona’s approval ratings, it has done so the entire judiciary’s. The Supreme Court’s rating dove from 53 percent in November to 37 percent in March, sparking the defiance.

“The problem when the preconditions of independence and public confidence are not met is that the judiciary loses its capacity to uphold the rule of law.”

Well, I don’t know that SM’S defiance is part of a wave, but I do know that is a defiance that ought to be crushed. The perfect response to that atrocity is Joni Mitchell’s “They paved paradise to put up a parking lot.” That was the line that sprang to her head, she said, when she looked out of her hotel window in her favorite vacation spot in Hawaii to find the trees gone.

The refrain of her song (“Big Yellow Taxi”) supplies the very wise thought: “Don’t it always seem to go/ That you don’t know what you’ve got/till it’s gone…”

But that’s another story. Meanwhile, you have to wonder if Marquez doesn’t have the Midas touch in reverse. Everything he touches, including thought, turns into dross.

First off, his argument assumes that when you get relentlessly battered by the president, you naturally fall in the public’s esteem. When its refutation is right there before his eyes. Arroyo never failed to relentlessly batter her enemies, and all she got for her pains was to endear her enemies to the public and get herself even more despised. A case of it being Ping Lacson.

She sent him fleeing from a murder case but never got the public to revile him. Rather than presuming flight to be a sign of guilt in this case, the public presumed it to be a sign of an instinct for self-preservation. It didn’t bring Lacson’s ratings down, it did so Arroyo’s, such as her ratings could still fall.

When Lacson came home after Arroyo was gone, he had no problems resuming his interrupted term as senator.

The point is clear. A relentless battering from the president gets you down? Depends on the president. And depends on what he’s saying.

But then Arroyo was never a real president, which is the only thing going for Marquez’s argument.

Second, on the contrary it’s Corona’s and company’s (which includes Marquez) defiance of law that is encouraging a wave of defiance— if there’s that at all—against the law. The first is defiance of law in every possible way. It is

defiance of law in the sense of law having to do with justice, in the sense of law as being a means to justice, in favor of law that has to do only with lawyers, in favor of law that has to do only with palusot. It is defiance of law in the sense of law as having historical experience for its foundation, in the sense of law as being anchored on common sense and an appreciation of reality, in favor of law that bids the waves hold still, in favor of law that makes right wrong and wrong right.

Why shouldn’t SM and Reyes defy the law?

Corona does. His cabal does. A chief justice who owes his job to a midnight appointment does. A Supreme Court that reopens final rulings does.

The latter, the invention of a finality that is never final, is truly staggering. It’s a declaration of war against the poor, a thing that makes sure the rich—who can afford a case to drag on hanggang sa dulo ng walang hanggan— will never lose.

Corona resigns, as he ought to have done so long ago, and SM will surrender. Corona resigns, and Reyes and Jovito Palparan will surrender.

Corona resigns, and even philandering spouses will surrender. One thing is sure: Corona resigns, and Filipinos will experience a wave of relief, if not of “law-abidingness.” Corona resigns and the sun will shine, the birds will chirp, the earth will be at peace, God is in his heaven, there is justice in this world.

Third, which is what makes Marquez’s observation oppressive, you want to see a wave of defiance against the law, just cast your mind

back to a few years ago. Except that what we had then wasn’t just a wave, it was a tsunami. Except that what we had then wasn’t just a pattern, it was a culture. It was the tsunami of lawlessness.

It was the culture of impunity.

The term, “culture of impunity,” was expressly used by the foreign press to apply to the mindboggling number of journalists murdered in this country, which turned us into the most dangerous place for journalists next only to Iraq. But it needn’t have been confined to it. It’s the perfect term as well for the murders of the political activists, which were far more plentiful, for barefaced wrongdoing in government, for criminals plying their shadowy trade under the glare of the sun. “Defiance of law” is a ridiculous way to describe it. So is “law-breaking.” The plague was universal, contagious, obdurate.

The cause of it was government itself. Why shouldn’t the dregs of this earth rape and pillage, maim and murder? Government was doing it itself. Why should criminals fear retribution?

To be wicked was to be rewarded, to be just was to be punished. You blew the whistle, you ended up in jail, or holed up in La Salle Greenhills.

You coddled wrongdoers, you got appointed chief justice in the midnight hour. Paraphrasing Marquez: The problem when the preconditions of decency and public trust are not met by government is that the entire country loses its capacity to uphold the rule of law.

Some things you need to relentlessly batter.

That is one of them. ■

at large

High sin taxes may promote terrorism

By Neal H. Cruz Philippine Daily Inquirer GREED OFTEN makes the greedy ones blind to the repercussions of greed. We cannot find a better example of such greed and blindness as the proposed bill of Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya, which would increase excise taxes on cigarettes and liquor by more than 1,000 percent.

Supporters of the bill are easily blinded by the billions of pesos in additional revenue that higher sin taxes will bring to the government. They think that smuggling is a victimless crime, basically a law enforcement problem that simply deprives government of potential incomes.

What they don’t see is that it is more than lost revenue that is at risk should sin taxes be increased.

From the lessons learned by countries that have drastically increased their sin taxes, this measure has increased the incidence of violent crimes and even terrorism in those countries and other parts of the world. For the huge profits from cigarette smuggling finance the activities of terrorist organizations. It has been shown that cigarette smuggling feeds an underground economy that supports many of the most violent actors on the world stage.

If it becomes a law, Abaya’s sin tax reform bill will trigger smuggling, which could invite into our shores the violence and terrorism that so far we only read about in foreign news. A 1,000-percent increase in sin taxes is the shocker that may usher in renewed terrorism in the Philippines.

In its website, Health Justice Philippines, a Bloomberg awardee for tobacco control activities, provides a public health update that gives a peek into what we mean. Citing as source the 39-page “US report: Terrorists turn to cigar smuggling for funds” of the International Tax and Investment Center (ITIC), it says that “illicit trade (on tobacco products) has become a major security challenge in different environments around the world and is increasingly used to fund terrorism.

“Terrorist organizations and other organized crime groups are exploiting the illicit trade in tobacco products because the highly lucrative activity is relatively low-risk compared to other heavily penalized crimes like drug trafficking and human smuggling,” the ITIC report said.

In North Africa, unmarked desert paths that nomadic Tuareg tribesmen have treaded for centuries on camelback to trade for cloth, salt, and dates are today the highways of technosavvy cigarette smugglers. With the guidance of the same tribesmen, they drive SUVS along roads using satellite phones to move weapons, drugs and, increasingly, humans through the Sahara to the Mediterranean Sea. The Center for Public Integrity (CPI) reveals that among those who control this underground trade is the al-qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), an Algeria-based terrorist organization believed to have been supported by Osama bin Laden. With hundreds of members, the group is blamed for a bloody campaign of bombings, murders and kidnappings across North Africa

and Europe.

The group’s lead cigarette smuggler is Mokhtar Belmokhtar, 40, who is blamed for the 2003 kidnapping of 32 European tourists and the 2006 murder of 13 Algerian customs officials.

“Of all Islamic terrorist groups, they (AQIM) have the most extensive and sophisticated network in Europe. And among their activities, smuggling is particularly important,” says Lorenzo Vidino, author of “Al Qaeda in Europe.”

Military officials and scholars in Algeria say cigarette smuggling has provided the bulk of AQIM’S finances.

But al-qaida’s affiliate in North Africa is not alone. After the crackdowns on fundraising that followed the 9/11 attacks, international terrorist groups increasingly turned to cigarette smuggling, which has proven to be a lucrative, low-risk way of generating funds for terrorist operations. Compared to narcotics and human trafficking, the penalties for illegal tobacco trade are lighter. And sniffer dogs are not trained to detect tobacco.

CPI reveals that the Hezbollah, Taliban and alqaida are also involved in cigarette smuggling, facilitating illicit global distribution and using the profits to finance terrorist activities.

And so are the Real Irish Republican Army (Real IRA), which persists in using terror, robbery, bombings and assassinations, long after the Provisional IRA has chosen parliamentary means to unite Ireland.

Real IRA is responsible for nearly all the

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smuggled tobacco seized in Northern Ireland, flooding the entire island with untaxed and counterfeit versions of popular cigarette brands.

Authorities say cigarette smuggling has emerged as the top funding source for the Real IRA. At the core of the problem are the high profits of tobacco smuggling, which rival those of narcotics, plus the relative cheapness of conducting a terrorist operation.

A shipping container with half-a-million packs of counterfeit cigarettes costs as little as P4.3 million to produce in China, but can sell as much as P85.6 million tax-free in the United States (assuming they sell P171.20 per pack).

Not as high, but local smoking prevalence is definitely higher, freight costs are lower, and manpower is cheaper. In addition the coastlines are porous, and authorities are more easily fooled.

Compare that with the measly amount needed to wage a terrorist attack.

Were they to focus on the Philippines it will be infinitely cheaper for terrorists to fund expansions into urban areas. Still want to tease cigarette smugglers into our shores with high sin taxes?

ITIC says that smuggled cigarettes are available throughout the world, in high-income or low-income countries alike. The common environment is a sin tax policy that results in high retail prices relative to consumer income.

And a low focus by law enforcers on the illicit tobacco trade due to lack of resources.■

Opinion

13 TUESDAY MAY 1, 2012

public lives

The ‘realpolitik’ of size

By randy david Philippine Daily Inquirer YOU DON’T pick a fight with someone bigger than you. But if you must defend yourself, you need to find an ally as big as he is, or get the backing of other small entities that may feel similarly threatened. Such support has its own costs. It may mean giving up certain things in return, or going against some cherished ideals.

That is what realpolitik is about. It may seek cover behind principles, but, in essence, it is political conduct based on a clear calculation of long-term interests and a sober recognition of the pragmatics of power. Realpolitik applies to persons as well as to states.

Though often contrasted with the politics of principles, realpolitik has its true opposite in political behavior ruled by impulse or emotion. One expects this of individuals, but not of nation-states. They are supposed to be more circumspect in the moves they make, less given to knee-jerk reaction to crisis situations.

So commonsensical are these ideas that they may not deserve to be represented by a word as somber as “realpolitik.” But at no other time has it been more necessary to keep them in mind as we ponder the current standoff between China and the Philippines at Scarborough Shoal. What, in heaven’s name, is going on here? On both sides of these submerged uninhabitable rocks, patriotic impulses are being dangerously fanned, almost

as if the survival of both nations depended on their possession.

From our side of the ocean, China looms as a resurgent empire that treats everyone in its backyard as if they were nothing more than its tributaries. Basking in the astounding growth of its economy in recent years, it seems bent on consolidating its territory and “historic” maritime surroundings as if it were superior to international law. This is not just the “Red China” we feared during the Cold War. This is a far more aggressive country that imagines itself restored by economic power to its old self as a civilization-state.

From China’s side, on the other hand, the Philippines appears as no more than a puny group of islands ruled for centuries by Western powers, unable to get hold of its own destiny, and quite content to serve as the colonial outpost of the West. While the rest of Southeast Asia falls in line to partake of the bounty of China’s economic dynamism, this troubled country, so oblivious of its Asianness, inflates its ego by latching on to an America in decline. Having thrown out the US bases in a rare moment of national pride in 1991, it has lost no time in bringing back US troops in the guise of hosting joint military exercises. These exercises were supposed to be focused on the global war against terrorism. But it is now clear that they are designed to frighten China.

Thus, it is not a coincidence that these joint exercises involving live firing on the western

side of the Philippines are taking place in the midst of territorial disputes in the South China Sea. In a 1999 paper he wrote on the Scarborough Reef issue as visiting fellow at the East Asian Institute of the National University of Singapore, the Chinese researcher Zou Keyuan noted a shift in Us-philippine military relations as a result of the Visiting Forces Agreement.

He said that on Aug. 3, 1998, US Defense Secretary William Cohen assured Manila that the United States would come to the aid of the Philippines if the latter’s troops were attacked in the South China Sea. Previously, said Zou, the American view was that the disputed islands and reefs were not covered by the RPUS Mutual Defense Treaty. It is not certain if Cohen’s remarks accurately expressed the US official position, but they apparently alarmed China. Zou writes: “Such a change may encourage the Philippines to take more ambitious actions around Scarborough Reef, even to the extent of sending troops to occupy it. If so, it will escalate the tensions in Sinophilippine relations, as well as create instability in the whole South China Sea.” (http://www. dur.ac.uk/resources/ibru/publications/full/ bsb7-2_keyuan.pdf) What can one say? Both viewpoints call upon the memory of past events to gain credence. Igniting latent racist sentiments on both sides is the easiest thing in the world to do. Despite centuries of interaction, and

despite the fact that most Filipinos have Chinese blood, Filipinos and the Chinese have little fondness for one another. Regarded as an inferior people during the Spanish colonial period, the Chinese were marginalized from the nation’s life, and became the target of recurrent pogroms and exclusion. In this hostile setting, they, in turn, looked to the ancient Middle Kingdom of their ancestors as their point of orientation. Their miserable status obviously no longer holds today.

China’s own view of itself is more complex.

Few observers have captured China’s selfimage as eloquently as the writer Martin Jacques in his work “When China Rules the World” (The Penguin Press, 2009). “In an important sense, China does not aspire to run the world because it already believes itself to be the centre of the world, this being its natural role and position. And this attitude is likely to strengthen as China becomes a major global power. As a consequence, it may prove to be rather less overtly aggressive than the West has been, but that does not mean that it will be less assertive or less determined to impose its will and leave its imprint. It might do this in a different way, however, through its deeply held belief in its own inherent superiority and the hierarchy of relations that necessarily flow from this.”

How do we engage a neighbor like China?

