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June 7, 2013
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Taguig building blast
Cebu Pacific plane overshoots runway
Rob Ford lashes out
Maligayang Araw ng Kalayaan
Charice: “Tomboy po ako”
INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS kick off in Canada with pomp and pageantry. Luningning Tan-Gatue, a third generation flag maker for 60 years, apply finishing touches to a Philippine flag, one of many which will wave against blue skies on June 12 in every city where there is a Filipino. Greetings from Canadian and Philippine dignitaries on pages 24-25.
PCI celebrates Filipino freedom HISTORY and heritage live on in the hearts of Filipinos even in this distant land. It’s been 115 years. As the date draws near, festivities across the face of North America pop up from major city to humble town. This issue, PCI joins Filipinos, Filipino-Canadians, and Filipinos all over the world in commemorating the Philippine Independence Day on June 12, 2013. Inside: Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s greeting to all Filipinos; trivia about the Philippine flag and the date of our independence; and events to celebrate our freedom by, whether it’s by a simple home-cooked Pinoy dish, or a big, fabulous fiesta with all the accoutrements, Pinoy-style. Photo by Angelo Siglos
Isang makabuluhang selebrasyon ng ika-115 Araw ng Kalayaan — mula sa Philippine Canadian Inquirer
Photo by Richard A. Reyes
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They laughed while firing
IT LOOKED like hoot, with six coast guards laughing as they fired at the Taiwanese fishing boat. “The video showed the soldiers acted unprofessionally. They were laughing while they were shooting the boat,” a source who had seen the video of the
Philippine Coast Guard shooting of fishing boat Guang Ta Hsin 28 three weeks ago said Saturday. “It is disturbing and embarrassing for Philippine law enforcers,” the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the Inquirer in an interview. Taiwanese fisherman Hung Shihchen, 65, was hit and killed in the ❱❱ page 4 They laughed
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Philippine News
3 friday June 7, 2013
Taguig building blast: Renter is ‘person of interest’ By Marlon Ramos Philippine Daily Inquirer THE renter of apartment 501B at Two Serendra complained that he was “suffocating” hours before a powerful explosion ripped through the posh building in Taguig City on Friday night, the Inquirer learned yesterday. The blast blew out the walls of apartment 501B, sending a slab of concrete flying onto the street below and smashing into a passing delivery van for a wellknown chain of appliance stores. The van’s driver and two of his crew were crushed to death and five other people, including Angelito San Juan, renter of apartment 501B, were injured. Interior Secretary Mar Roxas said San Juan, who was reported as leaving his apartment when the explosion occurred, was considered a “person of interest” in the investigation of the blast. Roxas made it clear that San Juan was “not a suspect.”
The term “suspect” has a legal connotation, Roxas told the Inquirer by phone. “A person of interest simply means we’re interested in him and in obtaining his testimony,” he said. A government official who has knowledge of the investigation told the Inquirer yesterday that San Juan, besides complaining of breathing difficulty, also had reported that there was no electricity in his apartment before the explosion occurred. The source, who asked not to be named as the investigation was in progress, said a certain Dominique Chua, reportedly a caretaker at the building, arrived to check on San Juan about an hour before the blast. “The statement that will be coming from Mr. San Juan will be very vital [to the investigation],” the source said. Roxas, in an e-mailed statement, confirmed the report about San Juan. He said San Juan had told the building administrator that
A view of Bonifacio Global City, showing the building of Serendra 2, where the blast occurred Friday, May 31. Photo by Hans Olav Lien
“he was suffocating inside the apartment despite having the air-conditioning [unit] on.” San Juan, who was renting the apartment for nine days, suffered burns on the back and remained under intensive care at St. Luke’s Medical Center in
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Bonifacio Global City. The source said investigators were trying to locate George Cayton, the overseas worker who owned apartment 501B. Not ‘ordinary renter’
He said investigators had re-
ceived information that San Juan is “not an entire stranger” to Cayton. “San Juan is not an ordinary renter. The owner apparently knows him. He could be a relative of Mr. Cayton,” the source said. Tony Aquino, president of Ayala Land Inc., the property owner, confirmed at a news conference on Saturday that San Juan had a lease on the apartment good for nine days only, from May 31 to June 9. The Inquirer source said caretaker Chua decided to see San Juan when he did not answer her calls to his cell phone. Chua got a security officer to accompany her to apartment 501B, the source said. “So Ms. Chua went to the building because she was nervous after San Juan failed to answer her calls. She supposedly had a dinner appointment with San Juan at 7 that night,” the source said. ❱❱ page 11 Taguig building blast
Philippine News
friday june 7, 2013 4
They laughed... ❰❰ 1
shooting, which happened during a high-speed chase in waters off Balintang Island in northern Philippines on May 9. The source said the Coast Guard submitted the video to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) after President Benigno Aquino III ordered an investigation of the fatal shooting of Hung, which sparked a major diplomatic row between Taiwan and the Philippines. It was the video that Justice Secretary Leila de Lima described two weeks ago as “very revealing,” but did not disclose its contents. But that it was very revealing was probably why the Department of Justice initially refused to share the video with Taiwanese investigators, delaying clearance from Taipei for an NBI team to travel to Taiwan to investigate the fatal shooting of Hung. Not until De Lima allowed the video to be seen by Taiwanese investigators did the
Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (Teco), Taiwan’s de facto embassy in Manila, give visas to the eight members of the NBI team. The source said the video showed the fishing boat, after sailing side by side with the MCS-3001, a patrol vessel owned by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources but manned by coast guards, peeled away and moved in “circles, as if daring the (Coast Guard vessel to come after it.” Not raked with gunfire
Contrary to reports, the source said, the coast guards did not rake the fishing boat with gunfire. “They did not spray it with bullets, but they were laughing as they fired at the fishing boat,” the source said. The coast guards aimed for what they thought was the engine room to stop the boat, the source said. But the NBI inspection of the fishing boat at the dockyard on Pingtung Island,
Photo by Gregory A Harden II, US Navy
southern Taiwan, showed no bullet holes on any part of the engine room. “There were no bullet holes on the engine room probably because (the coast guards) did not know its location,” the source said. Two other sources who had seen the video confirmed the statements of the first source. According to the Coast Guard report on the incident, Cmdr. Arnold de la Cruz, the patrol vessel’s commander, “ordered his men to fire at the fishing vessel when it did not stop after several warnings.” Philippine waters
One of the two other sources
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who had seen the video said the shooting happened on the Philippine side, not on the Taiwan side, of overlapping territorial waters between the two countries. The NBI and Taiwanese investigators ended their parallel probes of the incident on Friday, with the NBI team saying its report would be ready in a “day or two.” De Lima said the government’s next step would depend on the NBI report, which would contain recommendations. She said Philippine laws would be followed should the NBI recommend the prosecution of the coast guards involved in the shooting.
Murder charges
The fisherman’s daughter, Hung Tzu-chen, filed murder charges, but did not name anyone in her complaint. Taiwanese investigators told a news conference on Friday that they could identify the coast guard who fired the bullet that killed Hung through the results of the ballistic tests on the firearms submitted for the probe. The Taiwanese investigative team returned to Taipei on Friday. The NBI team, headed by Daniel Daganzo, chief of the bureau’s foreign liaison division, returned to Manila on the same day. ■
5 friday June 7, 2013
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Philippine News
friday june 7, 2013 6
It’s superheroes vs Yosi Kadiri By Kristine Felisse Mangunay Philippine Daily Inquirer WHEN antismoking crusaders Superman and Batman arrive together in a restaurant and Yosi Kadiri, the champion smoker, barges in a few seconds later, what do you think ensues? The battle of a lifetime, of course. The fight of the two caped superheroes against the antismoking mascot of the Department of Health (DOH) took place in Mandaluyong City, staged by government officials and health advocates to “remind the public about the need to fight tobacco use.” In the fight, the man in the Superman outfit and his partner in a Batman suit “threw punches” at Yosi Kadiri, a man with yellow and crooked teeth to show the ugly effects of smoking. Health officials and advocates presented the make-believe tableau at the Secret Recipe restaurant at SM Megamall
in Mandaluyong City to celebrate World No Tobacco Day declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) to draw attention to the widespread use of tobacco and its ill effects. Fight is not over
The antitobacco compaign, dubbed “Cause of Death: Tobacco,” was spearheaded by the nongovernment organization HealthJustice, in partnership with the DOH, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, and groups like the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (Seatca) and New Vois Association of the Philippines. This year, the campaign centered on the theme Ban Tobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship, or TAPS. “The Philippines has been making strides in health ... The sin tax law has been passed, but the fight is not yet over ... (There is only a) partial ban on the advertising, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco,” HealthJustice project manager Diana Trivino told a press con-
ference. ‘Biggest serial killer’
Trivino said that since 2008, tobacco companies in the Philippines had been banned from putting out advertisements in the mass media but were allowed to display their cigarettes prominently in stores. Thus, despite the “partial ban,” companies still managed to circumvent the law, she said, noting that cigarette advertisements were still present on some major thoroughfares, like Edsa. “Tobacco really is the world’s biggest serial killer. For this reason alone it needs no further promotion,” Trivino said. She also said that while other countries had begun employing “graphic images” in cigarette packages, the Philippines continued to use “only text” messages to discourage smoking. Targeting children
Seatca project director Ulysses Dorotheo agreed, saying that Australian authorities had been requiring the insertion of graphic health warnings in
Photo by Raul Lieberwirth
cigarette packs since December last year. “The objective of advertising is to encourage consumers to buy and use their products ... (Tobacco companies) are targeting children,” Dorotheo said. He said the Philippine government “needs to do something about this.” Assistant Health Secretary Eric Tayag noted that a temporary restraining order issued by a court on the insertion of graphic health warnings on cigarette packs remained in place Unfinished fight
Tayag said the government was coming up with ways to bring down smoking rates in the country.
