Philippine Canadian Inquirer Issue #17

CANADA’S FIRST AND ONLY NATIONWIDE FILIPINO-CANADIAN NEWSPAPER VOL. 6 NO. 17

WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012

CANADA NEWS

Filipino-Canadians celebrate Philippine Independence Day (On page 18)

AP Photo / Chris Carlson

Queen calls Diamond Jubilee celebrations ‘humbling’ and an ‘inspiration’ ( On page 21 ) Appeal mechanism needed for biometric visa plan due to imperfect system ( On page 24 ) Manny Pacquiao, right, lands a left to the head of Timothy Bradley, in their WBO world welterweight title fight Saturday, June 9, 2012, in Las Vegas.

Please see related stories on pages 17 and 42.

Filipino-Canadian in Focus: Ronnie Miranda

Aquino: CJ ouster brightens democracy

BY NORMAN BORDADORA Philippine Daily Inquirer MALOLOS, Bulacan—In an Independence Day speech, President Aquino said the removal of Chief Justice Renato Corona brightened the essence of democracy in the country.

Mr. Aquino led the flag-raising and wreath-laying ceremonies at Barasoain Church here, where the first Philippine Constitution was drafted and where the First Republic was proclaimed during the struggle against 333 years of Spanish colonial rule.

“The Constitution that should be the refuge of the common person has become the plaything of those who act like kings.

They move as if they hold the blindfold of justice, as if they are licensed to change, SOME 600 militant protesters burned an effigy of President Aquino, denouncing him as a “farm pest” and saying there

could be no true independence without genuine land reform and with foreign troops in the country.

“It is hypocritical for Aquino to say that his government is fighting for new freedom when the exact opposite is happening,” said Renato Reyes, secretary general of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan.

“This government wants to perpetuate our colonial and neocolonial past by allowing the stationing of foreign troops on Philippine soil and by allowing foreign interests to dictate our economic development,” Reyes said in a statement.

The protesters marched to Don Chino Roces Bridge, formerly Mendiola, outside Malacañang, and torched a giant image of Aquino as a snail.

The effigy stood for “Pesteng Noy, Parasite Noy and Puppet Noy,” said Willy Marbella, deputy secretary general of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas.

He said the President was “a pest to the Filipino peasantry.”

“There is no genuine freedom and democracy,” he said. “The intensifying US economic, political, cultural and military intervention, coupled with Aquino’s rabid puppetry is the biggest slap on Philippine independence.”

Reyes said Mr. Aquino’s “tuwid na daan (straight path) rhetoric cannot hide the fact that we are constantly being taken advantage of by foreign interests, mainly the US.” “We cannot enjoy political and economic sovereignty when foreign interests and dictates continue to dominate us. Aquino has been all too willing to have our sovereignty undermined,” he said.

Reyes further maintained that under the present administration, there could More on page 7

( On page 25 )

Lazy Bear Wilderness Expedition - Signature Experience Collection ( On page 37 )

Fans, news media saw Pacquiao a clear winner ( On page 42 ) To subscribe, please send an email to

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News-Phils No merger with GMA 7, says Pangilinan 3 WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012

BY MARINEL R. CRUZ and BAYANI SAN DIEGO JR. Philippine Daily Inquirer

THE DENIAL came just as swiftly as the “confirmation.”

When business tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan addressed a media gathering in San Francisco, Calilfornia, he seemed to speak for two television networks: TV5, which he chairs, and GMA 7, which he has been trying to buy through the Philipine Long Distance Telephone Co., of which he is also chair.

The occasion was the contract signing between TV5 and Dish Network, as a result of which the cable provider now offers subscribers shows from the two Philippine TV channels. Pangilinan urged Filipinos across North America to “support TV5 but also not to forget GMA 7.”

The INQUIRER asked Pangilinan whether his statement meant the long-rumored merger of two networks was a done deal.

Pangilinan merely said discussions were “still

ongoing” and “nothing has been finalized.” The negotiations were “taking time,” he added, because many aspects had yet to be resolved, not the least of which was for how much shareholders were willing to sell GMA 7. He promised to “definitely announce” developments even if, in the end, nothing came of the talks.

He explained his apparent endorsement of Kapuso programs to Dish Network subscribers: “We need to help each other to reach more Filipinos abroad. They are helping us. We are cooperating.”

Asked how he saw the Philippine broadcast industry evolving in the next five years, Pangilinan said, “It would be run ... not by me entirely. I hope there will be others in command, but we will definitely be a major player.”

The INQUIRER asked Felipe L. Gozon, GMA 7 chair and chief executive officer, if there was truth to the rumor that the merger was due in November.

Gozon’s response via text: “No.” Pangilinan denied that what he said at the contract

Ratification of PH-Aussie military pact set at Senate

BY MICHAEL LIM UBAC Philippine Daily Inquirer ALARMED by the growing aggressiveness of China, the Senate leadership is poised to ratify today the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (Sovfa) between the Philippines and Australia, a military treaty that does not allow basing rights and retain the country’s jurisdiction over heinous crimes such as rape.

Only Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago has kept the Senate at bay, frustrating efforts by the chamber, led by the Senate foreign relations committee chair, Loren Legarda, to have the treaty, signed five years ago.

For two days in a row, Santiago had effectively derailed the passage of Senate Resolution No. 788 calling for the ratification of the agreement.

Interpellating Legarda, sponsor of the treaty, Santiago complained that the treaty was “vague.” She claimed that it would exempt Aussie troops from paying taxes during military exercises, and prevent Filipino and Aussie courts from imposing the death penalty on erring soldiers.

“This treaty violates the doctrine of void for vagueness.

It is so vague that it will spawn myriad irritants in RPAustralia relations,” said Santiago.

Santiago said that the proponents of the agreement had not made clear its constitutional basis.

“Why should Filipino military forces be trained by Australians in Philippine territory? Why are we not capable of training our own military forces within our own country?” she asked.

‘Grave dangers’ In her sponsorship speech, Legarda called for a “better prepared and better equipped naval and military force.”

“We are faced by grave dangers and threats not present 15 years ago and the Philippines is at the strategic center of all these realities,” said Legarda. “A strategic center that has no fulcrum will not be able to realistically wage a sustainable, winning crusade against these regional and global threats.”

Legarda pointed out that Australia and the Philippines were two sovereign nations “whose survival will be defined by its defense and protection of its maritime domains. We share with Australia a strong interest in maritime security cooperation and a shared strategic interest in the security of Southeast Asian shipping lanes.”

Despite Santiago’s concern, the Senate leadership

vowed to ratify the treaty before the sine die adjournment.

Security umbrella During floor deliberations, senators stressed that the Sovfa was a much-needed “protective defensive treaty” amid the West Philippine Sea standoff, providing a measure of safety and confidence to the country on top of the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) between Manila and Washington.

“We need no offensive treaty, but what we need is a protective defensive treaty with our friends and allies,” said Sen. Edgardo Angara, explaining that the Sovfa would complete the so-called “security umbrella” of the Philippines He noted that the Philippines had security arrangements—from North to South—South Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Association of Southeast Asian Nations partners, Singapore and Indonesia. “(The Sovfa) is a shield for defense that the Philippines needs. The Philippines is on its knees defensively. This one will provide a measure of safety and confidence,” he said, taking note of the lingering tension stemming from the disputed Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal.

Environmental protection According to Legarda, the Sovfa sets a precedent in defense agreements because it had unique provisions on environmental protection.

She explained that the agreement explicitly prohibited the conduct of exercises or other activities in protected areas, ancestral domain areas, critical watersheds and protected forest areas.

“It also provides that any environmental damage will be subject to claims and compensation and that the Sending State will be responsible for the rehabilitation of damaged areas,” she said.

Proposed by the Philippines in 2006, the Sovfa was signed in Camberra in 2007, and was ratified by Australia in the same year. President Aquino endorsed the treaty for Senate ratification in December 2010.

“The Sovfa is not a product of any country’s desire to expand and preserve its position of advantage over others,” Legarda said, explaining that the agreement would provide for enhanced bilateral defense and military cooperation between the Philippines and Australia through an exchange of visits. ■

signing in San Francisco was a confirmation of anything.

It turns out, Gozon and Pangilinan had quickly gotten in touch after speculation to that effect came out in another paper.

Gozon forwarded to the INQUIRER a text message from Pangilinan’s camp: “MVP was misquoted... The TV5-GMA 7 bundled offering... is a marketing strategy of the Dish Network.” The “bundling,” an insider pointed out, was precisely what brought about the confusion.

The text from Pangilinan’s camp further said: “There is no such thing as a November deadline. We do not know where that came from ... [the two camps still have to agree on] price and other essential matters.”

Gozon said he couldn’t “add to what TV5 said.”

TV5 star Sharon Cuneta told the INQUIRER said that the text originally came from Ray Espinosa, TV5 president and chief executive officer.

Butch Raquel, GMA 7 consultant for corporate communications, maintained that the network was not in a position to comment on Pangilinan’s supposed confirmation of a merger because “we are not the source of the information.” Raquel added: “To our knowledge MVP has clarified that he was misquoted.” ■

Solons balk, so Belmonte forms panel

BY LEILA B. SALAVERRIA Philippine Daily Inquirer

AMID the continued reluctance of many lawmakers to release their statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN), Speaker Feliciano Belmonte said he was forming a group composed of leaders of the different political parties in order to get a consensus on the issue.

Until a consensus is formed, Belmonte said he was leaving it to the individual lawmakers to decide whether or not they want to disclose their detailed SALNs in the spirit of transparency.

“For us to come to an agreement that all of us (would) be bound by the same rule... I’m actually in the process of picking a group of people, leaders from all parties... to come to a consensus on (the SALN issue),” Belmonte told reporters.

The challenge to lawmakers to disclose their SALNs came up following the ouster of Chief Justice Renato Corona for failing to declare all his bank accounts and properties in his SALN. Corona had initially signed a waiver allowing the disclosure of his bank accounts if a senatorjudge and the 188 congressmen who impeached him signed the same document. He subsequently signed an unconditional waiver.

But so far, very few lawmakers have released their SALNs, among them, Bayan Muna partylist Rep. Neri Colmenares, Akbayan party-list Representatives Walden Bello and Kaka Bag-ao, Quezon Rep. Lorenzo Tanada III, Anakpawis party-list Rep. Rafael Mariano and Palawan Rep. Antonio Alvarez.

Asked what could be stopping some lawmakers from disclosing their assets, Belmonte said that they all had political opponents.

“Remember, we are all politicians here. We have built-in opponents in our own districts and so forth,” he said. ■

News-Phils CJ aspirants must submit bank waiver, SALN

BY PHILIP C. TUBEZA Philippine Daily Inquirer THE JUDICIAL and Bar Council (JBC) required all aspirants to the post of Chief Justice to waive the confidentiality of their bank accounts and to submit their statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN), Sen. Francis Escudero said.

Escudero, a JBC member, said that acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima inhibited themselves when the council met to discuss the nominations for the next head of the judiciary.

The post is vacant after the Senate impeachment court found last week then Chief Justice Renato Corona guilty of culpable violation of the Constitution, resulting in his dismissal.

“The JBC voted to add the requirement that applicants execute a waiver on the secrecy of their bank accounts and [dollar accounts under] the Foreign Currency Deposits Act in favor of the JBC,” Escudero told reporters after the JBC meeting at the Supreme Court in Manila.

“This is for the JBC to compare the contents of their bank accounts and the SALN that they will fill [out],” he added.

Too much But Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, who presided over Corona’s impeachment trial, frowned on the new requirement.

“That’s too much. It’s OA,” Enrile said of the requirement. “It’s like telling the nominee we do not trust him. So, he needs to waive his right [to the secrecy of his bank accounts].”

Enrile said that in the case of Corona, he volunteered the waiver on his bank accounts after the impeachment court had learned that some of his properties were not listed in his SALN. “This is a different situation. It’s like telling wouldbe public servants we do not trust them. Maybe it would be better to just dissolve the republic. There is no hope if we do not trust our elected and appointed officials occupying powerful positions,” he said.

Enrile said he would not agree to such a condition if he were the nominee. “I will be serving the country and immediately you suspect my motives,” he said.

The nomination process begins after the vacancy for the top post in the Supreme Court is formally announced to the public through newspapers this Friday.

The deadline for nominations and applications is on June 18 and the JBC is expected to be ready by July 18 with its short list of nominees for submission to President Aquino, said Maria Milagros Cayosa, a JBC member representing the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).

Cayosa said the nominees’ bank accounts would be examined by JBC members only and would not be released to the public.

“Integrity is very important … regardless of where they come from. They should be willing to sign that waiver for the JBC to look into their foreign currency deposits,” she said.

“It’s just for the eyes of the council members. If they want to give the waiver to the public, that is their option,” she added.

Escudero said current or former government officials who would be nominated would also be required to submit their SALN from the time they joined the civil service.

Those coming from the private sector would also be required to execute and submit a SALN “as of Dec. 31, 2011.”

Fewer applicants seen “These have been adopted by the JBC …. Maybe there would be fewer applicants,” Escudero said in jest, adding that he was the one who proposed that applicants sign a waiver.

“The JBC voted to add this requirement for all of those who would apply or accept their nominations.

[If the aspirant does not sign a waiver], the JBC will decide if his name would be included in the list that would be published,” Escudero said.

“In the past, the JBC excluded applicants and nominees who did not comply with the submissions required by the JBC,” he added.

Carpio, De Lima Escudero said Carpio and De Lima, who are also JBC members, inhibited themselves from the council’s proceedings out of propriety.

Carpio and the four other most senior members of the Supreme Court are deemed automatically nominated for the post of Chief Justice. Mr. Aquino himself has floated De Lima’s name as a possible replacement for Corona.

However, Carpio did not categorically state if he was accepting the nomination.

“Justice Carpio inhibited himself and we also excused Secretary De Lima because we don’t want to add color to our deliberations... We thought it wise so that the JBC process would not be questioned from the very start,” Escudero said.

Carpio presided over the JBC meeting as acting chair when it decided to submit the names of 14 nominees for the three vacancies in the Court of Appeals.

Hermosisima presided But when it was time to discuss the nominations for Chief Justice, Carpio inhibited himself. De Lima, who is next in line as chair, also inhibited herself and so retired Supreme Court Justice Regino Hermosisima presided over the meeting.

“Actually, this is unprecedented because this is the first time that we had two acting [chairs] in one day.

It never happened in the past,” Cayosa said.

WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012 4

She added that De Lima had told the council that she was “not personally applying but should there be [a] need later on, I would like to keep my options open.”

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, De Lima said a council member had asked her if she was interested in the position of Chief Justice.

“My answer was ‘I am not applying for the position of Chief Justice’ and if and when nominated, then that is the time that I will decide whether to accept or decline the nomination,” the justice secretary said.

In the meantime, De Lima said she would not be participating in the JBC deliberations on the nominations and applications for Chief Justice.

“I decided to inhibit from being the presiding officer of the discussions for the nomination process until after I shall have decided on any nomination. It’s just an eventuality,” she said.

‘Delicadeza’ “In the same manner, acting Chief Justice Carpio was also on the side of prudence and exercising delicadeza that, in the event he would also be nominated,” she added.

Escudero said Carpio and De Lima could again join the JBC deliberations if they were not nominated, did not apply, or if they declined if nominated.

Supreme Court Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro was also present “as a consultant” when the JBC discussed the Court of Appeals nominations. Like Carpio, she later inhibited herself because she was also a senior member of the high court and was deemed automatically nominated, Cayosa said.

Nominees have until June 18 to decide whether to decline or accept their nominations, she said.

Long list by June 25 “And then on June 25, we will have a long list. That long list will be published on June 27. About the first week of July, we will have the interviews and then, hopefully by July 16, we will have a short list,” the IBP representative said.

Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano called on the President to insulate from politics the JBC’s selection process.

“If there is one appointment that is most important, so far, in his administration, and that will affect us, maybe, even for a decade, it is this. It is as important as his election,” Cayetano said.

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III urged the public to closely scrutinize nominees to the post of the Chief Justice, saying that the finalization of the JBC list basically meant a done deal.

Corona clique Pimentel likewise advised against choosing a candidate “within the clique” of the impeached former Chief Justice, said to be seven to eight associate justices, to ensure a “natural checking mechanism.”

Pimentel pointed out that the next Chief Justice need not necessarily come from within the Supreme Court.

“It has happened in the US and it has happened also here,” he said, adding that the candidates as the next Chief Justice could include practicing lawyers, not only judges and justices.

But Speaker Feliciano Belmonte prefers an insider to be the next Chief Justice.

Someone who is on the Supreme Court or in the judicial system would be a good choice because he or she already knows the ropes, Belmonte said.

“For me, the first preference should be [for] the people already in the Supreme Court or [on] the court system.

But still, the President should be given as wide a leeway as possible,” he told reporters in an interview. ■ With reports from Cathy C. Yamsuan, Jeannette I. Andrade, Leila B. Salaverria and Michael Ubac

Witness: RJ met suspects on plot to kill Ramgen

BY NATHANIEL R. MELICAN Philippine Daily Inquirer

RAMON Joseph “RJ” Bautista, one of the suspects in the killing of his brother Ramgen on Oct. 28 last year, discussed the murder plot on at least two occasions with one of the alleged killers.

This was according to prosecution witness Ruel Puzon, who claimed he was one of those initially recruited to kill Ramgen and that he later distanced himself from the plan against the aspiring actor and son of former Sen. Ramon Revilla Sr. Puzon spent about two hours on the witness stand at the Parañaque Regional Trial Court-Branch 274, his head often bowed as he recounted how suspect Ryan Pastera allegedly asked him to be part of the group hired to kill Ramgen.

The killing was supposed to be carried out on Oct. 12, the same day he received a photo of Ramgen, he said.

Two days laster, Puzon said, he, another suspect Micheal Nartea, Pastera and RJ met in a van to discuss the plot. “[Pastera] had a companion (who) was in the driver’s seat,” he said in his direct examination by prosecutor Apolinar Quetulio.

Asked to identify who the companion was and whether that person was present in court, Puzon stood up and pointed to RJ, who was then seated next to Pastera.

At that time, Puzon said, he was not yet aware of RJ’s full identity or his relation to the plot’s target. During the meeting in the van, he and Nartea received P19,000 as initial payment from Pastera, he added.

Puzon said he saw Pastera and Nartea again at around 3 a.m. on Oct. 17 when they went to BF Homes, Parañaque City, to familiarize themselves with Ramgen’s house.

“He showed us the route we should take,” Puzon said, as Pastera threw sharp glances at him. While observing Ramgen’s house from outside, Pastera spoke to someone on the phone, he said.

Puzon said the person on the other end of the line was RJ. On Oct. 19, Puzon said he met again with Nartea and the other suspects to discuss how they would finish off Ramgen if the latter manages to escape from the house. “That was my last meeting with them, but Michael still talked to me (on the phone) after that, saying that they would soon finish the job.”

After the murder, Puzon said, he voluntarily went to the police to admit what he knew of the plan.

“At that time, I was just in for the ride … for the money,” he stressed.

He said he only came to know RJ’s full name when the latter surrendered to the police after Ramgen was killed at his BF Homes residence on the night of Oct. 28. Ramgen’s girlfriend, Janelle Manahan, was seriously injured in the attack.■

News-Phils

WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012 6

Refuse nomination, Lacson tells De Lima

BY MICHAEL LIM UBAC Philippine Daily Inquirer

they called then Chief Justice Renato Corona a “lawless tyrant.”

DON’T EVEN THINK about it.

This, in a nutshell, was the unsolicited advice of Senator Panfilo Lacson to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, who is among the “outsiders” who may be nominated to the post of Chief Justice.

Lacson said De Lima should refuse any nomination outright, when the senator was told that the justice secretary and acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio had decided against participating in the deliberations by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) on nominations for the next Chief Justice.

“Unfortunately for her, she may not be qualified because she has a pending disbarment case, and I heard from inside sources at the Supreme Court that if you have a pending disbarment case, you are automatically disqualified,” Lacson told Senate reporters.

De Lima and President Benigno Aquino’s spokesperson, Edwin Lacierda, are both facing a disbarment case in the Integrated Bar of the Philippines stemming from a complaint by private lawyer Agustin Sundiam.

Sundiam asked the high court to mete out disciplinary action to De Lima and Lacierda for their remarks at a press conference in which

Dacer killing The animosity between Lacson and De Lima is an offshoot of the decision of the justice secretary to insist on an arrest warrant against the senator despite the court’s dismissal of the case filed against him over the killings of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver, Emmanuel Corbito.

Lacson went into hiding for over a year and surfaced only in March 2011, after the warrant of arrest was lifted by the court.

The senator also cited De Lima’s disobedience to the temporary restraining order (TRO) the high court issued on Nov. 15, 2011, which lifted the travel ban on former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo.

“I think propriety dictates that in case she is nominated [for the Chief Justice post], she should beg off. First, she was at loggerheads with the Supreme Court not just with the former Chief Justice, but the court [itself] because of the defiance of the TRO,” Lacson said.

“But of course, she is well within her rights to accept if there is a nomination. But first things first—the problem is, she might not qualify because of the disbarment case.” ■

Scare tactics for jaywalkers

BY MIKO MORELOS

Philippine Daily Inquirer

THE OMINOUS images couldn’t be more direct to warn pedestrians than a man laying dead, with the word “jaywalker” splashed across his body, and another climbing over a fence at a busy intersection.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has turned to these graphic warnings, hoping to discourage illegal crossing of streets, as its “no jaywalking” signs do not seem to be delivering the message across to the public.

“When we use visual graphics, people will have a better appreciation of what is wrong with jaywalking,” MMDA Chair Francis Tolentino told reporters.

“Before, we placed warnings like ‘Nakamamatay (Dangerous)’ or ‘May Namatay Na (Someone died before), but these have been ignored.”

Tolentino formally dispatched the MMDA’s “Men in Red” at the Edsa Ortigas Avenue intersection as part of the agency’s campaign against jaywalkers.

Other teams were sent to jaywalking “hot spots,” such as Balintawak, Litex and Commonwealth Avenues in Quezon City, and Pasay Taft Rotunda.

Fine or crash course As of June 5, 168 people were apprehended. They either paid the P200 fine or underwent a 15-minute crash course on disaster preparedness.

Senior citizens and minors are exempted from paying the fine, but “they will still be reminded of the jaywalking policy because we don’t want them to be put in danger,” Tolentino said.

The MMDA chief ordered the placement of the graphic warnings, but said he refrained from going into very detailed images as those from actual incidents may disturb the public’s sensibilities.

