CANADA’S FIRST AND ONLY NATIONWIDE FILIPINO-CANADIAN NEWSPAPER VOL. 6 NO. 18
WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012
CANADA NEWS Despite economic growth, job gains, family incomes remain stagnant (On page 18)
Luka Magnotta pleads not guilty to killing, dismembering Chinese student ( On page 20 ) Critics take immigration minister to task for application backlog ( On page 24 ) Filipino-Canadian in Focus: Sydney Estrada Marianne Bermudez
( On page 25 )
Illegal Questions Part II: What they cannot ask you ( On page 27 ) ‘RAIN FALL’ A worker cuts up a massive acacia tree that crashed to the ground after heavy rains loosened the soil around it at the University of the Philippines’ Sunken Garden in Diliman, Quezon City.
China hails PH pullout No signs Sino ships leaving Panatag
BY JERRY E. ESPLANADA Philippine Daily Inquirer
CHINA welcomed the Philippine government’s decision to order home its two vessels that had been facing off with Chinese ships at Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). The withdrawal of a Philippine Coast Guard patrol vessel and a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) survey ship ended the standoff after two months and one week, leaving China in control of Scarborough Shoal. President Aquino ordered the two vessels home as a typhoon over the Pacific Ocean and a low-
pressure system over Palawan combined to cause stormy weather in the West Philippine Sea. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said there were negotiations for China’s withdrawal from the shoal, but there were no signs that the Chinese vessels in the area were preparing to go home. Zhang Hua, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy, said: “We have noticed the withdrawal of government vessels by the Philippine side. We hope this action will help ease the tensions.” Zhang was referring to the tensions between the Philippines and China caused by their territorial
dispute over Scarborough Shoal, which Manila calls Panatag Shoal and Bajo de Masinloc. Zhang, also deputy chief of the embassy’s political section, said “the Chinese side has been urging the Philippine side to take measures to deescalate the situation.” China’s commitment But Zhang did not say when Beijing would make good its supposed commitment to withdraw its vessels from the shoal, which China calls Huangyan Island. China had seven government ships outside the shoal’s lagoon and 20 to 26
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Nik Wallenda makes history with tightrope walk over Niagara falls ( On page 37 )
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3 WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012
News-Phils
P-noy to farmers: You will have land
Paolo Villanueva
‘Happy’ land tillers call off strike
BY NORMAN BORDADORA Philippine Daily Inquirer
BRIEFING REPORTERS after the two-hour meeting in Malacañang with representatives of the farmers and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda also said the President directed the military and police to ensure “the peaceful and orderly installation of farmer-beneficiaries of all lands under the program.” The meeting was hastily called just after noon on a day some 300 farmers were to begin a hunger strike to press Mr. Aquino to make a firm commitment he would implement Carper within its mandated term, an issue he had ignored even in his State of the Addresses. Leaders of Task Force Mapalad (TFM), a civil society organization helping the farmers, said the hunger strike had been called off temporarily until the farmers were satisfied that Malacañang would carry through its promises. Christian Monsod, TFM counsel, said the farmers were “very happy” with the President. “He opened the doors. He said he can meet them when they need him,” said Monsod, who participated in the meeting marking the first time Mr. Aquino, himself a wealthy landowner, addressed the issue he had previously left to his aides to deal with. “That’s sending a message that the President is hands-on and that Malacañang is on top of hastening the implementation of land acquisition and distribution,” said Butch Olano, a TFM board member. Carper beyond 2014 Lacierda said that the Armed Forces
of the Philippines, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police would be mobilized for the distribution of nearly 1 million hectares of land, comprising some of the country’s prime agricultural estates, yet to be covered by the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). CARP was launched by the late President Corazon Aquino in 1988 as the centerpiece of her social justice promise to ease widespread poverty and remove one of the major causes of a simmering communist insurgency. It was extended for another five years in 2009 with a total allocation of P150 billion and is now called CARP extension with reforms, or Carper. It expires on June 30, 2014. “Between now and June 2014 all agricultural land shall be covered and distributed to qualified beneficiaries. Priority shall be given to landholdings 25 hectares and above and notices of coverage shall be issued on or before December 2012,” Lacierda said. He said notices of coverage for lands 10 ha and above should be issued on or before December 2012. He said that for land holdings under 10 ha, notices of coverage would be issued not later than July 2013. Asked whether the President mentioned what would happen if the government failed to meet its target, Lacierda said, “Our commitment is to put all the agricultural lands under notices of coverage that will ensure the implementation of the Carper beyond 2014.” Some 300 farmers had staged a 10day march from their farms in Negros Occidental, Davao and Bukidnon provinces to dramatize their concerns that the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) under Mr. Aquino was “consistently underperforming,” an apprehension contained in a letter prepared by the Catholic Church and sent to Mr. Aquino on June 1. The letter was endorsed by 52 of the 100 members of the CBCP. Olano said that Mr. Aquino basically agreed to implement commitments made by Cabinet officials in a meeting at the Palace on June 8 when the farmers marched on Malacañang at the end of their long march while Mr. Aquino was in London. Lacierda said among those in the meeting were Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Agrarian Reform Secretary Virgilio de los Reyes, Agriculture Secretary
Proceso Alcala and Secretary Julia Abad of the Presidential Management Staff. The farmers were represented by Monsod, former Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr., TFM national coordinator Armando Jarilla, TFM president Alberto Jaime, and TFM spokesperson Edna Sobrecaray. P30-B annual budget The members of the Catholic Church present were Ipil Bishop Antonio Ledesma of the CBCP, Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines executive director Fr. Marlon Lacal and Fr. Anton Pascual of Caritas Manila. Lacierda indicated that the government would start allocating the budget required under the law for the program. “So every year, you have P30 billion. We expect, because of the agreements today, that we will be able to use up the P30 billion in the year as it is mandated,” Lacierda said. The Aquino administration had set aside P16.37 billion for agrarian reform in the P1.6-trillion national budget for 2011 and P17.9 billion in the P1.8trillion national budget for 2012. In the last budget under the Arroyo administration, Congress gave the DAR P20.77 billion. “The farmers spoke of some bureaucratic red tape and the President committed to ensure that we’re expediting the entire process of land distribution,” Lacierda said. “That’s the reason why we are setting up, number one, on the side of both farmer representatives, Church, and the government this multistakeholder mechanism to make sure to follow up the procedure and the cases of each claim folder,” he said. Lacierda said both sides agreed to the mechanism to be composed of representatives from the DAR and other CARPimplementing agencies of the government, Church, NGOs, peoples’ organizations, and other farmer groups and federations. Doing away with red tape “So we are doing away with a lot of the red tape. We’re doing away with a lot of the hindrances in the expectation that we will be able to cover all agricultural lands as we’ve stated in this agreement,” Lacierda said. The panel will be immediately established to monitor the implementation of CARP, especially on coverage and distribution of agricultural
lands, movement and performance of DAR personnel, delivery of support services to the beneficiaries, and budget allocation and utilization. “There will be a fast-tracking of the resolution of pending cases on stock distribution options and lease back arrangements before the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council, or PARC,” Lacierda said. Multidisciplinary approach On the difficulties to implement land reform in privately owned lands, Lacierda said, “[That’s] the reason why it is a multidisciplinary approach.” “That’s why the DILG is there, the DAR, the DA (Department of Agriculture), the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) are all going to be involved. We’re making sure that the processes within the DAR will be expedited,” Lacierda said. Lacierda said that judicial adjudication in the implementation of the Carper law was “beyond our sphere of influence.” “But, insofar as the executive branch is concerned, we are committed to putting all agricultural lands based on the timeline that we’ve provided with a notice of coverage,” Lacierda said. Support services “With respect to support services, as mandated by Section 37 of Republic Act No. 9700 on support services, the provision on initial capitalization for new agrarian reform beneficiaries and socialized credit for existing agrarian reform beneficiaries shall be implemented,” Lacierda said. “To this end, the DBM (Department of Budget and Management) has committed the immediate release of P1 billion pesos to be allocated for support services,” he added. Lacierda said Land Bank of the Philippines would review its policies, rules and regulations on providing credit to farmers to make it more accessible to agrarian reform beneficiaries. “In addition, the DAR and the Department of Agriculture with assistance from DBM will develop a socialized credit program solely for ARBs, or agrarian reform beneficiaries, that is mutually acceptable to both parties,” Lacierda said. “Socialized credit programs shall enable the farmers to maximize the productivity of their land and utilize the resources available to them,” he said. ■
News-Phils Erap to Koko: Give and forgive BY BY CHRISTIAN V. ESGUERRA and MICHAEL LIM UBAC Philippine Daily Inquirer
SAYING he had not given up on his godson, former President Joseph Estrada gave disgruntled Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III a lesson or two in humility and forgiveness as the junior lawmaker continued to refuse to run with former Congressman Juan Miguel Zubiri on the same senatorial ticket next year. Pimentel stopped attacking Zubiri, but still would not run with him. Estrada, 75, said he had forgiven Zubiri, who once belonged to a group of young House members called Spice Boys that was highly critical of his administration. “Give and forgive in order to be happy,” Estrada told the INQUIRER by phone, referring to Pimentel who remained opposed to Zubiri’s being given a slot on the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) senatorial ticket. “I’ve forgiven a lot of people,” Estrada said. “At least, I’m happy. I feel better. You no longer wake up in
the morning thinking how you could get even. It’s not good. You can’t move on.” Pimentel refuses to run with Zubiri because the former Bukidnon representative kept him from serving the first four years of his six-year term in the Senate. But Estrada pointed out that Zubiri stepped down in August last year when it became apparent that he had benefited from massive cheating in the count of the senatorial votes in Maguindanao during the 2007 elections. The count gave the 12th seat at stake to Zubiri. “Nauuna yabang eh, akala nila sila lang ang righteous,” Estrada said in reaction to recent attacks both by Pimentel and his father, former Sen. Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr., against the UNAleadership. “I’m still not giving up,” Estrada said. “But we cannot do anything if he doesn’t (want to stay with us). We have exerted all efforts for him to stay.” Estrada did not like Pimentel senior’s claim that UNAtook in Zubiri because of money.
“Of course not,” Estrada said. “We’re not like that.” Pimentel senior said in a statement that he conceded that Zubiri had one advantage over his son, money, in UNA’s choice of senatorial candidates. “Pambihira sya,” Estrada said. “The money is with the Liberal (Party of President Aquino) because they’re the ones sitting. In our case, we’re the ones looking for money to be given to our senatorial candidates.” Estrada said he was no stranger to being abandoned by a Pimentel. He recalled that Pimentel senior, the Senate President in 2001, turned his back on him to join Edsa 2, which ousted him from the presidency. Despite that, Estrada said Pimentel senior sought his help later on when the younger Pimentel filed an election protest against Zubiri in 2007. He said he extended assistance, but declined to elaborate. “He is my godson that’s why as much as possible, I don’t want him to leave (UNA),” Estrada said. Pimentel junior told reporters that he would stop calling Zubiri a cheat. He said he was trying to be fair and giving Zubiri the benefit of the doubt.
WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012 4
He said he would not talk anymore about UNA’s taking in Zubiri as a senatorial candidate, but he still would not run on the same ticket with Zubiri. No sure plan Pimentel said he had no sure political plan for 2013. He asked reporters to give him two weeks to “ponder things.” Asked if he planned to leave UNA and join the Liberal Party, Pimentel replied, “It’s complicated.” He said, however, that he was trying to save his membership in UNA. Zubiri was glad that Pimentel would no longer attack him. “I myself will cease from making any statements on the matter of the selection of the UNA candidates for senator,” Zubiri told the INQUIRER. “I hope we can remain civil and friendly to each other.” But Pimentel did not say that he would stop going after Zubiri for the fraud in the 2007 elections. He called on Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to act on his request that she expand the Department of Justice investigation into electoral sabotage cases under the Arroyo administration. ■
5 WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012
China hails...from page 1
fishing boats in the lagoon, according to the DFA. The Philippines had no other vessels at the shoal. Filipino fishermen have been staying away from the shoal since the government declared a fishing ban in the area in May. China has also declared a fishing ban in nearly the entire West Philippine Sea, including Scarborough Shoal, but Chinese fishermen continue to operate in the area in what Beijing calls “normal fishing.” Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario announced the presidential decision to call the two Philippine vessels home. “When the weather improves, a reevaluation will be made,” Del Rosario said in a statement from the DFA. Still waiting Del Rosario told reporters that China had agreed to withdraw all its vessels from Scarborough Shoal. “We are waiting for them to comply with their commitment,” he said. The government was still awaiting word on the Chinese withdrawal, according to deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte.
News-Phils Speaking on state-run dzRB radio, Valte referred to Del Rosario’s statement to the press about a commitment from China to order all Chinese vessels out of the shoal. “That is what we are waiting for,” Valte said. Valte said the government’s decision to withdraw from the shoal was taken in consideration of the safety of the crews of the two Philippine vessels. She said there was no request from China to the Philippines to pull the vessels out. “It was to make sure the lives of the [Coast Guard] and [the fisheries bureau] personnel would not be endangered,” she said. ‘Reevaluation’ Asked whether the government would send the vessels out again should China refuse to leave Scarborough Shoal, Valte said she had no answer. But, quoting Del Rosario, she said, “Once [ the] weather improves, there will be a reevaluation.” The DFA, Office of the President, Department of National Defense, Coast Guard and the military will do the reevaluation. Asked why a reevaluation was needed when bad weather was the reason for ordering the Philippine
vessels home, Valte said there was a need to look into “what sort of presence” in the area was required. Scarborough Shoal is not the only part of the Philippine coastline that needs to be watched, she said. The defense department said that the withdrawal would not weaken the Philippines’ position in its sovereignty claim over Scarborough Shoal. Peter Galvez, DFA spokesperson, said that if the “only concern” was a watch in the area, “there are many ways of monitoring.” He said the safety of the two vessels’ crews was “paramount.” Easing tensions The Philippines and China repositioned some ships stationed at the shoal, easing tensions that had been building up since early April. The standoff began when Chinese ships blocked Philippine vessels in the area on April 8 to prevent the arrest of Chinese fishermen caught poaching sharks and collecting rare clams and corals in the lagoon Following consultations, Beijing moved two government ships out of the lagoon. The Philippine government ordered the fisheries bureau vessel to move out of the lagoon.
Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda called the coordinated movements “a step in the right direction.” “This is an easing of tensions and we appreciate the gesture of both parties to deescalate tensions,” Lacierda said. There was no word from the Chinese Embassy in Manila about the next Chinese move. The weather improved a bit as Typhoon “Butchoy” continued to move away from the Philippines. But as of press time, there were no reports about the Chinese vessels leaving Scarborough Shoal. ‘Undisputed territory’ Liu Weimin, the spokesperson of the Chinese foreign ministry, reiterated Beijing’s position that the shoal “is China’s inherent territory, which has never been disputed.” “China’s position on defending its territorial integrity is firm and steadfast,” Liu said. “The Chinese side urges the Philippine side to concretely respect China’s territorial sovereignty and withdraw Philippine ships from the Huangyan Island waters as soon as possible,” Liu said. ■
News-Phils
Young CJ will serve 2 decades thru 3 presidents BY CHRISTIAN V. ESGUERRA Philippine Daily Inquirer
CAN THE country afford to have a Chief Justice who would serve for nearly two decades through three Presidents? Sen. Francis Escudero acknowledged this prospect following the nominations of Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima for the coveted post. Henares is 51 while De Lima is 52—meaning by the time one of them reached the mandatory retirement age of 70, she shall have spent at least 18 years in the Supreme Court. The President’s term is limited to six years. Escudero, a member of the Judicial and Bar Council, said youth should not be taken as a “handicap” for an aspiring Chief Justice. But he urged President Aquino and the six other JBC members to carefully weigh their pros and cons. “It has advantages and disadvantages, which you really have to consider holistically,” he said at the weekly Kapihan sa Senado media forum. Assuming that the next Chief Justice is 42 years old like him, Escudero said the magistrate would sit in the Supreme Court for close to three decades. “The JBC and President Aquino should weigh (the matter). Do we want a Chief Justice who would serve that long?” he said. Predictability “If you’re after stability and predictability of decisions of the court that will last a long time, then perhaps, you might want to go for that (young Chief Justice),” he said. “If you’re after a new perspective every once in a while and not tie the hands of the next President and be bound by the choice of this President for the next four to five Presidents, that will be subject to the exercise of the President’s wisdom and in a way the discretion of the JBC as well.” Henares earlier claimed that she has an “edge” over other nominees to the post of ousted Chief Justice Renato Corona. “I’ve experienced the complaints of people about the adjudication system, from arbitration in the National Labor Relations Commission, all the way to fighting for your rights, you’re bumping against big establishments,” she had said. One is free to dream “So, I would say that I have an advantage over all the other people because I personally experienced all in the system itself.”
Escudero responded that one was free to dream and express a belief in one’s self. “I don’t want to prejudge my vote for or against anyone in the selection of nominees,” he said. The senator said he could work “for or against” relatively young candidates like Henares and De Lima. “It’s not an automatic disadvantage,” he said. Henares, a shooting buddy of Mr. Aquino, and De Lima both testified against Corona in his impeachment trial. Henares is also conducting a separate investigation of Corona and his family for possible tax evasion. De Lima has a pending disbarment case filed by a private lawyer for calling Corona in public as “a tyrant who holds himself above justice and accountability.” Last year, she defied a Supreme Court temporary restraining order (TRO) allowing former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria MacapagalArroyo to seek medical treatment abroad because no charges had been filed against her at that time. The TRO prompted the Department of Justice and the Commission on Elections to rush an electoral sabotage case against Arroyo. A Pasay judge later ordered her arrest. Chavez, Locsin The JBC received the nominations of former Solicitor General Frank Chavez and former Makati Rep. Teodoro Locsin Jr. The JBC has so far received 18 nominations for Corona’s vacant post, including those for acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio and four other senior justices of the high tribunal. Chavez, a graduate of the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Law who served under the late President Corazon Aquino, was nominated by Manuel Baviera, a founding member of the Whistleblowers’ Association, for his “proven competence, integrity and probity.” “If and when appointed as the next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Chavez will no doubt immediately regain the people’s confidence in the judiciary, weeding out the socalled ‘hoodlums in robes,’” he said. Chavez is “known to be loyal only to the Constitution and the laws of the land and no one else.” Abakada president Jonathan de la Cruz and lawyer Brigido Dulay nominated Locsin, Mrs. Aquino’s speechwriter, describing him as a “brilliant and firstrate lawyer” who will make an outstanding Chief Justice. “Mr. Locsin’s three-decade career as
a private (lawyer), writer, journalist, broadcaster, lecturer, Cabinet member, presidential legal counsel, corporate director and legislator has equipped him with a wide range of experience in nearly every area of law and uniquely qualifies him for this position,” the two said. Locsin earned his law degree from Ateneo de Manila University and finished his master’s in law from Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts. Instrument of unity House Deputy Minority Leader Mitos Magsaysay said the selection of the new Chief Justice should be based on a long list of candidates and done fairly. “The new Chief Justice should be an instrument of unity and must be accepted not only by his or her peers in the judiciary but also the people,” Magsaysay said in an e-mailed statement to reporters. “The choice should not be tinged with politics as this will only serve to undermine the people’s trust in the judiciary which has been besieged with issue after issue following CJ Corona’s impeachment.” ■
AFP welcomes US radar; militants call it a spy base BY CHRISTIAN V. ESGUERRA Philippine Daily Inquirer THE PHILIPPINE military expressed elation over the plan of the United States to provide the country with a powerful radar system to help deter intrusions in the West Philippine (South China) Sea. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in a statement said that such a system would help the country form a “minimum credible defense posture” in the midst of a territorial dispute with China over Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal and other islands. “This significant development comes at a very opportune time as we try to beef up our defenses, particularly our maritime surveillance capabilities,” said AFP public affairs chief Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr. Transnational crime Burgos said “this effort will not only help us prevent foreign intrusions but will also
WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012 6
aid us in addressing transnational crimes like poaching, human trafficking, piracy and drug trafficking.” A Pentagon spokesperson announced plans by the United States to provide the Philippines with a powerful land-based radar system that would form part of a Coast Watch Center that would track ship movements off the archipelago’s coastline. “This center will improve Philippine maritime domain awareness on a breadth of security issues, including countering the proliferation of WMD (weapons of mass destruction) and illegal smuggling,” US Maj. Catherine Wilkinson had earlier told Agence France-Presse. The Philippines has been seeking military assistance from the United States, its closest ally, to boost its position in its longrunning quarrel with China over Panatag Shoal and other islands. Panatag standoff In April, tensions rose after Philippine authorities tried to arrest Chinese fishermen at Panatag who were ripping up the coral and catching banned fish species. The standoff continued well into May while the Department of Foreign Affairs and its Chinese counterpart sought a diplomatic resolution. The leftist group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), meanwhile, said the US had long been pushing for a surveillance system in the Philippines “to allow it to have control over vital sea lanes such as the South China Sea.” “If the plan pushes through, the US will have set up its own spy base on Philippine territory disguised as a coast watch center and in clear violation of Philippine sovereignty,” said Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. in a statement. Surveillance system He said a maritime surveillance system had been proposed since the administration of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo when Kristie Kenney was the US ambassador. Reyes cited a diplomatic cable dated Aug. 27, 2007— one of the thousands of US memos leaked by cyber whistleblower WikiLeaks— that showed the US embassy in Manila proposing an elaborate regional surveillance network to further advance US maritime security efforts. “Our proposal emphasizes the installation of land-based and seabased maritime radar and other types of surveillance and identification equipment in the tri-border area of Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, and other key points between Sri Lanka and the Philippines, to monitor vessels suspected of carrying terrorists, weapons or drugs, as well as those engaged in human trafficking and other illegal activities,” the unverified cable read in part. ■
7 WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012
News-Phils
AP Photo / Neal Ulevich
Return bells of Balangiga, Binay again urges US
This May 2001 photo shows the two bells of Balangiga at F.E. Warren Air Force Base outside Cheyenne, Wyo., that signaled an attack by Filipino insurgents on occupying American troops in 1901. The arrival of the president of the Philippines on an official visit to the U.S. raises the possibility that the State Department will announce plans to return of the war-trophy Bells of Balangiga to that country. Veterans from Wyoming are resisting demands that one or both bells be returned to the Philippines.