We can’t begin to answer this question without knowing where our long-term interests lie .■

looking back

‘The Free Territory of Freedomland’

By Ambeth R. Ocampo Philippine Daily Inquirer MANILA NORTH Cemetery, often referred to by its Spanish name, Cementerio del Norte, or simply “Norte” to the living and the dead who call the place home, is one of our hidden heritage treasures. I have visited Norte many times for research, following the advice of the late E. Arsenio Manuel who emphasized the importance of copying biographical details like dates of birth and death from tombstones.

Although the nearby Chinese Cemetery is sometimes on the tourist route, the historian in me draws me more to Norte for the people buried there: Presidents Manuel Roxas, Ramon Magsaysay and Sergio Osmeña, the boxer “Pancho Villa,” the 19th-century painter Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo, movie stars Fernando Poe Sr. and Fernando Poe Jr., the widow of Andres Bonifacio and muse of the Katipunan Gregoria de Jesus, and husband-and-wife National Artists Amado V. Hernandez and Atang de la Rama. One could say that Norte is the equivalent of other historic cemeteries like Highgate in London where Karl Marx is buried or Pere Lachaise in Paris that has a constellation of stars that include: Balzac, Chopin, Maria Callas, Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf and Oscar Wilde.

This reminds me that I have yet to give a walking tour of Norte the same way that

Carlos Celdran does of Intramuros or Ivan Man Dy of Binondo.

Aside from history and famous people, what draws me to Norte again and again are the eccentric mausoleums there. I have two favorites—one built like a white-washed Egyptian pyramid that comes complete with a pair of Sphinxes, and the other like a ship, named “M/V Last Voyage,” where the remains of “Admiral” Tomas Cloma (19041996) rest in peace.

It was Cloma who took possession of some islands in what is known as the Spratlys in 1956 and made a “Notice to the World” stating his claim and naming these islands “Freedomland.” There used to be a big redundant sign in a gated compound on Buendia between Taft Avenue and Roxas Boulevard, probably Cloma’s residence, that read “The Free Territory of Freedomland.”

Cloma was jailed during the Marcos years for impersonating an “admiral.” He was not a member of the Philippine Navy but was addressed as such because he founded what we know today as the PMI Colleges. The former Philippine Marine Institute, PMI is the oldest and largest training ground for young Filipinos in search of a career at sea, and was the first maritime school to have its own training vessel called “M/V Admiral Tomas Cloma.”

Cloma’s claim to Freedomland was protested both by the People’s Republic of

China (PROC) and the Republic of China (ROC) in 1956, but it was Marcos who “convinced” Cloma to cede his claim to the Philippines for P1. Freedomland is now known as the Kalayaan Islands. To complicate matters further, there is a claim earlier than Cloma’s that dates back to the 19th century, when British naval captain James George Meads staked a claim that is the basis of a nation the size of a postage stamp called the Republic of Morac-songhrati-meads.

With Chinese and Philippine vessels literally eye to eye at Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal and one party telling the other to leave what each claims as its territory, we are just waiting who will be the first to blink. What we have here is a complicated situation born of history. The disputed Spratly Islands were named after Richard Spratly (1806- or 1811-1866) who sighted them in 1843 and whose report was published in British naval literature the same year. What most of us do not know is that the islands already had a name before the British admiralty gave in and called them the Spratlys; in some sources they were already known as Horsburgh’s Storm Island. The British admiralty at the time didn’t know, or refused to acknowledge, that the islands were also on Vietnam’s maps since 1838 and were even referenced in its historical records in the 17th century. China goes even further, providing old maps and references to the islands as early as the 13th

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century. Thus, history is at the root of the issue and can probably be its solution, too.

Now that the world is a more complicated place, Filipino schoolchildren will have to unlearn texts that refer to the South China Sea and learn anew about the islands that are part of Palawan in the West Philippine Sea. Children in countries with which we are in dispute learn otherwise, of course, since Brunei claims the Spratlys as part of its exclusive economic zone, Malaysia claims them as part of Sabah, and Vietnam claims them as part of Khanh Hoa province.

China has two claims: Proc/beijing claims the islands as part of Hainan province, while Roc/taiwan claims them as part of Kaohsiung municipality.

Then there are fishermen from all these countries who have traditionally cast their nets in the area for centuries before nations and national boundaries were set up.

Tomas Cloma has been branded an eccentric self-styled “admiral” like Kentucky Fried Chicken’s “Colonel” Saunders, but he did take possession of and claimed those controversial islands we know today as the Kalayaan group that makes up part of Philippine territory.

The story of Kalayaan is long and complex. It has different meanings depending on whose version of the story we are reading, thus making history relevant again. ■

World News

TUESDAY MAY 1, 2012 14

Number of US illegal immigrants drops, first in decades as illegal workers head back to Mexico

Barbed wires at the US - Mexico border

By Hope Yen THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON - The number of Mexican immigrants living illegally in the U.S. has dropped significantly for the first time in decades, a dramatic shift as many illegal workers, already in the U.S. and seeing few job opportunities, return to Mexico.

An analysis of census data from the U.S. and Mexican governments details the movement to and from Mexico, a nation accounting for nearly 60 per cent of the illegal immigrants in the U.S. It comes amid renewed debate over U.S. immigration policy as the Supreme Court hears arguments this week on border state Arizona’s tough immigration law.

Roughly 6.1 million unauthorized Mexican immigrants were living in the U.S. last year, down from a peak of nearly 7 million in 2007, according to the Pew Hispanic Center study released Monday.

It was the biggest sustained drop in modern history, believed to be surpassed in scale only by losses in the Mexican-born U.S. population during the Great Depression.

Much of the drop in illegal immigrants is due to the persistently weak U.S. economy, which has shrunk construction and service-sector jobs attractive to Mexican workers following the housing bust. But increased deportations, heightened U.S. patrols and violence along the border also have played a role, as well as demographic changes, such as Mexico’s declining birth rate.

In all, the Mexican-born population in the U.S. last year—legal and illegal—fell to 12 million, marking an end to an immigration boom dating back to the 1970s, when foreign-born residents from Mexico stood at 760,000. The 2007 peak was 12.6 million.

Christian Ballesteros, who has been at a shelter for immigrants in Matamoros, Mexico, across the border from Brownsville, Texas, pointed to stiffer U.S. penalties for repeat offenders as well as brutal criminal groups that control the Mexican side of the border as reasons for the immigration decline.

Ballesteros, who has been deported four times, was recently caught after hopping the border fence near Nogales, Arizona.

“The Mexican cartels are taking over, are actually being like the border patrols on this side,’’ Ballesteros said. ``They threaten them, ‘if you don’t pay, what we’re going to do is we’re going to cut your head off.’ That’s the worst, the worst, the worst part,’’ Ballesteros said.

After his last apprehension by U.S. authorities, Ballesteros was sent to a detention facility in Las Vegas

for 2 1/2 months. He fears it could be six months if he is caught again. “You can lose money, but if you lose time there’s no way you can recover that time,’’ Ballesteros said, noting that many immigrants have families to support.

Jeffrey Passel, a senior demographer at Pew who co-wrote the analysis, said Mexican immigration may never return to its height during the mid-decade housing and construction boom, even with the U.S. economy recovering. He cited longer-term factors such as a shrinking Mexican work force.

He noted that government data now show a clear shift among Mexican workers already in the U.S. who are returning home. He said that data is a sign that many immigrants are giving up on life in the U.S., feeling squeezed by increasing enforcement and limited opportunities that they don’t see improving anytime soon.

About 1.4 million Mexicans left the U.S. between 2005 and 2010, double the number who did so a decade earlier. In the meantime, the number of Mexicans who entered the U.S. sharply fell to about 1.4 million, putting net migration from Mexico at a standstill. More recent data suggest that most of the movement is now heading back to Mexico, accounting for the drop in the illegal immigrant population.

During the same period, the population of authorized Mexican immigrants edged higher, from 5.6 million to 5.8 million.

Among the Mexican immigrants who leave the U.S., an estimated 5 to 35 percent are deported while the rest opt to go back voluntarily, often taking U.S.born children with them. Those who were in the U.S. illegally and returned to Mexico also are increasingly saying they will not try to come back—about 20 per cent, compared to 7 per cent in 2005.

The Pew estimates come amid heightened attention on immigration in an election year where the fastgrowing Hispanic population, now making up roughly 16 percent of the U.S. population, could play a key role. Arizona’s law, being challenged by the Obama administration in the Supreme Court, seeks to expand the authority of state police to ask about the immigration status of anybody they stop on the rationale that federal enforcement has largely failed.

Since Arizona’s law passed in 2010, five other states - Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, South Carolina and Utah—have passed similar measures.

Steve A. Camarota, director of research at the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington group that advocates tighter immigration policies, said the latest numbers show that immigration policies do make a difference.

“The bottom line is that immigration is not the weather. It is something that ... can be changed,’’ he said. “The economy is worse but enforcement is also higher, making it more difficult for immigrants to get jobs in states like Arizona. They are now making new calculations and changing their views.’’

Other findings: • Illegal Mexican immigrants who have stayed in the U.S. for longer periods of time are now more likely to be sent back by authorities than before. About 27 per cent of immigrants sent back had resided in the

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U.S. for a year or more, up from 6 per cent in 2005.

•Despite an increase in Border Patrol agents, apprehensions of illegal immigrants at the U.S.Mexico border have dropped sharply—from 1 million in 2005 to 286,000 in 2011, a sign that fewer illegal immigrants are trying to enter.

• About 30 per cent of all current U.S. immigrants are Mexican born, by far the most from any single country; that’s down from its peak of 32 per cent in 2004-2009. The next largest share comes from China (including Hong Kong and Taiwan), accounting for 5 percent of the nation’s 40 million foreign-born residents.

• A typical Mexican woman is projected to have an average of 2.4 children in her lifetime, compared with 7.3 children in 1960.

• By region, Mexican-born immigrants in the U.S. are mostly likely found in the West (51 per cent) and South (33 percent). About 58 per cent now live in California and Texas, down from 63 per cent in 2000 as immigrants spread out over the past decade in search of jobs in other states. ■ Associated Press writer Christopher Sherman in McAllen, Texas, contributed to this report.

U.S. recovery strengthening, but vulnerable to oil shock: Conference Board THE CANADIAN PRESS

OTTAWA - A prominent Ottawa-based forecaster says the U.S. recovery is becoming entrenched, a positive signal for Canada’s economy.

The Conference Board of Canada says business and household sentiment is picking up in the United States, as has U.S. employment with more than 200,000 jobs added per month in three of the past four months.

As well, one of the principal risks for the United States — contagion from the European debt crisis - is coming off the table, now that the continent’s central bank has made clear it will step in to avert a financial failure.

Hence the Canadian think-tank anticipates the U.S. economy will expand by 2.5 percent this year and 3.0 per cent in 2013, following an anemic 1.7 per cent advance in 2011.

That would be good news for Canadian exporters of natural resources and manufactured goods, which ship about 70 per cent of their output to the United States.

The Bank of Canada last week forecast Canada’s economy will grow by 2.4 percent both this year and next.

The Conference Board believes the U.S. is still vulnerable to an oil shock, however, should tensions in Iran boil over.

If gas prices climb to over US$5 a gallon (US$1.32 per litre) for a sustained period, the think-tank says the U.S., which imports the majority of its oil, could still slip into a recession. Gasoline has been selling below $4 a gallon. ■

15 TUESDAY MAY 1, 2012

Business-Phils

Balance of payments swung to a deficit in March

by Michelle V. Remo Philippine Daily Inquirer

THE COUNTRY registered a $209million deficit in its balance of payments (BOP) in March—the biggest monthly deficit in nearly three years.

Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas showed that the BOP deficit in March was a reversal of the $2.02billion surplus reported in the same month last year.

But the BSP said that, in the first quarter of the year, the country’s BOP position remained comfortable with a surplus of $1.24 billion. Still, that figure was 64-percent lower than the surplus of $3.49 billion seen in the same period last year.

BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said that the outflow of foreign currencies in March exceeded the amount of cash coming in. He said the settlement of some of the government’s maturing debts to foreign creditors led to the shift in the country’s balance of payments.

The government still resorts to borrowing to partly finance its spending, as the amount of taxes and other revenues collected is not enough to address public expenditure requirements.

Also, Guinigundo was quick to point out that the deficit in the BOP had not been triggered by capital flight.

In fact, he said, foreign portfolio investments could increase this year due to prevailing global developments.

For 2012, the BSP expects a BOP surplus of $2.8 billion.

BOP is a record of the country’s commercial transactions with the rest of the world. A surplus in the BOP—where the inflow of dollars and other foreign currencies exceed the amount of cash going out—helps beef up the country’s total reserves of foreign exchange, or the gross international reserves (GIR).

In 2012, remittances, recovery in export earnings, foreign portfolio investments, and investments in the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector are expected to drive up foreign currency inflows.

The GIR currently stands at a record high of $77 billion. This amount is enough to cover about 11 months worth of imports. It is also about six times the country’s debt—denominated in foreign currencies— maturing within the short term. ■

FIT delay to affect $2.5B in renewable energy deals

by Amy R. Remo Philippine Daily Inquirer

THE PHILIPPINES risks losing potential investments of as much as $2.5 billion or roughly P107 billion to its neighboring countries if the issuance of muchawaited feed-in-tariff (FIT) rates for the use of renewable energy sources will be delayed further.

In his speech at the 2nd Philippine Renewable Energy Summit yesterday, Pedro Maniego Jr., head of the National Renewable Energy Board, said that the expected investments covered only the first 760 megawatts of installation target that was earlier set by the Department of Energy. This referred only to the volume of capacity that renewable energy facilities will be allowed to generate within the first three years of the FIT rate implementation.

