Philippine Canadian Inquirer Issue #3

NEWS INSIDE

Tatay Tom Avendano: The Right Man ( On page 17 ) Passport outreach in Alberta and other provinces ( On page 18 )

WREATH-LAYING RITES. President Aquino walks with Aurora Gov. Bellaflor J. Angara Castillo during the wreath-laying ceremony at the Doña Aurora Aragon-Quezon Monument on the capitol grounds in Baler, Aurora, during the 33rd founding anniversary of the province.

NOY WON’T STOP ATTACKS

Says Chief Justice is the face of what’s wrong with judiciary

BY CHRISTINE O. AVENDAÑO Philippine Daily Inquirer BALER, Aurora—President Aquino is not about to declare a ceasefire in his word war with impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona despite pleas from senators for the heads of two coequal branches of government to restrain themselves.

Mr. Aquino last February 19 stepped up his attacks on Corona as Sen. Edgardo Angara, one of the judges in Corona’s impeachment trial, sat a few meters away.

The President said his verbal attacks were not directed at the Chief Justice but at “the system” for which Corona was “the face” that the administration was fighting against.

“To keep quiet about the whole thing is, I think, wrong,” he told reporters in response to calls by some senator-judges for him and Corona to stop their word war and to just let

the Senate impeachment court do its job.

Attending the 33rd founding anniversary of the province and the commemoration of the 124th birth anniversary of Doña Aurora Aragon-quezon, the President said he would continue to voice out his thoughts on Corona “if needed.”

He led the wreath-laying rites on the statue of Doña Aurora and later inaugurated Aurora Medical Hospital.

Senator Angara thanked Mr. Aquino for accepting the invitation to attend the celebrations. “We remember acts of kindness and gratitude. We will never forget this,” he told the President during a program held on the capitol grounds.

On Thursday, at a meeting with students from various colleges and universities at La Consolacion College in Manila, Mr. Aquino said Corona’s failure to declare his multimillion-peso bank accounts was sufficient

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basis to remove him from office.

The President said Corona should be held to account using the same standards that caused a court interpreter to lose her job in 1997 for not declaring ownership of a stall in a public market.

Responding to Mr. Aquino’s attacks, Corona challenged the President to disclose his financial and psychological records. “We have an obligation to the people that we are of sound mind,” the Chief Justice said in a statement.

Punish offenders In a speech here, Mr. Aquino said his mandate was to provide the people with a government that places priority on justice and accountability.

This meant that those who committed offenses must be punished and those who did good things should be rewarded, he said. “This is what triggered the trial in the Senate of

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Noy won’t stop...continued from A1 Renato Corona,” Mr. Aquino said in Filipino.

The President told Aurora residents that they must be proud of Baler Rep. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, a son of the senator and one of the deputy spokespersons of the House prosecution panel in the impeachment trial “for clarifying issues.”

Mr. Aquino said he had faith in the “fairness” of Senator Angara and the “entire Senate.”

The impeachment trial, the President said, had a “simple” aim—to come up with the truth as “the key to establishing a society where the

people are accountable.”

News-Phils

Simple arithmetic “How can we have confidence that every centavo of our taxes will go to good use if you have a member in government who doesn’t understand simple arithmetic?” he said, referring to the Chief Justice and the discrepancies in Corona’s statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNS) found during the trial.

Taking note of of the statement of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, the presiding judge in the trial, that a SALN was one’s “personal balance sheet,” Mr. Aquino said:

“What you have sworn (into your SALN) is what you really own.”

Keeping quiet wrong To reporters later, the President said he would not keep his peace when it came to speaking about Corona.

“I think I am within my rights to express my opinion, especially as I believe I speak for a sizeable number of our people,” he said, adding that this was “the essence of democracy.”

“A democracy is the majority deciding for everybody and you cannot decide properly if there is no discourse within the contending

How prosecution got CJ’S bank record deserves own probe

BY CATHY C. YAMSUAN & MICHAEL LIM UBAC impeachment court that Banal visited her in her Enrile as a gesture of interparliamentary office on Jan. 31 and sought her help in verifying courtesy.

Philippine Daily Inquirer THE STORY of how copies of Chief Justice Renato Corona’s bank documents reached House prosecutors has gotten so complicated that one senator believes it now warrants its own Senate investigation.

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV told the INQUIRER that Quezon City Rep. Jorge “Bolet” Banal’s claim that he found copies of Corona’s bank records left outside his house was now “completely off the main case” of the Chief Justice’s alleged impeachable offenses and better left to the scrutiny of the Senate committee on banks, financial institutions and currencies.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson said the determination of the criminal culpability of prosecutors and assistants who used illegal means to obtain bank documents was outside the jurisdiction of the impeachment court. But he noted that a “more relevant question” facing the senators was whether to admit the questioned testimonies and documents when these were eventually offered as evidence by the prosecution.

Lacson volunteered in a text message that according to his own research, “illegally acquired evidence is governed by the exclusionary rule on its admissibility.”

He and other senators agreed that Banal’s story raised more questions but that they would rather hear what he had to say on Monday.

Shocked manager Annabelle Tiongson, manager of the Philippine Savings Bank (Psbank) branch on Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City, told the

a photocopy of Corona’s bank records.

She said Banal, a former Quezon City councilor, even told her that he was “a congressman already,” and that he was “part of the secretariat” in pursuit of Corona’s bank accounts.

Tiongson said she was shocked by the records Banal showed her that after he left, she went to the bank’s vault to check if Corona’s signature cards were still inside. “[But] this issue should be the subject of a committee hearing and not an impeachment trial. This subject is completely off the main case,” Trillanes said in a text message, adding that the impeachment court’s present focus on determining the source of the documents was “irrelevant.”

“The more appropriate venue for this line of questioning is a committee hearing,” he said.

Still, Trillanes said, he would not agree with “any decision that will make [Corona’s] peso accounts inadmissible as evidence” just because of doubts raised on the authenticity of the documents.

It was Tiongson who initially said that the copies of Corona’s records presented by the prosecution “seem fake.”

Let him talk Senators Vicente Sotto III, Loren Legarda and Francis Pangilinan also said they believed that Banal should be given the chance to air his story in open court on Monday.

Banal has been “invited,” instead of summoned, by Senate President Juan Ponce

But he told the impeachment court on Thursday that an anonymous sender left a copy of Corona’s dollar records outside his house at St. Ignatius Village in Quezon City, and confirmed that he had shown Tiongson the documents.

“I’m sorry if I caused any problem. I just wanted to help our team,” Banal said.

It was Legarda who pointed out that while Banal got the copy on Jan. 31, Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, a member of the prosecution, said a “small lady” gave him copies of Corona’s bank records in the Senate premises on Feb. 2.

Asked yesterday if Banal’s story had complicated the issue of the bank documents, Legarda said: “Let’s take his word for it and let him explain on Monday.”

Sotto sent a similar reply by text message: “We hope to be clarified on Monday.”

Pangilinan said the origin and authenticity of the bank documents should be resolved immediately “so we can get back in harness, so to speak, and focus on the trial proper.”

Chaff from the grain In another phone interview, Legarda said the Senate impeachment court was at a loss over the real source of the bank documents attached by the prosecution to its request for the subpoena issued by the court on Feb. 6 for Corona’s bank records.

She said she and her colleagues should be able to “separate the chaff from the grain” and focus on the meat of the impeachment case, which was Corona’s fitness to continue discharging his duties as Chief Justice. ■

Bishops welcome grand RH debate

BY JOCELYN R. UY Philippine Daily Inquirer

THE CATHOLIC Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) yesterday welcomed an invitation from Congress to a grand debate to thresh out issues and enlighten the people further on the controversial reproductive health (RH) bill.

CBCP president Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said the Catholic bishops were always “eager and willing to engage” in an endeavor that would help people make guided decisions, particularly on issues affecting morality and values about love, marriage and family.

“As we always say, we are more than eager and willing to engage in an endeavor of making people enlightened... [so] a debate should be OK with us,” Palma said over Church-run Radio Veritas yesterday.

Solon’s call Palma was responding to a call made by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, one of the chief proponents of the family-planning measure who said that lawmakers

should have more “enlightening sessions” with the Catholic bishops on the issue.

Lagman made the invitation after newly installed Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle expressed on Monday openness to resume dialogues with Malacañang, which were halted last year.

The lawmaker had suggested that the grand debate on the bill, still undergoing plenary discussions in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, can be carried out separately or jointly with representatives from Malacañang.

The CBCP president said the Church hierarchy was amenable to either a debate or a dialogue and, should it push through, Catholic bishops would tap lay people to do some of the talking especially “on the dynamics of childbearing.”

While the bishops would talk about the moral dimension of the issue, it would ask lay people to talk about maternal health and childbearing in the proposed debate “because that is not our expertise,” admitted Palma.

“It is important that we include the lay community [in the debate] because the life of women and children

are basically involved,” added the senior prelate. ‘ Search for truth’ Like Tagle, the CBCP president also hoped that the proposed grand debate and the “search for truth” on the RH bill, which espouses free access of condoms and other artificial contraceptives would be conducted with sincerity.

Lagman’s proposal was also agreeable to Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles.

“But we will send lay people to this debate because if we are to face the lawmakers, they would again question our authority over the matter because we are not married,” said Arguelles also over Radio Veritas.

For his part, Novaliches Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Bacani said a civil and a “very well regulated” debate will be good for both the Catholic Church and the government.

But he believed that Lagman’s invitation for a grand debate on the family-planning measure was just a means to revive public interest on the measure.

“The RH bill is already a dead bill,” said Bacani. ■

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sides in any issue,” he said.

Mr. Aquino said that keeping quiet was wrong. “From time to time, I reserve my right to be able to say what I believe should be said to the people.”

The President also made clear that he did not respond to Corona’s “scurrilous attacks” on him.

Response to CJ challenge Mr. Aquino said his criticisms against Corona were “not directed (at him) personally but at the system of which he is the personification.”

“He is the face of what we are fighting for to fix the judiciary,” the President said.

Asked about Corona’s call for him to open his SALN and even his psychological records, the President first addressed questions on his SALN which, he said, had always been brought out in the open since he was still a member of Congress—first as a congressman and later as a senator.

While the media would include him among the “notables” in their SALN stories, the President said he was never on the list of lawmakers with the highest, median or lowest income.

“So what will have to be opened? … If he is not reading the papers, watching television or listening to the radio, then that’s not my fault.

He has enough resources to buy newspapers or watch television,” the President said of Corona.

He said he never placed his SALN in a “locked filing cabinet” or a “vault,” an apparent dig at Corona, who produced his SALNS only at the impeachment trial. One of the eight articles of impeachment against Corona is his failure to disclose his SALN. Psychological evaluation Dismissing the psychological records as an attack that was made against him since he ran for president in 2010, Mr. Aquino acknowledged that anyone who would be attacked this way, would not find it nice.

He said his detractors during the election campaign claimed that a priest had done a psychological evaluation on him but the Jesuit denied he had not done so because he had no capability of doing one.

“So my detractors changed their story. They got a professor of psychology in Ateneo where I came from—who is quite elderly and where there are some days he is fine and days where his age shows. So as I could not refute the charges. But they chanced upon him when he was fine and he said he did not come upwith such a report,” the President said.

In the third attempt to discredit him, his detractors tried to get a doctor who knew his family when they were living in Boston, Mr. Aquino said. But by the time the story came out, the doctor was already dead “as if to make sure that they would not be contradicted,” he said.

To those in the media who “dignify this kind of stories, how many times do we need to repeat these answers?” he said, “Sorry, that’s how far I will go (on this issue).”

Mr. Aquino’s spokesperson, Edwin Lacierda, defended the President’s persistent attacks on Corona. “Essential in democracy is the right of every citizen, high and low, to express his opinion,” Lacierda said.

“The President firmly believes he has the right to inform the citizenry of the real issues of the impeachment trial, uncluttered by technicalities and peripheral issues,” Lacierda said in a text message to the INQUIRER when asked why the President engages Corona on this when he can influence people, including senator-judges.

“He has maintained a high level of public discourse and he will continue to engage the public as he deems fit,” the official said. ■

News-Phils

P-noy: Reforms impossible if Corona acquitted

He said the Constitution also directs public officials to have their SALNS disclosed to the public.

“As the truth comes out, the reasons why Mr. Corona was hiding his SALNS in a vault are becoming clear,” the President said. “It’s clearer than the light of day. Mr. Corona, the declaration you swore to isn’t consistent with what has been discovered to be your assets. In any school in the world, P3.5 million does not equal P31.5 million.”

BY NORMAN BORDADORA AND CHRISTINE O. AVENDAÑO Philippine Daily Inquirer

‘Cover-up for GMA corruption’ Mr. Aquino expressed mock gratitude for Corona for the discrepancies in his SALNS, saying the inconsistencies were drawing attention to the latter’s unexplained wealth.

He also thanked lead defense counsel Serafin Cuevas for seeking the disclosure of Corona’s monthly balances when the impeachment court had just asked for the Chief Justice’s yearend balances.

The President expressed hope that Corona and his lawyers would see the light, but said he doubted that this would happen soon.

“If you did nothing wrong, you have nothing to hide. Let me ask you this. Is this the way a person who has nothing to fear behaves? It’s already difficult to look at his SALNS and until now, he continues to hide his dollar accounts,” the President said.

“He said he would come out with the documents in due time. With due respect, Mr. Corona, many years have passed since you submitted SALNS that beg a lot of questions. When is due time? It seems that your time is long overdue,” the President said.

Mr. Aquino also said then President Gloria Macapagal-arroyo appointed Corona to the Supreme Court “to cover up for her corruption.”

“Didn’t all of this start only after you almost succeeded in allowing Mrs. Arroyo to flee?” he said, referring to the temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the Supreme Court on the travel restrictions on the former President, which almost gave her “a chance to hide.”

P-noy: Question is simple, can we trust Mr. Corona?

Attending the first of a series of events to mark the 26th anniversary of the Edsa Revolution, President Aquino last February 16 said Chief Justice Renato Corona’s failure to fully declare his multimillion-peso bank deposits was sufficient basis to remove him from his post.

The President wondered why there was still disbelief that Corona had committed an impeachable offense when he declared bank accounts worth only P3.5 million in his 2010 statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) despite evidence presented at his impeachment trial showing his peso deposits then at P31.5 million.

In a speech delivered in Filipino at a “town hall meeting” with students from various universities and colleges at La Consolacion College near Malacañang, Mr. Aquino expressed frustration over the lengthy legal discussions in the impeachment trial that, he said, appeared to be aimed at confusing the public and causing it to lose interest in the proceedings.

“Would Juan de la Cruz allow himself to be left out of this process?

Are we going to allow only a few to decide for all of us?” Mr. Aquino said.

“The question in this trial is rather simple: Can we still trust Mr. Corona? We can answer that with the truth coming out during the trial,” he said.

In the question-and-answer portion of the meeting, the President said he would have a hard time implementing reforms in the judiciary should the impeachment court favor Corona.

To the question of what will happen to his campaign to make corrupt public officials accountable if the court issues a verdict of acquittal, Mr. Aquino said: “Extremely difficult, if not impossible.”

Same standards A number of senators have expressed doubt that Corona’s misdeclarations in his SALNS constituted a high crime—one of several grounds for impeachment under the Constitution.

The President said Corona should be held up to the same standards that caused court interpreter Delsa Flores to lose her job and other benefits in 1997 after failing to declare ownership of a stall in a public market.

“For a court interpreter, that is the standard. How much is the rent for a stall in the market? For the Chief Justice, should the standard be different?” Mr. Aquino said, adding: “If Mrs. Flores lost her job, what do you think should be the verdict on Mr. Corona? Do we even have to ask whether what he did was an impeachable offense?”

“If you were Delsa Flores, what would you feel if you learn that there’s a person who withheld a bigger amount in his SALN?” The President said the SALN was not mere scratch paper but a document sworn to by every public official, as provided for in Article 11, Section 17 of the Constitution.

JUSTICE SECRETARY GETS SENATE SUBPOENA

BY JEROME ANING Philippine Daily Inquirer JUSTICE Secretary Leila de Lima received last February 17 a subpoena from the Senate impeachment court to produce documents and testify in the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

The subpoena, which was requested by the House prosecutors, directed De Lima to appear before the Senate on Feb. 22 to testify on Article 7 of the impeachment complaint, which charges Corona with betrayal of public trust through his alleged partiality in granting a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the travel restrictions imposed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) on former President Gloria Macapagal-arroyo and her husband Jose Miguel Arroyo.

“If I’m subpoenaed, I have no choice [but to appear], especially since the prosecution may be planning to take up Article 7,” De

‘Remove this branding’ In explaining the need for Corona’s conviction, the President cited rulings made by certain courts that, he said, derailed the government’s reform agenda.

One ruling he cited was the 20-day TRO issued recently by a Manila Regional Trial Court on the results of the Department of Justice’s investigation of the former National Bureau of Investigation chief Magtanggol Gatdula, who was sacked in connection with the kidnapping of a Japanese national by NBI agents last year.

“There is an accusation that the NBI kidnapped a person. So you need to investigate it in order to bring back the credibility of the NBI as an institution. But the court now says that the DOJ cannot act on the result of its investigation,” he said in a frustrated tone.

In a statement that elicited applause, he said: “Some would say ‘Only in the Philippines.’ But ... I want us to remove this kind of branding.”

‘Wimpy dictator’ The President also said he had been at the receiving end of many criticisms—that he was “a spoiled brat,” “immature,” “a wimp,” and now “a wimpy dictator.”

But even with these criticisms, he said, he wanted the next generation to not undergo what his generation had experienced. Later in a TV interview, Mr. Aquino indicated satisfaction with Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile’s handling of the impeachment trial.

“He is trying to be extremely fair to all sides,” he said of Enrile, Lima told reporters in an interview.

She said her testimony would be “essential” in view of the watch-list order that she had issued on the Arroyos.

According to the House prosecutors, the TRO was issued by the Supreme Court to give the Arroyos “an opportunity to escape prosecution and frustrate the ends of justice.”

Corona was also accused of “distorting” the high court’s decision on the effectivity of the TRO after it was discovered that the Arroyos had failed to comply with one of the conditions.

De Lima has been directed to produce, aside from court pleadings, immigration records on the entry and exit of Corona in October and November 2011, a surveillance camera video of the Padre Faura entrance of the DOJ building on Nov. 15, 2011, and the record of the denial of the Arroyos’ request to be allowed to leave through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on the same day.

Through the subpoena, the House prosecutors want to prove, among others, that Gloria Arroyo intended to travel abroad for reasons other than health, that the TRO was attempted to be served to the DOJ on Nov. 15, 2011, that the Arroyos tried to escape the country on the same day, that they made multiple travel bookings on the same day and that Corona “hastily” returned to the Philippines on Nov. 10, 2011. ■

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TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2012 4

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noting that the latter was, after all, a veteran lawyer.

The President also defended the performance of the House prosecution, saying the lawmakers’ not being practicing lawyers was the reason they were not as “polished” as the defense.

Not interference Senators Aquilino Pimentel III and Teofisto Guingona III, both allied with the President, said his criticism of the Chief Justice did not amount to interference in the impeachment trial.

“I don’t know how he is interfering. All I know is they’re [both] commenting, but if we are not affected by the commentaries, these have no value,” Pimentel said in Filipino.

“The challenge is for us [senatorjudges] not to be affected by the commentaries of other people. We would have to now make our own decision based on the evidence,” he said.

Asked about the propriety of the President continuously attacking Corona and discussing the merits of the case in public, Pimentel said: “If somebody files a motion, then we will take it up. But no one seems to be affected that much...”

Guingona, a member of Mr. Aquino’s Liberal Party, said the President’s attacks had a “substantial difference” from the allegation by Corona’s lawyers that the Palace was trying to bribe senators.

Last February 12, defense lawyers claimed that the offer was P100 million in “soft projects” in exchange for a senator’s vote against the TRO on Corona’s dollar accounts.

But Pimentel said both the defense and the prosecution should be sanctioned. He noted that prosecutors were now under fire for submitting to the Senate purportedly fake documents on Corona’s bank records.

“My attitude now is that both sides should be punished,” Pimentel said.

Tit for tat In a press conference, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said even the Chief Justice had been criticizing the President and the prosecutors.

Belmonte said that the impeachment trial being a political process, even the senators and the defense had become fair game for criticism.

“And, of course, Corona should not be organizing rallies and speeches,” the Speaker said.

House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II said there was nothing wrong with anyone discussing issues involving Corona. ■ “Even the respondent, Chief Justice Corona, who is supposedly within the jurisdiction of the impeachment court, how many times has he attacked the Senate?” Gonzales said. With reports from Christian V. Esguerra and Cynthia D. Balana

KMU HAILS ARREST WARRANT ISSUED FOR 25-YEAR OLD OLALIA SLAY

BY JEROME ANING

Philippine Daily Inquirer THE KILUSANG Mayo Uno (KMU) welcomed the Antipolo City Regional Trial Court’s issuance of arrest warrants against the 13 suspects in the torture and murder of the militant labor group’s leader Rolando Olalia and his aide Leonor Alay-ay more than 25 years ago.

“We will push for the prosecution and jailing of those responsible for the torture and death of our comrades,” KMU chair Elmer Labog said in a statement.

Labog said KMU remained “firm in the belief” that elements from the Rebolusyonaryong Alyansang Makabansa (RAM) were responsible for the torture and death of our comrades. He said the Olalia-alayay slays were part of the so-called “Oplan God Save the Queen,” a destabilization plot against the government of thenpresident Corazon Aquino.

The labor leader, however, said KMU also believed that the Aquino administration was behind the resurrection of the case.

“President Aquino’s government revived the Olalia-alay-ay case to put pressure on senator-judges in the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona, namely senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Gringo Honasan who are known leaders of the RAM,” Labog claimed.

The issuance of arrest warrants against the 13 suspects—soldiers and former military officers—all came after a fake KMU press release circulated in the media wherein the labor group was appealing for the government to reopen the case.

“We will continue to fight for justice for our comrades Olalia and Alay-ay. Given the circumstances within which their cases have been revived, however, we are not expecting much from this process,” Labog said. ■

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News-Phils Poor Batangas town also wants to lure Taal tourists

BY MARICAR CINCO MALVAR, Batangas Philippine Daily Inquirer BUSINESSMEN wishing to cash in on Taal Volcano’s tourism market are asking the local government to put pressure on a tollway operator to rush a project to open a road exit to Balete town in this province.

The exit will provide the shortest link to travelers and tourists from Manila to Balete, a fifth-class municipality (annual income: P15 million-p25 million) which offers a close view of the volcano and boat rides to tourists going to its lake, Pedrito Kalaw, chair of the Batangas Chamber of Commerce, said.

At present, Kalaw said, motorists using the STAR (Southern Tagalog Arterial Road) Tollway, a 42-kilometer southward expressway connecting Manila and Batangas, must take the Tambo exit in Lipa City and the national road to reach Balete.

PNP to form ‘reserve’ unit

BY DJ YAP Philippine Daily Inquirer DIRECTOR General Nicanor A. Bartolome of the Philippine National Police (PNP) wants to tap some 100,000 criminology students nationwide to form a “Police Reserve Unit” that will provide quick response in emergencies.

The PNP chief said he instructed the Directorate for Plans and Directorate for Operation to study the feasibility of establishing a reserve squad composed of volunteers from universities all over the country.

The police reserves, he said in a statement, “will serve as source of manpower that will help provide quick response during disasters and calamities.” ■

An alternate route to the town is the Bulihan exit in Malvar town, but even that would eat up travel time when passing through the national road. As a result, traffic volume increases in the already densely populated Lipa, where several schools and malls are found.

“This hampers economic growth in Batangas. Instead of tourists wanting to go to Balete or Malarayat, they choose to go somewhere else because of the heavy traffic,” Kalaw said.

The Balete exit is between Bulihan (Km 70) and Tambo (Km 82).

North Batangas summit The Batangas Business Chamber, which has 150 members, brought out the tollway issue during the 6th North Batangas Summit in Malvar on Jan. 27. The biennial conference on economic development, ecology and tourism has been hosted by the First Asia Institute of Technology and Humanities since 2002.

Attending the meeting were stakeholders from the third district (Agoncillo, Alitagtag, Balete, Cuenca, Laurel, Malvar, Mataas na Kahoy, San Nicolas, Santa Teresita, Santo

Tomas, Talisay and Tanauan City) and the fourth district (Ibaan, Padre Garcia, Rosario, San Jose, San Juan, Taysan and Lipa). The two areas compose North Batangas.

The chamber said that Balete could generate revenues equivalent to 10-20 percent of the income that Tagaytay City in Cavite was enjoying because of its view of the Taal Volcano. It placed income from property development in Malarayat, a mountain range in Lipa, at millions of pesos.

A related concern the group raised was the opening of a second lane on the portion of the STAR Tollway that connects Lipa and Batangas City, where the Batangas port is located. A number of business locators have complained that some portions of the highway were dimly lit at night and were rarely being patrolled by lawmen.

Tollway accidents “Since only one lane is operational, the tendency is for the motorists to overtake slower vehicles and this commonly results in accidents,” Kalaw said. Records of the Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group showed at least two fatal road accidents occurring on the STAR Tollway

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2012 6

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every quarter.

The average number of vehicles passing through the expressway daily last year was 21,000, according to records of its operator, STAR Tollway Corp.

“They’re giving us reasons that only a few vehicles pass by the STAR Tollway (hence less priority is given). But they wouldn’t listen that the reason there were few vehicles was that people were afraid to take the STAR Tollway,” Kalaw said.

Adolfo Dioquino Jr., president and chief executive officer of STAR Tollway Corp., said the proposals for the Balete exit and the additional lane were being reviewed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for recommendation to the Toll Regulatory Board.

Dioquino said the other proposals included improving the lighting system and setting up security cameras.

“The local government should do the lobbying to speed these up. There has to be pressure somewhere [and] if necessary, we might write them a resolution,” Kalaw said.

“It’s already beyond our control because the documents were already submitted to the DPWH,” he said. ■

EX-NBI chief won’t go to DOJ probe

BY JAYMEE T. GAMIL Philippine Daily Inquirer DISMISSED National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Magtanggol Gatdula will not be showing up if asked to appear in a Department of Justice (DOJ) probe into the kidnapping complaint filed by an illegal immigrant, Gatdula’s lawyer Abraham Espejo said last February 16.

Last February 14, Japanese Noriyo Ohara finally filed with the DOJ kidnapping complaints against Gatdula and NBI security officers.

Ohara was arrested by the NBI in October 2011 for being an undocumented alien. The case has been the subject of a DOJ factfinding probe since December. In January, the fact-finding panel released a report recommending that kidnapping and serious illegal detention complaints be filed against Gatdula.