BY JERRY E. ESPLANADA Philippine Daily Inquirer
STRESSING that the bells of Balangiga hold a “special meaning to Filipinos,” Vice President Jejomar Binay has once again urged the
United States government to return them to the Philippines. In a statement, Binay appealed to Washington to heed the voice of the Filipino people. “The Balangiga bells are a remembrance of the men, women and children of Balangiga who died
in our struggle for freedom. The return of the bells will be an act of goodwill that will further strengthen the long-standing diplomatic relationship between the Philippines and the US,” Binay said. The three bells were taken as war trophies by American soldiers from the town of Balangiga in Samar province during the PhilippineAmerican War at the turn of the 20th century. On May 3 this year, Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead wrote US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta a letter, stating his opposition to the return of the bells to the Philippines. Binay said he was “strongly opposed to any efforts to deconstruct our war memorials that honor our fallen soldiers.” “While we respect the fact that the bells are a war memorial to US soldiers who were killed in Balangiga, I hope the US will take into consideration that the bells are a memorial, as well, of the many innocent civilians who were murdered in the wake of the indiscriminate retaliatory attack
ordered by Gen. Jacob Smith,” he said. In 1901, Smith issued the order to “kill everyone over the age of 10” and turn Samar island into a “howling wilderness” after Filipino freedom fighters killed nearly 50 of his men and wounded another 22. The bells were taken by the US forces as war booty. Two of them are at Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming and the third is displayed at the 2nd Infantry Division Museum at Camp Red Cloud, an American military base in South Korea. Earlier, in an Oct. 5 letter to US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr., Binay said that “through the years, there have been dialogues between independent bodies and the governments of the two nations in hopes of arriving at an equitable solution to the issue.” “Since both parties, it would seem, have reached a consensus to return the bells to our country but for the opposition of the Wyoming governor, I am optimistic the US Congress shall soon decide the matter in our favor,” the Vice President said. ■
News-Phils
Social media major tool in disaster response
WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012 8
HONOLULU—Backed by an array of “citizen journalists,” social media have become critical tools in coping with natural disasters, particularly in disasterprone countries like the Philippines, according to experts from the United States and Japan. Pictures and stories about the tsunami that killed over 200,000 people in a dozen Asian countries in 2004, Hurricane “Katrina” in the United States in 2005, Tropical Storm “Ondoy” in the Philippines in 2009, the Haiti earthquake in 2010 and the tsunami that struck Japan in 2011 point to a wealth of information supplied by “citizen journalists” in times of calamities. “(From what) you saw in Haiti, in Japan (and) in the Philippines, social media are becoming more and more a critical component of influencing policy and causing action,” Allen Clark, a senior consultant at the Pacific Disaster Center in Hawaii, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Clark, a senior fellow at the East-West Center here, said the more people were involved on the ground, the quicker the response would be in times of disasters. The use of the social network also allows for instant reporting of health issues, making immediate response absolutely critical, as in the cholera outbreak in Haiti and the dengue flareups in Thailand and Indonesia, he said. Inaccuracies purged out “One of the things we found out in getting aid into an area is understanding the accessibility of that area and only the people on the ground or the ‘citizen journalists’ have that information immediately,” Clark said. “That is a very particular component of disaster response.” Clark spoke recently with print, broadcast and online journalists from the United States, Japan, China and Asian and Oceanic countries bordering the tectonic Pacific Plate. They participated in the EastWest Center’s Disaster Management and Resiliency in the AsiaPacific Journalism Fellowship, a study program designed following last year’s Fukushima disaster in Japan. Clark believed the posting of inaccurate and irresponsible information on the social network was not a big problem. “You will always have inaccurate information … Social media may put anomalies into the system for whatever reason, but I think they’re pretty rapidly purged out of the system as well,” Clark said. “So keep in mind that the more people are involved, the higher the accuracy level of the reporting is going to be because you can’t simply put anomalies into the system,” he stressed.
1000 Words / Shutterstock.com
BY CYNTHIA D. BALANA Philippine Daily Inquirer
Force to reckon with Clark agreed that the social media, such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, blogs and SMS, are a force to reckon with. James Burke, associate director of Course Development and Delivery in Hawaii’s National Disaster Preparedness Training Center, said disaster centers worldwide should make full use of the social media’s tools and methods for crisis communication in order to save more lives. In Palo Alto, California, Christian Adams, product manager of Geo and Maps Team of Google Crisis Response (GCR), said the relevance of citizen reporting became apparent in 2005 when Katrina struck New Orleans. This resulted in the birth of GCR. At that time, Adams said rescuers had difficulty locating both survivors and fatalities as there was no way for helicopters to find the addresses of people. “People use Google to give coordinates so they can be located, and they were updating the information showing the flooding. That started our (GCR) team,” he said.
the people. These are followed by information from official sources, like government agencies. “What we do before we publish is indicate the sources. So you make your own judgment yourself as to the accuracy of the information,” he said.
Great story Japan is GCR’s largest deployment today, followed by Haiti. Adams recalled that in the first days of Katrina, there was an urgent need to provide maps and information alerts. Thus, GCR came up with three major products— the Google People Finder, where people can search for those who are missing; the Google Crisis Maps, which provide satellite imagery of the disaster; and the Google Public Alerts. Adams said a great story on the role of the social media happened in Japan when people displaced by the tsunami started sending e-mails via mobile phones and set up an area where everyone took pictures and posted them on Google. According to Adams, the GCR does not filter what information to post as these all come from
Leave it to experts Clark said that while political leaders should stay out of it by leaving it to the experts, having a Philippine President at the forefront of relief operations for people hit by disasters was a positive point. “People in general are looking for some sort of assurance that there is a future and the only person who can provide that assurance is the president,” Clark said. “It gives them hope and it almost always lays out a plan, although very general, on how to move ahead.” Also important is a country’s calamity fund, which sets aside a given amount of funding that is immediately accessible and not subject to all kinds of discussions, he said. “You cannot escape the fact that the more quickly you respond, the more quickly you will recover and the better the recovery will be,” Clark said.■
Information overlap Ka Ping Yee, software engineer of GCR’s Geo and Maps Team, said the social media complemented the traditional media in providing quick information. “We see it as our duty to provide information and that’s part of the Internet,” Ka said. “People must learn how to judge data. You may be saying there may be an overlap between what we do in providing information and what you do in leveraging information. As journalists, you could use the Google Crisis Map to tell a story.” Back home, Benito Ramos, executive director of the National Disaster Response and Risk Management Council (NDRRMC), said the council started using the social media as tools in disaster response this year. He said the NDRRMC has incorporated Facebook and Twitter in its monitoring system and website for quick response.
News-Phils
9 WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012
GMA pressed on evidence
BY JULIE M. AURELIO Philippine Daily Inquirer
ROYAL blue, midnight blue or GSM blue? Coloring a map of Maguindanao offered a rare light moment in the normally serious trial of the massacre that claimed 57 lives in the province as lawyers debated marker shades. Abdulrakiman Asim, officer in charge of the Maguindanao engineering office, took the witness stand for the prosecution. He presented to the court a huge map of Maguindanao and adjacent provinces, the map having been drawn under his supervision. The prosecution then attempted to mark the boundaries of Maguindanao’s towns using different colored pens. The prosecution wanted to corroborate through Asim’s testimony the previous testimonies of other witnesses on the checkpoints that had stopped the vehicular convoy ferrying the victims on that fateful day of Nov.
23, 2009. But the lawyers had run out of colors. The usually stern Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes rushed off to her chambers and returned wielding a hotpink marker. Later, the lawyers could not decide what shade of blue they had used so this could be entered in the court records. One lawyer said it was royal blue while assistant state prosecutor Amor Robles thought it was a darker hue. Someone then suggested it was midnight blue, to which defense lawyer Andres Manuel replied that it was “GSM blue,” referring to the shade of blue on the label of popular gin brand Ginebra San Miguel, a Filipino favorite. After some discussion, the opposing panels finally settled on plain old “blue” for the record. The prosecution is set to present at least four more Maguindanao officials next week, including Gov. Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu, whose wife Genelyn and other relatives were among the victims in the massacre being blamed on the Ampatuan clan. ■
World Economic Forum
Shades of blue baffle lawyers in massacre trial
During better days. Gloria at World Economic Forum Annual Meeting Davos 2007.
BY LEILA B. SALAVERRIA Philippine Daily Inquirer
OMBUDSMAN prosecutors have asked the Sandiganbayan to require former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to identify
Call to the
the evidence and witnesses she intends to present in her defense against graft and ethics charges involving a corruption-ridden deal with a Chinese telecommunication company. The deal involved the development of a national broadband network that the Arroyo administration signed in 2006 with ZTE Corp. of China for $329 million. In a filing with the Sandiganbayan’s Fourth Division, the Office of the Special Prosecutor said Arroyo could not invoke her right to remain silent in the pretrial stage of the cases. Arroyo earlier asked the antigraft court to excuse her from filing a pretrial brief on the cases, and from the implications of such an action, including the admissibility of evidence not marked in the pretrial stage. Arroyo, through her lawyers, had said that forcing her to file a pretrial brief violates her constitutional right to be presumed innocent and remain silent. ■
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WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012 10
5 senior justices Sandigan junks have edge in CJ case vs Lucio Tan race, says De Lima BY CHRISTIAN V. ESGUERRA JUSTICE Secretary Leila de Lima doesn’t quite agree with Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares’ claim that the country’s chief tax collector has the edge to get the vacant post of Supreme Court Chief Justice. De Lima told reporters that the five most senior justices of the high tribunal who had been nominated to the Judicial and Bar Council, led by acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio, had the lock on the seat of ousted top magistrate Renato Corona. “The insiders are the ones who truly have an edge,” De Lima said. “The insiders are already there—they know the system, they know what the justices do, they know the ins and outs of the system and of the judiciary.” The people who have been nominated have their respective competencies, she said. “Anyone can claim they have an edge over the other nominees.” Judicial reform Asked what she thought was her advantage, De Lima said, “I would rather (let other) people extol my virtues.” De Lima said the 24th Chief Justice must give importance to judicial reforms in the aftermath of Corona’s ouster and amid the allegations of corruption in the judiciary. “The mind-set toward judicial reforms. That is what is needed. The judiciary and the Supreme Court as an institution have been gravely affected by the impeachment proceedings,” she said. “Judicial reforms should involve speedier dispensation of justice and, of course, getting rid of scalawags within the judiciary.” She said the next Chief Justice should also show a “high sense of independence” to shield the judicial institutions from unwarranted political influence. “It’s high time that we restore the confidence and trust of the general public to the judicial institutions. Judicial reforms should be the top agenda,” De Lima added. Henares and De Lima, who have been nominated for the vacant post, have been described by administration critics as Mr. Aquino’s “attack dogs” in the Corona impeachment trial. ■
Philippine Daily Inquirer
THE SANDIGANBAYAN has dismissed the government’s nearly 25-year-old forfeiture case against tobacco and beer tycoon Lucio Tan The antigraft court said the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) failed to prove that Tan and the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, along with other defendants, collaborated to amass ill-gotten wealth. “This court is left with no choice but to dismiss the instant case against the defendants,” the Sandiganbayan’s Fifth Division said in its 156-page ruling. Aside from Tan, the defendants in the civil case include Imelda Marcos and her children—Imee Marcos, Irene Araneta, and Ferdinand Marcos Jr.—as representatives of the estate of the late dictator; Mariano Tanenglian; Carmen Khao Tan; and Don Ferry. The case was filed in July 1987. The PCGG had alleged that Tan’s companies were granted favors by Marcos and that the latter actually owned majority of the tycoon’s companies. The companies involved were Fortune Tobacco Corp., Asia Brewery, Allied Banking Corp., Foremost Farms, Himmel Industries, Grandspan Development Corp., Silangan Holdings, Dominium Realty and Construction Corp., and Shareholdings Inc. Putting it to rest Tan’s lawyer, Estelito Mendoza, said in a statement that the dismissal of the civil case against Tan “should put to rest any claim that the assets of Lucio C. Tan have been acquired through illegal means.” “It is Dr. Tan’s hope that with this decision of the Sandiganbayan, the PCGG will relent in its effort to lay claim to his assets and in restricting the exercise of full rights over those properties,” added Mendoza, Marcos’ former justice secretary. He noted that the PCGG had sequestered almost all of Tan’s shares of stocks in his major corporations. The sequestrations were nullified in 1993 and 2006. He said the court’s ruling confirmed the illegality of the sequestration. But Mendoza said the PCGG was still limiting Tan’s control over his properties. The PCGG had objected to the merger of Allied Bank and Philippine National Bank because of Allied Bank’s involvement in the forfeiture case, he noted. With the Sandiganbayan ruling, he hopes the merger would be approved soon. “The delay has not only been prejudicial to the stockholders but to the banking system and the economy of the country,” Mendoza said. In its decision, the Sandiganbayan said the PCGG was “remiss” in its duty to prove that the assets it sought to recover were considered ill-gotten. The court said the Marcos administration’s granting of favors to the corporation did not mean that its shares of stocks would be owned by the government. The court also said the documents that the PCGG presented were just photocopies, in violation of the rules of court. It also said many witnesses the PCGG presented in relation to the documents were not qualified to testify on these because they had no direct hand in their preparation.
Cambodia Trust
BY MARLON RAMOS Philippine Daily Inquirer
Dr. Lucio Tan, Wilson Young and Former Senator Ramon Magsaysay, Jr.
Not convinced As for the affidavit of selfconfessed Marcos financial executor Rolando Gapud, the Sandiganbayan said it was still classified as hearsay evidence because Gapud was not placed on the witness stand. Gapud had said in his affidavit that Tan and Marcos had a business alliance and had an agreement that Marcos would own 60 percent of Shareholdings Inc. The latter owns shares of Fortune Tobacco, Asia Beer Brewery, Allied Bank, and Foremost Farms. The Sandiganbayan was also not convinced by the PCGG’s contention that the assertions of Imelda Marcos showed her admission that her husband had a beneficial interest in Tan’s businesses and had acquired interest in the properties. It noted that Imelda had filed a cross-claim against Tan’s assets, which was contrary to the PCGG’s plea that these be reconveyed to the state. The court also gave little weight to the PCGG’s assertion that the testimony of Sen. Ferdinand “Bong Bong” Marcos Jr. had confirmed the Marcos family’s partnership with Tan and their beneficial interest and ownership in the assets and other properties involved the forfeiture case. But according to the court, Bong Bong Marcos’ testimony only showed that Tan privately owned the shares of stocks in the various corporations. Mere hearsay “Obviously, whatever information Bong-Bong testified and presented before the Court are merely hearsay and do not contain any probative value to prove that the shares of stock in question originated from the government itself and that they must have been taken by former President Marcos, his immediate family, relatives, close friends, and close associates by illegal means,” it said. The rest of the defendants in the case are Florencio Santos; Natividad Santos; Domingo Chua; Tan Hui Nee; the estate of Benito Tan Kee Hiong represented by Tarciana Tan; Florencio Santos Jr.; Harry Tan; Tan Eng Chan; Chung Poe Kee; Mariano Khoo; Manuel Khoo; Miguel Khoo; Jaime Khoo; Elizabeth Khoo; Celso Ranola; William Wong; Ernesto Lim; Benjamin Albacita; Willy Co; Federico Moreno; Panfilo Domingo; and the estate of Gregorio Licaros and Cesar Zalamea. ■
News-Phils
Panatag: It’s map vs map
Malacañang lauds Carpio for ‘new regime of transparency’
CARTOGRAPHY WAR
BY JERRY E. ESPLANADA Philippine Daily Inquirer
OLD MAPS, which some government officials believe may hold the key to the Philippines’ claim to Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), were the created by foreign missionaries and colonial explorers, making them “personal and unofficial,” according to a report posted on the website of the Chinese Embassy in Makati City. The maps do not in any way represent the views of the government, said the same report written by Lu Yang, a Beijing-based scholar. It cited a Philippine foreign ministry website article dated April 28, which said that a map drawn by a missionary and published in 1734 was one of the first maps that indicated that Huangyan Island is part of the Philippines. China refers to the shoal as Huangyan Island while the Philippines calls the rock formation Bajo deMasinloc and Panatag Shoal. The report said another map drawn by Spanish explorers in 1792 and published in 1808 in Madrid bared the path they took in arriving and sailing around the island. It said the Philippines may be hinting that if China can base its sovereignty claims over Huangyan Island on historical maps, so can it. “But China can present a greater number of official maps to show its ownership of Huangyan Island. Even a Philippine citizen who wrote to (the newspaper) Manila Standard Today recognized the fact that China
BY CHRISTINE O. AVENDAÑO Philippine Daily Inquirer
Mike Arroyo seeks speedy arraignment
Gerald Yuvallos
ACTING Chief Justice Antonio Carpio got “pogi or brownie points” from Malacañang. Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said that a “new regime of transparency” was now reigning in the Supreme Court after it posted on its website for the first time its budgetary accountability report as well as that of the Presidential Electoral Tribunal. “A shroud of secrecy has been lifted,” Lacierda said. “A new regime of transparency has been ushered in the Supreme Court.” He said the Palace commended Carpio “for directing the posting of the accountability reports online,” calling the move “a step in the right direction for transparency and accountability in government.” “Being official documents, the public has the right to know, in the same way that government agencies have the responsibility to disclose, how public funds are allocated and spent,” Lacierda said. “This can only result in the strengthening of our people’s trust in the judiciary.” Carpio’s move followed criticism by the Palace of the nondisclosure of the court budget under then Chief Justice Renato Corona, who was ousted last month. Carpio is the most senior justice of the Supreme Court and is among those nominated in the Judicial and Bar Council as a possible Chief Justice. Four other senior justices of the court have been nominated for the post. ■
WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012 12
discovered Huangyan Island and drew it on a map as early as 1279 during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). He said, ‘The old maps being relied upon by our Department of Foreign Affairs in its spurious claim on the same territory were drawn up only in 1820, or 541 years after China’s,’” the report noted. In his report, Lu also asserted that the official maps published by successive Chinese governments have always labeled Huangyan Island as part of China’s territory—“not as a matter of convenience, but to facilitate government.” “None of international treaties that define the extent of the Philippine territory includes Huangyan Island as part of its territory. Apparently, the old maps referred to by the Philippines had no validity when these treaties were being drawn up. What’s more, for a long time, the official maps of the Philippines or maps published with official sanction, all marked Huangyan Island or Scarborough Shoal, as lying outside the territorial limits of the country,” Lu pointed out. According to the author, the Philippine national map published in 2006 by the National Mapping andResource Information Authority of the Philippines (Namria) positively placed Huangyan Island outside the limit of Philippine territory. “The same is true of the Map of the Philippines, published in 2010, and the Political Map of the Philippines, published in 2008 and revised in 2000,” he said, noting that “all these maps are certified by the
Namria and undoubtedly represent the official position of the Philippine government.” In April, Sen. Edgardo Angara, who has a collection of ancient maps of the country, told the INQUIRER that old maps dating back to Spanish colonial times may hold the key to the country’s claim to Scarborough Shoal. “It’s clear that Scarborough Shoal is part of our cartography during Spanish colonial times. We have maps reproduced from the original, made in 1734. During that time, Scarborough was already part of the Philippines,” Angara said. Asked whether the maps would establish beyond doubt Philippine sovereignty over the disputed shoal, he said it’s one strong evidence but he had other pieces of evidence. Meanwhile, another report posted on the embassy website cited several reasons why China has sovereignty over Huangyan Island: • China “started astronomical surveying on Huangyan Island back in the 13th century.” • In 1935, the Chinese government officially released the name list of South China Sea islands. Huangyan Island was included as a part of Zhongsha Islands. In 1947, Beijing released a new name list of South China Sea islands, where Scarborough Shoal was renamed Minzhu (or Democratic) Reef. In 1983, the Chinese government again released a name list of the same islands, which used Huangyan Island as the standard name for the island and Democratic Reef as its alternative name. ■
BY LEILA B. SALAVERRIA Philippine Daily Inquirer
Earlier, the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division allowed Arroyo to leave for Japan and Hong Kong on June 16. The Fourth Division is hearing his graft case in connection with the canceled national broadband networkZTE Corp. contract. In the Second Division, on the other hand, Arroyo is accused of conspiring to sell used helicopters to the PNP at brand-new prices. The same division recently issued a hold-departure order against Arroyo. Arroyo and his coaccused have not been arraigned in the helicopter case. For him to be allowed to travel, he must be conditionally arraigned and enter a plea so that in case he does not return, the court would still have jurisdiction over him. ■
FORMER first gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo’s lawyer said he expected his client to undergo a conditional arraignment in the Sandiganbayan today in connection with a graft case involving the sale of used helicopters to the Philippine National Police (PNP), so he could be allowed to travel to Hong Kong and Japan again. Arroyo, through his lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, filed in the antigraft court’s Second Division a very urgent motion to travel, as well as an exemption from the three-day notice rule for court hearings so his plea could be heard sooner. The motion is expected to be heard today.
13 WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012
News-Phils
No need for surveys to wake us up–Palace BY NORMAN BORDADORA Philippine Daily Inquirer
THE AQUINO administration doesn’t need to be nudged from sleep by surveys because it has been doing what it needs to do to make most Filipinos feel the benefits of economic growth, Malacañang said. Secretary Edwin Lacierda, President Aquino’s spokesperson, was reacting to remarks attributed to San Juan Rep. Joseph Victor Ejercito that the recent dip in President Aquino’s ratings should serve as a wake-up call for the administration on the need to decrease poverty and hunger. “We disagree with the statement issued by Congressman JV Ejercito. We’ve been doing those things. Survey is just a snapshot. We are performing what we are required to do. The President has expended a lot of money towards infrastructure buildings, our [poverty] alleviation programs,” Lacierda said.