He showed to reporters two pictures taken by the MMDA recording scenes of accidents involving pedestrians hit by large vehicles. In one image, he said, the victim was squashed by a 10-wheel truck along Roxas Boulevard in Manila.

At least 15 pedestrian-related road accidents are reported every day to the MMDA. Last year, 5,348 such events were recorded, with 174 fatalities.

Tolentino said he even talked with some of the offenders who were caught and tried to reason their way out of paying the fine.

Dealing with offenders One burly man was overheard pleading with an MMDA enforcer as he was led to the MMDA chair: “I have a job interview that I need to get to right now.”

The man asked if he could be let off with a warning, but Tolentino replied, “Do you want this to happen to you?” and showed the gory picture that seemed to have shocked the offender.

“We can’t eradicate jaywalking completely because people will have their reasons like they were in a hurry,” Tolentino said.

“If we could lessen the pedestrian-related road accidents by 15 percent, we would have achieved our goals,” he added.■

7 WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012

Aquino: CJ ouster...from page 1 be no freedom from poverty, no freedom from impunity and injustice.

“The legitimate cause of going after the corrupt such as former President Arroyo has itself been undermined and weakened by Aquino. While Aquino lauds his impeachment of the Chief Justice, accountability remains elusive for many other victims of corruption and gross human rights violations,” Reyes explained.

Following a two-hour rally on the bridge, the protesters proceeded toward the US Embassy, but police stopped them at the corner of T.M. Kalaw and Mabini streets, a block away.

The protesters attempted to break through a phalanx of 50 riot policemen, but were turned back, resulting in injuries to three militants, police said. subtract and turn over the Constitution,” he said.

“Our country witnessed the trial of Mr. Corona, our former Chief Justice. This process took five months. Nonetheless, it brightened the essence of our democracy,” Mr. Aquino said.

“It is the right of Filipinos to know the truth and feel that the democratic system is alive in the country. It also impressed upon our public servants that the power entrusted to them by Juan dela Cruz carries with it responsibilities and obligations.”

The President said apathy and inaction were the reasons, aside from greed for power, why corruption spread.

News-Phils “The lighthouse of democracy has dimmed because nobody took care of brightness,” he said. “Now that the country has gained momentum in the straight path, we won’t allow that we’d again lose our way in the darkness of the past.”

The President adverted to the constitutional provision that all power and authority emanates from the people.

“It’s only just that they be the ones who’d benefit from our efforts. That’s why every reform that we are pushing for—from jobs that we generate for our countrymen to justice for all, from repairing our social systems to prudent spending of our funds—should reflect the principles embodied inside this very church in 1898,” he said.

Peace and cooperation Speaking later before the diplomatic corps at the traditional Palace reception marking the 114th anniversary of the country’s proclamation of independence, Mr. Aquino renewed his commitment to peace and cooperation, saying “prosperity cannot come in isolation.”

Chinese Ambassador Ma Kequing attended the reception amid a continuing standoff over disputed islands in potentially mineral-rich West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

Government and merchant ships in Manila Bay sounded their fog horns for two minutes as the Philippine flag was raised in ceremonies organized by the

Philippine Coast Guard at nearby Rizal Park at 8 a.m.

Transportation Secretary Mar Roxas led the Independence Day rites in Kawit, Cavite, where the Philippine flag was first unfurled 114 years ago.

Roxas reminded Filipinos of the danger that lurked as the selfish interests of a few threatened to derail the administration’s anticorruption policy.

Halfway through his speech, eight protesters began shouting from behind the crowd, decrying the government’s reclamation project on Manila Bay and the increasing prices of basic commodities.

Police and park security men unfurled a tarpaulin to keep them out of sight.

The challenge In an Independence Day statement, Vice President Jejomar Binay said the country “will not be totally free and independent if many Filipinos still live in poverty.”

“Like President Aquino, I am aware of this challenge. That is why, I am appealing to all sectors of society, including those belonging to various regional, political or religious affiliations, to unite under a common cause, which is giving every Filipino a good life,” Binay said.

In Angeles City, Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. said the struggle for Philippine independence was not yet over because many Filipinos remained immersed in poverty.

“Freedom is the beginning, not the end, of actions lifting our nation,” said Jimenez, who placed a wreath at the gate of the Pamintuan mansion where President Emilio Aguinaldo, on June 12, 1899, led troops celebrating the first anniversary of freedom from Spanish rule.

Jimenez said good governance was contributing to the full attainment of freedom manifested in quality life for Filipinos.

In the City of San Fernando, Mayor Oscar Rodriguez said, “It is everybody’s responsibility to the nation to tread the straight path.”

At North Luzon Expressway, tellers wore Filipiniana attire and barong Tagalog while traffic personnel wore salakot (native head gear).

Parade in Malaysia In Malaysia, some 1,200 Filipinos celebrated Independence Day with a parade on the main streets of Kuala Lumpur on June 10, Ambassador Eduardo Malaya reported.

The parade, the first to be held there, came after 20 Filipino organizations formed the Federation of Filipino Associations in Malaysia, Malaya said.

Filipinos showed local culture through floats. A musical concert and food feast at the Philippine embassy grounds capped the event.

In Isabela province, Independence Day programs and wreath-laying events were held in Ilagan and Roxas towns and the cities of Santiago and Cauayan. ■

News-Phils

Waiver by SC bets ‘unconstitutional’

BY JEROME ANING

Philippine Daily Inquirer

THE DECISION of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) to require all aspirants for the post of Chief Justice to waive the confidentiality of their bank accounts is unconstitutional because it imposes something not found in the Constitution, a lawyer said.

Romulo Macalintal said the waiver requirement was also discriminatory since it had not been required of the applicants for positions in the lower courts.

Section 7(1), Article VIII of the 1987 Constitution provides that appointees to the Supreme Court must be natural-born Filipino citizens, at least 40 years old and with at least 15 years of law practice, Macalintal said.

“The JBC cannot prescribe what the Constitution does not provide.

To impose the requirement upon the aspirants for Chief Justice is to broaden the qualification provided for by the Constitution. In other words, the JBC waiver requirement is invalid since it is clearly in conflict with the requirements in the Constitution,” he said in a statement sent from the United States.

The JBC’s announcement of the vacancy for the position of Chief Justice is set to be published today. An advance copy sent to the media stated that all applications and recommendations must be submitted by July 6.

Aside from the waivers, candidates for Chief Justice are also asked to submit all their previous statements of assets, liabilities and net worth up to Dec. 31, 2011.

Macalintal said the waiver requirement was similar to Section 36 of Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, which required the mandatory drug testing of candidates for public office.

The provision was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court on Nov. 3, 2008, because it “enlarges the qualification requirements enumerated in the Constitution and that the Commission on Elections cannot impose qualifications on candidates in addition to what the Constitution prescribes,” Macalintal said, citing

the high court’s decision.

“The waiver requirement may be allowed only if it is optional or voluntary to the applicants but never to make it mandatory to the applicants which ‘necessarily suggests that the obstinate ones shall suffer the adverse consequences for not adhering to the requirement’ as observed by the Supreme Court in the drug test case,” he added.

Macalintal said the waiver requirement was also discriminatory to the applicants for the post of Chief Justice since the the waiver had not been required of other positions in the judiciary and all other applicants in government service as well as candidates for elective positions.

“As a matter of fact, even statements of assets, liabilities and net worth are not required from these applicants when they are still applying for positions in the government service,” he said.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile also opposed the JBC requirement, saying that it was “OA (overacting)” and that it was like telling the nominee that he was not trustworthy so he needed to sign the waiver.

Enrile added that he would not agree to such a condition if he were the nominee, saying, “I will be serving the country and immediately you suspect my motives.”

Waiver defended A member of the JBC, Ma. Milagros Fernan-Cayosa, who represents the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, defended the waiver requirement.

“We deemed it (the submission of the waiver) necessary in the course of our discussion (on Monday) because we do not want a repeat of what happened. So those who are aspiring to become the next Chief Justice must be willing to open themselves up for us to be able to make a better determination of the fitness of the applicant,” Cayosa said in a radio interview.

She pointed out that the waiver was not general but only in favor of the JBC. Cayosa said candidates, who have pending criminal or administrative cases, including a disbarment case, would be disqualified from being nominated.

If the disbarment and other cases involving aspirants are not resolved before the JBC comes up with its final short list, then the aspirants will be automatically disqualified, she added.

Under Rule 4, Section 5 of the JBC Rules, aspirants with pending criminal or regular administrative cases are disqualified from being nominated for appointment to any judicial post or as Ombudsman or Deputy Ombudsman.

Also disqualified are those with pending criminal cases in foreign courts or tribunals, and those who have been convicted in any criminal or administrative case, where the penalty is at least a fine of more than P10,000, unless he has been granted judicial clemency.

Judges, officials or personnel of the judiciary who are facing administrative complaints under informal preliminary investigation by the Office of the Court Administrator may likewise be disqualified from being nominated if it is determined that the charges are serious. ■

Palace says WB report key to ousting Midas

BY JEROME ANING and CHRISTINE O. AVENDAÑO

Philippine Daily Inquirer

COULD Supreme Court Administrator Midas Marquez, who is closely identified with impeached former Chief Justice Renato Corona, be the next to go?

Malacañang hinted as much, with presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda suggesting that a leaked World Bank report on allegedly questionable procurements and disbursements in a $21.9-million WB loan to the high court for the Judicial Reform Support Project (JRSP) could be the “just cause” for Marquez’s removal.

“We saw the World Bank aide memoire where there were certain expenditures made by Midas Marquez as court administrator.

I think that should be explained,” said Lacierda, noting that under the presidential decree that created the Office of Court

WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012 8

Administrator (OCA), Marquez could be removed “for just cause.”

Expenditures “It’s up to the Supreme Court justices en banc whether they would allow (him) to remain,” he said, reacting to Marquez’s assertion that he could be removed from office through an en banc decision.

Just before the start of Corona’s impeachment trial last year, a confidential WB memorandum to Philippine officials, which noted “ineligible” expenditures of $199,000 in the JRSP, was released allegedly by Malacañang.

Until Corona’s ouster, Marquez concurrently headed the high court’s Public Information Office (PIO) and chaired the JRSP. Shortly after Corona’s conviction, Marquez relinquished the position of Supreme Court spokesperson and was succeeded by his deputy, Cleo Guerra.

Nothing improper Marquez has denied any impropriety in the use of the JRSP funds. He also questioned the Palace’s release of the report considering that some of its contents were “still to be confirmed” and “preliminary in nature.” He assured the public that the high court was transparent in its financial affairs.

The World Bank acknowledged the document’s existence but said that it had not released it to the public.

In a television interview, Marquez said he did not see any reason to quit now, recalling that the tribunal during the time of Chief Justice Reynato Puno unanimously appointed him to the OCA. “I hope that they (justices) still have trust and confidence in me,” he said.

While he believes the high court will accord him due process if a case is filed against him, Marquez said he would willingly quit if he thought he was no longer effective.

“I won’t wait for that [charges] if they’re after my head. If I think I’m no longer effective, If I think that the service is already suffering and I can no longer protect the judges and employees, I’ll be the first to go,” he said. ■

News-Phils

9 WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012

Palace: Give K to 12 a chance

BY CHRISTINE O. AVENDAÑO and TARRA QUISMUNDO Philippine Daily Inquirer

MALACAÑANG appealed to the public to give the government a chance to implement the new K to 12 education program amid opposition from certain sectors because of the many problems in the public school system, including a massive classroom shortage.

“There will always be resistance to something new but we have to [at some point] implement the program ... If not now, when do we do it?” said presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda.

The K to 12 program adds two years to the elementary and high school

curriculum to give students needed job skills, should they not go on to college.

The program is being implemented in the Kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 7 levels this year. Grades 11 and 12, or senior high school, will be implemented in 2016.

The Department of Education (DepEd) started institutionalizing kindergarten for 5-year-olds under K to 12 last school year. This year, the DepEd is introducing new curricula for Grades 1 and 7 (the new first year high school).

New curricula for other grade levels will be introduced in the succeeding years so that by June 2016, the DepEd can start implementing senior high school.

Severe shortage Lacierda was commenting on complaints from teachers and other stakeholders that the government should not be implementing the new program now with the public school system facing so many problems like a severe classroom shortage.

Lacierda acknowledged the lack of classrooms, “but we cannot wait for the classrooms to be built before we implement the K to 12 program.”

He said the government was hoping to address the classroom shortage within the next two years. He said 50,000

classrooms needed to be built. He said 30,000 would be built through the PublicPrivate Partnership (PPP) program while the remaining 20,000 would be built by local government units.

Youth and teacher groups closely monitoring the K to 12 program said the government seemed illprepared for it and called for a halt to its implementation.

Benjo Basas, chair of Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC), said DepEd reports from the field showed a “generally orderly” class opening on Monday, except for major problems in public schools offering kindergarten.

Shift scheduling At Longos Elementary School, for instance, the surge in kindergarten enrollment amid a lack of classrooms forced the school to hold classes in five shifts.

Ten kinder sections currently take turns holding classes in two classrooms. The shift scheduling also shortened kinder classes from three hours to only two hours a day.

Basas said the persistent problems at the school opening this year showed the government was not yet prepared to roll out K to 12 nationwide.

“It was a huge gamble for the DepEd. But the willingness and sincerity to implement are not enough if you do not have the capacity,” said Basas.

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) also criticized the implementation of K to 12 without adequate funding and

Call to the

with its enabling law still to be passed.

The current education law mandates the government to provide free basic education only for 11 years.

“The prevailing education crisis must be addressed more fundamentally and the K to 12 program, [President Aquino’s] supposed legacy to the Filipino people, would only exacerbate the situation,” said ACT secretary general France Castro.

Not the solution Kabataan party-list Rep. Raymond Palatino said K to 12 would not solve the problems of the current 10-year education cyle.

He said government spending for education continued to fall short of levels recommended by the United Nations, which is 6 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP). But Philippine spending in the past few years barely reached 3 percent of GDP. Meanwhile, idled buildings and abandoned offices owned by the government may soon be used to address the classroom shortages, according to DepEd Assistant Secretary Jesus Mateo.

At the weekly forum hosted by the Catholic Media Network, Mateo said the department was seriously looking into turning underutilized or unused government facilities into classrooms.

He said the department was looking at daycare centers, village centers and barangay halls which were not being “maximized to [their] fullest.” ■ With a report from Jocelyn Uy

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WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012 10

P-noy gets down to business in UK LONDON—President Aquino crowned the first full day of his visit to the United Kingdom by attending business meetings between Filipino and European companies, resulting in deals that would raise around $1 billion in investments for the Philippines.

Mr. Aquino arrived in London at 9 p.m. on June 4 (4 a.m. on June 5 in Manila) on a chartered Philippine Airlines flight on the first leg of his twocontinent journey, which will also take him to the United States, where he will have a one-on-one meeting with US President Barack Obama.

Mr. Aquino’s visit to the UK is business while that to the US is political, Palace aides said. His 44-hour London visit coincided with royal festivities commemorating 86-year-old Queen Elizabeth II’s 60th year on the throne.

While he will not meet with the queen, Mr. Aquino will have meetings with Prime Minister David Cameron and Elizabeth’s son, Prince Andrew.

Explaining why Mr. Aquino would not have an audience with the queen, Presidential Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang said the President was here mainly to talk trade and investments.

The British government sent three officials to meet Mr. Aquino at the Royal Suites of London’s Heathrow Airport—Lady Rawlings, Baronessin-waiting to Queen Elizabeth II, Ambassador Nicolas Jarrold and UK Ambassador to Manila Stephen Lillie.

Expected investments Mr. Aquino’s first three business meetings were expected to generate $1.03 billion in investments, Philippine officials said.

The President attended meetings

between executives of Rolls-Royce and Cebu Pacific, Asea Gaz Asia Ltd. and Aboitiz Equity Ventures Gas Project, and Glencore International and Pasar (Philippine Associated Smelting and Refining Corp.)

Executives of Rolls-Royce and Cebu Pacific signed a $280-million service contract. Under the deal, Cebu Pacific will buy from Rolls-Royce new Trent 700 engines for up to eight leased Airbus aircraft that the carrier will use to launch long haul operations in the second half of 2013.

Rolls-Royce, one of the world’s biggest brands, is a leading provider of power systems and services for land, sea and air, including civil aerospace and defense aerospace.

Gaz Asia and Aboitiz Equity, on the other hand, are to invest $150 million to build plants that will convert biomethane from waste materials into biomethane that can be used for vehicle fuel.

Carandang said Glencore, the majority owner of Pasar, planned to invest between $500 million and $600 million to expand smelting capacity and build a power plant to support their operations.

Pasar investments can generate 700 jobs, Carandang said.

Pasar owns and operates the only copper smelter and refinery in the Philippines. The Pasar plant is in Leyte province. Glencore, based in Switzerland, is a producer of metals, minerals, energy and agricultural products.

No Scarborough talks Arriving just hours after a star-studded diamond jubilee concert for Queen Elizabeth started at Buckingham Palace, Mr. Aquino went straight to the Intercontinental London Park Lane Hotel to rest.

Carandang said Mr. Aquino’s visit

Journalists learn to use multimedia

BY TARRA QUISMUNDO Philippine Daily Inquirer THE KONRAD A d e n a u e r Asian Center for Journalism (ACFJ) at Ateneo de Manila University has launched a new online diploma program for working journalists seeking to enhance their reportage through the use of multimedia technology.

An international faculty will handle courses in mobile journalism, convergence theory, multiplatform practice and interactive media literacy, the ACFJ said.

“The program will give students a broad perspective and the practical skills to produce web-based news stories using text, photos, videos, audio and info graphics,” said diploma program coordinator DJ Clark, a multimedia journalist at China Daily (Beijing) and director of visual journalism at Beijing Foreign Studies University.

Eight journalists from Bangladesh, India, Nepal and the Philippines were granted scholarships for the pilot program in 2011. This year, a batch of 12 students from seven countries, including Japan, Burma, India and Nepal, will take the course.

Dutch media NGO World Press Photo supported the program’s initial offering last year. ■

would center on enhancing trade and investments, Contradicting an earlier statement from Philippine diplomats, Carandang said there would be no talks on geopolitical issues, like the Philippines’ maritime dispute with China over Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal.

“That’s not going to be be an issue here … because this is primarily an economic visit,” Carandang told reporters. “This (visit) is really to enhance our economic ties with Britain and that’s really the main purpose why the President is here.”

“It’s not that we’re avoiding it but it’s really not something that’s on the table,” Carandang said. “We’re really here for economic reasons and most of our ties with Britain really have been historically economic rather than defense or politics-related. So we want to build on that.”

He added: “We want to be able to sell the Philippines to British investors. So that’s really the main agenda here.”

He said the visit was also meant to introduce Mr. Aquino to the Europeans. “More political things will be discussed in Washington with President Obama,” he said.

Talks with Cameron Carandang said Mr. Aquino’s visit would not be diminished by his having no audience with the queen.

“At the time when they’re very busy with the jubilee (and) they are getting ready for the Olympics, we’re very happy they made time for this visit,” he said.

After two full days of meetings here on Tuesday and Wednesday, Mr. Aquino will fly to Washington.

Carandang said Mr. Aquino would have substantive talks with Cameron while his meeting with Prince Andrew

would be more part of protocol.

The President is accompanied by eight Cabinet secretaries and at least 15 businessmen, some of whom will also join him in his US trip.

The Cabinet secretaries include Voltaire Gazmin of defense, Cesar Purisima of finance, Mar Roxas of transportation, Rene Almendras of energy, Ramon Jimenez Jr. of tourism, Gregory Domingo of trade and Carandang. Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario is joining the group later.

250,000 Pinoys Later on, the President will tour the Imperial War Museum.

Mr. Aquino will cap his first full day in London with a photo-shoot for the Department of Tourism’s “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” campaign, and a meeting with the Filipino community.

There are about 250,000 Filipinos in the UK, according to Malacañang.

Of the number, 70 percent are professionals, 10 to 20 percent are second-generation Filipinos and 10 percent are domestic workers.

From 18,000 in 1986, Filipinos living and working in the UK increased by 833 percent to 250,000 in 2011, according to the Palace.

The Philippines is also the biggest source of foreign nurses for the UK, with around 30,000 of them here. The Filipinos are best known in the UK for their contributions to the healthcare sector.

In terms of trade, the UK—the third biggest European economy after Germany and France—is one of the top 10 sources of foreign investments for the Philippines. It has committed P1.06 billion in investments to the Philippines this year, the Palace said. ■

Deped hikes grants to private schools Dmitry Berkut / Shutterstock.com

BY JULIET LABOG-JAVELLANA Philippine Daily Inquirer

BY TARRA QUISMUNDO Philippine Daily Inquirer

THE DEPARTMENT of Education has doubled the number of scholarships it is giving deserving public school students to study in private schools, as part of DepEd efforts to decongest the public schools.

Beneficiaries are close to 400,000 Grade 7 (the new First Year High School) students going back to class this month.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro said 377,227 scholarships were available for incoming Grade 7 pupils, nearly twice last year’s 190,536 grants, under the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (Gastpe) program.

The Gastpe is a subsidy program in which the government pays the tuition for deserving students in crowded public schools to enroll in private schools. Not only are the public schools decongested, the students get the benefit of a private school education.

Public school heads nominate the students to the program. ■

News-Phils

WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012 12

School opening surprise: No more homework MORE seatwork, shorter lectures, and best of all, no homework.

But instead of churning out flunkers and dropouts, this new teaching technique has actually produced highscoring students.

Say hello to the Dynamic Learning Program (DLP), which proponents say is not only the answer to perennial problems like the lack of public school teachers and textbooks, but also a 21st-century method that need not rely on high technology.

At least 157 public high schools in Basilan, Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental provinces are deviating from tradition by adopting DLP, a teaching technique developed by Christopher and Ma. Victoria Bernido, the physicist couple who earned the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2010.

Local education officials have partnered with the Bernidos and telecoms giant Smart Communications to “spread the gospel” of DLP, which was piloted in Cagayan de Oro last year and earlier tested in the Bernido’s Central Visayan Institute Foundation (CVIF) in Jagna, Bohol province.

During these initial runs, the program improved the students’ performance mainly by giving them more time for self-learning and drastically changing the role of teachers.

“It’s not a curriculum, it’s a way of teaching. The traditional way is that the teacher will lecture for most of the time and then students participate in recitation, quiz and homework,” said Stephanie Orlino, a community partnerships officer at Smart.

“This time around, students learn on their own 80 percent of the time, (and) the teacher only needs to be in class 20 percent of the time,” Orlino added.