The recommendation led to the sacking of Gatdula by President Aquino.

To defend himself, Gatdula has filed a certiorari petition with the Manila regional trial courts seeking to nullify the DOJ fact-finding panel and its report.

The petition also sought a preliminary injunction that would stop the implementation of the factfinding panel’s recommendations, including that of filing criminal complaints and conducting a preliminary investigation against Gatdula.

While the petition is being heard in his sala, Manila RTC Branch 8 Judge Felixberto Olalia Jr. granted a temporary restraining order against the DOJ fact-finding panel. The TRO is set to lapse on Feb. 20.

It was this court order that Espejo alleged was “disrespected” and “disregarded” by the DOJ, when they still pushed through with the probe on Gatdula following Ohara’s complaint.

“If they will continue with their preliminary investigation, we will file a motion to suspend proceedings because we still have a pending case [at the Manila RTC],” Gatdula told reporters, last

February 16.

“Why would we show up there [at the preliminary investigation]? That would be throwing away all we’ve worked for here [at the Manila RTC],” Espejo said.

Espejo made the statements after Thursday’s hearing on Gatdula’s petition in Olalia’s sala. The Manila judge deferred resolving the petition, after the Office of the Solicitor General, representing Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and the DOJ fact-finding panel, filed a motion to have Gatdula’s petition declared “moot and academic.”

“We don’t know if our [petition for preliminary injunction] will be granted, but as to whether Secretary De Lima, would follow it, we no longer know. At the rate things are going, it seems it is no longer trendy to follow court orders,” a sarcastic Espejo said, in Filipino.

He averred that Ohara was simply pressured by the DOJ into signing a criminal complaint against Gatdula. ■

Detail phone, grocery bills in new SALN forms

BY LEILA B. SALAVERRIA Philippine Daily Inquirer

IF YOU’RE working for the government, better keep track of your cell phone, grocery bills and even that of toiletries.

The revised form for the statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) that civil servants must file on April 30 asks them to reveal far more about their finances than the old form. Among the things that government officials have to declare in the new SALN form are the estimated amounts of their personal and family expenses.

They also have to disclose the amount and sources of their gross income, aside from their salaries, if any. They must reveal as well the amount of income taxes they paid.

The old SALN form required civil servants to declare their assets, consisting of real, personal and other properties; liabilities, such as loans or mortgages; business interests and financial connections, and relatives in government service.

In the new form, these, and more, must be

disclosed.

There has been much ado over SALNS recently in relation to the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona, who has been accused of failing to disclose several assets in his SALN. Travel, Internet, cable The personal expenses that government workers have to declare could include allowances for mobile phone plan, toiletries, food, clothing and travel, according to the guidelines of the Civil Service Commission (CSC).

Family expenses include electricity and water bills, groceries, Internet and cable service fees, food expenses, tuition and home mortgage payments.

The amounts do not have to be exact up to the last centavo; estimates are allowed.

Details, please CSC Chair Francisco Duque said that in declaring expenses, government employees have to provide details. They could not just declare one amount representing the estimate for personal or family

expenses.

“It can’t be that generalized. There has to be some details,” Duque said over the phone.

In the new SALN form, the names of unmarried children below 18 years old and living in the household must be disclosed.

As in the old SALN form, government employees must declare their assets and liabilities, but they must include those of their spouses and unmarried children below 18.

Stocks, bonds The CSC said that assets even outside the Philippines must be declared. Civil servants must indicate as well in the SALN if their personal properties are tangible or intangible (stocks, bonds, notes, long-term contracts, and rights such as lease agreements and copyrights). As for their liabilities, the SALN form requires officials to declare the outstanding balance.

It also requires officials to indicate if they are filing the SALNS jointly or separately with their spouses.

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The SALN form states that for computation purposes, the acquisition cost of the assets should be used. The properties of unmarried children below 18 years old would be excluded, as well as the exclusive properties of the spouse, if they filed their SALNS separately.

Penalty Under the Uniform Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service, failure to submit the SALN is punishable by a one- to six-month suspension for the first offense and dismissal from service for the second offense.

The revision of the SALN form was done to comply with the provisions of the antigraft law. The old SALN form only conformed with the code of conduct and ethical standards for public officials and employees.

Under the antigraft law, public officers are required to file their SALNS, including the amounts and sources of their income, the amounts of family expenses, and the amount of income taxes paid. ■

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A News-Phils ‘Small lady’ also went to lawmaker’s house in QC TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2012 8

BY CHRISTIAN V. ESGUERRA Philippine Daily Inquirer From a “small lady” to a congressman. The plot last February 16 thickened as to how prosecutors got hold of purported copies of Chief Justice Renato Corona’s bank records, now under a microscope in his ongoing impeachment trial.

Annabelle Tiongson, manager of the Philippine Savings Bank (Psbank) Katipunan branch, testified that she was approached last Jan. 31 by Quezon City Rep. Jorge “Bolet” Banal seeking her assistance on verifying a photocopy of the Chief Justice’s bank document.

Tiongson said she did not accommodate Banal, a former councilor who purportedly walked into the branch and introduced himself as a “congressman already.”

“I’m sorry. That’s not possible,” she recalled telling Banal, who introduced himself to her as a congressman.

Apart from being told that he was “part of the secretariat” of some group, the witness said she no longer sought an elaboration “because I was so shocked with what he showed me.”

Tiongson said she asked how Banal got the documents, but was told: “I will tell you if you help us, as soon as you help us.” The congressman supposedly added: “So many people are helping us.”

Tiongson’s account prompted Sen. Miriam Defensor-santiago to move that Banal be subpoenaed by the impeachment court.

Rebuff confirmed Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, the presiding officer, granted the motion, but it was later modified into an “invitation” out of the principle of inter-parliamentary courtesy.

Banal showed up at the session hall and volunteered to give his version of the story. He admitted showing the document to Tiongson and was rebuffed.

“She was very firm, but she was very polite. She told me that she really couldn’t (do it) and I also didn’t want her to do anything against her will,” he told the court.

“I’m sorry if I caused any problem. I just wanted to help our team.

On hindsight, it seems what I did only made things worse,” he added in Filipino. He was asked to return during the trial on Monday to answer questions from senatorjudges.

Banal, a deputy majority leader and ex-officio member of the House committee on justice who belongs to the prosecution team’s secretariat, said he got the paper from an anonymous sender who purportedly left it outside his house at St. Ignatius Village in Quezon City.

P-noy says he and Grace Lee are ‘doing well’

BY NORMAN BORDADORA Philippine Daily Inquirer TWO days after Valentine’s Day, President Aquino said all’s well with him and Korean media personality Grace Lee. Visibly surprised at a question on how things were between him and Lee, Mr. Aquino said: “Maayos naman ( We’re doing well).”

The President fielded questions from students from various universities and colleges at a forum at the La Consolacion College.

One of the interviewers premised his question as regards Lee on his being a student and his being the president of a law school organization.

“That is quite related to [the] law,” a smiling Mr. Aquino said when he heard the question.

“In the Constitution, there’s a thing called privacy. Perhaps I can also enjoy that right under Article 3,” Mr. Aquino said.

He then asked the public to spare Lee’s family from undue curiosity as they have nothing to do with the two of them dating.

“Her mother has a grocery store. This is a true story. There are those who want to poke around and went to her mother, who still has nothing to do with what we have agreed on,” he said.

“What her mother did was pretend to be one of the customers in the store so she could leave the store and not be harassed. I don’t think anybody would be happy if we would do that. It’s bad for those who unduly get involved and are affected,” he said.

In early February, the President admitted that he was dating Lee, the first time Mr. Aquino categorically confirmed it to the media.

Just a couple of hours later, Lee confirmed Mr. Aquino’s remarks over GMA television where she is the show biz segment anchor in a news program. ■

He said it contained a handwritten note “$700K.” He said he wanted to make sure that the figure meant $700,000 so he “tried my luck” with Tiongson.

Banal said he got a separate paper pertaining to a separate $300,000 deposit allegedly of Corona. He said he met with the informant, a woman, at his father’s house in St. Ignatius. He said he never got to confirm the information.

“It’s true that there are also others helping us,” he said.

‘Small lady’ Sen. Loren Legarda earlier noted that Tiongson was approached by Banal two days before an alleged “small lady” handed over what seemed to be the same set of documents contained in an envelope to Rep. Reynaldo Umali, a House prosecutor.

Umali claimed he could not recall circumstances regarding the woman. Senate CCTV cameras showed that no woman had given the prosecutor such an envelope on Feb. 2, the day of the supposed incident.

Under Enrile’s questioning, Tiongson said Banal’s visit came before Psbank President Pascual Garcia ordered that Corona’s bank records be transferred from the Katipunan branch to the head office for “safekeeping.”

During the visit, Tiongson said the congressman carried a photocopy of what appeared to be Corona’s specimen signature cards.

She said Banal was showing only portions of the document, but she said she saw the name of the Chief Justice anyway.

After the congressman left, she said she checked the bank’s vault and found that Corona’s specimen signature cards were still inside.

Santiago commended Tiongson for rebuffing Banal.

“So he was just making an overture and you frustrated him?” she told the witness. “Very good of you as a bank official obeying the law.”

Entries appear authentic Enrile questioned Garcia why some entries in the copies of the leaked bank documents of Corona appeared to be authentic. A copy of these documents had been attached to the prosecution’s request to subpoena the Chief Justice’s bank records at Psbank.

“The information is authentic but between annex and the original, the way some of that information is indicated is different,” Garcia testified.

Enrile asked him: “How would anybody know those (pieces of) information—although they were not properly indicated according to your bank procedures in a document—be in the hands of other

people?”

Garcia said he had “no idea” and added: “The personal details are authentic. Most of the details are authentic up to a certain point. But there are differences.”

Enrile replied: “Precisely! To the extent of the authentic details, those could not have been known to people if they had no access to your documents.” ■

Customs steps up crackdown on contraband

BY JEROME ANING Philippine Daily Inquirer THE BUREAU of Customs has stopped the release of two container vans with P400 million worth of counterfeit products, including medicine, from the Port of Manila.

Deputy Customs Commissioner for Intelligence Danilo Lim said the two vans were declared to contain plastic wares and bags.

Upon inspection, however, the vans were found to contain counterfeit wrist watches, luxury bags, Tuseran Forte capsules; cell phone batteries carrying the Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Motorola and Samsung brands, and cell phone chargers.

Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon earlier ordered the seizure of P35 million worth of misdeclared and undervalued candies, outboard motors, motor oils, electric meters, water skiing devices and equipment for the manufacture of illegal drugs.

Agents under Deputy Commissioner for Enforcement Horacio Suansing Jr. discovered the contraband at the Manila International Container Port.

As a result of the seizures, the customs bureau has placed under investigation various firms such as Imax Harbor, Scan Marine Inc., Genesis Grace Trading, Extreme Five Trading Corp., Telsphere International Trading Corp., and WA Bitancor Enterprises.

“Because of the bureau’s higher collection target this year, I have ordered all our people to be more vigilant to ensure that no contraband is able to enter the country,” Biazon said. ■

Antipolo vows to bring back splendor of Taktak falls

BY NIÑA CALLEJA Philippine Daily Inquirer CAN IT still live up to the song that invites us to take a dip in its salubrious waters?

Hinulugang Taktak, Antipolo’s famed waterfalls once known as a favorite summer picnic spot for weekend tourists, remains a shadow of its old splendor, despite improved resort amenities in the city and rehabilitation plans announced three years ago.

On a bad day, a foul smell assaults visitors at the entrance of the sprawling 3.2-hectare recreation area. When the INQUIRER dropped by recently, the lagoon at the foot of the waterfalls was almost entirely covered in snow-white soap suds from upstream laundry and sewage water waste.

“This happens after long periods without rain. But after a rain shower, the garbage is flushed towards Manila Bay,” said Antonio Suner, a maintenance worker at the park.

Hinulugang Taktak, named for the gushing waters of Taktak River and a 16th century legend about a church bell thrown ( hinulog) into the steep cascade, was declared a national historical shrine in 1990 by the National Historical Institute.

It was later listed as a protected area by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). In 2009, the local government and the DENR agreed to manage the area and work for its rehabilitation for three years.

The two agencies then announced plans to pool P100 million for the task. City Hall and the DENR then pledged P30 million each for the effort.

Far cry Suner, however, could only point to the renovated swimming pool, newly-built toilets and a souvenir shop as the new changes. The

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rehab, apparently, had not extended to the waterfalls. Hinulugang Taktak today is a far cry from the tourist attraction once immortalized in the bouncy folk song “Tayo na sa Antipolo,” which sings praises of a bather’s paradise and a perfect spot to enjoy local treats like mangoes, cashew nut and a sticky rice delicacy.

Officials of the City Environment and Waste Management Office (CEWMO) and the DENR provincial office admitted that the rehabilitation plan trumpeted in 2009 did not materialize.

“What P100 million?” CEWMO head Jocelyn Masangkay and DENR provincial office chief Raymundo Crisostomo replied in separate interviews when the INQUIRER asked them for updates.

Masangkay said it was a proposal made three years ago that eventually lost traction due to changes in government personnel.

Since the signing of the 2009 agreement, its main accomplishment so far has been the creation of a local Protected Area Management Board currently chaired by Mayor Nilo Leyble and the DENR regional director.

But while it may seem to be most doable solution for now, the periodic cleanup has become a frustrating exercise since people living upstream continue to treat Taktak River as a dump. “Our hands are tied. We cannot intervene fully in the rehabilitation because DENR still has the upper hand,” Leyble said.

Hopeful Yet Crisostomo is hopeful. “The river is not yet dead. I can still see small fish from time to time.”

Masangkay said her office submitted a proposal recently to Leyble for the construction of a P13-million facility that can “cleanse the water flowing to the waterfall.”

Still, technology can only offer a short-term solution. “The longterm goal is to educate the people and make them care for the river,” Masangkay said. ■

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TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2012 10

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Black eye’ in Argentina: Senators want answers

BY BY TJ BURGONIO Philippine Daily Inquirer THE SENATE last February 15 directed the Department of Foreign Affairs to recall the Philippine ambassador to Buenos Aires and to summon the Argentine ambassador to the Philippines over the Feb. 11 post-fight attack on winning Filipino boxer Johnriel Casimero by an angry mob in Argentina.

In the afternoon, the DFA summoned Argentine Ambassador to the Philippines Joaquin Daniel Otero to express the country’s “concern about the riot and ask for an explanation on the action taken by the Argentinian government.

Malacañang said it was likewise concerned over the Feb. 11 incident but would leave it to the DFA to act on the Senate resolution.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile had moved for the adoption of a resolution directing the DFA to recall Philippine Ambassador Rey Carandang and summon

Wrong witnesses arrive for Maguindanao massacre trial

BY JULIE M. AURELIO Philippine Daily Inquirer A PROSECUTOR in the Maguindanao massacre had to ask a Quezon City court to defer the court date of two election officers after a different pair of poll officials—the wrong ones—arrived in Manila.

This was because the Commission on Elections (Comelec) had reportedly sent the wrong set of officers to testify yesterday on matters which may be relevant to the multiple murder case.

Judge Jocelyn Solis-reyes granted state prosecutor Peter Medalle’s appeal to reset the presentation of their Comelec witnesses to next week.

In a hearing last February 16, the prosecution was prompted to ask for a change in schedule after the unintended switch which delayed the hearing by an hour.

Medalle told the court that they planned to have Cotabato City election officers Mary Ann Mangundadatu and Heidi Mamalinta take the witness stand but they didn’t show up.

The prosecution learned that two other officers—estelita Urbase and Elsa Atilin—arrived in Manila on last February 15 instead.

Delay allowed The court allowed the deferment despite the defense panel’s objections through lawyer Paris Real who said such incidents were a waste of government resources such as time and money.

Medalle maintained that they had coursed their request in a letter to the Comelec.

“If the Comelec sends the wrong persons, are we obliged to present the wrong people to save on resources?” the prosecutor asked.

‘Incompetent’ The state prosecutor said they could not present Urbase and Atilin as they were not the ones that they had asked the Comelec to present and that the pair were incompetent to testify.

The “correct” witnesses, Medalle said, were assigned to the Comelec satellite office in Cotabato City prior to the Nov. 23, 2009, Maguindanao massacre. ■

Otero after Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III delivered a speech condemning the attack.

The Senate adopted the resolution but the presiding officer, Sen. Loren Legarda, was quick to point out that Manila was not severing its ties with Buenos Aires.

Sotto called the attack a “black eye” on the image of Argentinians. Enrile described it as a “sordid and unfortunate incident.”

“The manner by which they mistreated, assaulted, and insulted the honor of the country, as well as the person of that Philippine team, especially our boxer, I move that we direct the Department of Foreign Affairs under our power to ratify treaties, and to ratify the assignments of ambassadors of this country … to recall our ambassador to Buenos Aires, and to call the ambassador of Argentina to this country to explain why they have the temerity to assault the flag, the honor, the dignity of this country represented by our boxer that went to their country thinking that their country is a civilized country, and not a country of

abnormal, uncivilized people,” Enrile said.

Enrile made the manifestation after Sotto said he was not aware of any action on the attack by the Philippine Embassy in Buenos Aires.

Argentinian TKOD After Casimero stopped Argentine Luis Alberto Lazarte in Round 10 of their fight in Mar del Plata in Argentina, boxing fans hurled bottles and chairs into the ring.

Some climbed into the ring and pounced on Casimero and his boxing team. They suffered injuries.

DFA spokesperson Raul Hernandez said the deputy chief of mission of the Argentine Embassy in Manila “apologized to the DFA” over the incident.

Hernandez said the Philippine Embassy in Buenos Aires filed a protest on Feb. 13 with the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the Feb. 11 riot that put the lives of Casimero and his team “in danger.”

“We are now waiting for their explanation

and response,” he said in a text message.

Quoting the Philippine Embassy in Buenos Aires, Hernandez said that Argentine police secured and escorted Casimero and his team to their hotel, and stood guard till the next morning “to ensure their safety.”

“Argentine boxer Lazarte and his fight promoter both went to the hotel to personally apologize for the incident,” he said.

Sotto, who showed a video of the attack in his privilege speech, said he was disturbed by the statement made to the press by Osvaldo Bisbal, president of the Argentine Boxing Commission, that there was “nobody to punish for the ugly post-fight riot.”

Casimero, who turned 22 yesterday, was still mourning the death of his younger brother when he stopped Lazarte in the 10th round, winning the vacant International Boxing Federation light flyweight crown.

According to his mother, Linda, who’s a beautician, Casimero’s 17year-old brother Jerard had died on Jan. 21 of a heart ailment. ■

Mercury now most sought-after metal

BY VINCENT CABREZA, Northern Luzon Philippine Daily Inquirer BAGUIO CITY—Mercury, which is gradually being phased out by government, has become as valuable as gold and must now be collected and stored safely to keep the highly toxic liquid metal from the public, an environment advocate said in a forum here on last February 14.

World metal prices, which drove up local gold prices in 2010, has made a kilogram of mercury worth P30,000, up from P10,000 a kg in 2009, said Richard Gutierrez, executive director of Ban Toxic, an anti-mercury use advocate.

In 2008, former Health Secretary Francisco Duque III ordered the phaseout of equipment that use mercury—like thermometers and blood pressure monitors— because of their ill effects on the brain and immune system.

The biggest question, however, is where to store the toxic metal that is still in circulation, said Gutierrez.

He said government should consider converting the only mercury mine in Palawan into a permanent underground storage for the liquid metal “because the options are limited for a country that is beset by every natural disaster known to the planet.”

He said the European Union has been developing a German salt mine as permanent underground depository for Europe’s 9,000 tons of mercury because it was the most stable cavern in the area.

The American government secured its 5,000 tons of mercury in flasks that are sealed in metal drums in a heavily guarded warehouse in Navada, Gutierrez said.

He said some groups in the country suggested exporting mercury to the German salt mines, but the cost would be too high.

Government has programmed the rehabilitation of abandoned mines (also called legacy mines because of their age and importance to mining history) that could be possible safe storage areas for mercury.

But the geological instability of many of these mines is a concern, said said Clarence Baguilat, Cordillera environment director.

Baguilat said Palawan, where mining firms are operating, is the most stable island in the country.

Puerto Princesa used to host the Palawan

Quicksilver Mine, which produced mercury in the 1950s until falling prices forced its owners to stop operations in the 1970s, Gutierrez said.

The high cost of mercury alone should be incentive for government to find ways to store it, he said. ■

GMA ALLIES WORKING TO IMPEACH P-NOY

BY GIL C. CABACUNGAN Philippine Daily Inquirer THE HOUSE minority is keen on taking on the challenge of Chief Justice Renato Corona to impeach President Aquino for allegedly intervening in the Senate impeachment court.

But a former opposition member urged the minority bloc to be more discriminating in choosing “more relevant and seasonable issues” in its criticisms of the Aquino administration instead of riding on “nonissues” just to hit the President.

In a press conference, Minority Leader Danilo Suarez said: “No less than the Chief Justice has declared that the President committed an impeachable offense intruding into the procedure of the impeachment. We have to look into that.”

In a statement shortly after his defense team accused Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa of dangling P100 million in additional projects to senators allegedly in exchange for their support to oust Corona, the Chief Justice said the “President has clearly committed an impeachable

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offense when he came out swinging by openly urging the senatorjudges to disobey the Constitution [ that] he has personally sworn to uphold.”

Suarez said the minority would take up in a meeting Corona’s proposal and the letter of Danilo Lihaylihay urging the opposition to file an impeachment case against the President.

But Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, former Minority Leader, said that the subject of Lihaylihay’s complaint was a government transaction involving a Baguio City property 20 years ago.

“It is a relic which should be consigned to the archives rather than exhumed as a possible ground for impeachment of President Aquino since it is bereft of legal and factual anchorage.

The execution of the deed of absolute sale by President Aquino on Sept. 16, 2011, in favor of the winning bidder and purchaser, SM Group, which fully paid the purchase price in 1997, was only confirmatory of the legal transaction and mandated by law,” said Lagman in a statement.■

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TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2012

SAVE RICE TERRACES BID STARTS

BY VINCENT CABREZA, Inquirer Northern Luzon AND LEILA SALAVERRIA IN MANILA Philippine Daily Inquirer BAGUIO CITY—A technical engineering team sent to Ifugao last week by Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala has finalized a work plan for restoring the province’s rice terraces and for reviving its watershed, the agency’s Cordillera director said.

It would take a year to employ an operational plan to begin work on the Batad rice terraces in Banaue town, said Marilyn Sta. Catalina, DA Cordillera director.

“This would be a series of work plans,” she said, which would also cover the rice terraces clusters in the towns of Mayoyao, Hungduan and Kiangan.

On Feb. 1, the provincial government mounted a series of tourism projects aimed at drawing tourists who may want to volunteer work or resources in helping repair the better-known Batad rice terraces, which were damaged across years of unusually strong monsoon rains.

P36.2 million for Batad Sta. Catalina said government will start with Batad because of its economic impact on the province’s tourism.

She said work on Batad entails up to P36.2 million in funds from an interagency task force, composed of the DA, the National Irrigation Administration, the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Ifugao Cultural Heritage Office (Icho) and local governments hosting five rice terraces clusters.

These clusters were declared by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) as among the World Heritage Sites.

In a task force meeting on Feb. 8 and 9, the agencies’ representatives said extreme climate led to the destruction of 38 sections of rice terraces in different Ifugao towns, a DA fact sheet showed.

Officials had urged the national government to hasten restoration work so farmers could recover from farm losses estimated to have reached P250.8 million, following the onslaught of Typhoons “Pedring” and “Quiel” last year.

But the terrace losses have been offset by a 7.1 percent increase in overall rice yield in the region in 2011, owing to a wider production area in Kalinga, a hybrid rice-producing province, said Danilo Daguio, DA Cordillera technical director for operations.

Palay production grew from 400,415 metric tons (MT) in 2010 to 428,949 MT last year, the DA said.

Indigenous over hybrid rice Daguio said Filipino scientists were able to develop a coldresistant, high-yield rice variety for the terraces but Ifugao farmers refused to replace their traditional “tinawon” (literally, once a year) varieties.

Sta. Catalina said the hybrid rice grains were too fragile and crumble easily, which farmers rejected in favor of tinawon because that variety could be stored for a longer period.

Reflecting on the potentials for high-value organic markets of tinawon and other upland rice, Sta. Catalina said the DA allowed the DA Cordillera to realign funds meant for popularizing high-yield rice in favor of propagating indigenous rice.

The plans for restoring the terraces now include provisions for community tinawon seed banking and rebuilding 25 hectares of denuded watersheds using indigenous tree varieties.

The project also requires the government to increase the forest cover of a combined 12 hectares of muyong.

Muyong are clan woodlots which serve as buffer between the settlements and the communal rainforests at the top of the hills or mountains where the terraces are carved, according to the book, “Impact: Sustainable Tourism and the Preservation of the World Heritage Site of the Ifugao Rice Terraces.” ■

News-Phils Awkward moment as Vizconde, Webb meet in Senate hallway

BY CATHY C. YAMSUAN Philippine Daily Inquirer OR A BRIEF, silent and totally awkward moment, widower Lauro Vizconde and former Sen. Freddie Webb saw themselves in the same hallway and nearly took the same elevator right after the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona last February 14.

Vizconde had just stepped out of the Senate infirmary at about 5 p.m. when he and other members of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) saw Webb leaving the Senate lounge a few meters away.

The lounge and the infirmary are both on the second floor of the Senate building.

“He (Webb) walked right in front of us,” Vizconde’s nephew Geejay de Lumen said.

“Their eyes met but no one said anything. We would have rode the elevator together had not our group stood back to let him go first.

Otherwise, it would have been very awkward inside,” De Lumen said in a phone interview.

Complying with subpoena Vizconde was in the Senate to comply with a subpoena that ordered him to expound on how Corona had allegedly warned him that Supreme Court senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio was pressuring other justices to vote for the acquittal of murder convict Hubert Webb.

The former senator, Hubert’s father, has been frequently seen in the VIP area of the Senate session hall over the past few weeks of the trial.

Hubert, with several others, were supposed to serve a life sentence for the murders of Vizconde’s wife Estrellita and daughters Carmela and Jennifer on July 30, 1991.

However, the Supreme Court issued a decision in December 2010 acquitting them after noting that star witness Jessica Alfaro had failed to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

Vizconde was required to be in the Senate so he could testify on Article 3, which accuses the Chief Justice of failure to “observe stringent standards of competence, integrity, probity and independence.”

Prosecutors said Corona was liable for receiving Vizconde, a litigant in a case, in his chambers and revealing information about the case.

Vizconde, who was initially hesitant to testify against the Chief Justice, said Corona only made the revelation in an attempt to alert him about Carpio’s efforts.