These include issuing recognition awards for those whowould implement smoke-free zones and launching of services in so-called “cessation clinics” for people who wish to quit smoking. Tayag also said he had learned that the WHO had given President Aquino an award for the Philippines’ passage of the sin tax measure. “This is a very important milestone but the interventions we have put in place need to continue,” he said. In much the same way that the “fight” of Superman and Batman against Yosi Kadiri remains unfinished, the fight against smoking continues, health advocates said. ■
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7 friday June 7, 2013
Daughter of dead Taiwanese fisherman files murder case By Nancy C. Carvajal Philippine Daily Inquirer TAIPEI—The daughter of the Taiwanese fisherman allegedly killed by Filipino coast guards has filed murder charges during joint proceedings held by Taiwanese and Philippine prosecutors in Pingtung County. “Hung Tzu-chen, who acts as the spokesperson of the family, filed a murder case in the (National Bureau of Investigation) in accordance with Philippine laws (requiring that) a complaint must be filed before an official investigation is conducted,” said Chih Ming-hsieh, one of two head prosecutors of Pingtung County who is assisting the NBI in its own probe into the May 9 shooting death of 65-year-old fisherman Hung Shih-chen. Chih said no particular person was named in the complaint. “In Taiwan, if you file a complaint, it’s not necessary to identify somebody who did the crime. You just have to indicate
“Kuang Ta Hsing No. 28,” the fishing vessel that Taiwanese fisherman Hung Shih-cheng was killed on in the skirmish with the Philippine Coast Guard. PHOTO: Liuqiu Fishermen’s Assn./EPA/May 10, 2013
that somebody was responsible for the crime,” Chih said. Chih did not disclose the details of Hung Tzu-chen’s complaint. Hung was present during the proceedings. She was accompanied by her lawyer.
Crew questioned
The NBI team headed by the bureau’s foreign liaison chief, Daniel Daganzo, interviewed the crew of Hung’s boat, the Guan Ta Hsin 28, during the proceedings. Chih said the questioning of
the crew lasted 10 hours. First to be questioned was the boat’s captain, Hung Yuehchen, 39, son of the slain fisherman. The last to be interviewed was the Indonesian crew member, Buchaeri, 35, an imam (Muslim religious teacher) who, according to a Filipino dockworker in Pingtung who knew him, said the boat was in Philippine waters when the shooting happened. Buchaeri, according to Filipino dockworker John Albert Fernando, said Hung was in the cabin when the Filipino coast guards fired on their boat, but the boat owner had looked out and was hit in the neck. During the proceedings, Buchaeri said he did not see who shot Hung. “The Indonesian told the NBI that he did not see the actual shooting because he was already in the cabin (where he ducked) after the first volley of gunfire,” a source who was present at the proceedings told the INQUIRER.
Chih said the NBI team members did not directly interrogate the boat’s crew. “The questions were coursed through me and the answers were translated for the NBI by an interpreter of their choice,” Chih said. A priest from Kaishung City, Fr. Franco Lacamaria, and staff from the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (Meco), the Philippines’ de facto embassy in Taiwan, were the interpreters during the proceedings. Boat examined
The NBI team, accompanied by Taiwanese prosecutors, examined the Guan Ta Hsin 28, which was docked at Dongka harbor in Pingtung. Daganzo’s team inspected the bullet holes on the boat, reportedly numbering 45 and made by 7.62 mm bullets fired from M14 rifles or M240 or M60 machine guns. After inspecting the boat, the NBI team proceeded to Tainan City to examine the voyage re❱❱ page 11 Daugther of
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Philippine News
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Boracay, El Nido, Palaui among CNN’S 100 best beaches By Philip C. Tubeza Philippine Daily Inquirer THE CNN international cable network has included three Philippine beaches in its list of 100 best beaches in the world, as tourist arrivals in the country were reported to have increased by 10 percent in the first four months of 2013. The Atlanta-based cable channel listed Puka Beach in Boracay, El Nido in Palawan, and Palaui Island in Cagayan among the best destinations for beach bums around the globe. It ranked Palaui, an island that lies off the northeastern tip of Luzon, at No. 10, the only Southeast Asian beach in CNN’s Top 10. “Glorious white sands meet volcanic rocks and blue-green waters topside, while coral gardens and a rich marine reserve meet divers under the surface. Palaui is all about raw beauty,” CNN said of the island.
“The trek to get there requires battling thorny grass, muddy ground and a mangrove forest … With no resorts or hotels, Palaui has only two real options: Camping under the stars or home stays,” it said. Palaui is located in the Babuyan Channel off a large promontory in Barangay San Vicente, in the municipality of Santa Ana, Cagayan province. It is a protected area having been declared a National Marine Reserve in 1994, and is rich in wildlife, marine life and timber. El Nido, which is said to have inspired British author Alex Garland to write the novel “The Beach,” landed at No. 14, or five notches higher than Maya Bay in Ko Phi Phi, Thailand, where the novel’s movie adaptation starring Leonardo DiCaprio was filmed. “El Nido is the gateway to adventure, ‘the last frontier’ of the Philippines, as it has been dubbed,” CNN said.
El Nido, Palawan.
“Powder-fine beaches and gin-clear waters complement the stunning views of karst limestone formations, empty lagoons, marble cliffs, prehistoric caves and waterfalls,” it said. And while it has received flak recently for being overcrowded and for being a disappointment from some travel writers, Boracay, particularly Puka Beach, still made it at No. 84. “Making a respectable claim to its ‘tropical paradise’ reputation, Boracay has powdery
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beaches, water sports and spas. Puka Beach is named for its puka shells, meaning the sand here is coarse,” CNN said. The Department of Tourism (DOT) said foreign visitor arrivals for the first four months of 2013 reached 1,649,458 million, or a 10.12 percent increase from the same period in 2012. “The first four months represent 30 percent of the target arrivals for 2013, with the month of January yielding the largest volume of 436,079 visitors and February generating the high-
est growth of 15.52 percent,” the DOT said. For the first four months of the year, Korea contributed the largest arrivals with 406,595 visitors, keeping its undisputed pole position with the biggest market share of 24.65 percent to the total inbound traffic and a double-digit growth of 23.08 percent. The DOT said the United States was the second biggest source market with 246,011 visitors, or a 14.91 percent market share. ■
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Philippine News
9 friday June 7, 2013
SC asked to check if Comelec used intel funds to spy on poll watchdog By Philip C. Tubeza Philippine Daily Inquirer THE AUTOMATED Election System (AES) Watch will file for a writ of habeas data in the Supreme Court next week to determine if the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is spying on it. Evita Jimenez, an AES Watch leader, said her group would also ask the Supreme Court to compel the Comelec to divulge how it spent P30 million in intelligence funds and if the money was spent to spy on the election watchdog’s critics. “We will try to find out what ... they have done... how they spent the so-called P30 million intelligence fund,” Jimenez said in an interview. “Who were they after? Is it true that they were after AES Watch because they have been mentioning AES Watch, IT experts and watchdogs who ‘are out to sabotage the elections,’” she added. The writ
The Supreme Court instituted the writ of habeas data in January 2008 as “a remedy available to any person whose right to privacy in life, liberty or security is violated or threatened by an unlawful act or omission of a public official or employee, or of a private individual or entity engaged in the gathering, collecting or storing of data or information regarding the person, family, home and correspondence of the aggrieved party.” The process does not allow respondents to issue a general denial of the allegations in the petition, and requires them to state their lawful defense, disclose the information they gathered and the purpose of the collection, the steps they took to ensure the security and confidentiality of the information, and the currency and accuracy of the data. “When a respondent invokes such
lawful defenses as national security or privileged communication, a judge may conduct a hearing in his chambers, which is not open to the public, and with precautions to ensure their secrecy. But the respondent is required to disclose the information to the court,” the Supreme Court said. Explain saboteur label
Jimenez said AES Watch wanted the Comelec to explain if it considered the group and the election watchdog’s other critics electoral saboteurs. She said Comelec Chair Sixto Brillantes Jr. had labeled Comelec critics as saboteurs and his statement had a “chilling effect” on information technology experts who were trying to find out if there was fraud in the May 13 automated elections. “We don’t want to mention their names because they already appealed to us. They will continue studying this, but... the Comelec already said they are out to unmask (the alleged saboteurs),” Jimenez said. ‘We did not’
Asked for comment, Brillantes vehemently denied that the Comelec investigated AES Watch, but criticized the group for “going into things it does not know.” “I did not have them investigated. I can guarantee and I can swear to everybody that I did not have the AES investigated,” Brillantes said. “They are the ones who are asking to be investigated because they keep on blabbering,” he added. Brillantes said Comelec intelligence funds are approved by Malacañang and reviewed by the Commission on Audit. “Go ahead, let them investigate. They should also investigate Malacañang and everyone. It gave (the funds) and approved it,” he said. “They are now going into intelligence funds. I thought they were just about elections? Let them file. AES is good at that. They get into everything... things they do not understand,” he said.