Under the DLP, students get to spend much of their time answering questions on worksheets based on the lesson that their teachers have discussed for only 15 to 20 minutes.

Just pen and paper No textbooks, notebooks or high-tech learning devices required—just pen and paper. Students may even write on the back of old calendars if they run out of activity sheets, which they can later file in different portfolios.

“It’s plain hard work. When we visited one of the schools (during the pilot run), I saw that the students even put rubber band or tape around their pens to have a better grip because

they used their pens quite often,” said Smart public affairs chief Mon Isberto.

“And these self-driven students are the kind of students we need in the 21st century, students who can acquire new skills on their own,” Isberto said.

DLP is “a no-tech but 21st-century method” that can work even “without textbooks or classrooms,” he added.

Parallel learning At the core of DLP is a technique developed by the Bernidos called parallel learning, where teachers spend only 20 percent of class time introducing the lesson to students and giving them the remaining 80 percent to answer questions.

By the end of a school year, DLP students would have answered up to 6,000 questions in science, math, economics and history subjects, among others.

And because so much work is already done in class, there is no more need to do assignments at home.

The program also allows students a “strategic break” from academics every Wednesday, when they focus on physical education, music and arts classes.

Teachers can plan and prepare the activity sheets for the whole school year before classes start in June using DLP modules designed by the Bernidos. Even those who teach multiple classes may find it easy to follow the program.

In a DLP orientation video, Christopher Bernido further explained: “For example, (if) I have three biology classes, I (can) hold these classes simultaneously (even if I) cannot be in three places at the same time. (Since) teacher intervention will be limited… the teacher would give a lecture for 15 to 20 minutes in one section, transfer to another section and lecture again for 15 to 20 minutes there, and so on.”

University of the Philippines College Admission Test (Upcat), considered one of the toughest college entrance exams in the country.

“It’s very encouraging. Despite the fact that we had birth pains in the first year and (Cagayan de Oro) experienced Tropical Storm ‘Sendong,’ and despite the fact that the students had only four academic days, with no homework and less contact time with teachers, they improved in all subject areas,” Orlino recalled.

Judee Dizon, Smart’s program officer in CDO, said DLP also enabled seven high schools devastated by

Sendong in December last year to bounce back immediately and resume classes the following month.

Smart is currently supporting the Bernidos by reproducing DLP materials and assisting the couple in training more schools heads and teachers via teleconferencing and other tech-savvy methods.

Isberto said spreading DLP is Smart’s first step in developing a generation of students best suited for e-learning. “Once you have these self-learning students gradually introduced to e-learning tools on top of the [DLP] system, these students will fly,” he said. ■

Bogus party-list groups prompt Comelec to seek changes in law

Tony Magdaraog / Shutterstock.com

BY TARRA QUISMUNDO Philippine Daily Inquirer

CDO experience Orlino said the 9,000 Cagayan de Oro high school students who had tried the DLP showed a “highly significant” improvement in their English, math and science tests in March 2012 compared to their test scores in June 2011.

The Cagayan de Oro experience mirrored that of students at CVIF, where the Bernidos first introduced the method in 2002. Since adopting the program, the school has consistently produced successful examinees in the

BY TARRA QUISMUNDO Philippine Daily Inquirer

WITH the huge number of groups seeking party-list accreditation for the 2013 polls, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) wants lawmakers to amend the Party-list System Act to weed out “bogus” nominees and uphold the main purpose of the law.

“It has to be amended already...we must limit the sectors and be strict in accrediting so we can eliminate [those that do not belong],” said Comelec Chair Sixto Brillantes Jr. in an interview with reporters.

For next year’s elections, the Comelec has scheduled marathon hearings to screen a fresh batch of organizations, now totaling 172, seeking to participate in the midterm elections.

At present, there are 125 accredited party-list groups.

In the 2010 elections, the Comelec accredited 187 groups. But the poll body declared last month that it would limit the number of party-list groups in the 2013 polls to only 150.

Brillantes said the qualifications for admitting party-list organizations must

be amended because they had been subject to many interpretations.

“The law has to be specific. For example, among the professionals sector, when you allow security guards [to be represented], then you have to allow other professions,” said Brillantes.

Under Republic Act No. 7941, “any organized group of persons... provided that the sectors shall include labor, peasant, fisherfolk, urban poor, indigenous cultural communities, elderly, handicapped, women, youth, veterans, overseas workers and professionals” can be registered as a party-list group.

Brillantes pointed out there was a need to adopt stricter qualifications for nominees of party-list organizations to expunge fake representatives from the system.

In the absence of a more rigid rule in accrediting nominees, the Comelec had issued its own resolution in 2010 stating that a nominee should be “one who belongs to the marginalized and underrepresented sector/s, the sectoral party, organization, political party or coalition he seeks to represent.” ■

13 WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012

News-Phils

Morales: Threats part of the job

BY LEILA B. SALAVERRIA Philippine Daily Inquirer

OMBUDSMAN Conchita Carpio Morales remains undaunted by the grenade that was left outside her home on as she continues to believe that she had not done anything wrong.

Morales also refused to speculate on the motive behind the incident, or whether she thought it was related to the impeachment trial of dismissed Chief Justice Renato Corona.

She said she was unshaken by the incident. “I’m a fatalist. If it’s your time, it’s your time,” she said.

“I know I’m in the embrace of God because I know I have not done anything wrong, I’m not trying to malign people just because they are not your allies,” she added.

Morales’ testimony is thought to have been a key factor in helping the 20 senator-judges convict Corona for failing to declare some of his assets in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).

Morales took the stand at the impeachment trial of Corona as a hostile witness for the defense. Her presentation of a report she claimed to have obtained from the Anti-Money Laundering Council detailing the alleged dollar deposits of the Chief Justice was seen to have bolstered the case against him.

Morales said Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo had suggested that she beef up her personal security.

“But you know, those things are part of the risks attendant to the position of the office,” she said.

She said the closed-circuit TV camera system installed in her house was being reviewed. “If there is any security lapse, then we’ll see,” she said.

Morales said her family was doing fine and understood the nature of her job.

Scare tactic “They’re OK, they’re cool. They know that’s part of the trade, part of the position, part of the office,” she said.

Police investigators said the grenade may have been placed outside Morales’ house to scare her.

“When the grenade was found, the safety pin was still in place, which would mean it would not explode suddenly. It was also placed in a canister,” said Chief Supt. Benito Estipona, director of the Southern Police District (SPD).

He said security guards found the M-26 hand grenade inside a green plastic canister wrapped in a plastic

bag and placed near the perimeter fence of Morales’ house, a few meters from the main gate, at around 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Also found inside the plastic bag was a receipt from a nearby gasoline station, with the words “Pang densa kay CCM, nagmalakit [sic],” written on it. Police have yet to decipher the message.

Estipona said police have augmented the security detail around the Morales house at 9 Carpio Compound, Soldiers Hills, Putatan, Muntinlupa.

Chief Insp. Giovanni Martinez, head of the Muntinlupa police intelligence unit, said they were reviewing footage from a security camera “but we cannot disclose details at this time.”

Martinez agreed with Estipona that the motive may have been just to scare and not to detonate the grenade.

He said that when he interviewed Morales, she did not mention and could not recall any person or party that might want to harm her.

Many other cases “However, we are still looking at all possible angles. We have to understand that, aside from her testimony during the impeachment trial, she also handles many cases at the Ombudsman,” Martinez said.

Meanwhile, officials said the hand grenade found outside Morales’ house could not have come from the arsenals of the police or the military.

Robredo said a check of the records of the Philippine National Police (PNP) showed that the lot number of the M-26 hand grenade was not among the registered weapons of the police.

Armed Forces of the Philippines public affairs chief Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos, meanwhile, said the military did not have that type of grenade in its inventory. “What we have is the MK2 (grenade), M-61 (grenade) and PRB (blast mine),” he said.

Robredo said the motive for the threat on Morales was still not clear.

“The note that came with it sent a mixed message,” he said.

Robredo said the “CCM” presumably stood for Morales’ initials and “pang-densa” could be a misspelling of “pang-depensa,” or for the defense of Morales.

Robredo said Morales currently had a rotating four-man security team, “which would have to be increased.” ■ With reports from DJ Yap and Nathaniel R. Melican.

Henares would be remiss in her duty, says Lacierda

BY NORMAN BORDADORA Philippine Daily Inquirer

INTERNAL Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares would be derelict in her duty if she fails to investigate whether or not former Chief Justice Renato Corona paid taxes on the assets he declared at the Senate impeachment trial, Malacañang said.

Secretary Edwin Lacierda, President Aquino’s spokesperson, made the remarks after Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile called on the administration to stop pursuing tax charges against Corona.

“The problem is, if Mrs. Henares doesn’t act, she would be accused of dereliction of duty or it could be said that she has a set of laws for the rich and another for the poor,” Lacierda said over state-run radio dzRB. “It’s up to Kim Henares because she knows her duty.”

The Senate President has given clearance to release to the BIR the waiver that Corona signed on the confidentiality of his bank deposits.

Lacierda took his cue from President Aquino, who indicated on Friday that he did not relish seeing Corona go free from possible prosecution following his removal by impeachment.

Mr. Aquino said the laws for the common folk should be applied as well to those who wield influence.

“Someone told me... to just forget about it. If that would be so, we’d just return [to the old system],” the President told reporters when asked about lawmakers’ suggestions that the government should consider not pursuing further charges against Corona.

“Even Delsa Flores said that she was punished. What [she] committed was relatively small.

Is it right to just forget about the bigger violation?” he said. ■

Opinion

WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012 14

THERE’S THE RUB

F–ked!

BY CONRADO DE QUIROS Philippine Daily Inquirer THE COMMENTS that followed Tim Dahlberg’s article on the Pacquiao-Bradley fight in Yahoo Sports spoke of the incredulity of the public. This came out immediately after the fight so the reactions were raw and spontaneous. And honest. Except for one or two who lauded the decision, the rest were furious.

From Sean: “Well, that’s the last boxing match for me. Death of boxing.” From David Love: “Absolute last for me, rest of my life.

Screw them.” From Sam: “My fart is better than the judges’ decision.” From Randy: “Boycott the rematch!” From Thomas: “Boxing is a joke of a sport. Corruption is worse in boxing than in our government.”

Dahlberg’s article itself began with this sarcastic line: “Timothy Bradley promised to shock, though the biggest shock in his fight with Manny Pacquiao came from the judges’ scorecards.”

I saw the fight in Toronto, in a pizza place cum bar toward midnight last Saturday, and there was a good crowd there, half of them Filipinos. My reaction to the decision was closest to the guy who said, “Screw them,” though I had a more common and vulgar word than “screw” in mind. Some things lend themselves to expletives, and expletives were what came rushing through my mind, and mouth, when the decision was read.

But before that, I was stunned. My mind

blanked, the world dissolved in unreality, everything seemed as distant as the moon.

That Pacquiao should only have a two-point edge over Bradley in the scorecard of the judge who voted for him, I was shocked. That the second judge would actually have Bradley ahead of Pacquiao, I was zonked. That the third judge would actually agree with him and give Bradley the win, that was when I felt the gates of hell open, darkness filled the earth, the world turned upside down. And that was when I shouted, if only in my mind, “F–k you!”

The Filipinos, who burst into a spontaneous roar every time Pacquiao sent a flurry of blows into Bradley’s face and body, to the amusement of the customers that hovered in the wings, though many of them were caught in the heat of the fight too, were stunned to disbelieving silence. Though they would hiss and curse as they filed their way out. Even the non-Filipinos were disgusted by the decision and made their sympathies known to the Filipino crowd.

This was by no means close. This was by no means near. This was by no means contested.

This was lopsided. This was a mugging. I had thought earlier that Pacquiao would need nothing less than a knockout to get back to his lofty perch after he fell to the same ground the rest of us mortals lived with his fight with Juan Manuel Marquez. But this was the next best thing to it. Pacquiao fought masterfully, choosing his spots, toying with Bradley like a cat does with a mouse before deciding to

make dinner out of him. The announcers themselves, such as I could hear them over the din, confirmed the fact.

I was with the guys from Ryan Cayabyab’s musical troupe and the only thing we were betting on after the first three rounds was what round Bradley would fall. He seemed on the verge of it a couple of times. Only his stamina or fortitude or heart kept him standing. That was impressive too, the fact that he did not go down, the fact that he fought on, though I wondered how he would be feeling at the end of the fight. Maybe not as agonizingly as Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito whose faces bore traces of the war they had been in and had ended up in hospitals afterward. But not much better.

I was prepared to laud Bradley. To say that it wasn’t Pacquiao’s undiminished skills that had made the fight exciting, or last to the bitter end, it was Bradley’s unimaginable capacity to take punishment. Until the decision was read. Until that mind-boggling, brain-addling, reality-altering proclamation that he had won the fight was made.

Pacquiao himself showed grace in his (manufactured) defeat, appearing in the post-game ring interview, though he could very well have snubbed it and the world would have understood, and saying wryly those were the rules of the game, the judges decided things, and that was their decision.

He could have added such as their decision had anything to do with rules, such as their decision had anything to do with sanity. But

he refrained from doing so, managing at least to snatch from that loss a moral victory of sorts. He may be gaining in his battles in life what he has been losing of late in his battles in the ring.

In the end, this fight was lopsided—against Pacquiao. This fight was a mugging—of Pacquiao. But Bradley did not account for the lopsidedness, Bradley did not account for the mugging. The judges did. Pacquiao stepped into that ring with more than Bradley to fight.

He stepped into the ring with organized crime to fight. Oh, yes, that was organized crime plain as day. To say that that fight was rigged is to say that this country’s 2004 elections were rigged. You could smell the stench of that corruption from Las Vegas to Las Palmas. As one Filipino put it, na-Comelec si Pacquiao.

The media have been calling the decision controversial. It is about as controversial as the proposition that Zaldy Ampatuan is a mass murderer. There is nothing controversial about it. This was barefaced cheating. This was plain-as-day-highway robbery. This was inyour-face shoving the dirty finger and saying “F–k you.” In the face not just of us Filipinos but of boxing itself, in the face of those who elevated the game from savageness to human striving, from primitiveness to art. Like every Filipino and fans of boxing everywhere, I feel sore and raw and angry. It is the feeling of having just had the Akyat Bahay Gang go every square inch through my home. It is the feeling of being screwed.

It is the feeling of being f–ked.■

VIEWPOINT

Hope despite chainsaws

BY JUAN L. MERCADO Philippine Daily Inquirer “CHINOP-CHOP,” private prosecutor Nena Santos told, in Taglish, the court trying the Maguindanao slaughter of 57 men and women.

“Parang chainsaw massacre.”

“Chop-chop” is police jargon for dismemberment. The use of a chainsaw is exceptionally brutal. To explain this perversion, we need to call in psychiatrists.

In Mexico, the Sinaloa drug cartel beheaded two members who squealed—with a chainsaw.

In Texas, a mother of six was decapitated by her husband. “The chainsaw was still running when the police arrived,” reported Dallas Morning News.

Chainsaws did Esmail Amil Enog in. Upon instructions of Alijol Ampatuan, he trucked the clan’s armed followers, in two batches, to Ampatuan town, Enog told the court last July. There, gunmen mowed down 57 men and women, then “backhoed” their bodies into hidden common pits. Victims included the wife and relatives of Esmael Mangudadatu, a political rival of the Ampatuans. Also butchered were 32 journalists and six passersby.

As he drove back to Shariff Aguak town, Enog heard bursts of gunfire. In court, Enog pinpointed four of the militiamen accused: Mohades and Misuari Ampatuan, Mohamad Datumanong alias Nicomedes Tolentino; and Tato Tampogao.

In March, Enog vanished. He had been missing for two months when local police were tipped off

and thus found his remains. “His body was put in a sack and it had been chopped up, probably ‘chainsawed’ to pieces,” prosecutor Santos told Agence France Presse. “It was a killing meant to silence other witnesses.”

Cu è surdu, orbu e taci, campa cent’anni ’mpaci, say Sicilians who’ve seen the Mafia operate up close. “Hewho is deaf, blind and silent will live a hundred years in peace.”

Enog didn’t live to a hundred. “(He) was… dismembered in a signature style—with a chainsaw,” wrote GMA News’ Mark Meruenas. “(This) was the latest in a series of attempts to weaken the case against jailed leaders of the Ampatuan clan. . .”

Government should redouble its efforts to protect witnesses in the Maguindanao murder trial, New York-based Human Rights Watch urged. “It is appalling that they are being hunted down one after the other.”

On June 14 last year, former militiaman Suwaib Upham was mowed down in Parang, Cotabato. “Just another case of killing,” noted the police blotter one week late. No mention that he was a massacre witness.

Upham appeared on Al Jazeera TV, face masked, using the pseudonym “Boy.” He was promised money to take part in the massacre, he said. Now, he feared for his life and his family.

In a later INQUIRER interview, Upham—who had then swapped his alias to “Jesse”—asserted that 200 armed men were mustered for the murders. They were led by Datu Unsay Mayor

Andal Ampatuan Jr.—now in detention with clan patriarch Andal Ampatuan Sr. Currently, 64 are on trial in Manila for the mass killing. Over 160 remain at large.

Centerlaw Philippines, which assists families of 14 Maguindanao victims, lashed at the Arroyo regime for “denying protection to this witness….

There is blood on the hands of (Justice Secretary) Alberto Agra and Gloria Arroyo. May they forever be haunted by the souls of Jesse and the rest of the victims.”

“There are ‘whispers’ the chainsawing murders started after 2001,” then Commission on Human Rights (CHR) chair Leila de Lima told the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines. “Initial information reaching CHR identified the towns of Shariff Aguak and Ampatuan as areas where these graves could be found…..”

Now justice secretary, De Lima called that shot right. Skeletal remains of murder victims were exhumed from a plot near Shariff Aguak, early this year by the Department of Justice and the National Bureau of Investigation teams.

Witnesses linked Mayor Samer Uy of Datu Piang and other Ampatuan clan members to the “chainsaw massacre.”

Mayor Uy had, by then, flown the coop. He has been missing for nearly three months, Inquirer reported late March. “(Uy went) into hiding after being linked to the ‘chainsawing’ of 18 people to shreds. The 18 were linked, by political warlords, to the 2003 assassination of Datu Piang Mayor

Saudi Ampatuan Sr. Uy is a brother-in-law of former Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. Chainsaws wielded in vendetta, within a province of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, are not only a grisly symbol. They could upset promising reforms initiated by President Aquino for the abuse-gutted ARMM. Republic Act 10153 postponed the ARMMelections. The ARMM elections are now synchronized with the midterm 2013 nationwide elections. That’d give time to scrub voters’ rolls stuffed with an estimated 100,000 ghost voters. Lanao del Sur has the highest number of “flying voters.”

“Cheating is not the monopoly of Maguindanao,” Rep. Bai Sandra Sema told Mindanao Cross weekly. She and Rep. Simeon Datumanong were not consulted. “If reregistration is done for the entire region, I will support that.”

Reforms so far include new ARMM officials and 24 members of a Regional Legislative Assembly. Commission on Human Rights has set up its first ever field office in Cotabato.

Despite chainsaws and setbacks, like a Coronaera Supreme Court TRO, change is happening.

“The new public forum in choosing leaders has never been done in the region known for a culture of silence and of impunity,” notes director of the Institute for Autonomy and Governance, Fr. Eliseo Mercado. “For the first time, the voices (of people) were heard. (These) are truly elements of a Bangsamoro ‘spring’.”■

Opinion

15 WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012

LOOKING BACK

Remember the Order of Kalantiaw?

BY AMBETH R. OCAMPO Philippine Daily Inquirer AFTER THE conclusion of the impeachment trial of Renato Corona, I remembered the impressive state honor or decoration created by an executive order of President Ferdinand Marcos in 1971 known as the Order of Kalantiaw. Conferred on retiring Supreme Court justices and visiting international jurists, it consisted of a blue sash with a breast star in the shape of an eight-rayed sun, with many smaller rays in between. The star was fashioned in enamel and gold or gilt bronze, and its main design elements were a sword on which lay the balance of justice, as well as stone tablets with Roman numerals I to X that stood for the biblical Ten Commandments.

For retiring justices, this was a memorable “pabaon” for years of dedicated service. The last recipient of the Order of Kalantiaw was Chief Justice Andres Narvasa because in 2003 the order was dropped from the rolls pursuant to Executive Order 236 issued

by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2003 “establishing the Honors Code of the Philippines, to create an order of precedence of honors conferred and for other purposes.”

Now that the Order of Kalantiaw has been deleted from the Honors Code, what happens to the 206 individuals who were conferred the award earlier? Will they be given a replacement medal or citation or another

award? Perhaps they can be given something else within the existing awards.

Kalantiaw has had a long life in our textbooks and we hope that the Code of Kalantiaw is not in the new K to 12 Makabayan learning materials. Before Kalantiaw was officially declared a hoax in 2004, there were other laws to contend with. On Jan. 24, 1973, four months after he declared martial law and began to rule by decree, Marcos issued Presidential Decree 105 declaring previously established national shrines as sacred or hallowed places and ensuring their protection, along with those that would be declared shrines in the future, from acts of desecration. Thus, it was forbidden to disturb the peace of these shrines through noise, excavation, or unbecoming acts (whatever that meant). Furthermore, Marcos defined fines and prison terms for those who would desecrate these shrines.

At the time, specific mention was made of the following: “the birthplace of Dr. Jose Rizal in Calamba, Laguna; Talisay, Dapitan City, where the hero was exiled for four years; Fort Santiago, Manila, where he was imprisoned in 1896 prior to his execution; Talaga, Tanauan, Batangas, where Apolinario Mabini was born; Pandacan, Manila, where Mabini’s house, in which he died, is located; and Aguinaldo Mansion in Kawit, Cavite, where Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, first President of the Philippines, was born, and

where Philippine independence was solemnly proclaimed on June 12, 1898; Batan, Aklan, where the ‘Code of Kalantiyaw’ was promulgated in 1433; etc.”

The last mentioned was a source of pride in 1956 when the Philippine Historical Committee, at the request of the Municipal Council of Batan, Aklan, installed a bronze marker in the area with text that read: “CODE OF KALANTIAW. Datu Bendehara Kalantiaw, third Chief of Panay, born in Aklan, established his government in the peninsula of Batang, Aklan Sakup.

Considered the First Filipino Lawgiver, he promulgated about 1433 a penal code now known as Code of Kalantiaw containing 18 articles. Don Marcelino Orilla of Zaragoza, Spain, obtained the original manuscript from an old chief of Panay which was later translated into Spanish by Rafael Murviedo Yzamaney.”