But the widower eventually decided to appear in the impeachment trial after realizing that Corona had failed to discipline Carpio despite what he knew.

Testimony no longer needed De Lumen said his uncle spent an hour at the holding area for witnesses at the start of the trial on Tuesday but was transferred to the infirmary after experiencing dizziness.

De Lumen said his uncle, a diabetic, apparently experienced low blood sugar at the time and was given emergency treatment in the infirmary.

Vizconde left the Senate without testifying in the impeachment court after Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile agreed to end the proceedings early at the request of both defense and prosecution panels whose members wished to spend Valentine’s Day with loved ones.

Yesterday, however, De Lumen said Vizconde was advised by House prosecutor Sherwin Tugna of the Cibac party-list group that the widower’s testimony would no longer be needed.

De Lumen said Tugna sent word that the prosecutors would no longer pursue Article 3 of the impeachment complaint and would go straight to Article 7, which accuses Corona of showing “partiality” by issuing a temporary restraining order against the Department of Justice that would have allowed former President Gloria Macapagal-arroyo to go abroad for medical treatment. ■

Kindergarten now a must in public school, law says

BY TARRA QUISMUNDO Philippine Daily Inquirer

move in implementing the administration’s flagship K-12 (Kindergarten to 12) program, which extends the basic education cycle from 10 years to 12. The program aims to produce more competent Filipino high school graduates.

THE GOVERNMENT is moving to strengthen a kindergarten The law mandates Deped to “regulate the organization, system to comply with a law making preschool a requisite for entry operation and/or implementation of the kindergarten education to Grade 1. program of both public and private schools.”

President Aquino signed the law on Jan. 20 and will formally It requires the use of the student’s mother tongue or first announce its enactment in a ceremony attended by education language (depending on location) as the official medium of officials and lawmakers in Malacañang on Feb. 27. instruction. For instance, kindergarten classes in Cebu will The Department of Education (Deped) disseminated to school be taught in Cebuano while those in Bicol will be taught in officials copies of Republic Act No. 10157, or the Kindergarten Bicolano.

Education Act, which makes kindergarten “the first stage of In case students in one class have different mother tongues or compulsory and mandatory formal education.” the teacher does not speak her student’s first language, Deped “Kindergarten education is vital to the academic and technical development of the Filipino child for it is the period when the young will determine the appropriate medium of instruction to be used.

The law also lays down teaching methods for kindergarten, mind’s absorptive capacity for learning is at its sharpest,” according including story-telling, manipulative games and small group to the law. discussions.

Under the law, 5-year-olds will be required to take up a year in The law also instructs Deped to establish a new division kindergarten in preparation for entry to Grade 1. under the Bureau of Elementary Education to oversee the Preschool is known to improve a child’s performance in grade implementation of the kindergarten program and ensure that its school and arrest the incidence of early dropout. requirements are fulfilled. ■ Deped views the institutionalization of kindergarten as a key

SC ORDERS HEARING ON FIL-AM’S CASE BYJEROME ANING Philippine Daily Inquirer THE SUPREME Court has ordered the Court of Appeals to conduct a special summary hearing on the case of Filipino-american activist Melissa Roxas, who charged that she was abducted and tortured by military agents in Tarlac three years ago.

The Supreme Court, in a decision dated Feb. 6 and which was released this month, said the appellate court hearing should take into account the confidential reports gathered by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Roxas’ abduction. New witnesses, informants and CHR field investigators who figured in the reports would also be asked to appear at the hearing. Roxas, who lives in San Diego, California, was participating in an exposure program under the auspices of the militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan when she and two companions were allegedly abducted on May 9, 2009.

She claimed her abductors and torturers, whom she identified only as Dex, RC and Rose, wanted her to admit that she was a member of

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the Communist Party of the Philippines and its outlawed paramilitary wing, the New People’s Army. She was freed after 16 days.

In September 2010, the Supreme Court ordered the CHR to conduct a new investigation after ruling that Roxas had failed to present substantial proof of the liability of the persons she tagged as responsible for her abduction, among them, former Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, and military and police officers Victor Ibrado, Jesus Versoza, Delfin Bangit, Leon Nilo de la Cruz, Ralph Villanueva and Rudy Lacadin.

The high court said its ruling was partly attributable to the “lack of extraordinary diligence” on the part of the police and the military in investigating the case. “Before disposing of this case once and for all, we must ensure that each and every possible lead or theory was pursued and verified, and no stone was left unturned. This court is nothing short of hopeful that conducting this summary hearing may finally bring us closer to the elusive final disposition of this case,” the high tribunal said.

The CHR was said to have obtained new testimony from Joseph Jandoc, one of those abducted with Roxas. Jandoc, like Roxas, claimed to have seen the faces of their abductors, but he denied any government role in their abduction and torture.

Jandoc, however, never executed a written statement. ■

VIEWPOINT

Opinion

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2012 12

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Matching standards

BY JUAN L. MERCADO Philippine Daily Inquirer “FOCUS YOUR light,” grizzled editors often drill into young reporters. “Then, watch the cockroaches skitter. That could well be your story.”

This axiom unreels in the trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona, Mondays to Thursdays, starting at 2 p.m. Roaches scrammed from gapstudded statements of assets, liabilities and net worth to glitzy condos. Bank accounts were emptied on the day the articles of impeachment landed in the Senate.

Information ushers in transparency, the anchor of good governance. Thus, “The Right to Know, Right Now! Coalition” welcomed President Aquino’s delayed green light for the snarled Freedom of Information bill. FOI was “mugged by roll call” at the 14th Congress.

“They’re not all saints who use holy water.”

Congressmen pledged to ratify the FOI bill, When the vote was called, only 128 House members showed up—seven short of the 135 needed in a House of 268 members.

All Arroyos—diosdado, Maria Lourdes, Juan Miguel and the late Ignacio were “noshows”: Allies like Jesus Crispin Remulla; Pastor Alcover, Jovito Palparan (now a fugitive) vanished.

Allow us to check members, requested Representatives Erin Tañada, Joel Villanueva, Del de Guzman, Risa Hontiveros, Walden Bello and Satur Ocampo. Speaker Prospero Nograles

Pedro Romualdo (Camiguin) and allies instead gaveled FOI into the archives.

“In doing so, they built another ‘fire wall’ for the anticipated exposés of sleaze against their patron: Gloria Macapagal-arroyo,” Viewpoint (INQUIRER, 8/7/10) noted. “It mattered little that they fractured the constitutional directive for transparency.”

Section 7 of the Constitution provides for the citizen’s right to public information. State policy seeks full disclosure of transactions involving public interest.

In his first State of the Nation Address, however, P-noy didn’t bother with retrieving the gutted FOI measure. Thereafter, he expressed reservations about the measure.

“Many of us are puzzled,” INQUIRER columnist Cielito Habito wrote. “This (is) an uncharacteristic omission” by the President. By instinct, track record and policy, P-noy supports transparency. “Yet, no one beyond P-noy’s innermost circle seems to know the real reason for the omission…. One can only hope it’s not an ominous sign that enemies of transparency are gaining some headway in the new leadership.”

Those jitters were widely shared by the press.

Journalists persisted until this month when the President endorsed an FOI draft bill—finally.

This “clears the way for the long-overdue passage of the FOI bill,” said the press coalition, spearheaded by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. “We acknowledge efforts by reformers in the executive branch,

namely Budget Secretary Florencio ‘Butch’ Abad and Information Undersecretary Manuel L. Quezon III.” If passed, the FOI bill will adopt a uniform speedy procedure for people’s access to information. It also narrows the wide wiggle room “for administrative avoidance of disclosing information under current laws.” The bill “frees the broadest amount of non-sensitive information to... everyday needs of citizens” who avail of public services.

As drafted, the bill clamps limits on exceptions to release of sensitive information. It shifts to government the burden of proving exceptions.

Such exclusion “must be strictly construed,” so they may not be used to cover up crime.

The measure identifies “documents of high public interest that must be disclosed without need of request.” These would include the SALNS, often very difficult to access, as the Corona trial shows. Various mechanisms to widen access of information are proposed. New provisions for hefty penalties are tacked on.

“There will be continuing challenges that will have to be fought” even if the bill is passed.

“One is the struggle against abuse of broadening national security exceptions, under Malacañang amendments.”

The press coalition welcomed Mr. Aquino’s squashing of Memorandum Circular 78. This Aug. 14, 1964 guideline classifies sensitive documents into: top secret, secret, confidential, and restricted. “MC 78 is overbroad,” the press

group added.

Almost all government officials wield the power to classify. “Heads of departments have the authority to classify information as top secret or secret.” Worse, they may delegate that power to black out. “For confidential and restricted matter, any officer is authorized to make such classifications.

“Information that may be classified under MC 78 is practically unlimited. Top secret matters include “major governmental projects…”

Confidential matters need not involve matters of national security. (They) include “matters as would cause administrative embarrassment.”

Restricted include matters vaguely defined as “requiring special protection.”

Section 6 (a) of the bill authorizes the President to issue an executive order providing new classification guidelines. “What is left is the task of obtaining a reasonable definition and scope of national security.”

“We are made wise, not by our recollection of the past, but by the responsibilities for the future,” George Bernard Shaw cautions. What is the task of today’s journalists—many of them, women, young and well-educated elders—after the FOI act gets on the law books?

It is to match the broad freedoms granted with higher standards of competence and responsibility, we suggest. These help create an atmosphere of relevant reporting from a plurality of voices. “Deep calls unto deep,” the Psalmist writes. ■

GET REAL

P-noy resorting to demagoguery?

BY SOLITA COLLAS-MONSOD Philippine Daily Inquirer IF PRESIDENT Aquino actually believes that his campaign against corruption will stand or fall on the conviction or acquittal of Chief Justice Renato Corona by the impeachment court, then one can only conclude that P-noy’s campaign plan must have been half-baked from the start, and/or that he wasn’t really serious about it.

Why do I say that? Please review the first of P-noy’s 16-point “Social Contract with the Filipino People,” which vows “From a President who tolerates corruption to a President who is the nation’s first and most determined fighter of corruption.” The action plan accompanying this first point comprises 10 items—from “appointing officials based on their integrity, qualifications and performance record and hold them accountable to the highest ethical standards of public office” (performance so far: really mixed); to requiring the top officials of the executive department to have their SALNS “available and accessible to the public” (performance: poor); to upholding the people’s right to information and supporting the enactment of the Freedom of Information Bill in Congress (performance: lousy); implementation of the Prosecution Service Act (performance: lousy), the reader gets the drift.

Nowhere in that Social Contract did P-noy

say that its success would depend on getting rid of the incumbent Chief Justice. And if the reader will notice, if it was really that important, P-noy should have not waited for almost 18 months to start the process. Nor, having decided to start it, should he have allowed (let’s face it, he was calling the shots) his minions in Congress to pass such a flawed, practically baseless set of impeachment charges without even the benefit of discussion.

No, the impeachment and trial of Corona seems less likely to have anything to do with the desire to clean up corruption than it has with the desire to wreak vengeance.

What is more disturbing is that the President (if the news reports are accurate) is not only practically inciting the people to take matters into their own hands, but is also showing a dismal ignorance about how the will of the people is to be served. As in “Would Juan de la Cruz allow himself to be left out of this process? Are we going to let only a few to decide for all of us?” Good grief. Doesn’t he realize that he is one of those “few,” as are all legislators and local executives, and that they were chosen by the people precisely to carry out their will? Or does he want every decision to be subject to ratification by the people? Ridiculous, right?

The implication is that we can ignore, with impunity, the rule of law, the absence of which in this country has held back our growth and development.

Demagoguery is a dangerous tool—and can boomerang on the persons using it.

The President has reportedly also articulated his impatience with the slowness of the impeachment process. Well, he touches a sympathetic chord in me. But he forgets that a major contributing factor has been the lack of preparedness of the prosecution, both before and after the impeachment. As has become painfully clear during the trial, which is turning out to be one fishing expedition after another. Which brings up the question: of practically all of the “evidence” brought out in the trial obtained only after the trial began, what were the bases of the impeachment charges (Number Two) in the first place?

But let us also face it. Grandstanding and the seemingly irresistible urge of some senator-judges (SJS) to get into the fray and help one side or the other along have contributed as well to the delays.

That would be acceptable, if only the negatively affected parties/counsel could interpose objections the way they can with an opposing counsel. But they have been effectively muzzled by the new Senate Impeachment Rules, thus giving the SJS carte blanche to ask leading or irrelevant or immaterial questions, or even badger the protagonists without fear of retribution.

Was this also the case during the first impeachment trial (Estrada’s)? No. Then, Section 17 of the impeachment rules read:

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“……The parties or their counsel may interpose objections to witness answering questions propounded by any Senator and the merits of any such objections may be argued by the parties or their counsel…” In the current rules’ Section 17, that passage has been omitted.

It makes for a very unfair fight, don’t you agree? Moreover, it seems to have helped transform the procedure into a Senate investigation rather than a trial per se. I don’t care how sui generis (of its own kind) the process is. A Senate impeachment court is a court—not an investigating committee. Any investigation should have been completed beforehand.

What a difference from the impeachment trial of US President Clinton (Jan. 7, 1999Feb. 12, 1999) where the US Senate decided to give the prosecution and defense three days each to make their case with both sides required to limit their arguments to evidence already in the record (or be ruled out of order).

Plus, the senators asked their questions only in writing, the questions all to be propounded and answered during the allotted time. Also, witnesses were deposed (videotaped) rather than required to appear at trial.

The idea behind all this, said a Washington Post analyst at the time, was that the senators would act more like jurors executing impartial justice rather than political speechmakers.

And that is exactly what happened. ■

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TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2012

ANALYSIS

Opinion

Edsa—never again

BY AMANDO DORONILA Philippine Daily Inquirer SENATE PRESIDENT Juan Ponce Enrile, presiding judge of the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona, has firmly slammed the door to the idea of terminating the trial by declaring a mistrial based on allegations that certain senatorjudges were showing bias against Corona by aiding prosecutors.

Enrile issued the warning after Corona, claiming last February 13 that the impeachment trial has become an “inquisition” and has “lost the cold neutrality of an impartial judge” with Sen. Franklin Drilon and four other senators acting as partisan prosecutors, urged the Supreme Court to stop the trial.

Corona charged Senators Serge Osmeña III, Francis Pangilinan, Alan Peter Cayetano and Teofisto Guingona III, together with Drilon, of the Liberal Party (President Aquino’s party), with violating his right to due process by helping the prosecutors. The denunciation of the alleged bias introduced a highly political element of conflict in the trial which, since it began on Jan. 16, has been seen as akin to a courtroom trial where lawyers on both sides try to prove their case through the rules of court, hewing close to the evidence.

Osmeña saw in the Corona camp’s move “a strategy to declare there is mistrial.” But Enrile rejected the idea of a mistrial, saying,

“It’s farfetched.” Enrile said there was no basis to halt the proceeding, amid complaints of the defense panel against the five senators, perceived by the defense as allies of President Aquino.

In a petition filed hours after the impeachment tribunal voted 13-10 to respect a Supreme Court restraining order barring the opening of Corona’s dollar accounts with the Philippine Savings Bank, Corona claimed that the trial had become an “inquisition,” because “certain senators-judges have lost the cold neutrality of impartial judges, by acting as prosecutors.” He cited instances when “repeatedly, certain senator-judges have caused the production of documents and elicited testimonial admissions, greatly favoring the prosecution.”

It seems to me that Enrile, in his put-down on a mistrial declaration, was concerned over the dire prospects of the trial collapsing and the political consequences thereof. It appeared that Enrile is determined to finish the trial and would not allow a disruption that might lead to another People Power Revolution. This is the reason he declared: “There is no mistrial in an impeachment (trial). If you are guilty, it’s guilty. There’s no appeal. If you say not guilty, there’s also no appeal.”

Enrile underplayed the possibility of a walkout of defense lawyers, which might trigger another People Power uprising, as what took place during the 2001 impeachment trial

of President Joseph Estrada who was charged with corruption and abuse of power. The trial was disrupted after the prosecutors walked out, following the vote by the impeachment court not to open a second sealed envelope claimed to contain documentary evidence of Estrada’s bank accounts where he allegedly deposited jueteng payoffs.

On the possibility of a walkout of the defense lawyers over the mistrial issue, Enrile said: “I don’t think so. They are not irresponsible,” referring to the defense panel led by former Supreme Court Justice Serafin Cuevas.

Enrile was emphatic in saying that the trial would be completed, come hell or high water. He had previously said at the start of the trial that he would not allow a walkout to disrupt the trial. Last February 10, he said, the trial would proceed all the way to conclusion even in the event of a walkout.

“If this happens, we will still decide the case based on the evidence on record,” he said.

Even if it’s the prosecutors who withdraw, we will still make a decision.”

The defense said it would not move for a declaration of a mistrial. “Our direction is not for a mistrial,” defense spokesperson Tranquil Salvador III said at a media briefing. “We are determined to prove that there is no evidence against the Chief Justice.”

He said the defense would like to present

its evidence, and “[w]e’re just waiting for the right time. Let’s just wait and see how the impeachment court will decide the case.”

Nothing can be worse than an unfinished case and a failed trial. That is what Enrile and many others fear—another Edsa uprising. The collapse of the Estrada impeachment trial in 2001 haunts everybody.

Unlike Edsa 1 in February 1986, which was largely a civilian-based and bloodless mass movement that toppled the Marcos dictatorship, Edsa 2, which ousted the Estrada regime, was a military coup with a civilian façade.

The Estrada trial paralyzed his regime and led to the resignation of key members of his Cabinet during the trial itself. The fatal blow came when the military general staff withdrew support from the regime. The chief of staff then, Gen. Angelo Reyes, observed closely if a critical mass would gather in the streets in protest to the suppression of the envelope. It was only after he determined that there was indeed a critical mass that he decided to line up the general staff to abandon the Estrada regime. Then he led the major services commanders to Edsa to join the oath-taking of then Vice President Gloria Macapagal-arroyo as president.

In the current crisis, people are watching whether the conflict being played out in the impeachment court would end up in the streets.■

AS I SEE IT

Movement 188 and IBC 13

BY NEAL H. CRUZ Philippine Daily Inquirer FED UP with the slow pace of the impeachment trial and the obstructionist tactics of the defense panel, a group of congressmen calling themselves Movement 188 (I suppose for the 188 congressmen who signed the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Renato Corona), has mounted a grass-roots information drive to keep their respective constituents informed on the Senate trial developments.

First, the campaign will caution the public against what the legislators call the “smoke and mirrors” trick by the defense panel to sidetrack the trial from testimonies and evidence establishing Corona’s guilt at least in the Article II charges of inaccurate disclosure of his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNS), non-declaration of certain assets in these SALNS, and the suspected acquisition of these assets with ill-gotten wealth.

“Like magicians, the defense lawyers have, from Day 1, turned to court rules and motions as smoke and mirrors to bedazzle the public on live TV with their legal acumen and foist upon them the illusion of Corona’s innocence,” said the Movement’s statement. “Our people must know that this constitutional process is not a pissing contest or athletic game to be judged by which between the prosecution and defense

panels has the smarter lawyers and better legal ploys every trial day, but is a Charter-mandated trial that has to ascertain at the end” which side can prove whether or not the Chief Justice is still fit to remain in office.

Among the frontliners of Movement 188 are Representatives Florencio Noel (An Waray party list), Maria Jocelyn Bernos (Abra), Maximo Dalog (Mountain Province), Dakila Carlo Cua (Quirino), Joselito Andrew Mendoza (Bulacan), Carlo Lopez (Manila), Emi Calixto-rubiano (Pasay City), Roy Loyola (Cavite), Danilo Ramon Fernandez (Laguna), and Ben Evardone (Eastern Samar).

Also members of the Movement are Cesar Sarmiento (Catanduanes), Fernando Gonzalez (Albay), Deogracias Ramos Jr. (Sorsogon), Salvio Fortuno (Camarines Sur), Rene Relampagos (Bohol), Rogelio Espina (Biliran), Loreto Leo Ocampos (Misamis Occidental), Alfredo Benitez (Negros Occidental), Isidro Ungab (Davao City), Maria Carmen Zamoraapsay (Compostela Valley), and Rosendo Labadlabad (Zamboanga del Norte).

The Movement cited three goals of the information drive: 1. A harmless information effort to update their constituents on trial developments, especially those in far-flung towns and barangays who cannot watch the proceedings on TV or radio or those whose jobs prevent them from monitoring the trial in the media.

2. Explain to their constituents who probably

have had the time or means to follow the trial on TV or radio but have nonetheless gotten more confused by the day—thanks to all the tricks in the book that the Cuevas-led defense team have let loose to delay the proceedings and bar the presentation of evidence and testimonies pertinent to Article 2 of the impeachment complaint.

3. Assure their constituents that the supposed Plan B is not true and is just a figment of the Corona camp’s collective imagination.

Given the damaging testimonies and evidence presented thus far that all point, this early, to a presumption of guilt on the part of Corona— despite the incessant rearguard moves by the defense team to have them expunged from court records—movement 188 leaders are confident that the senator-judges would, at the end of the trial, find him no longer fit to remain in the Supreme Court. *** At last, things are looking up for the troubled International Broadcasting Corp.

(IBC 13). More than P1 billion in debt, averaging P80 million in yearly losses and having numerous labor problems, the state-run broadcasting network has for several decades been looking for investment partners to solve its financial woes. But because of the miserable state of the broadcast station, IBC 13 has failed to attract partners. Not until the middle of 2010.

On March 24, 2010, IBC 13 and leading land developer Primestate Ventures signed the

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joint venture (JV) agreement after more than a year of negotiations and processes leading to approvals by various government agencies.

IBC 13 management and the labor unions were ecstatic that, finally, all of their financial woes will end. Management and the unions signed the Memorandum of Agreement allocating P278 million for the payment of the workers’ unpaid benefits.

Under the development contract, IBC 13 will contribute 3.6 hectares of Broadcast City to the JV and get guaranteed revenues of P728 million, to be paid as follows: P278 million to be paid to IBC 13 employees both active and retired. The amount will be placed in an escrow account with the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) covered by post-dated checks; P450 million to be paid through the construction and delivery of a new six-story corporate building, two live studios, and a commercial building for IBC 13, situated in the remaining 5,000-square meter corner property in Broadcast City.

The 3.6 hectares will be the site of a residential development to be constructed by Primestate Ventures. IBC 13 employees will be given preferential treatment in the residential development through special discount rates in the purchase of units and will have additional income opportunities in the form of referral incentives.

After 24 years of sequestration, IBC 13 is set to regain lost ground and reclaim its old glory in the broadcast industry. ■

PACQUIAO, LIN MEETING SLATED

BY ROY LUARCA Philippine Daily Inquirer

FIGHTER of the Decade Manny Pacquiao, long the face of Asia in the US, is scheduled to meet with rising basketball sensation Jeremy Lin during a stop for one of his press conferences for his upcoming fight.

Lin, of Taiwanese descent, has been the story of the moment in the NBA as he came out of nowhere to steer the New York Knicks to a seven-game winning streak after being previously cut by two squads.

Pacquiao, meanwhile, has taken American pop culture by storm, ruling the pound-for-pound ranks on the way to becoming the only boxer to win world titles in eight different weight divisions. Along the way, he wowed US audiences with singing performances on national television.

He is to grace the 70th birthday tribute to three-time heavyweight champion and Muhammad “The Greatest” Ali at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

This was confirmed to the INQUIRER by lawyer Jeng Gacal, Pacquiao’s chief of staff in Congress, before he left for Los Angeles last night.

Pacquiao is already in the United States by way of Vancouver with wife Jinkee and adviser Michael Koncz. The eight-division world champion will give his deposition on Friday regarding his defamation lawsuit against Floyd Mayweather Jr. Gacal said Pacquiao is also likely to sign the contract for his June 9 World Boxing Organization welterweight title fight against WBO light welterweight champion Tim Bradley on June 9, also at the Mgmgrand.

In other NBA news, Carlos Boozer scored 23 points, pulled down 15 rebounds and handed out five assists Thursday as the Chicago Bulls again overcame the absence of Derrick Rose to outlast the Boston Celtics, 8980.

Luol Deng and Joakim Noah also had “double-doubles” for Chicago, Deng contributing 23 points with 10 assists and Noah scoring 15 points with 16 rebounds. ■ COMPLETE RESULTS: Indiana 93, New Jersey 88; Chicago 89, Boston 80; LA Clippers 74, Portland 71

Azkals mentor asserts AFC Cup preparations on track

BY CEDELF P. TUPAS Philippine Daily Inquirer

PHILIPPINE Azkals coach Michael Weiss believes preparations for the AFC Challenge Cup are on track following what he described as a successful camp in the Middle East.

“It’s mission more than accomplished,” Weiss said yesterday a day after the Azkals returned from Dubai.

The Azkals won one match against Qatar club Al Ahli and lost two to Australia’s Under23 Olympic side as well as Uzbekistan in the camp.

“The camp was very, very good,” the German mentor said.

“We put the base to a very successful campaign in Katmandu.”

Weiss revealed that their Challenge Cup foes India and Tajikstan have also stepped up their preparations.

India will play Oman and Azerbaijian in exhibition matches in Dubai late this month, whil Tajikistan is slated to undergo training camp in Turkey.

For team manager Dan Palami, getting the best available side for the Challenge Cup remains the biggest challenge.

Palami noted that the arrival of Ray Jonsson in the last two matches greatly improved the Philippine Side.

“When Ray arrived, everone got to play in the right positions,” Palami said.

“I know if all the players we want are able to come to the Challenge Cup, the chances of a good result is multiplied,” Palami said. “I hope as we prepare for the ACC, the core of the team that trained in Gulf region improved.” ■

Sports

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2012 14

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Lazarte banned for life

BY MARC ANTHONY REYES Philippine Daily Inquirer

ARGENTINE boxer Luis Lazarte was banned for life for threatening the referee and sparking an ugly riot right after losing to Filipino fighter Johnriel Casimero in their IBF interim flyweight title fight in Buenos Aires.

Internet reports said the boxing body imposed the penalty against the 40-year-old Lazarte, whose reputation for being a dirty fighter took a new dimension when he was quoted as telling referee Eddie Claudio “do you want to get out of here alive?” after he docked a point for repeated punches to Casimero’s head.

Claudio stopped the fight in the 10th following Lazarte’s third knockdown and bedlam ensued as Lazarte and his fans ganged up on Casimero and his corner in a shocking scene that has been replayed by TV stations and gone viral in the Internet.

IBF president Daryl Peoples sent a letter to the Argentine Boxing Federation Osvaldo Bisbal informing him of the decision.