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Brillantes said the Comelec used the money for “intelligence, surveillance, for something confidential, matters that involve security, public interest.” He said the Comelec sometimes hired outsiders to do the sleuthing for it. “Yes, we take in assets. We have to hire assets. We use (the money) for safe houses, and we don’t say where these are,” Brillantes said. “That AES and (the others) are causing trouble. Maybe they have no other things to do,” he said. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net
Philippine News
Justice reforms a ‘work in progress’ A year after ouster, Coronas say they’ve moved on By TJ Burgonio and Christine Avendaño Philippine Daily Inquirer A YEAR after Chief Justice Renato Corona was impeached and voted out of office, Malacañang admitted that reforms undertaken since then are still a “work in progress”. The most concrete sign of reform is the Civil Service Commission’s (CSC) requiring government officials to file more detailed statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN), and a CSC directive requiring all government employees to file SALNs, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said. Apart from that, however, the other reforms are still “a work in progress,” she told a press briefing. After a four-month trial, senators voted in May 2012 to oust
Corona for failing to declare all his assets in his SALN, specifically some $2.4 million in bank deposits and P80.7 million in alleged commingled accounts, which the senators said was an impeachable offense. In a statement, Corona said he and his family were “fine” and have moved on with their lives and are hoping for “better days ahead.” He said he has been busy the past year, “keeping abreast of the latest Supreme Court decisions and new laws (since a lot of people consult me and seek my advice); getting invited often to small gatherings and lunch or dinner discussion groups to share my views and experiences.” When he can find the time, “I go to the gym or try my hand at playing the piano again,” he said. Corona said he has no plans to go back to government ser-
friday june 7, 2013 10
vice but “public service is still very much part of my life.” He also said he prays “a lot” for the farmers of Hacienda Luisita, the huge sugar estate owned by the family of President Aquino, hoping they will “someday finally attain the justice the Corona Court gave them but which this regime is trying hard to thwart.” Corona accused the “vindictive regime” of President Aquino of continued harassment and persecution of him and his family. “The gargantuan funds it wasted in my sham impeachment trial could have been better used for education, school buildings, increased salaries of government employees, healthcare and medicines for the poor, more courts and halls of justice... And for what—to remove a sitting Chief Justice just so that the President can appoint his own?” he said. He said people he encountered “have invariably said they do not believe the government propaganda against me and my family.” Corona maintained he had not stolen anything while in government and that his properties were the fruit of his 45
Ousted Chief Justice Renato Corona as he was sworn into office by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in May 2010, less than two months until the end of her term. Photo by Avito C. Dalan/Malacañang Photo
years of service in the private and public sectors. “I have nothing to be ashamed of nor regret in any aspect of my life. And most of all, I owe the government not a single cent in unpaid taxes,” he said.
Corona, his daughter, Carla, and the latter’s husband, Constantino Castillo III, are facing a P150-million tax evasion case that the Bureau of Internal Revenue filed against them last year. ■
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Taguig building blast... ❰❰ 3
San Juan opened the door and let Chua in, the source said. They talked and after a few minutes, Chua stepped out and proceeded to the parking area, where she told the security officer she would wait in her car for San Juan, the source said. “While Ms. Chua was waiting, a loud explosion was heard,” the source said. “The security officer said he saw San Juan hobbling and was badly burned. [San Juan] was then being assisted out of the building,” the source said. The security officer had given a sworn statement to investigators, the source said. No bomb traces
Investigators on Sunday remained at a loss to explain the blast, as no traces of explosives or chemicals that could cause an explosion had been found. But Roxas said the government was still not discounting the possibility that the explosion was caused by a bomb. “The initial findings and evidence gathered are still not
conclusive to make any conclusion right now,” Roxas said. He said investigators were also looking into the circumstances surrounding the explosion that tore through the Glorietta 2 section of Ayala Mall in Makati City in 2007 to see if it was similar to the Two Serendra blast. Investigators blamed the Glorietta explosion on methane in the shopping mall’s basement. Having found no signs of a bomb explosion, the investigators turned on Sunday to the possible engineering flaws in the building. Roxas said the investigators were going to examine the building’s “utility pipes,” the lines through which the building gets electricity, gas and water. Turning to science
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) joined the investigation yesterday, Roxas said. “We want to find out what kind of explosion can propel
Daughter of... this heavy slab of concrete that far,” he said, referring to the large piece of the building’s wall that the explosion sent flying to the far side of the street below, where it smashed into the delivery van. Roxas said the DOST could provide the answer “through chemistry and physics.” Investigators also began to take statements from tenants on the third and fourth floors of Two Serendra, Roxas said. He said the Department of Public Works and Highways had been asked to assess the structural soundness of the building after the forensic investigation. Asked if the absence of signs of explosives made it likely that the blast was not caused by a bomb, Roxas replied: “That is a conjecture but it’s a reasonable conjecture. It’s reasonable to think that the lesser the probability that it’s a bomb, the higher the probability that it’s something else.” ■ With a report from Niña P. Calleja
❰❰ 7
cording data of the vessel. The NBI and the Taiwanese investigative team now in Manila expect to finish their parallel probes this week. Separate conclusions
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said the two teams may discuss their findings, but neither side may impose its conclusions on the other. Separate conclusions are the “essence of parallel probes as against a joint probe,” De Lima said in a text message to reporters. “The conclusions of both teams may be exactly the same, or the same in certain respects but different in others, or entirely different, depending on each team’s assessment or appreciation of the overall facts and evidence,” De Lima said. NBI Deputy Director for Regional Operation Services Virgilio Mendez said the bureau had turned over documentary evidence to the Taiwanese investigative team. The documents were the
statements of the coast guards involved in the incident, maps and other materials that proved helpful to the NBI investigation, Mendez said. He said the NBI would also give to the Taiwanese team an authenticated copy of a Philippine Coast Guard video of the encounter between a Philippine coastal patrol vessel and Hung’s boat that ended in the fatal shooting of the fisherman in overlapping waters in northern Philippines on May 9. Mendez said both governments had given strict orders to their investigative teams not to divulge the contents of the video until both had finished their jobs. No reconciliation
Mendez said the NBI’s findings would not have to be reconciled with the Taiwanese investigators’ findings. “We don’t need to rely on the documents they have. Our case will not depend on what they have,” Mendez said in an interview with the INQUIRER. ■
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Philippine News
friday june 7, 2013 12
Economy grows a stunning 7.8% PH outperforms China, rest of Asia in Q1 By Riza T. Olchondra Philippine Daily Inquirer
forecasts, outpacing China (7.7 percent), Indonesia (6 percent), Thailand (5.3 percent), and Vietnam (4.9 percent).