Of the $ 2.5 billion in expected investments, some $ 891 million are expected to come from the construction of 250 Mw of hydropower; $759.75 million from 250 MW of biomass; $170 million from solar; $551.6 million from 200MW of wind power; and $126 million from 10 MW of ocean power development.

In a separate interview with reporters, Maniego meanwhile admitted that some of the country’s potential developers have already lost interest in investing in the country’s renewable energy sector and have in fact, already left the country.

“The more we delay the feed- in- tariff, the more that people will lose interest for example. Remember, we were ahead of Malaysia and Thailand in crafting the renewable energy mechanisms but now, Thailand already has its own version of FIT in place while Malaysia approved theirs last year,” Maniego noted.

“But the Energy Regulatory Commission said they will decide immediately. The only problem is that, what if the ERC decides then an intervenor suddenly

files a case in court for a temporary restraining order against the FIT’S implementation,” he further said.

The feed- in- tariff scheme, a much awaited mechanism provided under the Renewable Energy Law, is among the most critical considerations in a renewable energy project as these will determine if it will be economically feasible and viable. This scheme will likewise assure developers of future cash flows since electricity end- users will be charged fixed amounts to cover production of energy from renewable sources such as biomass, wind, hydro, solar, and ocean.

However, number of business and cause- oriented groups, and even government agencies, have since came out to protest the proposed feed- in- tariff rates, as these will result in additional charges to be called, the FIT- allowance, which will be collected from all electricity consumers.

At the sidelines of the summit, developers present at the summit admitted that they can only hold on to their proposed projects only for a limited period.

While still bullish in pursuing their respective renewable energy projects, they however admitted that the FIT rates must be issued within the year in order to make their projects still viable.

Based on the application filed by the NREB in May last year, solar developers and ocean energy project proponents will enjoy the highest feed- in- tariff rates of P17.95 per kilowatt- hour and P17.65 per kwh, respectively. Investors in wind development may be given a FIT rate of P10.37 per kwh; for biomass, P7 per kwh; and for hydro, P6.15 per kwh.

Maniego assured the public that the impact of the imposition of these FIT rates will be minimal as the 760 MW installation target represented only 6.34 percent of the total installed capacity in Luzon, and 7.24 percent of the total dependable capacity in Luzon in 2010. ■

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DOE recommends reopening of FPIC pipeline Regulator seeks green light from Court of Appeals.

by Amy R. Remo Philippine Daily Inquirer THE DEPARTMENT of Energy has recently filed a motion before the Court of Appeals to recommend the reopening of the 117-kilometer oil pipeline of the Lopez-owned First Philippine Industrial Corp. (FPIC), after three tests confirmed its stability.

Energy Undersecretary Jose M. Layug Jr. told reporters that based on the results of the borehole test, segmented pressure test and leak test conducted on the FPIC pipeline, as well as on the reports of international and local experts, there is no reason to be afraid of resuming pipeline operations.

In particular, those inputs came from the University of the Philippines-national Institute of Geological Sciences, the UP Institute of Civil Engineering and pipeline integrity expert, the Societe Generale de Surveillance (SGS), an international technical consultant in the area of pipeline operations and engineering.

More importantly, the re-opening of the fuel pipeline that runs from Batangas to Manila will help ensure fuel security in Metro Manila, as well as safety as this will reduce the number of accidents involving the increased number of fuel trucks plying along the metro’s main thoroughfares, Layug stressed.

“We have earlier secured truck ban exemptions for [fuel tankers] and we don’t want to keep doing that just to make sure that fuel supply keeps flowing to Metro Manila,” Layug added.

Should FPIC be granted the approval to resume operations of its pipeline, the Lopez firm is expected to first conduct a 48-hour test to further validate the integrity and stability of the pipeline.

The pipeline was shut down in October 2010, after it was found out to be the source of the oil that had been leaking into the basement of West Tower Condominium in Barangay Bangkal, Makati City since July that same year.

The discovery prompted the city government to order the evacuation of all residents in the 22-story building and the declaration of the surrounding areas as a “danger zone” due to the possibility of an explosion.

The leak was later traced to five rice grain-sized holes in a portion of the pipeline located just meters away from the condominium.

In November 2010, the high court issued a “Writ of Kalikasan” order that mandated FPIC to clean up the areas affected by the oil spill.

Prior to its closure, the 117-kilometer Batangas to Manila white oil pipeline supplied more than 50 percent of the petroleum products for Pandacan, considered as the largest and most important depot in the country.

On a nationwide basis, the Pandacan depot also supplies 70 percent of the shipping industry’s needs; 90 percent of lubricant requirements; 75 percent of all aviation fuel needs; and 25 percent of the demand for chemicals.

As such, the pipeline is considered Metro Manila’s energy lifeline, supplying to critical industries like transport, construction, food manufacturing, rice and sugar mills, mining and power generation. ■

Canada-US

TUESDAY MAY 1, 2012 16

Bringing Agricultural Products to the United States from Canada !IMPORTANT! When entering the United States, travelers must inform US border inspectors of all fruits, vegetables, plants, plant products, live animals, meats and animal products, regardless of whether they are allowed. Failure to declare may result in penalties (fines) of $300 or more.

Fresh fruit (Citrus and tropical fruits are prohibited) US fruits, except citrus, may return if they are in season and clearly marked with US brand labels (For example, Washington apples with stickers).

Citrus fruits are imported into Canada from all over the world and may carry insect pests or diseases that would be harmful to US agriculture. Because of this risk citrus fruits are not allowed.

Fruits grown in Canada or the United States are allowed. Labeled bananas from South or Central America are allowed. Other fruits are restricted or prohibited. Fruits that are obviously out of season when they are presented (For example, grapes or peaches in the spring) are not grown in Canada or the United States and are prohibited.

Citrus, mangos, avocados, rambutans, plantains, lychee, longans, langsats, durian, and many other fruits are not grown in Canada.

Canada imports fruit from many countries. If there is any doubt about origin, fruit will be prohibited.

Fresh Vegetables Vegetables grown in Canada or the United States are usually allowed. Garlic chives, chives, green onions, leeks, or any other green Allium vegetable are prohibited from Canada. Potatoes are allowed only if commercially packaged, or peeled. Corn on the cob is allowed only if grown in British Columbia or the western United States.

Tomatoes and peppers from Canada are now prohibited, as well.

Vegetables from other countries are restricted or prohibited. Frozen vegetables are allowed.

Meat and animal products Canadian Beef is currently allowed, lamb and goat are prohibited) Under the MINIMAL RISK RULE, effective November 19, 2007, meat and meat products identifiable as containing beef, bison, or farm-raised

venison are now ALLOWED from Canada, limited to 50 pounds per importation.

Lamb and goat, including fresh, frozen, raw, cooked, canned, sausage, curry, home-made sauces containing lamb or goat, sheep casings, etc., is prohibited from Canada.

Pet food and pet treats containing lamb or goat, whether dry, canned, fresh, semi-moist, or veterinarian prescribed, are prohibited unless label on bag or can shows US origin. Beef, chicken, fish, pork and vegetarian pet food are currently allowed from Canada with a label listing the ingredients.

Pork, poultry, seafood, eggs, milk and cheese from Canada are allowed.

Pork and poultry are limited to 50 pounds per importation.

Hunter-harvested wild game is enterable with valid hunting permit, subject to USDA and Fish and Wildlife restrictions.

Seeds, nuts and herbal medicine Most nuts, seeds and spices for cooking or eating that have been roasted, boiled, shelled, split or ground are allowed.

Peanuts must be roasted or boiled.

Cumin (Jeera) must be ground.

Raw nuts and seeds for eating that were grown in Canada or the United States are allowed.

Herbal medicine containing dried citrus peel, sliced deer antler, or certain seeds is prohibited.

Seeds for planting A Phytosanitary Certificate, Seed Analysis Certificate, Seed Export Label or Import Permit is required to bring seeds for planting into the United States. Some seeds are prohibited from all countries, including Canada.

Fresh cut Christmas trees from British Columbia or Alberta are allowed into Washington State with a written receipt/ declaration of origin.

Christmas decorations made from Canadian conifer branches under ½ inch diameter are allowed.

Plants A Phytosanitary Certificate or Greenhouse Certification Program label is required for all plants, bulbs and cuttings. Plants may be subject to special certifications and permits, especially fruit- and nut-bearing plants. Citrus plants and most palms and bamboo plants are prohibited.

Please check with us or with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) before you purchase these items.

Plants in soil are allowed from most of Canada, but soil from Newfoundland, Alberta, Saint Amable in Quebec, and Central Saanich on Vancouver Island is prohibited without a USDA permit.

Plants from these areas must be completely free of soil before CFIA will issue a Phytosanitary Certificate.

Live animals and birds Dogs and cats must be healthy, and dogs also require current rabies certificates. Live fish from the provinces of Quebec and Ontario are prohibited. Carp, birds, hatching eggs and other live animals are subject to USDA Veterinarian inspection to enter or re-enter the United States. Call Veterinary Services before you travel.

Cut flowers and greenery Cut flowers and greenery must be inspected and found free of insects and diseases. Branches from fruit, nut or pine trees, laurel, cotton, hibiscus and grape are prohibited.

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Firewood, outdoor articles, boats and recreational vehicles Hardwood firewood is prohibited unless certified as treated. Softwood and clean board ends will still be allowed. However, firewood may carry insects and diseases. Travelers bringing firewood are subject to additional delays for inspection by CBP Agriculture, and you may be required to return to Canada with your firewood if disease or evidence of live insects is detected. “Don’t Move Firewood! Buy It Where You Burn It!” Inspect and clean articles, equipment and vehicles stored outdoors to ensure freedom from injurious insect pests and weed seeds. ■

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Canada Events

Vancouver Pinoys unite for freedom day rites entire community, a set of festivities we can all be proud of,” he said.

He assured that although the Consulate has agreed to lead and promote the three events, it respects the rights of all groups to stage their own programs and festivals, and will try to support them individually as far as practicable.

Flag-Raising The Flag-Raising at the Filipino Plaza will be held for the second straight year.

The Executive Committee decided to adopt this as a yearly tradition, a symbolic kick-off ceremony for all Independence Day festivities.

Maria Javier, chair of the Filipino Plaza Committee tasked to coordinate the activity, said the flag-raising this year promises to be bigger and more memorable. The hoisting of the Philippine flag will be followed by a colourful program depicting Filipino culture and traditions.

Moved by a common longing for unity, various Filipino-Canadian organizations in Metro Vancouver are coalescing and teaming up with the Philippine Consulate General to stage three major events to mark the 114th anniversary of Philippine independence this year.

The groups’ leaders, who formed themselves into an Executive Committee chaired by Consul General Jose Ampeso, agreed to jointly organize the three events, namely: Flag-Raising at the Filipino Plaza (June 2); Pista ng Bayan at Slocan Park (June 3); and Historama, to be staged at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre (June 9).

Community initiative Consul General Ampeso, who leads the group alongside Tomas “Tatay Tom” Avendano, CEO of the Multicultural Helping Hand Society (MHHS), said

Pista ng Bayan Pista ng Bayan seeks to recreate the Filipino barrio fiesta atmosphere characterized by an abundance of food, all-day merrymaking and lively cultural presentations by various community groups. It will feature the Parada ng Lechon, the culinary centerpiece of many a Filipino town fiesta.

The event, jointly coordinated by Joel Castillo, president of the Aritao Association of Seattle Vancouver, and Annie Miles, who represents the Royal City Sister City Society, will be open to the public, but community organizations planning to set up a booth are advised the key message behind these activities to contact the organizers ahead. is that despite their growing numbers and diversity, Filipinos in the region Historama are capable of uniting and working Historama, a trailblazing event, is a music-and-dance presentation featuring together behind common causes.

“When the community leaders came artistic re-enactments of major events to us with this idea of getting together in Philippine history, from the peopling to celebrate Philippine independence of the archipelago to the various under the leadership of the Consulate, colonial conquests to the present-day we thought it was a worthwhile Philippines.

Carmelita Tapia, Filipino culture initiative we could not ignore, and that it would be a privilege for us to lead,” advocate who steers the Historama creative committee, said the show he said.

Consul General Ampeso stressed has generated a lot of excitement, and that the decision to organize these joint will surely be appreciated by Filipinoactivities arose from a consensus among Canadian youths curious to learn more leaders who have grown weary of the about their Filipino heritage.

Philippine Labor Attache Bernie divisiveness within the community and hoped to finally work together as one Julve, who penned the show’s script, is similarly enthused. “It is hoped cohesive unit.

“The process we followed was very that through this innovative way of democratic and consultative. For once, presentation, the audience, particularly we can say that this is a project of the those born and raised in Canada of

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Filipino descent, will have a clear understanding of the history, culture, tradition, the national psyche and aspirations of the Filipino people,” he said.

The show features exquisite performances under the direction of three B.C.-based renowned artistchoreographers: Clifford Belgica, Lu Lauron and Riva Oquendo Queen Elizabeth Theatre, tickets Historama will be staged at the prestigious Queen Elizabeth Theatre no less, and the Exe Com is pulling all stops to ensure that the show will be worth the billing and the hype, not to mention the cost of using such swanky venue.

“All the actors, talents, performers, directors and creative and technical crew are volunteers, so we have minimized the cost, but we still need to recover that amount because we have contracted to pay Queen E for the logistics,” said Elena Agala, in charge of logistics and who negotiates with the theatre management on the project.

Tickets are priced minimally at CAD $20, $15 and $10 for orchestra, dress circle and balcony, respectively, just to recoup the logistical requirements of Queen E. “It’s 75 percent sold out, hence, all are encouraged to buy their tickets now before they run out,” said Agala.