Peoples was reported to have said in the letter: “I believe that I do not have to express to you that Lazarte’s threat to Claudio, which [is clear] in the telecast, is completely unacceptable, should not be taken lightly and merits punishment. Behavior of this nature by a fighter is not and will not be tolerated.”

Meanwhile, Casimero yesterday admitted he was tempted to

throw punches against the unruly mob in the din of chaos and mayhem.

The 22-year-old Casimero, who was born in Ormoc, Leyte, but is now a resident of Mandaue City, said he was worried he would pass out due to lack of oxygen while hiding in the cramped space under the ring at the Club Once Unidos in Mar del Plata last Feb. 11.

“I was very afraid especially when the police took a peek under the ring,” said Casimero in Filipino as he made the rounds in TV and radio shows yesterday. “But the police said ‘Casimero you are safe now?’ Some of the police were also hurt.”

He said he wanted to fight back but realized that things would get worse if he did. He endured rabbit punches and head butts from Lazarte who, in the eighth round, even bit his shoulder.

“He (Lazarte) is a good fighter but he plays dirty,” added Casimero, who dropped the Argentine twice in the ninth. He improved to 162-0 with 10 stoppages.

Lazarte’s fans started hurling chairs and climbing the ring after Claudio stopped the fight, triggering a the riot that left Casimero’s cornerman Sean Gibbons with broken ribs. The referee also got stitches for busted lips.

Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile has ordered the Department of Foreign Affairs to recall the ambassador to the Argentina to explain what happened. Argentina’s ambassador has since apologized for the incident. ■

Two Fil-am cyclists get Olympic

BY ROY LUARCA Philippine Daily Inquirer THE PHILIPPINES’ bid to send more athletes to the 2012 London Olympics got a boost when the US Olympic Committee granted permission to FilipinoAmerican cyclists Alexis Vergara and Daniel Caluag to represent the country in international competitions leading to the Games.

At the same time, the Usoc, in a letter sent to Philcycling president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and Philippine Olympic Committee secretary general Stephen Hontiveros recently, noted that the USA Cycling has also given its approval for the two BMX riders to compete under a Philippine UCI license.

With the assurances, Tolentino, the mayor of Tagaytay City,

Weiss waits for two key Azkals

BY CEDELF P. TUPAS Philippine Daily Inquirer DOHA—philippine Azkals coach Michael Weiss last February 16 expressed optimism that key players like Fil-german Stephan Schrock and Fildanish Dennis Cagara will be available for the AFC Challenge Cup in Nepal next month.

However, Weiss said their availability, as in the past, will be known only at the last minute, making the team’s training camp in this bustling city crucial in honing up the Manila-based players.

“What is important is we have a strong group in Manila,” said Weiss. “And we will be even stronger when the professionals from Europe arrive.

“We are expecting a few of our professional players to join us for the Challenge Cup next month.

So the idea now is to develop a parallel line of

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will field Vergara and Caluag to the Asian BMX Championship, a qualifier for the Olympics, slated in Hong Kong on March 3.

Tolentino had requested for the clarification of the status of Vergara and Caluag to avoid a repetition of the incident in last November’s Palembang Southeast Asian Games, where Vergara and Daniel Caluag were barred from competing in the West Java cycling event because they held dual UCI licenses from both the US and the Philippines.

What irked Tolentino then was the fact that Vergara, once ranked ninth in the US Elite Pro Tour, and Caluag, a four-time BMX national No. 1 BMX pro, were already on the entry list of cycling a day before their events.

According to Tolentino, the real reason for their disqualification was because they did well during the trial runs and were gold medal threats. ■

players to further the development of Filipino football.”

The Azkals were scheduled to play the Australia Under-23 team at the Al Maktoum Stadium Thursday night.

Weiss hinted on February 13 that Schrock could suit up for one or two matches in the March 9 to 13 tournament.

The midfield dynamo hasn’t played for the Azkals since the 1-3 loss to Kuwait in the second leg of the World Cup Qualifying in July last year.

But it will be highly unlikely for him to be available if the Azkals reach the final on March 19 as Shrock’s team, Greuther Furth, has reached the semifinals of the German Cup that will be played two days later.

Furth is the only second-division team to have reached the tournament’s semifinal.

“It’s doubtful that they can make it, but the spirit of this team, I believe, can move mountains,” said Weiss, who has been burning the lines with the Europe-based players in the hope of convincing their clubs to release them for the tournament.

Paul Mulders, Ray Jonsson and Rob Gier have already confirmed their availability for the Challenge Cup, where the Azkals will face North Korea, Tajikistan and India. The winner of the Challenge Cup gets an automatic berth to the 2015 AFC Asian Cup in Australia.

Azkals manager Dan Palami said the side is targeting a semifinal finish in the tournament. ■

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TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2012

Business

STOCKS SURGE TO RECORD HIGH

BY DORIS C. DUMLAO Philippine Daily Inquirer THE LOCAL stock index last February 17 skyrocketed to a new record high as upbeat jobs and housing data in the United States encouraged investors to resume loading up on equities after a threeday slump.

The main-share Philippine Stock Exchange index closed at a fresh all-time high of 4,880.71, gaining 114.14 points or 2.4 percent. The local index also touched a new intra-day high of 4,886.99. This marked the local stock market’s best single-day performance since Oct. 7, 2011, when it surged by 3.1 percent.

Since the start of this year, the PSEI has gained 11.6 percent.

“There was a spillover of positive sentiment into the Philippine market as favorable US data and some progress in Greece increased appetite for equities,” said Manny Lisbona, deputy chief of PNB Securities. “We can expect some followthrough buying in the next few sessions and should view corrections as opportunities to accumulate.”

“PSEI at 5,000 is on the horizon. Earnings of issues are all encouraging, led by PSE, which may have a good dividend payout this year,” said Ramon Garcia, president of local stock brokerage RTG & Co. PSE president Hans Sicat added that hopes toward a second bailout for Greece as well as positive data on the US jobs and housing markets boosted trading following tepid market movement in the past days.

“Strong corporate and local fundamentals have, in turn, pushed the market further as the gains we posted [yesterday] topped the other market rallies in Asia,” Sicat said.

A strong rally in Wall Street overnight provided a positive backdrop to Friday’s trade. The Dow Jones industrial average surged 123.13 points to close at 12,904.08, the best finish

‘Hot money’ inflow slowed in January

BY MICHELLE V. REMO Philippine Daily Inquirer THE FLOW of portfolio investments to and from the Philippines fell in January as both local and foreign fund owners adopted a cautious stance in the wake of a prolonged debt crisis in the Europe and the continued weakness in the US economy.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said investor sentiment was dampened by an uncertain outlook on the global economy, which many believed could be dragged by the

SM PRIME POSTS 15% JUMP IN 2011 NET PROFIT TO P9.1B

BY DORIS C. DUMLAO Philippine Daily Inquirer SHOPPING mall giant SM Prime Holdings Inc. grew its net profit last year by 15 percent to P9.1 billion on sustained growth in rental revenues and expanded capacity from new malls.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange last February 17, the country’s largest shopping mall developer said total revenues for the year rose 13 percent to P26.9 billion. Cash flow as measured by earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) jumped 16 percent to P18.5 billion for an Ebitda margin of 69 percent.

The results included the operations of four SM malls in China, which are located in the cities of Xiamen and Jinjiang in southern China, Chengdu in central China, and Suzhou in eastern China, the disclosure said.

SM Prime, led by the family of tycoon Henry Sy, attributed the results to a mix of expanded capacity from new malls in the Philippines that opened in 2010 and 2011 and the same-store rental growth of 7 percent. In addition, SM Prime said its four shopping malls in China sustained their robust growth, with net income

since May 19, 2008, or a few months before the US financial crisis that brought down storied investment bank Lehman Brothers.

Global risk appetite was boosted by reports that weekly applications for US unemployment benefits dropped for the fourth time in five weeks to the lowest since March 2008.

At the same time, investors welcomed news of an increase in building permits, which they took as a sign of a growing confidence in the property market.

All counters soared, but the outperformers were the property and services sub-indices, which respectively rose 4.35 percent and 2.9 percent.

Value turnover amounted to P8.29 billion. There were 123 advancers that overwhelmed 56 decliners while 28 stocks were unchanged.

By specific stock, the upswing was led by index heavyweight PLDT, whose shares surged 3.4 percent to close at P2,858. Metrobank, Ayala Land, SM Investments, AGI, Ayala Corp., Megaworld, Globe Telecom, Robinsons Land, Cebu Air, Philez Mining and International Container Terminal Services Inc. also contributed to the PSEI’S gains.

One of the major initiatives mapped out for this year is a campaign called “Invest and Fly.” “This campaign was meant to further educate the Filipinos on the advantages of investing in mutual funds and to adapt a long-term investment horizon,” Pamasaid.

For every qualified investment of P500,000 or $10,000 in any of the six Sun Life Prosperity Funds, an investor is rewarded with a free roundtrip economy ticket (exclusive of applicable taxes and fees). With the promo, investors get the opportunity to grow their money through an instrument that promises potential higher returns and at the sametime experience seeing the world, Pamasaid. ■

crisis in the Western region led by the debt woes of Greece.

Documents from the Bangko Sentral showed that inflow of foreign portfolio investments amounted to $1.2 billion in January, down 20 percent from $1.5 billion in the same month last year.

On the other hand, outflow of portfolio investments reached $627.31 million, down 53 percent from $1.34 billion over the same period.

As the decline in the outflow outpaced the drop in the inflow, the country still registered a net inflow of foreign portfolio investments of $586 million during the month, up more than 200 percent from $193 million.

“Investments and outflows were lower compared to last year as investors remained cautious due to renewed worries over Greece’s debt problems and the cut by the International Monetary Fund of its [global] growth outlook,” the Bangko Sentral said in a statement. ■

doubling to P889 million last year from a year ago.

A tighter grip on operating expenses through the use of innovative energy conservation methods likewise contributed to the company’s rise in profits, the disclosure said.

“SM Prime’s noteworthy performance in 2011, which was achieved in spite of tempered economic progress, clearly shows that the business formula the company has adopted is resilient and built for sustainable growth. Now that there is better optimism on the country’s prospects, the company is even more eager to pursue its growth and expansion plans, as a fitting tribute to all our stakeholders, who we sincerely thank for loyally supporting us all through these years,” SM Prime president Hans Sy said.

For the full year, SM Prime’s consolidated rental revenues contributed 85 percent to the total and grew 14 percent to P22.8 billion. New rental space came from SM City malls in Tarlac, San Pablo, Calamba, Novaliches and Masinag. Combined, the new malls added 380,000 square meters to the company’s total gross floor area and presently registers an average occupancy rate of 97 percent.

Cinema ticket sales likewise increased by 10 percent due to popular movies shown during the period. The major blockbusters were “Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon,” “Praybeyt Benjamin,” “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2,” “No Other Woman” and “Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1.” ■

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PAL posted net loss of $33M in Oct-dec

BY PAOLO G. MONTECILLO Philippine Daily Inquirer FLAG carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) continued to lose money in the third quarter of its fiscal year, as it struggled with disruptions in operations due to labor issues, exacerbated by the continued rise in fuel prices.

In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday, the flag carrier said total revenue dropped by 3.8 percent year-on-year to $386 million in October to December—the third quarter of its current fiscal year ending March 31, 2012.

This led to a net loss of $33 million for the three-month period, a reversal from the $15.1 million profit the company posted a year earlier.

“PAL experienced weak passenger demand as well as declining cargo markets as the world economy struggled to recover,” PAL said. “While there were improvements in yields for both passenger and cargo compared to the same period last year, load factors lagged behind,” it added.

At the start of the said quarter, the airline struggled to keep operations normal following a “sit-down” strike by its workers who were protesting their eventual retrenchment.

PAL implemented the job cuts in early October following the closure of three departments, namely in-flight catering, airport services and call center reservations.

PAL had hired three sub-contractors to replace the closed units but two of the companies—sky Kitchen and Sky Logistics owned by Cebu-based businessman Manny Osmena—failed to provide enough employees to compensate for the retrenched PAL workers. As a result, PAL had been forced to operate at a severely reduced capacity during the holiday season in November and December.

The company, however, said the retrenchment of workers was a necessary move, driven by the airline’s “desire to reduce and rationalize costs.”

“As the airline goes through its last quarter of fiscal year 2011-2012, it continues to seek ways of enhancing revenues and lowering costs,” PAL said.

The airline also said total operating expenses amounted to $419.5 million, up by $34.8 million or 9 percent from the level in the same quarter in fiscal year 2010-2011. This was driven mainly by higher jet fuel costs that continued to put pressure on the airline’s bottom line. The company said fuel prices rose to $129.75 per barrel in October to December 2011 from an average of $100.96 per barrel in the same period the previous year. ■

OFW remittances hit record $20B

By MICHELLE V. REMO Philippine Daily Inquirer OVERSEAS Filipinos sent home a record $20.12 billion last year, rising 7.2 percent from 2010 and exceeding the government forecast of 7 percent despite a slowing US economy and debt problems in Europe.

Major sources of remittances in 2011 were the United States, Canada, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Italy, Germany, and Norway.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas last February 15 reported that the growth in remittances came as job orders for Filipino workers from foreign employers last year stood at 58,123.

The BSP likewise credited the effort of banks and non-bank financial institutions to expand their presence in various countries where there are many overseas Filipino workers for the robust remittance inflows. “[An increase in remittances] developed owing to the diversified destinations and skills of overseas Filipinos, the strategic network of bank and non-bank service providers across the globe, as well as the new financial products and money transfer services offered in the remittance market,” the BSP said in a statement.

For December alone, remittances amounted to $1.8 billion, up 6.2 percent from $1.69 billion in the same month of 2010.

“Remittances remained resilient throughout the year amid the political turmoil in some parts of the Middle East and North Africa, the slowdown in global economic growth and intensified financial strains brought about by the euro area sovereign debt crisis,” the central bank added.

Editorial

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2012 16

PHILIPPINE CANADIAN

Publisher Philippine Canadian Inquirer Editor-in-Chief Melissa Remulla-Briones Editorial Consultant J.J. McCullough Contributors Alfie Vera Mella Cristie Lana Sotana Gigi Astudillo Jenn Torres Marietta Pangan-Dutkoski Dr. Rizaldy Ferrer Rodel Ramos Shawn Bowden Stella Reyes Graphics Victoria Yong Editorial Illustration Danvic C. Briones Photographer Ryan Ferrer

The Best Singers Are from the Philippines The complete tweet reads: “I’ve learned 2 things about TV. It’s always easier with vodka and some of the best singers are from the Philippines.”

This was tweeted by multimedia icon Ellen DeGeneres and retweeted 4,422 times to date. Of late, there has been a resurgence of this tweet in Facebook, and it currently has 3,975 likes, 1,146 shares and generated 292 comments, the latest of which was just 3 hours ago.

It seemed that Filipinos needed to revisit these words to remind them how good of a people they are.

Because the Filipino’s current reality is disasters – think Dumaguete earthquake, Sendong, mining landslide – and the impeachment trial, where co-equal branches of the government, the executive and the judiciary, are locking horns in what is turning out to be the usual mud-slinging cum betrayal cum fishing-expedition cum grime-discovery teleserye that characterizes Philippine politics.

Filipinos know they are better than that.

That disasters and politics aside, they are global wonders.

Some of the best singers are from the Philippines, exclaims Ellen DeGeneres.

We at the Philippine Canadian Inquirer believe in the Filipino too. But we want to ask – since the success bar in the Philippines is so high and only so few reach

it (in the entertainment world, at least), will the Filipino be more successful if he were outside of the Philippines?

Filipino entertainment history is replete with stories of Filipino singers who were plucked from anonymity by foreign bigwigs who recognized that they have world-class talent: think Lea Salonga, Charice, Maria Aragon.

Lea Salonga was already famous before she got into the Miss Saigon bandwagon but she was not the matinee idol of her time.

It took a Cameron McIntosh, a Claude Michel Schonberg and an Alain Boublil to catapult her to worldwide fame and the embrace of the Filipino public. Her Saigon experience – and Disney, and Les Miz and her Lawrence Olivier award – ensure that her star will not dim, ever.

True fame has eluded Charice Pempengco (who since dropped the “Pempengco” surname), a barrio lass from Laguna who performed in town fiestas and joined about 100 singing contests. Even after her thirdplace win in Little Big Star, her talent went generally unnoticed, invisible in the sea of Filipino-with-foreign-blood singers/actors/ actresses that flooded the local screens. It took the Oprah Winfrey for her to have a song up there in the worldwide charts and be accepted by her kababayans who, once, would not give her the light of day.

Canada’s very own Maria Aragon catapulted to Stardom because of a retweet by Lady Gaga. At her age, this girl could already list

among her accomplishments the following: performing with Lady Gaga, singing for Prince William and Catherine Middleton, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, appearance in the Ellen DeGeneres Show, and bagging a recording contract with Star Records. But would her story have been the same if she were in the Philippines?

Maybe there are no answers, but only opportunities for the Filipino – great opportunities. With distances becoming shorter because of the bridge of technology, every day for the Filipino could be a jumping point for – anything.

This opportunity is especially there for the Filipinos in the diaspora, Filipinos who left home to find greener pastures, who braved hail and snow and winters to secure better futures for themselves and their children – because they are already out there.

This possibility is especially true for the Filipinos in Canada. The Canadian government, through several of its programs and initiatives, are pulling out all the stops to ensure that everyone who comes to Canada will succeed. Combine this with hard work and the Filipino’s easygoing personality, ability to relate with people with diverse backgrounds, world-class talent, world-class smarts, and world-class skills and you have the recipe for success.

Let this be a challenge then, and an opportunity for Filipinos – opportunity to show that indeed, the best singers (or the best anything) come from the Philippines.

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Sales and Operations Laarni de Paula

CUSTOM PUBLISHING GROUP Managing Editor Maita de Jesus Asst. Creative Director Bong Sevilla Editorial Assistant Ralph Bullecer Graphic Artist Reggie Goloy Proofreader Leslie Lee Associate Publisher Lurisa Villanueva Jr. Associate Publisher Millicent Agoncillo Project Coordinator Lychelle Ang In cooperation with the Philippine Daily Inquirer digital edition PHILIPPINE CANADIAN INQUIRER is located at Suite 400 North Tower 5811 Cooney Road, Richmond B.C. Canada Tel No. 778-3836090 / 778-383-3203 • Email us at : info@ canadianinquirer.net or inquirerinc@gmail.com

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TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2012

MOUNTING INTEREST ON PINOY TOWN MOVEMENT

News-Canada

The Right Man

BY STELLA REYES Craving for authentic Korean Jap Che? Drive down to North Road. If you are missing the perfect Italian cappuccino, Commercial Drive it is. Want hot, steamy Pho? You will most likely find a Vietnamese resto along the Kingsway area between Fraser and Nanaimo. This haven of Hanoi soup specialties, which was declared ‘Little Saigon’ last fall, actually sparked a movement in the Filipino-Canadian community.

Jojo Quimpo, head of the Hirit Group responsible for bringing the Pinoy Fiesta annual parade, is considered the mastermind behind naming a strip on the Fraser Street – between Kingsway and 33rd Avenue - as “Pinoy Town”.

“We can say I started the petition last October 2010, I am the first one who said there is a Little Saigon now, we should also have a Pinoy Town. It doesn’t sit well that we’ll just sit back and not do anything. We are the third largest minority group in Vancouver . It instills pride for Filipinos if we also have this kind of recognition. We didn’t get these things because no one bothered to ask,” Quimpo ends.

ANTI-RACIST GROUPS STAGE A PROTEST RALLY Members of the Kalayaan Centre, including the Filipino Canadian Youth Alliance, Philippine Women Centre of BC, SIKLAB for Migrant Workers and their allies, staged an anti-racism rally last February 13 in front of the Vancouver Provincial Court. The group lamented the fact that the white supremacist group responsible for burning a Filipino man in 2009 was only charged 3 years after the attack.

The Kalayaan Centre is a grass-roots organization that educates, organizes and mobilizes the Filipino Canadian community in Vancouver for over 20 years. In 1999, following the dismissal of Filipino students from Van Tech, the Kalayaan Centre formed the group “Filipino-Canadians against Racism” dedicated to exposing and opposing racism in the community, and empowering marginalized groups towards a common goal of genuine equality and participation in Canada.

Tatay Tom Avendano flanked by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Governor General David Johnston

BY MELISSA REMULLA-BRIONES AND LAARNI DE PAULA Are you sure that you have the right man?

This was the response of Tatay Tom Avendano, patriarch and soul of the Multi-Cultural Helping House, when he received a call telling him that out of the 60,000 nominees for the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubillee Medal, he was one of the 60 awardees and the only Filipino.

It was only when they arranged for his plane ticket and itinerary forthe ceremony at the Rideau Hall in Ottawa that he finally believed them.

The experience was surreal for Tatay Tom. “It was majestic and the ambience was very formal, very solemn, very queenly,” he said. Tatay Tom was hoping to find some Filipino awardees because he believes that there are a lot of Filipinos who do great deeds, but he was alone. “Even during the ceremony, I was looking back. Sana may Filipino naman dito, pero wala, ako lang (I hope there are some Filipinos here, but there was none, it was just me) But he said he felt very honored because receiving the award meant that all his good works were recognized and affirmed.

“Despite being the largest minority group in Canada, Filipino youth are faced with racist systemic barriers and limited access to resources,” stated a representative. The group believes that it is both timely and urgent that the Filipino community has a resurgence of activism and not merely be reactive to untoward events.

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BecauseTatay Tom’s other question to the person who informed him about the award was this: “Do you think that I deserved it?”

Looking at the Multicultural Helping House (and its lopsided building, which is a story on its own – a symbol of the new immigrant who can lean on older, much more stable immigrants) and how it had touched the lives of many, one could not help but agree with the general sentiment – Tatay Tom deserved it.

As a new immigrant in 1982, Tatay Tom had no one to show him the ropes. The atmosphere was not welcoming because the Filipinos were an ignored minority and lumped with the Chinese. It was only during the spate of crimes against Filipinos that Tatay Tom and some of his friends banded together to try to see if their collective voice would get them someone’s ear. But it was useless. The group did not get anywhere. Until Tatay Tom had the multicultural idea.

So the Multicultural Helping House is not a purely Filipino organization.

While admittedly, there are a lot of Pinoys who avail of their services, the Helping House, as what it is

aptly called, is also home to people of other cultures. And this is what Tatay Tom wants – a Helping House that helps and embraces immigrants of all color who aspire to be integrated into the Canadian society.

“We all chose to be here. We were not invited, we were not forced,” opines Tatay Tom. Thus, he feels it is the duty of every immigrant to integrate, and this means to follow the law and imbibe the virtues of respect, honor and integrity. He promises that Helping House will do everything in its power to make this come true for every immigrant.

Looking back at the award ceremony, he says, wistfully, “I feel humbled by the fact that I was the lone star shining over there, shining towards the community.

But one cannot do good things by himself alone. I received the award on behalf of the multicultural community – and the Filipinos.”

Sitting there with Tatay Tom, one can sense that he has seen it all, but that he will still continue to do everything in his power to get the most benefits for the community he has chosen to care for and serve – the Filipinos and the multicultural community.”

News-Canada Consul General Jose P. Ampeso Announced Filipino Passport Outreach in Alberta and other Provinces

BY MARIETTA PANGAN-DUTKOSKI Calgary, Alberta - The Honourable Consul General Jose Ampeso paid Fil-Calgarians a special visit during the 2011 Christmas season in mid-December and checked off two important agenda items from his bucket list. First was the TV announcement through City TV and second was a dinner meeting with community associations about the appeal to Filipino communities to extend help to those who were affected by typhoon Sendong in Southern Mindanao.

Throughout the course of the evening, several questions were cheerfully answered by Consul General Ampeso including next passport applications. When asked, Consul General confidently said, “the next consular outreach program for Calgary, Edmonton, Northwest Territories, Yukon and neighbouring provinces is scheduled for the Spring of 2012.” When further probed about who will coordinate the outreach in the absence of an Honorary Consulate representative in Calgary, he assuredly answered “I will keep you posted on the specifics by early January,

2012.”

Mid last week, Consul General Ampeso fulfilled his promise to Filipino-Calgarians and through the regular communications he had with Madam Carlyn Guerrero of Calgary, he disseminated the forthcoming “PASSPORT OUTREACH” for Spring 2012. Here are the details of the passport outreach: Date: April 13 to 15, 2012 (Friday-Sunday) Venue: Days Inn Calgary South Hotel, 3828 Macleod Trail SE, Calgary, AB Time: 9:00 am- 5:00 pm Furthermore, this event is strictly on an APPOINTMENT ONLY BASIS system and therefore NO WALK-INs are allowed. For those interested to avail the service, here are the steps that will ensure your applications will be processed properly: 1. Make a photocopy of applicant’s Philippine passport data page; 2. Make a photocopy of applicant’s valid PR or Work Permit on the same sheet for item no. 1.

3. Completely fill-out an e-passport application form; 4. Send items 1 through 3 to the following address:

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2012 18

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The Philippine Consulate General 700 West Pender Street, Suite 1405 Vancouver, BC V6C 1G8 Attention: Consular Outreach Program 5. Wait for the listing of applicants who have made it to the appointment list which will be posted on the consular website at http://vancouverpcg.net.

6. If an applicant makes it to the appointment list, applicant should come on time on the day of the appointment. Applicants must be ready to submit a prepaid return envelope along with the originals of items 1 & 2 and the other applicable requirements as stated on page 2 of the e-passport application form.

7. DO NOT send any original documents or payments in the mail. The Philippine Consulate General will NOT be responsible for the loss of original documents in the mail.

The Office of the Consulate General is also advising all applicants to follow procedures in order for the passport application process to be a smooth experience.

For more information, please log on to: The Philippine Consulate General website, http://vancouverpcg.net, or contact Ms. Bennet Ganata of the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver via email: vancouverpcg@telus.net or through (604) 685-7645.

ALBERTA’S PROVINCIAL BUDGET FOR 2012 INVESTS IN FAMILIES, COMMUNITIES AND SUPPORTS FOR THE VULNERABLE ALBERTA - Alison Redford’s government released its first budget promising no tax increase, new budgeting processes, fiscal discipline, increased revenues and smart investments.

The strengthening economy, which forecasters agree will lead the country in the coming year, will deliver a record $40 billion to provincial coffers. The government is predicting that revenue will grow nearly five per cent in 2012 – 13, and average over 10 per cent growth in the two years after. The record revenue projections are, despite taxes, staying at current levels – which are the lowest in the country.

“Albertans enjoy the lowest overall corporate and small business tax burden in Canada,” said Minister Manmeet Bhullar, Minister of Service Alberta and Calgary Political Minister. “We have the lowest fuel tax among provinces, no payroll tax, no capital tax and no sales tax. Albertans and Alberta businesses would pay close to $11 billion more in taxes each year if we had the same tax system as other provinces. This is a huge advantage that leaves money in families’ pockets and encourages economic growth and innovation Albertans are known for.”