THE PHILIPPINES became the fastest growing economy among Asian countries during the first quarter of the year, with a better-than-expected growth rate of 7.8 percent, boosting the country’s efforts to attract more foreign investments. Driven by strong manufacturing and construction sectors, the first-quarter growth was the highest since President Aquino took office in 2010, Jose Ramon G. Albert, secretary general of the National Statistical Coordination Board, said. Mr. Aquino’s allies won majorities in both houses of Congress in midterm elections early this month, making it possible for him to proceed with his legislative agenda in his remaining three years in power. “Business confidence and consumer optimism fueled this growth, [erasing] doubts cast on the 2012 figures that [they were] due to base effects only,” said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan. Helped by increases in government and consumer spending, the year-onyear growth exceeded public and private
Trickle-down effect
The trickle-down effect does not happen overnight, said deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte. “There is no one-to-one correspondence. It takes some time, which is why the goal of the administration is to sustain the growth,” she said. “We are getting there. While it’s a work in progress, we have to make direct interventions,” she added, referring to conditional cash handouts to 3.9 million of the country’s poorest households. The growth of the gross domestic product (GDP), the value of all goods and services produced by the economy in a given period, surprised even the government’s own economic managers. Balisacan, also director of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda), said the growth from 6.5 percent in the first quarter of 2012 was widely unexpected, beating market forecasts that settled at 6 percent. He said the 7.8-percent growth rate beat even his own forecast.
“But please note that I was the most optimistic of all,” he said, spurring a flurry of tweets and retweets. “I said, ‘ Wow,’ when I saw the number. That was the reaction, I think, of everybody who saw the number,” Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo said in a text message. “It was significantly higher than expected given the weakness in exports, but it just goes to show the strength in other areas. Manufacturing showed its leadership, with almost 10 percent growth, which is a very big accomplishment,” Domingo said. Economist Cid L. Terosa of the University of Asia and the Pacific said by text message that his own calculation of the GDP growth was about 6.6 percent to 7 percent. “Election spending and consumption contributed a lot to the spectacular first quarter growth. To sustain it, consumption spending must be supported by strong investment spending, trade performance and sustained remittance inflows,” Terosa said. Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis Jr., president of the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc., said the growth was surprising given the weak exports market, but he added that election spending might have had some impact, even small. Local business
Encouraging local businesses and local industries like mining would help the country sustain a 7-percent to 8-percent growth for the next 10 or so years, and this could curb poverty, OrtizLuis said. The Manila Business Club attributed the strong first quarter performance of the economy to the “sound macroeconomic foundations of the country, the capable leadership of our economic managers, and the steadily growing confidence of investors in the economy.” With the robust first quarter growth, the club said the country was on track to achieve its 6 percent to 7 percent fullyear economic growth target for 2013. Melito S. Salazar, president of the Management Association of the Philippines, credited recent reforms for the high growth rate. “With the recent election results, we are confident that more reforms will be introduced and previous reforms will be sustained, so higher growth is expected,” Salazar said. Broad-based output
The Neda said in a statement that the development on the production side was broadbased, with all sectors contributing positively to growth during the first quarter. The Neda said services expanded 7 percent during the period; industry, 10.9 percent; and agriculture, 3.3 percent. “[The] impressive performance of these sectors prove that the country is already reaping the benefits of strengthening priority sectors that are potential growth drivers and employment generators,” Balisacan said. He noted that under agriculture, which grew by 3.3 percent, fisheries www.canadianinquirer.net
showed a huge increase of 5.5 percent after previous quarters of contraction. “This shows that sustainable management in fisheries is also an effective growth strategy,” he said. Increased domestic demand pushed manufacturing growth to 9.7 percent in the first quarter, Balisacan said. He described as “stirring” the 32.5-percent growth of construction, indicating, he said, “good positioning toward an industry-led economy.” “Initially, this was led by infrastructure spending of the government. By the second half of 2012, private construction started to rebound,” he said. Exports contract
Exports contracted in the first quarter, primarily because of a decrease in foreign demand for electronic components. Analysts see the Philippines facing export headwinds as global growth shows signs of an extended slowdown. But Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima spoke of “signs of global recovery” and expectations of an increase in exports. “With the coming finalization of rules governing the mining sector, we expect to unlock another highly potent growth driver,” Purisima said. He said the government’s strong cash position, arising from a robust growth in revenue collection, resulted in a 45.6-percent expansion in public construction and 13.2 percent in overall state spending. “Coupled with the country’s first investment-grade rating by a major ratings agency, we can say with much pride that good governance is good economics,” Purisima said. Budget Secretary Florencio B. Abad issued a statement saying the growth in manufacturing was particularly interesting because it was driven mainly by increased production of foodstuff. “This not just translates to an increasing demand for local food products, but also indicates a growing need for unskilled laborers to support the industry’s demands, which may help create thousands of jobs for Filipinos,” Abad said. Challenges
Despite the impressive growth figures, the Philippines faces many challenges. Among them, the global slowdown, excessive capital inflows and natural disasters, an annual occurrence in the country whose rickety infrastructure and rice fields suffer damage from typhoons and floods. “Disasters can negate the gains and even push back development. Moreover, the global economy remains fragile, negatively affecting our trade performance,” Balisacan said. “Due to the attractive investment opportunities, we are also at risk of receiving too much capital inflows as advanced economies implement quantitative easing. The challenge is to channel these inflows into productive investments,” he said. ■
Philippine News
13 friday June 7, 2013
It’s official: Drunk driving is against the law By Michael Lim Ubac Philippine Daily Inquirer DON’T drink and drive. This time the authorities mean it. This admonition against drunk driving now comes with tough penalties— a fine of as much as P500,000, as well as a corresponding jail term. President Aquino signed on May 27 Republic Act No. 10586, otherwise known as the Act Penalizing Persons Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Dangerous Drugs and Other Similar Substances. The anti-drunk and -drugged driving law, which was designed to ensure road safety, takes effect 15 days after its publication. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte, who announced the signing of the law in a Palace briefing, admitted that it could be open to abuse, especially by traffic enforcers who would demand bribes from
motorists. Report ‘kotong’ cops
However, she said grievance mechanisms were in place. “We encourage the reporting of law enforcement officers who may want to take advantage of this law,” Valte said of the safety nets for motorists against “kotong (extortion) cops.” The law mandates the Land Transportation Office, Philippine National Police, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and deputized local traffic enforcers to conduct sobriety tests on drivers suspected of drunk driving. Probable cause
Motorists may be pulled over on suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI) by a “law enforcement officer who has probable cause to believe that a person is driving under the influence of alcohol, dangerous drugs and/or similar substanc-
es by apparent indications and manifestations.” According to the law, the telltale signs of a DUI are “overspeeding, weaving, lane straddling, sudden stops, swerving, poor coordination, evident smell of alcohol in a person’s breath or signs of use of dangerous drugs and other similar substances.” Breath analyzer
Traffic enforcers are required to use a breath analyzer (breathalyzer), a gadget to determine the blood alcohol concentration level of a person through testing of his or her breath. “Your law enforcement agencies are now empowered under this law to conduct field sobriety, chemical and confirmatory tests,” said Valte. “If the law enforcement officer feels that there is any indication that the driver is under the influence of the relevant substances, under this law he may pull you over and ask you to undertake a sobriety test,” she said. Failing the sobriety test, the person under question may be
Photo BY Daniel Loiselle
subjected to a breathalyzer. The law, however, does not specify the “level of intoxication” needed to fall within the definition of a DUI. No set blood alcohol limit
Instead of setting a threshold
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level, the law gives the determination to the Department of Health, National Police Commission and Department of Transportation and Communications. ❱❱ page 14 It’s official
Philippine News
friday june 7, 2013 14
Philippines investigates after Cebu Pacific plane overshoots runway, passengers forced to wait The Associated Press MANILA, Philippines—Philippine aviation authorities said Tuesday they were investigating Cebu Pacific pilots and crew who left passengers waiting some 15 minutes before deploying emergency slides on a plane that overshot the runway and landed on its nose. None of the 165 passengers was injured, but several complained about the slow response. The rough landing in stormy weather Sunday evening forced the closure of the Davao International Airport in the southern Philippines while the Airbus A320-200 remained stuck on the runway. Civil Aviation Authority Deputy Director General John Andrews said that the pilots' error probably caused the accident. “Everyone panicked. Women and children were screaming,” Percival Jacones told the Philippine Daily Inquirer. He said that the cabin crew appeared stunned and that it took 15 minutes before the captain came out of the cockpit to address the passengers.