At the time, Kalantiaw was a source of national pride, and the Kalantiaw Shrine and Museum was established in Batan.

Numerous streets were named after this legendary—or should we say mythical— figure; a segunda mano US destroyer was acquired by the Philippine Navy in 1967 and christened the RPS Datu Kalantiaw, but this ship was wrecked by a storm in 1981 and decommissioned.

Then, in a doctoral dissertation defended in 1968, William Henry Scott proved that

the Code of Kalantiaw was a forgery made in the early 20th century by Jose E. Marco of Negros. As a historiographical issue it was solvable, but what complicated matters were people who could not let Kalantiaw go peacefully into the night. In the website of the Bengzon Law Office you will find a photo of a wood relief that adorns its headquarters, and which is described thus: “The mural wood sculpture is the centerpiece of the inner sanctum of The Bengzon Law Firm. It depicts the proclamation of the Code of Kalantiaw, said to be the first codification of laws in the Philippines before the Hispanic era, and enacted by Datu Bendahara Kalantiaw in the year 1433 on the island of Panay. Discovered in a 2-volume work ‘Las Antiguas Legendas de las Islas de Negros’

by Fr. Jose Maria Pavon. Today the Order of Kalantiaw is the highest honor to be bestowed upon deserving judges or legal luminaries.”

There are many examples of “invented tradition,” or how myth and legend sometimes endure against historical truth. One of the memorable exchanges I had with my students was when a Chinoy remarked that “ka” isn’t a precolonial honorific because in Chinese it was a verb that meant “to bite/chew,” while “lantiaw” was the vulgar word for “testicles.”

By creating Kalantiaw, Jose E. Marco had the last laugh at Philippine history’s expense. ■ Comments are welcome in my Facebook Fan Page.

AT LARGE

Learning from success

BY RINA JIMENEZ-DAVID Philippine Daily Inquirer JAKARTA—INDONESIA has been called the “smiling face of Islam.” Where the religion spread through much of the Middle East through military conquest, Islam in Indonesia (and in much of Southeast Asia) was brought in

by Arab traders, proselytizing even as they were establishing commercial routes.

Which is not to say that Islam in Indonesia is “less Islamic.” I remember visiting the office of a judge in a Shariah court in Pakistan with women leaders from Southeast Asia. An Indonesian delegate remonstrated with the judge about his rather harsh interpretation of a point of law, and he asked: “What country do you come from? Are you even Muslim?” “Of course I am Muslim, I come from Indonesia!” she replied. “Oh, Indonesia,” said the judge with a smirk, “you aren’t real Muslims!”

We all left in a huff, and none was more irate than our Indonesian friend. Indonesia, after all, has the world’s largest Islamic population, and while Indonesian Muslims present to the world a gentle, smiling and tolerant face of Islam, they are no less religious, observant or loyal to their faith.

The women of Asyiyah-Muhammadiyah came to our Women’s Edition seminar to talk about the role of this faith-based organization in promoting family planning and reproductive health in Indonesia. Dr. Atikah Zaki, the health and social coordinator of the women’s branch of Muhammadiyah, came into the room dressed in

a floorlength skirt, long-sleeved blouse and her head and neck covered in a scarf that reached down to her chest. Her two companions were dressed similarly. They were the very picture of Islamic modesty, as were most of the other women speakers.

And yet Zaki in particular was unabashed in her pride at the work that Asyiyah, the women’s wing of Muhammadiyah, was doing in promoting family planning among their members. While Muhammadiyah was founded as a faith-based organization by a very influential and famous ulama (Islamic religious leader) in 1912 in Yogyakarta, Asyiyah was founded just five years later, and its work of “upholding the status of women and promoting Islamic life” has only been enhanced by its promotion of family planning and reproductive health. *** AS EARLY as 1968, just when the BKKBN, the national family planning coordinating board, was established, a national congress of issued a (decree) declaring that Muslims could practice certain family planning methods without committing offense.

Today, Asyiyah and Muhammadiyah endorse the following family planning methods: the contraceptive pill, the IUD, and withdrawal (although this last is considered a “traditional” method that is unreliable), while forbidding the promotion of abortion, menstrual regulation and sterilization.

Despite the limitations, Asyiyah effectively promotes family planning through a network

of 86 hospitals and hundreds of clinics, while teaching responsible sexual behavior (though I doubt if they use the term) in their network of 87 universities and over 4,000 schools. As part of the association’s commitment to look after the welfare of members, local leaders also conduct regular counseling sessions, mediating disputes between a husband and wife and even addressing such sensitive issues as domestic violence and premarital sex.

“We are just obeying the Prophet Mohammed,” explained Zaki, adding that “there is no difference of opinion on family planning with other Muslim countries.” Yes, but Indonesians promote it with a smile. *** “LESSONS Learned from Success” was how the talk on the history of family planning in Indonesia and background on the BKKBN was titled. The note of braggadocio could perhaps be forgiven, since Indonesia is a “success story” not just on family planning but on how national leadership and grassroots popular support for a program can translate into economic gains and stability.

Although Indonesia’s family planning program was due to the strong backing and leadership of Suharto until his fall from power, said Eddy Hasmi of the BKKBN, through the decades the family planning program has gained “many stakeholders.”

And while in many countries population measures took hold only as a result of economic development and rising personal incomes, in Indonesia, he said, the opposite was true. A strong family planning program and a resulting plunge

in family size and number of births enabled the Indonesian government to pursue development more aggressively.

But slowed population growth, said Hasmi, also “eased pressure on public services like education, health and infrastructure and raised standards of living.” Today, Indonesia is reaping the “demographic dividend,” with just 27 percent of the population under 15 (still economically dependent and nonproductive) compared to 43 percent in 1970, he added. The decade 1985-1995 was Indonesia’s “Golden Period,” when per capita income rose by as much as 70 percent, he rhapsodized. *** A COMPLEX array of programs underpin present-day Indonesian family planning policies: joint public and private, and foreign and domestic manufacturing of contraceptive drugs and devices; a public-private partnership for high-quality reproductive health services under the symbol of the “Blue Circle”; strong legislative support for the program; the encouragement of qualified midwives in the private sector; and support from various sectors including religious leaders, educators, local leaders.

Of course, problems remain. What is puzzling is that despite the high family planning prevalence rate, maternal mortality remains high. The government is constrained from providing contraceptive services to unmarried youth. AndHIV/AIDS is a growing problem.

But we can certainly learn a lot from Indonesia’s lessons “learned from success.”■

Business Inflation rate slows slightly in May HSBC bullish on PH growth

BY RIZA T. OLCHONDRA and MICHELLE V. REMO Philippine Daily Inquirer

THE COUNTRY’S inflation rate decelerated slightly to 2.9 percent in May from 3 percent in April on slower price increases in housing, utilities, fuels and services, the National Statistics Office (NSO) said in a report.

The recent series of price rollbacks in LPG, kerosene, gasoline and diesel in most of the regions, including Metro Manila, resulted in a slower national monthly price increment in consumer items, the NSO said.

The low inflation rate for May brought the year-to-date average to 3 percent, or the low end of the government’s target of 3 to 5 percent for the whole year of 2012.

Excluding selected food and energy items, core inflation for the whole country rose slightly to 3.7 percent last month from 3.6 percent in April, according to the NSO. Core inflation takes out food and fuel items that tend to be influenced by seasonal and shortterm price pressures, revealing the underlying trend in average consumer prices. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said the latest inflation rate showed that current interest rates were appropriate at the moment.

He said, however, that the BSP would not hesitate to make adjustments should there be factors that could significantly drag growth lower or cause inflation to surge.

“We will continue to monitor developments, particularly in Europe and the United States, to assess their potential impact on domestic price movements and on our own growth prospects to see if there is any need to make adjustments in our policy stance,” Tetangco said.

Professor Benjamin E. Diokno of the UP School of Economics said in an e-mail to the INQUIRER that the mild inflation in May was likely to be sustained in the coming months, barring major catastrophes that could affect food prices, as oil prices were expected to fall and with the summer months over, the demand for electricity would normalize.

“The relatively tame inflation rates may provide BSP more confidence in addressing its other mandate, which is economic growth. Increased lending to smalland medium-scale industries should be encouraged,” Diokno said.

HSBC also expects the BSP to keep interest rates at current levels throughout the year, saying the favorable growth and inflation dynamics in the country gave monetary authorities the flexibility to observe status quo. ■

WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012 16

BDO sets P48.60-a-share price for rights offering Sy bank seen raising P43.5B from activity

BY DORIS C. DUMLAO Philippine Daily Inquirer THE COUNTRY’S biggest lender, Banco de Oro Unibank, priced a landmark stock rights offering at P48.60 a share, an exercise that will boost the bank’s core capital by P43.5 billion in support of its mediumterm growth strategy.

BDO is issuing 895.2 million new common shares by giving existing shareholders as of record date June 14 the right to buy one additional BDO share at P48.60 for every three shares that they currently own.

“It’s priced reasonably, equivalent to around 1.2 times book value,” said Eagle Equities Inc. president Joseph Roxas. “This should be well taken up.”

At price to book value of 1.2 times, Roxas said BDO’s stock offer was valued at around the same level as the recent initial public offering of East West Bank.

In a statement, BDO said the offer price was based on the 15day volume-weighted average price of

BDO common shares listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange at a discount of 24.9 percent.

BDO’s stock rights offer will start on June 18 and end on June 27. With its size of about $1 billion, BDO’s offering makes history as the biggest stock rights offering in the country.

The transaction was arranged by Citigroup, Deutsche Bank and JP Morgan as joint international lead managers and underwriters. United Overseas Bank Ltd. acted as international co-lead manager and co-lead underwriter while BDO Capital and Investment Corp. was issue manager and domestic underwriter.

The proceeds are intended to support BDO’s medium-term growth objectives and respond to the more stringent Basel III capital requirement that is expected to be implemented by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Universal and commercial banks are required by the Bangko Sentral to adopt by Jan. 1, 2014, the capital adequacy standards under Basel III, which introduces a complex package of reforms designed to improve the ability of banks to absorb losses, extend the coverage of financial risks and have a stronger firewall against periods of stress.

With BDO’s capital-raising activity, it will keep its capital adequacy ratio (CAR) to risk assets at 12.5 percent from 10 percent and double its tier 1 CAR ratio to 10 percent from 5 percent effective January 2014 even if it were to expand its risk assets over the next two years.■

PSE’S online trading platform seen ready in three months

BY RIZA T. OLCHONDRA and MICHELLE V. REMO Philippine Daily Inquirer

THE PHILIPPINE Stock Exchange plans to roll out by in three months the basic module for an online trading service to trading participants, an initiative meant to make equities a more accessible asset class especially for retail investors.

This developed as the PSE signed an agreement with N2N Global Solutions Sdn. Bhd. (N2N), a whollyowned subsidiary of listed Malaysian securities trading solutions provider N2N Connect Berhad, to promote online trading and direct market access to trading participants.

“There has been a lot of interest,” PSE president Hans Sicat told reporters. “It will be a complementary service.”

N2N will provide the software solution that will allow PSE to offer the following services: online trading for trading participants’ clients who want to execute and monitor their own orders; trading terminal for dealers/ traders and more sophisticated clients, and direct market access with automated order-taking facility and algorithm trading for those who want fast execution of orders.

Through the direct market access facility, a client of a trading participant will be directly connected to the trading engine of the exchange and will experience lower trade latency. This, in turn, will eventually open up the market for high-frequency trading, which uses algorithmic and similar strategies and accounts for 30 percent of trading in some markets in Asia and even as high as 70 percent of trading volume in the United States.

“One of the key elements in our strategy to increase retail investor participation in the market is to promote online trading which has proven to be the fastest growing investor segment in the country. Through this facility we are acquiring from N2N, we hope to resolve some of the barriers to brokers in providing online trading to their clients,” PSE president Hans Sicat said.

“The solutions provide PSE with a unified platform to connect more effectively with its trading participants, with the added advantage of having opportunities to connect with exchanges overseas. The PSE can improve risk management for itself and its trading participants, who can also access advanced tools to give them advantages in securities trading,” N2N Group managing director Andrew Tiang said.

Online investor accounts in the Philippines grew by 48.4 percent in 2011, following a 26-percent increase in 2010 and 47 percent in 2009. The surge to 52,750 online accounts last year, from 35,559 in 2010, was spurred by the double-digit annual growth in the online accounts of nearly all brokerages with online capabilities. Of the total online trading accounts, 99.8 percent were retail online accounts while the remainder represented institutional online accounts. Local accounts accounted for 97.4 percent of total online accounts at the Exchange while the rest were foreign online accounts.

N2N Connect’s key management has been involved in the information/communication technology industry for more than 30 years with 12 years of expertise in the financial industry.

N2N Group has operations in Singapore, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Indonesia. ■

17 WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012

Sports DAHLBERG ON BOXING: Old story in boxing, Pacquiao loss heard around the world

BY HOWARD FENDRICH THE ASSOCIATED PRESS PARIS - Rafael Nadal is so unflinching, so nearly unbeatable, while sliding and grinding and pounding his way past opponent after opponent at the French Open. Away from the red clay, Nadal is human, of course. Humble, even.

Nadal’s mind, generally impervious to negativity on court, was fraught with worry for the 18 or so hours he and No. 1-ranked Novak Djokovic were made to wait, from Sunday evening into Monday afternoon, before continuing the fourth set of their raininterrupted final at Roland Garros, a match filled with historic implications.

While eating dinner, while leafing through his favourite Japanese anime comic book in his hotel room before bedtime, while getting in a pre-match practice session, Nadal focused not on the tantalizingly close prospect of a record seventh French Open championship, but rather on the other possible outcome: a loss in a fourth consecutive major final against Djokovic, who in turn would become the first man since 1969 to collect four Grand Slam titles in a row. ``You never know if you’re going to win another one,’’ Nadal said. ``Opportunities pass ... Losing a fourth in a row would have been tough for me.’’

When play was halted by showers on Sunday, the No. 2-ranked Nadal was clinging to a lead quickly shrinking as his performance dipped and Djokovic’s rose.

It wasn’t until a few minutes before setting foot back on Court Philippe Chatrier _ his favourite arena at his favourite tournament on his favourite surface _ that Nadal set aside his anxiety. Oh, did he. Once again the King of Clay, Nadal overwhelmed Djokovic for the 50 minutes and nine games they played Monday, wrapping up a 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 victory that allowed Nadal to earn French Open trophy No. 7, breaking a tie with Bjorn Borg. ``I don’t know if I am the best or not,’’ said Nadal, who won his 11th Grand Slam title overall. ``I am not the right one to say that.’’

Djokovic, for his part, had zero doubts. ``He’s definitely (the) best player in history ... on this surface,’’ said Djokovic, whose 27-match Grand Slam winning streak ended, ``and results are showing that he’s one of the best ever.’’

Can’t argue with that. Since his French Open debut at age 18 in May 2005, Nadal is 52-1 for his career at the tournament, the only loss coming to Robin Soderling in the fourth round in 2009.

Asked to explain his success on clay, Nadal pointed not to his uppercut of a topspinslathered forehand, or his superior returns of serve, but rather to his movement, his mental fortitude, and this: ``I always was scared to lose.’’

Djokovic gave Nadal reason for added concern, having beaten him in the finals at Wimbledon in July, the U.S. Open in September, and the Australian Open in January. Djokovic was attempting to be only the third man to win four major tournaments in succession, joining Don Budge in 1938, and Rod Laver in 1962 and 1969.

Alas, Djokovic ran into Nadal at Roland Garros. The same thing happened to Roger Federer in 2006 and ‘07, when his Grand Slam bids fell one win short because of losses to Nadal in the French Open final. ``For us, it was very important to win here now against Djokovic, because we knew that if he won again, the fourth one, then (Rafa) completing a Grand Slam of losses would have been ugly,’’ said Toni Nadal, Rafael’s uncle and coach. ``And we were very close to doing that.’’

Instead, his nephew gained ground on Federer’s record of 16 Grand Slam titles, tying Borg and Laver for fourth place.

Borg walked away from the sport at age 25 after losing the 1981 Wimbledon and U.S. Open finals to John McEnroe. ``If Borg had kept playing until he was 30, he might have won 10 French Opens _ something Nadal could wind up doing if he keeps playing,’’ said Corrado Barazzutti, a top-10 player in the 1970s who lost all 10 career matches against the Swede. ``Borg was a player who, particularly on red clay, was unbeatable, in my opinion.

Facing him on a court was like being trapped in a tunnel. It was dark. You couldn’t move,’’ Barazzutti said. ``That must be what it’s like to play Nadal.’’

Even a passing shower that the players waited out on the sideline didn’t slow Nadal on this afternoon. He’s from the island of Mallorca, and loves to spend his rare downtime playing golf or hanging out at the beach or fishing.

Nadal dropped to his knees on winning and covered his face, thick strips of white tape covering the knuckles and fingertips of his racket-wielding left hand. He rose, chucked his racket, and clambered into the stands for a group hug with his father and various members of his entourage. Then he leaped into Toni’s arms, spilling his uncle’s bottle of water. ``When you lose, it’s because you don’t deserve the title,’’ Nadal said. ``So in my mind, this was the final I had to win. That’s why I was so emotional.’’

Nearly two hours later, Nadal and more than a dozen others gathered on the court for a photo session of the sort you might see at a wedding. First, everyone stood together for a picture, Nadal cradling the trophy. Then came various two-person poses: Rafa with Dad; Rafa with Uncle Toni; Rafa with his buddy Pau Gasol of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Might seem a tad over-the-top for a guy who’s done this so many times.

Then again, you only win your seventh French Open trophy once. ■ Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich

AP Photo / Chris Carlson

Human, humble and so nearly unbeatable: Nadal in 7th heaven at French Open

BY TIM DAHLBERG THE ASSOCIATED PRESS LAS VEGAS - The outcry in this gambling city was so loud Floyd Mayweather Jr. could have heard it in his jail cell. On the other side of the world, people cried in the streets in Manila, and the presidential palace issued a statement praying for the quick return of their hero’s strength and fervour.

Through it all, Manny Pacquiao was a model of serenity. ``I hope you’re not dismayed or discouraged,’’ Pacquiao said. ``I can fight. I can still fight.’’

That much was evident Saturday night in a fight Pacquiao seemed to have under control up until the time the judges’ scorecards were announced.

He pounded Timothy Bradley early, landed more punches and looked a lot like the fighter who catapulted to fame on a remarkable undefeated run over the last seven years.

That he’s a former champion now is thanks to some judging that was questionable, if not borderline incompetent. But boxing has always been a subjective sport, and anything shy of a knockout is always open to interpretation by the three judges who sit ringside and score things round by round.

Pacquiao understands that as well as anyone, which may account for his smiles and calm demeanour afterward. In his last fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, he was lucky to escape with a majority decision that just as easily could have gone to his Mexican challenger, and he’s been the beneficiary of other close decisions, too.

He was never close to knocking out Bradley; he was never able to knock him down. He coasted some in the late rounds, and left his fate in the hands of other people _ something every fighter is cautioned never to do.

It’s a mistake he vows not to repeat if the two meet as expected Nov. 10, in a rematch both say they want. ``That will make me become a warrior in the next few months,’’ Pacquiao said, ``because in the rematch my feeling is I don’t want to go the whole 12 rounds.’’

The end of Pacquiao’s 15-fight winning streak was even more startling because most near ringside didn’t see it coming. Almost without exception every writer had Pacquiao well ahead, while HBO’s resident unofficial judge Harold Lederman had him winning 11 rounds out of 12. The Associated Press scored it 117-111 for Pacquiao.

Punching stats compiled by Compubox showed Pacquiao landing 253 punches to 159 for Bradley, and landing more punches in 10 of the 12 rounds.

But boxing statistics are subjective, too, compiled by two people counting the punches they believe land in a fight _ and this one got so wild at times it was hard to tell who was hitting whom.

Still, when the split decision was announced and judges Duane Ford and C.J. Ross had Bradley winning 115-113, the pro-Pacquiao crowd booed loudly, and 81-year-old promoter Bob Arum nearly went apoplectic.

``This isn’t about a close decision,’’ said Arum, forgetting for a moment that he promotes both fighters. ``This is absurd and ridiculous and everyone involved in boxing should be ashamed.’’

It didn’t take long for radio talk shows and people commenting online to take up the theme.

As usual, they said they would never watch another fight and, as usual, claimed the fight had to be fixed.

It wasn’t, of course, because boxing in Nevada is heavily regulated and there has never been any indication judges could be bought off for a big fight. If they got it wrong _ and there were some who said they didn’t _ they got it wrong simply because they liked what they saw when Bradley switched styles midway through the fight and started boxing Pacquiao instead of brawling with him.

Indeed, almost overlooked in the uproar was that Bradley fought smart and he fought gritty. He never gave up despite badly injuring both feet in the early rounds, and he took the best Pacquiao had and kept going after him. Bradley didn’t have the power to keep Pacquiao off him, but he had ring intelligence and determination _ and he displayed both all the way to the final bell. ``There’s three judges out there. What do you want me to do?’’ Bradley asked. ``Two of them felt I won the fight. That’s all that counts.’’

Bradley, who came to the postfight press conference in a wheelchair, said he hurt his left foot in the second round, and told trainer Joel Diaz in the corner after the round that he thought it was broken. ``He said, ‘What do you want to do? You’re in the fight of your life. Do you want to quit?’’’ Bradley said. ``I said, ‘No.’’’ Bradley’s manager, Cameron Dunkin, said Sunday that the fighter tore ligaments in his left foot and will have an MRI on Monday to see if any bones are fractured. He said Bradley also sprained his right ankle in the fifth round, and it was badly swollen. ``It’s incredible that he fought through it,’’ the manager said.

Dunkin said Bradley knows his win was controversial and is determined to prove critics wrong in the rematch. ``He was letting it get to him. Now he realizes the judges do their job and he should just enjoy it,’’ he said. ``Did Pacquiao ever apologize to Marquez for any of his results? No.’’ While the fight set up what will be a lucrative rematch for both fighters, it may also quiet talk about a fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather that now seems destined never to happen. With Mayweather currently serving a three-month sentence in the Clark County Detention centre _ where the Pacquiao fight was not shown _ and Pacquiao gearing up for a rematch with Bradley, there are even more obstacles to the megafight than before.