The province is moving forward with a new budgeting process that focuses on results and not simply budgeted amounts. Under the results–based budgeting process, government departments will be reviewed at budget time to justify their value to the tax payer. This is a fundamental change from most government budgeting processes where, departments start from a premise that they will be budgeted the same amount

as the previous fiscal year, and increases or decreases require justification. The government clearly believes that this will play well to fiscal conservatives critical of the previous administration.

There are significant announcements in Budget 2012. About 75 per cent of the budget is being spent by the ministries of Health, Education, Advanced Education, Human Services, and Seniors.

Three new family care clinics are scheduled to open this year that will offer a variety of health services, including mental health and addiction services, under one roof.

Starting July 1, pharmacists will be able to renew prescriptions, providing Albertans more timely access to medications and increased convenience.

The budget includes a rise in the maximum monthly benefit for AISH recipients of $400, and an increase of an average of five percent for monthly income support benefits and more lower and middle income families will qualify for child care subsidies.

Seniors will benefit from an increase in the budget for the Alberta Seniors Benefit and other seniors programs, including dental, optical and special needs assistance.

Over the next three years, more than $1 Billion will be invested in school infrastructure. This funding will support the continued planning and construction of 45 new and replacement schools and 31 major renovation projects. In 2012, 145 new schools will open their doors to more than 10, 000 students.

This fiscal year will also see the completion of three major postsecondary projects: the University of Alberta’s agricultural facilities,

SAIT’s Trades and Technology Complex and the phase two expansion of Bow Valley College.

The province continues to assist municipalities in providing services to their residents. This includes more than $2 billion in direct operating support to municipalities in 2012 -13, through the Municipal Sustainability Initiative and infrastructure grants through the capital plan.

“You can clearly see the government has listened to Albertans and reflected what we heard in this budget,” said Minister Bhullar. “We are investing in families and communities. Securing our economic future and advancing our stewardship of our resources. Importantly, we are doing all this without tax increases and instituting fiscally responsible budgeting processes that force government services to justify their cost. The government expects to have a balanced budget next year.”

BODY OF PINAY OVERSEAS REMAINED UNCLAIMED

BY MARIETTA PANGAN-DUTKOSKI Fe Hora suffered an untimely death, and her body is still waiting to be claimed by the Philippine Consulate at Foothills Hospital in Calgary, Alberta. The 43-year old woman, who just recently received an open visa in December of last year, was declared dead at the ICU on Thursday, February 9, 2012 from a raptured vein in her head. Hora is survived by an 18-year old daughter, who was supposed to visit her mom upon learning of her needs to undergo surgery prior to her death.

According to a friend, Mila Nibreja, she and Hora, a single mom, came to Canada more than 2 years ago from Hong Kong to work as caregivers. They met on the plane enroute to Vancouver and they bonded instantly. Nibreja recalled how they became very close. Nibreja said, “noong Biyernes lang, galing pa siyang Toronto mula sa pagbisita sa tiyuhin nya.” (last Friday, she arrived from Toronto after a short visit with her uncle). Nibreja also added, “tapos nuong araw ding iyon, nag cleaning pa sya. Pagdating nya ng bahay dumaing daw sa mga

kasamasa bahay na masakit ang ulo”(that same day she even did her usual part-time night cleaning, when she get home, she complained to her room mates of having a severe headache). She was left by herself that day and when her friends arrived that night, they saw her unconscious.

They immediately called 911 and Hora was taken to the hospital by ambulance. She stayed at the ICU on life support until Wednesday night when it was noticed that she was no longer responding. Nibreja said, by Thursday, the medical team assigned to her, declared her dead.

Prior to Hora’s death, some of her friends tried to solicit money to help her undergo a certain type of surgery. But their efforts were too late as Hora was not able to survive the sudden attack. However, they continued to ask for financial assistance, believing thatHora doesn’t have enough money for her body to be sent back to her family in the Philippines.

Unlike the untimely deaths of other Filipinos whose remains were not able to be claimed due to lack of financial support, Hora was financially very diligent. Before coming to Canada on her last visit to the Philippines, she paid her repatriation program dues to the Overseas

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Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), which is a must for all Filipino Foreign Workers while being employed abroad. However, Hora doesn’t have any relatives in Canada. She does have several friends, but they don’t have legal capacity to claim her body. Some of Hora’s friends were urging the daughter to come to Canada and claim her mother’s body Nibreja and other friends, decided to directly contact the office of the Consul General in Vancouver to see if they can assist in the legal claiming of her remains on behalf of the Philippine Government. According to Nibreja, the Consul’s office said that they are willing to send the body to the Philippines if Hora’s friends will arrange for her remains be moved from the hospital morgue by the funeral home. Hora’s friends are presently seeking help to raise at least half of the amount that the funeral home is asking for this service. The body, which up to now remains unclaimed, is still under the custody of the Foothills Hospital Mortuary.

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TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2012

News-Canada

HARPER GOVERNMENT INTRODUCES MODERNIZED INVESTIGATIVE TOOLS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OTTAWA, February 14, 2012 – The Honourable Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety, and the Honourable Rob Nicholson, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today introduced in the House of Commons the Protecting Children from Internet Predators Act, a Bill that would provide law enforcement and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) with the modern investigative tools they need to help fight crime and national security threats, while strengthening safeguards to protect the privacy of Canadians.

“Our Government is committed to keeping our streets and communities safe. Rapid changes in technology mean crimes and national security threats are more difficult to investigate. As a result, criminals, gangs and terrorists have found ways to exploit technological innovations to hide their illegal activities,” said Minister Toews. “This legislation would give law enforcement and CSIS the investigative tools they need to do their jobs and keep our communities safe.”

Bill C-XX would require telecommunications service providers (TSP) to: • implement and maintain systems capable of lawfully intercepting communications in order to support the police and CSIS when needed; and • provide basic subscriber information in a consistent and timely fashion to designated police, CSIS and Competition Bureau officials upon request (limited to subscriber name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, the Internet protocol address, and the name of the service provider).

The proposed legislation would help to protect the security and privacy of Canadians by imposing strict limits on the number of CSIS and law enforcement officials who are permitted to make basic subscriber information requests, and apply new requirements for recording, reporting, and auditing those requests.

The Honourable Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety (third from left), along with (from left to right) Ottawa Police Service Deputy Chief Charles Bordeleau; Calgary Police Service Deputy Chief Murray Stooke; Senator Jean-Guy Dagenais; the Honourable Rob Nicholson, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada; Canadian Police Association President Tom Stamatakis; and Francis Brabant from the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, are shown in Ottawa, Tuesday, February 14, 2012, following the introduction of the Protecting Children from Internet Predators Act.

• create new, carefully tailored investigation tools, such as production and preservation orders in the Criminal Code and the Competition Act; • enable Canada to ratify the Council of Europe’s Convention on Cybercrime and its Additional Protocol on Xenophobia and Racism; and • add the safeguards of reporting and notification for the interception of private communications in exceptional circumstances.

In addition, the Bill would: • streamline the application process when court orders or warrants need to be issued in relation to an investigation that involves interceptions;

“New technologies provide new ways of committing crimes, making them more difficult to investigate. We must ensure that law enforcement has the investigative tools to bring to justice those who break the law,” said Minister Nicholson. “This legislation will enable authorities to keep pace with rapidly changing technology, without diminishing the legal protections currently afforded to Canadians with respect to privacy.”

• update existing offences in the Criminal Code to ensure that they are able to cover new ways of committing old crimes;

The proposed legislation is consistent with that of Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States, and will improve Canada’s ability to

HARPER GOVERNMENT OPENS SECURITY LINES FOR SPEEDY AIR TRAVEL FROM CANADA TO THE UNITED STATES OTTAWA — Starting tomorrow, NEXUS members flying to the United States will be able to use NEXUS cards in designated security lines for preboard screening at airports for faster service. This announcement, made by the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and

Communities, follows the recent Action Plan on Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness announced by Prime Minister Harper and United States President Obama.

“This change will make air travel from Canada to the United States more convenient, while maintaining a high level of aviation security,” said Minister Lebel. “I encourage Canadians to apply for a NEXUS card to experience the travel benefits it provides.”

NEXUS members travelling to the United States will be able to use valid NEXUS cards for faster screening by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) at Canada’s eight largest airports (Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver).

Designated security screening lines currently

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work with its international partners to combat crime and terrorism.

At the January 2012 Federal, Provincial, Territorial and Justice Ministers meeting in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, the ministers unanimously agreed on the need to enhance and modernize the investigative capability of law enforcement and urged the federal government to move forward on enacting previously introduced legislation.

“Lawful access represents an important tool to assist policing in combatting serious criminal activity, such as organized crime, sexual predators or identity theft,” said Dale McFee, President of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police. “Modernization of current legislative provisions reflects significant and obvious advancements in communications technologies, which will allow the police to lawfully and effectively investigate serious offences.”

An online version of the proposed legislation will be available at www.parl.gc.ca.

A backgrounder is available at www.publicsafety.gc.ca.

in operation at select domestic and international checkpoints will be open to passengers flying to the United States.

NEXUS is a binational Canada-United States program for pre-approved, low-risk travellers entering Canada and the United States at designated air, land and marine ports of entry. When travelling by air, NEXUS speeds up border clearance by offering members expedited passage by using selfserve kiosks. The designated security screening lines for NEXUS members travelling domestically and now to the United States are implemented by CATSA and Transport Canada in cooperation with the Canada Border Services Agency, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

To apply for NEXUS, visit www.nexus.gc.ca.

News-Canada

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2012 20

A

CONTESTING MY OWN NATION’S BOUNDARIES: A CATHARTIC JOURNEY

BY LOWELL BAUTISTA

“Most people would rather die than think, in fact, they do so.”

– Bertrand Russell Thinking is hard. But it is also a luxury and a privilege. While remunerated mental activity can be excruciating, arduous and daunting; it does not come close to the backbreaking demands of working in a sweatshop, for example. Perhaps not everyone will share this view. But not everyone is from a developing country. I am.

I come from the Philippines, an archipelago of 7,107 breathtaking islands in the Pacific. It is home to more than 90 million people, with about 11 million Filipinos spread all over the world in diaspora. I do not technically belong in this group as I have not been driven out of my country by the ‘push factor’ of a faltering economy that cannot provide enough jobs. In fact, I was blissfully and gainfully employed back home. I had a good reason for leaving my country, which was different but not exactly original. Not unlike countless others, I went abroad to pursue postgraduate studies.

I first stepped in Australian soil almost four years ago – on 15 March 2006, to be exact, to begin my PhD studies at UOW. At that time, studying for a PhD seemed part of a natural series of progressive events. I thought after finishing bachelor’s degrees in political science and law in the Philippines, and then, getting my LLM in Canada, I should get a doctorate. Now I am not so convinced and there are still moments when I catch myself wistfully wondering where life would have brought me had I not gone here in Australia to study for my PhD. Don’t get me wrong.

They are not pangs of regret, as this PhD has been the most enriching and professionally rewarding decision I have made in my life. Perhaps, just fleeting moments of reminiscence; and at times, even of self-doubt. I think an Australian PhD is so structured as to give a PhD candidate ample time not just to write his/ her thesis but to engage in these kinds of moments of self-examination. Just do not overly dwell on them for long expanses of time, as such is a sure-fire formula not to finish on time. This brings me finally to my point.

The past fours of my life spent for the most part on thinking and writing, rethinking and re-writing, had not gone to waste. For one, I see a thick volume of my thesis draft sitting on my computer

desk waiting to be handed in to my examiners anytime soon. It is the product of this rumination process, a distillation of knowledge culled from countless books and journals read, a methodical presentation of what used to be chaotic, disorderly thoughts. It is obvious that I am proud of what I have accomplished. But I am prouder still of the topic of my inquiry for this huge mental project.

My PhD dissertation is on the legal status of the Philippine national territory and territorial waters claim in international law. My thesis, in a nutshell, examines the validity of the colonial boundaries that the Philippines inherited from Spain and the United States. The question challenges the very integrity of the Philippines as it attacks the frontiers of the country’s national boundaries. Suffice it to say that it is not exactly a good topic, for several reasons. For one, it is too close to home. Truth is, it is about my home, my country. And in my thesis the principal challenge is to perform this analysis in an objective and truthful way. To let the axe fall where it should, as it were.

It is similar to asking a surgeon excise his own wound. It is a painful process.

And necessarily so. Otherwise, healing cannot ensue. And so I began my journey with a heavy heart knowing that I may be betraying my motherland in doing this study. The decision to do my PhD on this topic did not come easy but sure was worth the trouble. Secondly, it is a politically sensitive question. In fact, there is a pending case brought before the Philippine Supreme Court during my candidature squarely on my PhD topic question, which still remains unresolved.

Even the brightest legal luminaries of my country are baffled by this question. It is not exactly a tough question to answer; but rather a simple one requiring a tough answer. Even at the early stages of my research I have been discouraged by other scholars who thought it was a futile if not a suicidal topic, career wise. But I pressed on.

Now, years later and nearing completion of my thesis, and having gone to three international conferences speaking on the topic, publishing four internationallyrefereed journal articles, one book in press and another book in the pipeline, a government consultancy, and the psychic rewards of having built for oneself a growing reputation for expertise on an obscure yet specialised area of law. Who would have thought such an unpopular and subversive topic could bring someone so far? This is not the forum to discuss the merits of the Philippine position. I need more space for that. Or to list the

miniscule accomplishments I have made during my candidature. But rather to underscore the lessons I have gathered from my experience.

I have learned many things from this scholarly exercise. I learned that there is an intrinsic value to thinking. The pursuit of knowledge is laudable enough. The production of new knowledge, although not for the faint of heart and mind, is even better. The challenge is not just to think, but to think independently, objectively, critically. Even when other people’s honest opinions and criticisms dampen your spirits. Press on. The Truth is not always the endpoint of this path of inquiry; for that will be the end of knowledge itself. Or to merely satisfy egotistic curiosity. Or to gratify the unthinking throng. But rather, it is the novelty of interpreting old questions in a fresh new perspective, the innovation in viewing tedious problems and finding ingenuous solutions. The true benchmark of talent or genius is not blending with the herd; it is in that moment when one drones the noise of the herd and thinks independently. Of course, this solitary individual may get trampled by the pack; but that single epiphanous moment is what life and living is all about.

About the author: Lowell Bautista is from the Philippines and currently a Research Assistant and PhD Candidate on his last final year of study at the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS), Faculty of Law, UOW. His doctoral dissertation is entitled, “The Legal Status of the Philippine Treaty Limits and Territorial Water Claim in International Law: National and International Legal Perspectives” with supervisors Prof.

Martin Tsamenyi and Dr. Clive Schofield.

Lowell Bautista holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science (cum laude) and Bachelor of Laws degrees from the University of the Philippines and a Master of Laws (Marine and Environmental Law) degree from Dalhousie University in Canada. He also holds a Diploma from the Rhodes Academy of Ocean Law and Policy.

Lowell Bautista is a practicing lawyer with several years of experience in legal and policy research, litigation, and consultancy.

His areas of research include international environmental law, maritime boundary delimitation, the South China Sea, maritime piracy and terrorism, Philippine maritime and territorial issues, underwater cultural heritage, and international humanitarian law, on which topics he has also published.

CALL FOR ARTICLES

If you are a Filipino in the diaspora, or want to share an article about your Canadian Experience to inspire Filipinos in Canada and around the world, please submit it to info@canadianinquirer.net, with a copy to melissa.briones@canadianinquirer.net. Thank you.

Free Income Tax Clinics Income earners can take advantage of free tax clinics all over Canada manned by volunteers, some of whom are accountants who are very willing to help the community.

In Toronto, the Association of Filipino Canadian Accountants (AFCA) will hold its Annual Tax Clinics in various locations to help seniors, low income individuals and families prepare their tax returns for the year ended December 31, 2011. Please see the locations of Volunteer Tax Preparation clinics in Alberta and Vancouver Vancouver Downtown Eastside Residents Association 12 Hastings Street E, Vancouver BC (604) 682-0931 First United Church 320 Hastings Street E, Vancouver BC (604) 681-8365 Mental Health Empowerment Advocates Program 1733 4th W, Vancouver BC (604) 482-3700

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West Coast Domestic Workers’ Association 302-119 W. Pender Street, Vancouver BC Contact Person: Dex (604) 696-5006 Alberta Drayton Valley Community Learning 5056 50 Avenue City Drayton Valley, AB March 1 to April 30, 2012 Monday, 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

March 1 to April 30, 2012 Tuesday to Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

EDSON FCSS 605 50 Street, Edson, AB (780) 723-4403 Year-round Town of Grande Cache FCSS Contact Person: Duane Didow (780) 827-2446 ext. 232 Grand Cache, AB Clinic March 13 to April 30, 2012

More on page 23

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TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2012

Classified Ads / TV Guide

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For accounting and consulting services, please call Angel Balena of Profit Point Accounting and Consulting Services at (778) 858-3060.

For quality graphic design services, please call Lefthand Design Studio at (604) 358-0533.

In Loving Memory of Lucia Avendaño

For funeral pre-planning and pre-funding, visit funeralplanner.ca or call (604) 551-3360

December 13, 1929 – February 9, 2012 Laid to rest at the Garden of Resurrection Valley View Memorial Gardens 14644-72nd Avenue Surrey, British Columbia

WANTED - PCI Account Reps for Toronto, Calgary and Winnipeg. Please emailinfo@ canadianinquirer.net or call (778) 383-6090.

TFC THE FILIPINO CHANNEL

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MONDAY

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WEDNESDAY

KRUSADA (R) 11:45 - 12:25 OKA2KAT (R) 12:25 - 01:25

THE BUZZ (R) 10:40 - 12:20 GROWING UP (R) 12:20 - 01:00

XXX 12:05 - 12:45 BALITANG AMERICA (R) 12:45 - 01:15

PATROL NG PILIPINO 12:05 - 12:45 BALITANG AMERICA (R) 12:45 - 01:15

CITIZEN PINOY (R)

WANSAPANATAYM (R)

SOCO (R)

SALAMAT DOK (SAT)(R)

01:25 - 02:25 PATROL NG PILIPINO (R) 02:25 - 03:05 STORYLINE (R) 03:05 - 03:50 GANDANG GABI VICE (R) 03:50 - 04:35 BANANA SPLIT (R) 04:35 - 05:35

01:00 - 02:00

01:15 - 02:05

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ADOBO NATION (R)

KRIS TV (R)

KRIS TV (R)

KRIS TV (R)

KRIS TV (R)

KRIS TV (R)

02:00 - 03:00 BUSA SUPERSHOW (R) 03:00 - 03:30

02:05 - 03:00 IT'S SHOWTIME (R) 03:00 - 05:00 BANANA SPLIT DAILY SERVINGS (R) 05:00 - 05:30 UMAGANG KAY GANDA 05:30 - 07:10 KABUHAYANG SWAK NA SWAK SAT 07:10 - 07:35

02:05 - 03:00 IT'S SHOWTIME (R) 03:00 - 05:00 BANANA SPLIT DAILY SERVINGS (R) 05:00 - 05:30 UMAGANG KAY GANDA 05:30 - 07:10 KABUHAYANG SWAK NA SWAK SUN 07:10 - 07:35

02:05 - 03:00 IT'S SHOWTIME (R) 03:00 - 05:00 BANANA SPLIT DAILY SERVINGS (R) 05:00 - 05:30 UMAGANG KAY GANDA 05:30 - 07:10

02:05 - 03:00 IT'S SHOWTIME (R) 03:00 - 05:00 BANANA SPLIT DAILY SERVINGS (R) 05:00 - 05:30 UMAGANG KAY GANDA 05:30 - 07:10

02:05 - 03:00 IT'S SHOWTIME (R) 03:00 - 05:00 BANANA SPLIT DAILY SERVINGS (R) 05:00 - 05:30 SALAMAT DOK (SAT) 05:30 - 06:25

MATANGLAWIN (R)

FAILON NGAYON (R)

MATH TINIK

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TV PATROL

BANANA SPLIT 03:30 - 04:30 TODA MAX (R) 04:30 - 05:05

SALAMAT DOK (SUN)

GOIN BULILIT (R)

05:35 - 06:35 THE HEALING EUCHARIST 06:35 - 07:35 TV PATROL LINGGO 07:40 - 08:20

05:05 - 05:30 UMAGANG KAY GANDA

TV PATROL

TV PATROL

TV PATROL

05:30 - 07:10 BUSA SUPERSHOW 07:10 - 07:35

07:45 - 09:05 KRIS TV 09:05 - 09:55 BANANA SPLIT DAILY SERVINGS 09:55 - 10:30

07:45 - 09:05 KRIS TV 09:05 - 09:55 BANANA SPLIT DAILY SERVINGS 09:55 - 10:30

EL SHADDAI

TV PATROL

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07:45 - 09:05

07:45 - 09:05 KRIS TV 09:05 - 09:55 BANANA SPLIT DAILY SERVINGS 09:55 - 10:30

MATANGLAWIN

KRIS TV

L.O.L. LAUGH OUT LOUD

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09:05 - 09:55 BANANA SPLIT DAILY SERVINGS 09:55 - 10:30 L.O.L. LAUGH OUT LOUD 10:30 - 11:20 IT'S SHOWTIME 11:30 - 01:30

10:30 - 11:20

BELO BEAUTY 101 (R) 10:05 - 10:35 ASAP ROCKS

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

STORYLINE KRUSADA SOCO 12:05 - 12:45 12:05 - 12:45 12:05 - 12:45 BALITANG AMERICA (R) BALITANG AMERICA (R) BALITANG AMERICA (R) 12:45 - 01:15 12:45 - 01:15 12:45 - 01:15 SALAMAT DOK (SUN) THE BOTTOM LINE (R) RATED K (R) (R) 01:15 - 02:05 01:15 - 02:05 01:15 - 02:05

07:45 - 09:05 KRIS TV 09:05 - 09:55 BANANA SPLIT DAILY SERVINGS 09:55 - 10:30 L.O.L. LAUGH OUT L.O.L. LAUGH OUT LOUD L.O.L. LAUGH OUT LOUD LOUD 10:30 - 11:20 10:30 - 11:20 10:30 - 11:20

WHY NOT? 06:50 - 07:10 WANSAPANATAYM 07:10 - 07:40 TV PATROL SABADO 07:40 - 08:20 RATED K

IT'S SHOWTIME

IT'S SHOWTIME

IT'S SHOWTIME

IT'S SHOWTIME

11:30 - 01:30

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E-BOY

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E-BOY

L.O.L. LAUGH OUT LOUD

01:30 - 02:05 BUDOY 02:05 - 02:30 MUNDO MAN AY MAGUNAW 02:30 - 03:05

01:30 - 02:05 BUDOY 02:05 - 02:30 MUNDO MAN AY MAGUNAW 02:30 - 03:05

01:30 - 02:05 BUDOY 02:05 - 02:30 MUNDO MAN AY MAGUNAW 02:30 - 03:05 WALANG HANGGAN

THE BUZZ

E-BOY

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01:30 - 02:05 BUDOY 02:05 - 02:30 MUNDO MAN AY MAGUNAW 02:30 - 03:05

GOIN BULILIT

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WALANG HANGGAN

WALANG HANGGAN

WALANG HANGGAN

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MARIA LA DEL BARRIO

MARIA LA DEL BARRIO

MARIA LA DEL BARRIO

MARIA LA DEL BARRIO

BELO BEAUTY 101

03:35 - 04:25

02:05 - 02:30 MUNDO MAN AY MAGUNAW 02:30 - 03:05

09:45 - 10:30 OKA2KAT 10:30 - 11:30 IT'S SHOWTIME SATURDAY 11:30 - 01:35 SHOWBIZ INSIDE REPORT 01:35 - 02:20

03:40 - 04:00

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TV PATROL LINGGO (R)

WALANG HANGGAN

03:40 - 04:00 LUMAYO KA MAN SA AKIN 04:00 - 04:35

BUSA SUPERSHOW

ANGELITO

MAALAALA MO KAYA

10:35 - 12:45 GROWING UP 12:45 - 01:25

RATED K

04:25 - 05:05 03:05 - 03:40 JUNIOR MASTER CHEF MARIA LA DEL BARRIO (SUNDAY) 05:05 - 05:45 03:40 - 04:00 LUMAYO KA MAN SA CITIZEN PINOY AKIN 05:45 - 06:45 04:00 - 04:35 ADOBO NATION

ANGELITO

06:45 - 07:45 GANDANG GABI VICE 07:45 - 08:30 ASAP ROCKS (R) 08:30 - 10:40

04:35 - 05:05 TV PATROL (R) 05:05 - 06:25 BALITANG AMERICA 06:25 - 06:55

THE BUZZ (R)

E-BOY (R)

10:40 - 12:20

07:05 - 07:45 BUDOY (R) 07:45 - 08:20 MUNDO MAN AY MAGUNAW (R) 08:20 - 08:55 WALANG HANGGAN (R) 08:55 - 09:35 MARIA LA DEL BARRIO (R) 09:35 - 10:10 LUMAYO KA MAN SA AKIN (R) 10:10 - 10:50 ANGELITO (R) 10:50 - 11:20 BANDILA 11:20 - 12:05

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LUMAYO KA MAN SA AKIN LUMAYO KA MAN SA AKIN

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TV PATROL (R)

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BALITANG AMERICA

BALITANG AMERICA

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BALITANG AMERICA

04:25 - 05:05 JUNIOR MASTER CHEF (SAT) 06:25 - 06:55 05:05 - 05:45 06:25 - 06:55 06:25 - 06:55 06:25 - 06:55 E-BOY (R) TODA MAX E-BOY (R) E-BOY (R) E-BOY (R) 07:05 - 07:45 05:45 - 06:20 07:05 - 07:45 07:05 - 07:45 07:05 - 07:45 BUDOY (R) BANANA SPLIT BUDOY (R) BUDOY (R) BUDOY (R) 07:45 - 08:20 06:20 - 07:15 07:45 - 08:20 07:45 - 08:20 07:45 - 08:20 MUNDO MAN AY IT'S SHOWTIME MUNDO MAN AY MUNDO MAN AY MUNDO MAN AY MAGUNAW (R) SATURDAY (R) MAGUNAW (R) MAGUNAW (R) MAGUNAW (R) 08:20 - 08:55 07:15 - 09:20 08:20 - 08:55 08:20 - 08:55 08:20 - 08:55 WALANG HANGGAN (R) WALANG HANGGAN (R) WALANG HANGGAN (R) WALANG HANGGAN (R) MAALAALA MO KAYA (R) 08:55 - 09:35 09:20 - 10:20 08:55 - 09:35 08:55 - 09:35 08:55 - 09:35 MARIA LA DEL BARRIO MARIA LA DEL BARRIO MARIA LA DEL BARRIO MARIA LA DEL BARRIO (R) THE BOTTOM LINE (R) (R) (R) 09:35 - 10:10 10:20 - 11:20 09:35 - 10:10 09:35 - 10:10 09:35 - 10:10 LUMAYO KA MAN SA AKIN LUMAYO KA MAN SA AKIN LUMAYO KA MAN SA LUMAYO KA MAN SA FAILON NGAYON (R) (R) AKIN (R) AKIN (R) 10:10 - 10:50 11:20 - 11:45 10:10 - 10:50 10:10 - 10:50 10:10 - 10:50 ANGELITO (R)

ANGELITO (R)

ANGELITO (R)

ANGELITO (R)

KRUSADA (R)

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BANDILA

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BANDILA

BANDILA

11:20 - 12:05

11:20 - 12:05

11:20 - 12:05

11:20 - 12:05

* Schedules are subject to change without prior notice.