Fund-raising and promotion Though optimistic of success, Mike Calingo, who heads the group’s finance committee, sees to it that fund-raising and promotional activities will generate the resources needed to finance all three projects.

Calingo works closely with Gigi Astudillo, who manages the promotional campaign.

Astudillo said the projects so far have obtained sponsorships from Times Telecoms, GMA Pinoy TV, The Filipino Channel (TFC), Western Union, UMAC, Philippine Airlines, Corinthian Distributors, Bank of Montreal, and I-Remit.

Media sponsors include the Philippine Canadian Inquirer, Reyfort Media Group, Philippine Planet, Philippine Journal, Phil-Asian Chronicle and Pinoy Buzz.

“This is a project of, by and for the Filipino community, so we encourage everyone to give their support. For those who haven’t made up their mind about sponsoring, please come on board. This is for a worthy cause,” Astudillo said. ■

Canada Lifestyle

explorASIAN 2012 Festival Festival opens with music & dance event, “The Magical Encounter”

Vancouver, BC – Vancouver residents are invited to celebrate Asian Heritage Month at the 16th annual explorASIAN 2012 Festival during the month of May. Dance, music, visual art, poetry and more will be featured during the month-long festival that celebrates Asian arts, cultures and contributions as part of the harmonious diversity of Canada.

“We’re very excited about this year’s festival,” said Winnie Cheung, Co-President of Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society (VAHMS). “For the first time in the festival’s sixteen-year history, explorASIAN is producing an original, inter-cultural dance and music event that explores the connections between different

Asian-Canadian cultures.” Exploring the intersection between music, word, dance, multimedia and cultural traditions, “The Magical Encounter,” is co-presented

by SFU Woodward’s, and will open explorASIAN 2012 on Friday, May 4 at the Fei & Milton Wong Experimental Theatre.

“We are also proud to include a special tribute to the late Milton Wong, who was a patron of VAHMS and Chancellor of SFU, at, The Magical Encounter,” said Michael Hwang, Co-President of VAHMS. For more information about the explorASIAN 2012, festival events, and tickets, visit www.vahms. org. ■

explorASIAN 2012 Festival Events Signature Programs May 4: The Magical Encounter – a Pan-Asian & inter-arts gala performance showcasing both local and visiting artists, and exploring the intersection between music, word, dance, multimedia and cultural traditions. Produced by VAHMS, co-presented by SFU Woodward’s. 7pm / Fei & Milton Wong Experimental Theatre, Vancouver / Tickets vahms.org This is the kick-off event of explorASIAN 2012, and will feature a special program to pay tribute to the late Milton Wong. The latter music and dance piece is being organized by the community-at-large with the Laurier Institution & VAHMS as co-chairs.

May 5: The Magical Encounter – a Pan-Asian & inter-arts matinee performance (for youth) showcasing both local and visiting artists, and exploring the intersection between music, word, dance, multimedia and cultural traditions. Produced by VAHMS, copresented by SFU Woodward’s. 2pm / Fei & Milton Wong Experimental Theatre, Vancouver / Tickets vahms.org May 6: Zyryab – A Persian/Flamenco Fusion Concert serving as the kickoff event for the 8th Annual International Jondo Flamenco Festival, featuring international and local artists. Sponsored by VAHMS and co-presented by SFU Woodward’s. 7pm / Fei & Milton Wong Experimental Theatre, Vancouver.

May 4-25: Generation One – An art exhibition produced by VAHMS artists & community partners in multiple locations to showcase Asian-Canadian artists’ creativity and vitality, featuring both established local artists as well as emerging artists who are first-generation Canadians. For Opening Hours and Location, visiting vahms.org / FREE May1-31: World Poetry Canada International Peace Festival: Inspire, Achieve, Celebrate – A multicultural and multilingual celebration of poetry, music and dance. Focus on youth and the theme of World Peace. International poets will be welcome by local poetic groups; networking celebration dinner; poetry necklace; display of peace poems and photos from around the world.

Produced by World Poetry, co-sponsored by VAHMS and the City of Richmond. Multiple locations in Metro Vancouver. For details, visit: www.worldpoetry.ca / FREE May 6: National AHM Video Conference – The 2nd national video conference linking Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal in marking the Asian Heritage Month. The theme this year is: “What are we mutating to?” Vancouver’s participation is hosted

by VAHMS in partnership with the IKBLC of UBC, Asian Canadian Writers’ Workshop & World Poetry Society. 12pm – 2pm / Videoconferencing at UBC Campus / Free to members and admissions by donation for non-members.

May 12: Echoes from the Southwest Benefit Concert – A special concert to introduce the unique blend of minority music in Southwestern China composed by Cheng-Long Zhou of Shanghai, featuring renowned Hulusi (flute) soloists – Huan-Yu Yang & Rong-Mei Chen – from Yunnan Province, China. Presented by BCCMA and co-sponsored by VAHMS. 7:30pm / Richmond Gateway Theatre/ Ticketed event to fundraise for the Kidney Foundation of Canada. For details, visit www.bccma.net.

May 17: Photographic Expressions of Asia – A PowerPoint presentation featuring Dr Neville Poy’s photographic images of urban & rural life in China, Hong Kong, Laos, Vietnam, Bhutan, and Thailand, captivating their rapid responses to globalization.

Co-sponsored by SFU, UBC & VAHMS / David Lam Centre, SFU. May 19: explorASIAN at New Westminster Multicultural Festival – Family-oriented activities and a film festival featuring three documentaries by award-winning film-makers Ali Kazimi, Monica Mak and Jordon Paterson. A spotlight on various immigrant communities and their stories. Presented by VAHMS in partnership with the Fraser River Discovery Centre. 12pm – 6pm / Fraser River Discovery Centre, New Westminster / FREE May 27: Chinese Canadian Youth Concert – Featuring 10 award-winning performers of Chinese descent from age 6 to 15, who will be playing over ten classical pieces from both Western and Chinese repertoires, accompanied by the New Westminster Symphony Orchestra & Wesley Music Academy. Produced by the Association of Chinese Cultural Promotion – Canada, and cosponsored by VAHMS. 7pm / Recital Hall, UBC / More information at www.accpcanada.com.

May 31: rePercussion – A melding of Punjabi and Brazilian styles of drumming that explore percussion and folk drumming from the variety of cultures that represent Vancouver. Produced by the Vancouver International Bhangra Celebration Society and cosponsored by VAHMS. This event will close Asian Heritage Month. 7:30pm / Surrey Arts Centre / For ticket information, visit www.

CityOfBhangra.org

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21 TUESDAY MAY 1, 2012

Canada-Lifestyle

Spiritual guru Deepak Chopra takes pointers from Oprah on ‘Lifeclass’ tour

Deepak Chopra

The Canadian Press

TORONTO - After decades spent handing down his New Age wisdom through best-selling books and packed lectures, Deepak Chopra is eager to engage his legions of disciples on a more even footing.

A week after opening for Oprah Winfrey in the sold-out Toronto stops of her self-help roadshow, the spiritual guru said he’s taking a page from the queen of talk’s playbook when it comes to connecting with his followers.

“Normally I lecture to people... but this is a two-way conversation,’’ he said in describing ``Oprah’s Lifeclass: The Tour,’’ which saw

him and a handful of experts dole out real-time advice from the stage as fans detailed their dilemmas.

“What is very gratifying is that people find it useful,’’ he said during a telephone interview from a hotel in Toronto over the weekend, while he was in town to accept the $50,000 Chanchlani Global Indian Award from the Canada India Foundation.

“Nobody’s problems are unique,’’ he said, noting the rare few with the courage to be vulnerable in public often give voice to issues that plague many.

An overwhelmingly positive response to those live counselling sessions has prompted Chopra, 65, to consider revisiting the show’s “very engaging, very dynamic’’ approach in the future, he said.

Already prolific on social media such as Twitter, the physician and alternative medicine advocate is also stepping up his online presence to deepen his interaction with the public.

A new dedicated video channel funded by YouTube is set to launch this summer and Chopra’s team is soliciting questions from the public in advance.

The answers will be delivered on the site, which will replace his existing YouTube channel, “DeepakChopraGlobal.’’

Chopra’s longstanding alliance with the beloved doyenne of daytime television has helped bolster his New Age empire, which includes more than 64 books, several newspaper columns, a radio show and the Chopra Center for Wellbeing in California.

Regular appearances on Oprah’s nationally syndicated program - the highest-rated talk show in American TV history when it wrapped last year

after 25 seasons — delivered his message of mind-body healing to a vast and sympathetic audience.

“She takes my stuff, which is pretty abstract, and makes it more relatable,’’ said Chopra, whose methods are steeped in the ancient spiritual practice of Ayurveda and mantra-based meditation.

“She makes it practical and reachable.’’ ■

Career Enhancement for New Immigrants

By agnes medina-Tecson, CHRP

workplace roadmap Now that you have landed in Canada, and after the settlement phase, the search for jobs starts.

There are many government agencies, non-profit immigrantserving organizations, and private groups which provide programs and services supporting the integration of newcomers into the Canadian system. It is up to the newcomer to be proactive and take full advantage of these services.

To start the job search journey, it is very helpful to attend job search and resume writing workshops.

These workshops will provide you with the tools you will need in

applying for jobs: resume writingCanadian-style; informational interviews, mock job interviews, job shadowing, and networking.

I found out that the most effective and targeted way of making connections in your field of work is getting involved with a professional network or a business association.

With professional associations, you will meet colleagues with similar knowledge, background and interests. This will enhance your opportunity of knowing more about the profession, the who’s who in the field, and the ways and means of getting accreditation and learning about professional development. You will also get updated information on industry trends and ideas on what the competition may be doing. This kind of networking would provide

you with the big picture of the industry you want to be in, and at the same time, expand your network.

Depending on the area of your expertise, there are many professional organizations in Canada. If you are an accountant, there is The Society of Professional Accountants of Canada. If you are a human resources practitioner, you can join the British Columbia Human Resources Association.

There is also an Association of Professional Engineers and the Professional Writers Association of Canada. Every profession or field has its own association.

For those who are in business or would want to pursue a career in business, you can join the Chambers of Commerce or the Board of Trades in your respective provinces/cities.

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For newcomers who are under the job search and mentoring programs, you can ask your employment counsellor for more information about professional networking and get advice on which association to join. You can also inquire from friends, colleagues and from alumni associations with chapters here in Canada. They are more than willing to help, just ask.

Lastly, do your own research and list down your needs before you decide which association or group to join.■ Agnes Medina Tecson is a Certified Human Resources Professional and works as HR and Benefits Specialist.

She conducts career planning and advising to new immigrants and a mentor under MOSAIC’s Workplace Connections Mentoring Program.

Email at workforceroadmap@ gmail.com

Immigration

By Shawn Bowden, RCIC

Changes to the Federal Skilled Worker Program backlog and what it means to you

Immigration strategies With the “erasing” of over 200,000 Federal Skilled worker application submitted before 2008, a growing number of people have approached me with very similar questions. First, “Can we appeal?” Second, “How will this affect my new application if I put one in?” And third, “Are there still more changes to come?” All of these are very good questions, so let’s look at each one to better understand what they really mean. Let’s first start with a little background on why the “erasing “occurred, and then answer each question.

The old Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) program was based on “qualifying” criteria without a set number of applications that could be accepted under it. Although it has produced a steady stream of economic immigration to Canada, it has also created an incredible amount

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of applications that have not been processed due to the receiving rate of applications greatly outpaced the rate of processed application. It was not done to shut economic immigration to Canada; rather it was done to correct an administrative nightmare that realistically could not be corrected if

left to work itself out. Given this, let’s now look at the initial questions that have been asked since this proposal was brought forth.

First, to the best of my knowledge, a legal challenge was started to address the backlog of application still in limbo, however, it was started not in relation to this proposal and when the piece of legislature becomes law this avenue too will no longer be open. It is a legal challenge, and not the type of “appeal” most people consider with an immigration application. On an individual case-by-case level, can the returned application be appealed? The answer is “no”. Once the government returns the application fees, the files will be closed before they are considered open. One way to look at it is since a final decision has not been reached (because the files are not considered opened) then there is nothing to appeal.

The applications are being returned, not denied, and this is an important point to keep in mind. Also, immigration applications that are considered to fall under “economic” immigration do not have an “application” appeal avenue built into them.

Second, if your application has been returned, it does not mean you are not allowed to resubmit it under the current selection process. There are distinctive differences for selection between the two FSW programs, however, if you do qualify under the current selection criteria, then it is not held against you that you had an application returned to you already. It is important to keep in mind; the original application was returned unprocessed, not returned because “you” are being denied to apply to the program under the new

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guidelines. However, you will need to update all data and the application is to be considered “new” - not an extension of the original application. It is very important you understand the new criteria or work with someone who is qualified to advise you on your specific situation and qualification under the new selection process.

Third, the focus of the Federal Skilled Worker program is to help people with qualifying skills immigrate to Canada to meet current and projected shortfalls in employable industries and occupations. So is the elimination of the backlog the final step in the process to overhaul the Federal Skilled Worker program? Or is it only one more step in the process? Although the details are still unclear, the Government of Canada has made clear this is not the last step we will see in the changes.

A greater emphasis will be placed on the working skills of the applicant in relation to the education level, age of the applicant and “likelihood” to adapt to living and working in Canada, and finally, a proposed system of third party involvement in the assessing of foreign credentials in relation to similar credentials held in Canadian industries.