In the Philippines, meanwhile, fans took the loss harder than Pacquiao himself. They booed and yelled ``Manny was cheated’’ after watching the fight in public parks and gyms throughout the country. Some even burst into tears in disbelief that their hero - who is also a Filipino congressman - could lose. ``He’s a national and a world hero,’’ said librarian Gina Tubo. ``He inspires people and entertains them away from their troubles, so this is really shocking to all of us and I wept because he didn’t lose.’’

He did lose, though, because the judges said he lost. That happens in boxing, and now Pacquiao no longer has the welterweight title he brought into the ring.

The sport can be filled with heartache, but it’s made Pacquiao rich and famous, and an icon in his country. Maybe that was why he wasn’t the one doing the screaming after his loss. ``That’s how we love this boxing,’’ Pacquiao said. ``In your heart you know I was winning the fight. But it’s OK. It’s part of the game.’’ ■ Tim Dahlberg is the boxing writer for The Associated Press. He can be reached at tdahlberg(at)ap.org or http://twitter.com/ timdahlberg

18 WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012

Angelo Siglos

Filipino-Canadians celebrate Philippine Independence Day

TO CELEBRATE the 114th Philippine Independence Day, the Filipino community in Canada–composed of community leaders, entrepreneurs, members of various Filipino-Canadian organizations and the Philippine Embassy and Consulates General– worked beautifully together to commemorate the historical affair.

Across Canada, the national attire of barong Tagalog and baro’t saya colored several halls, as many Filipinos took part in weeklong celebrations that featured Filipino food, dances, and songs. For the first time, Philippines Historama, a cultural show that depicted important periods of Philippine History in short

plays, songs and dances beginning 20,000 years ago to the present, was staged at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver.

In Malacanang Palace, Manila, President Benigno S. Aquino III issued the following statement to mark the celebration of the Philippine Independence day by FilipinoCanadians: “It is my honor to greet my fellow Filipinos as we celebrate the 114th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence.

Once again, the Filipino people are writing a significant chapter in our history. Like all turning points in this

narrative, this chapter is an outcome of collective will, manifested by our desire to fulfill our country’s greatest potential, as exhibited by the ability, creativity, and fortitude of the Filipino.

Our patriots embodied these qualities in all of their undertakings, particularly in their greatest enterprise–the formation of this Republic. Today we also take inspiration from our countrymen who demonstrate passion, excellence and integrity in their chosen fields, thereby carrying on this legacy of solidarity and nationhood from our forefathers.

As we celebrate our Independence, let it be our duty to reaffirm the values that have shaped and strengthened our nation, and to forge ahead in fulfillment of the destiny envisioned by our heroes.

Let us uphold the spirit of hope and confidence that permeates the momentum of change in our time. May we also remain proud of our heritage and diversity, the foundations that distinguish our beloved Philippines.

Inspired by the past we now commemorate, we move forward to establish a future that accords with our rightful place in the community of nations.”

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Stephen Harper also issued the following statement on behalf of the Government of Canada to Filipino-Canadians celebrating Philippine Independence Day: “I am delighted to extend my warmest greetings to Canadians of Filipino descent as you commemorate

the 114th anniversary of Philippine independence. A nation’s history is a bond that unites generations. As you mark Philippine Independence Day, your community can celebrate its unique place in two national stories.

The path to independence for the Philippines was long and difficult.

With great resolve, spirit and initiative, the Filipino people fought for freedom.

This is an occasion to take pride in that achievement and the strong bonds between our countries.

Canada and the Philippines have developed close ties of cooperation, trade and friendship. Our bilateral relations are continually strengthened by the nearly 500,000 Canadians who trace their roots to the Philippines.

The community is making valuable contributions to our country’s prosperity in every field of endeavour.

I am pleased to salute your efforts on this special day.

On behalf of the Government of Canada, please accept my best wishes for a most enjoyable and memorable celebration.”

The Philippine Independence Day celebration was a week of looking back, and nostalgia–made more poignant by the gesture of hand over heart in every rendition of the Philippine National Anthem. At every celebration, it is evident that every Filipino-Canadian is looking back, and looking forward with good intentions for the country they left behind but never forgot. ■

BRIEFS by The Canadian Press

Clark announces B.C. welfare changes MONTREAL - Prime Minister Stephen Harper says the world is facing a false choice between fiscal discipline and economic growth. In a speech to an international economic conference in Montreal, he says what the world needs is a practical approach that combines budgetary discipline and other growth measures - essentially the Canadian approach. ■

TD: no sign of bubble in Toronto, Vancouver TORONTO - Vancouver and Toronto home prices will probably experience a relatively mild downturn - of about 15 per cent - in two to three years, but not the dramatic drop that hit the United States a few years ago, according to a report by the TorontoDominion banking group.TD said Monday the 15 per cent decline in Canada’s two most expensive cities is likely in a few years but it will be gradual, rather than the sudden drop of 30 per cent seen in the U.S. real estate market after it peaked in late 2007. ■

19 WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012

Canada News

S.U.C.C.E.S.S. RENEWS FOCUS ON HEPATITIS B S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Announces Results of Hepatitis B Awareness Study focused on Asian Communities

VANCOUVER, BC – S.U.C.C.E.S.S. in partnership with the BC Hepatitis Program and the Division of Gastroenterology of the University of British Columbia today announced the results of their Hepatitis B (HBV) Awareness Study focused on Asian communities in British Columbia.

The HBV Awareness Survey found that the awareness and correct knowledge about Hepatitis B among the vulnerable ethnic populations ranges from moderate to very low, for example that HBV is a leading cause of liver cancer.

The survey also found that of those who have been diagnosed with HBV, 70 per cent of them are not currently being treated by a doctor and 88 per cent of them are not taking medication to treat the disease.

“One area of improvement that the survey found was that amongst the Chinese population the general awareness level has increased to 88 per cent. We are proud to see this increase in awareness and feel strongly this is due to the efforts of SUCCESS and other partners to educate ethnic communities about Hepatitis B.” said Thomas Tam, Chief Executive Officer of S.U.C.C.E.S.S. “However, the survey also demonstrated significant gaps in awareness and correct knowledge of HBV among the Korean, Filipino, Southeast and South Asian communities showing that we need to broaden our public education efforts to those communities.”

The S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Hepatitis B Medical Advisory Committee who commissioned the survey are requesting the BC Government to provide additional resources to deliver HBV education programs targeting at-risk ethnic communities in BC; adding HBV to the Chronic Disease Management program to provide family physicians with additional incentives to treat HBV before it becomes a serious health issue; provide access to non-invasive Fibro scans for more patients to better measure fibrosis of the liver and add additional flexibility for critical medicines already covered

by Pharmacare.

“The survey results have highlighted the important role that

Jo-Ann Ford, Associate Director - Clinical Research; AssociateDirector - BC Hepatitis Program, Dr. Eric Yoshida, Division Head of Gastroenterology, University of British Columbia, Thomas Tam, CEO, S.U.C.C.E.S.S., Dr. Jessica Chan, Chair of Hepatitis B Medical Advisory Boardand Board Member, S.U.C.C.E.S.S., Willie Kwong, Manager Research and Funding Development, S.U.C.C.E.S.S., and Dr. Chen Yuanyuan

family doctors can play in helping to control and treat the disease in its early stages,” said Dr. Jessica Chan, chair of Hepatitis B Medical Advisory Committee and S.U.C.C.E.S.S. board member.

She continued, “By adding HBV to the list of chronic diseases family physicians would be able to access additional fee codes to properly manage their HBV patients.”

While the anti-viral drugs used to treat early stage HBV cost between $5 and $22 per day, the ultimate price is far less than letting the illness progress, said Dr. Eric Yoshida, head of Gastroenterolgy at the University of British Columbia. “The drug costs are minuscule compared to the actual cost of heroic measures to try to address the effects of end stage disease from hepatitis B,” he continued, “By qualifying patients for a longer duration of access to medications would provide a way to provide enhanced early treatment and lighten the load on the health care system.”

About Hepatitis B (HBV) Unlike Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B (HBV) is generally uncommon in most of Canada. But in areas where there are large Asian communities, such as the BC lower mainland especially Vancouver-RichmondSurrey, HBV rates approach that of Asia. In British Columbia, the estimated number of HBV patients is estimated to be 60,000. Many of whom are diagnosed very late in the disease cycle following the discovery of cirrhosis or liver cancer.

About the Hepatitis B (HBV) Awareness Survey in Asian Communities A proportionately random sample survey was conducted in the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) focusing on high HBV incident immigrant populations of Asian descent, including: Chinese (Mandarin & Cantonese speaking from Hong Kong, Mainland China & Taiwan), Korean, Filipino, South Asians and people of other Southeast Asian origins including Vietnamese, Laotian, Cambodian, Singaporean, Malaysian, Indonesian, Burmese,

etc. South Asian is further defined as ethnic people who consider themselves: East Indian, Bangladeshi, Bengali, Goan, Gujarati, Kashmiri, Nepali, Pakistani, Punjabi, Sinhalese, Sri Lankan, or Tamil. The combined population of all these target ethnic groups in GVRD is 769,040 people based on Census 2006.

One thousand telephone interviews conducted in seven different languages were completed in three weeks commencing on April 16, 2012.

The survey results are accurate at a confidence level of +/- 2.2% of the total sample estimates 19 times out of 20.

About S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Established in 1973, S.U.C.C.E.S.S. is one of the largest social service agencies in British Columbia. It is a charitable organization providing services in settlement, language training, employment, family and youth counseling, business and economic development, health care, housing and community development.

For more details, please visit: www.success.bc.ca. ■

Canada News

WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012 20

Harper Government Clamps Down on Street Drug “Bath Salts” - Will give law enforcement ability to deal with new drug threat OTTAWA - The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, announced today that the Harper Government plans to regulate MDPV, a key ingredient in the illicit drug referred to as “bath salts”, under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA).

The so-called “bath salts” earned their name because they look like bath salts sold in mainstream drug stores.

However, unlike legitimate bath salts, these stimulants can cause psychotic episodes and dangerous behaviour.

Recent media reports have linked the use of “bath salts” to violence causing harm.

“This action shows our Government’s commitment to protecting Canadian families from this dangerous substance,” said Minister Aglukkaq.

“This action helps give law enforcement the tools they need to keep our streets and communities safe from this new and emerging drug that ruins lives and

causes havoc in communities across the country.”

Health Canada will post its intent to make MDPV illegal in Canada Gazette, Part I, on June 9, 2012. The intent is to put MDPV on Schedule I of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, in the same category as heroin and cocaine. The public will have until July 10, 2012 to comment on this plan. Unless dramatic new evidence comes to light, this drug is expected to be illegal this fall.

The new rules mean activities such as possession, trafficking, possession for the purpose of trafficking, importation, exportation and production would be illegal unless authorized by regulation.

This move will also allow law enforcement agencies to take action against suspected illegal activities involving these substances.

“We applaud the federal government for their quick response in recognizing the extreme dangers of the “bath salts” and the listing of it as a Schedule I drug,”

The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health (right), with Shelly Glover (centre), Member of Parliament for Saint Boniface – Winnipeg and Chief Barry MacKnight (left), Chair of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police Drug Abuse Committee.

said Chief Barry MacKnight, Chair of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police Drug Abuse Committee.

“The addition of MDPV in Schedule I of the CDSA will severely hinder organized crime’s ability to procure and profit from this substance, which they market as Ecstasy. Health Canada’s decisive action in this matter is another example of the excellent collaboration between the RCMP, Health Canada, and

Minor damage reported as tornado touches down in rural area of southern Alberta THE CANADIAN PRESS TABER, Alta. - Residents of southern Alberta had their first brush with the summer storm season Tuesday night as a wide swath of bad weather cut across the region.

Environment Canada reported a tornado touching down in a rural area eight kilometres north of Taber, and funnel clouds were spotted in neighbouring communities such as Brooks and Bow Island.

There were reports of some damage to farm buildings and trees being uprooted by high winds, and power was knocked out to about 3,000 customers in the Taber area.

RCMP said heavy winds and rains were resulting in zero visibility on the Trans-Canada Highway between Calgary and Bassano.

In Calgary and other southern communities, heavy rain produced flash flooding in intersections and low-lying areas and some regions were hit by hail and heavy lightning.

Although there were no reports of injuries, Taber police said concerned residents overwhelmed their phone lines, prompting them to issue a request that people not call unless there was an emergency, and then to use only 911.

The whole mess was triggered by a strong storm cell moving north out of Montana, prompting tornado warnings and watches between Coaldale and Taber.

Lethbridge was under a severe thunderstorm watch for all of the afternoon, and severe thunderstorm watches and warnings were still in effect. ■

its Federal partners within the scope of Canada’s National Anti-Drug Strategy,” says RCMP Deputy Commissioner, Federal Policing, Mike Cabana.

For further information on “bath salts” and the risks associated with its use, please see the drug alert on “bath salts” prepared

by Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse in partnership with the Canadian Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Use (CCENDU). ■ Alberta labour group calls for end to temporary foreign workers program THE CANADIAN PRESS CALGARY - Fraud charges against a Calgary woman who headed a group for foreign workers have the Alberta Federation of Labour calling on the government to scrap the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. ``There is a clear and obvious lack of oversight of the TFW program that can lead to appalling abuse of workers,’’ AFL president Gil McGowan said Tuesday. ``The TFW program isn’t working for foreign workers, it isn’t working for Alberta workers and it isn’t working for employers. It’s time to admit the program is a failure and replace it with real immigration.’’

McGowan pointed out that Auditor-General Sheila Fraser panned the program in her 2009 report, saying there has been no systematic followup to ensure employers are complying with the terms under which the Labour Mobility Opinion application was approved, such as wages to be paid and accommodations to be provided.

McGowan said things will get worse with the Accelerated Labour Market Opinion process proposed by the Harper government. ``The federal government admits that fewer than 20 per cent of successful ALMOs will be subject to a compliance review,’’ he said. ``We can only imagine the widespread abuse workers will endure when bad employers know they have little chance of getting caught.’’

On Tuesday, police charged a Calgary woman with defrauding a newcomer to Canada of more than $2 million.

Police say the complainant was persuaded to turn over the deeds to two properties in her name last summer, and also handed over access to her bank account.

They say she was told it was unsafe for her to have local assets while in Canada on a visa.

The accused, who at the time was president of the Temporary Foreign Workers Association of Canada, is also alleged to have penned more than $400,000 in bank drafts payable to her.

Melissa Holman, 40, is to appear in court Aug. 21 on fraud and theft charges. ■

21 WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012

World News

Phil Jones / Shutterstock.com

Queen calls Diamond Jubilee celebrations ‘humbling’ and an ‘inspiration’

BY STEVE RENNIE THE CANADIAN PRESS

LONDON - Pealing church bells, the crack of ceremonial rifle fire and the thunderous din of iconic Royal Air Force fighters couldn’t drown out Britain’s deafening cheers Tuesday as throngs of well-wishers marked the final day of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

As a Lancaster bomber soared over Buckingham Palace, flanked by a Hawker Hurricane and Spitfire fighters, the sovereign - ignoring everpresent rains - waved to the soaked, sprawling crowd from the balcony, capping four days of unparalleled pomp and pageantry that made it clear the country’s affections for the monarchy remain far from depleted.

In a rare televised statement, the Queen called the celebrations ``a humbling experience.’’ ``I will continue to treasure and draw inspiration from the countless kindnesses shown to me in this country and throughout the Commonwealth,’’ the monarch said during the twominute pre-recorded broadcast.

Throughout the festivities, which honoured the Queen’s six decades on the throne, her husband Prince Phillip was not at her side: the Duke of Edinburgh, who turns 91 this weekend, was hospitalized with a bladder infection.

It was the second major event at which the royal consort has been absent, having missed Christmas after undergoing a heart operation.

Earlier, thousands of people behind barricades waved flags and cheered as

the Queen descended the steps of St. Paul’s Cathedral and stepped in to her black state Bentley, which was adorned with a small flag bearing the royal coat of arms.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Gov. Gen. David Johnston and other dignitaries attended the hour-long service of Thanksgiving inside the cathedral, its world-famous dome a prominent landmark on the London skyline.

Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, delivered a sermon that paid tribute to the 86-year-old monarch. ``I don’t think it’s at all fanciful to say that, in all her public engagements, our Queen has shown a quality of joy in the happiness of others,’’ Williams said. ``She has responded with just the generosity St. Paul speaks of in showing honour to countless local communities and individuals of every background and class and race.’’

The Queen arrived at the cathedral wearing a mint green, fine silk tulle outfit embroidered with tiny starshaped flowers and embellished with silver thread. The crowd outside St. Paul’s brandished Union Jacks and chanted ``God save the Queen’’ as she responded with a small wave of her gloved hand.

Cian Horrobin, who led a group of travellers organized by the Monarchist League of Canada, said the four-day jubilee celebrations made the spectacle of last year’s royal wedding for Prince William and Kate pale in comparison.

The chance to see members of the royal family up close as they exited St. Paul’s, coupled with the

lavish trimmings of a banner royal celebration, made the occasion seem both special and surreal, he said. ``I’ve never in my life seen that kind of pageantry before,’’ said Horrobin. ``Literally, the heralds of the realm were there with their full gear, and they had the trumpet players in their gold and burgundy uniforms. All the soldiers were in armour, stuff I’ve only ever read about in books, really.’’

The throngs of well-wishers saved some of their loudest cries for Prince William and Kate —arguably the most popular members of the royal family —and Prince Harry, as well as the heir to the throne, Prince Charles, and his wife, Camilla.

The Queen shared a few words with Prince Charles and her grandson, Harry, as a choir sang English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams’ ``Te Deum in G.’’ A lunch in a medieval hall and a carriage procession back to Buckingham Palace followed the service at St. Paul’s Cathedral.

With most of the events indoors or under cover, there was less worry about the precarious weather, which has ranged from unseasonably cool to downright foul.

President Barack Obama sent a video tribute extending ``the heartfelt congratulations of the American people’’ to the queen. Obama hailed her as ``a living witness to the power of our alliance, and a chief source of its resilience.’’

The celebration that has consumed all of London these past four days may, for its sheer pageantry, have eclipsed last year’s nuptials of Prince William and Kate.

Perhaps the grandest event of all was the procession down the river Thames of a 1,000-ship flotilla led by the Queen’s royal barge.

Thousands of people packed the Mall and Hyde Park on Monday night to see a pop concert at Buckingham Palace, featuring musical legends Stevie Wonder, Elton John and Paul McCartney.

The crowd roared as ska band Madness performed their 1982 hit ``Our House’’ atop the palace roof, just as guitarist Brian May of the British rock band Queen did a decade ago at the Golden Jubilee, as a spectacular light show transformed the palace into terraced housing.

Harper, meanwhile, has kept a relatively low profile in London.

On Tuesday, he announced the table tennis players who will represent Canada at the coming London Olympic Games: Andre Ho, PierreLuc Hinse, Eugene Wang and Mo Zhang.

Harper and his wife, Laureen, also joined British Prime Minister David Cameron for a private dinner at 10 Downing Street. The prime minister has an audience with the Queen.■

New connections: London subway system launches WiFi service at handful of stations

BY DANICA KIRKA THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

LONDON - Travellers on London’s Underground need no longer fear being out of touch.

The subway network began launching WiFi on Thursday, rolling out the service to a handful of stations this week as part of a build-up before the Olympics. The games are set for July 27 to Aug. 12.

By the end of the year, about 120 Tube stations will be connected, including some which are very deep underground.

The service will be free for the summer, but users will have to register. After that, a ``service portal’’ will be made available to Tube passengers that will provide subway updates and some entertainment information. Access to the wider Internet will be made available as part of Virgin Media’s broadband and mobile subscriptions - or on a pay as you go basis.

London’s transportation authority and Virgin flatly declined to discuss the value of the contract, saying it was commercially confidential.

The announcement did not mention plans to introduce cellphone service to the Tube network.

Will it work? London’s WiFi network can be clunky at times above ground, but organizers are confident the system will be able to handle the challenge of providing service miles (kilometres) underground.

The WiFi addition is part of a multibillion-pound (multibillion-dollar) effort to upgrade the capital’s aging subway network. ■

Immigration

WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012 24

Appeal mechanism needed for biometric visa plan due to imperfect system

BY JIM BRONSKILL THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA - Saying no biometrics system is perfect, an internal report urges the federal government to create an avenue of appeal for visa applicants who are rejected because of a false fingerprint match.

The Conservative government is moving toward using biometrics—such as fingerprints, iris scans and other unique identifiers—to vet all foreigners entering the country.

As a first step, it soon plans to require applicants for a visitor visa, study permit or work permit to submit 10 electronic fingerprints and a photo before they arrive in Canada. The prints will be searched against RCMP databanks.

Upon arrival the Canada Border Services Agency will use the data to verify that the visa holder is the same person as the applicant.

A privacy impact assessment commissioned by the government says a redress mechanism is just one of the safeguards that should be built into the planned electronic system. ``In the context of digital scanning of fingerprints, no biometrics system is perfect,’’ says the report, obtained by The Canadian Press.

It notes that two different fingers can mistakenly be matched, and measurements from the same finger can be rejected. ``A documented process is required if there is a dispute about the decision on admissibility when the client’s dispute centres on the accuracy of the biometrics fingerprint evaluation.’’

Immigration and border services agency officials, along with the RCMP, should ``establish and document a process and provide information to clients on complaint procedures and remedies’’ in the event of disputes about fingerprint accuracy, the report recommends. An interim version of the privacy impact assessment was released under the Access to Information Act. It says that in addition to false matches, privacy concerns associated with the use of biometric technologies can also include unauthorized use of the information, discrimination through profiling or surveillance, and retention of the data beyond the length of time needed.

To preserve the privacy rights of applicants, the report also recommends:

- those applying for visas be told what information will be collected and how it will be used; - there be standards as to how long the fingerprints, photos and biographical details are kept and when they should be destroyed; - memoranda between Citizenship and Immigration and the RCMP and border services agency be reviewed to determine what additional provisions for privacy and security may be needed.

The report says privacy was ``an important consideration’’ in the design and implementation of an already completed biometrics field trial, including consultations with the federal privacy commissioner’s office.

The federal agencies involved in the project have indicated that the privacy commissioner ``will continue to be consulted’’ as the biometric plan develops, says the report. In addition, the privacy impact assessment will be updated.

Citizenship and Immigration had no immediate comment on the interim privacy assessment.

The government argues biometric verification will significantly reduce fraud and strengthen Canadian border security. ``It also means applicants will benefit from a reduced risk that their identity will be fraudulently used by someone else to gain access into Canada,’’ the department says in a backgrounder on the project. ``Implementing biometrics will bring Canada in line with other countries - such as the United Kingdom and the United States—that already use biometrics for immigration and border security purposes.’’ ■

25 WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012

Filipino Diaspora

FILIPINO-CANADIAN IN FOCUS: RONNIE MIRANDA Philippines, they should not have immigrated in the first place. They should go back to the Philippines.