“There’s Kalahi-CIDSS, there’s [the conditional cash transfer], there’s the universal healthcare coverage. There’s [public-private partnership projects] going to be rolled out,” he added in the news briefing in Malacañang. “That’s why I disagree with the statement that it’s a wake-up call. We are doing what we’re required to do and doing it even further,” Lacierda said. The presidential spokesperson also said the government’s anti-corruption efforts are also important in making lives better for Filipinos. Ejercito was quoted as saying that the anti-corruption campaign, while appreciated, wasn’t something readily felt by the people. “For instance, the [Department of Public Works and Highways] saved P6 billion in our fight against corruption. That money we’re able to use and place it in our social poverty alleviation programs,” Lacierda said. “Our fight against corruption translates into assistance for our countrymen,” he added.■
Lance Catedral
JBC has now 11 nominations
BY MARLON RAMOS Philippine Daily Inquirer
THE JUDICIAL and Bar Council (JBC) had received 11 nominations and applications for Chief Justice. Aside from Leila de Lima, among those recommended by various groups and individuals were Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza, BIR’s Kim Henares and prominent lawyer and women’s rights advocate Katrina Legarda and retired Judge Manuel Siayngco Jr. Also nominated were former Ateneo de Manila University law school dean Cesar Villanueva, INQUIRER columnist and former University of the Philippines’ College of Law dean Raul Pangalangan, former Laguna Assistant
Provincial Prosecutor Marianito Sasondoncillo, lawyer Nepomuceno Aparis and Rafael Morales, a managing partner of the Sycip, Salazar, Hernandez & Gatmaitan law firm. Both Pangalangan and Legarda had sent letters to the JBC accepting their nominations. A certain Jocelyn Esquivel, who identified herself as a nurse, submitted an application. Almost certainly, she would be disqualified, as the Constitution stated that justices of the Supreme Court “must have been for 15 years or more, a judge of a lower court or engaged in the practice of law in the Philippines.” Individuals seeking to serve on the Supreme Court should also have “proven competence, integrity, probity and independence.” The five most senior justices on the Supreme Court—acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio and Associate Justices Presbitero Velasco Jr., Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, Arturo Brion and Diosdado Peralta—have been automatically nominated for Chief Justice. ■
MVP upbeat on GMA 7 deal forged by year-end BY NORMAN BORDADORA Philippine Daily Inquirer PHILIPPINE Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) chair Manuel V. Pangilinan is confident that a deal to acquire GMA Network Inc. will be forged before the end of the year. Pangilinan said investments in media assets would be vital to the PLDT group’s goal of transforming into a multimedia and technology conglomerate to grow profits and compete with increasingly popular Internet-based messaging services like Skype. “Discussions are moving positively,” Pangilinan told reporters on the sidelines of PLDT’s annual shareholders’ meeting. Pangilinan said he last discussed the potential deal with the TV network’s top shareholders—the Jimenez, Duavit and Gozon families—before he left for the United States as part of President Aquino’s contingent on his recent state visit. Well below P100B “There could be an agreement this year between me and the three families.
But whether we can get the necessary government approvals before 2013 is another story,” he said. Pangilinan also clarified that the price being negotiated at the moment was well below the P100-billion tag mentioned by GMA chair Felipe Gozon last month. He explained that all telecommunications companies around the world are facing competition from so-called “over the top” players like Skype and Facebook that allow people to communicate over the Internet, bypassing regular long distance or domestic phone lines. “Margins are getting depressed. Shareholders don’t like to see that, so the next frontier is media space,” he said. If any deal is reached, Pangilinan said the group would buy GMA through MediaQuest Holdings, a subsidiary of PLDT’s Beneficial Trust Fund. MediaQuest’s other investments include a majority stake in Associated Broadcasting Corp., operator of TV5, and a minority interest in several newspapers, including the Philippine Daily Inquirer. ■ Please see related story on page 32
Opinion
WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012 14
THERE’S THE RUB
Postscript BY CONRADO DE QUIROS Philippine Daily Inquirer I’M STILL terribly pissed off by it and won’t let go of it without a, well, fight. There’s a glimmer of light amid all the gloom. One is Ring Ratings’ decision to leave the rankings of the fighters as they were before Timothy Bradley “won” against Manny Pacquiao. The standings were: Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather were tied at No. 2 (no No. 1), with Pacquiao ahead of Bradley at 147 lb. Ring Ratings had a number of options after the fight, but decided in an unprecedented move to retain the ratings. Its reasoning was this: “Pacquiao outclassed Bradley even if Ross and Ford didn’t see it…. To take the opposite approach would be giving tacit approval to a shameful performance by the judges.” Doug Fischer, editor of RingTV.com trenchantly said, “I don’t think Pacquiao should be punished because of two dumb-ass judges. He dominated an undefeated pound-forpoundrated fighter in his prime.” Two is that the WBO will act on Bob Arum’s complaint and review the fight. WBO president Francisco Valcarcel announced this last week, saying five “’recognized international judges’’ will conduct that review and make a recommendation. Arum has been vociferous about the unbelievable
result, a fact that many see as an effort on his part to distance himself from suspicion he had a hand in it. The Nevada Athletic Commission has been throwing obstacles in that path, pretty much agreeing with Duane Ford’s assessment that “I thought Bradley gave Pacquiao a boxing lesson, I thought a lot of the rounds were close.’’ A thing belied by the highlights, all of which belonged to Pacquiao and none to Bradley. Earlier, the same judge argued that judging a fight is not like judging “American Idol,” which includes audience participation. Which insulted all the wire services and boxing organizations who all, or nearly all, had Pacquiao winning the fight, the least of them by seven points. If only for utter blindness, never mind an induced one, Ford and C.J. Ross should be banned for life from any sport. “It puts boxing in a very horrible light,” said Arum. “If the commission in Nevada will be intransigent, and won’t cooperate, we have to have a federal commission. We have to examine who these are on the commission, how they got there, how they operate. Something is broke.’’ There are problems there, however. Valcarcel himself added when he announced the review that the WBO does not doubt the ability of the judges. And while the review will look into the correctness of the judging, it will not look into the crookedness of the judges. And the review is not expected to result in drastic sanctions. What it is likely to do is find a mistake that, however
egregious, is an honest one, and order a rematch. Is one in order such as many quarters, even in this country, have demanded? Not at all. Nothing short of the decision being reversed will do for us. A rematch merely sanctifies the crime. It’s exactly the same thing as changing the rankings of the fighters. It will give tacit approval to a shameful performance by the judges. It will allow Ford and Ross to go free. No, more than that, it will allow them to profit from their misdeed. First reverse the decision, then have a rematch. Or since Bradley never won the fight, give him another crack at the title. Or since all that depends on what other options Pacquiao has— Juan Manuel Marquez is waiting at the wings, and there’s always retirement to consider— consider giving him another crack at the title. If ever we need to be united on anything, we need to be united on this. What pisses me off in particular is the world’s, both boxing and nonboxing, inability, despite shrill calls for a review, to be pissed off by this. Articles on it continue to call the decision controversial. Durant being fouled by LeBron as he drove to the basket in the dying seconds of Game 2 is controversial. Hitler being evil is not. Pacquiao giving Bradley a boxing lesson is not. And some have been patronizing about our outrage, dishing out amused barbs about our exaggerated sense of wounded pride. Well, it’s not about nationality, stupid, it’s about justice. It’s not about pride, morons, it’s about fairness.
My own unsolicited advice is that if the decision isn’t reversed, Pacquiao should retire. At the very least, it should punish those who conspired and continue to conspire in saying “pakyu” to Pacquiao and to the world by depriving them of one of their juiciest cash cows, from whom they have obtained wealth beyond their wildest greed. No other fighter today, except for Mayweather, commands the kind of attention, and money, Pacquiao does. It should also put pressure on the boxing world to treat Las Vegas like a pariah. That’s a paradise for organized crime. It will be on the head of its officials if its unemployment—now the worst in the United States—worsens even further. At the very most, a better ending could not have been scripted for Pacman. He has nothing more to prove, he is universally seen as the winner of that fight, “dominating an undefeated pound-for-pound-rated fighter in his prime”; he has added moral high ground to his title. The last is the one thing that has escaped him all these years, little helped by his comments on Obama’s gay-marriage policy. He has it now, having shown tremendous class throughout all this, remaining above the fray, leaving the frenetic disputation of Bradley’s victory to the public. Despite the result, he is on top of the world. Despite his seeming loss, he has become triumphant in ways he wasn’t before. Despite the apparent tarnishing of his name, he has become champion in every sense of the word. Not a bad place from where to go.■
AT LARGE
A tribute to ‘Lolo Ben’ BY RINA JIMENEZ-DAVID Philippine Daily Inquirer I WAS abroad when I received word that my uncle, Ben Labayen, who last served government as an undersecretary of the Department of Agrarian Reform, had passed away. He was 94 years old and was buried in his hometown of Alaminos, Pangasinan. There was little I could do apart from condoling with his family from far away. Consider this, then, as a belated tribute to a man whom we all considered as a “second father,” not just because he and his family lived just a few streets away from our family home in Cubao, but also because whenever he espied any of us, children of his best friend, my Papa Erning, and of his wife Nora’s “seesterr,” my Mama Narni, he would embrace us in a warm bear hug and comment heartily on how well we had been doing. I remember the last lunch I had with him and his daughter Mila Atienza (with my cousin Maris Gavino), and how, hard of hearing by then, he dominated the restaurant’s interiors with his booming voice and huge presence, which not even age and illness could diminish. He regaled us with stories of wartime exploits (he was a Death March survivor), as well as with political chismis (he was a key figure in the early negotiations over Hacienda Luisita). Even then, his ardor for social justice
was undimmed. His was truly an outsize personality, jovial and high-spirited, and I am sure his nine children—Boy, Leslie, Dennis, Benjie, Mayen, Mila, Chito, Loy and Leon—with their spouses, children, and grandchildren, miss him terribly. What I didn’t know, though, was how Tito Ben was also looked on as a father figure by many whose lives he had somehow touched. One of them is my INQUIRER colleague, Tina Arceo Dumlao, who read about his illness in a column I wrote, where I asked for prayers for his recovery. It seems that Tina’s mother worked for the DAR during Tito Ben’s time there, and came to consider him a surrogate parent. Tina wrote a letter to Tito Ben, in hopes that he would get to read it when he recovered. Unfortunately, he never snapped awake from a coma, and the letter remains as a tribute to a man who was a father to a large brood but still found time and energy to nurture and encourage other young people he encountered. He will not be forgotten. Here is Tina’s letter. *** DEAREST Lolo Ben, I know that you’re tired and probably want to just lie down and relax, but I hope you’ll spare a few minutes to read this letter that I should have written years ago. Put simply, I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for taking a keen interest in
my studies when I was in grade school, high school and then college. Because of you, I did well enough to enter UP and graduate with honors. You were such an inspiration because you encouraged me to be the best I can be. It was you who encouraged me to learn how to type when I was in high school and that skill has indeed helped me in my career as a journalist. Thank you for giving me books like Pat Conroy’s “The Lords of Discipline,” which inspired me to become a writer. The beauty of the language of the book remains my own Everest. One day, I hope to be able to write just like him. If it weren’t for you, I would not have realized that there is such an art in literature. I guess you saw in me potential to be great. Your belief has made a world of difference in my life, and it continues to make me stretch and strive to fulfill my potential. Thank you also for making my wedding extra special by being there. It would not have been complete without you. I didn’t even know that you were coming, and seeing you there mademy wedding day one of the happiest days of my life. *** I AM just sorry that I have not been in touch for many, many years. I didn’t know how to find you because I knew you were in the States. I also didn’t follow where you lived and how to get in touch with you.
I must tell you though that you were never far from my thoughts. You’ve always been my guardian angel after all, guiding me and showing me the right path to take. I am happy to tell you that I have been able to put your faith, guidance and inspiration to good use. I am now a desk editor of the INQUIRER and the youngest in my position. My son, Miggy, is now 16 and is entering UP Baguio, and will major in history. I have a great life, Lolo Ben. I really couldn’t ask for more. I have a great career, family, and I feel that I am doing my part to help our country by being a good journalist. All these would not have been possible without you, Lolo Ben. I owe you my life, I want you to know that, and I am happy that I have this opportunity now to tell you just how much you meant to me. So again thank you for everything, Lolo Ben. I love you. *** ERRATUM. My apologies to Fr. Francisco “Kito” Estepa, SVD, president of Holy Name University in Tagbilaran, Bohol, for forgetting to mention him and misstating the name of the institution he represents in the article “Maytime in Bohol” (Lifestyle, 6/10/12). Considering how the Holy Name community was so generous to us, and how Father Kito was so personally accommodating, I am chagrined and contrite. Mea culpa! ■
15 WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012
Opinion
AS I SEE IT
Justice delayed at SC? BY NEAL H. CRUZ Philippine Daily Inquirer HERE IS another glaring example of justice delayed, justice denied. And it is timely to discuss it now that the Supreme Court is under intense scrutiny and a new chief justice, who is supposed to see to it that justice is meted out to every citizen fairly, is being chosen. It concerns the illegal dismissal case of Leo A. Gonzales, an employee of Solid Cement Corp. The case has been dragging in the Supreme Court for the last 13 years. The irony is that Gonzales has already won his case in the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) and the only issue is how much Solid Cement should pay him in back wages and other benefits. It is the Supreme Court itself, the highest court of the land, that is delaying the case. Gonzales’ calvary started in 1999 when his employer, Solid Cement Corp. of the Cemex Group of Companies, a multinational corporation, illegally dismissed him from his job. The dismissal letter did not even state why he was dismissed. Gonzales filed an illegal dismissal complaint before the NLRC. The arbiter and the NLRC decided that Gonzales was illegally dismissed and they ordered his reinstatement and payment
of full back wages and other benefits and allowances. Solid Cement appealed the decision to the Court of Appeals which affirmed the NLRC decisions. You think Gonzales’ calvary was over? Not by a long shot. Solid Cement appealed to the Supreme Court which also affirmed, on March 9, 2005, the decisions of the arbiter, the NLRC and the Court of Appeals. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court resolution did not specify the components of Gonzales’ back wages, allowances and other benefits. Neither did it compute the exact amount that should be paid to Gonzales. Thus, when the case was remanded to the arbiter, the latter computed the back wages, allowances and other benefits due Gonzales in the amount of P965,014.16. The NLRC subsequently modified this by increasing the monetary award to P2,805,698.04. Solid Cement and Gonzales filed separate petitions for certiorari in the Court of Appeals and these were subsequently consolidated. On May 31, 2011, the Court of Appeals issued a decision denying Gonzales’ petition on the sole ground that the Supreme Court resolution issued on March 9, 2005 was already final and executory. It ordered the reinstatement of the arbiter’s order. Gonzales filed a petition for certiorari with the Supreme Court, but the Second
Division, through a minute resolution, hastily and without basis denied the petition. Gonzales filed a motion for reconsideration and at the same time wrote a letter to then Chief Justice Renato Corona, explaining that the Second Division erred in denying his petition. However, nothing happened because the motion for reconsideration was also denied by the Second Division. Gonzales filed a motion for leave to file and admit a second motion for reconsideration and a motion to refer the case to the Supreme Court en banc. This is at present pending in the high court. Indisputably, the Supreme Court resolution of March 9, 2005 did not specify the components of Gonzales’ back wages, allowances and benefits. Neither did it mention the specific amounts due Gonzales. Thus, in accordance with NLRC Rules of Procedure and prevailing jurisprudence, the arbiter and NLRC threshed out during the execution proceedings the back wages, allowances and benefits or their money equivalents due Gonzales. During these proceedings, Solid Cement actively participated and even admitted that Gonzales is entitled to some benefits and allowances. So when it filed its petition for certiorari and other pleadings before the Court of Appeals, it never raised as an issue the immutability of judgment.
Since it was the Court that issued the resolution, couldn’t it have easily and correctly interpreted this according to its expressed terms and meaning? However, the Court blindly misinterpreted the resolution. Thus, from 2000 to 2008, it sustained the Court of Appeals decision that Gonzales is entitled to back wages of only P72,575. This is contrary to Article 279 of the Labor Code, which provides that an illegally dismissed employee shall be entitled to full reinstatement with full back wages, benefits and allowances or their monetary equivalent to be computed from the time he was illegally dismissed until the time of actual reinstatement. Gonzales suspects that his case was railroaded. The case had been assigned to Associate Justice Arturo Brion. The same justice, in a recent and similar case (Session Delights Ice Cream and Fast Foods vs. CA, NLRC et al.; GR 172149, Feb. 8, 2010, 612 SCRA 10) of which he was also the ponente, ruled that the computation of back wages of an illegally dismissed employee shall not violate the immutability of judgment. Does the Second Division of the Supreme Court know how to correctly interpret a simple resolution? If the Supreme Court cannot interpret its own simple resolution, how can we expect it to interpret complicated laws? How can it appropriately and impartially dispense justice?■
PUBLIC LIVES
The ethic of responsible restraint BY RANDY DAVID Philippine Daily Inquirer TWICE DURING the impeachment trial of then Chief Justice Renato Corona, petitions were filed before the Supreme Court praying for its intervention in the unfolding process at the Senate. The first sought to abort the trial on the ground that the complaint endorsed by the majority in the House of Representatives was not properly verified. The high court responded by calling for the submission of written memoranda, but it did not stop the trial. The second petition was for the purpose of preventing the Senate from opening the bank accounts of Corona on the ground that their absolute confidentiality was protected by law. The high court issued a temporary restraining order to that effect, and the Senate voted to comply with the TRO. What we have here is a fine example of the delicate give-and-take performed by the political and judicial branches of government. The responses could have been different. Invoking its expanded power of judicial review under the 1987 Constitution, the Supreme Court could have ordered the Senate from proceeding with the trial. In all probability, the senators would have defied that order, telling the tribunal that the matter was the sole prerogative of the Senate. The resulting impasse would have provoked more demonstrations in the streets and possibly stripped the high court of what remains of its moral authority. Similarly, the Senate could
have rejected the TRO on the bank accounts on the ground that the law safeguarding the secrecy of bank accounts was not meant to conceal criminality. Such open defiance would have buried the present Supreme Court as an institution. This delicate balancing act is nowhere stated in black and white in the constitutional provisions on separation of powers. It is, rather, what political leaders and magistrates do when they are minded to wield their powers responsibly. I call it the ethic of responsible restraint. It is the antidote to what University of the Philippines law professor and fellow INQUIRER columnist Raul Pangalangan calls “judicialized governance.” Government by judiciary, Pangalangan warns in a recent paper, “shifts to unelected judges the power to apply their own discretion in reviewing decisions by the politically accountable branches of government and, worse, to dress up the review in the language of the law.” In the Philippines, he argues, this habitual turning to the courts to appeal the actions of political bodies serves as a coping mechanism for the failures of the democratic processes. “If the majoritarian process is unable to vindicate public norms, the only other mechanism compatible with liberalism is ‘decision according to law’ rendered by neutral institutions.” In other words, when the people distrust the political system, their tendency is to run to the
courts, believing these to be insulated from political interests and thus capable of rendering justice. What happens, however, is that, instead of strengthening democracy, the judiciary weakens it by intervening in every conceivable issue and not hesitating to nullify the acts of the people’s duly elected representatives. In so doing, it typically resorts to a legal formalism that freezes the meaning of the law and removes it from its evolving social context. Raul traces this problem to the absence or weakness of shared communal norms in society. “Absent that nomos,” he writes, “the next best option is to devolve that decision to trusted persons and institutions.” And when the latter prove to be not trustworthy, “voila, a new secular religion is found in law-based decision, depersonalized, de-politicized and deideologized.” This is fascinating and refreshing to hear from a professor of constitutional theory and law. If I may say so, it is this kind of historically and sociologically sensitive perspective that the Supreme Court needs most at this time. As a sociologist, I can add nothing to Raul’s analysis, except to say that the absence of a shared moral universe is not unique to societies like ours but is typical of modern society. In most societies today, it has become less and less possible to ground any action on moral consensus. Law replaces morality as a source of definitions of right and wrong, deploying all the authority previously enjoyed by moral systems drawn from religious belief. This is disconcerting
to many who rightly complain that legality cannot be equated with morality. But in modernity, there seems no way of going back to a unified moral universe. We might try to understand how modern societies are adapting to this moral lacuna as they evolve. They make sure that their diverse institutions grow into full autonomy. By this is meant that society commits itself to forming highly differentiated institutions capable of resisting interference in their work, while restraining their own urge to control the functioning of others. Modern societies nudge their institutions to solve their problems their own way, warning them not to leave internal problems unsolved as this invites outside intervention. Despite the glitches that attended the Corona impeachment, I believe that on the whole we can draw pride from the way in which it was brought to a clear conclusion. Had the Senate leadership been less resolute in its conduct of the trial, it would have created ample room for the Supreme Court to intervene. And, had the Corona Court been more judicious in the exercise of its review powers, it might have avoided the disaster in which it had found itself. There are many lessons to learn from this sad episode in our nation’s life, but, to me, the most important is the one that tells our institutions that autonomy’s twin is restraint.■ *** public.lives@gmail.com
Business
WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012 16
Gov’t eyes dev’t of BSP keeps rates unchanged amid low inflation But Tetangco warns of upside price risks going forward 7 provincial airports BY PAOLO G. MONTECILLO Philippine Daily Inquirer
BY RIZA T. OLCHONDRA and MICHELLE V. REMO Philippine Daily Inquirer
THE GOVERNMENT plans to develop seven more provincial airports in line with efforts to open more cities around the country to commercial flights. This is part of the Aquino administration’s goal to spur economic activity and accelerate gross domestic product (GDP) growth by supporting local tourism. The Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) published its invitation for interested parties to bid for the contract to expand six existing airports and build an entirely new facility in different provinces around the country. The development of the seven airports is expected to cost P303 million. The deadline for submission of bids and the opening of these bids has been set for July 5. The newest airport being eyed is the San Vicente Airport in Palawan province. The airport project is expected to “sustain the development of tourism in the area,” the DoTC said in its invitation. San Vicente is a first-class municipality located about 186 kilometers north of the provincial capital of Puerto Princesa. Like many areas in Palawan, San Vicente has several white-sand beaches, but its popularity remains modest due to its inaccessibility. The government approved a budget of P62.7 million for the construction of a terminal building and a runway in San Vicente. Also, airports in Butuan, Agusan del Sur; Cotabato City; Dipolog, Zamboanga; Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur; Sanga-Sanga, Tawi-Tawi; and Maasin, Southern Leyte, are up for improvements. The Butuan airport serves 385,000 passengers annually. Improvements will include the expansion of its apron, improvement of its parking area, and the construction of a drainage system and concrete wall surrounding the facility. These are expected to cost P45.5 million. The Cotabato airport will get P58.1 million for the widening of its runway and the construction of a new perimeter fence, while the Dipolog facility will get P55.2 million for a new passenger terminal. In Pagadian, the passenger terminal building will be rehabilitated, while its runways will be widened, the DoTC said. The project cost has been pegged at P42 million. The Sanga-Sanga airport will get P63.9 million for the construction of a new passenger terminal building. The Maasin airport is set to get a new runway strip that will allow it to accommodate commercial flights for the first time. ■
THE MONETARY Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas decided to keep policy rates unchanged after assessing that the inflation environment “remains manageable,” BSP Governor Amando M. Tetangco Jr. said. This means that the BSP’s overnight borrowing rate remains at 4 percent and the overnight lending rate at 6 percent. Both rates have been maintained at such levels since March, following two 25-basispoint reductions for both—once in January and again in March. “[We believe] that the benign inflation outlook and robust domestic growth provide adequate room to keep policy rates unchanged,” Tetangco said. “[Such is the case] especially as the cumulative 50-basispoint reduction in policy rates and the operational adjustments in the reserve requirements earlier in the year work their way through the economy,” he added. Tetangco said latest inflation forecasts continue to lean on the lower half of the BSP’s target range of 3 percent to 5 percent for this year and next.