All these areas can expect to see more changes in the future. Although the full details of these changes have not been made openly available yet, the Government has strongly hinted these are the areas next to be altered. Again, it is not to anyone’s best interest to speculate until more details are made available. However, two things are certain. First, under any of the economic immigration programs, it is very rare to find two applications that have exactly the same aspects and qualifications to them, so do not compare your situation with that of others, and second, yes, the economy landscape of Canada will always continue to change too. All countries are going through large scale economic transformations and Canada is no exception. Does this make it easy?

To be honest, no it doesn’t. However, first and foremost, seek advice from a qualified immigration representative to fully understand how the current and proposed changes will affect your situation. ■ Shawn Bowden is the Director of Immigration Strategies at Guardian Immigration Inc., of Vancouver, Canada and is a fully licensed Immigration consultant regulated by ICCRC. Mr. Bowden can be reached at Shawnb@ giinc.ca

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Immigration

Labour groups say foreign worker changes attack Canadian wages

By Bob Weber THE CANADIAN PRESS EDMONTON - Labour groups are stepping up their attack on changes to regulations for temporary foreign workers, saying the adjustments will reduce wages for Canadians, make it tougher for union shops to bid for work and allow companies to cut training of local employees.

“Harper is giving a go-ahead to employers to tap into vulnerable foreign workers to drive down Canadian wages,’’ said Jim Stanford, head economist for the Canadian Auto Workers.

A federal spokeswoman said the measures, which allow workers to be paid less than the going Canadian wage, would not disadvantage workers in hot labour markets.

“Regional differences will be taken into account,’’ said Alyson Queen of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada.

On Wednesday, the federal government said it would speed up approval times for companies to get skilled workers into Canada if local labour can’t be found. It also promised better protections for such workers once they’re in the country.

But it also said employers would be allowed to pay foreign workers up to 15 per cent less than the prevailing local wage.

Because foreign workers in union shops must be paid the negotiated wage, Gil McGowan of the Alberta Federation of Labour said the provision gives non-union contractors the ability to undercut union contractors.

“What happened yesterday is really about giving non-union construction contractors the upper hand in bidding for work in the oilsands sector,’’ he said.

About half the construction work in Alberta already goes to non-union shops, McGowan said.

He also suggested that increasing the flow of skilled workers from other countries will reduce the need for employers to spend money on training and apprenticeships for Canadians.

Ron Genereux, vice-president of construction for Suncor Energy, said the wage provisions would only potentially apply to a very small number of workers.

He said more than 90 per cent of oilsands construction already goes to unionized employees.

The reforms are necessary, he added.

“It was taking us six to nine months to get people here. A project duration is typically 24 to 36 months. If you waste 10 months of that 30 months, you’re creating major schedule (problems) and resulting cost challenges on your project.’’

Employers have no cost incentive to hire from outside Canada, he said.

“Foreign workers are the most expensive workers we’ve got.’’

Queen said Ottawa will monitor local

labour conditions to make sure proposed wages aren’t artificially low. She also said having fewer staff processing applications means more resources will be available for monitoring and enforcement.

She noted the new measures contain provisions for on-site visits from inspectors and the power to compel records, with the co-operation of provincial governments.

Both McGowan and Stanford doubt the government’s ability to determine a fair wage in a volatile economy such as Alberta’s.

“For years now, people at Statistics Canada have said they don’t have adequate labour market information to make this program work,’’ said McGowan. ``With the deep cuts to StatsCan, it’s going to be even more difficult for them to figure out what exactly is the prevailing wage.’’

Stanford said all Canadian workers are threatened by the new program, not just labourers in the oilsands.

“These measures that were announced will be used to staff hotels in Ontario.

They’ll be used for light manufacturing in British Columbia. This is part of a national low-wage strategy.’’

Andrew Jackson, an economist for the Canadian Labour Congress, suggested the government would have been better off to focus on coming reforms to immigration legislation that will speed applications from those with in-demand skills.

“A lot of employers would rather have an immigration system that responds more quickly,’’ he said. ``It’s puzzling and disturbing to me that (the government) is expanding this back-door channel.’’ ■

what’s called objective evidence of their language ability with their application.

Expanding on language changes he’s already announced for some immigration applicants, Kenney said people will also have to provide new documents to become Canadian citizens.

They will be asked to submit evidence they completed secondary or post-secondary education in English or French; they could also provide results of approved third-party tests, or proof of success in government-funded language training programs.

Kenney explained he wanted the linguistic proof to ``ensure that all of those who join us as full members of our Canadian family in the future are able to fully participate in our society.’’

Adequate knowledge of English or French has already been a requirement since the first Citizenship Act of 1947 —but these new mechanisms are meant to enforce that requirement.

The government also provides language training free of charge to permanent residents.

Kenney’s announcement was interrupted by two women protesters who bought tickets to the luncheon.

As he began his speech, each of the protesters took turns interrupting him and warning that the federal legislation would destroy people’s lives.

Latest fed immigration reform: prove you speak English or French to be Canadian

By Peter Rakobowchuk THE CANADIAN PRESS MONTREAL - Immigrants hoping to become Canadian citizens may soon have to provide written proof of their language abilities.

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said Friday his latest reform is aimed at requiring citizenship applicants to prove they can speak English or French.

“I’ve met a lot of Canadian citizens who have lived here for many years who can’t express themselves in French or English,’’ Kenney said during a speech Friday to the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations.

“It’s not acceptable because it limits their social mobility and their life in Canada.’’

Kenney announced a change to citizenship rules which would require prospective Canadian citizens to provide

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They shouted at the immigration minister and were both quickly escorted out of the hotel room.

Outside the hotel, about 50 demonstrators staged a noisy protest against the changes to the immigration system.

Activist Jaggi Singh, who helped organize the protest, said the linguistic requirement will make it tougher to become a Canadian citizen.

“It lends itself to discrimination and profiling,’’ he said.

Singh says immigrants can still contribute to society—even if they can’t speak English or French.

“We know very well that, in cities like Montreal and Toronto, people from immigrant communities sometimes don’t speak a language, but they learn a language as they work,’’ he added.

Singh says his mother and father, who are in their 60s, didn’t speak English very well when they arrived from India.

“They would not have been able to pass an English competency test in their first couple of years and it took them time to do that,’’ he said. ``It takes years and years.’’

Singh says citizenship shouldn’t be based on how a person speaks a language, but on how they contribute to society. ■

Lifestyle-Phils

s_bukley / Shutterstock.com

Riding for their lives

Josh Hutcherson, Jennifer Lawrence at “The Hunger Games” Los Angeles Premiere, Nokia Theater, Los Angeles, CA, March 12, 2012

by Ruel S. De Vera Philippine Daily Inquirer

First, let us be clear: There is no such thing as the next “Hunger Games.” The novel by Suzanne Collins, propelled by fanatic word of mouth and efficient Hollywood tech, turned Collins’ young adult trilogy into a sales sensation, and the Gary Ross-directed big-screen adaptation of the first book had as many people watching the movie as the fictional 74th Hunger Games did—and that’s a lot of people.

But now that you’ve watched it, it’s quite a long wait to November 2013, the screen date for the film adaptation

of the second “Catching Fire.” What to do until then? How to feed your post“Hunger Games” appetite?

There is an entire district of books that rose up after the success of Collins’ books that dealt broadly or specifically with the “Hunger Games”’ potent cocktail of dystopia, romance and action. But what we are looking for is a book that can stand on its own, overcoming the inevitable comparisons.

Ally Condie’s “Matched” trilogy seems to be the best dystopian contestant, but if it comes to just which is the best YA book with the same spirit as “Games,” then the winner of those games is obvious: “The Scorpio Races”

by Maggie Stiefvater (Scholastic, New York, 2011, 409 pages).

Stiefvater will be familiar to YA readers because of her Fairie (2008’s “Lament”) and werewolf (2009’s “Shiver”) books, but she tries something completely different with “Races.”

High stakes “It is the first day of November, and so, today, someone will die.”

On the wild island of Thisby, people try their best to survive amid hardscrabble lives, but once a year,

the island comes alive for the Scorpio Races, a dangerous high-stakes horse race along the treacherous beach where men ride Capaill uisce (pronounced CAPple ISHka), the water horses of Irish folktales.

These are no domesticated sea horses—there are wild stallions and thoroughbreds who ride in the sea itself.

Few men can catch, much less ride and control them, but 19-year-old Sean Kendrick, repeat winner of the Races, is the best at it. A boy of few words, Sean lives only for his beloved, barely tamed sea stallion, the red-bodied Corr, until that fateful day on the beach.

Kate “Puck” Connelly lost both her parents to the Capaill uisce, but now she and her brothers stand to lose their home unless they come up with some money fast. The hard-headed Puck decides to join the Races, pretty much against everyone’s wishes, save one.

Sean sees something in Puck that the others fail to see. But it gets harder.

Out of principle, the 17-year-old Puck refuses to ride the kind of animals who killed her parents. She will ride her spirited but utterly ordinary horse Dove against the creatures of the deep, intending to become the first female to ride in the Races. Everyone’s against it and nobody gives her a chance, save for Sean, who finds himself drawn to Puck despite his better judgment.

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TUESDAY MAY 1, 2012 24

The book’s narrative switches back and forth between Sean and Puck, with “Races” gaining momentum as the actual race gets closer. Stiefvater’s prose has always been a bit on the lush side, but here, it achieves a poignant poeticism.

While Sean is a bit of a brooding cipher, Puck is a bright, brave creation and Stiefvater builds a textured, believable world around them. Instead of the dark post-apocalyptic near future of the “Hunger Games,” “Races” has more of a recent past feel with Thisby clearly being Irish territory. With its focus on the horses, it’s more akin to books like Anna Sewell’s “Black Beauty” and Michael Morpurgo’s “War Horse” than “Games.”

Aside from the title and the other superficial similarities, “Races” becomes more distinct from the “Hunger” as it nears its end. For one thing, it’s a single volume instead of a trilogy, and while the Race itself has some violence, “Races” is far more of a full-fledged romance than “Games,” with the book plunging the reader into the sweeping and swooning setting.

There’s only one book, no trilogy; just one really well-told story for the possible finds beyond dystopia. And it is here, free as a throughbred, at the top of the Races. ■ Available in hardcover from National Book Store.

25 TUESDAY MAY 1, 2012

Lifestyle-Phils

Nail polish is the new lipstick new brands and collections with open arms.

“Nail polish is the fastest-growing segment of the beauty industry. My company’s sales have gone up by 50 percent over the last 18 months due to nail polish sales,” said Shelly Lazaro, president of Cytherea Global Cosmetics, the official distributor of SpaRitual in the Philippines.

She added, “People are using nail polish to express themselves in the most unique and colorful ways. With a variety of shades to choose from, it satisfies our inherent desire to individualize and theatricalize—an affordable luxury that is adding fun to our daily lives.”

by pam pastor Philippine Daily Inquirer

There’s no doubt about it—nail polish is the new lipstick. And I’m not just saying this because of my mad obsession.

In 2001, Estée Lauder board chairman Leonard Lauder coined the term “lipstick index.” It describes a phenomenon in the early 2000s: an increase in lipstick sales despite the recession.

During hard times, when people tighten purse strings and cut back on bigger luxuries, women turn to the cheaper thrill of makeup.

And who can blame them? When you can’t afford that hot bag or killer new shoes, cosmetics are a great way to inject color into one’s wardrobe.

Nail polish index Over a decade later, the lipstick index has been replaced by the “nail polish index.” Market research firm Mintel revealed that lipstick sales have been dwindling since 2007. NPD Group, another market research firm, reported that while lip product sales grew by eight percent in the first 10 months of 2011, nail polish sales increased by 59 percent.

Deborah Lippmann, manicurist to the stars and the woman behind the popular nail polish line of the same name, has witnessed the growth. “It’s exploding!” she said. “Nail lacquer is literally splattering everywhere and is growing in popularity because we started getting into the trend when the

recession hit, and we had to rethink how we did things.

“Women started doing their own nails and realized how fun it could be to create their own look.”

Ji Baek, founder of Rescue Beauty Lounge, is not surprised by the increase in demand. “You may not wear green or yellow lipstick, but you can translate the color blocking trend to your nails.

Having strangers compliment your nails is the same as getting a compliment on that bright yellow handbag that you will wear for only one season.” Ji’s New York-based luxury nail polish line has fans all over the world.

“Nail color is an affordable indulgence,” said Karen Grant, NPD’s global beauty industry analyst. “The size of the market is burgeoning, and there’s a huge opportunity for doubling or even tripling growth.”

But we don’t need a research firm to tell us that. There are signs all around.

In 2010, cosmetics giant Coty bought popular nail polish brand OPI for a reported $1 billion, while beauty brand L’Oreal acquired Essie for $28 million.

Dior released 27 nail polish shades in 2011 and it seems bent on beating that record this year. Chanel continues to produce cult favorites, with sold-out limited-edition shades still fetching insane prices on Ebay.

Special collections Companies and brands that have never released nail polish before (Topshop, American Apparel, Kate Spade, Calvin Klein, Tom Ford, Oscar de la Renta among others) have joined the lacquer game.

Creative collaborations between nail polish brands, celebrities and fashion designers continue to be huge. Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, Serena Williams and OPI; Justin Bieber, the Kardashians and Nicole by OPI collections; Betsey Johnson and Sephora by OPI; Alexander Wang, Prabal Gurung and Sally Hansen; Peter Som and Zoya— they’ve all worked together to bring new colors (and occasionally glitter) to your nails. The limited-edition nail polish collection that Thakoon Panichgul created with NARS is one of the year’s hottest and most anticipated releases.

TV and movie tie-ins are hot as well.