Davao Mayor Sara Duterte said airport management was late in alerting city emergency services about the landing and denied quick access to the passengers. She said that an airport security guard phoned Emergency 911 to report the accident. The aviation authority said that all angles will be investigated. Andrews told reporters that the pilots and cabin crew have been grounded pending the investigation. He said that the pilots violated the standard operating procedure by not ordering an immediate evacuation of the aircraft. Cebu Pacific President Lance Gokongwei apologized but also defended the crew's action. “In this situation we may not have handled all issues perfectly, but we can learn from this experience,” Gokongwei told ABS-CBN TV. The plane had departed from the capital, Manila. Cebu Pacific is the Philippines’ largest low-cost carrier. It operates 33 Airbus planes and eight ATRs, and also flies on regional routes. A similar accident occurred in 2011, when a Cebu Pacific plane overshot the
Photo BY Kentaro Iemoto
runway in Puerto Princesa in western Palawan province. There were no casualties. The Ateneo de Davao University, which had members aboard Sunday's flight, published an open letter saying it will boycott the airline to protest “the
insensitivity and ineptness” of the crew. “Your personnel lack training for an emergency situation. They froze. They did not know what do to. They must be able to put the welfare of the passengers before their own,” said university President Joel Tabora. ■
It’s official... ❰❰ 13
In the United States, the current blood alcohol level limit is pegged at 0.08 percent. For drivers suspected of driving under the influence of illegal drugs, law enforcement officers may bring the driver to the nearest police station for drug testing. There shall be compulsory alcohol and/or chemical testing, including a drug screening test, of drivers involved in motor accidents, as mandated by Republic Act No. 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002). Aside from the mandatory testing of drivers involved in accidents, the law calls for “direct liability of operators and/or owner of the offending vehicle” of public utility vehicles, delivery vans, cargo trucks, container trucks, school and company buses, hotel transports, cars or vans for rent and taxi cabs. The vehicle owner and offending driver will be principally held liable for civil damages. P20,000 to P500,000 fines
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Penalties range from three-month imprisonment and fines of P20,000 to P80,000 if the violation did not result in physical injuries. The fines get heavier if the violation results in physical injury. “The fine goes up to P100,000 to www.canadianinquirer.net
P200,000 and the penalty for imprisonment also goes up. If the violation involves homicide, the fine goes up to P300,000 to P500,000, as well as the penalty for imprisonment,” said Valte. The law also funds the acquisition of equipment (breath analyzers and drugtesting kits) and nationwide training seminars for deputized law enforcers, to be taken from the Special Road Safety Fund (derived from the motor vehicle user’s charge) and the General Appropriations Act. Driver’s education
Section 4 mandates driver’s education to be part of procedures for getting or renewing one’s driver’s license. “Driver’s education should now include the course on the information relative to safe driving, including the consequences of driving or operating a motor vehicle under the influence of the aforementioned substances,” Valte said. She said the Philippine Information Agency, Land Transportation Office and local government units involved have been mandated to conduct a nationwide information campaign on the effects and parameters of this particular law. Valte said the law had a “provision for training” of traffic personnel for conducting sobriety tests. ■
Philippine News
15 friday June 7, 2013
K+12 101 The Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines THE K TO 12 Program covers Kindergarten and 12 years of basic education (six years of primary education, four years of Junior High School, and two years of Senior High School [SHS]) to provide sufficient time for mastery of concepts and skills, develop lifelong learners, and prepare graduates for tertiary education, middle-level skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship. When will the K to 12 Program be implemented?
• Universal Kindergarten began in SY 2011–2012. • The enhanced curriculum for Grade 1 and Grade 7 (1st Year Junior High School) was rolled out this SY 2012–2013, and will be progressively introduced in the other grade levels in succeeding school years. • Grade 11 will be introduced in SY 2016–2017 and Grade 12 in SY 2017–2018.
Photo by Marianne Bermudez
• The first batch of high school students to go through K to 12 will graduate in March 2018. Where will the additional two years be added?
• The two years will be added after the four-year high school program. This will be called Senior High School.
Why are we implementing 12 years of basic education and not 11 years?
• A 12-year program is found to be the adequate period for learning under basic education. It is also a standard for recognition of students and/or professionals abroad (i.e., the Bologna Process for the European Union and the Washington Accord for the United States). • The Philippines is the last country in Asia and one of only three countries worldwide (the other two being Angola and Djibouti) with a 10-year pre-university cycle. What
will
happen
to
the
curriculum? What subjects will be added and removed?
• There is a continuum from Kindergarten to Grade 12, and to technical-vocational and higher education. • The current curriculum has been enhanced and has been given more focus to allow mastery of learning. • In Grades 11 and 12, core subjects like Math, Science, and Languages will be strengthened. Specializations in students’ areas of interest will also be offered. Where will Senior High School be implemented?
• Existing public schools may implement Senior High School. DepEd will be in partnerships with CHED, TESDA, and private schools to use their facilities, especially for the transition years. In addition, new standalone Senior High Schools will be built. What will happen to colleges and universities during the initial nationwide implementation of Senior High School in SY 2016– 2017 and SY 2017–2018?
• To manage the initial implementation of the K to
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12 Program and mitigate the expected multi-year low enrolment turnout for colleges, universities, and TechnicalVocational Institutions (TVI) starting SY 2016-2017, DepEd shall engage in partnerships with them to use their existing facilities and teaching staff. This ensures that during the transition period, the reduction in enrollment in these colleges and universities may be offset. How will K to 12 affect the college curriculum?
• The college General Education Curriculum is being revised. It will have fewer units with the removal of unnecessary remediation as K to 12 graduates adhere to the College Readiness Standards. With K to 12, the college curriculum will comprise of a
year’s worth of General Education subjects and at least two years of major subjects.
Will K to 12 enhance programs targeted to indigenous people, Muslim learners, and people with special needs?
• Yes, the K to 12 curriculum was designed to address diverse learner needs, and may be adapted to fit specific learner groups. What is my role in supporting this program? • Be informed. Education shapes our future as Filipinos, it is our duty to be aware of reforms in basic education that will move our country forward. • Spread awareness. Tell your family, friends, and networks about the K to12 Program and help them stay informed. More on www.gov.ph/k-12
Opinion
friday june 7, 2013 16
There’s the rub
Postscript to a vice By Conrado De Quiros Philippine Daily Inquirer I THOUGHT it was a little too late to write about it, pretty much everyone had weighed in on it. But a couple of things made me want to add to it anyway. One was Vice Ganda offering his apologies to Jessica Soho for his comments on her but hastening to add that the fiasco would not make him change his brand of humor. Two is the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) sending a letter to ABS-CBN and a couple of other networks expressing “concern over the migration of comedy-bar humor to TV.” We have laws, said Toto Villareal, such as a magna carta protecting women, a magna carta protecting the disabled, and various laws protecting senior citizens. These should be followed by the networks. The issue is not light, as those who ask us to lighten up and move on think. I for one am glad the public has weighed in on it, rather animatedly in the social media. The matter goes beyond entertainment. The MTRCB of course is well within its rights to call the networks’ attention to racy humor in so public a venue as free TV. That is something
watched by adults and children alike, and it is the MTRCB’s job to weed chaff from grain. But that is another matter entirely and has little to do with Vice Ganda’s offense. The point is not the type of humor or comedy— which ones are adult and which ones are not, which ones are low-brow and which ones are not, which ones are outrageous and which ones are not. Jokes about rape do not belong to any of these. They’re just unacceptable. Jokes about rape are not funny. Jokes about rape are not humorous. Jokes about rape are not jokes at all. The danger in the MTRCB’s intervention in this context is that it could suggest that the problem is the appropriateness of the humor to certain types of audience—a general patronage audience being exposed to toilet humor. That is not the case at all: Rape “jokes” have no place in society, polite or impolite. You do not make jokes about rape. It is not irreverent, excessive, or out of bounds. It’s just foul. I do not particularly care if Vice Ganda wants to change his “comedy style” or not. I do not particularly care if he wants to be gay or straight. But he may not make fun of rape. This is not being prissy or prickly. This is not being prim and proper. This is not being politically correct
or acting like the gender police. I myself love irreverent jokes, particularly about people who take themselves seriously. Satire and parody have a long tradition in this country, Jose Rizal being past master of them, being also weapons of the oppressed. I don’t mind green jokes, or toilet jokes, or sick jokes. But I do mind rape “jokes.” Vice Ganda’s “joke” is particularly illtimed. It comes at a time when the world is cringing at the mind-boggling
Jokes about rape are not funny. Jokes about rape are not humorous. Jokes about rape are not jokes at all. rapes that have been happening in various parts of it. Not least India. Only some months ago, we were all horrified at the gang rape and mutilation of a young Indian woman in a bus by hooligans, her wounds eventually causing her death. This proved to be merely the tip of the iceberg: As it turned out, that incident was far more common than thought, women living not just in fear of rape but in fear of being known to have been raped, which stood to devalue their marriageability. The mind-boggling incidence of