“At the same time, domestic macroeconomic readings have improved significantly in the first quarter,” he said, mainly referring to the 6.4-percent growth in gross domestic product during that period. “Adequate liquidity and strong bank lending, spurred by prevailing low interest rates, should also help sustain domestic real sector activity in the months ahead,” he added. Also, Tetangco said the Monetary Board noted that oil prices continue to show considerable volatility, while additional petitions for electricity rate adjustments could provide an upside influence on inflation. He said that, likewise, the weak global economy can help keep prices of oil and other commodities moderate. “As such, inflationary pressures and the risk of secondround effects may also ease in the coming months,” Tetangco said. Further, the Monetary Board also decided to not change the reserve requirement ratios that banks should maintain. “Going forward, the BSP will continue to monitor emerging price and output conditions to ensure that monetary policy remains in line with price stability while being supportive of economic growth,” Tetangco said. ■
DOE studies bids for new oil and gas deal
BY AMY R. REMO Philippine Daily Inquirer
THE DEPARTMENT of Energy expects to complete by the end of this month technical evaluations for the 13 bid offers of local and foreign exploration firms, which are currently vying for contracts to explore and develop the country’s oil and gas resources. Energy Undersecretary Jose M. Layug Jr. said that once completed, the group will be able to make its recommendations to the energy secretary as to which party or company should be awarded a petroleum service contract. According to Layug, the 13 offers being processed now included the nine submissions that were accepted during the opening of
the bids last April, and the four other offers, which were initially rejected by the DOE but were later reconsidered. The move to fast-track the processing of the bid offers, which were opened only last April, was meant to hasten the development of local indigenous resources, cut costly oil imports and help ensure the country’s energy security over the long term. The last time that the DOE had awarded a petroleum service contract was in April 2009, to UK-based Pitkin Petroleum Ltd. and South China Resources Inc., for Service Contract 71, which covered 1.16 million hectares within the MindoroCuyo basin. Layug remained hopeful that the DOE will receive more offers from big foreign exploration players when the Philippine government auctions off Areas 3,4 and 5, all of which are located within northwest Palawan, by end-July. The northwest Palawan basin is reportedly one of the most prolific oil and gas basins in the Philippines and is home to the country’s most successful natural gas project, the $4.5-billion Malampaya gas field. Currently, production within this basin alone had reached roughly 58 million barrels of oil, 800 billion cubic feet of gas and 40 million barrels of condensate. It is estimated that the basin has further resource potential of 400 million barrels of oil and 2.200 trillion cubic feet of gas.■
17 WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012
Sports Talk it out: Heat “Big 3” wasted no time before looking ahead to Game 4 of the NBA Finals
BY ROY LUARCA Philippine Daily Inquirer
THERE will be no reversal, but the World Boxing Organization still wants to find out whether the three judges at ringside for the Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley showdown Saturday night did their job right or bungled it big time. WBO president Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel, who sanctioned the bout that unbelievably went Bradley’s way, has assigned five international judges to review the scoring of Jerry Roth (115-113 for Pacquiao), CJ Ross (115113 for Bradley) and Duane Ford (115-113 for Bradley), according to the Los Angeles Times. Puerto Rican Nelson Vasquez has been chosen for the panel along with selected judges from New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida and Pennsylvania.
Their primary task is to review the fight video and take a vote regarding the result that reverberated throughout the world and drew rebuke not only from the sporting community but also from the show biz and political sector. US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has even joined the bandwagon and is endorsing a probe by the Nevada Attorney General probe to find out whether the battle for the WBO welterweight crown was indeed fraudulently decided. Reid, whom Pacquiao campaigned for in the 2010 elections, also said he’s bent on reintroducing a boxing regulatory bill that will propose the creation of a National Boxing Commission. Valcarcel, who gave Pacquiao a diamond ring for being the best fighter of his generation last Thursday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, said: “We want to get the impression of five international judges, but we cannot reverse the decision.” Meanwhile, Pacquiao told ESPN’s Deportes’ “Golpe A Golpe” that he’s more inclined to facing old nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez for the fourth time in Mexico than a rematch with Bradley on Nov. 10 in Las Vegas. Marquez, boxing analyst of the program, gave Pacquiao the victory over Bradley, 8 rounds to 4. ■
Despite loss, Manny at peace with himself BY ROY LUARCA Philippine Daily Inquirer
HOLLYWOOD—Back at the familiar confines of his bedroom at the gated Palazzo residences here, Manny Pacquiao looked at peace with himself. Amid the maelstrom wrought by the shocking, controversial and absurd split decision loss to Timothy Bradley that deprived him of the World Boxing Organization welterweight crown, Pacquiao has exuded unusual calm. Rather than gloat about the public outcry regarding the loss, Pacquiao is trying to pacify everybody involved and affected by the scoring anomaly. “Let’s just forget and accept it (split decision),” said Pacquiao in Filipino. “There’s still November to look forward to.” According to Pacquiao, who’s staying with wife Jinkee and their four children at their cozy home in Plymouth, Los Angeles, he’s living
it up to his promoter (Bob Arum) to sort things out.” Though Pacquiao and Bradley have verbally agreed to do the rematch on Nov. 10, also at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Arum balked after demands for a probe of the judges that worked the 12-round payper-view bout escalated all over the world, particularly in the United States and the Philippines. “Let’s be humble,” said Pacquiao, who was quickly relegated to No. 5 in the pound-forpound ranking of BoxRec after his loss to Bradley. Pacquiao said God’s words empowered him to withstand a major test that could have rattled him before. When Pacquiao lost to Erik Morales in 2005 at the same venue, he was inconsolable and desolate. Seven years later, faced with the same situation, it was Pacquiao doing the consoling for those angered by the controversy. ■
Domenic Gareri / Shutterstock.com
WBO tasks five-judge panel to review Pacquiao-Bradley
ball in their hand most of the time,’’ Wade said. ``Just that conversation right there, but also working our brains and our minds already before we go watch to film to see and to know, this is what we felt.’’ The talk-it-out approach isn’t something only going on in one locker room in this series. Oklahoma City centre Kendrick Perkins - who won a championship with the Boston Celtics - made sure LeBron James #6 participates in an NBA some of the younger players in the basketball game at the Air Canada Centre on Thunder locker room knew that February 16, 2011 in Toronto, Canada. being down 2-1 is far from the end of the world. BY TIM REYNOLDS Much like the Heat trio, Perkins THE ASSOCIATED PRESS thinks there can’t be enough positive MIAMI - LeBron James, Dwyane energy at this time of year. ``I know it’s got to be in the back of Wade and Chris Bosh walked off the floor together after Game 3 of the their mind that we’ve got to win this NBA Finals, and were immediately game or something to that nature,’’ wrapped up in conversation as they Perkins said Monday. ``But I told strolled to the Miami Heat locker guys after the game that we’re going to approach Game 4 that we’re not room. Their talk had nothing to do with going to look at the scoreboard, see who is in the lead or not. We’re just Game 3. Turns out, the Heat ``Big Three’’ going to play hard for 48 minutes, were already working on their plans play basketball, and go from there.’’ ********* for Game 4 against the Oklahoma SOCIAL NUMBERS: The NBA City Thunder by going over what had just happened while it was fresh announced Monday that other than in their minds. Television cameras the United States and China, it’s captured the three players side-by- the Philippines topping the list of side on that walk, a far cry from the countries following the league on images of how they left the floor Facebook and Twitter. No surprise there, of course - Heat anguished after losing the finals last coach Erik Spoelstra is proud of his season. The series resumes in Miami on Filipino heritage. The NBA said it has 278 million Tuesday night, with the Heat holding a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven title fans following through social media worldwide. For Facebook, the matchup. ``We all got caught up in the Philippines is followed by Turkey, lights and the negativity last year,’’ Indonesia, Mexico and France, while Bosh said. ``We let that take away on Twitter the countries checking in our energy away from focusing on second through fifth are Indonesia, what we needed to focus on. This Brazil, the United Kingdom and year we’re just being ourselves. India. Spoelstra smiled Monday when We’re coming and competing. We’re playing the best basketball and told of the numbers in his mother’s we’re just having confidence in our homeland. ``They root for us,’’ Spoelstra said. game. We’re good enough. We’re good enough to win it. We were ``When we’re over there during the good enough last year. We just had summer, they are. It’s great to see. I had my family over here from the too many letdowns.’’ So they’re trying to avoid those this Philippines. The one thing about time around, which is why they’re the Philippines is they are rabid going over things as diligently as basketball fanatics, and it’s been that way for a while. They’ve been ever. ``They made an adjustment how following us now for the last couple they (were) playing us throughout years, as well.’’ ■ Follow Tim Reynolds on Twitter at the game, and immediately we h t t p : / / w w w. t w i t t e r. c o m / talked about what we have to do to kind of (make) that adjustment as ByTimReynolds three guys that are going to have the
18 WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012
Despite economic growth, job gains, family incomes remain stagnant BY JULIAN BELTRAME THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA –The growing economy hasn’t done very much to boost Canadian incomes, a new report from Statistics Canada confirms. The agency reported Monday that median, after-tax income for families of two or more amounted to $65,500 in 2010, virtually unchanged from 2009 or the year before after adjusting for inflation. The result was slightly better for twoparent families with children. That segment saw median, after-tax income grow to $78,800 from $77,200 the year before. There was no data from 2011, but weekly wages and other income reports suggest that there would likely be little improvement last year as well, analysts said. That’s still a better record than what has occurred in the United States, where incomes have actually contracted, but economist Benjamin Tal of CIBC World Markets says Canadians should take little comfort.
``Something is not working here (in economy), this is not a positive report,’’ said Tal. ``Whenever we want to feel good we compare ourselves to the U.S. This is not good enough given where we are and given the nature of our economy, namely that we export commodities that the rest of the world is buying.’’ Since the recession, Canada has added about 750,000 new jobs, but Tal said the median income data, and other reports, shows that those jobs have not been of high quality. The median is the level at which half the population had higher incomes and half lower, hence is considered a reliable indicator of the overall trend in the country. Another factor restraining income growth, Tal said, has been poor productivity growth. The latest reading follows a report last week that showed average household debt in relation to disposable income had risen to a record 152 per cent at the end of 2011. Statistics Canada noted that the rise in the debt ratio was not due to Canadians
borrowing more, but to stagnant incomes. ``Growth in household disposable income slowed in the quarter as a result of a decline in household investment income and an increase in personal income taxes and other social contributions,’’ the agency explained. The latest report finds a wide disparity on median after-tax income depending on where Canadians live. At the upper end of the scale was Alberta at $78,100, followed by Saskatchewan, $70,100, and Ontario, $69,300. The Atlantic provinces and Quebec were at the low end, ranging from $56,300 in Newfoundland to $58,900 in New Brunswick. After-tax income is the total of earnings, private pensions, income from investments and other sources, less income tax. The median for female, lone-parent families was $38,700, while families headed by a senior had a median after-tax income of $46,800. For singles, median after-tax income was also unchanged in 2010, with non-seniors at $27,500 and seniors at $23,400. ■
19 WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012
Canada News
Ontario amends Human Rights Code to extend protections to transgendered people
BY KEITH LESLIE THE CANADIAN PRESS
TORONTO - Ontario’s Human Rights Code was updated Wednesday for the first time since the 1980s to extend protections to transgendered people. Members of all three parties voted to amend the code to add the terms ``gender identity’’ and ``gender expression’’ to prevent discrimination against transgendered people. It was the first change to the code since it was amended to add the words ``sexual orientation’’ to protect gays and lesbians. New Democrat Cheri DiNovo, who tried for six years to amend the code with three previous private member’s bills, called the vote historic, and said it would prevent discrimination against transgendered people looking for a job or a place to live. ``A long time coming, but it’s a very good day,’’ a beaming DiNovo told reporters after the vote. ``There’s a whole host of things that will be opened up for trans people because of this, and really this recognizes them simply as humans, with all the rights of every other human in Ontario.’’ The legislation was called Toby’s Act, in honour of the late musician Toby Dancer, who led the choir at the Toronto United Church where DiNovo was a minister before she became a member of provincial parliament. A large percentage of transgendered people attempt suicide and nearly half live below the poverty line,
which DiNovo said shows they are a marginalized and vulnerable community in need of the same protections from discrimination as everyone else. Liberal Yasir Naqvi, a co-sponsor of the all-party bill, said politicians thought they had covered all the bases when they amended the code in the 1980s to protect homosexuals. ``We thought at that time that by just adding ‘’sexual orientation`` we were covering all kinds of people, but we recognized soon after that was not the case, that we had excluded members of the trans community,’’ Naqvi told the legislature during third reading debate. ``Today, we’re taking that very important historic step forward by adding gender identity and gender expression ... so that no human being is left outside the scope, the protection, of the Ontario Human Rights Code.’’ Deputy Progressive Conservative Leader Christine Elliott, the other cosponsor, said DiNovo’s persistence on the issue helped persuade her colleagues about the need to protect transgendered people. ``We have been educated in this process, and we have a much deeper understanding of some of the things that people in the trans community go through,’’ Elliott told the legislature. ``That’s why we’re here today, to make sure that we amend our Human Rights Code to properly reflect the need to protect the rights of everyone in our society, and that’s what this is all about.’’ DiNovo credited the fact Ontario now has a minority government that
Minister Kenney issues statement celebrating Philippine Independence Day
The Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism presented Philippine Ambassador to Canada, His Excellency Leslie Gatan, with official greetings from Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
OTTAWA, June 12, 2012 — The Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, issued the following statement to celebrate Philippine Independence Day: “On June 12, 1898, the Filipino people proclaimed the sovereignty of the Philippine Islands following centuries of colonial rule. Although the Philippines would not become fully independent for another 48 years, the people who gathered that day to hear the public reading of the Declaration of Independence vowed to risk their lives, their fortunes and their honour in support of their country’s journey to independence. That spirit of bravery, sacrifice and determination marked the spiritual and symbolic birth of makes it easier to get opposition bills brought forward for debate for her success in finally getting Toby’s Act passed into law. ``This shows minority government working as I think the electorate wants it to work, which is to work together,’’ she said. Ontario is the first major jurisdiction in North America to provide human rights protections
a fiercely proud and independent Philippines. The same spirit of pride and honour is channeled through the creativity, industriousness, and generosity of spirit of the Filipino people. The first Filipinos migrated to Canada in 1930, and since that time, the Filipino-Canadian community has contributed greatly to the cultural fabric and economic prosperity of our country. The Philippines is currently the top source country for newcomers to Canada, and we are proud to be home to one of the largest Filipino communities in the world. As Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, I wish all Canadians and Filipinos celebrating today a very happy Araw ng Kalayaan.” ■ for transgendered people. The Northwest Territories passed a similar bill, and DiNovo expects other provinces and American states to soon follow suit. ``The reality is this is very exciting, and I’m already getting calls from New York state, from North Carolina, so hopefully it starts a wave of moves across jurisdictions for trans,’’ said DiNovo. ■
Canada News
WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012 20
Luka Magnotta pleads not guilty to killing, dismembering Chinese student BY SIDHARTHA BANERJEE THE CANADIAN PRESS
MONTREAL - Luka Rocco Magnotta uttered a single word during his first court appearance as he pleaded not guilty Tuesday to first-degree murder and four other charges. The suspect in the infamous body-parts case appeared calm during his arraignment. He answered his lawyer with a deep-toned, ``Okay,’’ but remained silent as he stood during his three-minute appearance. Magnotta, under heavy security since his arrival in Canada on Monday, appeared via video link. He will reappear in court in the same virtual form on Thursday, when his lawyer may request a psychiatric evaluation. He was formally charged Tuesday with the first-degree murder of university student Jun Lin, along with defiling his corpse, harassing Prime Minister Stephen Harper and members of Parliament, and publishing and mailing obscene material. Magnotta is accused of mailing out Lin’s body parts to different places including the Ottawa offices of the Conservative Party of Canada, the Liberal Party of Canada and two Vancouver schools. He is also accused
of posting a video of the gruesome events on the Internet. The suspect was impassive as he appeared on-screen at the courthouse, while he was actually standing at a police station in a different part of the city, flanked by a guard and handcuffed. The 29-year-old murder suspect had arrived in Canada the previous day, shackled as he was returned from Germany aboard a military plane to face justice in a slaying-and-dismemberment case that has drawn international attention. The Crown has assigned two of its most seasoned prosecutors to the case. Louis Bouthillier and Helene Di Salvo have worked on a number of high-profile cases. Di Salvo successfully prosecuted former world-champion boxer Dave Hilton in 2001 for repeatedly molesting his daughters. Bouthillier said he doesn’t worry about finding an impartial jury to hear the case. ``Juries have been handling tough matters in this country for hundreds of years and I fail to see why they couldn’t handle (this),’’ Bouthillier said. ``Sure it’s going to be a difficult case but they are all difficult cases... This matter is not different from any other.’’
BRIEFS by The Canadian Press
EPphoto / Shutterstock.com
Ontario cycling deaths preventable: coroner TORONTO - A report from the office of the chief coroner says every single one of the cycling deaths in Ontario between 2006 and 2010 was preventable. The report, released today, examined the circumstances around 129 deaths between January 2006 and December 2010. ■ Woman in right-to-die case grateful for court ruling VANCOUVER - The woman at the centre of a landmark court ruling in B.C. that struck down Canada’s doctorassisted suicide ban says she’s grateful for the ruling, but she’s made no decisions on how her own life will end. Gloria Taylor, who has Lou Gehrig’s disease, was among the plaintiffs in a case that resulted in last week’s ruling, which gave Parliament a year to fix the law but also gave Taylor an immediate exemption. ■
Wild weather in Saskatchewan saw 8 tornadoes REGINA - A meteorologist with Environment Canada says the agency has confirmed that eight tornadoes touched down in Saskatchewan last week. John Paul Cragg also says the extreme weather on Friday also included hail the size of golf balls and one area saw 80 millimetres of rain in just three hours. ■
Appearing before Quebec court Judge Lori-Renee Weitzman, Magnotta lawyer, Pierre Panaccio, mentioned the possibility of requesting a psychiatric evaluation for his client. He said he would take the next couple of days to consider the possibility. If he asks for that assessment, it will seek to determine whether the accused was suffering from a mental disorder and whether he should be exempted from criminal responsibility. If the assessment is granted by the judge, Magnotta would be sent to a psychiatric facility for not more than 30 days, after which a report would be filed. Panaccio, a veteran lawyer who has in the past defended Hells Angels bikers, spoke to Magnotta through a camera in the courtroom. He told his client that he hoped to speak with him later Tuesday. ``If you wish to call me at home tonight, I’d be pleased to talk about this,’’ Panaccio told Magnotta. ``Okay,’’ the accused replied in a low voice before being led away to detention. The prosecution will decide on a strategy after hearing from Magnotta’s lawyer. Magnotta is not likely to appear soon at a courthouse, in person. Bouthillier said
that would probably only happen during a preliminary hearing or potential trial. The prosecutors said they would not hold any more media interviews during the case, to avoid feeding a circus-like atmosphere. Reporters and curious onlookers lined up for hours outside the courtroom Monday to witness a brief step in what foreign media have dubbed the ``Canadian Psycho’’ case. Magnotta, who became the target of an international manhunt, was arrested earlier this month in a Berlin Internet cafe while apparently reading news stories about himself. He returned to Canada on Monday night in a military transport plane. A motorcade of vehicles with flashing lights rolled out to meet Magnotta at Mirabel airport, and a half-dozen men escorted him off the plane and into an unmarked minivan. The prosecutors say they’ll do their best to keep Lin’s family informed of the proceedings. China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Tuesday when asked about Magnotta’s return that China was monitoring developments and hoped that there would be justice to give ``the victim a result that can have him rest in peace.’’ ■
21 WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012
World News
New Obama policy will ‘lift the shadow of deportation’ from young illegal immigrants
spirit of america / Shutterstock.com
describing the administration’s action. ``Prosecutorial discretion, which is used in so many other areas, is especially justified here.’’ The policy closely tracks a proposal being drafted by Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, a potential vice-presidential running mate for Romney, as an alternative to the DREAM Act, formally the Development, Relief and Education of Alien Minors Act. While many Republican lawmakers decried the Obama administration’s move, Rubio offered a tempered response. ``Today’s announcement will be welcome news for many of these kids desperate for an answer, but
BY ALICIA A. CALDWELL,JIM KUHNHENN THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama eased enforcement of immigration laws Friday, offering a chance for hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants to stay in the country and work. Immediately embraced by Hispanics, the extraordinary step touched off an election-year confrontation with congressional Republicans. ``Let’s be clear, this is not amnesty, this is not immunity, this is not a path to citizenship, this is not a permanent fix,’’ Obama said from the White House Rose Garden. ``This is the right thing to do.’’ The policy change will affect as many as 800,000 immigrants who have lived in fear of deportation. It bypasses Congress and partially achieves the goals of the ``DREAM Act,’’ congressional legislation that would establish a path toward citizenship for young people who came to the United States illegally but who attend college or join the military. The move comes in an election year in which the Hispanic vote could be critical in tossup states like Colorado, Nevada and Florida that could go either Republican or Democratic. While Obama enjoys support from a majority of Hispanic voters, Latino enthusiasm
for the president has been tempered by the slow economic recovery, his inability to win congressional support for a broad overhaul of immigration laws and by his administration’s aggressive deportation policy. Under the administration plan, illegal immigrants will be immune from deportation if they were brought to the United States before they turned 16 and are younger than 30, have been in the country for at least five continuous years, have no criminal history, graduated from a U.S. high school or earned an equivalent degree or served in the military. They also can apply for a work permit that will be good for two years with no limits on how many times it can be renewed. Obama said the change would become effective immediately to ``lift the shadow of deportation from these young people.’’ The step, to be carried out by the Department of Homeland Security, comes one week before Obama plans to address the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials’ annual conference in Florida. Republican presidential challenger Mitt Romney is to speak to the group. ``Many of these young people have already contributed to our country in significant ways,’’ Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano wrote in a memorandum
it is a short-term answer to a longterm problem,’’ Rubio said in a statement. ``And by once again ignoring the Constitution and going around Congress, this shortterm policy will make it harder to find a balanced and responsible long-term one.’’ Midway through his remarks, Obama was interrupted by a reporter from a conservative online publication, Neil Munro of the Daily Caller, who shouted, ``Why do you favour foreigners over American workers?’’ Clearly irritated, Obama said that he was explaining the policy, not looking for an argument, and that the change was the ``right thing to do for the American people.’’ ■
US urges fair elections in Cambodia, stops short of calling for return of opposition leader
BY MATTHEW PENNINGTON THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON - The United States is urging Cambodia allow diverse participation in next year’s general elections and release women imprisoned last month for protesting a property development. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton met Tuesday with Cambodia Foreign Minister Hor Namhong in Washington. This year, Cambodia is the rotating chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a regional grouping that Washington wants to engage with more vigour as it steps up its diplomatic and security presence in the Asia-Pacific. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Wednesday that Clinton discussed with Hor Namhong the importance of ``appropriate participation across the political spectrum’’ in the 2013 elections.