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Immigration

UPAABC WORKSHOP FOR TEMPORARY FOREIGN WORKERS IN BC SUCCESSFUL

BY BERT QUIBUYEN “The Philippine Consulate General strongly supports this UPAABC-sponsored TFW post arrival orientation seminar as it hopefully would add not only to the knowledge of our workers as to their rights and whatever is due them financially or otherwise but also as to their obligations and duties as a worker now and probably towards prospective Canadian residency and citizenship.”

With these words, Hon. Jose Ampeso, Philippine Consul General in Vancouver, officially opened the first Workshop for Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW) sponsored by the University of the Philippines Alumni Association of British Columbia (UPAABC) in partnership with the Philippine Consulate General and the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO).

It was held at the Metrotown Community Centre on February 5, 2012.

THE WORKPLACE Rod Bianchini, Regional Manager of the Employment Standards Branch of the Ministry of Labor, spoke about the rights and responsibilities of TFWs and their employers. He highlighted the known fact of potential abuse by employers and discussed mechanisms for complaints and grievances, mediation, arbitration, termination, vacation leave, sick leave, and other sensitive workplace issues.

WORKING AND LIVING IN BC AireenLuney, Program Adviser, BC Provincial Nominee Program, discussed the Provincial Nominee Program, which is an option for those who want to work and live in BC. According to her, each province has its own program criteria based on its labor needs, but it is employer-driven and therefore a job has to be waiting for the applicant in order to be approved. There is a new program, however, called the International Graduates Program (in pilot stage), whereby a degree holder from the Philippines can enter UBC, SFU, BCIT, and earn a postgraduate degree or diploma. They do not need an employer to apply for permanent residence. This new option is creating renewed hope for those who have been trying to come to BC.

SERVICES OF THE PHILIPPINE CONSULATE Consul Anthony Mandap and Labor Attache Bernie Julve, both UP College of Law alumni, outlined the various services provided by the Philippine Consulate to TFWs. They also discussed some important points, including the fact that TFWs, although in Canada, are still bound

by Philippine laws because they are still citizens of the Philippines. As an example, they mentioned that although Filipinos may be able to get a divorce in Canada, in the eyes of Philippine law, the divorce is invalid and their previous marriage subsists. Incomes of TFWs from Canada, however, are exempt from taxation. Illegal recruitment was mentioned as another cause for concern for the Philippine Consulate. In fact, an alleged hotel in Burnaby recruiting Filipino workers was investigated and found to be a community center and not a hotel. This saved Filipino workers $7,000 each in recruitment fees.

The POLO may assist in verifying job prospects and TFWs were encouraged to seek their assistance.

ABSENTEE VOTING Vice Consul Melanie Diano and BennetGanata took charge of the registration desk for absentee voting for those who wanted to vote in Philippine elections. More information on absentee voting can be found at the consulate website at http://vancouverpcg.net/.

SKILLS CONNECT: OPTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES Mary Tecson and Liza Bautista of the Immigrant Services Society of BC (ISSBC) gave a presentation on opportunities available and services offered by ISSBC. More information can be found at http://www.issbc. org/skillsconnect/.

The event, brainchild of Con-Gen Jose Ampeso and UPAABC President Eric Inigo, borne out of their respective organization’s desire to help TFWs through an informational workshop, was a well-attended and successful event. There was a general atmosphere of camaraderie among the TFWs, members of the Philippine media, members of the UPAABC, the Philippine Consulate General, Immigration Consultants, and Western Union representatives who were present, and all learned from everyone in attendance.

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2012 22

Officials of the BC Provincial Nominee Program and the RP Consul General

RP Consul General Jose Ampeso

UPAABC President Eric Inigo

Natie Sotana & Cristie Lane Sotana BC HAPPY HOMES IMMIGRATION SERVICES Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCIC) www.natiesotanaimmigration.com Email: natiesotana@yahoo.ca

Canada Immigration (Canada) office: 604 584-1199

Mario’s Shoe Repair owner

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TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2012

News-Canada

MONEYTALK

BY JOE FERRERIA

upon opportunities in their lives.

Q: Please advise me on how can I save and at the same time feed my family while I am just a minimum wage earner.

Some of them eventually built small sarisari stores which became a great addition to their meager wage as a driver or laborer.

A: Can you save $100 a month? That’s about $5.00 per day not including Saturdays and Sundays.

The point I am trying to make is saving is not impossible. It is up to you to decide if you want to put one dollar a month or a hundred dollars a month. It can be done and no matter how much you save, when an opportunity or a crisis comes, at the very least you have a few dollars tucked away to help ease your burden or need.

If you can, you can therefore save money.

Saving money is not all about the amount of savings. It is all about the establishment of a habit.

My father was in the trucking business during the late 50’s. He had to deal with a lot of drivers and “pahinante” or laborers who carry goods on their back unloading the trucks.

He had large bottles for every employee.

The cover of these glass jars had a slit enough for a 10-cent coin to go through.

Payroll was every Friday and thus, after falling in line for their pay, out comes the glass jars and the men put ten cents in their jars. Not all of them however would put money away since this is a voluntary thing.

Most of those who put away those shiny 10-cent coins eventually had to unlock their “alkansya” or piggy bank during times when one of their children are sick or they come

On being a minimum wage earner, I do not have much information about where you work or how you live or even the number of your children. I need more information than what you sent for me to make a judgment on that. However, one of the main things that affect your expenses is the way you live your life.

Is it really humanly impossible to live on one’s wage? Or are your expenses simply beyond your means? If the second is the case, there is a need for you to re-examine your spending patterns.

developments? There are foreclosed houses which are being sold for unbelievably low prices. Some of them are not much of a house really, but the jumble of hollow blocks, bare ceiling and unpainted walls can be a start.

With a little elbow grease and weekend carpentry, it might turn out to be a wonderful home after-all.

Can you turn around your paltry existence?

Yes indeed, if only you will constantly search for and work for solutions. Chin up, have faith, there is a light at the end of the tunnel for you and your beloved family.

Finally, remember that you are not alone.

I share your pain in trying to keep body and soul together in life. During my first year of married life, we were a lot poorer than the rats because we had very little money to go around. We used to live in a small poorly ventilated room. One Friday, I only had $2 dollars in my pocket for the weekend market money. I personally went to the market to

About the Author: Augustus “Joe”Ferreria is the President of MoneyDoctors, Inc. (MDI), a Philippine corporation. MDI believes that Filipinos, whether living in the Philippines or abroad, deserve to be wealthy.

Please send your queries to directors@ moneydoctors.com.ph and indicate Canada in the subject line. More information can be found at www.moneydoctors.com.ph.

Free income tax...continued from A20 The Gateway Center for New Canadians 3450 Wolfedale Road, Mississuaga, On Contact Person : Pastor Julius Tel no. (905) 848-1106 Email: juliusgateway@gmail.com 17 Mar-Sat 1-5pm

Caregivers’ Ministry Archdiocesan Fil Catholic Mission 2565 Bathrust St., Toronto, Ontario Contact Person: The Parish Office Tel no. : (416)787-4547 Email: olaparishtoronto@rogers.com 19 Feb-Sun 11-4 pm

Federation of Filipino Canadians of Brampton 7700 Hurontario St., Brampton, Ontario Contact Person : Joe Ragual Email: jragual@rogers.com 18 Mar-Sun 1-5pm

Caregivers’ Ministry Archdiocesan Fil Catholic Mission Our Lady of Assumption Church, 2565 Bathrust St., Toronto, Ont Contact Person: The Parish Office Tel no. : (416)787-4547 Email: olaparishtoronto@rogers.com 26 Feb-Sun 11-4 pm Silayan Community Centre Sub-level 2-240 Wellesley , Toronto, Ontario Contact Person: Hermani de leon/ Ben Ferrer Tel no. (416) 926-9505 Email: hfr.deleon@gmail.com 4 Mar-Sun 12-5:30

Unbelievable? This is a true story and I speak to you sincerely from my heart.

I am trying to motivate you to an examination of what you really can afford.

With limited information I have on hand, only you can do that re-examination. If you want more guidance, I can try to help out if you email me more details.

If you are living on your own and struggle with the rent or the house payments, can you not share your home with another family of similar means? Can you move to cooperatives or government housing

Thorncliffe Neighborhood Settlement Office Cresent Town Club - 2A Market Place, East York Contact Person: Netha Tel. No. (647)-296-0157 Email: rthiageshwaean@thorncliffe.com 18 Feb-Sat 1-5 pm

buy some fish. At that time, the cheapest I could find was “espada” or sword fish and “kangkong”. For about four days, we had nothing but paksiwnaespada, adobongespada, pritongespada. For variety and nutrition, we had adobong kangkong and boiled kangkong.

Kababayan Community Center 1313 Queen St West, Toronto,Ontario Contact Peron : Flor Dandal Tel No. (416) 532-3888 Ext 221 18 Mar-Sun 1-5pm Kababayan Community Center 1313 Queen St West, Toronto,Ontario Contact Peron : Flor Dandal Tel No. (416) 532-3888 Ext 221 24 Mar-Sun 1-5pm Caregiver Connections, Education & Support Org. Parkdale Project Read -Unit 2 1209 King St West, Tor, Ont (King & Dufferin) 31 Mar-Sat 12-5pm

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Immigration

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2012 24

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3 FILIPINOS NOMINATED TO THE 2012 TOP 25 CANADIAN IMMIGRANTS AWARD Caroline Mangosing, an artist based in Toronto, Dr. Rey Pagktakhan, a physician, professor and politician from Winnipeg, and Narima dela Cruz, real estate professional and community volunteer from Surrey are the Canadian-Filipino nominees to the 2012 Top 25 Canadian Immigrants Award, an award presented by the Canadian Immigrant Magazine, a monthly publication distributed in Vancouver and Toronto. You can vote for your favorites from February 14 until April 13 via http://canadianimmigrant.ca/canadas-top-25-immigrants/canadas-top-25-immigrants-2012/vote.

Please see their profiles below.

PROFILE: CAROLINE MANGOSING Occupation: An artist who encourages young newcomers in her community to express themselves through art.

Country of Origin: Philippines City: Toronto, ON In Canada For: More than 10 years About Caroline Mangosing Caroline Mangosing has a passion for helping Filipino-Canadian youth to integrate faster and adjust easily in a new and diverse environment like Canada. Through arts and culture, she has become an inspiration to most Filipino-Canadian youths.

She is the executive director and co-founder of Kapisanan centre, a non-profit arts and culture community center which provides space for young Filipinos to explore their identity and heritage.

She is a multi-disciplinary artist. She is a published fashion photographer and designer. She is an actor, producer and a mentor.

She began film work as a producer and director of a documentary for the United Nations in Kenya, which focused on Kenyan youth speaking on the topic of sustainable living.

Other work with youth includes teaching media literacy and media production workshops to different programs in Vancouver, New York and Toronto She has toured around B.C. visiting schools to raise awareness on discrimination and racism in Canada.

She is one of the founding partners of Toronto-based film and television production company, The Digital Sweatshop Inc. (DS). Alongside DS, she has produced and starred in her first feature film, “Ang Pamana: The Inheritance” which had a wide theatrical release in the Philippines.

As an artistic youth, she dabbled in various communities in search of a place to share her cultural experience. She wished for support and direction that could advance the creative and professional path of a Filipino-Canadian like herself, only to be faced with limited resources to do so.

She serves as an inspiration to other Canadian immigrants through her hard work and positive outlook in life. She has shown that if you’re really passionate about something and if you work hard in achieving your dreams, you’ll be able to reach your goals.

PROFILE: DR. REY PAGTAKHAN Occupation: Canadian physician, professor and politician.

Country of Origin: Philippines City: Winnipeg, MB In Canada For: More than 10 years

PROFILE: NARIMA DELA CRUZ Occupation: Real estate professional and community volunteer.

Country of Origin: Philippines City: Surrey, BC In Canada For: More than 10 years

About Dr. Rey Pagtakhan Rey Pagtakhan was the first president of the Philippine Association of Manitoba, the umbrella organization of all Filipino-Canadian organized groups in Manitoba.

He was the first Filipino Canadian to serve as member of the Winnipeg Police Commission and the first to be elected to the House of Commons in 1988, serving until 2004, for the ridings of Winnipeg North and Winnipeg North-St. Paul.

As a member of Parliament, he served as parliamentary secretary to the former Prime Minister Jean Chretien from Feb. 23, 1996, to July 15, 1998.

He was appointed to the cabinet on Jan. 9, 2001, and served as Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific) until Jan. 15, 2002.

On Jan.15, 2002, he was promoted to Minister of Veterans Affairs and Minister responsible for Manitoba, during which he was part of the government that funded major projects in Manitoba such as the expansion of the Red River Floodway and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

He obtained his doctor of medicine from the University of the Philippines and his Masters of Science degree from the University of Manitoba.

He joined the medical faculty at the University of Manitoba in 1971 as a lecturer and later became a professor in 1985.

He also worked as a pediatric respirologist at the Winnipeg Children’s Hospital between 1971 and 1988, and served as director of the Manitoba Fibrosis Centre.

He has received several awards and honours, including the Canadian Governor General’s Queen Elizabeth Silver Jubilee Medal, the Missouri and St. Louis Heart Associations’ Joint Research Fellowship (held at Washington University School of Medicine), the Manila Medical Society First Prize for Basic Research, the UP Medical Alumni Society Most Distinguished Alumnus Award and the Philippine Presidential Citation for Outstanding Filipino Overseas. Most recently, the University of the Philippines conferred upon Dr. Pagtakhan a doctor of laws, honoris causa.

Despite being the son of a simple baker in the Philippines, with hard work and determination, he was able to finish medical school and become the first person in his family to graduate from a postsecondary program.

He has inspired and motivated other Canadian immigrants by serving as a role model and a good example, showing that hard work and determination is the key to success.

About Narima Dela Cruz Narima Dela Cruz is a licensed Realtor now connected with Magsen Realty Inc. and formerly with SuttonPremier Realty, selling real estate from million dollar homes in West Vancouver to small condos in the suburbs.

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She is also an active community volunteer in and outside of the Filipino Canadian community in Surrey, her city of residence for the last seven years.

Her enthusiasm to lead and guide a fast-growing community in the city uplifts people’s spirits and inspires them to embrace their home and environment and be contributing residents and citizens.

She is the founding director and president of the Surrey Philippine Independence Day Society (SPIDS).

She is also chairperson of the Scholarship Initiative Committee of the Johnston Heights Secondary School Parent Advisory Council (PAC) for four years, and is a volunteer with SUCCESS. She comes from a poor family in her native Philippines and finished her secondary and university education with flying colors through various academic scholarships.

When she immigrated to Canada in 1998 with her husband and two-year-old son as skilled immigrants, she struggled to adjust to her new home in Winnipeg, where they landed and stayed for seven years before moving to B.C. She is known for her advocacy on supporting new immigrants, encouraging them to come out and be welcomed warmly by other Canadians.

She has gone out of her way assisting them from picking them up from the airport and helping find a rental place, to referring to employment opportunities, soliciting old furniture/appliances/winter clothing and organizing summer picnics, among other things.

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Showbiz • Lifestyle • Travel

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2012

Entertainment www.canadianinquirer.net

Georgina, Raymond discover noninvasive liposuction I couldn’t forget the day Dr. Belo pinched me in the tummy,’ said Wilson. ‘I couldn’t believe I had so much unwanted fat’

BY ALEX Y. VERGARA Philippine Daily Inquirer IN THEIR BATTLE with the bulge, celebrities and good friends Raymond Gutierrez and Georgina Wilson thought of going under the knife—until they found noninvasive solutions that are “60 percent as effective” as liposuction.

“Liposuction did cross my mind at one point, but my fear of needles and anything invasive prevented me from undergoing it,” said Gutierrez.

Wilson thinks differently. Since the sought-after cover girl has always embraced an active lifestyle, she wanted to lose every pound the hard way.

“I’m not averse to working out, but I noticed that no matter what I did, my figure wouldn’t budge anymore,” said Wilson.

“And the Bench underwear show was fast approaching. I wasn’t born with a naturally curvy body, but I couldn’t imagine myself being seen in public in bra and panty looking as I did.”

Then, Dr. Vicki Belo offered them Sexy Solutions (SS), her new clinic in Makati, which specializes in noninvasive treatments to zap unwanted bulges.

Gutierrez’s efforts have been quite dramatic. He claims to dread the idea of weighing himself before and after, but has so far lost seven inches around his problematic “midsection” after three months of SS comprehensive fitness program.

“I actually don’t know how much weight I lost,” said Gutierrez, whose before and after images are now splashed on billboards. “But judging from inches I lost and the way I went down several clothes sizes, I’d say I was able to shed 30-40 pounds.”

While the results were less dramatic on Wilson, she emerged looking firmer, curvier and leaner after the program.

“I credit it for giving me a 25-inch waistline,” she said.

Holistic SS is a sister company of Belo Medical Group (BMG). While BMG has more invasive and drastic procedures to a trim figure,

Seriously now, Uge

BY BY ALEX Y. VERGARA Philippine Daily Inquirer FILIPINO fans here and abroad can vote for Eugene Domingo who’s vying for best actress in the people’s choice section of the Asian Film Awards. “Voting is ongoing until March 5 on the AFA web site: http://www.asianfilmawards.asia/2012,” said Joji Alonso, who produced Domingo’s entry, “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank.”

Lucky voters can win a chance to attend the awards ceremony next month.

Reinvented Best known for wacky characters in such hit movies as “Kimmy Dora,” “Here Comes the Bride” and “Septic Tank,” comedienne Domingo reinvented herself as a serious thespian in the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entry, “Shake,

Wake-up call Gutierrez’s wake-up call happened a few weeks after last year’s Star Magic Ball, when, in a tuxedo, he looked in the mirror and tried to reassure himself. None of his friends, including Wilson,

had the heart to tell him that he should seek professional help.

“I told myself I was handsome and looking sharp,” he said.

“But who was I fooling? My whole life, I’ve had to deal with being overweight. Being on TV, I feel I owe it to my audience to present myself in the best way possible. I owe it to myself to stay fit and healthy.”

Diet and exercise can do only so much, he added. There are problem areas in the body that require some “intervention.”

He has found it, he said, in Sexy Solutions.

Multi-firm is 50 percent more effective than earlier generations of radio-frequency machines that are commonly used on the market today, said Belo.

Since it’s “tripolar,” Multi-firm has several positive and negative poles that go through the skin beyond the adipose layer. While the penetrating heat slowly melts fat, the heat on top tightens the skin.

“Through ultrasonic energy, it produces a vibrating action that causes the fat cells or the houses to expand,” said Belo.

“Once they do, the fat turns liquid and leaks out through little pores in the fat cells.”

Lipo Cavitation promotes better blood circulation, especially among mature clients whose blood vessels have become a tad narrow with age. In short, the machine helps in the proper elimination of dissolved fat.

According to Henares, the services Sexy Solutions offers are ideal for people who are at the most 20-30 pounds overweight. It could also work for women with problem areas like their tummies ( puson) and wings (the upper back that’s usually exposed if they wear backless and strapless numbers).

“That’s why Rajo Laurel and I are doing a bridal package to help future brides look good in their wedding gowns,” said Henares.

Gutierrez and Wilson have been so encouraged by initial results that they’ve now supplemented their weight-loss regimen at Sexy Solutions with changes in lifestyles.

“I was in New York recently and, except for a few items, did the bulk of my shopping at a Nike store,” said Gutierrez.

“Rather than stay up late and drink with friends, I now try to sleep early and work out the next day. Georgina and I find it funny because the gym and Sexy Solutions have become our new hangouts.”

“I just want everyone to know that you’re not stuck with the body you have,” said Wilson. “If you’re not happy with your body, there’s always something you can do about it.” ■

Rattle and Roll 13.”

In the episode “Rain, Rain Go Away,” she played it straight as a woman haunted by drenched spirits. Still, she won best supporting actress at the MMFF for another comedic portrayal, in “My Househusband: Ikaw Na.” Domingo believes it’s important to push herself as a performer, especially in light of her AFA nod. AFA is known as the Asian Oscars, after all. “She’s often boxed in comedic roles, but ‘Septic’ showed her range and versatility,” noted Alonso.

Talk about pushing: Uge, as Domingo is known in the biz, is set to do the Unitel-produced musical “I Do Bidoo Bidoo,” based on the songs of the Apo Hiking Society and to be directed

by Chris Martinez, her collaborator on “Rain, Rain.”

She explains her decision to cross over to other genres: “It’s good to surprise your audience, and yourself, when you get the chance. As an actor, I welcome the challenge, the uncertainty that opens me up to new, maybe greater, possibilities.”

While doing “Rain,” Uge realized that doing horror is serious business: “It’s not easy to look scared.”

She has no reason to fear when “Septic” competes in Berlin (this month) and the AFA (next month). She had wanted to attend Berlinale, if only to meet Oscar winner Meryl Streep.

But she had to shoot “Kimmy Dora and the Temple of Kiyeme” in Seoul and Manila.

According to Alonso, “Septic” is nominated for the Cinema Fairbindet award in the Forum section of the ongoing Berlin fest. The award comes with a cash prize of 5,000 euros and the chance to be distributed in German cinemas. Alonso explained that films honored with a Cinema Fairbindet nod are chosen for “evocative aesthetic, emotional or narrative virtues.”

Although “Septic” failed to clinch an Oscar nod (for best foreign language film), Uge is thrilled over the double nominations (best actress for her and best screenplay for Martinez) at the Asian Oscars.

“I want to share that with all Filipinos who have faith in our cinema,” she said. “The (AFA) recognition means that our neighbors are now aware that Filipinos can excel and can definitely be considered among Asia’s best.” ■

SS advances a kinder and perhaps more holistic approach through a series of noninvasive procedures and advice on fitness and nutrition.

Apart from Belo, SS, which is managed by Belo’s daughter Cristalle Henares, has nutritionist Nadine Tengco and fitness professional Edward Mendez.

Tengco has made a so-called non-inflammatory diet, which she tweaks to suit the individual needs of clients.

Inflammation, which comes with age and unhealthy lifestyle, has been identified as the root cause of superficial concerns such as wrinkles and flabby midsection, as well as life-threatening diseases like diabetes.

Tengco, a licensed nutritionist who’s also a consultant for both Sexy Chef and the TV show “Pinoy’s Biggest Loser,” has also created food products such as the fat-flush drink, which helps SS clients get rid of melted fat through their natural bowel movement.

How did Gutierrez and Wilson do it? They first had weekly sessions of Lipo Cavitation, Multi-firm and Titefx, which, done on customized schedule, are “60 percent as effective” as having a liposuction, said Belo.

“Under a microscope, fat really looks like a balloon,” Belo explained. “Those tiny balloons are actually fat cells housing the fat. What makes liposuction so effective is we actually suck out fat cells. That’s why they don’t come back in the same area because we’ve effectively removed the house.”

In Belo’s book, liposuction with Bodytite, a machine that tightens skin as it melts away remnants of fat, is still the gold standard. Smartlipo or laser-assisted lipo, which is “80 percent as effective,” comes in second.

Wilson was neither fat nor overweight. Liposuction or even Ultrashape, which is designed for really obese patients, would have been too much for her.

But a pinch test Belo did on Wilson’s tummy showed she clearly had subcutaneous fat that needed some zapping.

“I couldn’t forget the day Dr. Belo pinched me in the tummy,” she said. “It’s ingrained in my memory. I couldn’t believe I had so much unwanted fat. And I thank people like Tita Annabelle (Rama) who was so vocal. ‘George, tumaba ka ng todo!’ If not for such comments, I wouldn’t have sought help.”

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Entertainment ‘THERE WAS NOTHING IMPOSIBLE WITH US’

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2012 26

ABBA cofounder recalls key moments to success.

BY POCHOLO CONCEPCION Philippine Daily Inquirer

THE STAGE musical “Mamma Mia!”, which opened in 1999 at London’s West End, and which has been touring the world— and currently running at the Cultural Center of the Philippines until Feb. 19—would not have been mounted without the direct participation of ABBA’S founding members and songwriters, Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus.

Initially, the guys were reportedly “not enthusiastic” about the idea that ABBA’S songs could form the material for a theatrical production. But in this e-mail interview with the INQUIRER, Bjorn— who was also ABBA’S guitarist—said he was convinced that “Mamma Mia!” was worth doing after he and Benny met British playwright Catherine Johnson, who was commissioned to write the book for the musical.

You were a member of the Swedish “folkschlager” band Hootenanny Singers before you met Benny. Please tell us what “schlager” sounds like.

Schlager is “hit” in German. It’s a catchy type of tune peculiar to northern Europe, with traditions from Italian and French ballads and European melody in general. As you may have gathered, it’s

very hard to describe, but you’ll know it when you hear it.

Who were your first guitar idols or influences, and what specific qualities did you like about them?

Elvis Presley was first and then came The Everly Brothers and pop acts from America. I also listened to American folk music, Kingston Trio and others. Then came The Beatles. I’ve always liked strong melodies and American pop tunes in the late 1950s certainly had that.

What did you appreciate most about writing songs with Benny?

The fact that he seems to be an endless source of good melodies.

How was the ABBA sound crafted? Benny said the Beach Boys records were a big influence. And Michael Tretow mentioned that you and Benny wanted some sort of “wall of sound” to back up the already unique double-vocals of Anna and Frida.

We listened to everything that was happening and whatever caught our fancy wewould try in the studio. The “wall of sound” was Phil Spector’s invention, but we imitated that as well. That’s what pop music is about: Listen to what’s going on around you, try out whatever influences you can get, and see if they work for you.