rape in that country, victimizing even young children, was itself only the symptom of a bigger problem, which was the inferior status of women in society. That inferiority made them fair game, and being fair game made them even more inferior, a vicious cycle in every sense of the word “vicious.” It’s something that currently has various groups in India, not least writers and artists, up in arms. Making light of it doesn’t make things better, it makes them worse. Far, far worse. It makes them more acceptable. Or at least less reprehensible. Adding yet another disincentive for victims to report it. That brings me to my other point. Vice Ganda says he has tried to make amends by apologizing to Soho, but that unfortunately, Soho would not take his calls. In fact he should not just apologize to Soho, he should apologize to the public. The transgression does not lie in merely ridiculing someone who has, by dint of hard work, elevated herself to a position of much respect. And who, as Vice Ganda should have realized by now, is not without a capacity to hit back. The insult is against women in general. The injury is against society in general. The “joke” could have been made
against a less respected, or respectable, individual and it would still be foul. It could have been made against someone society deems to be of loose morals, and it would still be foul. Hell, the “joke” could have been made by a prostitute herself (or himself ), and it would still be foul. As Ceres Doyo pointed out here the other day, rape is not a crime against chastity, it is a crime against a person. Rape is not a crime of sex, it is a crime of violence. Making rape “jokes” isn’t just a crime against good taste, it is a crime against good sense. What’s particularly objectionable about them in our culture, a thing redolent in sitcoms in the past until we started objecting to them, is that it insinuates the “joke” as a left-handed compliment. The “rapable” are attractive, the “nonrapable” are not. If you are fat and old and ugly, you will not be raped. That is not funny, that is frightening. Having known some women who have been raped, indeed having known at least one who was raped and killed, who was a waitress in Sam’s Diner, one of the victims of the epidemic of rape in Marikina in the 1990s, I can’t let this pass without comment. I add my voice to the reprobation of Vice Ganda’s rape “joke.” It’s not ganda, it’s just a vice. ■
for a writing position in a show that dealt with disasters and emergencies. It was all she needed in order to show that her skills had little to do with her being my daughter. Kara’s daughter, 12-year-old Julia, butted in as her mother was recounting how she landed her first broadcasting job. She said she also often found herself unable to shake off the expectations that came with her being her mother’s daughter. Her story made me realize why our four children, who went to UP from grade school to college, grew up shy in an environment where they were expected to be assertive. One day, in a class in Filipino, Julia tearfully recalls, the teacher told the class to imagine they were journalists assigned to do an interview with a resident in a flood-stricken community. “What is the first and best question you would ask?” The teacher paused as she scanned the room. Seeing no hands raised, she turned to Julia who was seated at the back: “What do you think your mother would have asked?” The little girl froze as she groped for something to say. Tears welled in her eyes. “My mind went blank because everyone was looking at me, waiting for me to say the right answer. The only thing I felt at that moment was that I had failed Mama.” From then
on, Julia resolved to do better. But, she never again raised her hand in class. In the face of the inevitable comparisons and inflated expectations to which they were subjected, my children learned to adopt certain defenses. Kara said she developed a strong stomach for failure. CP entered the academic life, but stayed away from the social science world of his elders by becoming a natural scientist. Our daughter Nadya also became a teacher but chose the arts as her field. The youngest, Jika, an accountant, spent two years as a volunteer teacher and dorm mother in a rural school in Palawan, but later joined the corporate world—away from anything that remotely smelled socialist. None of them became a political activist. But I think they have done more to change our society. One founded a grade school that focuses on the sciences and the humanities. Two set up foundations devoted to helping young girls from the poorest families get a good education. Karina and I decided early on never to force our children to become our carbon copies, or to tell them what careers they should pursue. Living under that kind of pressure, many from our generation rebelled. Our children did not, and we trust they are free of any resentment. ■
Public Lives
Generations By Randy David Philippine Daily Inquirer INVITED TO give the keynote speech at the 7th National Social Science Congress the other day, I welcomed the occasion not as a celebration of the work we have done but as a cue to allow the next generation to shine. The congress had “Generations” for its theme. I spoke about the political oligarchies that rule our country, but prefaced this with a light selfreferential reflection on what it means to deal with the burden of genealogy. Below are excerpts of the personal part of these remarks: Shortly after I retired from full-time teaching in 2011, I began to be introduced as Kara David’s father. In academic circles, on the other hand, young students were wont to ask if I was the father of Dr. CP David, my geologist-son. Of course, it is with no small amount of ironic pride that I accept this implied demotion, recalling how, not too long ago, my children must have felt annoyed when they were not being acknowledged for what they could do as their own persons, because of the long shadows cast by their elders. It was never easy for them to deal with this inherited identity—just as it was not easy for my wife, Karina,
to live with the expectations attached to being the daughter of Renato Constantino. They all had to live with the burden of having to prove themselves not just as competent or qualified students or professionals, but also worthy of a name or a memory. Such can be the tyranny of genealogy. On the other hand, while opening doors for them, the institutions and organizations in which they sought acceptance tended to be skeptical and guarded against the presumed advantages of a familiar name. I first saw this when, without telling me, my son CP decided to apply for membership in my fraternity. I was happy. I looked upon it as his way of affirming the wisdom (or folly) of his father’s choices as a young man. But some of my younger “brods” in the fraternity did not see it that way. Rather than treat him like any other applicant, they gave him a hard time. I could only suppose that they needed to prove to him that having a dad for a brod would not earn him a free ride. Pretty much the same thing happened to Kara when, after working for two years as a researcher in the Senate, she decided to pursue a career in the broadcast media. I encouraged her to apply as a reporter at the network where I was presenting the early evening news and hosting a weekly
talk show. She went through a grueling application process, only to be told at the end that she did not make the cut. Undeterred, she applied in another station, and was taken in as a part-time production assistant in the election coverage for that year. This is the lowest position in the totem pole of any network’s public affairs department, just a cut above that of an OJT. The station retained her as a parttime PA after the election. One stormy
Karina and I decided never to force our children [...] what careers they should pursue. Living under that kind of pressure, many from our generation rebelled. Our children did not. day, a boat sank somewhere off the Visayan coast, and there was no reporter available to cover this breaking story. It fell on Kara to gather all the details of the disaster as they trickled in. Instead of merely offering these in bullet form, she took the further step of weaving them into a story. The desk thought her script to be good enough to be read by a senior reporter on camera. As a result, she was recommended
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Opinion
17 friday June 7, 2013
As I See It
June is bursting out all over… By Neal H. Cruz Philippine Daily Inquirer “JUNE IS bursting out all over, “All over the meadows and the hills…” So goes the song from the Broadway musical “Carousel”—I think. While the song refers to spring in the Western hemisphere, when hills and meadows burst out in a riot of colors as flowers and blossoms come out in all sorts of colors, shapes and sizes, it also resounds true in the Philippines. Only it is not the flowers and the blossoms that burst out. It is light green blades of grass, tiny buds that unfurl into light green leaves, seeds that send tiny roots into the soil, tiny leaves that poke their heads out of the ground to greet the sun and the sky, and lacy, tender tendrils of tiny vines waving to greet the world. It is not yet the rainy season, according to Pagasa, but the rains (which do not listen to Pagasa) have come, and the plants and seeds have felt their soft touch and have awakened to start growing in earnest. It is as if an alarm clock has started ringing and every seed, grass, plant or tree that has heard it has bestirred, thrown off their blankets, and woken up yawning and stretching, poking through the tough shells of their seeds and the now-soft soil, looking out
and greeting, “Hello, World.” In the Philippines, it is May, not June, that is the month of flowers. Hence, we have the “Flores de Mayo” festival where beautiful young women, adorned with flowers, parade through the early evening streets (lighted by candles or electric lights that are powered by batteries or small portable generators), accompanied by musicians. It is different from the “Santacruzan,” which also has beautiful young “sagalas” bedecked in flowers and lights parading through the streets—sometimes accompanied by images of saints borrowed from local churches and families—telling the story of Jesus. The summer flowers are still not ready to fade away, however. The fire trees, for example, still stubbornly wave their red-orange blossoms. The ground beneath them becomes increasingly redder as more and more red petals flutter down to carpet the earth. But the “Golden Shower” and other trees and plants are not so stubborn. They have already started shedding their blossoms and flowers, yielding to the inevitable. They are giving way to the next generation. We have four big fire trees, plus other trees and plants and plenty of grass and weeds in our big yard, and I can track the seasons just by looking
at them. The fire trees still fight stubbornly, waving their branches heavy with red blossoms, but you can see that their days are numbered. Their red color is fading and the ground underneath is becoming redder with the petals being shed. But buds are poking out of the branches of the other trees. The heads of new seedlings are pushing out of the soil. There is also a big acacia tree in front, and all summer it
The gardener chopped down a big kakawati tree ... I can’t help but feel sorry for the tree. It’s trying so hard to live, just like all the rest of us. shed its ripe pods bulging with seeds. Now those seeds are sprouting; and on the ground beneath the tree, you can see so many tiny seedlings fighting their way out to seek their places in the sun. The color of the landscape, too, has changed. From brown, it has turned light green from all the tender, tiny leaves and blades of grass coming out into the world. It is amazing how quick the plants grow and change color. The other day, the grass was a dull