OPI came out with colors inspired by “Alice in Wonderland,” “Burlesque,” “The Muppets” and “Shrek,” and has upcoming sets inspired by “The Amazing Spider-Man” and Minnie Mouse. China Glaze released the muchtalked-about Hunger Games collection while Sephora by OPI came out with Glee-inspired shades including a blue one called “Slushied.” Soon, Orly’s Dark Shadows collection, which was based on the upcoming Tim Burton/Johnny Depp film, will also be available for purchase.

There has been an explosion of nail polish blogs worldwide. YouTube has been inundated with nail art tutorials.

The nail industry continues to flourish with the birth of new brands, the return of old trends (crackle, magnetic) and the development of new ones (gel, polish strips and decals, caviar).

In the Philippines, collections constantly and consistently sell out and nail polish fans welcome the arrival of

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Flying off shelves Donna Rae Viola-Andrada, marketing manager at Sprint Asia, the official distributor of Orly in the country, said, “We felt the growth in the demand for nail polish two to three years ago and it’s continuously increasing. We see how quickly Orly’s nail lacquers sell out. Women like matching their outfits with their nail color. A polished set of nails has become a fashion accessory.”

Sevrine Miailhe, marketing communication manager of Rustan’s Cosmetics, Perfumery and Toiletries Division, agrees. “Nail polish has become a fashion accessory, a fashion statement. You can play with amazing colors—blue, green, yellow, black, orange. There’s glitter, matte, nail art.

You can definitely be more daring.”

Rustan’s, which offers a number of prestige nail polish brands including Chanel, Dior, NARS, Laura Mercier and Deborah Lippmann, has witnessed the increase in demand for polish.

Sevrine said, “Customers come looking for new colors before they even arrive in the store. Our best-selling nail colors are flying off the shelves.”

And why shouldn’t they fly?

Nail polish is a fun and risk-free way of playing with trends. Peter Philips, creative director for Chanel Makeup, said to The New York Times, “Nail polish is just makeup. If it doesn’t work out, you can wipe it off.”

Nail polish is the new lipstick. This has been echoed numerous times—by The New York Times, Time Magazine, many other publications, beauty brands and industry experts.

And it’s a truth that is mirrored by my own life. I only wear lipstick when I go to weddings, but I feel naked when my nails are lacquer-free. ■ The author obsesses about nail polish on www.polishpolice.com.

Lifestyle-Phils

TUESDAY MAY 1, 2012 26

Puey Quiñones–from couture to cooking By pam pastor Philippine Daily Inquirer

‘This is Puey’s Penthouse’s ready-towear line,’ says the fashion designer of his affordable office meals Puey Quiñones will go down in my book as the first person to succeed in making me eat Bicol express. And bopis.

It was lunch on a scorching summer day and Quiñones paired his offerings with hot white rice. The Bopis (diced pig lungs and heart, simmered in fresh coconut milk and mixed with five spices and green Thai chili) was good, but it was his Bicol Express (thinly sliced pork belly simmered in fresh coconut milk and topped with green Thai chili) that I loved. It was so good that I kept thinking about it for days. I asked myself—why did I resist so long?

Then that it would be the start of a pattern—that, just a couple of weeks later, Quiñones would manage to make me eat more food I’ve never wanted to try before and actually enjoy it.

Other talent People know Quiñones as a fashion designer. But the closest to him know of his other talent—cooking.

Growing up in Samar, Quiñones said his family didn’t have a lot of food. “Super hirap namin, deprived kami sa food. I had to be creative. Kung anong meron sa kitchen gagawan mo ng paraan para makakain ka.

I used to eat oil and rice and add toyo for flavor.”

The lack of food fueled his passion for it.

“As a 6-year-old, I used to watch the rice cooking. It was fascinating.”

Quiñones was 10 when his family got its first stove. Before that, they used charcoal to cook. When he was in high school, Quiñones’ parents asked him to prepare the family meals often. “I would make tinolang hipon, favorite ko ’yon noong bata ako.”

When he moved to Manila to work for his aunt and her business partner fashion designer Dennis Lustico, Quiñones kept his love for food and his family recipes with him.

“Food is my drug, food is my life. I can make fashion, I can create fashion. But food feeds me, food feeds my soul,” he said. While people in the fashion world spend money on clothes, bags and shoes, Quiñones would rather splurge on food.

He remembers spending his first paycheck as a designer on food. “I ate at Prince Albert. I always wanted to try foie gras so I did.”

Good food Quiñones doesn’t just enjoy eating food, he loves cooking for family and friends. And while he continues to design, he’s been dreaming of starting a food business for a

Puey’s Crispy Pata

Puey’s Roasted Chicken

Puey’s Pasta Aligue

while now; he wants more people to taste his food. Enter Andrew Rivera.

Rivera, who moved here from Los Angeles and is now a bartender/model, was also looking for a business to start. “I met Quiñones a while ago and when I was considering my options, he talked about wanting to go into food. I said, why not?”

Rivera loves Quiñones’ food. “I usually have a dish I like and I overdose on it and end up not liking it after a month. I don’t get that with Puey’s food. Maybe it’s because of the variety. And his food is so flavorful. The flavors are intense.

Eating his food is an experience.”

His favorites include the Pasta Aligue (spaghetti noodles topped with aligue sauce, Spanish sardines, Italian seasoning, black olives, parsley and parmesan cheese); Native Chicken (which Quiñones serves two ways—Tinola or Adobo sa Gata); and Salted-Egg Salad.

The two are now partners and their roles are clear. Quiñones focuses on the food and makes magic in the kitchen, while Rivera is the investor and takes care of the business side.

“We call it Puey’s Penthouse,” said Rivera. “The original idea was for people to make a reservation, come to Puey’s home and we’ll host dinner for them. We can provide a relaxing dining atmosphere. We’ll entertain you. You can hang out with your friends and have really good food.”

They accept reservations for a minimum

of 10 people. Dinner includes appetizer, salad, three main courses and a glass of wine for each guest. There are different menus to choose from: Filipino (Pasta Aligue, Pochero, Caldereta, Bicol Express, Bulalo, Crispy Pata); Samar (Pinangat with Crispy Catfish, Ginataang Bopis, Humba, Escabeche, Tinolang Native Chicken, Native Chicken Adobo sa Gata); and Continental (Scampi Pasta Aioli, Roasted Garlic Chicken, Old-School Pork Chops, Slow-Roasted Pork Belly, PanRoasted Porgy and Fennel Salad).

The cost is P800 or P900 per head, depending on the dishes you pick.

Quiñones doesn’t think he’ll have problems juggling his two roles. He says fashion and food are very similar.

Roasted garlic chicken We got a taste of Puey’s Penthouse one Thursday. The incredible meal started with Salted-Egg Salad (sliced salted egg wedges with tomato, ripe mango, cilantro and four kinds of vinegar). Of all of those ingredients, I only eat two things—mango and cilantro. I am not a fan of vinegar and I hate salted egg.

“Just try,” Quiñones said. I picked up my fork and left my taste buds’ comfort zone.

Quiñones didn’t just create a refreshing salad that was very Pinoy in taste, he also managed to make me enjoy salted eggs, vinegar and fresh tomatoes, something I never thought was possible.

The meal continued with Roasted

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Garlic Chicken (slow-roasted chicken coated with olive oil, coated in pesto sauce and rosemary leaves then stuffed with lemongrass, garlic and onion), prepared beautifully.

“This is couture,” Quiñones joked as he carved the chicken. It was so good, my mouth still waters just thinking about it.

It was incredibly moist and flavorful. The baby potatoes and roasted garlic cloves complemented the chicken. I’ve had a lot of roasted chickens in my life but nothing quite like it.

Like Bicol express and bopis, laing is a dish I’ve never been intrigued by. But Quiñones’ Pinangat with Crispy Catfish (wrapped taro leaves simmered with coconut milk and sprinkled with fried crispy catfish) also changed my mind.

I enjoyed the spicy kick and how the crispiness of the catfish lent the dish an extra dose of texture.

The Humba (tenderized pork belly boiled then simmered in soy sauce and vinegar and mixed with laurel leaves, star anise and dried bamboo shoots) is a favorite of his friends. That Thursday, we realized why. It was rich and flavorful and the pork was fall-off-the-bone tender. Quiñones says his Humba is the combination of his grandmother’s and father’s recipes.

People who want to enjoy his cooking don’t need to bring a party of 10. Quiñones and Rivera also do catering. Their recent clients include Kate Torralba, Maureen Disini, Candy Dizon and Bonnie Tan. People can also choose to order trays of dishes individually.

Andrew’s Meal The two have also introduced Andrew’s Meal—affordable office meals. “This is Puey’s Penthouse’s ready-to-wear line,” said Quiñones. The meals can be delivered to offices in and near Makati.

Rivera said, “For Makati, we have a minimum of 10 orders per office. Outside Makati, the minimum will be higher. The great thing is the person who takes his officemates’ orders and calls us will get their lunch for free.” Orders should be made a day in advance.

They have a good variety of dishes available, from Ginataang Bopis, Humba and Bicol Express to BBQ Chicken, Ginataang Tilapia and Pork Binagoongan.

The meals range from P45 (Laing and rice) to P105 (Fish Fillet with Pesto Sauce). All meals come with rice.

For Quiñones, Puey’s Penthouse is more than just a business, it’s a chance for him to share his passion for good food and the rich culture of his beloved Samar. ■ Call Puey’s Penthouse at 5476155 or 0928-7309372; e-mail pueyspenthouse@ gmail.com. Visit www.facebook.com/ pueyspenthouse. Orders and reservations should be made three days in advance.

27 TUESDAY may 1, 2012

Travel-Phils

Exotic island set to charm, spoil guests

By Theresa S. Samaniego Philippine Daily Inquirer Summers in an exotic island?

It’s definitely more fun in the Philippines.

Specially if you end up spending it at the opulent, all-exclusive and members-only Alphaland Balesin Island Club in Quezon province.

Located about 35 kilometers off the eastern coast of Luzon, this 500-hectare island paradise used to serve as a frequent stop for treasure hunters centuries ago, and even became a vacation getaway for the Japanese after their occupation of the Philippines during World War II. Fast forward to today, however, Balesin Island is now being redefined and transformed by upscale property developer Alphaland Corp. the way exclusive recreational destination developments should be—a world-class destination resort to accommodate all sorts of indulgences. “At Balesin we aim to provide members with a unique, luxurious and exclusive island experience. With all its natural wonders, it’s a world unto itself, giving you that sense of remoteness and serenity. Yet, it’s just a quick flight to and from Manila,� says Michelle Ongpin, Alphaland SVP for corporate communications.

A true symbol of the high life, Balesin provides unparalleled pampering to its members from start to finish.

First, the trip to the island begins at the private hangar of Alphaland, where guests are accorded the privilege to use the 10 seater state-of-the-art Cessna Grand Caravan.

Luxury becomes even more evident as one starts to descend on Balesin’s 1,520meter long runway and gets an exceptional view of the island’s unmatched, or should I say, unspoiled natural beauty.

With six authentically designed villages taking inspiration from the world-famous and picturesque vacation destinations in Europe and Asia, Balesin club members will definitely have something new to explore and look forward to every time they visit the island.

6 luxury resort destinations Currently, Alphaland Balesin Island Club is the only recreational destination in the Philippines to provide six world-class luxury resort destinations within one small island. • Balesin Village exhibits the Philippines’ wealth of natural beauty and indigenous architecture—indeed, a Filipino’s home away from home.

The village offers 40 destination villas conveniently located near the clubhouse, spa and the aquatic sports center. • Bali Village, which also offers 40 destination villas, replicates the stunning landscapes of Bali, Indonesia, through the use of traditional building materials and elements reinterpreted by means of tropical landscape settings, generous open spaces, courtyards with wooden decks,

swimming pools and water features. The Bali development faces the majestic Sierra Madre Mountain range on the Luzon mainland. • Mykonos Village is meanwhile a vision in white and blue. It can draw you in with its white-washed houses, blue windows and doors, narrow, winding streets, and quaint restaurants and cafÊs, reminiscent of charming Greece. With 40 destination villas, guests are treated to a taste of Greece in the Philippines, complete with a Greek cafÊ should you have a craving for tzatziki or souvlaki. • Costa Smeralda Village, as its name aptly suggests, presents guests with a 40suite area reminiscent of the world-class tourist destination in Northern Sardinia, which has been attracting A-list celebrities, business leaders and other affluent visitors.

Balesin Club’s own rendition of this coastal getaway brings luxury comforts without marring the beauty of nature. • St. Tropez Village meanwhile gives a taste of France through the club’s 40 destination suites styled with St. Tropez chic and inspired by the world famous Byblos Hotel. • Phuket Village, on the other hand, has been situated atop rugged cliffs at the southernmost part of the island, allowing guests to have a stunning view of crystalline blue green waters from their guest houses. “Each village has been meticulously designed and constructed to resemble the destination it’s patterned after, and with the authentic cuisine that you can feast on in each village, you will feel as if you’re traveling around the world as you explore the island,â€? says Balesin project director Marco Diaz. “Each village is unique, but what they do have in common are the five-star amenities in the villas, including jacuzzis, indoor and outdoor luxury beds and landscaped pools. There is island-wide WiFi access in Balesin, direct-to-home TV via Cignal TV, as well as our very own Smart 3G cell site,â€? he adds.

The island life at Balesin

plans and made our structures fit into the environment,� Diaz claims.

Natural beauty Since only 10 percent of the island will be developed, members are thus assured that the natural beauty of the island will be kept in its splendor.

And as part of its sustainability thrust, Balesin would not allow cars anywhere on the island except for electric golf carts and on site eco-friendly transportation.

Water harvesting and proper sewage treatment—with 80 percent water recycling—will also be practiced and organic gardens will be situated in the island.