Because all their credentials have no value in Canada (except for skills that are internationally accepted and transferrable), they should be open to learn and try out new things especially skill sets out of their comfort level.

I also suggest that new immigrants should interact more with Canadians instead of being with Filipinos all the time otherwise it will take them longer to assimilate.

BY MELISSA REMULLA BRIONES PHILIPPINE CANADIAN INQUIRER RONNIE MIRANDA is years ahead of his time. When computer graphics and 3D animation were first introduced in the Philippines in 1987, he was among its pioneers.

True to form, he thereafter ventured into configuring CGI systems for video production companies, designed computer-generated visual effects for TV and film production, and got into web design and development when these industries were still at its infancy in the Philippines. He moved to Canada in 2000, set up his company Active Computer Services in Port Moody, B.C., and is now into gigapixel photography, a technology he espied during the inauguration of U.S. President Barack Obama. Ronnie, married to Philippine actress Alice Dixson-Miranda, is described as “a highly conceptual thinker who likes to seek the underlying meaning rather than get mired in the facts and figures.”

You were one of the pioneering artists in 3D computer-generated imagery and animation in the Philippines when you left it for Canada.

Why Canada and why Vancouver/Port Moody?

I left the Philippines because the culture and mindset lacked any development or advancement. It was stagnating my growth personally and professionally.

I moved to Canada in 2000 because, not only is it progressive and a 1st world country, but there were very few immigrants back then. For its size, it had a very small population. Most of all, it is very quiet, peaceful, clean, organized and just a beautiful country. But now the population has grown and the city is a lot more crowded.

Can you tell us about your early years as a new immigrant? Did you have a difficult time adjusting?

It was easier for me to because I was able to visit Canada as a tourist several times before immigrating. I was able to see and experience life in Canada before-hand. Most importantly, I consciously changed my attitude, that is, I tried to do things the Canadian way and not the Filipino way (the things I was used doing).

How did you get into or conceive the idea for Gigapixel Camera Photography?

In early 2009, the gigapixel panorama of the Obama Inauguration by David Bergman was featured on CNN. I was fascinated by the technology and did some research. I learned that the robotic panohead was developed by GigaPan Systems and NASA Ames Research Center, and was originally used on the NASA Mars Rovers.

By March 2009, I ordered a GigaPan panohead and tried it out. I got more and more interested in it. I could see the many applications of this technology.

Scuba diving, bunjee jumping, skydiving—is there anything out there that you have not done yet?

People should get to experience some of these things at least once in their lives. Try different things that they don’t often have the chance to experience.

I enjoy the freedom of flying—it’s very peaceful and quiet “up there”. I still want to try paragliding. And my dream is to go for a space flight to reach the boundary between the Earth’s atmosphere and outer space and experience weightlessness.

In your website, A Journey to the Eye of the Storm—who is your favorite among the ‘crazy ones’ and why?

I don’t have a favorite. But I think the most influential person would be Einstein. His intelligence and originality changed the way we see and understand the world.

Can you tell us about Active Computer Services?

Active Computer Services is a business I established in December 2002 to provided computer services and tech support to home users and businesses.

In 2010, Active Computer Services no longer provided computer tech support. It now focuses its services on digital imaging particularly in gigapixel technology.

What is your advice to Filipinos who have recently immigrated to Canada— how can they make it big, or do what

they used to do in the Philippines, in light of challenges like obtaining Canadian experience and (non?)-recognition of their credentials?

There is a proverb that goes “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” The most important advice I can give them is to unlearn everything they are used to doing in the Philippines especially the Filipino way of thinking. They have to leave their pride and ego in the Philippines. If new immigrants want to do things they are used to doing in the

I have to ask this quintessential question —how is it being married to Alice Dixson—Miranda?

It is just like any other marriage with challenges, ups and downs, trials, good and bad times. For any marriage to last long and work out, it is always about giveand-take, understanding and respecting the individuality of your partner.

Being married to a popular actress has its advantages and disadvantages. The perks are obvious. However, it is difficult to have anonymity around Filipinos especially if we want privacy.

When you are not busy “seizing life by the reins” (in the words of Carissa Cruz), what is it that you enjoy doing?

I enjoy relaxing at home, lounging around, watching TV or just going to sleep. I also enjoy going to a nice peaceful and quiet place away from the maddening crowd. ■

Working in Canada

BY LIZETTE LOFRANCO-ABA

WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012 26

Illegal Questions: What they cannot ask you (and you don’t have to answer)

GLOBAL-FILIPINO AT WORK IN CANADA THE RECRUITMENT, selection and placement process is an exclusive management right. But while hiring is a prerogative of the employer, the manner in which hiring is done ought to be legally-compliant. There are legal guidelines in the hiring process that limit what employers are allowed to do.

And this includes the job interviewing process.

Job applicants need to know that they do have rights in a transaction where the “power imbalance” seemingly is in favor of the interviewer and where the applicant appears to be at the “mercy” of the interviewer.

While there are appropriate ways to answer job interview questions to increase your chances of landing a job, there are also appropriate ways to ask questions so employers do not run the risk of getting into legal trouble. There are interview questions that employers simply cannot ask job applicants.

Throughout my job-hunter’s life in Canada, I have been asked all sorts of strange and inappropriate questions.

From, “Are you Filipino?” to “Do you own your house?” and “What do you mean by “personal’?” Once, I went for a job interview with a company here in Greater Vancouver. I went of course well-prepared with my usual expectations of how companies with sizable operations around BC should handle interviews. There were two interviewers: one was the CEO and the other the General Manager of the company. I was expecting that considering the hierarchical calibre of the interviewers, the number of years the corporation has been in existence, not to mention that it was a unionized environment, there would be some semblance of best interview practices: some structure, perhaps some behavioral interview questions thrown in, or a number of prepared questions that were at least fair and legal. I was glad that the interviewers were not boardroom-stiff and made me feel quite at ease instantly. However, little did I know that I was in for a bit of a jolt.

Aside from the fact that I did not see any impression of organization to the questions and the interviewers did not at all refer to any list of prepared questions, they asked questions such as “Do you have children?”, “Are you married?”

Of course, I did not want to come across as resistant or confrontational and throw all my chances out the

window by telling them off with “Do you know what you are asking? Those are illegal!” although indeed, they were what they were.

In another separate job interview, the Canadian interviewers asked me where my name comes from as it “sounds French or Italian”. I hope they did not call me for an interview because they thought I was European but who knows.

I wondered if the unusually wide smiles on their faces were really an expression of surprise to find out that the applicant they had called in was a true-blue, urrrh…. true-brown Pinay.

Illegal questions—what are they?

Illegal questions are simply questions that employers are prohibited from asking as they contravene employment guidelines and the human rights provisions.

Firstly, illegal questions require a job applicant to provide information that has no bearing at all on the job applied for, that is, they are not related to the job requirements. Any questions asked by the employer at any point during the recruitment process should be related to the KSA’s or knowledge, skills and ability requirements of the job to be filled. This includes questions asked not only during the interview itself but also on any written application form.

Even questions asked during skills or psychometric testing should be in fact related to the functions of the job posted.

Secondly, interviewers should craft questions that should not be construed as discriminatory. Canada’s Human

Rights Act and provincial Human Rights codes prohibit discrimination in employment based on eleven “protected grounds”: • Race • National or ethnic origin • Colour • Religion • Age • Sex (including discrimination because of pregnancy or childbirth); • Sexual orientation • Marital status • Family status • Disability (a disability is a physical or mental condition that is permanent, ongoing, episodic or of some persistence, and is a substantial or significant limit on an individual’s ability to carry out some of life’s important functions or activities, including employment); and • Conviction for an offence for which a pardon has been granted.

So what do these “prohibited questions” sound like? Can you tell if the following are legal or not?

1. “Which country do you come from?” “What is your ethnic background?”

2. “Which church do you attend?”

Are there any religious holidays you observe that don’t allow you to work?”

3. “Are you married?” “How many kids do you have?” “Are you pregnant?”

“Do you have plans of having kids?”

“Can you make childcare arrangements if you are required to work on-call on short notice?”

4. “How is your health?” “How many times were you sick in the past?” “Have you ever made an EI or WCB or disability claim?”

5. “What social organizations or clubs do you belong to?”

6. “How old are you?” What are your retirement plans?” “How much longer do you plan to work before you retire?

7. “Have you had any police or criminal record?”

As you probably might have guessed, all the above interview questions are considered illegal.

If you were a job applicant, how would you respond to these questions without jeopardizing your chances of landing the job and without conceding your rights at the same time?

Part 2 of this article will focus on the hidden nature of these questions and how to respond to them. ■ The writer is a Certified Human Resources Professional. Please note that statements expressed herein this article are those of the author’s. They are provided for general information purposes only. This column is not intended to provide specific professional advice and should not be relied on as a basis for any legal decision. For more information on Canada’s Human Rights Act and the prohibited grounds of discrimination, please refer to http://www.chrc-ccdp. ca/about/human_rights_act-eng.aspx If you need advice, please consult with an expert. Thank you.

27 WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012

‘America’s Next Top Model’ alums now on Bench’s deep bench Allison and Dominique –‘impalpable’

BY ALEX Y. VERGARA Philippine Daily Inquirer INSTEAD of making up some fantastic story about how she loved Impalpable, Bench’s newest fragrance by Dubai-based Filipino fashion designer Michael Cinco, American model Allison Harvard was candid enough to admit that she had yet to try on the scent.

Harvard is the newest celebrity import to join the Filipino global brand’s growing list of famous foreign endorsers. And Bench couldn’t have picked a more honest and disarming personality to introduce its latest product.

It was two days before the perfume launch, and Harvard and fellow American model Dominique Reighard were holed up in a suite at Picasso Hotel in Makati doing press interviews.

Both alumnae of “America’s Next Top Model” (they competed in different seasons with Harvard landing second in both regular and “all-star” runs) also graced the recent Philippine Fashion Week at SMX. Harvard, 24, and Reighard, 28, modeled for Cinco. Reighard also walked tall in several pairs of Bench jeans designed by Rajo Laurel.

It was their first time in the country, and both were looking forward to doing Boracay before flying back to the US. “I’ve heard so many good things about the Philippines from Filipino friends in the States,” Reighard enthused. “When it comes to food, they told me to try a bit of everything, and I’m doing just that.”

Harvard also had her first serving of chicken and pork adobo the other night.

Her friends told her not to leave the country without sampling it, including some “fruit” in season, presumably the world-famous Philippine mango.

“I tried adobo, and it was really good,” she said in soft girlish voice. “They also took me to the Bench store at Glorietta to do some fitting before going to Bench Fix salon to have my roots done.”

If Harvard were to gauge Cinco’s debut scent based on the designer’s creations she wore during a daylong photo shoot the day before, Impalpable, she said, would probably be as “dreamy, whimsical, feminine and fresh” as his beaded and form-fitting dresses.

Shy but…

The “fairy tale quality” of Cinco’s clothes didn’t escape her. But the word impalpable could also describe Harvard’s seemingly conflicting personality.

THE TWO“America’s Next Top Model” fan faves with Ben Chan, watching the fashion show by Rajo Laurel

Cinco with Dominique Reighard and Allison Harvard

MICHAEL Cinco’s fragrance for Bench.

“I’m private, in a sense,” said Harvard, who is also known in the Internet community as “Creepy Chan,” a character she hid behind in while selling her paintings.

“I’m quite shy. But I like to think of myself as also very warm. Like if you ask me a question, I’ll answer it. I’m very open in that sense, which is a bit of an oxymoron.”

Harvard, who also dabbles in abstract art and portraitures, doesn’t have privacy issues, and makes it a point to read fan mail. She’s fascinated with the works of such legendary photographers as Helmut Newton and Francesco Woodman.

Despite her quirky persona, fans love her. (In an online material, she claims to be fascinated with blood and once reportedly declared while auditioning for “America’s Next Top Model” that she finds nose bleeds attractive.)

Harvard also wants to be like Vivienne Westwood “when I grow up.” She admires the British fashion legend not only for her edgy designs, but also for how she has evolved through the decades. She’s in awe of and inspired by Westwood’s strong points of view, on and off the fashion scene.

“I’ve learned a lot from other people, from the way they open up to me in their letters,” said the bleached blonde looker who’s blessed with probably one of the most expressive round eyes in the business. “I guess, in that sense, I’m quite privileged.”

The native Texan, who, like Reighard, is based in LA, is so far enjoying the ride and has little to complain about.

“I’m just having a great time with all the wonderful things I’ve gotten to do lately.

DOMINIQUE Reighard shows audience her “smize”

How could you be upset now about anything?

Sure, everybody is critical in the industry we’re in, (but) the biggest part of it is looking at all the great things you get to do and have.”

Competition from fresher, younger upstarts doesn’t seem to faze her. If it does, she has a positive spin to it.

“I think the second you make insecurity an issue, it becomes a permanent insecurity,” she said. “I think the only way to avoid that situation is to keep on doing your best until it stops being fun.”

Motherhood The dusky Reighard, who bears a striking resemblance to Jennifer Lopez, must deal with a different set of challenges. Now the mother of two young girls, she misses her family badly each time she does an out-oftown gig.

“Being away from my family for extended periods is the hardest,” says Reighard, who has managed to stay slim, even in motherhood, by eating “healthy,” drinking at least a gallon of water every day and doing regular cardio workouts. “But I’m blessed to have a career and be able to do the things I’m really passionate about.”

Even in childhood, she already knew her calling. There was even a time her brother would videotape her as she sang at the top of her lungs a la Mariah Carey.

“As a child, we all had our Mariah Carey moments, didn’t we,” she said, waiting for approval. “Or perhaps, it was just me.

Performing has always been my dream, and now I’m living it.”

Allison Harvard commands attention in her glittering gown by Michael Cinco.

Her preference for trendy stuff from Canadian duo Dean and Dan Caten of DSquared2, over more classic lines by such American designers as Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren reveals her inner “rock star.”

“There are so many layers to me when it comes to fashion,” Reighard said. “My style is still evolving. My whole life is about growth and evolution. I love clothes by DSquared2 because they make me feel like a rock star and elegant, feminine and young.”

Like Harvard, Reighard is all praises for Cinco’s brand of fashion. She loves the silhouettes and the intricate details.

Apart from singing, Reighard also composes, hosts and acts. She has just finished “On Top of the World,” an original and upbeat track that will be her album in the making’s carrier single.

When asked for a “sample,” Reighard, without skipping a beat, broke into song.

“I don’t need to apologize for who I am/I don’t need to apologize for what I do.”

And Filipino producers listen up. This woman is also open to do hosting jobs in Manila. And if she is really that versatile, she might even learn to speak Tagalog.

“More than anything, I want to show my girls that they can reach for their dreams if they want to by showing them through example,” said the Ohio native. “Whatever they want to be, I would allow them to follow their dreams.”

For these two young, bright women, nothing, it seems, is impalpable and impossible. ■ Photos by Ruth Navarra and Richard Reyes

Lifestyle the best possible future for their child, parents do not relax and stop what they have started. Instead they continue to learn about the newest interventions, the most up-to-date educational materials/assistive technology, among others. They seek professional advice in the hope of making sure that their child is only getting the best life-long learning.

BY ALPHA MIGUELSANFORD, M.ED, CAGS

ASK & READ: THE SPECIAL EDUCATOR

Special Education: A Lifestyle

TO MANY, Special Education is viewed as the only way of educating children with special needs. To many, it is just about the curriculum, the strategies and interventions, therapy sessions and helping the individual with learning needs become a more involved part of the community. But to parents and families with children of special needs, specialists and education professionals, special education is not just confined within the walls of the classrooms and/or the integration of special learners into the inclusive setting, it is more than that. In fact, special education is a lifestyle.

As a special education professional in the United States, I view an individual with special needs, as a whole person.

Either be that person a toddler, a high school student or a post graduate, each has his own unique way of accessing the world, each has his own special way of getting his education and enjoying his life at his fullest. I view anyone with learning difficulties as somebody who adheres to a certain lifestyle.

When I talk about lifestyle, I refer to a “way of life”. It is the way a person responds to given opportunities or lack there of. It is also the way a person manages his/her struggles and how he overcomes them to function as an integral member of the society. It is the way a person taps into available support and services to reach his potential.

The moment a person is born or diagnosed with a learning disability, the surrounding elements of that person start to shift momentum. It is either a push or a pull response, but can also be both at times. The parents, usually overwhelmed with the thought of having a child with special needs undergo the following stages at the onset of the diagnosis: Stage One: Recognizing and acknowledging the unique person in their child: This is the time when parents may be in denial. However, through time they are able to recognize that their child is as different as anybody in the community. This is

the time when parents become aware of the possible change of their usual “lifestyle”.

Stage Two: Accepting the situation: When parents accept the situation, they become more forgiving and ready to take on the next challenge for their child and the possibility of allowing outside providers and community partners become a member of their household. When they accept their child, they are embracing both their child’s limitations and strengths – and when they have fully understood their child’s needs, they become more attuned to developing their child’s weakness and capitalize on what the child can do.

Stage Three: Educating themselves: Once the parents become more accepting of their child’s unique abilities, they become first and foremost the “teacher” of their child. In becoming their child’s teacher, they reach out to people around them: teachers, related service providers, therapists, evaluators, funding agencies, etc. They educate themselves of the many and intricate avenues a child with learning needs may demand in order to have a regular life as everyone of his age.

Stage Four: Advocating for their child’s needs: As parents continue to educate themselves, they become savvier. Once they have familiarized themselves with the language and lifestyle of a special needs person, they would want to get the best services for their child. This is when they start advocating only for the best of their child and nothing else.

Stage Five: Re-learning the route: Just like any profession, once parents set foot into the arena of special education for the purpose of gaining

Stage Six: Maintaining a lifestyle: The needs of an individual with special needs do not stop once the individual enters school. It is only the beginning. In fact, it is in this stage that parents have to start all over again from Stage 1 to Stage 6, but this time in a different setting: school setting. This cycle is repeated once again when the child becomes 22 and is ready to enter the workforce.

These stages are just the basic elements of a special education’s lifestyle and

WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012 28

the people involved with it. The key to understanding what special education and its lifestyle are depend largely on how the providers are willing to give support and maintain it.

A lifestyle is the way to live. To most members of the society, it is a choice.

But in most cases, special education is a lifestyle that no one is ever prepared for and may not be a matter of choice but a matter of understanding how to wade through the process of its accompanying “lifestyle.” ■ About the Author: Alpha MiguelSanford, is a magna cum laude graduate of the UP-Diliman College of Education (SPED), has a Master’s degree in Moderate Special Needs from the Eastern Nazarene College in Massachusetts and a CAGS degree in Special Education Administration. She can be contacted at amsdaily@yahoo. com for any special education issues.

Lifestyle

29 WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012

Apple kicks Google Maps off iPhone, builds in Facebook functions

BY MICHAEL LIEDTKE,PETER SVENSSON THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

SAN FRANCISCO - Apple is kicking an important Google application off its iPhone and buddying up with Facebook rather than Google’s social network, as it distances itself from a bitter rival in the phone arena.

Google’s Maps application has resided on the iPhone since Apple launched the very first version of the phone in 2007. It’s one of the core apps on the phone, and can’t be deleted by the user.

But on Monday, Apple executives said Google Maps will be replaced by an Apple-developed app in iOS 6, the new operating system for iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches.

It’s set to be released late this year.

Apple and Google are locked in a fight over the attention of hundreds of millions of phone users, and the advertising opportunities that come with owning a mapping application.

Smartphones from companies like Samsung and Google’s own Motorola division are the chief alternatives to the iPhone, and Apple has been suing those manufacturers in court, accusing them of ripping off the iPhone’s ground-breaking features.

Apple also said it’s building Facebook into iOS 6, snubbing the Google Plus social network. Users will be able to update their Facebook status by talking to their phones, and

``like’’ movies and apps in Apple’s iTunes store, Apple executive Scott Forstall said.

The announcements were part of the keynote presentation that kicked off Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco.

Apple presented new features in both phone and Mac software, plus updated laptops. But investors were mildly disappointed, as they expected more substantive news, like a hint of Apple’s ambition to get into making TVs. Analysts had speculated that Apple would at least update the software on the Apple TV, a small box that connects a TV set to iTunes for movie downloads, as a prelude to perhaps launching a fully integrated TV set.

Apple shares closed down $9.15, or 1.6 per cent, at $571.17.

Apple updates its iOS software every year, to coincide with the launch of a new iPhone.

Among other updates in iOS 6, Apple’s voice-command application Siri will add a host of new languages, including Spanish, Korean and Mandarin Chinese, Forstall said. ``She’’ will also be able to launch applications and movies, and will run on iPads for the first time.

Apple also said the new version of its Mac operating system, Mountain Lion, will go on sale next month for $20. The update brings features from Apple’s phone and tablet software, like the iMessage texting application, to the Mac.

Microsoft Corp., Apple’s competitor when it comes to computer software, is also making Windows more like its phone software, with the release of Windows 8 later this year. A key difference is that Microsoft is betting that PCs will have touch screens, while Apple is betting they won’t.

Mountain Lion will also bring dictation to Macs. Users will be able to input text by talking to the computer, in any program. This is already a feature of Microsoft Corp.’s competing Windows software.

On the hardware side, Apple showed off a laptop with a super-high resolution ``Retina’’ display, setting a new standard for screen sharpness.

The new MacBook Pro will have a 15-inch screen and four times the resolution of previous models, Apple executive Phil Schiller said.

Apple already uses ``Retina’’ displays - with individual pixels too small to be distinguished by the naked eye - in its latest iPhones and iPads.

On the phones and tablets, the Retina display is a standard feature.

On the MacBook, it’s an expensive upgrade. The new MacBook will cost $2199 and up, $400 more than the non-Retina MacBook with the same-sized screen.

The new MacBook borrows features from the ultra-slim MacBook Air. It’s only slightly thicker, and like the Air, lacks a DVD drive. Instead of a spinning hard drive, it uses flash memory for storage. In the most radical departure from the last decades of PC design, it lacks an Ethernet port.

Those who don’t want to use Wi-Fi to connect to the Internet will have to buy an adapter that goes into the MacBook’s ``Thunderbolt’’ port.

Apple’s other MacBooks are being updated with the latest processors from Intel Corp. Apple will still sell a more traditional 15-inch MacBook Pro, with a standard display. ■ Peter Svensson contributed from New York.