brown of summer. In the evening, there was a heavy downpour. Yesterday morning, I looked out at the lawn and there were light green blades of grass, either poking out of the ground or sprouting from the stems of the brown grass. They’ll grow taller, taking on a darker shade of green as the days come and go and the rains continue. The weeds are even faster and more eager to grow than the grass. They sprout out of every inch of ground that is not carpeted by grass. Soon, they will grow taller and thicker than the grass and overwhelm it if the gardener does not come soon enough to put them in their places. I feel sorry for them when the gardener starts mowing them down with his grasscutter. After all, they want nothing more than what all the others want: their own places in the sun. But the gardener, with his grasscutter, denies them that. What gives him the right to snuff out the lives of other creatures like the weeds? But the lawns of humans have to be well manicured and so the weeds have to be sacrificed and the lawn given to the grass exclusively. In the same manner, what gives humans the right to trim the branches of trees? Is that not like cutting off the arms of other creatures? Are they not depriv-
ing birds and insects of their homes? Last week, the gardener chopped down a big kakawati tree in danger of falling on the house when the typhoons come. Today, buds are sprouting out of the decapitated trunk. I can’t help but feel sorry for the tree. It’s trying so hard to live, just like all the rest of us. The branches that have been left lying on the ground are also sprouting buds. They also want to live. In a few more days and weeks, those buds will sprout new leaves and grow to become new branches so that the cycle of life can continue. During one of the typhoons years ago, the two fire trees in front of the house were blown down. There was a loud crack and when I looked out of the window, there were the two trees lying across the street. After the storm, workers cut off the branches. To their surprise, the trunks began to rise without the help of anybody. The roots pulled them back upright. The workers laughed and scratched their heads and left. Those decapitated trunks wasted no time in sprouting new buds and shoots and in growing again. Now those two trees are already afire with blossoms. They also want to live like all of God’s creatures. ■
At Large
Rising stars and solutions By Rina Jimenez-David Philippine Daily Inquirer “COME ON, all of you, hold this with me. We’re all responsible for this award,” said Sen. Pia Cayetano shortly after receiving the “Rising Star Award” at the closing of the “Women Deliver” global conference in Kuala Lumpur. Surrounded by Filipinos taking part in the confab, the senator posed for a photo with everybody around her touching the crystal star, her trophy. Among the group were outgoing congresswoman Janette Garin, government officials, NGO leaders, activists, and young people “laying hands” as it were on the symbol not just of a legislative accomplishment but also of at least two decades’ worth of struggle to establish, mandate, promote and protect a reproductive health program in the country. Handing out the star trophy was no less than Melinda Gates, who with her husband Bill and their friend Warren Buffet have been the galvanizing force behind an unprecedented effort to rally private-sector support for public health programs. Joining the senator onstage were two other recipients of the “Rising Star”: Imane Khachani, a Moroccan doctor working with young people on sexual and reproductive health research and advoca-
cy, and a young man, Remy Shawa, an HIV activist who started a “Men and Gender” program in South Africa. It had been a dizzying, dazzling three days, a smorgasbord of plenary sessions, group discussions, and workshops that took place simultaneously in the huge conference venue, film showings, brief talks at a “Speakers’ Corner,” and exhibits of various NGOs and international groups promoting their causes and programs. Jill Sheffield, president of “Women Deliver,” summed it up by the numbers: more than 4,500 participants from 149 countries, including 411 journalists, the largest number the conference has gathered. Sheffield also reminded the audience that there are “only 945 days left of the MDGs,” which is why a large part of the conference was devoted to crafting and imagining “a post-2015” scenario. On that year, the deadline for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals will lapse, with governments around the world reporting on the progress they have made, or failed to make. Certainly, most governments in the developing world will fail to meet most goals, most notably Goal No. 5, which calls for drastically cutting the maternal mortality rate. Among these countries is the Philippines. *** BUT the conference was not only
about problems. Many sessions were also about solutions to save mothers’ lives. Amajor “killer” of mothers during or immediately after childbirth is postpartum hemorrhage, in which a mother could bleed to death unless she receives immediate care. Unfortunately, in much of the developing world, women live in isolated areas far from any clinic or hospital, with no roads or transportation, and often with little or hardly any prenatal care. When a complication arises, or when
It had been a dizzying, dazzling three days, a smorgasbord of plenary sessions, group discussions, workshops, film showings, brief talks and exhibits of various NGOs and international groups promoting their causes and programs. bleeding starts, it’s urgent that the woman be brought to a facility for the medication and attention she needs. Obviously, a device that stops or slows down the bleeding, buying time for relatives to rush the mother to an often-faraway hospital, would be life-saving. And that’s exactly what the NASG is. The NASG, or nonpneumatic anti-
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shock garment, looks like a scuba suit cut up into parts. Actually, it traces its provenance back to Nasa, which developed an antigravity suit for astronauts, redirecting blood to the brain in gravity-free settings to prevent them from passing out. The NASG works the same way, tightly wrapped around a woman’s legs and abdomen to slow down the bleeding and rush blood back to the heart, lungs and brain. *** “WE are seeing a 50-percent reduction in deaths from hemorrhage,” said Sue Ellen Miller of the University of California in San Francisco, who led the team developing the NASG for use in “low-resource settings,” and conducted field trials in Nigeria, Zimbabwe and India. Today a NASG suit sells for $70 each (almost P3,000), but, Miller said, since the suit can be reused about 40 times (it is washable and doesn’t need disinfecting), the cost would be “about $1.50 per life saved.” In the years since I heard about the suit at the first “Women Deliver” conference in 2007, the team developing and distributing the NASG has met “hurdles at every point,” said Amy Patzen of PATH, which with Pathfinder is seeking to manufacture and market the NASG throughout the developing world. To win accreditation (and financing), they have
been marshalling “the clinical proof, policy approval, and improving availability and affordability.” Today, they are supported by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Population Fund. “It’s exciting to see technology meant for the Space Station being used in a village in Nigeria,” remarked Patzen. Which is why the next phase of their advocacy is to work with manufacturers in the developing world to make the suits available to more communities and women. *** A NIGERIAN doctor, who has been working with the NASG since 2007, said it is extremely important for health workers to know “when it is safe to remove the garment.” “If you remove it prematurely without addressing hemorrhage, you can imagine what will happen,” he said. Thus, he added, it is important for authorities to “educate the community, and not just health workers,” about the correct use of the garment, and emphasize to the woman why it is important to keep her in the garment. Usually, the NASG is kept on the woman for six-eight hours (remember, bleeding often occurs after the baby is delivered), although many women, said Miller, “don’t want to take off the suit even after a day or two, knowing that it saved their lives.” ■
friday june 7, 2013
Canada News
Conservative Sen. Marjory LeBreton calling for audit of all Senate expenses The Canadian Press OTTAWA—Stephen Harper’s government is calling in the auditor general as it attempts to stamp out the political inferno raging over improper Senate expenses. Sen. Marjory LeBreton, government leader in the upper chamber, intends to introduce a motion Tuesday calling on auditor general Michael Ferguson to conduct “a comprehensive audit of Senate expenses.” “Canadians deserve to know at all times that their tax dollars are being spent wisely and in accordance with the law,” she said in a statement. LeBreton called on Liberal Senate Leader James Cowan to support her motion. “I see no reason why we would oppose it,” Cowan said in an interview. Still, he added he wants to hear more about what LeBreton has in mind. He noted her statement refers to an audit of “Senate expenses,” which is not necessarily the same as auditing each individual senator’s expenses. Moreover, he said he wouldn’t want to simply repeat an audit conducted by Ferguson last year into the administration of the Senate, including financial management and control polices. As part of that audit, the auditor general examined a representative sample of senators’ expense claims. “I guess what I’m concerned about here is, Is this just another attempt to change the channel here?” Cowan said in an interview. “The problem isn’t in the rules and policies. The problem is in people who want to scam the system. That’s the problem.” However, LeBreton said she’s proposing to give the auditor general free rein to examine all aspects of Senate expenses, including all claims by individual senators if he so chooses. “When I say a comprehensive audit of all Senate expenses, I mean everything,” LeBreton said in an interview. That would allow Ferguson much broader scope than last year’s audit, in which LeBreton said the Senate’s internal economy committee “put some fences around what (Ferguson) could
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Publisher Philippine Canadian Inquirer Editor Melissa Remulla-Briones editor@canadianinquirer.net Associate Editor Laarni de Paula Editorial Assistant April Sescon Correspondents Lizette Lofranco-Aba Gigi Astudillo Angie Duarte Maria Ramona Ledesma Katherine Marfal Frances Grace Quiddaoen Agnes Tecson Graphic Designer Victoria Yong Illustration Danvic Briones
Marjory LeBreton
and could not do. “I actually don’t think that’s proper. The auditor general should go where he wants to go.” LeBreton acknowledged a comprehensive audit could reveal an even bigger scandal over invalid expense claims by senators—as happened in Nova Scotia several years ago when MLAs’ expenses were audited. “Most senators ... conduct themselves absolutely appropriately,” she said. “But those who haven’t, it may not be pleasant but people are the architects of their own actions, eh?” With senators’ expenses put under the auditor general’s microscope, LeBreton said “there’ll be obviously pressure” on the House of Commons to allow similar scrutiny of MPs’ expenses. LeBreton’s motion is the latest Conservative effort to damp down the spreading scandal, which has become a staple of question period in the Commons. Last week, the Conservative-dominated Senate adopted tougher rules on travel and other expense claims. The chamber also agreed to call on the RCMP to investigate Sen. Mike Duffy’s expense claims. Duffy’s problems began with improper claims for housing expenses but have since expanded to include dubious travel and living-expense claims, and an explosive “gift” of $90,000 given to him by Nigel Wright, the prime minister’s chief of staff, to reimburse the Senate for his invalid claims.