But Nuland said it was ``an issue for the Cambodians’’ whether opposition leader Sam Rainsy be allowed to take part in the vote. Rainsy is living in exile in France following 2010 convictions in Cambodia he claims were politically motivated. Prime Minister Hun Sen has dominated the Southeast Asian nation for nearly three decades. Rights groups accuse him of squelching dissent and intimidating political opponents. Last month, 13 women including one aged 72, were sentenced by a Phnom Penh court to two-and-ahalf years in prison for protesting their eviction from the land where their homes once stood - a case viewed as emblematic of a broader problem of forcible evictions of poor Cambodians to make way for property development in its fastgrowing economy. Their houses were demolished in 2010 to make way for a Chinese company’s development of a hotel, office buildings and luxury houses in Phnom Penh’s Boueng Kak lake area. They were found guilty of aggravated rebellion and illegal occupation after attempting to reconstruct their homes. Four have reportedly begun a hunger strike in prison. Nuland said Clinton urged Cambodia grant the detainees due process, and noted their release ``would be a sign of support for freedom of expression.’’ ■
Mario - Manager
Immigration
WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012 24
Critics take immigration minister to task for application backlog
THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA - Immigration Minister Jason Kenney got a rough ride from his political rivals Friday following a Federal Court ruling that appears to undermine a key element of the government’s so-called omnibus budget bill. One of the components of the legislation, known as Bill C-38, would eliminate a growing backlog of applications from 280,000 would-be immigrants seeking entry to Canada under the government’s skilled workers’ program. A Federal Court justice hearing a lawsuit against Kenney brought by more than 900 of those applicants has ruled that the Conservative government is obliged to process those applications in a timely way, and has failed to follow through on that pledge.
NDP immigration critic Jinny Sims took Kenney to task during question period in the House of Commons, accusing him of trying to ``hit the delete button’’ on the backlog and eliminate applications from people who are following the rules. ``The minister of immigration has no plan,’’ Sims said. ``He is making it up as he goes, and it is Canadians who will pay the price.’’ Starting over is the only way to ensure Canada’s immigration system works to the benefit of both applicants and Canadians, Kenney countered. Opposition members ``do not even want us to control the number of incoming applications, so they want endless growth in the backlogs,’’ he said. ``They were not satisfied with eight-year wait times - they want 10, 12, 15-year wait times to get into Canada. We know that is not working for newcomers. It is not working for our economy.’’ Thursday’s decision by Federal Court Justice Donald Rennie said that while the minister has the power to determine which applications are ineligible, he has a responsibility to ensure those that are eligible are indeed properly handled. Though the court ruling doesn’t deal specifically with Bill C-38, Sims said
she’s convinced the decision requires the government to properly process and assess the applications that are currently in the system. ``This court decision sends the government a message - a very, very strong message that they’ve got to stop acting recklessly,’’ Sims said outside the House. Family members of would-be Canadian immigrants have been complaining to Sims and others about the backlog, saying they don’t associate the treatment they’re getting with traditional Canadian values, she added. ``Let’s treat people fairly,’’ Sims said. ``We as Canadians understand the term ‘fairness.’ That’s what we’re known for worldwide.’’ During question period, Kenney said the government is reviewing the court decision, but added it would be impossible to process the applications without allowing the backlog to grow. The NDP would support a dramatic spike in immigration levels when a majority of Canadians have made it clear those levels are already high enough, he added. ``Our focus is on ensuring the success of newcomers, ensuring their employment and that they realize their potential.’’ ■
YOUR ODYSSEY TO CANADA
BY KAROLINA FRANCIS, M.A., RCIC, FCMI
Choosing an Immigration Consultant MAGANDANG ARAW! It is my great pleasure to start this new column for the readers of the Philippine Canadian Inquirer and to provide a new light into the vast and often menacing jungle of Canadian immigration. As a licensed Immigration Consultant providing professional immigration advice, I am often faced with clients who have trusted others to find the best way to immigrate to Canada. First, they asked their friends and family. Then, they looked online and read the immigration forums and “expert” advice websites. Then, they applied for immigration and subsequently, were shocked, disheartened and disappointed when their application was refused. Granted, you don’t need a representative, paid or unpaid, to apply for any of the temporary or permanent
residence categories. However, to make a decision on such an important aspect of life like immigration to a new country, you need to know all of the options available. If you are to make an informed decision, you need to know the benefits, possible consequences and details, whether you decide to do this alone or with someone’s assistance. There are a lot of people out there who will provide you with advice on immigration, take your money and (if you are lucky) actually assist you with your applications. These people are known as “ghost” consultants and the Canadian government has taken a very strong step to stop them from taking advantage of unsuspecting clients. Under Canadian law, only immigration consultants - members of the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCR), lawyers and notaries in Quebec can provide immigration advice and charge fees for assisting with the applications. If you are looking for advice with respect to immigration to Canada, make sure that the person you ask the important questions is qualified and licensed to answer them. I m m i g r a t i o n practitioners(consultants and lawyers) must continually develop their practices thru professional development workshops and seminars. They must abide to a strict Professional Code of Conduct; they also carry professional insurance. It is always a good idea to seek professional advice. An hourly consultation with animmigration consultant or lawyer is a great investment and will subsequently cost youless than fixing a mistake later on. Just make sure they are licensed and authorized. ICCRC has a current membership list on their website (www.iccrc-crcic. ca) and so does every provincial law society. Immigration practitioners care about their clients. We keep up with the latest news and policy changes to provide the best service. We understand your dreams and struggles. Why would you seek advice from someone who is not aware of the latest changes in immigration policies or who is not accountable to anybody? ■ Ms. Francis may be contacted via info@odysseyimmigration.ca.
Filipino Diaspora Filipino-Canadian in Focus: Sydney Estrada 25 WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012
Sydney Estrada before and after photos. BY MELISSA REMULLA BRIONES PHILIPPINE CANADIAN INQUIRER SYDNEY ESTRADA was born in Canada to Filipino immigrants. When he was growing up, his parents emphasized to him and his sister the importance of Filipino values. Sydney did not appreciate this - until he realized that it was a good thing, and that it was ingrained in him. He conquered the battle of the bulge at age 19 through dancing. It was also through dancing that he found confidence and fitness, which led to his career as one of the top Filipino-Canadians fitness models. You were already born and raised in Canada, but how was it like growing up with immigrant parents? Did your parents tell you about their stories and experiences as new immigrant? What were their stories? I was born and raised in Burnaby, BC. Growing up for me and my sister with parents born and raised in the Philippines for a majority of their teenage years was definitely an impact on the both of us. Day to day our words and actions were being compared to the life that they had lived back home. Through the years of growing up to now being 26 years old, I have a better understanding of where my parents came from and how they grew up. However, growing up in the Philippines during the 70’s is on the opposite end of the spectrum of growing up in Canada during the 90’s. I have come to learn that even though I many times disobeyed my parents, their lessons always seems to make sense down the road somewhere even till now. What do you think is “Filipino” about you? I’m quite Canadianized, if you want to call it that, since growing up here in BC even with immigrant parents. However, the one thing I find most Filipino about myself and that I recognize in every other Filipino, is the respect and mannerisms we have towards anyone, especially our elders. Morals, values, beliefs are all alike more or less.
Have you ever been to the Philippines? What do you like most about it? What do you dislike? Yes I have. I’ve been at least 10 times now since I was little visiting with my Aunt who lives in Manila. I also worked at Max’s Chicken in Binan for one summer when I was 15, and what a fun experience that was. Now we have opened up our own franchise of Max’s Chicken here In Vancouver on Kingsway just recently. You were a dancer before you were a Fitness Model. How did you get into dancing? Before I came anywhere near a gym, let alone be a fitness model, I was dancing. I started dancing out of nowhere in high school in 2001. Ever since that day, dance has become more and more a part of my life. I worked with a youth ministry called Praise T.E.A.M based out of surrey which was the initial basis of what would lead me in the direction I wanted to go with dance. T.E.A.M stands for Theatre Ensemble & Arts Ministry, a group of amazingly talented people who express themselves through song and dance and use their talents to do better in the world. I thank God for meeting Tita Beth Reyes (Owner/ Founder of Praise T.E.A.M) Being with them for a good 5 years, I was and still am truly blessed to have experienced what I did with them. I also was head choreographer for the Queens on Fire Concert back in 2006 with Pops Fernandez and Regine Velasquez, another fun journey. How did you become a Fitness Model? I started working out at the age of 19. Before that I was quite overweight and had very little confidence whatsoever. I fell off the wagon quite a few times with working out and eating healthy as most humans would do. But as certain people came into my life, trainers, friends, co-workers, my life changed
immensely because of meeting them. Patti, Dave, Kailey to name a few. My motto that I have learned to love and even have tattooed into my skin is a quote by William Arthur Ward “If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it”. We know that Jacen Brooks is one of your favorite athletes. Do you also want to get into MMA? Jacen Brooks is an old friend and I’ve always found the sport of MMA entertaining and awesome however it is not anything I could see myself doing. I’m a lover not a fighter. ;)
What is your advice to other young men who want to follow your path and be fit? My advice to anyone wanting to get fit, be a fitness model, or just be healthy.. . take it a day at a time. It’s not easy to get there, but if you stick to it and teach yourself discipline, it will all be worth it. Start small by going to the gym even once a week and eating 1 healthy meal every day. All these small changes will eventually amplify themselves and you will find that these choices are no longer things you have to do, but they become part of your lifestyle. So that when you wake up in the morning, you are not asking yourself IF you should go to the gym, but WHEN you should go. What is it that you like doing that people do not know? I don’t think there is anything most people don’t know about me. As fit as I appear, I love to eat all the time. And not healthy 100%. :) What is in the future for Sydney Estrada? That is the fun question. Only God knows the answer to that, and day by day as I live, I am seeing more of His plan. And so far, it is brilliant. :) ■
Filipino Diaspora
WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012 26
Theresa Bagadiong—Sinner or Saint?
BY FLORCHITA BAUTISTA, VANCOUVER
DID YOU ever wonder how it might feel to be in a prison in a foreign country, thousands of miles away from your family and loved ones? At the same time, you worry about how your children would get their next meal, and how your dying mom would buy the medicine she badly needs to be able to extend her ebbing life. Theresa Bagadiong knows exactly how that feels and be so helpless that her only consolation is in her tears. Theresa has been sentenced by the Supreme Court of British Columbia to fifteen months in prison for the alleged crime of trying to extort money from her rich, powerful and influential employer, a former judge in British Columbia. Unfortunately, she had no chance to give her side of the story because she was so distressed and emotionally broken that her lawyer decided it would be to her disadvantage
to take the witness stand. So the jury declared her guilty. Whether she is really guilty or not is not the question here. Her former employers, in fact, were asking for a sentence of two years less one day, but the Judge in her case considered that Theresa had no history of wrong doing and had the support of some members of the Filipino community, and was satisfied with less time of detention for her. Who is Theresa Bagadiong? Theresa was another one of those impoverished women from the Philippines who dreamed of working in a foreign country to provide a better future for her family. At the age of 1 she lost her father and her mother had to support her four children by gleaning palay in a rice field in their village. When she was 5 years old she had to help her mother pick up the rice stalks left behind by the farmers. When they were not gleaning, her mother was washing clothes for other people. That’s how
she supported her family. But her determination to provide for her children with great sacrifice paid off and she was able to send Theresa through college where she finished Nursing. She was already caring for an elderly couple when she took the board exam and passed it. In 1993, she left her three young children (with a fourth one, an adopted niece from an equally hard-up sister) in the care of her mother. Her eldest was only 7 years and the youngest was 4 months old. She worked in Taiwan as a caregiver, then went to Hongkong and in 2005, she applied and was accepted in Canada. The land that she thought was the land of milk and honey turned out to be her calvary. She already had her open permit when she started working with her former employers, and was looking forward to being finally reunited with her children when her life–and future–suddenly crashed before her eyes. Now she is suffering in prison, uncertain of her future,
condemned and vilified by some members of the Filipino community–even before the trial started, and even by those who claim to be advocates of the caregivers. Theresa is a Filipino mother, daughter, sister, or wife– like many of us who left our country in search for a better life in Canada. Like many of the Filipino caregivers who left their country and loved ones to take care of the children or elderly of Canadian families, she suffered emotional, psychological, financial, verbal or sexual abuse but had to suffer in silence so as not to jeopardize her dream. At this moment of her dire suffering, what she needs is the support of and understanding from her kababayans, not another condemnation. After all, as our Lord said: “those who have no sin, let him/her throw the first stone.”■ Opinions and views expressed are of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Philippine Canadian Inquirer.
27 WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012
BY LIZETTE LOFRANCO-ABA
Working in Canada Illegal Questions: What they cannot ask you (and you don’t have to answer) Part 2 the job and/or industry are permissible and are actually an opportunity for you to showcase your dedication to professional standards.
GLOBAL-FILIPINO AT WORK IN CANADA EMPLOYERS are prohibited from asking questions that do not have a bearing on the job’s requirements or its essential functions. They are considered illegal as they contravene employment guidelines and human rights provisions. Canada’s Human Rights provisions serve to protect from discrimination including in the area of employment. They are intended to “ensure equal access to employment opportunities and fair treatment in the workplace” including a meritbased hiring process. “Illegal questions” may sound innocuous and legal. An eager job hunter who has been called in for the rare opportunity to interview might be unmindful of them. Especially in a tight job market, some applicants may choose to answer this type of questions upfront just to satisfy the interviewer. However, there could be risks if a job applicant is not prepared how to best respond. Before going into an interview, it is best to know how these prohibited questions are typically phrased. It is also wise to be prepared how to answer them in a way that satisfies the employer’s need for sufficient information and does not throw away your rights as well. Let’s go through examples of commonly asked “illegal” questions: 1. “Which country do you come from?” “What is your ethnic background?” Asking about one’s nationality or country of origin could be construed as highly discriminatory if it is used as a factor to screen out applicants. This is because it intersects with a number of “protected grounds” of race, colour, ancestry, place of origin. If you are asked this question, it is important to discern the intent of the question. It is very possible that the employer would like to find out if you are legally entitled to work in Canada, and that perhaps you are not just a tourist on a temporary visa or an international student requiring special work permits. If this is the intent of the question, you could say that you are legally entitled to work for any employer in Canada. 2. “Which church do you attend?” Which religious holidays do you observe?” Asking the applicant’s religion is totally hands-off. One’s religious affiliation should have no bearing on one’s ability to do a job. Sometimes, questions like this however mask the intent of the employer to find out whether a job applicant is willing and available to work on certain required days of the week such as Sundays for example. If this is so, be quick to assure the interviewer that you are available to work on the shifts as specified in the job requirements. Be direct and let the interviewer know as well if indeed there are certain days or specific dates in the year that you are unable to work. A positive response would be: “Yes, I do observe two days in the year where I would appreciate if your company could accommodate a little flexibility as did my previous employer.” 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?” These questions could reveal a need to determine whether there are concerns that impede an applicant’s ability to meet the job’s scheduling requirements. For example, there are
certain jobs that require overtime work, or the flexibility to travel or relocate as needed, or to work irregular or night shifts if necessary, etc. As an applicant, you have no obligation to divulge information that is personal. Again, it is always wise to recognize the intent of the question. You might want to reassure the interviewer that you are able to fulfill the rotating shiftwork that is required of the job of a hospitalist, for example working in 24x7 facility. A good response might be “In my previous jobs, my family situation never affected my ability to do the job. I am confident that it will not in any way prevent me from being a valuable asset to your company.” 4. “How is your health?” “How many times were you sick in the past?” “Have you ever made a disability, WCB or EI claim?” Questions that probe into health issues could reflect the need of the employer to know if the applicant is able to perform the rigors of certain tasks. There are jobs where there are unique stressors—and so the employer would need to find out if the applicant has the required ability to function competently. For example, there are jobs that entail considerable physical exertion such as lifting heavy objects or standing for hours. Or, there could be health risks in the work environment that could negatively affect a pregnant woman. Moreover, a job might require an employee to deal with psychosocial challenges such as interacting with irate customers face-toface, potentially violent individuals on a regular basis, etc. Discussion about disabilities could be quite tricky. It is usually avoided as it could prove to be discriminatory if the question is not properly phrased and not placed in context. However, in certain situations, it is permissible for employers to ask about an applicant’s disability but only as it relates to genuine job requirements or what is called the “bona fide occupational requirements”. (More on BFOR’s below). 5. “What social organizations or clubs do you belong to?” Answering the question about your active social affiliations might reveal your political, religious and personal views. It is illegal and also impossible to prove that social club membership is related to one’s ability to do a job. An unguarded reply to this seemingly benign question might work against you. Going right ahead and answering without properly thinking it through might actually cloud the interviewer’s assessment of your other strengths and the skills that you bring to the table. However, questions about your memberships in trade groups or professional organizations that are relevant to
6. “How old are you?” “How much longer do you plan to work before you retire? Age-related questions could mean that the employer wants to determine if you are of legal age to work. You don’t have to give the interviewer your exact age; however you could assure the interviewer that you are of legal age to work. Also, while it is understandable that an employer might not want to hire an applicant who plans to retire within one year’s time, the question on retirement is loaded. Again, you don’t have to reveal your retirement plans. However, it is best to focus on your interest in the job opportunity and your goal of being able to contribute to their organization. A good answer might be: “I am passionate about this particular job opportunity as it is very much in line with my people skills and interest in business administration. Moreover, I hope to utilize the knowledge and wisdom I have gained from 25 years of solid experience to bring more customers for your company.” 7. “Have you had any previous police or criminal record?” According to information from the Ministry of Justice, an interviewer “may ask whether an applicant has a previous conviction (or has been arrested) if there is a legitimate reason to know. For example, such questions are acceptable if the job requires employees to be bonded or involves working with children.” Thus, unless there is a legitimate requirement to know and this information is relevant to the job applied for, it is prohibited to ask an applicant whether he has a criminal or police record unless. http:// www.ag.gov.bc.ca/human-rights-protection/pdfs/ EmployerInfo.pdf If you think a past criminal record gets in the way of your dream job, get assistance from your local employment resource centre. It is also important for you to do your research into the nature of the company you wish to work with, the type of work, the nature of the job demands, etc. It is equally important as well to know how to present yourself in your resume and in the job interview itself, including when and how to disclose your previous criminal record. Bear in mind that even in job interviews, honesty is still the best policy. A side note on BFORs’ or “bona fide occupational requirements”: to discriminate is not always necessarily illegal; or better put, there are questions that might appear discriminatory but really are not due to BFORS’s. For example, the job of a Rape Victims Counselor in a Women’s Shelter Organization could discriminate and exclude males from the selection process. Or, an interviewer might need to ask you about visual disabilities if you are applying for the position of airline pilot or a truck driver. Even then, for a requirement to be considered a BFOR, there are certain criteria in a three-step process as established by the Supreme Court of Canada. For more information on BFOR, refer to the Canadian Human Rights Commission http://www.chrcccdp.ca/preventing_discrimination/page4-eng. aspx It is important to note that there are various reasons why employers ask inappropriate questions. For one, it is possible that employers are just plain curious. For another, although employers should know the law around hiring, many actually do not. While inappropriate questions could betray the stereotypical attitudes and prejudice of the interviewer, many interviewers do not intend to discriminate: they simply want to extract as
much information as possible to ensure you are the right candidate for the job and thus, make the best hiring decision. Depending on your comfort level and the amount of personal information you wish to give out, there are four possible ways to respond to “illegal” questions: One, you could prove to the interviewer that you are really smart by telling him directly that his question is illegal and he should know go back to studying employment law. In this case, don’t even expect to get called back again. Besides the fact you might have embarrassed the interviewer, you might have bruised a sensitive employer ego. And yes, employers usually prefer smart employees, but they do not like the smart-alecky ones—and there’s a world of difference. Two, you can try to dodge the inappropriate question. By not answering the question, or letting them know that you do not wish to answer the question, you are still within your rights. However, you might come across as either uncooperative or resistant. Or, you might be seen as trying to hide something vitally important to a hiring decision. Three, you can choose to answer the prohibited question upfront and provide a direct answer. However, chances are you might provide more information that is necessary or even the wrong information. Worse, your answers could lead the interviewer to ask further prohibited questions. Or four, you can try to look for intent—“What particular information is the interviewer trying to get from me?” Discern the hidden purpose of the question. Then redirect the discussion to how your abilities and skills fit perfectly with their requirements. If you are hard-pressed to see the connection of the question to any of the job requirements, you may politely ask how it is relevant to the job. “I would like to know how my ethnic background is significant to the success of this job. Can you please enlighten me on this?” Then, go back and refocus on your strengths and how you can contribute to the organization. A possible reply might be: “All my previous employers have cited my very satisfactory accomplishments and dedication to my work regardless of my ethnic background. I want to show your company the same diligence I have been well known for.” If in the extreme case, however, that the interview turns offensive, you may politely request to end the interview. Answering illegal questions might be called a “tricky opportunity”: tricky because it may set you up for a downfall. However, it is also an opportunity to advocate for yourself. If you know your rights, needs as well as career priorities, this can be your opportunity to make an informed decision (such as whether you would like to work for this kind of boss or company, for one thing). Depending on the quality of your responses and the attitude you display, you could stand to lose your chances of getting your dream job…. Or, it can prove to be one of your best shining moments. ■ (This article is the second part of a 2-part series. Please note that the statements expressed herein 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. If you need advice, please consult with an expert. For more information, please refer to http://www.chrc-ccdp.ca/publications/screening_ employment-eng.aspx and http://www.chrc-ccdp. ca/about/human_rights_act-eng.aspx . The writer is a Certified Human Resources Professional. She may be contacted at hopefortheflowers.2012@ yahoo.com.)