Ideal playground Add to that, the island’s fully equipped recreational facilities make it an ideal playground for both kids and adults. The more adventurous members can indulge in surfing and kite boarding while on the Pacific side of Balesin, as the rolling waves and winds provide an excellent venue for these activities. Balesin also offers horseback riding as an alternative to exploring the island by foot.

Noteworthy also is the developer’s effort to ensure that Balesin will be one of the world’s most eco-friendly resorts.

Diaz stresses that Balesin has been masterfully planned and engineered, with sustainability being a key design facet. “Over 90 percent of Balesin is untouched and preserved, and we intend to keep it that way. We integrated the trees into our

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1

“Sustainability is one of the prime development philosophies of Alphaland, and this is true for Balesin as well as our urban residential projects which are LEEDcertified,� Ongpin says. “At Balesin, we want to give you a place that has it all—wonders of nature, the luxuries of first-class living, and the most enjoyable activities—while ensuring that the place can thrive for may more generations to enjoy,� she further stresses.

Present and future members of Alphaland Balesin Island Club are entitled to 14 complimentary villa nights a year, along with subsidized flights to and from the island via a chartered flight. â–

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Travel-Canada

TUESDAY May 1, 2012 30

TV star Rick Mercer picks fave towns Of Tofino, he says: “It should be on everyone’s things-to-do-before-I-die list!”

Whale watching at Bay Bulls, Newfoundland Tofino, British Columbia

Courtesy of the Canadian Tourism Commission

Zoran Karapancev / Shutterstock.com

As the star of The Rick Mercer Report on CBC television, Rick Mercer has visited virtually every nook and cranny of the country to share stories about the people and places who live there. Here are Rick’s faves (in no particular order):

Rossland, British Columbia Mercer was charmed by this small town nestled in the West Kootenay area, located in the southeastern part of the province, high in the Monashee Mountains. “It is stunningly beautiful,” says Mercer. “Because of the elevation, residents routinely pick up people who are walking and drive them up. They’re

so friendly!” Rossland is also famous for its annual winter carnival, the longest running in Canada.

Bay Bulls, Newfoundland Mercer, a native Newfoundlander, continues to discover new places in his home province. Bay Bulls is one such find.

It’s a small fishing village (population 1,000) just a short 30-minute drive from St. John’s. Since the 1500s, it has served as a fishing hub. “This is the place you want to go if you’re interested in whale watching, seeing icebergs or visiting the bird sanctuary,” he says. Take an excursion with O’Brien’s Whale and Bird Tours.

Churchill, Manitoba “My experience in Churchill was nothing like I imagined,” explains Mercer. “It’s amazing to travel in a tundra buggy and come nose to nose with a polar bear. I saw so many. They were everywhere.” Located on Hudson Bay in the far north, the area is renown for polar bears and beluga whales.

“The colour of the sky is stunning and the landscape makes you feel like you are on a different planet.”

Celebrity Rick Mercer at 2010 Pride parade in Toronto

Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

Polar bear tours in Churchill, Manitoba

Lunenberg, Nova Scotia Lunenberg is “like Venice,” he says. “No matter which way you point your camera, you can’t take a bad photo.” It’s true. Located on Mahone Bay on the south shore of the province, this historic farming, fishing and shipbuilding town, founded in 1753, has oodles of charm. The celebrated ship, Bluenose, is moored in the harbour.

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Custom homesites at Red Mountain, Rossland BC

Tofino, British Columbia “I love a beautiful beach,” says Mercer.

“And I’ve never seen one as spectacularly beautiful as the one here. It should be on everyone’s things-to-do-before-I-die list!” Tofino, on the west coast of Vancouver Island, draws an eclectic mix of surfers, nature enthusiasts and storm watchers. If you’re not exploring nature, discover the local cuisine. Try fish tacos at SoBo, or book a table with a view at The Pointe Restaurant at the Wickaninnish Inn. ■

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TUESDAY MAY 1, 2012

Entertainment www.canadianinquirer.net

No kidding: Children rate TV shows they like

by Marinel R. Cruz Philippine Daily Inquirer A show like “Wil Time Bigtime” appeals to kids because it gives money to the poor.

“Children said they liked the idea of helping the less fortunate,” said Frank G. Rivera, executive director of the National Council for Children’s Television or NCCT, which hosted the “Bata Ako, May Tinig Ako” forum held recently at the Department of Education complex in Pasig City.

The event was attended by 20 children ages 9 to 16 and aimed to “flesh out important thoughts of kids about the media,” Rivera told Inquirer Entertainment.

During the forum, the children were given placards bearing the thumbs-up sign for “like” and the thumbs-down sign for “dislike.” They were asked to rate TV programs by raising their like or dislike placards.

Favored were “Tropang Potchi,” an educational program on GMA 7; “Budoy,” a drama series about a mentally challenged boy on ABS-CBN; “Junior Masterchef” and “Spoon,” both cooking shows on ABS-CBN and Net 25, respectively; “TV Patrol,” a news program on ABS-CBN; “Failon Ngayon” a weekly news magazine show on ABS-CBN; and “Wil Time Bigtime” on TV 5.

Understanding the issues “The children admitted that while they didn’t really understand most of what was discussed in new programs, they understood their importance,” explained Rivera. Most kids disliked the child-oriented program “Goin’ Bulilit” on ABS-CBN. The kids said they didn’t understand why child actors had to play adults in the show.

The children also made recommendations during the event. “They wanted to see educational shows made more entertaining, and entertaining shows made more substantial

and educational,” said Rivera. “Also more animated programs that talk about the Filipino child and our culture.”

No to violence The children decried the violence to children on TV. “They didn’t like to see children being slapped, punched, or bullied,” Rivera added. “They wanted more shows on nationalism, Filipino culture and tradition, and the Filipinos’ love for God and the environment.”

Rivera said kids also wanted more positive stories and less bad news in local news programs.

“The children we invited were those who had given us the most interesting ideas in past NCCT workshops,” said Rivera.

“They came from as far north as Baler in Aurora, to Tagum and Samal, both in Davao del Norte in the south.”

Rivera recalled a child telling him that “there seem to be only three major problems in the country. First is how to straighten curly hair and get rid of dandruff. Second, how to get whiter skin. Third, how to make your laundry smell clean and fresh.”

“Obviously,” Rivera pointed out, “these were ideas that the child had gotten from TV. He’s bombarded by product endorsements day in and day out.”

Rivera advised kids to be more discerning of what they see on TV. “I gave them these guidelines: First, a program should be entertaining. Second, it should be informative and truthful.

Lastly, the information you get from the program should be useful to you. I made them rate TV shows based on these criteria and got really interesting feedback.”

programs that will develop the Filipino child’s critical thinking and communication skills, moral values, and strong sense of national identity. It insists that children deserve to be heard because their opinions are essential and relevant.

The “Bata Ako, May Tinig Ako” forum was also attended

by NCCT chair Mag Cruz Hatol, child psychologist and NCCT council member Dr. Ma. Lourdes Carandang, and representatives from the broadcasting networks, the academe, and child-focused non-government organizations.

The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) upon the NCCT’s recommendation, recently announced that it would give incentives to childfocused programs to encourage more producers to create similar shows.

The MTRCB has decided to waive the preview fees of “Batibot” (TV 5), “Tropang Potchi” (GMA 7), “Got It” (ABS-CBN) and “KNC Show” (UNTV) for a year starting next month. ■

Improving kids’ TV shows The NCCT, an agency under the DepEd, was created to promote and encourage the production and broadcast of

Indie filmmaker takes a deeper look at the collapse of the Negros sugar industry

by Bayani San Diego Jr. Philippine Daily Inquirer

INDIE FILMMAKER Jay Abello thought he knew everything about the sugar industry in his home province of Negros Occidental. After all, he grew up in two haciendas in northern and southern Negros and worked as manager in his father’s farm for three years.

But he discovered there was more to it than met the eye when he began shooting the documentary, “Pureza: The Story of Negros Sugar.”

“The scope and the complexity of the subject matter were the biggest challenges,” he said. “The entire team had to learn the industry’s history, and that took time.”

Novel idea Three years ago, a group of elderly farmers approached Abello with an idea for a documentary on the collapse of the sugar industry during the martial law years.

“They wanted to tell their story to the present generation before they died,” Abello recalled.

The director of two Cinemalaya films set in Negros (“Ligaw Liham” and “Namets!”) was initially reluctant.

“I told them I wasn’t into exposés,” he recounted. “I said the industry was bigger than the Marcos era, and despite Ferdinand Marcos and [crony] Roberto Benedicto being long dead, the sugar industry has remained in bad shape.”

But one of the farmers answered that the sugar industry was “like a feather floating in the

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wind. No one knows where it’s going nor where it will end up.”

Controversial Abello observed that before the premiere in Bacolod and at the Bacollywood fest last February, there was plenty of apprehension about the film.

“It was intense,” he remembered. “I work closely with NGOS, so some thought the docu would be leftist. Others worried that I would favor hacenderos because of my background.”

But aware as he was that the docu’s topic might be divisive and incendiary, he claims he took pains to be fair: “We confront the issues from every angle. We spare no one. No sugarcoating, but also no grandstanding, and certainly no unnecessary drama.”

The mood at the screenings in his hometown was “somber,” he said. “People looked sad when the film was over.”

He plans to premiere the docu in Manila in May, and hopefully show it nationwide and abroad. ■

Entertainment

TUESDAY MAY 1, 2012 32

Photo courtesy of Ervin Santiago

Xian Lim speaks on stardom and Kim Chiu Shrugs off negative comments about his talent

by Marinel R. Cruz Philippine Daily Inquirer

ACTOR XIAN LIM laughed off the comment that he merely rode on the wave of popularity of his “My Binondo Girl” costar Kim Chiu and now benefits from it.

“It’s unfortunate that some people feel that way.

I admit that everything has changed for me since I did the teleserye, but I really worked hard for it.

I’m thankful to Kim’s supporters, but I think they were there for me, too. A fan group called KimXi was even formed because of our tandem,” said the 22-year-old actor.

Xian has signed up for at least seven product endorsements since he appeared on “My Binondo Girl.”

The latest is Globe’s Super Facebook (FB) package, exclusively for its prepaid subscribers.

In the now-defunct top-rated show on ABS-CBN, Xian portrayed the role of Andy Wu, a Chinese businessman who marries Kim’s character, Jade Dimaguiba, to help her reclaim the money her father took away. The two eventually fell in love.

“Kim and I are happy that we were able to inspire a lot of people with our work. They said they could relate to our characters,” Xian told movie scribes during a gathering hosted by Globe. The actor, however, denied he had a romantic relationship with Kim while working on the series.

“Walang ligawan,” Xian stressed, “although she knows that I’ll always be there for her. We’re good friends. We try to communicate as often as we can, in spite of the busy schedule we keep. Sadly, we only get to spend time together when there’s taping of a TV show or shooting of a film.”

every day, express yourself in so many different ways,” Xian said. “The downside is that you hardly get enough sleep, but this is manageable especially if you enjoy the company of the people you work with.”

Xian also said he didn’t mind the lost privacy he experiences as an actor. “I make people happy. I meet people who genuinely want to shake my hand—it’s all worth it for me.”

Using social network Xian said he considered social networking sites important for advancing an actor’s career. “They play a big factor, and not just in promotions. Through Facebook and Twitter, I also get to communicate with the fans. It’s my way of bonding with them, especially when I can’t be with them physically,” he explained. “Their comments help me improve as an actor. The downside is that there are posers. I have no problem with their posting my pictures on their accounts, but it’s tacky that some of them actually pretend to be me.”

Xian said he considered himself lucky that he hasn’t encountered any cyber bullies, unlike some of his colleagues in the biz. “I haven’t experienced an attack.

But it’s easy to block these people. The comments I get deal mostly with my screen performances. I try to read them all, and if I have time, I reply. It’s the least I can do to thank my fans.”

Xian recently appeared in the romantic-comedy film “My Cactus Heart,” by director Enrico Santos. He will star in a youth-oriented film by Frasco Mortiz, entitled “The Reunion,” with Enchong Dee, Enrique Gil and Kean Cipriano. ■

From basketball to drama Alexander Xian Lim Uy was born and raised in Daly City, California. When he first came to the Philippines, he played basketball with the University of the East Warriors, then landed a bit role in the 2008 drama series “Eva Fonda.” His first major acting role was in the TV adaptation of the film “Katorse,” in 2009. The following year, he appeared in the drama series “Rubi.”

“So far, I enjoy what I’m doing. In fact, the best thing about show biz is that you get to do different things

Award-winning Filipino actor excited to meet De Niro Arnold Reyes, up-and-coming indie actor, couldn’t contain his excitement over his invitation to the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, where his latest movie, Ron Morales’ “Graceland,” was chosen for the Cinemania section.

In an interview with Inquirer Entertainment before his flight to the United States, Reyes said that at the top of his wish list was to have a picture taken with Robert De Niro, the Oscar-winning actor and co-founder of the Tribeca film festival, along with other Hollywood stars he might meet on the red carpet.

Reyes and “Graceland” co-stars Leon Miguel and Ella Guevara arrived in New York on time for the cocktail party at the Philippine consulate and the film’s red-carpet premiere on April 20.

Apart from its premiere at Tribeca, “Graceland” also had a screening yesterday (Manila time), and will have another one on April 28.

Reyes won the best supporting actor award for “Astig” in the 2009 Cinemalaya festival. He said he did not think twice about auditioning for “Graceland,” though he was not familiar with the film’s Filipino-American director. “I googled Ron’s name and watched his film ‘Santa Mesa’ online,” he recalled.

Meeting the director Impressed, Reyes then met Morales at a Cubao coffee shop for the audition. “Ron asked me to do several interpretations of the same scene,” he recounted.