DFree / Shutterstock.com

BRIEFS by The Canadian Press Disney to banish junk-food ads from kid shows

Biting spiders panic northeat India after 2 die

NEW YORK - Disney says its programming will no longer be sponsored by junk food. The Walt Disney Co. said Tuesday that it will become the first major media company to ban such ads for its TV channels, radio stations and websites intended for children. That means kids watching Saturday morning children’s shows on Disney’s ABC network will no longer see ads for fast foods and sugary cereals that don’t meet company’s nutrition standards. ■

GAUHATI - Large biting spiders have sparked panic in remote northeast India, but health authorities fear primitive treatment of the bites’ painful swelling may be more dangerous than the spiders themselves. Two people died in Tinsukia district after witch doctors used razor blades to drain the wounds. It’s not known if the victims died from spider poison or from the attempted treatment.

Local magistrate Kishore Thakuria said the victims were cremated before autopsies could be done. ■

Hawaii cruise admits serving vodka to toddler

Web Design Gone Wrong

HONOLULU - A company that manages a Hawaii dinner cruise has acknowledged mistakenly serving alcohol to a 3-year-old boy.Army Spc. Bingyan Cai said her son Michael’s orange juice contained vodka while they were aboard the Alii Kai Catamaran on May 26. She noticed her son turning red, acting unruly and mumbling, the active duty mom stationed on Oahu told Hawaii News Now. ■

TORONTO - Jon Wiley, the lead designer behind Google’s home page, is used to taking heat any time he fiddles with the search giant’s iconic stark-white design - no matter how small the change may be. For web designers, particularly those working for large, popular sites that have legions of repeat visitors, it’s a major headache: it seems there’s no pleasing an audience of web surfers who are perfectly content with the status quo. Intended for weekend editions but for use any time. ■

30 WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012

Nora wants her voice back Superstar is Boston-bound again for a long-overdue throat surgery

She recalled her botched operation in Japan: “I was put to sleep for three days. When I woke up, I kept screaming but I couldn’t hear my voice. I realized that the doctors had punched a hole in my throat.”

She was forced to lip-synch her songs during a concert in Toronto in May 2010. Doctors told her not to use her voice, not even to speak, but she still recited her spiels. She hasn’t done another show since.

New movie Nora will soon be seen in her first big film in eight years, Brillante Mendoza’s “Thy Womb.” Shot entirely on the island province of Tawi-Tawi in Mindanao, the film is about a Badjao midwife struggling with her own infertility.

Nora said she worked on the film for two straight weeks: “The hardest part was being under the scorching sun for days while I learned to maneuver a boat and weave straw mats.”

BY MARINEL R. CRUZ Philippine Daily Inquirer

SAN FRANCISCO, CA.— Nora Aunor is bound for Boston, Massachusetts, to undergo a long-overdue throat operation, the award-winning actress told the INQUIRER. In February 2010, the concert, TV and movie artist dubbed the Philippines’ “Superstar”—who was based in the United States at the time— underwent cosmetic surgery in Japan

The trouble with dating Bea

that reportedly damaged her vocal chords.

Asked whether she was nervous about going under the knife once again, she replied: “Yes, a little, but I’m confident that the doctors there are very professional. They’ve done similar procedures with success.”

Botched According to online reports, Nora was in Boston last January for a series of checkups.

BY MARINEL R. CRUZ Philippine Daily Inquirer

ZANJOE Marudo says the hardest part of dating actress Bea Alonzo is coping with her work schedule.

Bea is in Vienna working on the John D. Lazatin romantic comedy, “What I Did For Love,” with John Lloyd Cruz.

“When she comes home, I’ll be in Baguio for another project,” Zanjoe says. “She is flying to Barcelona next and will be gone when I get back to Manila.”

He adds: “Before she left, she made me promise to always have time to talk with her. She said she still wants to be part of my daily routine. I hate the feeling of missing someone. I get

Real-life She also had to learn to deliver babies: “That was scary. I never knew how fragile newborns were until then. I was afraid to hold them but when I finally did, I was so happy; it felt really good.”

Nora found Mendoza’s directing style unorthodox (for a start, he preferred working without a script), but said she was comfortable with it. She explained: “On the day of the shoot, we discussed the scenes. He explained what he wanted me to do. I liked it that way. Even in previous movies, I temperamental. I miss looking at her beautiful face.”

Being with Bea has taught him to be more expressive, the actor says. “I used to be uncomfortable about that. I’ve become more demonstrative now.”

Zanjoe sat down with a group of entertainment writers recently talk about his latest TV project, “Precious Hearts Romances Presents Hiyas,” about a tribal warrior named Silang.

You were last seen on TV in the adult drama “Kristine.” Which role is more daring?

I show more skin in this project than I did in “Kristine.” Silang lives in the woods; it’s normal for him to be wearing just a loin cloth. What is it like working with Megan Young?

never memorized my lines. I like to be spontaneous.”

She was last seen in the awardwining Maryo J. de los Reyes film “Naglalayag,” which won for her the best actress award at the 2004 Brussels International Film Festival in Belgium.

No fear Didn’t she fear for her life while working in Tawi-Tawi, which is reportedly rebel-infested? “Not at all,” Nora replied. “The people in TawiTawi are very kind. We had security escorts but we felt so safe that we asked them to help in crowd control instead. Walang nanggugulo.

Everyone was hospitable and very respectful of outsiders. That’s one reason that we finished shooting ahead of schedule.”

Nora was among a group of talents from TV5 who flew to San Francisco to attend the launch of the network’s two international channels—Kapatid TV5 and Aksyon TV International— at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium on June 2. ‘ Wil Time’ in SF The game show “Wil Time Bigtime,” hosted by Willie Revillame, gave away big cash prizes to US- based Filipinos on that day. Also present were Kapatid talents Derek Ramsay, Aga Muhlach, Ruffa Guttierrez, Rufa Mae Quinto, Mariel Rodriguez and Camille Villar.

Top network executives led by chair Manny V. Pangilinan attended a press conference on June 1 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. ■ She’s very professional, comes to the set prepared. She was doing another TV show while we worked on this one, but she never complained. I like working with people like her. You finished shooting “Hiyas” last year.

Do you feel bad about the delayed airing?

I’m glad that it’s finally here. Let me focus on that. Mercedes, who is now a GMA 7 talent, was very vocal about her disappointment. She thought the project had been shelved.

I understand how she felt. She’s known for her indie movies and this is her first big mainstream project, so she’s excited about it. (“Hiyas” airs weekday afternoons after “PBB Teen Edition 4 Uber” on ABS-CBN). ■

Entertainment

31 WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012

‘Phantom’ producer sings Pinoys’ praises British impresario says he asks every Filipino he meets to sing ‘Anak’

BY MARINEL R. CRUZ Philippine Daily Inquirer

WHATEVER part of the world he’s in, British theater producer James Cundall says he’s sure to bump into a Filipino—and surely that Pinoy can carry a tune.

Whether in a Swiss ski resort, a hotel in London, or on a cruise ship, Cundall will invariably ask the Filipino waiter, bartender or front-desk clerk to sing Freddie Aguilar’s “Anak.”

“Without fail, they would be in perfect pitch,” quips Cundall,

who first worked as a banker and trained as a tenor. “I’ve asked Filipino call center agents to sing for me on the phone, too.”

Needless to say, he admires the innate musicality of Filipinos.

A prime example, he notes, is Broadway and West End star Lea Salonga, who played Grizabella in his Manila production of “Cats” two years ago. “The first time I met her, I was nervous,” he recalls. “I watched her in ‘Miss Saigon’ in the 1990s in London; she’s been a heroine of mine since.”

That the Philippines is a “musical country” is one of the reasons that, he believes, his company’s (Lunchbox Theatrical Productions) projects in Manila have been successful. He cites another factor: “Right timing— in the political and economic sense.”

After “Cats,” “The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber” and “Mamma Mia!,” Cundall is ‘Everyone here seems to know this play by heart’ mounting Webber’s megamusical, “The Phantom of the Opera” at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, beginning Aug. 25.

Many Filipinos know the “Phantom” story and music by heart, Cundall points out, and he promises to present exactly same show as it was seen in London andNewYork—“complete with the bloody chandelier.”

Although he hasn’t seen “Smash,” a TV musical that chronicles the drama and chaos behind the curtains of a Broadway show, he acknowledges that each theater production could very well be just as dramatic and chaotic ... and comedic as a telenovela.

However, his experiences have been closer to the Broadway sensation, “The Producers”—it’s been a fun journey so far, though sometimes nerve-wracking.

He says touring “Phantom,” for example, is “complicated, considering that it is a big, bold, brilliant show.”

25 container vans He reveals that the production travels with 25 40-foot container vans—filled with 110 tons of scenery and 230 costumes. Plus over 90 cast and crew members are coming.

Three months before opening night, Cundall says, the production team started work at the CCP, installing steel riggings for the chandelier.

As chief executive officer of Lunchbox, he says his company hopes to leave some of the

improvements with the CCP. “We simply couldn’t do it without its marvelous staff,” he says.

On a smaller scale, he’s soon bringing in a two-man play, “Potted Potter: The Unauthorized Harry Experience—A Parody by Dan and Jeff,” to be staged at the RCBC Plaza from Aug. 28 to Sept. 2.

Written by Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner, “Potted Potter” attempts to summarize the seven Harry Potter books in 70 minutes, says Cundall. “It’s very funny and appeals to Potter fans of all ages, from kids to adults.”

Cundall notes that it’s the first time for “Potted Potter” to be performed outside of London, New York and Toronto: “It’ll mark its Asian debut in Manila.”

Indeed, he sees Manila becoming a theater hub, catching up with glamorous neighbors Singapore, Macau and Hong Kong.

For Cundall, these Asian cities are not competing to capture the biggest slice of the theatrical pie.

Each city, he says, offers its own lineup of stage productions.

It just so happens that in the Philippines, every other person is a musical prodigy, he reiterates.

“The ‘Phantom’ orchestra has 18 members and 14 of the musicians will come from the Philippines.

Why bring musicians to Manila when there are plenty of stunningly talented artists here?”■

Laotian star heads PH indie film cast

BY BAYANI SAN DIEGO JR. Philippine Daily Inquirer ALTHOUGH he is best known for the Thai horror hit “Shutter,” which was remade as a Hollywood flick, LaotianAustralian actor Ananda Everingham has balanced his “commercial work” with involvement in arthouse projects.

Visitors to Bangkok invariably encounter Everingham , whose face is on billboards and posters

all over the city.

Time was when Thai cinema, powered by young indie visionaries, was among the most dynamic in the world, he recalled in an exclusive interview with the INQUIRER. “Then it stagnated,” he said. “Government instability didn’t help. Now, we are struggling.”

To help revitalize the industry, he makes use of his celebrity by championing significant projects. “I am in a unique position. I was never under contract with a studio, so it’s been easier for me to pursue and create my own projects,” he noted.

He formed his own company, Halo, which has gone into film and TV production. “As a producer, I started out a bit too idealistic,” he admitted. “I’ve since realized that, to continue making the movies I want, I should make the company sustainable. My commercial work supports my more abstract, indie films.”

In Thailand, he has three projects in the can: “Fatherland,” a political-action-drama about religious strife; “Concrete Clouds,” an art film set amidst the 1997 Asian economic crisis; and “Shambala,” road movie about two brothers in Tibet.

He co-produced “Shambala” which, he explained, is Tibetan for nirvana.

“We spent a month in Tibet,” he related. “It was madness. It was right after the earthquake and we faced a lot of difficulty and bureaucratic red tape.”

Still, he was mesmerized by Tibet. “I had never been anywhere with such stunning landscape,” he enthused. When you’re there, you feel so tiny. I’d love to go back there.”

Another place he would certainly love to revisit is the Philippines. Just like Taiwanese pop star Ken Zhu before him, Everingham has made a movie with Filipino director Adolf Alix Jr. (He left shortly after this interview.)

In 2007, Zhu worked on Alix’s and John David Hukom’s “Batanes.” This year, Alix brought Everingham to Palawan to shoot “Kalayaan,” an entry in the Directors’ Showcase

section of this year’s Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival.

Everingham said that he and Alix first talked about collaborating six years ago: “He gave me a copy of his debut film ‘Donsol’ when we met at the Bangkok Film Festival. [After that] we’d meet in different festivals and I’d ask Adolf about our film. Last time we saw each other was in Fukuoka (Japan) in September. He brought ‘Chassis’ there; I brought ‘Red Eagle.’ Then we met again in Chiang Mai (Thailand) where I am based. Finally, our film pushed through.”

“Kalayaan” is about a lonely soldier stationed in Spratly Islands. “Aside from the underlying political issue, what appealed to me was the idea of isolation,” he said. “I play a Filipino soldier who has been traumatized and thus barely speaks.”

Shooting on two Palawan islands, Cowrie and Luli, he was amazed by his director’s stamina. “Adolf worked nonstop. But it was a fun shoot.”

He was also impressed by the commitment of the Filipinos in the cast—Zanjoe Marudo, Luis Alandy, Rocky Salumbides, Evelyn Vargas and Angeli Bayani.

“It was refreshing,” Everingham said. “I heard that Zanjoe and Luis are mainstream actors, but they had the sensibility and dedication that the film required.”■

Entertainment

WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012 32

Nothing wrong with planned buyout of GMA 7, says TV5 star Willie Revillame thinks it just means more opportunities for more artists

BY MARINEL R. CRUZ Philippine Daily Inquirer LOS ANGELES, California—TV host Willie Revillame sees nothing wrong with the attempt of business tycoon Manny Pangilinan, chair of Media Quest Holdings Inc. which owns TV5, to buy another broadcast network, specifically GMA 7.

“It just means more opportunities for more artists,” Revillame told reporters.

Pangilinan, who is also chair of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), has reportedly offered up to P45 billion for a 100-percent stake in the Kapuso network. The amount is still under negotiation.

Revillame let it slip that “something big” would happen in November 2012 in relation to the unprecedented deal.

Major changes “If this will improve industry conditions, then I’m in favor of it,” he told the INQUIRER during the after-party for “Wil Time Bigtime” at the Shrine Auditorium here.

Revillame was certain that major changes would follow if the acquisition pushed through.

“Pwede nang magpalitan ng stars. It should be exciting to finally be able to work with artists from the other station, like the hosts of [the noontime game show] ‘Eat Bulaga.’” he said.

“A new management [for GMA 7] would mean

new plans and new programs. Both networks can help each other.”

The TV host said it was “natural” for people to react negatively to a new idea. “But this one is Mr. Pangilinan’s move and we must respect that.”

Revillame was in this city from May 24 to 26 to help launch the Kapatid network’s two international channels, Kapatid TV5 and Aksyon TV International. With him during a media gathering held at the Scientology Celebrity Center were his fellow TV5 talents Nora Aunor, Aga Muhlach, Derek Ramsay, Ruffa Gutierrez and “Wil Time Bigtime” cohosts Mariel Rodriguez and Camille Villar.

Pleasant recall During the May 26 show, Revillame gave away a total of $30,000 in cash prizes in the segments “Family Apir,” “Kantanong” and “Baligtaran.” A video on the show’s history was shown, starting with Revillame’s transfer from ABS-CBN to TV5, through the signing of what was reportedly a billionpeso contract with the Kapatid network, and finally ending with the reformat of “Willing Willie” to “Wil Time Bigtime.”

He said he didn’t mind people still referring to his TV5 show as “Wowowee,” the ABS-CBN production he hosted for over five years. “It was where I started. I became known to people because of that show. I’m pleased with the recall. It’s like I’ve planted something in a small pot, then transferred it to a bigger area to make sure it grows—it grew better on TV5 soil.”

Kapamilya taunt What made him and his production team frown, Revillame said, was that ABS-CBN organized a fundraising show last week (“Para Sa Inyo, Kapamilya”) at the Home Depot Center in Carson City on the exact same date and time that they were in the United States.

Kapamilya stars Charice, Martin Nieverra, Xian Lim, Erik Santos and Kim Chiu performed in the event.

“We had announced our show way before that,” insisted Claro Carmelo Ramirez, president of Pilipinas Global Network Limited, TV5’s international arm. “We only want to make people happy. As they say, we’re here not to subtract, but to add, to give people more choices.”

ABS-CBN has operated The Filipino Channel (TFC), a Filipino subscriptionbased TV network for 12 years now and claims over two million subscribers worldwide.

Second event An estimated 5,000 people came to watch “Wil Time Bigtime” at the 6,500-seat Shrine Auditorium on May 26. Also present at the event were Ramirez, Revillame’s business managers Vic del Rosario and Alfonso “Boy” Reyno Jr., his legal counsel Leonard de Vera, TV5 executive vice president and chief operating officer Bobby Barreiro, News 5 head Luchi Cruz-Valdes and TV host Erwin Tulfo.

The second of two launch events were held at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco on Saturday.

“We’re not here to compete [with ABSCBN],” Revillame reiteratead. “We’re here to inspire more Filipinos. Bagong putahe naman ito.” PGNL and the US-based cable provider Dish Network inked a deal on Friday in San Francisco. ■

Sa Amin, KAYO PO ANG

LAGING

UNA!

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33 WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012

Entertainment

Actors David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Chris Rock and Ben Stiller attend the “Madagascar 3” photocall during the 65th Annual Cannes Film Festival on May 17, 2012 in Cannes, France.

The ‘Madagascar’ gang takes a European road trip in new 3D installment

BY JAKE COYLE THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

CANNES, France - Google ``Madagascar’’ and two of your top three results will not be the country that lies off the coast of southeast Africa, but the DreamWorks Animation movie franchise.

The first two installments have earned more than $1.1 billion worldwide. The third, ``Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted,’’ opens in theatres Friday, the beginning salvo in a global release strategy that continues throughout the summer. A spinoff movie for the films’ stealthy commando penguins is currently being developed, too.

The rainbow-colored wigs that are being used to promote ``Madagascar 3’’—a gag taken from a dance in the film by Marty the Zebra (Chris Rock) —have appeared everywhere from the Cannes Film Festival’s prestigious red carpet (where the film premiered last month) to the winners circle of the recent FedEx 400 NASCAR race, where victor

Jimmie Johnson donned the wig.

How could an island nation possibly compete with that?

If the expanse of the ``Madagascar’’ franchise appears global, that’s not a coincidence.

There’s no bigger proponent of the international movie marketplace than DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg. And in the 3-D ``Madagascar 3,’’ he has a globe-trotting, European road trip that suits both the film’s story and its worldwide box office appeal. ``Animation is kind of an international language,’’ says Tom McGrath, one of the three directors of the film, along with Eric Darnell and Conrad Vernon. ``Hopefully what appeals to people is that we took liberties, equal opportunity insulting of every nationality.

Hopefully, we didn’t leave anyone out.’’

In the film, the familiar group of New York City zoo animals Marty, Alex the lion (Ben Stiller), Melman the giraffe (David Schwimmer) and Gloria the hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith) _ plot their escape from the wilds of Africa, where the 2008 sequel left

them. With the aim of returning to their performing perches in Manhattan’s Central Park Zoo, they latch on to a travelling circus in Europe, a plot that introduces a host of new locales and new characters, including an Italian sea lion (Martin Short), an Italian jaguar (Jessica Chastain) and a Russian tiger (Bryan Cranston). ``We never said to the filmmakers: Could they stop in Moscow?’’ says Katzenberg, chuckling, before adding that Russia, is, after all, their single biggest grossing territory in Europe.

That a film’s setting can increase its appeal to various corners of the world isn’t lost on Katzenberg. He notes that DreamWorks’ two ``Kung Fu Panda’’ movies had particular success in Asia, and that the Viking fantasy ``How to Train Your Dragon’’ scored especially well in Northern Europe. ``When considering a movie to make, we absolutely are conscious of films that are too domestic in nature and will not do them,’’ says Katzenberg.

Another plus for the ``Madagascar’’ franchise is consistency. McGrath and Darnell have directed all three films, which is unusual in Hollywood.

Vernon was involved at the start, and though he was pulled away to direct ``Shrek 2,’’ he remained a consultant on ``Madagascar’’ and the voice of Mason the Chimp. ``It’s very rare when the same people get to see sequels through,’’ says McGrath, who also voices the lead penguin, Skipper. ``There’s never been a changing of the guard throughout this series.’’

For many, the defining quality of the ``Madagascar’’ films is its comedy. Carrying a written joke through the years-long, multitiered process of animation can be challenging, leading to constant tweaking and reevaluation. ``Sometimes it’s frustrating because something will be hilarious in boards, and then when it goes into editorial, it might not be as funny,’’ says Vernon. ``We have to really weigh it and say, ‘Is it not funny to us because we’ve seen it a thousand times or is it not funny?’ It’s trying to balance that constantly.’’

The comedians like Rock, Stiller and Sacha Baron Cohen (the lemur king Julian) are counted on to enliven things in the studio booth with occasional ad-libbing. ``They always bring me in one last time and I do like a pass where I’m almost cursing, or even I do curse sometimes,’’ says Rock. ``How far can I go in a kids’ movie? How close can I get to saying (expletive) in this scene?’’

But for all the journeying abroad in the vibrantly colored ``Madagascar 3,’’ one of its most intriguing visuals in the film comes back in New York.

Whereas the series previously featured the old World Trade Center in a flashback of Alex’s arrival in the city (a choice Darnell and McGrath say they were sometimes criticized for), the new film contains a background image of the new One World Trade Center. The thought to include the building occurred to the directors earlier this year while they were in New York doing audio recording and saw the rising skyscraper while walking down the street.

The new WTC might still have weeks to go before the completion of construction, but in animated form, it’s already done. ■

Entertainment

After relaunching titles, history, DC’s zero issues to add to origins, unveil new characters marcello farina / Shutterstock.com

Kelly Clarkson, Flo Rida, Hedley to perform at MuchMusic Video Awards

marcello farina / Shutterstock.com

THE CANADIAN PRESS

TORONTO The lineup for the MuchMusic Video Awards just got a little stronger, as Kelly Clarkson has been added to the roster of performers.

The former ``American Idol’’ winner will join a group that also includes Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, Carly Rae Jepsen and Nelly Furtado.

Rapper Flo Rida and Abbotsford, B.C., pop outfit Hedley have also been added to the roster for the show, which will be held June 17 outside Much headquarters in Toronto.

Marianas Trench leads with seven nominations going into the show, while Toronto rapper Drake and Hedley are next with five nominations apiece.

Party-dance duo LMFAO is set to co-host the bash.