28 WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012
Stay at home fathers face unique challenges as full time caregivers BY LAUREN LA ROSE THE CANADIAN PRESS
WHEN Kevin Pratt’s wife, Sue, was offered a promotion at work, the couple was faced with a pivotal decision as they weighed the demands of careers and the need for child care. ``We decided it made sense if one of us were to stay home,’’ he recalled. ``At this point, money-wise and everything, that sort of defaulted to me. I was working as a retail manager so my hours were kind of all over the map, anyway. ``One of the key decisions (was) (a) we always wanted someone to stay with the kids and (b) it meant that there would be way more structure to things.’’ It’s been a year since the Langley, B.C., resident joined the swelling ranks of Canadian stay-athome dads. While balancing his role as caregiver to daughters Ruby, 4, and Annie, 2, Pratt documents his adventures in parenting on his blog, Cosmic Dad. With Ruby at preschool three times a week, most days are spent mainly with Annie who helps Pratt with household tasks like laundry and shopping. He keeps the girls engaged with library visits and picks up new supplies every few months to help them dabble in a variety of artistic projects from moulding plasticine to fingerpainting. After last Christmas, Pratt said he started to feel more confident in his new role. ``I felt much more like, ‘Yeah, this is what I’m doing, and I’m happy and proud of what I’m doing. And I love the girls, and I love being able to watch them accomplish things, and just see the small steps they take.’’’ Pratt admits his main worry was maintaining his social network. ``You have certain sets of friends, and my concern was that would all sort of disappear or dwindle, and that it would be more difficult to break into the stay-athome parent networks.’’ He’s managed to forge those connections, participating in many impromptu outings and playdates which typically sees a 2-to-1 ratio of moms to dads. Pratt said any initial trepidations he felt about being among the relatively few at-home dads were ``selfimposed.’’ ``It was my thinking that ‘I hadn’t earned my stripes,’’’ he said. ``The mums, especially, have been stay-at-home from Day 1, with maternity (leaves,) and they made the decision long before they had their kids: ‘I’m staying at home.’ Whereas mine was, ‘Hey, there’s an opportunity, let’s jump into this.’’’ Figures from Statistics Canada reveal a steady increase in the number of stay-at-home dads in recent years. Last year, the majority of the 2.7 million couples with at least one child under 16 living at home were
dual-earners. But one in five of those families had one employed parent and one stay-at-home parent. Of those, 12 per cent, or about 61,000 families, saw the man stay home. That was up from 10 per cent in 2006, seven per cent in 1996 and four per cent in 1986. Michael Vickers hadn’t planned on life as a stay-athome dad being a long-term arrangement. But as his wife, Kathryn, approached the end of her maternity leave, the couple thought their eldest son was ``too little’’ to send to daycare. ``I guess we were a little soft-hearted and so we thought, ‘I guess if I just stay home until he’s 18 months old’ or something like that - and it just kind of went from there. And partly because it’s difficult and expensive to find good quality child care,’’ said the former federal government worker. While becoming the primary caregiver for son Alec, now 7, on weekdays, Vickers decided to create a meeting place for stay-at-home-dads in his community. He is moderator of the group Ottawa(at)Home. Dads, affiliated with the National At-Home Dads Network. Vickers said he’s had people from Montreal and Brockville, Ont., join the group, with membership including more than 80 dads. It’s open to men who are staying home to care for their kids indefinitely or are on parental leave, as well as dads doing so while also working part-time. In addition to online discussion groups, play groups and meetups, there are also dads night outs for the men to engage in a little social activity without the kids. ``It’s a mom-dominated universe, so I was kind of looking around to see if there were other dads around to meet up with them,’’ said Vickers, also father to Calum, 4. ``(It’s) not because it wasn’t possible to talk to the moms ... but just to expand the social networks that I would have.’’ In the group’s introductory online posting, Vickers writes candidly about some of the reasons behind wanting to create a ``special place for dads,’’ including not being fully aware of the degree of isolation at-home parents can experience - especially
those with young kids. Vickers said he’s also spoken to other dads who’ve had ``strange experiences’’ going to a drop-in program or something similar and being the lone dad in attendance. ``When your kids are very small, at first I’d say the play group get-togethers are for the kids; but really, when you’re younger - or when your kids are younger - they’re more for you,’’ he said. ``Knowing you’ve got someone you can talk to on the phone or plan to meet up with ... or you’re having conversation on a discussion group, that can help to kind of break those days up and give you something to look forward to in your day.’’ Andrea Doucet holds the Canada Research Chair in Gender, Work and Care. The Bread and Roses Project is part of her current research with a primary focus on breadwinning mothers. ``I think the increase in male unemployment has certainly accelerated this trend where men are more involved in the home,’’ said Doucet, a professor of sociology and gender studies at Brock University and author of ``Do Men Mother?’’ ``They may not be stay-at-home dads in the sense that they’re home exclusively or by choice or fulltime, but they’re more involved both by necessity and by choice.’’ Doucet said there’s also been a noted shift particularly in the past five years - with respect to gender norms surrounding work and care and fathers wanting to be more involved. ``It does change gender norms because the assumption is not just that children are women’s responsibility and that breadwinning is a male responsibility. That’s been, I think, really thrown to the wind now. It’s a myth. It’s no longer the case.’’ She said it’s also important not to dismiss the role of dads engaging with kids in activities outside the home, such as involvement with sports, whether it’s instructing from the bench or cheering from the stands. ``A lot of researchers would say: ‘Well, that’s the fun bit’ but I don’t think so. That’s care as well,’’ Doucet said. ``You’re driving your kids hours a week and coaching them and volunteering and showing up. That’s very important to children’s development and fathers play a really large role. I’d say that’s actually one of the big areas of father involvement.’’ ■ Online: Andrea Doucet: http://www.andreadoucet. com Cosmic Dad: http://www.cosmicdad.com The National At-Home Dads Network: http://www. athomedad.org Ottawa(at)Home.Dads: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ OttawaatHomeDads
29 WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012
Lifestyle
Communications: Giving Your Business an Edge The TIMES TELECOM Business Team will be at the ESN Show on July 21 at the Radisson Hotel on Cambie & No. 3 Road, working with local entrepreneurs to make their communications more effective. GREAT COMMUNICATION has always been at the heart of successful businesses and with the advancement of wireless devices, social media and the internet, choosing the right service provider can be a critical piece of your business toolkit. Having outdated hardware, limited coverage or a weak social media program can limit the range of your communications and cost you money, time and customers. So how do you make sure you have the right communication tools for your business? Here’s the expert advice of the Business Communications Team at TIMES TELECOM: 1. Take the time to speak with a communications professional and ask what options are available for your business. Have them analyze your total communication requirements including wireless, landline, internet, social media and long distance. 2. Look beyond the price. When choosing a communications provider, you are choosing a partner for your business. They will be managing the communication links between you and your customers, whether it’s across the street or around the globe. Just like when you are shopping for suppliers, you know that the cheapest price doesn’t always mean the best value. You want to make sure that you are getting competitive pricing, but look at the level of service and commitment to your account that comes with the price.
3. Look at the whole communication picture. Many companies offer a range of services and can simplify your communications by showing you different options that combine wireless, Voice Over IP (VOIP) and long distance. The idea is to create a seamless communication flow for your customers. With today’s technology, there is no excuse for bad communication and your customers know it. Remember, if they can’t get in touch with you, your competitor is only a Google search away! 4. Work with a provider who invests in local business. Times Telecom is a member of the ESN network and understand the costs and challenges involved when you’re turning a great idea into a business. We love working with new businesses to make sure they get started on the right path with the best hardware and the right plan. We can even recommend a few Apps! These 4 tips will get you on the right track, and from there it’s a matter of having the TIMES TELECOM team look at your bills, analyze your business communication needs and recommend the best tailored solution for your company. “People don’t pay enough attention to their wireless spending” Said Ron Edgar, Director of the Business Solutions Team at TIMES TELECOM. “We’ve saved small companies with only a few phone lines over $350 a month, just by analyzing their communications. That’s a lot of money for a small business!” Companies like TIMES TELECOM offer business and consumer programs that simplify communications by combining landline, wireless and long distance. Their expert business team can look at your entire business model and assess your communication needs in just a few minutes. ■
ESN: Helping the Entrepreneur ENTREPRENEURIAL Success Network (ESN), a Vancouver-based company, is the brainchild of Deborah Browne–a successful business woman who wanted to save everybody–and who was inspired by her Filipino-entrepreneur husband to help the plight of the entrepreneur. “My husband came from the Philippines to Hawaii when he was 17. He then immigrated to Canada and launched one of the most successful salon businesses in Vancouver. He had a very inspiring immigrant story,” relates Deborah. This stirred her passion in entrepreneurship– she knew what she wanted to do–and that is to help more Canadian businesses succeed. To see her vision come true–and although at that time she had a successful career in real estate development–Deborah ventured into business consulting and coaching, and became one of the first Canadian business coaches through the International Coaching Federation in Vancouver. She then started to get into networking venues but realized some changes needed to be made to the cut-and-dried formalized networking community–she wanted a community that would be different from all the others. In 1999, ESN opened its doors. Its primary focus–true to her earlier vision– was to help small to medium-sized business owners succeed and grow expedientially, and a secondary goal to inspire them to give back to their home and global community in which they live. Debbie Rootman, ESN Membership Director explains what makes ESN different.
“Our relationship with our members is personal. We give them a monthly call not just to see if they are coming [to the trade show], but to see how their business is going, or how we can help them use some of our benefits for greater success, or help them with their challenges.” She explains, “Entrepreneurs can become really isolated. With our network, what you put into it, you get out of it. Nothing falls in your lap, so we help as much as we can.” She adds, “If you work hard consistently, be there on a monthly basis, and if you do participate fully, you will grow your business and bring it to the next level.” Deborah explains, “What people don’t realize is that we are all small businesses. Banks define ‘small business’ differently, as well as universities. But there are 3 levels– the ones that are beginning, the ones making their own income, and the ones in the top five percent (5%) of their own industry.” The last one is what she wants for every ESN member. To make this happen, she adds, “My message to small business is not to be a sole proprietor, but to build a team.” ESN does exactly that. It connects people through roundtables, monthly networking events, annual trade fairs and cruises for its members. It also has in its roster several fantastic business coaches that help small businesses elevate their business faster. More importantly, the atmosphere in ESN is one of high energy, positivity and fun, while increasing their members’ bottomline– Deborah’s own recipe for success. ■
Tools for business communication
30 WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012
How Albert helps Liezl battle illness
word war between them ensued on Twitter. This resulted in Amalia filing a libel suit against Annabelle’s daughter Ruffa Gutierrez, whom she accused of posting malicious comments about her on the Web. “I don’t meddle ... I’d rather keep quiet, especially if what I say or do will not improve the situation,” Albert told the INQUIRER. “I have no problem with my mother-in-law. It’s just that ... right now, I have so much on my plate.”
BY MARINEL R. CRUZ Philippine Daily Inquirer
ALBERT Martinez would rather keep mum about the squabble between his mother-in-law, Amalia Fuentes, and talent manager Annabelle Rama
“because getting involved would help no one.” The feud between the two feisty women began in April, when Annabelle attended the wake of Amalia’s husband, Joe Stevens, reportedly wearing a red outfit. This offended Amalia, and a
In remission Albert’s wife, former actress Liezl Martinez, has been battling breast cancer for four years now. In December 2010, she announced that her cancer was in remission. “She’s okay now,” Albert said. “She is being examined periodically to monitor her health.” He said Liezl became depressed when she first found out about her illness. “But she has come to accept it, knowing her entire family is behind her. We’re all doing our part to help her fight, and taking one day at a time.”
Albert said his part consists mainly of making sure Liezl lives “as normal a life as possible.” He explained: “We simply enjoy family life. We travel — that’s Liezl’s favorite thing. Every opportunity, every break I get, we go somewhere to relax.” He is happy that her work as board member of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) helps take her mind off things. “She’s excited to wake up every morning to go to work. She obviously enjoys what she’s doing.” Liezl was a member of the adjudication committee that issued a 20-day preventive suspension against the TV5 public affairs program “T3: Kapatid, Sagot Kita.” In the program’s May 7 episode, hosts Ben, Raffy and Erwin Tulfo threatened Raymart Santiago and Claudine Barretto following the mauling of their eldest brother, INQUIRER columnist Mon Tulfo. Albert said they didn’t even discuss the case. “Liezl is a very fair person. She was just part of a team. It wasn’t a personal thing.” The actor is currently in the cast of ABS-CBN’s fantasy-drama, “Princess and I.”. ■
Aga has wife’s go-ahead for politics BY MARINEL R. CRUZ Philippine Daily Inquirer
SAN FRANCISCO— Aga Muhlach said his wife, Charlene Gonzales, has given him the go ahead to enter the political arena in 2013. Aga, 42, has been very vocal about his plan to represent the 4th district of Camarines Sur in Congress. “We’ve discussed this. Charlene just said, ‘ In case you decide to run, you have to promise to close your eyes and ears to what people will say against you.’ She said I should not show any sign of weakness and that, in times of self-doubt, I should go back to my desire to help people.”
Aga said he avoided joining politics for many years, but that he recently came to a point when he “just wanted to do something different, to pay back the people who supported me all these years.” Major influence He admitted that Camarines Sur Gov. Luis Raymund “LRay” Villafuerte was a major influence on his decision. “He’s a good friend. He convinced me to help this poor district. He said whatever little help I could give to improve the lives of the people there would be really appreciated. I told myself, kaya ko ’yon. I can make a name for this district, I can encourage business people to invest there.” Camarines Sur is the home province of Aga’s dad Cheng Muhlach. “There’s this notion na kapag pulitiko puro manloloko. I will prove this wrong. I’ll show people that one can actually be a good politician,” said Aga during a media gathering recently at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel here on Sansome Street, where TV5 inked a deal with American cable provider Dish Network.
Aga was among the celebrities who flew to California to promote TV5’s international channels, Kapatid TV5 and Aksyon TV International. Also present during the press conference were TV5 chair Manuel Pangilinan, Pilipinas Global Network Limited president Claro Ramirez and Kapatid stars Derek Ramsay, Ruffa Guttierrez, Willie Revillame, Camille Villar and Nora Aunor. Very loyal Aga, who hosts the TV5 show “Pinoy Explorer,” said he intended to remain a Kapatid for as long as his network bosses wanted him to. “I’m very loyal, wala naman sa ugali ko ang palipat-lipat. It’s unfair for us (TV5 artists) when people say we abandoned our former home network because we were offered large sums of money. I moved out of ABS-CBN long before I sat down with TV5 to negotiate. I have nothing against ABS-CBN, but I was impressed with how TV5 supported Willie [Revillame, host of ‘Wil Time Bigtime’]. The network gave him its full trust.”■
Entertainment
31 WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012
The dangerous road to Jeonju Indie filmmaker retraces route from Bicol railway to Korean film fest Nestor Depositar to be the actors in my film, which still had no script.” While shooting in Bicol, he met a man who told stories of atrocities committed by the police against people who used to throw rocks at passing trains in the 1980s and 1990s. The man’s story haunted Leyco. His film took an unexpected turn, transforming into a meditation on human rights violations committed in the country through the years. He continued to shoot, ending up with six hours of footage. Thus, the biggest challenge came during the editing stage. “My problem was stitching the images together. In between editing, I had writing sessions as well and shot additional scenes to complete the story and strengthen the characters.” Digital technology was a boon. “I used only a DSLR camera, which was ideal in cramped spaces,” he says. Indie filmmaker Jet Leyco
BY BAYANI SAN DIEGO JR. Philippine Daily Inquirer
FILIPINO indie filmmaker Jet B. Leyco recalls that the road to the Jeonju International Film Festival, where his debut movie, “Ex Press,” recently won the special jury prize, was fraught with hardship and danger. Leyco, who works as director and cinematographer for ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs, recounts that he stumbled upon the idea for his film while on assignment. He has labeled it a
A penchant for the weird
Mark Shandii Bacolod
“spontaneous accident.” It was originally a short film, a thesis project at the end of his one-year study grant at the Asia Pacific Film Institute. While shooting footage for “Patrol ng Pilipino,” he decided to make a fulllength film on the 14-hour train ride from Manila to Bicol. In Naga, the train was derailed following a downpour. “I thought it could be a plot twist,” he recounts. “The concept was still blurry; I just wanted to start shooting. I asked our production coordinator Don Fulgado and cameraman BY MARINEL R. CRUZ Philippine Daily Inquirer
MARK Shandii Bacolod recalled that he was ridiculed in school because of his penchant for “unconventional” outfits. “I wore red or brown pants long before United Colors of Benetton made them cool. I attended High School Night in Goth clothing. People used to wearing tees and denim pants laughed at me. It came to a point when I wondered, ‘baduy nga ba ako?’” Little did Shandii know that his uniqueness would lead to his becoming the stylist and image specialist that he is now. “I’ve always been a rebel. I’m fashion-forward; never followed trends. People saw me in leggings before Folded & Hung released their leggings collection for men,” he told Living Stars when we visited his condo unit in San Juan.
They got it In Jeonju, critics clearly understood the central metaphor. Though the train symbolizes movement, it also suggests stagnation and, ultimately, misfortune. “It’s about a dysfunctional society that tries to be progressive without first solving its own history of conflicts,” Leyco explains. Cho Jae-un hails “Ex Press” as “lyrical centering on a dream about trains and the sinister events surrounding it,” while Jeon Byoung-won describes it as “an edgy cocktail of fiction and documentary ... ” Leyco had three screenings in the Korean fest. He relates: “The first was sold
out. I had brought only a DVCAM (copy of the film). I think my film was the only entry that wasn’t HD (high-definition) or DCP (digital cinema package). I didn’t have enough funds for the transfer. Still the screenings went well.” The foreign viewers were interested mostly in his filmmaking process, the technical aspects of combining color and black-and-white images and mixing docu and fiction, Leyco says. He regards festivals as an opportunity for local indie filmmakers to join the ongoing international discourse on cinema. “The focus was to discuss cinema, culture and society. The open forums after the screenings were healthy exercises.” Leyco is proud to win in the same Korean festival as compatriots Remton Siega Zuasola (2011) and SheradAnthony Sanchez (2009). Coincidentally, Lav Diaz, for whom Leyco worked as intern, won the Netpac prize for “Florentina Hubaldo, CTE” in this year’s Jeonju, too. “It was a big bonus,” Leyco says of his own victory. “It was unexpected, but fulfilling ... Our only mission in Jeonju was to screen our film and share our process and intentions.” Next stop for “Ex Press” is the Open City London Documentary Festival from June 20 to 24. Since the award in Korea came with a cash prize of KRW7million ($6,017.88), Leyco says he can now plan his sophomore outing: “I want to do a narrative film. My debut was a spontaneous undertaking and yet I spent P15,000 of my own money. For my next film, I want to work with a budget.”■
Shandii styled and conceptualized the album of the girl group PYT in 2009. He was also a fashion stylist for Playboy Magazine Philippine edition. He said his parents had opposed his work as an indie actor and director: “They wanted me to be a lawyer or a doctor, so I took up political science. But I was also a jazz dancer and theater actor in school.” ABS-CBN gave him his first break, shortly after a three-month scriptwriting course under Ricky Lee. Shandii was asked to join a pool of writers to work on Piolo Pascual’s first drama series, “Mangarap Ka.” Shandii had left home at the time after a big fight with his mom. “This job helped me start with a clean slate.” He was next involved in the concept development of “Vietnam Rose,” and became a member of the casting team for “Pinoy Big Brother
Season 1 Celebrity Edition.” Then he was an actor in “Ysabela.” In the movies, he first acted in Arah Badayos and Margaret Guzman’s “Mudraks” in 2006. He was also in the cast of indie flicks “Fling” and “Roomboy.” Next month, he will be seen in the Cinemalaya entry “Ang Paghihintay sa Bulong” by Sigrid Andrea Bernardo. As a director, Shandii megged his first full-length, “Fidel,” in 2009, then “Sponsor” and “Ben & Sam” in 2010. “When I left home, I told my mom I didn’t need her money and I wouldn’t be coming back. Everything I own, everything I’ve accomplished, are all because I worked hard, lived independently and followed my dream,” Shandii said. ■
Entertainment
‘Merger’ fallout GMA 7 boss Felipe L. Gozon talks candidly about the effects of those persistent rumors BY BAYANI SAN DIEGO JR. Philippine Daily Inquirer
APPARENTLY, GMA 7 executives themselves could no longer ignore those persistent “merger” rumors. For months now, there has been talk that TV5’s Manny V. Pangilinan has bought GMA 7. Both parties have since denied the scuttlebutt. Still aftershocks have obviously reached the top floor of the Kapuso network’s headquarters in Quezon City—so much so that Felipe L. Gozon, chair and chief executive officer, had to give his team a pep talk. In a subsequent press briefing, Gozon related candidly that whenever talk of the merger surfaced, the inevitable questions would be: “Who will be jettisoned from the ship? Who will survive?” Gozon asserted that he has full trust in the current management team of the Kapuso channel. “Our people are the best in the industry,” he said. “They’re not only tried; they are tested. I would think twice before replacing any of them.” He pointed out that the Kapuso creative
GMA 7 boss Felipe Gozon.
team “can now produce original content and drama shows for both the prime time and afternoon time slots,” instead of just relying on remakes of old movies and komiks serials. He said he told his team “that they should be singing the song ‘New York, New York.’ That’s because if they can make it in GMA 7, they can make it anywhere.” Did the gossip cause undue tension among Kapuso execs? Lilybeth Rasonable, officer-in-charge of Entertainment TV, quipped: “We’re always tense in GMA 7. We’re used to pressure. We have no time to be bothered about merger rumors.” Gozon owned up, gleefully: “I’m the one pressuring them.” “The assurance from our boss was more than enough for us,” Rasonable added.
WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012 32
Throughout the press conference, which was originally meant to highlight the network’s new shows for the second quarter of the year, the specter of the merger rumor hovered in the room. Gozon also tackled concerns about his daughter Annette Gozon-Abrogar’s future, should the network ownership change. “My daughter was valedictorian in the University of the Philippines College of Law. She finished masters of law in Harvard. She’s a good lawyer. It’s just that she likes her work here.” Abrogar is president of GMA Films. (The elder Gozon, also a lawyer, is a UP alumnus himself, and obtained his Master of Laws degree from Yale University. This year he made it to the UP Alumni Association’s elite circle of Lifetime Distinguished Achievement Awardees.) Positive effect Business-wise, the controversy seems to have had a positive effect on the price of the network’s shares in the stock market, said Gozon. He likewise addressed the intrigue surrounding former Kapuso executive Wilma Galvante’s supposed transfer to TV5 as consultant, starting with the talent search “Artista Academy.” Gozon related: “Wilma wrote me an e-mail telling me about her plans. She
clarified her role in the new show. I’ve known Wilma for a long time. She will not do anything against GMA 7. We had a good parting.” How will the Kapuso execs make sure their shows remain competitive and completely different from the Kapatid lineup? After all, Galvante played a key role in creating the Kapuso brand and undoubtedly left her mark on its shows. Specifically, observers note that TV5’s “Artista Academy” may be too similar to GMA 7’s “Protégé.” Also, GMA 7 has new primetime and afternoon soap operas: “Luna Blanca,” “Makapiling Kang Muli,” “One True Love,” “Kasalanan Bang Ibigin Ka,” “Faithfully,” “Together Forever.” Will these shows bear Galvante’s stamp? No recipe Rasonable said there’s no reason to fret: “Even before (when Galvante was senior vice president for Entertainment TV), although she gave her input, we ran the shows.” Darling de Jesus, assistant vice president of Entertainment, concurred: “In any case, there’s no trademark or recipe in conceptualizing shows.” Added De Jesus: “When we create shows, our priority is how best to entertain the audience.” ■
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Entertainment
33 WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012
‘Madagascar 3’ stampedes to No. 1 again with $35.5M; ‘Rock of Ages,’ Sandler’s ‘Boy’ flop BY DAVID GERMAIN THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Ben Stiller, Jessica Chastain and Chris Rock attend the “Madagascar 3” photocall during the 65th Annual Cannes Film Festival on May 17, 2012 in Cannes, France.
Tom Cruise at the ‘Rock of Ages’ Los Angeles premiere held at Grauman’s Chinese Theater on June 8, 2012 in Los Angeles, California
Phil Stafford / Shutterstock.com
Andreas Rentz © 2012 Getty Images Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com
LOS ANGELES - Zoo animals remain hot at the box office. Singing stars and Adam Sandler are not. Ben Stiller and his voice co-stars of ``Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted’’ held on to the No. 1 spot again, with $35.5 million for the animated sequel’s second weekend in domestic theatres. Studio estimates Sunday put Ridley Scott’s sci-fi adventure ``Prometheus’’ at No. 2 again with $20.2 million. ``Madagascar 3’’ and ``Prometheus’’ held off two under-achieving newcomers. The star-studded musical ``Rock of Ages,’’ whose cast includes Tom Cruise, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Alec Baldwin, flopped at No. 3 with $15.1 million. Sandler’s ``That’s My Boy’’ bombed with $13 million, the worst showing for one of his broad comedies since the mid-1990s. ``That’s My Boy’’ came in at No. 5, behind the $13.8 million for ``Snow White & the Huntsman,’’ a film that’s been out for three weekends already. ``Sure, we would have liked to have done more,’’ said Rory Bruer, head of distribution at Sony, which released ``That’s My Boy’’ and most of Sandler’s past movies. ``But you’ve got to give it to Adam. He mixes it up. This is a really off-the-wall comedy.’’ ``That’s My Boy’’ stars Sandler as a guy who became a fleeting teen celebrity after getting his seventh-grade teacher pregnant and now is a middle-aged loser trying to reconnect with his son (Andy Samberg). As with most Sandler movies, the reviews were bad, but that usually does not stop his audience of young males from showing up. The R rating for ``That’s My Boy’’ may have cut into the movie’s business, prohibiting those under 17 from seeing it without an adult. Sandler’s comedies usually are rated PG-13. But Sandler has plenty of fans in their late teens and 20s, and that crowd had little interest in ``That’s My Boy.’’ Among Sandler’s mainstream live-action comedies, it was the worst debut since 1996’s ``Happy Gilmore,’’ which played in far fewer theatres than ``That’s My Boy’’ and came as Sandler was just climbing to stardom. And factoring in today’s higher admission prices, ``That’s My Boy’’ sold fewer tickets than ``Happy Gilmore.’’ Some of Sandler’s handful of comic dramas and other more serious movies did less business than ``That’s My Boy.’’ But even his 2000 bomb ``Little Nicky’’ opened bigger, with $16.1 million in its first weekend. Sandler has been one of Hollywood’s steadiest earners since the late 1990s, with hits such as ``The Longest Yard,’’ ‘’Anger Management,`` ‘’Big Daddy`` and ‘’Grownups`` opening with more than $40 million and becoming $100 million hits.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday:
Sony remains high on Sandler, backing his upcoming animated comedy ``Hotel Transylvania,’’ along with ``Grown-ups 2.’’ ``It’s a good business to be in, the Adam Sandler business,’’ Bruer said. Warner Bros. had its own dud with ``Rock of Ages,’’ adapted from the stage show built around 1980s rock hits and featuring an ensemble that includes Cruise, Zeta-Jones, Baldwin, Julianne Hough and Mary J. Blige. Dan Fellman, the studio’s head of distribution, was not ready to pull the plug on the movie, saying he hoped it might hang on in subsequent weekends. ``Rock of Ages’’ drew mostly older, female crowds, an audience that does not necessarily rush out to a movie over opening weekend. ``Musicals, there have been a couple in the summer like ‘’Hairspray`` and ‘’Mamma Mia!``, that tend to have good holding power as counter-programming. We’re hoping we can get back on track,’’ Fellman said. ``Rock of Ages’’ added $4.1 million in a handful of overseas markets. Between ``Rock of Ages’’ and ``That’s My Boy,’’ Hollywood fell back into a pattern that persisted at the start of summer season in May as new movies debuted weakly, unable to dislodge strong holdovers. The superhero tale ``The Avengers’’ has dominated so far, remaining in the top-
Adam Sandler, Luenell Campbell at the premiere of Columbia Pictures’ ‘That’s My Boy’ at the Regency Village Theater on June 4, 2012 in Los Angeles, California
10 after seven weekends, its $8.8 million take raising its domestic total to $586.7 million. The film has taken in $1.4 billion worldwide. There have been only a few other hits, including ``Men in Black 3,’’ ‘’Madagascar 3`` and ‘’Snow White & the Huntsman.`` ``That’s My Boy’’ and ``Rock of Ages’’ have joined Johnny Depp’s ``Dark Shadows’’ among star-driven releases that fell flat. ``It doesn’t always follow that big stars bring in the big bucks,’’ said Paul Dergarabedian, analyst for box-office tracker Hollywood.com. ``’Madagascar’ and ‘Prometheus’ tell you that it’s about the concept more than the stars.’’ DreamWorks Animation’s ``Madagascar 3’’ raised its domestic total to $120.5 million after two weekends. The movie added $53 million overseas, bringing its international receipts to $157 million and its worldwide haul to $278 million. ``Prometheus,’’ released by 20th Century Fox, lifted its domestic total to $88.9 million after two weekends. With $25.5 million overseas, ``Prometheus’’ pushed its international revenue to $128.9 million for a worldwide haul of $218 million. ’■
1. ``Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted,’’ $35.5 million ($53 million international). 2. ``Prometheus,’’ $20.2 million ($25.5 million international). 3. ``Rock of Ages,’’ $15.1 million ($4.1 million international). 4. ``Snow White & the Huntsman,’’ $13.8 million ($31.2 million international). 5. ``That’s My Boy,’’ $13 million ($1.4 million international) 6. ``Men in Black 3,’’ $10 million ($19.7 million international). 7. ``The Avengers,’’ $8.8 million ($3.9 million international). 8. ``The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,’’ $2.2 million ($160,000 international). 9. ``Moonrise Kingdom,’’ $2.18 million ($700,000 international). 10. ``What to Expect When You’re Expecting,’’ $1.3 million ($1.5 million international) ___ Estimated weekend ticket sales at international theatres (excluding the U.S. and Canada) for films distributed overseas by Hollywood studios, according to Rentrak: 1. ``Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted,’’ $53 million. 2. ``Snow White & the Huntsman,’’ $31.2 million. 3. ``Prometheus,’’ $25.5 million. 4. ``Men in Black 3,’’ $19.7 million. 5. ``The Dictator,’’ $4.7 million. 6. ``Rock of Ages,’’ $4.1 million. 7. ``The Avengers,’’ $3.9 million. 8. ``Royal Concubine,’’ $3 million. 9. ``Dark Shadows,’’ $2.7 million. 10 (tie). ``All About My Wife,’’ $1.8 million. 10 (tie). ``Lockout,’’ $1.8 million. ___ Online: http://www.hollywood.com http://www.rentrak.com
Entertainment
WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012 34
Most reality TV is ‘fake’ says executive producer of ‘The Bachelor’
Frazer Harrison © 2011 Getty Images
BY BILL GRAVELAND THE CANADIAN PRESS
Sara Paxton and The Bachelor producer, Mike Fleiss
BANFF, Alta. - In a revelation that will likely come as a shock to few TV viewers, the executive producer of ``The Bachelor’’ and ``The Bachelorette’’ says many reality shows are rigged. Still, Mike Fleiss insists that his long-running programs don’t fall into that category. ``I think most of the shows are fake,’’ Fleiss said during an interview at the Banff World Media Festival. He added that the creators of ``The Bachelor’’ ``really, really kill ourselves and spend a lot of money and time to make sure that it’s real.’’ Fleiss joked that his career almost ended after he introduced ``Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire?’’ in 2000. The Fox Network reality show in which multi-millionaire Rick Rockwell asked Darva Conger to marry him once made TV Guide’s list of worst TV shows of all time. Fox later learned an ex-girlfriend accused Rockwell of hitting her, and Conger asked for an annulment. Fleiss said despite its failings the show did eventually lead to ``The Bachelor/Bachelorette’’ franchise which is now into its 16th season.
Fleiss said other reality shows currently on the air are loosely scripted and that situations are planted into the environment so that things seem ``more shocking.’’ ``It’s not completely fake but the best moments of those shows are usually orchestrated,’’ he said. ``If the viewer gets desensitized to these reality TV moments then yes, the stakes have to increase so that forces the producer to try and deliver something that is even higher octane.’’ He also places some blame on the viewers. ``They’re not requiring a pure delivery of non-fiction content. They know it’s somewhat fake but they’re OK with it.’’ Fleiss acknowledges some instalments of ``The Bachelor’’ franchise have worked better than others. He said the last season of ``The Bachelor’’ was kind of soft and there weren’t enough ``memorable moments.’’ ``I just want to care about the show. I won’t do a show just to do a show. I want to make something I would be interested in.’’ Fleiss revealed he is currently working on two new reality series that will air on cable as opposed to the major networks. He said one is about ``nerds’’ and the other will be about people’s obsessions. ■
BRIEFS by The Canadian Press Streep presents Davis with Women in Film award
NEW YORK - Tom Cruise was in Manhattan to collect an award, and, yes, promote a movie. The actor received the fourth ever Friars Club Entertainment Icon Award. The evening was a toast, not a roast. Alec Baldwin hosted at the Waldorf-Astoria, where speakers included such former co-stars as Cuba Gooding Jr. and Kevin Pollak. ■
Featureflash / Shutterstock.com
Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com
Tom Cruise receives Friars Icon award in NY
WINNIPEG - It seems hell hath no fury like a city that feels it’s been called a hellhole by a Hollywood actor Rob Lowe, in Winnipeg to shoot a madefor-TV movie, has stirred up anger after writing a message on Twitter Tuesday night that ended with the hashtag ``#Trappedinahellhole’’. ■
skphotography / Shutterstock.com
Featureflash / Shutterstock.com
Did Rob Lowe call Winnipeg a hellhole?
BEVERLY HILLS - They may have been Oscar rivals earlier this year, but there’s nothing but love between Meryl Streep and Viola Davis.Streep, who ended Davis’ awards run for ``The Help’’ by winning the lead actress Oscar for ``The Iron Lady,’’ lauded her friend and colleague Tuesday at Women in Film’s annual Crystal + Lucy Awards. ■
Graceland marks 30th year as tourist attraction MEMPHIS - When Graceland opened to the public 30 years ago this month, nobody knew if it would be a success. Nearly 18 million visitors later, the house where Elvis Presley once lived is a money-making business that’s helped transform the city of Memphis into a top destination for music lovers. But Presley’s ex-wife says it’s the spirit of Elvis, and not just music history, that keeps the crowds coming to Graceland. ■
35 WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012
Why the Filipino traveler is drawn to Montserrat
After the incredible Gaudi comes my accidental peace in a mountain shrine in Barcelona
AMORPHOUS ROCK mountains, the Shrine’s public buildings at their feet, are the awesome sight that greets visitors alighting from the train.
12th century statue of Black Madonna of Montserrat in cathedral of Montserrat Monastery.
BASILICA of our Lady of Montserrat
BY THELMA SIOSON SAN JUAN Philippine Daily Inquirer IT wasn’t even in the original itinerary, but apparently this visit was meant to be. It proved to be a memorable finish to our trip to Spain barely four weeks ago. The night before our departure for Manila from Barcelona, Vien Cortes, market analyst (Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand) of Spain Tourism Board, which was our host, announced that there would be a side trip to Our Lady of Montserrat mountain shrine northwest of Barcelona, less than two-hour drive. This would be in the morning; our flight back home was in the afternoon. After a grueling 10-day tour of Barcelona, Madrid, Santiago de Compostela and its environs, we were just about catching our breath. But then, would we miss what could be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see this shrine we’ve heard about so much, even from San Beda Alabang students who wrote about it in 2bU? “No, we go. It’s the Virgin,” Rita Dy of Singapore Airlines, our trip’s carrier, said, in between coughing. “I’ll just rest and recharge tonight.” Her determination was obvious. Turned out, the last-minute trip to Montserrat was the “recharging” itself that we needed. The sight of the rock mountain that loomed before you was awesome. In hues close to terracotta, the mountains had this odd, organic shape. They had been described as cone-shaped, yet they weren’t really. Their peaks were rounded, not pointed; their shapes were rotund, voluminous and irregular—root crops came to mind. The concrete earth-tone structures of the Monastery resting against them complemented this odd geometry of nature and man, of the natural and the divine.
This was the vista that greeted you as you stepped out of the train that brought you to the Monastery peak. Nature was awe-inspiring, but you knew right away that even more mystifying would be the sight of the Monastery, the icon of the Virgin and knowing the ancient lore built around it. It is written that pilgrims had been coming to this mountain shrine since the 12th century. Among them were a hermit, Bernat Boil, who accompanied Christopher Columbus to the New World where he became America’s first missionary, and St. Ignatius, who visited it as a knight and made his confession to one of the Benedictine monks in the shrine. It is written that after a night of prayer before the image of Our Lady of Montserrat, St. Ignatius turned a new leaf and founded the Society of Jesus. A few miles away from Montserrat is Manresa, a pilgrim shrine of the Society of Jesus. There in a cave, the belief goes, St. Ignatius Loyola retreated from the world and wrote his Spiritual Exercises. Blessed It comes as no surprise then that Filipinos are drawn to this pilgrimage site, at least the many who learn about it by word of mouth. Filipino travelers who have affinity to the Benedictine monks and the Jesuits—Bedans and Ateneans, in particular—are wont to visit the site; in fact Smart VP Mon Isberto (a La Sallite in a so distant past) reminded me to visit the shrine after he learned of my Barcelona trip. Our visit was quick and short, but fortunate, if not blessed. We were just in time for the noon High Mass being celebrated by the monks in the Basilica. I hadn’t gone to a High Mass for some time, and even more remote in my memory was a Latin Mass, which I was hearing that
morning. The singing and chanting of the monks enveloped you in a solemnity and solace that supplanted your travel fatigue. It is said that the basilica also holds the worldfamous 50-member Escolanía, one of the oldest and most renowned boys’ choirs in Europe that was founded in the 13th century. At 1 p.m. daily you can hear them singing “Salve Regina” and the “Virolai” (hymn of Montserrat) in the basilica. We didn’t get to listen to the choir, but were privileged to experience something better. Right after the Mass, we were led to the back of the basilica. Incredulous, we were told by our guide that we would be brought up close to Our Lady of Montserrat, the black icon that has been venerated for centuries, and to whom countless miracles have been attributed. We climbed the stairs to the side of the church and entered a big room. This room, we’d read later, is called the Camarin de La Virgen (Chamber of the Virgin). From there it was only a short walk to the alcove housing the seated statue of the Virgin. Before we knew it, there was the Virgin to our side. We couldn’t believe our intimate proximity, yet we knew right away. Why? We felt it—it was a very palpable vibe that stirred you to the core. This, even if our mind was tired and our mode wasn’t yet of veneration. Nothing could prepare you for the experience—this providential meeting—it turned out. “Masyadong malakas,” Rita Dy and travel agency head Marget Fernan Villarica of Cebu would tell me later of the vibes they felt in that alcove. So I wasn’t imagining it—the feeling was indeed overpowering. I glanced at my side, at our Indonesian media colleague, a man. He was visibly trying hard not to choke with emotion. In a split second, he was shedding a tear. We
would learn later that he was Catholic and almost became a Jesuit. He would tell us that that was the first time in many years that he cried; he was that overwhelmed by the Virgin’s presence. The icon of Our Lady of Montserrat is black, thus she is also called the Black Madonna or La Moreneta (Dark Little One). Christian lore has it that it was carved by St. Luke in 50 AD. It is barely three feet tall, made of wood carved in the Romanesque style and rendered black by centuries of constant exposure to the candles lit by millions of devotees. Or the ravages of time could be the simple explanation for its blackened finish. The statue is of a seated Virgin, the Child Jesus on her lap. Her face is elongated, her dress a carved draped cloth. Beneath her crown is a veil of stars, squares and stripes. Her right hand holds a globe. Her feet rest on a carved cushion. She’s seated on a chair. The image is extensively described in literature—which is how we got those details. Our brush with the image was only a few seconds—too fleeting for us to note the details of her features—yet it was a powerful experience. It is no wonder then that millions of tourists visit this shrine every year. The shrine has a museum that displays important European art including the paintings of Caravaggio, the famous Italian artist whose life was as tormented perhaps as Van Gogh’s and thus his works were as riveting. The Montserrat museum also houses a mummy from the time of the pharaohs in Egypt. Visitors stay in the shrine for as short as a day or as long as several days or even weeks. Its hostel has the amenities of a hotel and its restaurant is in the Michelin guide. This restaurant was a stable in the olden days. It now serves fine meals, including the iconic Spanish fare such as tapas and paella. Interestingly it was here that we tasted our trip’s first good old Spanish paella—after nine days of gustatory tour of Madrid, Barcelona and Santiago which brought us to many 2-star Michelin restaurants that adhered to molecular gastronomy. After noon-and-night dining in such cutting-edge restaurants, we welcomed this traditional paella—a fitting finale to our trip. The Montserrat Shrine appeals to pilgrims or world-weary souls who want to get off—if only momentarily—from a world that can’t seem to ever stop. Whether you are religious or not, it is a retreat into the mountains where you can take long walks, find security in the solemnity of the rites of the Benedictine monks, or simply enjoy some rest in its hostel. After you have marveled at Gaudi’s incredible architecture of Sagrada Familia, walked the garden of Parc Guell, visited museums in Barcelona and have shopped beyond remorse, a visit to the mountain shrine of Montserrat is your moment of peace, albeit accidental peace.■ For travel details, email Singapore Airlines at mcs_mnl@singaporeair.com. sg or Spain Tourism Board at singapore@ tourspain.es
Travel
WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012 36
Santorini-inspired La Union resort dotted with villas
THE THREE-STORY Athena, which is near the golf course and the hotel’s main lobby, in all its five-star amenities.
GREEK-THEMED main lobby of the hotel
BY TESSA R. SALAZAR Philippine Daily Inquirer
ATHENA, CHLOE, Selene, Alexa and Aphrodite may surely sound Greek, but they all look good enough for guests to go on a five-hour road trip from Manila, or go down from the cool mountain breezes of Baguio to this humid province in Northern Luzon. The destination is the luxurious Thunderbird Resorts in Poro Point, La Union, where the payback for a long trip and a hot day is a breathtaking view of the West Philippine Sea and the five-star amenities of the resort hotel, where villas with Greek names have been permanent fixtures since the Thunderbird Residences’ launch in October 2010. Thunderbird Resorts property is Santorini-inspired due to its proximity to the cliffside. The villas are actually lifestyle beach homes dotting the 65-hectare resort-cum-golf course-cum-casino. Specifically created for vacationing families who want to rent them out or buy them, Thunderbird Residences is situated within the vicinity of the Thunderbird Resorts Hotel, an allweather golf course, and a beach club. Soon, an expanded area will be the location of a P200-million condotel. Livable model unit One of the beach homes—actually a livable model unit—is named Athena,
A TYPICAL bedroom of Athena.
which is a prominent structure when viewed from the hotel’s main lobby. There have been two Athena model units built, in fact. Currently, there are 10 villas being built, but only two (including Athena) are enrolled to the Thunderbird rental program. Katalene Ross Agmata, corporate communications manager of Thunderbird Resorts and Residences, explained that each unit owner has the option to rent out or own in full the unit they would occupy. Should the homeowners opt to manage their home privately, it becomes a private venture. The owners of the lots are also entitled to free playing rights to the Cliffs Golf and Beach club. Aside from Athena, four more designs—Chloe, Selene, Alexa and Aphrodite—have been approved by Thunderbird. The 80 lots launched for the Thunderbird Residences are all situated within 15 hectares of each other, to ensure that the property maintains visual space and ambiance. “We have also committed to a threehectare park and recreation area which will be devoted to wellness and the retirement lifestyle,” she told Inquirer Property. The 80 lots for sale is now 75 percent sold. Agmata said that each property owner is required to follow certain setback allowances ranging between 2.5 and 5 meters. Aside
from this, the planned three-hectare community park would offer lots of open spaces. P25,000 a day The three-bedroom Athena, which has a floor area of 310 square meter, was built at a cost of approximately P9 million. Fully furnished, Athena is being offered for P13.5 million. The minimum downpayment is 30 percent, with the balance to be paid in five years, with applicable interest rates. With the same Mediterranean lines as the hotel, the Athena Villa has five-star amenities, and promises quick and efficient residential services. Guests can experience the Athena Villa living experience for P25,000 per day. This includes a breakfast buffet for six persons, plus access to all the resort amenities and leisure living, while at the same time soaking in the seaside atmosphere. Agmata said most Thunderbird visitors come from Manila (80 percent) and Baguio, but there are also foreign visitors. “To our surprise, casino players have not played an important role on the lot sales. Most of the sales have come from hotel guests and walkins,” she disclosed. P200-M condotel Agmata added that Thunderbird Resorts has been “regionally strong”
in advertising and marketing the lots, and future condotel projects. Thunderbird Resorts has also announced an additional P200million investment aimed at constructing the condotel. The condotel project is expected to start this year. It is a response to address the need for more rooms in the hotels, which now has an 80-percent occupancy rate. The project effectively adds an additional 51 rooms, each offering a breathtaking view of the West Philippine Sea. Clients who purchase a condotel unit will also have the option to enroll their units to the rental program, enabling them to enjoy significant returns on the rentals. Within this program, owners turn over their units to Thunderbird. The unit will then be managed as a hotel room. La Union can be exceedingly warm and humid during summer, and be directly in the line of storms during the rainy season. Currently, there are plans for additional air-con units for the spacious Athena model to address the heat. Asked if the designers of Thunderbird Resort were familiar with the weather condition in Poro Point during the early years of construction, or if there had been any issue on weather, wind and storm, Agmata said this was the reason it took 18 months to build the resort.■ Information for Thunderbird Resorts Rizal is available at www.thunderbirdasia.com.