Morales then personally called Reyes to inform him that he had gotten the part—that of a politician’s driver who gets dragged into a kidnapping plot.

Reyes—also in the cast of the GMA 7 soap “My Beloved”—said he thrived with Morales’ “collaborative” work style. “We discussed and analyzed each line. We also rehearsed specific scenes repeatedly.”

It reminded Reyes of his stint in theater: “Ron was systematic. It was a different process. After the actors’ rehearsals, the technical staffers would also be given time to do their job. There was respect for each department in the filmmaking process.”

Film has special meaning In “Graceland,” Reyes plays the husband of a kidney patient (Angeli Bayani) who regularly accompanies his wife to her dialysis treatments.

The film is special to Reyes because he considers it a personal tribute to his mother’s memory. Africa Reyes was a school teacher who passed away in January 2011 after a lingering kidney ailment.

Reyes described his mom as a strong woman: “She refused to show us that she was in pain.”

(Morales didn’t know Reyes was undergoing a similar personal ordeal when he cast Reyes for the part. When the actor auditioned for it, the script was already finished).

Reyes added that he also identified with his father through the film: “I experienced my parents’ struggles. Despite all their problems, my dad stood by my mom till the end. Also, despite my mother’s illness, my parents were able to send my siblings and me to school.

His only regret is that his mother died before “Graceland” was finished. “But I used to tell her stories about the movie,” Reyes said. “I would describe to her our sets in dumpsites in Catmon and Parañaque. No matter how ugly our locations were, my mother loved my stories about my work in the film.” ■

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Photo courtesy of Ervin Santiago

by Bayani San Diego Jr. Philippine Daily Inquirer

33 TUESDAY MAY 1, 2012

Entertainment

Louise de los Reyes: Country girl at heart

Photo courtesy of Ervin Santiago

her nephews and nieces—much to her mom’s dismay.

At home, Louise holes up in her pink bedroom— catching up on her sleep, reading books (like “The Little Prince” and the “Twilight” series) or surfing the Net. Her mother recounted that Louise herself chose the color pink for her bedroom when she was Grade 2.

The room is girlish and filled with stuffed toys— presents from friends and fans. Enzo’s gifts—particularly souvenir items from a recent trip to Paris—occupy a special place on her dresser.

“I’ve always wanted to visit Paris,” she said wistfully.

“I imagine it to be so romantic.”

The self-confessed homebody said that she would love to travel more in the future.

Unfortunately, her work (in three Kapuso shows: “My Beloved,” “Party Pilipinas” and “Tween Hearts”) prevents her from joining costars Rhian Ramos, Derrick Monasterio, Lexi Fernandez and Alden Richards, who will attend the premiere of Yam Laranas’ “The Road” in Los Angeles next month.

by Marinel R. Cruz Philippine Daily Inquirer

TANZA, Cavite—Louise de los Reyes, GMA 7 teen star, is used to the long commute from the network’s studio in Quezon City to her family’s house in this Southern Luzon province.

She takes the scenic route along Coastal Road and Cavitex (Manila-Cavite Expressway) whenever she drives home. “The view along Cavitex is beautiful at dawn and at dusk,” she explained. “You see the sun rising from, and dropping into Manila Bay.” It has also cut her travel time by half, she said, freeing her to do other things.

Blogging on social networks She updates her Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr accounts constantly, and posts lots of photos on her Tumblr page.

She blogs as well. “I once wrote about being brokenhearted,” she said.

Before fans get the wrong idea (that she may be quarreling with rumored beau Enzo Pineda, for example), she clarified the issue for us. “I was inspired by the Jason Mraz song ‘I Won’t Give Up.’ It made me wonder what it felt to be broken-hearted, so I wrote down my thoughts on the subject,” she related.

She tackles less controversial topics, too. “When I come upon good restaurants or shops, I write about them,” she said. “I give fashion and shopping tips as well.”

The blogger likes playing online games as it gives her the opportunity to bond with her two brothers. “Our house looks like an Internet café on weekends! My brothers and I all sit around the living room with our laptops!” she said. She added that they were hooked on action-packed, role-playing games like Marvel Alliance.

“Sometimes we play all night—until 6 a.m.,” she confessed. “We sleep for a few hours and start playing again. Most of the people we play with are abroad, so time zones are different.”

Whenever she’s free, she plays with her four young pamangkin. Ever the child, Louise bickers endlessly with

Work and school On top of her show-biz commitments, she’s also in her last year in university—majoring in Foreign Service—at the Lyceum of the Philippines in General Trias, Cavite.

While taping the daily afternoon soap “Alakdana,” it was not uncommon for her to wrap up work at 6 a.m. and head straight to school for her 7 a.m. class.

Exhausted from her shoot, Louise, who prefers sitting at the front of the class, would often doze off.

“Luckily, my teachers were considerate. I had a full load when I was given ‘Alakdana.’ But I couldn’t pass up on the show since it was my biggest break. I also didn’t want to drop my subjects because it would look bad on my transcript,” she noted.

With a lot of blood, sweat and tears, she survived that grueling semester. Now she is enrolled in Lyceum’s homestudy program. She is clearly an overachiever and dreams of becoming a lawyer.

“I want to take up law in UP Diliman,” she said.

Her mom said that she has always trained Louise to value education and to balance well her academics and her extracurricular activities.

On the ground floor is an entire room devoted to Louise’s various achievements in school and in show biz. It is the TV room, and it doubles as a trophy room. Showcased in the room are various sashes and crowns from various pageants—from campus to modeling competitions.

Among her many titles are Miss Southern Luzon, Miss Jag Teen, Miss Pink Water, Miss Photogenic (Lyceum), Miss Teen Philippines and Miss Teen SuperFerry.

Her Famas Youth Achievement award is on display as well.

Louise made her big screen debut in Peque Gallaga’s indie film “Agaton and Mindy,” and is determined to leave her mark in show biz.

These days, she is reunited with “Alakdana” partner Alden Richards in the prime-time soap “My Beloved.”

“Alden hasn’t changed at all,” she said. “We’re so compatible. We started in this business at the same time.

He knows me inside and out. That’s why we work well together.”

She also hit it off with Dominic Zapata, who is directing “My Beloved.”

“It’s my first time to work with him, and he’s really cool,” she said. “Actually, the entire team is easy to work with.

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Long into the night and even early morning, the mood on the set stays light, and Direk Dominic is still energetic, encouraging us to give our all!”

Louise is always on the go and has devised a few smart storage ideas at home. For example, Louise decided to store her extensive shoe collection on the ground floor.

“It saves time,” Louise said. “Whenever I need a particular pair of shoes for a show or a taping, I don’t have to go up to my bedroom and look for them. They’re all on the ground floor and can be picked up and loaded in the car quickly.”

(Favorite pairs are the animal-print boots and pumps.)

Such time-saving tips are important, considering her hectic schedule.

She’s been so busy lately that she once fainted from overexhaustion. (She has firmly denied being pregnant.)

Far from city stress Since the incident, Louise has learned to take it easy and spend more time with her family in Cavite—especially during these sweltering summer months.

Home is her sanctuary, she said. So when the going gets tough in Show Town, she escapes to her family’s two-story home in Tanza.

“We’ve lived in Cavite the last fifteen years, since I was in the elementary,” recalled Louise, who is Mary Grace Perido in real life.

She prefers the laid-back pace of the province to the maddening rat race of the city.

“Iba sa probinsiya,” she asserted. “I love the peace and quiet here. Manila is so stressful. The traffic is awful.”

She didn’t even consider moving into a condo near the studio.

“I would rather stay home. It can be lonely living on your own. Here I can watch my pamangkin grow up.”

She’s a little bit of country and a whole lot of city brawler. Like a true-blue Caviteña, she admitted that she could be feisty. “I’m not the type to pick a fight, but I will not let anyone step all over me.”

Louise has also learned to cook, mostly recipes from her mom. “Simple dishes like sinigang and carbonara.”

She also bought a soda maker recently—to whip up home-made refreshments when it gets too hot outside.

She has all the makings of a future hausfrau and domestic goddess, but she insisted that getting married is the farthest thing from her mind right now.

(Is Enzo listening closely? Enzo is a constant visitor in the Perido home. He doesn’t seem to mind the long drive from Quezon City to Cavite—a plus point he may have over other suitors.)

Louise still has many items on her wish list. Apart from earning a law degree, she also hopes to build her own house someday.

She pointed out that the family residence didn’t necessarily reflect her taste in interiors. (The chandelier and other bits of décor were chosen by her mom, who bought them in Binondo, she said.)

She once saw a photo of a house online and saved it on her iPhone. “I got it from Tumblr,” she said. “It’s my dream home. The concept is shabby chic.”

It looks deceptively simple, she said. “But I would add a winding staircase. If we ever renovate this house, I’d like it to be all white, with touches of color from red throw pillows and other accent pieces.”

She also doesn’t want her comfort zone to be too cluttered. “I want it to look refreshing and relaxing,” she said.

Perfect for this scorching summer season. ■

Filipino Recipes

TUESDAY MAY 1, 2012 34

Deliciously citrus-y–kiwi pork with coconut cream sauce, roasted chicken breast with kiwi salsa Those are just some of the savory recipes formulated by Zespri, which supplies kiwi fruits from New Zealand. Steve Bunyan, regional market development manager for Southeast Asia introduced the Zespri varieties available locally: Gold and Green.

Zespri Green is the traditional kiwi we know—soft, sweet-sour and with “hairy” skin. It leaves a tingly feeling on the throat, which, Bunyan said, regular kiwi eaters get used to—pretty much like an “acquired tingle.”

Then there’s Zespri Gold—yellow kiwi which is much sweeter than the green ones. It has smooth skin, black seeds and yellow meat like that of a mango. Kids prefer its clean tropical taste.

Both kinds contain twice the amount of vitamin C of an

BY Irene C. Perez Philippine Daily Inquirer

If you are into tangy, citrus-y dishes, try cooking with kiwi. The juicy fruit usually associated with desserts, salads and juices can add an interesting zing to your dishes.

How do Kiwi Pork with Coconut Cream Sauce, Roasted Chicken Breast with Kiwi Salsa, and Marinated Fresh Salmon and Scallops with Kiwifruit sound to you?

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Cooking with kiwi Zespri Kiwis, Bunyan explained, are grown in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand. It originated from China where it was known as yang tao or Chinese gooseberry, before seeds made their way to New Zealand where it was renamed “kiwi” after the country’s national bird.

It is also known as the “kiwifruit.”

Zespri Kiwi is available in Asia, Europe and the US. Marketing consultant Dexter Difuntorum gave some tips on how to choose good kiwifruit: The Gold Kiwi is ripe upon picking.

Hold it between your fingers and check for firmness. It should yield to a soft squeeze, but shouldn’t be too soft. Hard kiwis are unripe and should be stored for a few days to ripen.

Kiwis will keep for 3-5 days in room temperature, or 4-7 days in the fridge.

Kiwi Pork with Coconut Cream Sauce ½ tsp crushed cardamom seeds 1 tsp finely chopped lemongrass 500 g pork fillet or 4 pork medallions 1 tbsp oil 1 tbsp Thai curry paste (red or green) 1 165-ml can coconut cream 2-3 Zespri Green kiwi, peeled and sliced Cooked rice

m Andre Nantel / Shutterstock.co

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orange, vitamin E, potassium, folic acid, plus antioxidants like polyphenols and carotenoids, which are said to promote healthy cells and boost immunity.

“Kiwi can also aid digestion because it has fibers and an enzyme called actinidin that digests protein, making it a healthy snack,” Bunyan said in an interview at Cerverseria Tapas Bar in Greenbelt 3, Makati.

Rub the seeds, lemongrass and ginger over pork and leave to marinate, covered, for an hour at room temperature.

Heat a large frying pan, add the oil and sear the pork on both sides. Turn the heat down and continue cooking pork until done. Remove from the pan and keep warm.

Add the Thai curry paste to the same pan. Sizzle to release fragrant aromas.

Stir in the coconut cream, adding a splash of water if it’s too thick. Return the pork to the pan and simmer for a few minutes.

Place the pork on top of freshly cooked rice. Add kiwi slices and pour the sauce.

Serves four. ■ Visit www.zespri.com for more recipes.

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Publisher Philippine Canadian Inquirer Head of Editorial Melissa Remulla-Briones Editorial Consultant Maria Ramona Ledesma Contributors Jeffrey J.D. Andrion Gigi Astudillo Dr. Rizaldy Ferrer Marietta Pangan-Dutkoski Stella Reyes Jenn Torres Frances Grace H. Quiddaoen Laarni de Paula Rodel J. Ramos Felichi Pangilinan Buizon Graphic Designer Victoria Young Illustration Danvic C. Briones Photographer Art Viray Angelo Siglos Ryan Ferrer Solon Licas Sales and Operations Laarni de Paula Dominador Masakayan MaryAnn Roque Advertising Agent CNM Communications (604) 619 - 4208 HINGE INQUIRER PUBLICATIONS CUSTOM PUBLISHING GROUP Managing Editor Maita de Jesus Asst. Creative Director Bong Sevilla Graphic Artist Reggie Goloy Editorial Assistant Phoebe Casin Associate Publisher Lurisa Villanueva Jr. Associate Publisher Millicent Agoncillo Project Coordinator Lychelle Ang In cooperation with the Philippine Daily Inquirer digital edition PHILIPPINE CANADIAN INQUIRER is located at Suite 400 North Tower 5811 Cooney Road, Richmond B.C. Canada Tel No. 778-3836090 / 778-383-3203 • Email us at : info@ canadianinquirer.net or inquirerinc@gmail.com

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