“Dancing Queen” is said to be the band’s signature song and the only No. 1 US hit in ABBA’S career. Was it written as a response to the disco trend at that time, the mid’70s, because it was said that the song’s rhythm was partly inspired by George Mccrae’s “Rock Your Baby”?

Divisive, as usual From Berlinale, first word on Mendoza’s ‘Captive’ ambivalent

BY BAYANI SAN DIEGO JR. Philippine Daily Inquirer INITIAL reviews of Brillante Mendoza’s “Captive” are out and they are decidedly— and expectedly—mixed. OK, the word is ambivalent.

The premiere of the Philippine entry to the ongoing 62nd Berlin International Film Festival was considered “one of the most anticipated” in the fest, according to indiewire. The media frenzy was apparently fueled by the filmmaker and his subject.

Mendoza, who won best director in Cannes for “Kinatay” in 2009, marks his return to the film fest circuit via the German event, with a retelling of a controversial reallife incident—the kidnapping of foreigners and locals by the Islamic separatist group Abu Sayyaf.

“Captive,” which stars world cinema icon Isabelle Huppert as an aid worker who is held hostage, also casts Filipino actors led

by Ronnie Lazaro, Raymond Bagatsing, Sid Lucero, Anita Linda, Rustica Carpio and Angel Aquino.

(Huppert first met Mendoza at the Cannes fest where the French actress was head of the jury that awarded the Filipino the best director trophy.)

Full house Film Business Asia reported that the film’s premiere at the Berlinale Palast on Sunday “drew a full house.” Competing in the main section with 17 other films, “Captive” earned “polite applause” from the audience, according to Agence France Presse.

Indiewire put it succinctly: “Captive,” like most Mendoza films, “also proved … highly divisive, with seemingly just as many praising it for its captivating realism as those writing it off as a tedious and redundant mess.”

Variety’s Justin Chang praised its technical merits, specifically cinematographer Odyssey Flores’ “hurtling hand-held camera work,”

THE LONG WORD ON SHORT FILMS German fest director believes ‘shorts’ deserve as much attention as full-length movies

BY BAYANI SAN DIEGO JR. HEINZ Hermanns, festival director of the interfilm Berlin, visited the Philippines recently to present short films and conduct workshops under the auspices of the Goethe Institut and Cinemanila.

Hermann’s annual event, founded in 1982, is one of the biggest short film festivals in the world, attracting 7,000 entries from over 122 countries.

Four Filipino films were included in the last interfilm short film

Can’t remember. You were initially hesitant to get involved in “Mamma Mia!” when it was first discussed. What convinced you that it was worth doing?

As a full-fledged musical it was discussed sometime in the late ’90s, and I was convinced it was worth doing when we met Catherine Johnson.

What were your specific inputs in the story and how were the songs chosen?

Catherine wrote the story and we discussed every draft of the script she came up with ( at least five, I think), and changed the songs and story line a little each time.

The musical is about romance, filial ties and resolving past hurts, which you and Benny have experienced in your personal lives.

Do you think your respective marriages would have survived if you didn’t become superstars?

No, I don’t think so, not in Agnetha’s and my case. You were proficient in writing about songs that combined sad, happy or bittersweet moments like in “S.O.S.,” “Knowing Me, Knowing You,” and“mammamia” itself, or even “The Winner Takes It All.” Did it take a lot of emotional catharsis to finish those songs, or were you simply using your powers of imagination as writers?

We used the immense power of imagination that wepossessed.

There was nothing impossible with us. ■

scorer Teresa Barrozo’s “chilling, ambient” music and editors Yves Deschamps, Gilles Fargout and Kats Serraon’s “fleeting, roving” style.

Chang wrote: “With a raw, visceral immediacy matched by the bluntness of its political imperatives, [it] forcefully dramatizes” a true-life hostage crisis … “to harrowing, if finally enervating, effect.”

He proceeded to describe Mendoza’s filmography as “serious-minded” and the filmmaker as a “cinematic moralist who revels in dense, teeming portraits of situational chaos.”

Although the reviewer asserted that “Mendoza can be confrontational, even assaultive, in his choice of subject matter and method of execution,” he also insisted that the captors and captives’ “painful journey” is “not exactly an exercise in unmodulated misery.”

He explained: “As long as its characters are on the move, [it] sustains considerable urgency,” but as “the chase becomes a waiting game … viewers may come to identify perhaps too closely with the hostages’ sense of limbo.”

Cinevue’s Patrick Gamble agreed, adding that Mendoza’s latest work, at two hours (122 minutes), “is undeniably overlong … [and] like

fest last November—nico Hernandez’s “Tatang,” Mikhail Red’s “Inosensya,” Nick Santiago’s “Isang Litrong Liwanag” and Henry Frejas’ “Hanapbuhay.”

Manila is the first stop for Hermanns, who is currently on a sixcountry Southeast Asian teaching tour. After the Philippines, he’ll be flying to Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar and Thailand.

Hermanns, a first-time visitor to the country, made sure that Manila was part of his itinerary. “We had a focus on Southeast Asian cinema in our festival,” he explained. “Based on the lineup, the Philippines seemed the most interesting. The quality of filmmaking here is the highest, compared to other countries in the region.”

His observations were confirmed, he said, after interactions with Filipino students, cineastes and filmmakers. “I met with indie directors on my first night here,” he recounted. “I was astonished. It gave me the impression that the local indie scene is very active.”

And persistent. “Over two decades ago, Raymond Red screened his Super-8 film at the interfilm. Last year, his son Mikhail competed with his digital short. ” Hermanns conducted workshops to inform students and filmmakers about the work of a festival programmer.

“I wanted to show them the other side,” he said. “Filmmakers

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its protagonists, you’ll wish to escape.”

Worth watching But, grudgingly, Gamble conceded: “This grueling experience is certainly worth watching if only for its claustrophobic atmosphere of helplessness.”

Underlining the ambivalence, Gamble said the film is “beautifully shot, using a hypnotic mixture of mesmerizing pans and intense close-ups … [but] the visual panache is … far too cinematic and epic for the gritty subject matter.”

Gamble pointed out, however: “Mendoza has created a film which pulls you into its victims’ world, taking the audience hostage and submerging them into his horrific world of terrorism.”

Screen Daily’s Mike Goodridge concurred, summing it up as “often powerful … relentless in its action [but] starved of deeper characterization.”

To his credit, Mendoza portrayed the socalled terrorists “with a balance and humanity that is unusual in a story which Hollywood would have told as simple as good versus bad,” Goodridge remarked.

Berlinale awards night is on Saturday. ■

should familiarize themselves with how programmers select films.”

He noted that there are specific rules that lead to a successful short film. He remarked candidly: “Almost all short films are too long… 18 minutes is a good length for a short film, though it really depends on the story you are telling.”

In other festivals, he related, 45- to 70-minute films are still considered shorts. “In my opinion, if it’s beyond 20 minutes, it’s already a medium-length film.”

To give Filipino audiences a fine sampling, he presented a collection of shorts shown in past editions of the interfilm fest, at the U-view Fully Booked in Bonifacio Global City.

“There were films from France, Italy, Ireland, Israel, Portugal, Turkey. There were funny, tragic and experimental shorts. Most of these films don’t rely on dialogue and can be understood across cultures.”

A filmmaker’s story-telling skills, he said, are put to the ultimate test in the shorts arena—where brevity is often a virtue.

He wants the youth to realize that short films are not inferior to their fulllength counterparts. “Shorts are not a stepping stone to fulllength films. It’s a vital art form in itself. Shorts can be entertaining and engaging as well.” ■

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Entertainment

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2012

SUPERMODEL, FUNNY GIRL Karylle on Dolphy’s health: Ford search winner Danica Magpantay gets real, says she wants to try film comedy, hosting

BY BAYANI SAN DIEGO JR. ALTHOUGH she’s consistently expressionless on the catwalk, supermodel Danica Magpantay insists she’s really a funny girl.

Thus, Danica, first Filipina to top the Ford Supermodel of the World search (in 2010), is inclined to do comedy, should she venture into show biz. Comedienne Eugene Domingo is her idol.

Eugene is a friend of Danica’s mom, model-turned-makeup artist Lala Flores. “On my mom’s Facebook page, Eugene challenged me to a pose-off. I should practice my moves daw.”

Danica, who’s the new brand ambassador of Globe’s Tattoo @Home service, wants to try hosting, too. “But nothing serious like a talk show. I just want to go into something light and fun, like a noontime show or a game show.”

How about a reality show, like “Project Runway” or “Models of the Runway” in the United States?

“I’m open to anything,” says Danica, who actually divides her time between Manila and New York.

She has come out on American television, she relates. A major US network did a story on 17-year-old fashion photographer David Urbanke while he was shooting with Danica.

“A reported interviewed me because I had worked with David in shoots, like the Bullet

magazine spread.”

Which leads us to ask: Is the E! reality show “Scouted” an accurate depiction of the modeling scene in the United States?

“Each model has her own story,” says the 19-year-old former UP Diliman Fine Arts student. “But what I’ve seen so far is all true. After you get discovered,you still have to undergo a round of test shoots, go-sees, makeovers…”.

She herself went through the wringer, she relates. “Yes, I won the Ford Supermodel contest, but I still had to go to auditions. It’s part of the game.”

It’s not unusual for her to receive lastminute calls, e-mail or text messages, asking her to a go-see or shoot. “Sometimes I get an assignment just before I turn in for the night.

That’s why it’s important to stay connected.”

Danica has two Blackberry phones (one for Manila and a second unit for New York), an iPad, iPod Touch and laptop. She maintains Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook accounts.

When she’s away, she talks to her mom on Skype.”

Faith and family keep her grounded in the high-flying world of fashion, she says. “I don’t go out much at night, but when I do, I don’t smoke or drink. I was raised well; my parents put fear of God in me.”

Asked to choose between Naomi Campbell and Tyra Banks as role uh, model, Danica picks the latter. “I want to follow her career path. Tyra knew when to quit. When she could no longer model, she went into hosting and producing.”

The towering Pinay (at 5’9”) may not end up a high-powered mogul like Tyra, but she sees herself as a future entrepreneur, nonetheless. “I’d like to run my own retail store.” ■

Family should talk about it

BY MARINEL R. CRUZ Philippine Daily Inquirer

bag an old-fashioned typewriter instead of a laptop.

SINGER Karylle says she has deliberately kept mum about her romance with Sponge Cola front man Yael Yuzon. “I enjoy reading gossip columns and, based on my research, a relationship doesn’t end well if you talk about it. I used to be open about everything,” said Karylle, who broke up with actor Dingdong Dantes in 2008.

“Everything people need to know about me and Yael is in my album, ‘Roadtrip.’ In fact, we collaborated on one tune, ‘Basically.’ We express ourselves through songs,” she told a group of writers at her launch as endorser of Jeunesse Anion feminine napkin.

But “The Kitchen Musical” star and “Showtime” cohost revealed that Yael recently gave her an herb garden. “Basil, rosemary … these herbs are so expensive, I decided to have them grown at home.” She said she bought Yael a book on travel in return, “although giving gifts is not the center of our relationship.”

Karylle gamely answered questions on her half-sister Zia, best friend Iza Calzado, now a Kapamilya contract artist, and stepfather Dolphy, her mom Zsazsa Padilla’s long-time partner.

Do you feel pressured that “Showtime” has been pitted against “Eat Bulaga?”

We can’t go wrong if the “Showtime” cast members are in this together. We’re superclose and people see that.

How close are you to Zia? We like traveling together. We’ve been to Cebu, Bohol and Amanpulo (Palawan). Our next destinations are Bataan and Batanes. Zia is an old soul. When we went to Australia to visit our sister Nicole, an airport security official saw through the Xray machine that Zia had in her

What’s the latest on Dolphy’s health?

I last saw him on Chinese New Year; he was in high spirits. His outlook is always positive. I’d really like to leave it to the family to comment on how he’s doing. The last time I did, I gave the wrong info.

What’s next for you after the release of “The Kitchen Musical” in Asia?

I may go back to Singapore for the second season. We received a lot of encouraging tweets from viewers in Malaysia and Singapore, and it was aired in Korea three weeks ago. The Maddie doll, based on my character, is now sold in Smdepartment Stores.

Right now I’m promoting my album, since I couldn’t do it earlier. I’d like to do a mall tour with my band. Also, Christian (Bautista) and I will have a show (“Love and Laughter”) at Resorts World Manila on Feb. 29.

How do you feel about Iza’s decision to sign up with ABS-CBN? I’m happy for her. Iza really wanted to do more acting projects—that’s what ABS-CBN promised her. The parting with her former bosses in GMA 7 was amicable.

Rhett Eala leaves Collezione, designs for Plains & Prints The collaboration that turned the Philippine map into a hip, bestselling fashion logo is over

BY ALEX Y. VERGARA Philippine Daily Inquirer THE FIVE-YEAR partnership between fashion designer Rhett Eala and businessman Joey Qua, owner of local sportswear brand Collezione C2, is over.

In a phone interview, Eala told INQUIRER Lifestyle Wednesday that Qua decided to “end” the contract Feb. 10, two days after the designer showed a preview of his Santorini-inspired summer collection for Plains & Prints at Hotel H20 in Manila.

It was the first official collaboration Eala did with another brand after joining Collezione in 2007 as its creative director. Qua apparently wasn’t open to the idea of Eala working for other brands.

“It was very businesslike,” Eala said of their final meeting. “Joey said the public might get confused if they see me doing projects for other brands. It was his decision to end the contract.”

Eala is responsible for making Collezione—a reputable but staid brand of men’s and women’s tees and polo shirts that date back to the late ’70s—hip again.

He turned the Philippine map into an iconic logo that found its way on shirts, pants, shorts and bags. It was only a matter of time before others followed Eala’s lead

and created their own version of the embroidered “map” shirt.

“I can’t say it’s a relief,” he said. “Of course, it’s painful, but, since we’re not on the same page anymore, I totally understand the company’s reasons.”

Apart from Plains & Prints, an RTW brand of ladies’ dresses and separates, Eala will collaborate with other firms, including one that isn’t into retail.

Eala has no financial stake at Collezione; he is a consultant, so the company can choose to drop his services anytime, he said.

Earlier this month, Eala was still denying that he was leaving Collezione. That was because he wasn’t aware of the company’s plans, he said.

But when asked whether or not Collezione approved of his collaboration, he sounded tentative.

Eala insisted back then that he had, “in a way,” Qua’s blessings to design for Plaints & Prints, a brand known for collaborating with other designers like Randy Ortiz and Rajo Laurel.

This time, Eala had to work with Plains & Prints owner and creative director Roxanne Farillas and her in-house design team to produce blue and white cotton pieces with faded and gradating prints inspired by the Greek island of Santorini.

For the preview’s second segment, Eala showed dresses and separates in warmer shades such as red and orange combined with neutrals such as beige and white.

“Unlike previous collaborations, we’re not limiting it to a capsule collection consisting of eight to 10 pieces,” said Farillas. “This time, it’s a seasonal collaboration

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spanning months.”

It was the brand’s way of making its patrons happy, she added. Based on surveys and consultations they did, Eala’s name remains popular among the young RTW set.

“We’re just giving what our customers want,” she said. “We want to make them happy by not limiting them to a few of Rhett’s designs.”

Although he does the creative direction, Eala considers himself a “mere” guest designer. That he’s dealing for the first time with a “unique” system excites him, he said.

For summer, he went for more loose silhouettes compared to the brand’s previous collections. He also showed separates, including light jackets and shorts, and belted and tailored dresses with pleated skirts for a more polished look.

“For the past 18 years, Plains & Prints has always been focused on young working women,” said Farillas.

“That market segment has always been one of Rhett’s strengths.”

Eala welcomes the chance to return to his RTW roots. Instead of knits, he’s working again with printed and woven fabrics designed exclusively for Plaints & Prints.

“Both Collezione and Plains & Prints are RTW brands,” he said. “But the latter is more about casual dresses. And this time, it’s more fun because I’m working with a team of designers.”

As for the possibility of a more permanent collaborations between Eala and Plains & Prints, Farillas said: “They’ll just have to wait and see.” ■

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TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2012

THREE MORE THEATER ACTORS CAST IN ‘BOURNE’

BY BAYANI SAN DIEGO JR. Philippine Daily Inquirer FILMING for the Hollywood action caper “The Bourne Legacy” wraps up soon, and three more theatertrained Filipino actors—bong Cabrera, Ruth Alferez and Kathlyn Castillo—have been cast in small roles.

For the trio, working in a bigbudget international production is an affirmation.

Castillo recalls how last year, she and her peers were put in a bad light when a Cinemalaya indie fest participant said theater actors would work for crackers and cat food.

“We continue to fight off that impression,” Castillo says. “Hopefully our work in ‘Bourne’ would highlight our skills and lead to the improvement of our [image and] working conditions.”

Entertainment

Callback Cabrera, best actor in last year’s Cinema One fest (for Earl Bontuyan’s “Sa Ilalim ng Tulay”), agrees: “I am proud that most of the actors hired in ‘Bourne’ are theater people.”

Cabrera is also hopeful that the recognition would improve their standing in the biz, “particularly, in terms of compensation. We are trained actors who can deliver anything that’s asked of us.”

Like veteran actors Joel Torre, Archi Adamos and Ermie Concepcion, the three didn’t bag the roles they auditioned for, but director Tony Gilroy asked them to report to the set.

Castillo recalls: “He wanted those who made it to the second callback to be included in key scenes so they’d have skilled actors.”

Alferez quips, “I was a ‘reactor’ in one scene. Tony said it was important to have professional actors do the reaction shots.”

Gilroy himself met with them to explain the scenes, they recount.

He discussed our parts, emphasizing the importance of our scenes,” Alferez

From indie to ‘maindie’

“Baby Come To Me” and “How Do You Keep the Music Playing?”—two duets I DON’T follow it,” an incredulous James with Patti Austin; “Yah Mo B There,” a Ingram quipped, when the INQUIRER collaboration with Michael Mcdonald asked whether he kept abreast of new which also won a Grammy in ’85; “What music, especially contemporary R&B. About Me?” which he sang with Kenny Rogers and Kim Carnes; “Somewhere GRAMMY winner James Ingram at Out There,” another duet, this one with the press con on Wednesday. The 59Linda Ronstadt. year- old singer/ songwriter/ record Ingram also made it to the allstar producer, who performs tonight at the lineup of artists who recorded “We Are Smart Araneta Coliseum with guest Lea the World” in ’85.

Salonga, is headstrong in the belief that At the press con he sprang to life nothing beats the soul and quality of when the INQUIRER asked him to talk old- school R& B. “Marvin Gaye, Don about “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing),” Hathaway … it doesn’t get any better than a track from Michael Jackson’s bestthat,” he told the media at a press con last selling “Thriller” album. “Quincy Wednesday for his Big Dome concert. gathered everyone who was working A self-taught musician who plays the on the album and said he wanted a piano, guitar, bass, drums and keyboards, song written about a brand of female Ingram was moonlighting as a singer underwear called ‘Pretty Young Thing,’” for demo tapes of songs when producer Ingram recounted. “So I went out of the Quincy Jones heard his voice. Apparently studio and tried writing lyrics and the impressed, Jones recruited him to sing basic melody.”

“Just Once” and “One Hundred Ways” on Jones asked for revisions, Ingram the 1981 album, “Dude.” recalled, and the result was the dance Ingram went on to win a Grammy tune released as “Thriller’s” sixth and for best R&B performance on that very last single. album.

“Michael was dancing while he was What followed were a string of more recording it,” Ingram recalled, adding hits: “There’s No Easy Way” from his that the scene was so contagious, even 1983 debut album “It’s Your Night”; “if I wasn’t much of a dancer myself.” ■

ACTRESS Melissa Ricks considers the end of her two-year relationship with model-actor Jake Cuenca her first major heartbreak.

“BOY” “I didn’t know how I got over it,” the 22-yearold tells INQUIRER . “But I’ve accepted that it wasn’t meant to be.”

MOST of the “traffic” between indie and mainstream films has favored established stars gracing independent film productions with their presence, despite the much lower talent fees they get. Why do they agree to act for a relative pittance? Because indie scripts offer them the complex, challenging characters they generally don’t get to play in mainstream Tv-film productions.

The traffic in the other direction, indie talents breaking through into the mainstream, has been much less congested, consisting mainly of new directors who have been tapped to do TV drama series, and occasional “graduating” actors like Eugene Domingo, Mart Escudero and Coco Martin, whose indie starrers have been relative hits—thus getting mainstream producers interested in expanding their playing field to include, not just film buffs and insiders, but also the Tv-film audience at large.

In the process, however, the edge that made those talents “indie” in the first place has been blunted to some extent. So, the question now arises: Is the transition or transformation from indie actor to “maindie” star worth the loss of the edginess, or is it in fact a contradiction in terms?

For instance, Escudero started out as a mainstream TV talent who was stuck in a prettyboy rut like the rest of his generation of starlets, until the hit indie comedy, “Zombadings,” revealed his antic potential and made him a star.

After that, however, he was put in the ensemble or “smorgasbord” stellar cast of a TV drama series,

where he quickly lost the advantage he’d gotten from his indie success. So, what was the two-way transition process for?

Eugene is another case in point: She’s become a popular mainstream comedienne, but has had to do some of the usual comedic mugging and screaming that “maindie” comedies require. So, the added value she brings to “maindie” movies as an indie “import” has, in part, been generally finessed away.

Most strikingly of all, Coco had his start in a number of sexy dramas and gay romps, in which he acquired a reputation for excitingly edgy portrayals. In his mainstream starrers, however, he’s been homogenized to fit mainstream dramas’ preferences.

In his current soap, “Walang Hanggan,” he still plays an edgy outsider character, but the series’ romantic-melodramatic parameters have required him to also come up with “kilig” and mushily romantic moments that cancel out his vaunted edginess. In acting, a performer really can’t have his cake and eat it, too, so Coco’s efforts to straddle both worlds and styles have been rudely stymied.

The word’s out to other indie actors who want to “graduate” to mainstream status, therefore: You can’t do it while still being true to your edgy indie essence— unless you’re made of sterner stuff, like Sid Lucero, who’s managed to come up with gritty, nonglossy portrayals in popular projects like “Amaya.”

That may mean, however, that he won’t become a really big mainstream star. But, if that’s okay with him, it’s right fine with us, because success in show biz has all sorts of contexts—and meanings! ■

While she is open to another romantic relationship, it’s not going to happen soon, she says. “I don’t date. I only hang out [with friends]. It’s always better to start as good friends before jumping into something bigger.”

Has she become more cautious as a result of the breakup? “Yes. I’ve learned that you should use both your heart and your head in making decisions about love.”

Melissa says her idea of the perfect guy may still be Jake, “but a more mature version.”

Meanwhile, she plays the scheming Johanna Montenegro in the new

Kapamilya drama “Walang Hanggan,” which also features Coco Martin, Julia Montes, Richard Gomez anddawn Zulueta. The series, with Jerry Lopez Sineneng and Trina Dayrit at the helm, airs weeknights on ABS-CBN’S Primetime Bida time slot.

How do you feel about Iza’s decision to sign up with ABS-CBN? I’m happy for her. Iza really wanted to do more acting projects—that’s what ABS-CBN promised her. The parting with her former bosses in GMA 7 was amicable. ■

BY NESTOR U. TORRE Philippine Daily Inquirer

BY POCHOLO CONCEPCION

BY MARINEL R. CRUZ

are and, at the same, learn from Hollywood techniques, especially since they brought in high-tech equipment.”

Cabrera concurs: “I was in awe of the stateof-the-art cameras and cranes.”

Even Adamos, a seasoned veteran, admits, “We learned new approaches to filmmaking.”

“I set out to observe a different system of working,” Castillo adds. In the end, she says, she realized that, “except for the high-tech equipment, they are just as efficient and as professional as Filipinos.”

Cabrera notes that one thing we can pick up is the “importance of pre-production. They spend a lot of time preparing. That’s why when it’s time to shoot, things run smoothly.”

Alferez agrees. “Everyone does their homework and comes prepared. So there’s no wasted time, unlike in local teleseryes.”

Castillo concedes that since Hollywood has a global market, “They’re not limited by time and budget constraints. We spend one whole day on one scene. In local shows, they churn out 20 to 60 sequences a day.” ■

VIEWFINDER

JAMES INGRAM BELIEVES ONLY IN OLD-SCHOOL R&B

ACTRESS ON EX-BF: WE’RE NOT FRIENDS

remembers.

Adamos describes Gilroy: “He was approachable and calm, though we were pressed for time (one-day shoot in a crowded factory). Jeremy Renner and Rachel Weisz were patient and methodical. We theater actors were there to support them in a huge scene with hundreds of extras.”

Cabrera was thrilled to join the “Bourne” team. “We seldom get big assignments like this,” he points out.

He had just returned from New York, where he took up acting lessons under an Asian Cultural Council grant. While there, he acted in James Camali’s short film, “I Die to Live.”

Cabrera and Alferez previously appeared in National Geographic documentaries.

Alferez enthuses: “It’s the closest I could get to Hollywood, at least for now. We weren’t allowed to bring cameras or cell phones to the set. But I took loads of mental snapshots.”

Castillo calls it a golden opportunity “to show the world how talented Filipino actors

Melissa still refuses to reveal the real reason for the breakup. Instead, she says enigmatically: “I don’t want to hurt other people. It’s normal to commit mistakes.

Some people act before they think of the consequences.”

The actress says she’s enjoying life more now that she’s single. “I get to meet new friends and experience new things. ” They’re both regular performers on the Sunday variety show “ASAP” on ABS-CBN, but Melissa admits she and Jake are not on speaking terms. “We’re not friends; it’s better that way.”

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Lifestyle

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2012

INSIDE OUT

The R to Z of wellness

BY CORY QUIRINO Philippine Daily Inquirer The rest of the healthy alphabet to clean up your lifestyle R—REST IS one way to accomplish another R—rejuvenation.

The human body, while assumed to be a machine working in perfect order, needs to rest. And just like a machine that is overused, it can break down. How much rest depends on every individual’s needs.

The average rest time is eight to 10 hours of sleep. And if you’re not in the habit of catnapping, try to develop it.

Studies have shown that people who nap anywhere from five to 15 minutes daily have a stronger resilience to illness and nervous breakdown.

Rejuvenating the body is not an impossibility. You can look younger by dropping a few pounds and exercising regularly. In fact, an inexpensive way is to adopt a more cheerful attitude in life. When you’re happy, you glow.

S—your sexuality is not only about your gender, but also your frame of mind. It is a fact that men carry female hormones (estrogen) and women have male hormones (testosterone). However, it’s the amount of these hormones in the body that determine what drives us all.