37 WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012
Travel
AP Photos / ABC, Donna Svennevik
Nik Wallenda makes history with tightrope walk over Niagara Falls
Nik Wallenda walks a 550-metre-long tightrope over the brink of the Niagara Falls in Niagara Falls, Ont., on Friday, June 15, 2012.
BY ALLISON JONES THE CANADIAN PRESS
NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. - No one else in the world has had the view of Niagara Falls that Nik Wallenda had Friday night as he stared down into the churning waters 60 metres below and was enveloped in the mist from the thundering falls. One careful step at a time Wallenda battled winds and near-blinding spray to make history, becoming the first person to walk across Niagara Falls on a tightrope. Others have crossed the water on tightropes, but over the gorge downstream and not for more than 100 years. Nothing can beat that view, he said. ``Just staring at the falls from here is breathtaking,’’ Wallenda said after successfully completing his daredevil act. ``To be directly in the middle, directly above the falls...it takes your breath away. It’s just unreal.’’ Wallenda was unbelievably calm as he slowly, painstakingly, proceeded step-by-step along the steel cable stretched across the falls. He even found time to give an interview as he was perched precariously over the raging waters below. ``Oh my gosh, it’s an unbelievable view,’’ he told ABC, which was broadcasting the spectacle live. ``I’m so blessed to be in the position I am, to be the first person to be right
here and to be the first person in the world who will ever be right here.’’ A crowd of tens of thousands of people packed onto the roadway by the falls - some waiting more than 12 hours to watch the historic performance - and they erupted with cheers as Wallenda ran the last few steps to the safety of the platform anchored in Canadian turf. ``The most amazing part was when he was on the line and he was waving at the people,’’ said eight-year-old William Clements. The boy, who came with his family from Dresden, Ont., jumped up and down with excitement as Wallenda knelt down on the wire toward the finish, took a hand off his balance bar and waved. Wallenda started his journey on the American side of the falls and finished less than half an hour and 500 metres later on the Canadian side, where his passport was promptly checked by border officials. ``No I’m not carrying anything over, I promise,’’ a tired but happy Wallenda told the customs agents. The distance and the heavy mist made it difficult for those watching in Niagara Falls, Ont., to see exactly when Wallenda set foot onto the wire, but eventually his red jacket came into view. ``When you first started to see him it just looked like he was floating in the mist,’’ said Greg Cooper, who came from Mississauga, Ont., and
snagged a front-row view. Wallenda has been walking wires since he was a child and had dreamed of this exact stunt since he was six years old. He comes from a long line of aeralist daredevils as a seventhgeneration member of the famed Flying Wallendas. He has performed many deathdefying acts in his time, but was clearly not used to the literal strings that came along with signing a deal with ABC to live broadcast the event. His father Terry Troffer, talking him through the whole walk, asked Wallenda about his biggest bone of contention - the safety tether that ABC insisted he wear. ``How’s that harness, it’s not cutting off any circulation?’’ Troffer could be heard asking Wallenda at one point. Wallenda wore a microphone and an ear piece during his walk. ``No, I just feel like a jackass wearing it,’’ Wallenda replied. Placing one steady foot in front of the other, trying not to get distracted by the raging waters below, Wallenda was ``in the zone,’’ he said. That is, until ABC had a request. ``Actually, I had a producer in my ear saying, ‘You know what, you need to slow down a little,’’’ Wallenda said later. ``I was like, ‘I don’t want to slow down. I want to get across to the other side.’’
The deal with ABC allowed Wallenda to recoup some - it hasn’t been revealed exactly how much - of the estimated $1.3 million the stunt cost him in permits, technical set-ups and marketing. Normally, Wallenda said he focuses on the movement of the wire to guide him through a walk, but when he looked down to see fast-moving water and looked up to see rising mist, it posed a ``very unique, weird situation.’’ He could see the thousands of camera flashes as he approached and heard the roar of the crowd only once he was almost safely across, he said. The throngs of people came armed with lawn chairs, umbrellas, snacks and sunscreen to stake out the best viewing spots. Muriel Marsh, 81, came from Paris, Ont., about 120 kilometres away, Thursday night and snagged her spot on a hill at 7 a.m. Friday. ``To see this fellow walk across on the wire, I think that’s fantastic and very brave and very clever,’’ she said. ``You’ll never have a chance again.’’ Bert Dandy and his family arrived at 10 a.m., about 12 hours before Wallenda started his walk, and zeroed in on what he deemed the best seat in the house. Sitting in a lawn chair a few down from Marsh, perched on a hill with an unobstructed view of the whole wire, Dandy said people had offered him $20 per chair - he had five - to give up his spot. No dice, he said. Dandy loaded up the family van Thursday night in Niagara Falls with supplies, went off to work overnight then arrived at the falls. He should be unconscious by now, he said, but he is just too excited. ``I told my kids, I said, ‘This is a once-in-a-lifetime event - for free,’’’ Dandy said, holding a ``Go Nick Go!!’’ sign. ``I said, ‘We’ve got to get our buns down here. We’ve got to camp out for many, many hours and get a good spot and see history in the making.’’ For Wallenda, the walk was all about honouring his ancestors’ legacy and fulfilling his personal dream. He spent years preparing for the walk, both by practising on a wire and filling out endless paperwork, and he said he hopes people can take inspiration from it. ``The impossible is not so impossible if you set your mind to it,’’ Wallenda said. ``Reach for the skies and never give up.’’ ■
Food
WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012 38
Filipino cuisine: The next big trend
The Crispy Pata: Crispy-licious to the max.
The Sisig: Sizzling goodness as an appy or a main dish served with rice.
BY STELLA REYES PHILIPPINE CANADIAN INQUIRER
FOOD, by any other name, is just food. However, some are more popular and sought after than others; Asian cuisine is certainly ranked among the favourites. In most cities in the world, Asian food is present and flocked to. Depending on preparation and format, a few of the restaurants can even be considered “high end”. Whether it be Japanese, Malaysian, Thai, Chinese, Indian, Korean, or Indonesian, specific culinary specialties are well-known and preferred. Where does Filipino cuisine figure in all this? Apart from the humble Adobo, Philippine cuisine is still not where it should be--on the world stage. “Our cuisine is so diverse depending on where one is located. The closer you are to Manila, the more foreign influence on our cuisine particularly Chinese and Spanish”’ says Chef Sandy Daza. Sandy is part of a family of gourmands. His mother is celebrated Filipino Chef and Author, Nora Daza. Sandy, a famous chef and restaurateur in his own right, opened a restaurant in both Paris and Vancouver (both now closed). He used to have a cable network show, “Cooking with Sandy Daza”, that aired every Sunday morning to educate Filipino-Canadians on how to prepare traditional cuisine. He believes that Filipino food can be appreciated and recognized by anybody. “Back in 1972, we were able to attract the upper French when we opened a restaurant in Paris called Aux Ile Philippines,” says Sandy. “The style of service was changed to appetizer, main and dessert;
the French loved it. In short, it has been done and can be done again”. When “Sandy’s Cuisine” opened in Vancouver, it received great reviews and won a loyal fan base. Unfortunately, despite the patronage and great meals Sandy dished out, it was not able to draw the crowd needed to sustain the restaurant. “I didn’t realize that time is valuable in Vancouver. If your place is out of the way, they don’t go out of the way to visit you. I was okay during weekends but dead weekdays. What a humbling experience”, Sandy admits. Despite the success of “cafeteria-style” Filipino restaurants in the greater Vancouver area, there have been some attempts to elevate Filipino food by way of a more restaurant, cook-as-you-order type of establishment. However, one has yet to sustain its success. The Coquitlam-based “Kulinarya” is poised to do just that. “People know only of the fast food stuff, Filipino cafeteria-style of turo-turo (point-point), we want to stay away from that,” declares Rosette Samaniego. Rosette, her husband and co-owner Philip, and coowner Roy Pagulayan, conceptualized a restaurant that would raise the profile of Filipino food. “That is what really prompted me to put up Kulinarya. Filipino food is unique and decent but not scary”. Kulinarya’s owners are passionate about promoting Filipino culture through their restaurant. Careful thought was given to the design and minute aspects of the restaurant and its food. When they welcomed patrons to Kulinarya (114-2922 Glen Drive, Coquitlam) on December 2009, Rosette really focused on food presentation and making
customers feel at home. “Part of the experience is that food should be visually enticing through the plating of dishes, [the food’s] presentation, freshness and friendliness of the staff”. Presentation seems to be the key in uplifting the image of Filipino cuisine. Like Rosette, Sandy shares the same belief. “We need to fix our presentation and choose healthier cuts of meat instead of the ones with a lot of fat,” Sandy says. “Most Filipino restaurants that are put up cater to the Pinoy market.” How can Filipino cuisine with its host of delectable dishes be elevated into the list of classical Asian favourites? Vancouver food critic and writer Joie Alvaro Kent says, “Filipino food needs to evolve. Filipino restaurants in BC only offer comfort food. Business owners should avoid the cafeteria-style atmosphere. There was a superb place called Rekados on Main Street and all my non-Filipino friends loved the dishes!” While Rekados did not enjoy the longevity it deserved, Kulinarya and other non-”cafeteria style” restaurants have emerged. All they need are serious patrons who believe that Filipino food should be celebrated and be proud of. Rosette says, “Encourage people to be adventurous and let them know that we have other amazing dishes to try aside from Adobo.” She credits social media in spreading the word about the restaurant. Constant good reviews and ratings on Urbanspoon and Yelp also help in getting the word out that Filipino food is delicious. Sandy has this to say, “My advice is to try any Pinoy restaurant you come across and get your palate “up there” in terms of taste. That’ll make your standard go higher. The higher your standard gets, the more foreign or locals you will satisfy”. If you are on a Filipino food crusade like Sandy and Rosette, here are their top Filipino dishes they think you should recommend to non-Filipinos: Sandy lists Siningang na Sugpo (tamarind based soup with prawn), Inasal na Manok (grilled chicken) and his Bicol Express (spicy pork in coconut milk). For Rosette, it is Sisig (minced pork on a sizzling plate), Crispy Pata (deep fried pork hocks), Kare-Kare (beef and tripe in peanut sauce with shrimp dip) and Kaldereta (beef stew in tomato sauce). ■
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Canada: Seen and Scenes
WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012 40
Continuing with tradition, the Philippine Press Club of Ontario hosted a reception dinner for visiting popular Philippine journalist Conrad de Quiros at Toronto Parmigiano Trattoria on June 10, 2012. In his brief chat with the group he warned of ‘envelopemental journalists’ from the old order. (L to R) Eva Agpaoa, Cheryl Cantonjos, Rodel Ramos, Eugene Deocareza, Jess Carlos, Conrado de Quiros, Tan Canchela, Prexy Ricky Caluen, VP Rubi Talavera, Mogi & Marlene Mogado and Ariel Ramos.
Solon Licas
Jojo Taduran (left), a Filipino journalist based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada is reunited with a long time friend, Wilfrido Buyson Villarama who was also a congressman in one legislative district of the province. Also in photo is RM Villarama, Mr.Villarama’s son. (ROMY ZETAZATE, St. Jamestown News Service)
The Philippine flag is raised in Toronto during the Philippine Independence Day celebration on June 12.
In recognition of Veterans Day MLA’s Sue Hammell, Bruce Ralston, Harry Bains, MP Jasbir Sandhu and Surrey-Tynehead NDP candidate Raj Hundal paid their respects at the Royal Canadian Legion Whalley Branch where wreaths and candles were laid on June 3, 2012.
At the art exhibit of Danvic Briones entitled ”Canadian experience” with Vicky Corpuz, Agnes Tecson, Monette Ledesma, Danvic Briones, PCI’s Melissa Briones, artist Esmie Gayo-McLaren and District Dogs Designs`Kae and Jarin Bossert.
On June 2, Surrey-Tynehead NDP candidate Raj Hundal thanked organizers of Diversity Health Fair that took place in Surrey’s Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre. Residents had the opportunity to explore and access health services and information available in the community. While there, Raj saw many of his former colleagues from PICS and the many other organizations such as Diversecity, SUCCESS and Options. This year’s theme is Cancer Prevention and Early Detection.
41 WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012
Canada: Seen and Scenes
Solon Licas
Solon Licas
Earl Tapia
THE ENBRIDGE RIDE TO CONQUER CANCERŽ IS AN INCREDIBLE, TWO-DAY CYCLING ADVENTURE. It is an inspiring, emotional, enjoyable journey that drew thousands of participants - including the Times Telecom team headed by PCI CEO Alan Yong - and brought together communities of survivors, cyclists and supporters who trained and fundraised for months in order to participate in the annual two-day Ride. But more help is needed. The next ride will take place ON JUNE 15-16, 2013. During this incredible bike ride, participants will ride for two days through the scenic Pacific Northwest. The money raised will go directly to BC Cancer Foundation to support cancer patients and families throughout British Columbia. This epic, two-day bike ride will have a life-changing impact for those battling: bladder cancer, brain cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, kidney cancer, testicular cancer, breast cancer, lymphoma, leukemia, childhood and children’s cancers.
At the sixth annual Luminato festival in Toronto which ran from June 8-17.
A gathering of Filipinos watching the Pacquiao Fight in downtown Toronto.
At the Pagdiriwang (Richmond Philippine Independence Day Celebration) on June 16 at the Lansdowne Mall Food Court
Canada
John Christian Fullon
Green accounting movement to recognize costs of using natural resources gains global traction
On top of the world.
BY KATY DAIGLE THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW DELHI – What is a sip of clean water worth? Is there economic value in the shade of a tree? And how much would you pay for a breath of fresh air? Putting a price on a natural bounty long taken for granted as free may sound impossible, even ridiculous. But after three decades on the fringes of serious policymaking, the idea is gaining traction, from the vividly clear waters of the Maldives to the sober, suited reaches of the World Bank. As traditional measures of economic progress like GDP are criticized for ignoring downsides including pollution or diminishment of resources such as fresh water or fossil fuels, there has been an increased urgency to arguments for a more balanced and accurate reckoning of costs. That is particularly so as fast-developing nations such as India and China jostle with rich nations for access to those resources and insist on their own right to pollute on a path toward growth. Proponents of so-called ``green accounting’’ who will gather in Rio de Janeiro this week for the Rio Earth Summit - hope that putting dollar values on resources will slam the brakes on unfettered development. A mentality of growth at any cost is already blamed for disasters like the chronic floods that hit deforested Haiti or the raging sand storms that have swept regions of China, worsening desertification. Environmental economists argue that redefining nature in stark monetary terms would offer better information for making economic and development decisions. That, they say, would make governments and corporations less likely to jeopardize future stocks of natural assets or environmental systems that mostly unseen make the planet habitable, from forests filtering water to the frogs keeping swarming insects in check. If the value of an asset like a machine is reduced as it wears out, proponents say, the same accounting principle should apply to a dwindling natural resource. ``Environmental arguments come from the heart. But in today’s world based on economics it’s hard for arguments of the heart to win,’’ said Pavan Sukhdev, a former banker now leading an ongoing project that was proposed by the Group of Eight industrialized nations to study monetary values for the environment. That study, started in 2007, has estimated the world economy suffers roughly $2.5 trillion to $4 trillion in losses every year due to environmental
degradation. That’s up to 7 per cent of global GDP. ``We need to understand what we’re losing in order to save it,’’ Sukhdev said. ``You cannot manage what you do not measure.’’ Using the same accounting principles, some countries are already changing policy. The Maldives recently banned fishing grey reef sharks after working out that each was worth $3,300 a year in tourism revenue, versus $32 paid per catch. Ugandans spared a Kampala wetland from agricultural development after calculating it would cost $2 million a year to run a sewage treatment facility - the same job the swamp does for free. But environmental accounting still faces many detractors and obstacles. Among them is resistance from governments who might lack the resources and expertise to publish a ``greened’’ set of national accounts alongside those measuring economic growth. Particularly in the developing world, many still struggle to produce even traditional statistics that are timely and credible. And even practitioners are riven by debates on how to put a price on a vast range of natural resources and systems that encapsulate everything from pollination by bees to the erosion prevented by mangroves in an estuary. The single largest difficulty is that markets, which are the easiest way to value goods and services, don’t exist for ecosystems. ``Since many things don’t formally have a market price, how do you value them? Almost all the debate and discussion really hinges around valuation issues, and that is where it can get flakey,’’ said India’s former chief statistician Pronab Sen. At one extreme, said Sen, are people who say natural resources should get a zero value since we don’t know how to value them. Others argue that the values for such resources should be infinite, meaning they can’t be touched since no one has an infinite amount of money. Opposition is also expected from parts of the corporate world, since green accounting could make doing business or buying products more expensive. A forest once valued by what its trees fetch on the timber exchange might instead be valued according to the carbon dioxide it absorbs, the animals it supports, the water it filters and the firewood it provides. Or it could be revalued with future generations in mind. That might lead to higher felling fees, pricey replanting requirements or more expensive wood. Some might rethink the economic benefit of cutting it down. Science
would become a more important factor in economic decision-making. Some businesses, however, are embracing the idea to appeal to consumers demanding more accountability. Supermarkets like Britain’s Tesco now offer carbon footprints on packaging alongside calorie counts. At a national level, green accounting is already being embraced by some governments, even if still in piecemeal fashion. India in April announced plans for green national accounts by 2015 though it’s unclear if the country’s chaotic bureaucracy can reach that target. Australia will soon begin taxing carbon dioxide emissions, which Costa Rica has been doing for a decade to fund forest preservation. Late last century, a team of U.S., Dutch and Argentine researchers put a $33 trillion value a year on natural resources such as water, wood and fossil fuels and ``services’’ such as a forest’s absorption of carbon dioxide. The estimate is more than double the value of the U.S. economy, the world’s largest. While admitting difficulties and uncertainties in their methods and calculations, the team’s report said the $33 trillion figure was conservative. Carbon credits, perhaps the best known example of giving a value to an environmental good, also illustrate the difficulties. Experts thought the pricing of carbon credits might have been straightforward, since emissions are easily measured and every CO2 unit is the same. But the carbon market wobbled wildly for years over estimates ranging from $5 to $500 per unit. Other resources open worlds of debate. Water frozen, liquid or gas, it’s found just about everywhere from vast oceans or tropical mist to mountain glaciers and underground aquifers. It’s used for drinking, bathing, growing plants, processing sewage, powering hydroelectric plants, driving weather systems and more. So not all water is created equal. But should one lake be worth more than another? Does it matter if people depend on it, or if it supports schools of tasty fish? Should it even matter what it’s used for now? Or is it more important to consider if it can be replenished? Some argue such questions make it clear that subjecting the natural world to free market ideology is immoral and counterproductive. ``The result would be the further privatization of essential elements of our planet to which we all share rights and have responsibilities,’’ writes Hannah Griffiths from the World Development Movement, a UK-based anti-poverty campaigning organization, in a recent essay for the Guardian. Still some experts in the field say the world is on track to having comprehensive green accounts within 10 to 15 years. A crucial advance has been the United Nations’ quiet adoption in April of a framework of agreed concepts and definitions for green accounting that can be applied in any country. It took two decades to develop but stops short of valuing complex ecosystems. ``The accounting is not pie in the sky anymore,’’ said economist Peter Bartelmus, who led the original U.N. effort. The World Bank, meanwhile, is backing projects in Botswana, Colombia, Costa Rica, Madagascar and the Philippines that are looking for ways for national accounts to include the value of natural resources. ``Doing something is better than doing nothing. We shouldn’t even aim for perfection, either,’’ said Sen, the former statistician. ``It is much more important to come up with a methodology that people find intuitively acceptable rather than looking for hard commercial truths. If at a gut level people find it fair, then I think we can run with the idea.’’ ■ The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB): http://www.teeb.org Follow Katy Daigle on Twitter at http://twitter. com/katydaigle
WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 2012 42
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88 /mo.
$0
- 150 Canada-wide minutes - Unlimited Canadian long distance - Unlimited weekend calls - Unlimited evening calls (5PM - 7AM) - Pay Per Use Data Choose One: - Unlimited Canada, US and International text & picture messaging - Voicemail & call display + 50 Canada, US and International text - Get both for $5!
HTC Wildfire S™
PLUS
3 Years FREE
long distance call NO Activation Fee
4151 Hazelbridge Way, Richmond, British Columbia, V6X 3R8 www.timestelecom.ca 604.232.0202
Ground Floor [near HSBC]
as much as
$1000 savings
NO Contract *Terms & Conditions apply.