For Flo Rida, it’ll be his second time performing at the annual party. ``The first time was amazing and this time it’s going to be out of this world,’’ he said in a release. ``I really love my fans in Canada, they’ve given me so much over the years and I’m looking forward to seeing them again so soon after my recent Canadian tour.’’

Wristband giveaway for the free show begins on June 8. ■

WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012 34

BY MATT MOORE THE ASSOCIATED PRESS PHILADELPHIA - DC Comics’ heroes are going to zeroes.

In September, DC Entertainment will publish a zero issue for its 52 titles, a move that co-publishers Jim Lee and Dan DiDio said this week will help explain the origins and effects of its rebooted characters a year after it erased decades of history and continuity to start everything from scratch.

But, the duo said, zeroing out for the month will create new plots and wrinkles for the likes of Wonder Woman, Batman and Superman, among others, and see the debut of some fan-favourite characters as well as set the stage for more ongoing stories in the months to come too.

When DC relaunched its characters in September 2011 with 52 titles, the rebooted heroes and villains weren’t starting from zero. `We started at different points for the different series,’’ DiDio said, adding that having every title go to zero with stand-alone stories helps readers, established and new, ``find a level playing field and creates another jumping on point.’’

Lee said each of the books will help fill in the blanks of some characters’ origins or present a full origin story. ``We underestimated the hunger and appetite that readers would have for this backstory when we launched,’’ he said. ``The readership has been very intrigued in finding out the backstory in the five years since the emergence of the Justice League.’’

It’s also a chance to bring four new titles to comic shops, too, said DiDio, who added DC plans to keep 52 titles publishing no matter what. ``We want to keep it new and we want to keep it 52 all the time,’’ he said. ``We’re constantly going to be refreshing the line.’’

After zero, all the titles will go back to their regular numbering, though each of the 52 ``zero’’ issues will end up in a bound omnibus edition in fall.

Dubbed the third wave, the new titles include ``Talon,’’ which spins out of the pages of Batman and, like it, is written by Scott Snyder; ``Sword and Sorcery,’’ which sees the debut of 1980s fan favourite Amethyst, whose alter ego Amy Winston comes to realize she’s the lost princess of Gemworld; and ``Team Seven,’’ which sees the formation of a team designed to counter Superman.

That title has ties to many of DC’s current comics because it includes characters like Steve Trevor, Dinah Lance, Amanda Waller, John Lynch, Cole Cash, Alex Fairchild and Wade Wilson.

The fourth, ``The Phantom Stranger,’’ shows its namesake learning more about his true origin, his ties to Pandora and his role in creating The Spectre, long a mysterious and powerful hand of vengeance. ``I always loved the mystery and horror aspects of The Phantom Stranger,’’ DiDio said. ``The mystery works for and against him and, as a supporting character, the mysteries are really interesting. ``But as a lead character in his own series, that becomes a huge challenge - you want to know more about him and how he acts and behaves,’’ he said.

Lee said Phantom Stranger will become ``a really pivotal part in the New 52. Not just going forward, but going back, too, in the scheme of things.’’

Follow Matt Moore at http://www.twitter.com/ mattmooreap; visit http://www.dccomics.com.

Miley Cyrus, Liam Hemsworth are engaged

Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth

NASHVILLE - It turns out ``The Last Song’’ was only the beginning for Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth.

The couple who met on the set of that movie in 2009 announced their engagement Wednesday morning.

Publicist Jeff Raymond confirms a People Magazine report of the news. ■

Study likens Bieber fever to infectious disease Toronto - A new study says a novel infectious disease is spreading among children around the world.

Symptoms include uncontrollable crying or screaming, distraction from everyday life and poor life choices—in the form of copycat hair cuts. The disease is Bieber fever. And the researchers say mathematical models suggest there may be no end to transmission in sight. ■

John Mayer criticizes Taylor Swift for ‘Dear John’ NEW YORK - Taylor Swift has never revealed her target in the scathing song ``Dear John,’’ but John Mayer’s pretty sure it was about him—and he doesn’t think that’s cool. In a new Rolling Stone interview, Mayer called ``Dear John’’ cheap songwriting and said it made him feel terrible— and he didn’t deserve it. ■ John Mayer

© Getty Images

Jemal Countess © 2010 WireImage

Michael Buckner © 2012 Getty Images

BRIEFS by The Canadian Press

Justin Bieber

35 WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012

Blissfully Blessed

With the many natural wonders in its island, the Boholanos definitely have much to be thankful for.

TURISTA GUIDE Getting there Located in the Visayas, the island of Bohol can be reached by air or boat.

From Manila, there are daily flights to Bohol. It takes about an hour and 15 minutes from Manila to Bohol’s Tagbilaran Airport. You may also travel to Bohol via Cebu. It takes about an hour and a half by boat from Cebu to Tagbilaran.

Activities If you want it extreme, then visit Danao Adventure Park. A humongous nature park, it offers a myriad of activities including the Sky Ride (cable car ride 200 meters off the ground at P250), Plunge (a canyon swing adventure mounted over a 200 meter high gorge at P700), and Suislide (a zip-line mounted on an incline cliff at P350).

BY JING LEJANO TURISTA MAGAZINE

SCARLET is probably the most enthusiastic tourist guide that I’ve ever met. Young and pretty, she is an amazing storyteller who can charm you with her thousand and one tales of Bohol.

Scarlet ticks off: Bohol has approximately 1,700 caves, most of which are unexplored. Bohol is where one of only six double barrier reefs in the world is located. There are 1,176 hills of the world-renowned Chocolate Hills. And every day during the month of May, there is a fiesta going on in any one of its 47 towns.

She goes on: Did you know that one of the reasons why this island province has so many churches is that its citizens once settled their taxes in kind than in cash? Yes, Scarlet says that in exchange for helping build all those churches, the citizens were exempted from paying taxes.

Most of those churches were made of coral stones. These are solidified rocks from the sea, she says. And of those coral stone structures, the Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate

Conception in the town of Baclayon is one of the oldest.

Listening to Scarlet’s assortment of trivia certainly gave a new perspective on my previous trips to Bohol.

My first impression of the island province of Bohol was not such a pleasant one. The unmistakable thud of the captain slamming the brakes because of Tagbilaran Airport’s very short runway was definitely not very inviting. However, that unexpected welcome was soon forgotten when I set my sights on Baclayon Church.

Baclayon Church is a living marvel.

And its almost majestic façade is only a promise of the wonders inside, which includes a larger-than-life gold-plated altar and an assortment of centuriesold religious images and artifacts.

Only a few minutes away stands another beautiful structure, the Church of Our Lady of Assumption in Dauis.

Here is another exemplar of Gothic architecture that the Spaniard friars were so very fond of centuries ago. A fresh water well, which is known for its healing powers, stands at the foot of the church’s altar.

The Boholanos are a very religious people, Scarlet says. And their religious fervor permeates even their work lives.

Look at any of the tricycles plying the streets of Bohol, and you would see a Biblical inscription at the back. Scarlet says those tricycles cannot operate without those inscriptions.

Driving through the coastal towns, I am amazed at how things have remained the same over the years.

While other provinces have boomed and blossomed, Bohol has stayed true to its ancestral roots.

Scarlet tells us that the province is committed to the principles of ecotourism, and so, you won’t find any skyscrapers sprouting from its towns anytime soon. Indeed, the tallest structure around the island is the sixstorey DQ Mall and the only facility into mass production is the Coca-Cola plant in Tagbilaran.

True, there are always new resorts opening and new tourist destinations to be visited, but Bohol, a province blessed with many natural wonders, is only too happy to be where it’s at: a place where Mother Earth is treated with utmost respect ■

Meals Of course, what would a trip to Bohol be without cruising down Loboc River while dining on fresh seafoods and regional specialties?

Winding down the river is a relaxing experience made festive by the occasional song from a group of singers.

Dining is buffet-style so you can have as much as you want in the hour or so that it takes you to traverse the river and back.

One of the most romantic—and delicious—al fresco dinners you’ll ever have would have to be at Lawis Café in the grounds of Dauis Church. Nestled under a large acacia tree with the beach as its backdrop, Café Lawis offers delicious pastas as well as a changing menu of entrees (less then P200). The Tsokolate Eh Souffle Cake is definitely a must-try.

Accommodations There are all sorts of hotels and resorts in Bohol, most of which are located in Panglao.

Contacts Danao Adventure Park http://www.eatdanao.com/ (038) 412-2338 local 6111 (038) 510-0033 eatdanao@ymail.com Café Lawis Rectory Ground Floor Our Lady of Assumption Shrine (038) 502-3016

A Sliver Full of Fun

Travel

WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012 36

Malapascua may only be a few kilometers small, but its many pleasures are bigger than life.

BY MELINDA GERMAN TURISTA MAGAZINE

WENDY is one lucky lady. On her first dive out, she caught a glimpse of a thresher shark swimming languorously on Monad Shoal. At first, she got all excited and wanted to swim after it. But recalling her dive master’s instruction to stay still in the event of a shark sighting, she calmed down. Her quick thinking was instantly rewarded.

The thresher came closer, and she was able to take in all the beauty of this wonderful creature with its beady eyes and scythelike tail. It was truly a sight to behold.

Wendy is in the island of Malapascua, the only place in the entire world that these sea creatures can be seen on a regular basis. And it is for this reason that divers from across the globe have been coming to Malapascua in recent years.

Sun and Sea Though only a sliver of an island, Malapascua has plenty to offer for divers and non-divers alike.

Thresher sharks aren’t the only sea creatures that swim the waters of Monad Shoal. Moorish idols, squid, octopus, moray eels, unicorn fish, barracuda, and batfish consider the shoal their home as well as the occasional manta ray. If you’re really lucky, you might even get to espy a hammerhead.

In and around the island, there are countless spots favorable for snorkeling and diving. But there’s more to do in Malapascua than go sightseeing under the sea.

Until recently, the island had no power, and resort facilities were mostly run by generators.

As small as it is, the island hardly has any need for thoroughfares.

Locals and tourists get around by riding at the back of motorbikes.

But truth be told, one can very well go through the whole of the island in a single afternoon.

Walk along the powdery white sands of Bounty Beach and you’ll wind up in lovely, isolated coves.

Fisher folks make their homes along the coastline. So it’s not rare to see little children wandering along the shore, scrounging around for their lunch—which usually consists of fish, crabs, and a couple of sea urchins.

At the other end of the island is the Lighthouse, the island’s tallest structure at 16 meters. Going up the lighthouse takes a bit of exertion as it stands on a rocky hill with all sorts of shrubs and bushes. But the climb is worth it. On a clear day, you can catch a glimpse of the islands of Leyte and Biliran. At day’s end, you can enjoy the most colorful of sunsets.

If you’re up for a bit of adventure, travel by boat to Calanggaman Island. With its coconut trees and clear blue waters, it is every man’s idea of a deserted tropical paradise.

But still, one of the best things to do in this sliver of an island is, quite frankly, nothing. Just sit back and take pleasure in the innocent beauty of this still largely “uncivilized” island. Some folks say that Malapascua is what Boracay was dozens of years ago; may it never catch up.■

TURISTA GUIDE Getting there Malapascua is located on the northernmost tip of Cebu. From Manila, there are daily flights to Cebu. From the airport, take a cab to the North Bus Terminal. Ride the bus to Maya Wharf.

From there, Malapascua is but a half hour’s boat ride away.

The bus ride takes about three to four hours depending on the driver’s aggressiveness, and the whole trip may take half a day. The last public boat to Malapascua leaves Maya Wharf at 3 p.m.

Accommodations There are a good number of resorts, which offer fan rooms, air-conditioned rooms, and no-frills backpacker accommodations, along Bounty Beach. Check out Hippocampus Beach Resort, Blue Coral Beach Resort, and Purple Snapper Dive Resort.

Food You’d have no problems getting some good eats on the island. Each resort has its signature restaurant. But by far the most popular is Ging-ging’s Garden Restaurant for its home-cooked meals at super affordable prices.

Activities Diving is the number one preoccupation here, and there are a host of dive shops to satisfy your needs. Thresher sharks have been seen the whole year round, but the best months are from July to October. the best time to dive with the sharks is anywhere between sunrise and 9 a.m. Hammerheads sighting have been reported from January to April.

Apart from Monad Shoal, another favorite spot is Lighthouse Reef, across the lighthouse, with its octopuses, seahorses, and mandarin fishes.

But the beach is still the star of the show.

Swim. Sunbathe. Play some Frisbee or beach volleyball. Or have a drink at the open-air bars.

Contact Blue Coral Beach Resort www.malapascuaisland.com.ph/ 0926-305-0827, 0929-563-7428 Hippocampus Beach Resort www.hippocampus-online.com/eng/contact.htm Cebu.hippocampus@yahoo.com 0915-400-1005, 0927-336-9703 Purple Snapper Dive Resort www.purplesnapper.com reservations@purplesnapper.com 0917-623-0405, 0926-680-6288

37 WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012

Travel

Lazy Bear Wilderness Expedition – Signature Experience Collection™ The majestic northern tundra awaits – including polar bears and belugas – at Lazy Bear Lodge in Manitoba

BY CRAI BOWER COURTESY OF THE CANADIAN TOURISM COMMISSION

AS A NATURE lover, I place seeing polar bears in the wild at the top of my “must see” list. But even though the magnificent Ursus maritimus – 2.6 metres (8.5 feet) tall and weighing about 500 kg (1,100 lbs) – lures me to northern Manitoba, exploring this magnificent tundra from Lazy Bear Lodge & Wilderness Expedition is what will draw me back again and again.

No doubt, the polar bears still get first mention to friends back home, but I’m just as psyched about paddling through the South Knife River Headwaters, kayaking Dicken’s Creek and Lofthouse Lake among moose, black bear and wolves.

There just aren’t many large mammal bonanzas that rival this region anywhere in the world.

Snorkeling among pretty fishes in the tropics is certainly a decent way to spend the afternoon, but swimming among the 60,000 beluga whales that migrate off the Manitoba coast in Hudson Bay? I mean, c’mon, talk about your morning wake up call.

Peeking at polar bears from eye level while cruising the aptly named Seal River in a jet boat also clears my head. These great predators always look huge, but spied from ground level, well this requires another set of adjectives altogether.

One great virtue of spending so much time outdoors is heading inside

Lazy Bear Lodge to warm up by the “Scandinavian Hearth,” a chimney designed to circulate the fire’s heat. Log lodges are pretty common in the north, but the rough-hewn style of timber here brings the wilderness aesthetic inside. I especially like the ceiling beams, each log so unique I swear I hear whispers coming from the knots, twists and gnarls.

The café menu also brings the wild indoors by offering sirloin of muskox

rouladen, caribou pepper steak, as well as Greenland Arctic char, Hudson Bay speckled trout and cod within season.

I’ve eaten plenty of bison, but dining on muskox adds to my foodie bragging rights.

A visit to Churchill should provide an opportunity to go deep, to follow the path of 18th-century explorer Sam Hearne and his Dene guide, Matonabee into pristine boreal forests, to experience the

exhilaration and challenge of travel upon one of our planet’s last frontiers. There are a plenty of ways to see polar bears in northern Manitoba, but Lazy Bear Lodge and Wilderness Expedition shows me the majesty of the north’s natural world through a very different lens.

Follow us on Twitter @ctccct / Suggested Tweet: Lazy Bear Wilderness Experience is not to be missed! ■ Photos courtesy of lazybearlodge.com

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39 WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012

Canada: Seen and Scenes

Times Telecom “Pusong Pinoy” in cooperation with Philippine Consulate General presents Philippines Historama, for Vancouver’s celebration of the 114th Philippine Independence Day.

Francis Gimenez, winner of PCI’s photo contest, with PCI’s Rowena Narciso

Danvic Briones

WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012 40

Members of the Filipino community, with B.C. Premier Christy Clark and Philippine Consul General Jose Ampeso, celebrated the annual Pista ng Bayan at Slocan Park Sunday in celebration of 114 years of Philippine independence. There was an abundance of Pinoy food, music and fun during the event which was attended by several Filipino organizations.

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Canada: Seen and Scenes

North Vancouver, BC at the celebration of the 114th anniversary of the declaration of Philippine Independence on June 9-10 at the Waterfront Park, a community tribute to it’s Seniors, Aged, Veterans and Elders (S.A.V.E.)

Canada: Seen and Scenes

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Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson presents the City of Vancouver’s proclamation of Philippine Independence Week on June 10 through a flag-raising event held at the grounds of the Vancouver City Hall. Several Filipino-Canadian community leaders attended this historic event.

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41 WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012

SPIDS Directors, volunteers and dignitary guests including Maita Santiago (from Rep. Mable Elmore’s office), MLA Sue Hammell, MLA Bruce Ralston, Manjit Gill (representative from MLA Stephanie Cadieux’s office), Consul General Joey Ampeso, Nusrat Hussain (representative from MP Jinny Sims office), SPIDS Pres. Narima Dela Cruz, NDP Candidate for Surrey-Panorama Amrik Mahil, MP Nina Grewal, MLA Harry Bains, Councilor Marvin Hunt & MLA Jagrup Brar.

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Celebration of the 114th Philippine Independence Day through a Santacruzan at New Westminster.

At the reception held by the Philippine Consulate General’s office in downtown Vancouver on June 12.

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WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012 42

Fans, news media saw Pacquiao a clear winner Publisher Philippine Canadian Inquirer Head of Editorial Melissa Remulla-Briones

AP Photo / Julie Jacobson

Editorial Consultant Maria Ramona Ledesma Contributors Jeffrey J.D. Andrion Gigi Astudillo Dr. Rizaldy Ferrer Marietta Pangan-Dutkoski Stella Reyes Frances Grace H. Quiddaoen Laarni de Paula Rodel J. Ramos Felichi Pangilinan Buizon Lizette Lofranco Aba Agnes Tecson Graphic Designer Victoria Yong Manny Pacquiao lands a punch against Timothy Bradley in the second round of their WBO world welterweight title fight Saturday, June 9, 2012, in Las Vegas.

BY ROY LUARCA Philippine Daily Inquirer LAS VEGAS — Manny Pacquiao didn’t lose his crown in the ring. It was stolen by the judges and handed over to Timothy Bradley. That is the prevailing sentiment of his supporters and many fans and reflected in the post-game analyses of major news organizations in the world.

The big crowd and the journalists at ringside had Pacquiao the clear winner, but in a bizarre twist, two of the three judges saw otherwise and made Bradley the new World Boxing Organization welterweight champion.

Jerry Roth had Pacquiao ahead, 115-113, in the first scorecard, but CJ Ross and Duane Ford overturned the result by similar 113-115 scores, earning boos and shouts of insults from the 14,206 in attendance at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Although stunned by the outcome of the bout he dominated three-fourths of the way, Pacquiao remained calm and composed. He was sure he had won convincingly.

Pacquiao climbed the ring corners, looked up, and acknowledged the throng who commiserated with him and offered solace and comfort as they still regarded him as king of the ring.

Revered promoter Bob Arum, however, did not take the split decision sitting down.

The 80-year-old boxing Hall of Famer labeled the judges as the “three blind mice,” and said that even Roth’s score did not reflect the real outcome of the fight.

“Unfathomable” and “incomprehensible” were just some of the words the octogenarian used in describing the rip-off that occurred in this gambling city.

Arum said there would be a rematch on Nov. 10 at the same venue.

And come that time, Pacquiao said he would be a warrior gunning for a knockout

and leave no room for officials to interfere with the outcome.

From the opening bell, Pacquiao showed he was the faster, stronger fighter.

He staggered Bradley, who stretched his unbeaten run to 29, several times, but was unable to dispose of the durable 28-yearold who was fueled by vegetarian diet in the course of his three-month training camp.

Bradley acknowledged Pacquiao’s speed and power during the post-fight conference, where he appeared in a wheelchair, but said he fought well and the judges awarded him a fair decision.

Incredibly, Bradley claimed he twisted his ankle as early as the second round and then also hurt the other after stepping on Pacquiao’s foot.

Bradley said he told his chief trainer, Joel Diaz, about his predicament, but decided to go through the pain and fight to the end.

According to Diaz, Bradley will be brought to the hospital for X-rays and other tests for his swollen feet.

The major networks and websites like Yahoo, CNN, BBC, USA Today and HBO also had Pacquiao, who suffered his first loss in 16 fights dating back to 2005, as the winner.

The Filipino hero dropped to 54-4-2 with 38 knockouts.

While Arum had Pacquiao ahead—11 rounds to one—chief trainer Freddie Roach had it 10-2.

The Sarangani representative gave three rounds to Bradley. The Philippine Daily Inquirer saw it the same way as the eightdivision world champion and Fighter of the Decade.

Arum also lashed out at the Nevada State Athletic Commission for the choice of the referees and its failure to send a representative to answer the queries of reporters.

Although Pacquiao and Roach smirked at Team Bradley’s antics when they brought

giant replicas of a fight ticket, a poster announcing the rematch and even fake press credentials during a press conference in Los Angeles, the stunt, which according to Bradley was his idea to hype up the bout, turned out to be prophetic—at least to the judges.

The new champion appeared like a loser in the post-fight conference, however. Security personnel pushed his wheelchair on the way in and out of the post-fight conference.

Pacquiao indeed appeared to slow down in the ninth round as Bradley gained ground with jabs. The American had his best moment early in the next round when he tagged Pacquiao with body shots.

With Pacquiao well ahead up to the eighth round, fight pundits said it would have been impossible for Bradley to snatch victory without knocking out Pacquiao. He never came close to it.

Realizing that his victory was highly suspect, Bradley said he would fight Pacquiao again and try to get a more convincing result.

Roach said Pacquiao should not have relaxed a bit in the decisive 11th round.

The final punch statistics reflected Pacquiao’s superiority as he landed more punches—253, to Bradley’s 159—and connected with the more telling power punches, 190-108.

For the first time in a long while, however, Pacquiao was outworked in punches thrown. He threw just 751 to Bradley’s 839.

Pacquiao’s shock defeat, wiped out the pride and joy felt by Filipinos inside the arena after Jessica Sanchez, the FilipinoMexican American Idol runner-up rendered a powerful but soulful rendition of the Star Spangled Banner, drawing thunderous applause.

Another United States-based Filipino, 14-year-old Kirby Asunto sang the national anthem. ■

Illustration Danvic C. Briones Photographers Art Viray Angelo Siglos Ryan Ferrer Solon Licas AJ Juan Head of Operations Laarni de Paula Advertising Sales Alice Yong (778) 889-3518 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. 778-383-6090 / 778-383-3203 / (604) 279-8787 ext. 1722.

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