The sexual act, clinically speaking, does the body good, according to many experts. The brain releases endorphins after the sexual act. Its benefits include energy and youthfulness and the soothing of chronic aches and pains and easing of stress. According to Dr. Margarita Holmes, author of “Life, Love, Lust,” sex with emotional involvement and commitment elevates the act to a higher level of gratification and fulfillment.

T—there are Ts we should look out for—thyroid and teeth.

Good health begins in the mouth. Teeth play the role of breaking down into smaller pieces the food we eat. If you

were to swallow a chunk of chicken without masticating it, the burden of digesting it in the stomach will be heavier. The result: longer digestion time and gas pains. The advice is to chew 10-18 times before you swallow any kind of solid food.

Maintain a healthy mouth by visiting your dentist twice a year. There is a plan for a perfect mouth: Brush often—it’s your number one defense against tooth decay.

Brush right—if done correctly, brushing removes plaque and bacteria. The brush must tilt a little so that its bristles reach the tooth surface, the gums, and just underneath the gums. Choose the right toothbrush Floss Here’s something you may welcome: An old custom in some European cultures is to eat hard cheeses like manchego, parmesan, etc., which may reduce cavity-causing bacteria.

Hypo or hyper If you have unexplained weight gain or loss, have your thyroid checked. An underactive thyroid (hypo) causes metabolism to show down, and an overactive one (hyper) has the opposite effect. Like a silent partner, your thyroid works behind the scenes. It’s small and butterfly-shaped and is located at the base of the throat. Its hormones regulate body temperature, heart rate and metabolism. An untreated malfunctioning thyroid can trigger heart problems and may even lead to coma or death.

U—ultraviolet radiation is damaging to the skin and your general health. Do you know that one bad sunburn in your childhood may double your risk of skin cancer?

Sun damage ages the skin. So, even if you’re 30 but continuously sunbathe, chances are, you probably look 40.

Sun damage causes fine lines and wrinkles to appear on your face and body.

The good news is, skin cancer is 100-percent curable as long as it’s caught in time. But best of all, it is preventable.

UVA, UVB and UVC rays from the sun are best avoided from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Always wear a sunscreen daily, at least SPF 30.

V—vegetables! Because they can reverse your health challenges, veggies should be your new best friends. Why? Because they are high in calcium, fiber, betacarotene, and vitamins C and E. Remember, the deeper the color—as in, dark green—the richer in enzymes that act as the lifeblood of cells. And even the rainbow colors—green, red, yellow— are rich in nutrients that can add radiance to your skin and energy to your body.

Broccoli, carrots and leafy greens are called longevity foods. They act like high octane fuel to the body, thereby preventing many causes of premature aging.

All vegetables have almost zero fat or cholesterol which will help bring down high blood pressure and blood sugar.

Eat at least five servings of vegetables a day. Their antioxidant load combats the formation of free-radical damage. This is the main reason why vegetables are high on the priority list in anti-cancer regimens.

W—water. Need to be reminded about this? Drink plenty of water in its purest form. If you are planning to diet and also intend to prevent binge eating, drink two glasses of water immediately.

This controls cravings and hunger pangs which could be caused by dehydration.

Remember: The rule is eight to 15 glasses daily for optimum health.

W is for wellness—the harmony of body, mind and spirit.

X—xceptional and Xciting is what you will become if you embrace a wellness lifestyle.

Y—YES to life. It’s your life, so take charge of it now. Give yourself permission to live your life to the fullest. It’s never too late.

Z—the zest for life begins with a brave heart and a strong will to live.

Love and light! ■

INNER AWARENESS

THE POWER OF UNSEEN ENERGIES

BY JAIME T. LICAUCO Philippine Daily Inquirer FEW OF US REALIZE the tremendous influence the invisible world has on our everyday life, because we are so focused on the visible physical world. We have been brainwashed into thinking that only the visible, palpable and sensory world exists.

Everything else outside of it is nonexistent or purely imaginary.

This is the reason why the average person, especially those educated in the so-called scientific method, has extreme difficulty believing in the nonvisible world. It has never occurred to him or to her that the visible world originated from the invisible world, not vice-versa.

I am not even talking here of the spirit world, which is another story altogether. I am referring merely to the existence of subtle energy which has only recently been measured by more advanced scientific instruments.

Everything is made up of energy, of movement. Nothing is static in this world. Everything is in a state of perpetual motion.

And that is the reason why the ancient Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, said, “It is not possible for one to step on the same running water twice,” or something to that effect.

And although we often ignore the existence of subtle energy around us, we cannot completely deny its effect. Have you not observed, for instance, that talking with one person energizes you while talking with another drains you?

What happens in the former case is that the first person infuses energy into you, whereas the other person drains your energy, although neither one may be aware of it.

But not only people, but everything around us affects us in a very profound way. Our body reacts to such influences spontaneously and immediately without our being conscious of it. Even merely thinking a negative thought or holding a harmful substance like sugar or a cigarette will affect our body’s subtle energy.

or geopathic stress are more likely to develop cancer and other ailments than those living away from geopathic stress areas.

Negative earth rays or geopathic stress are caused by distortions in the natural underground vibrations of the earth caused by earthquakes, underground water and volcanic eruptions.

Dr. John Diamond, in his interesting and highly informative book “Your Body Doesn’t Lie,” has convincingly demonstrated this. He asked individuals to look at a certain picture and then tested their body strengths through muscle testing or kinesiology. He was able to show that certain pictures strengthen us and others weaken us. The same thing happens with almost everything that we come in contact with.

Natural or normal earth vibrations are not harmful to man.

However, according to British researcher Rolf Gordon in his important book “Are You Sleeping in a Safe place?” when these vibrations encounter subterranean running water, certain mineral concentrations, fault lines, and underground plateaux and cavities, their natural vibrations become distorted and harmful to living organisms…in the case of running water underground, an electromagnetic field is created in the opposite direction to its flow by friction…thus creating stress.

“People who spend too much time sitting in front of a computer,” said Jan de Vries in his book “Body Energy,” “can cause great disruption to the balance of energy in the human body.” The same thing happens to people who live near hightension power lines or who use a lot of electrical appliances such as microwave ovens with strong electromagnetic field radiations.

A study conducted in Sweden and in Japan many years ago has shown that those who live within a 300-meter distance of high-tension wires developed more tumors and leukemia compared to the average population. Children were found to be especially more vulnerable to these strong electromagnetic fields.

Geopathic stress Aside from the dangers posed by invisible forces above the ground, there are negative energies found underground. People who sleep or work for long hours on top of a negative earth rays

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Sleeping in such places with underground geopathic stress not only causes serious illness but other harmful effects to the human reproductive system. According to Gordon, one doctor reported that his women patients who failed to conceive were able to do so by simply moving their beds away from the negative rays under their house. There also appears to be a connection between geopathic stress and infertility in men. Also miscarriages in women.” Because we live in a sea of invisible energy, it is best to know how they affect us and learn how to counteract or protect ourselves from them.

There are ways of determining whether your bed or office is located on top of a negative earth ray by using a simple dowsing rod or pendulum. But hardly anyone in the Philippines has the skill to do this. I have studied this, but have not done it, except for a few friends. I do not consider myself an expert in it as yet. ■

Lifestyle

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2012 32

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MEN OF THE CLOTH TAKE TO THE COURT

BY ANNE A. JAMBORA

CLOSE TO 200 priests from around the country trooped to the court in a unique show of support, friendship and camaraderie. No, not to the Senate impeachment court, but the tennis courts of Manila Polo Club in Forbes Park, Makati.

“I’ve always had a passion for sports. I believe in wellness. I believe in promoting health. There’s no better prevention for sickness than sports,” said the healing priest and tennis enthusiast Fr. Fernando Suarez.

The dramatic rise in popularity of tennis among priests is no accident. When Suarez discovered the sport, he got so hooked he was able to convince other members of the clergy to play tennis.

Traveling around the country and abroad for his healing ministry made it more convenient for him to spread the love.

Soon he convinced parishes to build tennis courts and, a few years later, mounted the first ever National Tennis Tournament for Priests, also known as the Fr. Suarez Cup. Suarez, who turned 45 last Sunday, is far from the stereotypical stoic priest. He guffaws like a teenager, he raises both his eyebrows when he gets anxious, and his eyes grow large and round when he gets excited.

On this day he was impassioned about tennis—this tennis, this Cup, his brainchild.

He fell in love with tennis when he entered

the seminary in 1995. Although he has always been athletic in his youth—playing basketball, football and volleyball—it was tennis, he said, that sealed the deal for him.

“Everywhere I go nagpapatayo ako ng tennis courts. Usually they have basketball courts but I’m hoping many more will know that tennis is a good sport,” said Suarez.

Now on its third year, the Fr. Suarez Cup has grown from a mere 50 priests to over a hundred. That’s not counting the many more who couldn’t make it due to lack of finances and/or parish work and obligations.

The Cup, for now, has only doubles matches. Instead of cash prizes of the past, this year Suarez decided to award the champion a trip for two to the Holy Land.

They will also be the official representatives of the country during the first World Tennis Championship for Priests in Poland in Sept.

10-12 this year.

“This is going to be the major prize from now on. So many priests want to go to the Holy Land but can’t afford the trip. I’m thankful I’m able to get good sponsors. I’m well-connected,” Suarez said, laughing, one hand holding his stomach.

Dominating the Cup Priests from the Visayas have always dominated the Cup. This year was no exemption. The team of Fr. Jolard Larida and Fr. Rere Ducao from Cebu, defending

champions since 2010, won first prize.

Larida, also a triathlete, said he started playing tennis when he entered the seminary as means to gain leverage with the priests.

Tennis has always been the sport of preference among priests in Cebu. Bonding with priests usually meant having privileges, rights.

“I haven’t been able to practice as much as I wanted to for this match,” Larida said.

The tennis club where he plays closed down, forcing him to play a little farther away from his parish and cutting down his matches to just twice a week instead of the usual four.

Msgr. Ruben C. Labajo, president of the Cebu Clergy Club, said the Larida-ducao team is driven and competitive. They make a strong team, undefeated for the third time in a row.

Competition, however, is never the highlight of the Cup. They are here, he said, to be in communion with other tennis aficionado priests. It’s not every day, he said, that you meet other priests with the same passion and interest.

“So many priests now are starting to learn tennis because of this tournament. You need to discipline your body. It all starts there. If you have a sound body and mind you will also be spiritually sound and strong,” Labajo said.

Bishop Antonio Palang, now 65, is one of Suarez’s staunch supporters. Even if he’s

not expecting to win, he’s been to all three tourneys. Playing tennis since 1973, it has been his passion way before it became what it is today. Palang, who has a commanding, stern voice and witty personality, said he joins the Fr. Suarez Cup to enjoy the company of other priests.

“I’m also here to win, of course! Winning is not everything, but to win is another thing,” Palang said, laughing. His feet hurt when he walks, he said, the perils of old age, but he is still in full fighting mode as he jokingly said he hoped his partner was younger and stronger. He was later overheard saying there should be an age category in the future Cups.

Runner-up Fr. Jublas Nolasco, however, hopes there will be singles matches next time.

Playing tennis since high school, the 32-yearold Nolasco is a two-time champion in the singles matches in Negros Occidental.

“Tennis has always been my sport. It’s my way of relaxation,” Nolasco said.

Fr. Jomar Dehita from Naga City travels 45 minutes just to play tennis, but was in very good spirit during the tournament. It’s an experience, he said, just to be among likeminded priests.

That he is a Novak Djokovic fan while Suarez and Larida are always rooting for a Rafael Nadal win is immaterial. That he wins or loses, in fact, is immaterial. What matters most is the company.

12 steps to a green 2012

BY LINDA B. BOLIDO The Consumer THE WORLDWATCH Institute, one of the institutions I truly admire, has come up with a list of 12 steps for the developing world to go green. Some, if not all, of these steps you have already heard before. But we can always use a reminder every now and then.

Sue Edwards, director of the Institute for Sustainable Development (ISD), said the developing world needed to embark on a more vigorous “going green” program. Danielle Nierenberg, director of the Worldwatch Institute’s Nourishing the Planet project, said the solutions to problems like food security, energy supply, and poverty could come from simple innovations and practices.

For lack of space, I will only mention the steps, with brief comments on some. They are elaborated on in the institute’s flagship annual report, “State of the World 2011: Innovations that Nourish the Planet.”

Here are the 12 steps for a greener 2012 and beyond: Segregate trash and compost the organic waste.

1. Recycle.

2. Reduce fossil fuel consumption.

Instead of coal or wood, use biogas from methane produced by either livestock manure or weeds like water hyacinth (or water lily, as we call it here). Use an environmentally friendly solar cooker and use the sun’s energy instead of the nonrenewable fossil fuels.

Use compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) that use 75-percent less energy and last 10 times

as long. Australia estimates that switching to CFLS will save an average household 66 percent on electricity bill. Local and national governments can give free CFLS in 3. Make the switch.

4. Reuse water bottles.

5. Conserve water. It exchange for old incandescent bulbs.

Instead of buying bottled water, use stainless-steel or even plastic reusable containers for carrying tap water. In Metro Manila, both Maynilad and Manila water companies are doing a good job of keeping the water supply clean and safe.

It may seem like we do not have to worry about water shortages with all the floods that occur every year. But supply of potable water is limited. Save water from dishwashing and laundry to water plants or flush the toilet.

Some people I know even stand in large basins when they shower and use the collected water to flush the toilet.)

6. Turn down the air-conditioner.

Use fans to reduce the amount of harmful chemicals released into the air. If you want to install an AC, use ozone-friendly units that do not emit hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCS).

7. Support food recovery. 8. Buy local, indigenous crops.

Buy directly from farmers or ask your local market to carry their products. Grow such crops yourself if you have the space.

It will provide shade and help control erosion, among others.

Create a “vertical garden” if space is limited. Reuse old tires or buckets as portable planters.

9. Plant a tree.

10. Plant a garden.

11. Compost organic waste. 12. Eat meat that is raised right... and eat less of it. (Visit www. worldwatch.org.)

Giving value to coins Rochelle Mae Melocoton wrote to say that in Nueva Ecija, somemerchants refused to accept25centavos because “it hadlost its value.”

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I wonder where they got that information.

Anyway, if the merchants will not accept coins, Melocoton wants to embark on a project to collect coins from anyone and everyone who cares to join, the money to be deposited in the account of her favorite charity, Dalangpan Halfway Home Inc., which helps abandoned babies and pregnant women in crisis. She wants to call it the Ten Centavo Drive. Of course, any coin will be gladly accepted.

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Travel - Canada

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2012

Ski & Spa make the perfect pair Eastern Townships Canadian Traveloffers Article # 3 plenty of wintry options

BY MARGO PFEIFF Courtesy of the Canadian Tourism Commission While Mont Tremblant north of Montréal garners celebrity glitter in its European-style alpine village, locals in the Eastern Townships are happy to shush down a cluster of less-known and less crowded mountains. Beginning an hour’s drive southeast of Montréal, spend a day on the slopes, then head to a nearby Scandinavian spa and a gourmet après-ski scene that plays out in historic New England-type towns along a popular “Route des Vins” local wine route. Here’s a trio of Township slopes and spas: 1. Family-owned Mont Sutton has scooped awards for its forest glades with winding trails from easy to extreme: they plant 1,000 trees annually to keep it woodsy. One of the snowiest resorts in Québec, it’s all about powder – much of it ungroomed – through diverse terrain that is blissfully au naturel. The ski school is one of the province’s best, and the on-mountain bar is legendary for its lively atmosphere and live local bands.

Afterwards, head to Balnea, a luxury Scandinavian spa in the forest where, between saunas and cold plunges, you can blissout meditating on tropical fish in a giant aquarium or nibbling and sipping in a chic spa bistro.

2. Owl’s Head rises abruptly from farmland alongside Lake Memphremagog like a sugar cone. It’s a perfect family mountain with plenty of easy runs for kids and reasonable rates – Tuesdays and Wednesdays are $20 – but with a grownup 360-degree panorama at the summit and amazing views all the way down. Nearby, tucked into the woods, is recently

renovated Spa Bolton with a real Finnish sauna complete with waterlogged spruce branches to whip yourself cool. Then dip into the base of the waterfalls on the ice-fringed Missisquoi River before relaxing in a yurt heated by the crackling fire of a wood-stove.

3. The big boy of the Townships, Mont Orford, is Québec’s fourth-tallest peak, its 61 downhill trails and glades and a snow

park stretching across three mountains. It’s also the centrepiece of a provincial park that features an excellent cross-country ski area with 50 km (31 miles) of track-set trails. For après ski relaxation, have a massage then commune with nature by soaking in a hot pool with a steaming waterfall amid the snowy forest landscape of the Nordic Station Spa in the lakeside village of Magog. Too hot? Plunge through a hole in the ice into the Castle Brook River.

Ski & Spa make the perfect pair

Eastern Townships offers plenty of wintry options

Not a skier? Not a problem

by Margo Pfeiff Courtesy of the Canadian Tourism Commission

Mont Tremblant north of Montréal garners celebrity glitter in its EuropeanCanada’s While ski resorts offer as much off-mountain style alpine village, locals in the Eastern Townships are happy to shush down a fun as you can fit in cluster of less-known and less crowded mountains. Beginning an hour’s drive

BY SUZANNE MORPHET Courtesy of the Canadian Tourism Commission

southeast of Montréal, spend a day on the slopes, then head to a nearby

Ice Climbing at Big White Ski Resort– Bits of ice fly in every direction as you plunge the picks of two ice axes – one in each hand – into the towering 18 metre (60 foot) wall of ice at Big White, near Kelowna, British Columbia. With every heart-pounding swing, you pull yourself closer to the top. And you’re not afraid because Jim Ongena, a certified mountain guide, is shouting words of encouragement from below while controlling the rope attached to your safety harness. When you ring the bell at the top and look down – waaaaaay down – you feel on top of the world.

Roller Coasting at Mont Saint-Sauveur– Put on a Viking helmet, climb into a two-person sled and get ready to scream! The Alpine Coaster Viking hurdles down the snowy Québec mountain slope on an elevated track at up to 35 km/h (22 mph). You’ll fly around bends, careening with your toboggan. Don’t worry; you’re strapped in and if you really don’t like the feeling of having your stomach in your mouth, you can lean on the brakes and make your journey a scenic one instead.

Snowmobiling at Blue Mountain Resort– Enjoy the rolling farmland and deciduous forests of the Niagara Escarpment by snowmobile. Blue Mountain Resort, near Collingwood, Ontario, provides guided one-hour tours on some of the thousands of kilometres of trails created and maintained by the Ontario Federation of Snowmobiling Clubs. You don’t need any experience to drive a snowmobile – just a driver’s licence.

Scandinavian spa and a gourmet après-ski scene that plays out in historic New England-type towns along a popular “Route des Vins” local wine route. Here’s a trio of Township slopes and spas:

1. Family-owned Mont Sutton has scooped awards for its forest glades with winding trails from easy to extreme: they plant 1,000 trees annually to keep it woodsy. One

Skating at Grouse Mountain– High above Vancouver the air is cold and crisp as you glide across the smooth ice on Grouse Mountain’s 744-square-metre (8,000square-foot) skating pond. It’s popular with couples looking for a romantic evening skating to music under the stars and families looking for a fun-filled day with the kids. When you need to warm up, head into the Peak Chalet and sit by a roaring fire with a mug of hot chocolate.

Snowshoeing at Mount Washington Alpine Resort– Walk out Mount Washington’s back door and walk into the old growth forest of Strathcona Provincial Park on Vancouver Island. Choose from seven marked trails that meander between trees and over frozen lakes. Keep an eye out for gray jays that will feed from your hand if have a snack to share. On Friday and Saturday nights the resort offers an hour of guided snowshoeing, followed by a three-course fondue dinner back at Raven Lodge.

Not a skier? Not a problem Not a skier?

Not aas problem Canada’s ski resorts offer much off-mountain fun as you can fit in

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by Suzanne Morphetoffer Courtesy of theoff-mountain Canadian Tourism Commission Canada’s ski resorts as much fun as you can fit in

by Suzanne Morphet Courtesy of the Canadian Tourism Commission

Travel-Phils

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2012 34

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YOUR NEXT BEST ADVENTURE Northern Drivable Destinations

By Carmie Locsin Special thanks to Turista magazine Not every adventure has to start with a costly plane ticket.

Any traveler willing to put in the hours on the road will be richly rewarded with the sheer number of Luzon’s destinations.

All it takes is a means to get there, a few directions and good company for the road. You’d be surprised of the adventures on the way, and the ever-changing view from a car or bus window.

High Altitude Heaven Far up North is the Banaue Rice Terraces, easily the most majestic of the country’s man- made wonders. The nine-hour road trip is not for the faint hearted with narrow roads and sharp curves overlooking dangerous ravines. It is an honestto-goodness backpacking adventure and it is up here where the 2,000-year-old man-made wonder is pretty hard to miss.

A few hours further North is the Sagada Mountain Province where majestic views and dangerous sports go hand in hand.

You can go spelunking inside Sumaguing and Lumiang Caves and see the Hanging Coffins for which Sagada is famous for.

Hard Hike Less than two decades ago, Mt. Pinatubo created the most violent terrestrial explosion of the century. Clouds of ash and dust lowered the earth’s temperature by one degree. Yet enterprising Filipinos affected by the blast were quick to turn their misfortunes around; offering all sorts of activities in the world renowned volcano like 4x4 rides, treks and tours to the crater. The volcano still maintains an “active” status and the path leading up requires nothing less than a hardcore 4x4 vehicle. Once there, you can reward yourself with a “healing” dip in the sulphur lake. Those that want to pass on the tough terrain can take it by air. From Clark Air Base, you can take the Mt. Pinatubo Sky Tour at Omni Aviation and fly over the crater

Mt. Pinatubo

Subic Bay

lake in a Cessna private plane.

Bountiful Bay A former military air and naval base, Subic Bay’s strategically located, deep natural harbor was once a fast refuelling station for modern fighter planes, submarines and aircraft carriers. Now a free-port zone, and only an hour and a half away from Manila, it has everything from duty-free shopping to safaris. There’s the base tour through some old barracks and installations, a jungle survival session taught by local armed forces. Bird watch and hiking tours take you through one of the country’s last virgin forests. Treetop adventure takes you on a high-flying adrenaline rush with zip lines and canopy walks.

Banaue Rice Terraces

THE DEEP SOUTH

By BLOGIE ROBILLOW Special thanks to Turista magazine Tawi-Tawi is the Philippines’ southernmost province and is a splendid chain of 107 islands and islets. To most Filipinos, Tawi-Tawi is as mystifying as folklore, and as seemingly inaccessible as the tallest mountains. But unbeknownst to many, this enchanting miniarchipelago is within reach to anyone who cares to visit.

The town of Bongao, Tawi-Tawi’s capital, is a fascinating blend of the old and the new. Old traditions are still very much observed by the townsfolk, while new technology and all its trappings are welcomed and have become an integral part of the people’s lifestyles. Travelers will surely enjoy what this province has to offer when it comes to the pursuit of adventure and discovery.

Accommodation For tourists who want to visit Bongao, Airphil Express flies there four times a week from Zamboanga City; and another airline is set to fly the same route within the year.

There are quite a few small hotels on Bongao, but to experience island life to the fullest, stay at the Beachside Inn. It sits on an expansive property fronting an impressive coastline, and bounded to the west by the enigmatic Bongao Peak.

Beachside Inn has 20 odd air-conditioned rooms that, while far from being deluxe accommodations, will suit the needs of most travelers. The hotel also has function rooms, and a restaurant that’s open from 7am to 10pm. The best part, however, is that the beach across the property is actually a scuba diver’s paradise.

Contact: (68)268-1446. Room rates: P700-1,000 per night.

Scuba Diving Blessed with miles upon miles of white sand beaches and pristine coral reefs, and surrounded by the Celebes Sea, Tawi-Tawi is home to a host of marine life. There are about a dozen dive sites that have been established by the Tawi-Tawi Divers Club around Bongao and SangaSanga islands alone. The other islands offer alluring underwater exploration opportunities as well.

One must-dive spot is the Pahut Plane Wreck. Sitting at a depth of 60 feet off the coast of Brgy. Pahut is a WWII fighter plane that is now

View from the summit of Bud Bongao

home to various coral, squirrelfish and other sea dwellers. Visibility is crystal clear, although the current can get rather energetic in that area.

The dive site behind the Sanga-Sanga airport is also highly recommended by locals. It features a deep wall, an explosion of coral formations, pelagic fish, manta rays, and even friendly marine turtles.

For more adventurous divers, Sitangkai should be in their bucket list. Dubbed the “Venice of the Philippines,” Sitangkai Island is the farthest of all the islands in the province. This town’s main mode of transport is the venerable banca, and houses are interconnected by wooden footbridges. Diving there offers encounters with a variety of shark species, decades-old pawikan and other exotic sea creatures.

The Tawi-Tawi Divers Club have their own air compressor, scuba cylinders and complete sets of dive equipment. Contact: Dive Master Ramon Tañgon, (918)699-2822.

Bongao Peak There is a fable surrounding Tawi-Tawi’s most famous mountain, Bongao Peak (or Bud Bongao). Near the summit is a Muslim grave that is considered a shrine, both by Muslims and Christians. In the capital, Christians number about 30% of the population. It is said that all transgressions will be forgiven if one visits and pays one’s respects at this shrine.

Locals also say that, to have visited Tawi-Tawi is to have ascended Bud Bongao’s peak. And it is one activity you mustn’t miss, because the summit offers a breathtaking view of the white-ringed islands and, on a good day, a hint of Borneo on the southern horizon. It takes only about an hour’s hike to climb.

The mountain is home to a large troop of native monkeys. Make sure to bring bananas or other fruits to keep the furry guardians of the Bud appeased.

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The plane wreck at the Pahut dive site

The Beachside Inn, right; Bongao Peak, background

Food Tawi-Tawi has arguably the freshest seafood anywhere. Go to the public market and see for yourself! They offer a wide variety of fish, squid, octopus, rays, edible seaweed, shellfish. Suggestion: buy fresh seafood from the market and have it cooked at the Beachside Inn! There are not a lot of restaurants in town, but there’s plenty of places to chow down if you’re not picky. Hire a tricycle and ask to be taken to an eatery. (The preferred language here is Filipino, although many Christians use Cebuano as well.)

Do try Tawi-Tawi’s Muslim delicacies, such as tamparan (the local hot cake), pitis (akin to suman) and pasong (cone-shaped sticky rice cake). If you’re daring about seafood, try the agal-agal, a dish of guso, lato, cucumber, onion, toasted grated coconut meat, and spices.

Tap water, it should be noted, is safe in Bongao. It is sourced from groundwater and is distributed using modern facilities. For queasy stomachs, on the other hand, bottled water is available in town.

We’re taking you out of the dog house.

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