Photo from Wikimedia Commons
Ethics officers in both parliamentary chambers are examining the WrightDuffy transaction, which is also being reviewed by the RCMP. Last year’s audit foreshadowed the current controversy over senators’ expense claims. Ferguson reported that in two of seven cases tested, there was insufficient documentation to determine whether senators had properly claimed an allowance for maintaining a secondary residence in the national capital. He found similarly insufficient documentation to verify the propriety of some hospitality, travel and living-expense claims. “Because some of the expense claim files do not always contain sufficient documentation, it is difficult for the (Senate) administration to clearly conclude that expenses are appropriate,” he said in the June 2012 report. Meanwhile, Conservative MP John Williamson, a former communications director for Harper, introduced a private member’s bill Monday that would strip the parliamentary pension from any MP or senator convicted of a crime punishable by a maximum penalty of two years in prison. “At the end of the day, there is always going to be some level of the honour system and individuals have to play by the rules and, if they don’t, I think the penalty, one of the penalties should be losing one’s pension going forward,” Williamson said. ■
Photographers Solon Licas Ryan Ferrer Angelo Siglos Operations and Marketing Head Laarni de Paula (604) 551-3360 laarni.liwanag@canadianinquirer.net Advertising Sales Alice Yong (778) 889-3518 alice.yong@canadianinquirer.net PHILIPPINE PUBLISHING GROUP Editorial Assistant Phoebe Casin Graphic Designer Shanice Garcia Association Publisher Lurisa Villanueva 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.: 1-888-668-6059 or 778-8893518 | Email: info@canadianinquirer. net, inquirerinc@gmail.com, sales@ canadianinquirer.net Philippine Canadian Inquirer is published weekly every Friday. Copies are distributed free throughout Metro Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg and Toronto. Member
Canada News
19 friday June 7, 2013
Toronto mayor lashes out at critics, avoids mention of alleged crack video By Diana Mehta The Canadian Press TORONTO—Toronto’s mayor was in fighting form Sunday, taking every opportunity to throw punches at his critics while making no direct mention on his weekly radio show of the drug use allegations that have been dogging him for days. Rob Ford’s appearance on Newstalk 1010 remained true to his strategy of curtailing comment on the scandal that has now plagued him for more than a fortnight ever since two publications reported on an alleged video that shows the mayor smoking what appears to be crack cocaine. Rather than address the allegations and the consequent departure of several staffers from his office, Ford used his time on the airwaves to lash out at Ontario’s governing Liberals, slam media outlets that have questioned his ability to govern and speak directly to Ford Nation, the name coined for his most ardent supporters. “The support I’m getting is phenomenal,” said Ford, who spent much of the show touting the progress he has made at city hall while reminding listeners he was definitely going to run in the next municipal election despite calls to resign. “I’m just itching to go on the campaign trail. It’s like a caged animal here. I want to put my record and let the people decide.” Ford has said he does not use crack cocaine and said he is not an addict of the drug. He has also said the alleged video does not exist. Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne has expressed concern about the “personal issues” that have garnered much attention at city hall in recent days and expressed hope that Toronto’s city council can “get on with its business.” In discussing Wynne’s governance, Ford told the premier to “straighten up” her act. “She couldn’t organize a two-car funeral and you’re telling me to get my house in order? I’ve proven I can get my house in order, I’ve saved a billion dollars in two years Premier, “ said Ford. The mayor co-hosted the show with his brother, Coun. Doug Ford, who introduced a new segment called “setting the record straight.” The brothers chose to criticize a story from the Toronto Star—one of the publications that first reported on the alleged crack video—which reported email re-
cords belonging to staffers who had left the mayor’s office had been ordered deleted. The Fords did not talk about the series of stories from the newspaper over the past week that were directly related to the alleged crack video. Rob Ford said he would “have a stroke” if the newspaper apologized for its recent reporting, which his brother called “gutter journalism.” “You would have pick me off the floor if they did that,” said the mayor. “They’re never going to apologize.” Ford and his brother also answered questions from a few callers on their show but didn’t speak with a single listener who was critical. One woman, who said she wasn’t a Toronto resident, called the mayor and his brother “a couple of wonderful teddy bears” and told Ford to continue holding his head high as controversy continues to surround him. On May 16, the U.S. website Gawker and the Star said they had seen cellphone video made by someone described as a drug dealer that apparently showed Ford smoking crack cocaine. The reports have not been independently verified and the Star itself has said it could not vouch for its authenticity. Gawker has raised $200,000 to try to buy the video but has been unable to purchase it so far. According to latest Star report, sources said Ford told alarmed senior aides a day after the scandal erupted that he knew where the video was. Through the firestorm of controversy that has surrounded his office in recent days, Ford insists it has been business as usual at city hall. ■
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Canada News
friday june 7, 2013 20
Old east west Tory battle over leadership rules resurfaces yet again By Matthias Schrader The Associated Press OTTAWA—A chronic struggle within Conservative ranks over leadership rules has resurfaced in advance of the party convention later this month, pitting east against west and Red Tories versus Canadian Alliance stalwarts. Two resolutions up for debate in Calgary would fundamentally alter the way leaders are chosen, and theoretically favour future contestants from Western Canada. One resolution, from an unidentified riding, would give each party member a vote in a leadership race. A similar resolution was defeated at the last convention in 2011 after a sometimes passionate debate on the floor. “Democracy is best served when members serve the leader and when leadership candidates seek support from and serve the membership,’’ reads the resolution. Another similar resolution would give more weight to larger riding associations in a leadership vote. When the Canadian Alliance and Pro-
gressive Conservative parties merged in 2003, a central part of the agreement was that each riding association would be given an equal say in a leadership vote. The idea was that the riding associations in Western Canada with thousands of members would not be able to swamp the smaller ridings in areas such as Quebec and Atlantic Canada. The issue has been characterized as a deal breaker by some well acquainted with the merger. “If it’s a clear win for the one-person, one-vote, I think it does have the potential sadly to have been constructively divisive,’’ Conservative Sen. Hugh Segal said in an interview. “It indicates that some ridings that happen to have a large membership because of where they are and how they are located will always be able to push around ridings where we have a smaller membership.’’ Quebec and Atlantic MPs and former red Tories such as Segal and Defence Minister Peter MacKay are strongly opposed to changing the concept of equal ridings, and helped to soundly defeat the same sorts of motions in 2011. Segal says the system for selecting a
leader should mirror the way ridings are represented equally in the House of Commons, regardless of their population size. “Any distortion that gets in the way of that equality will be ultimately problematic for the party,’’ he said. “My experience in Conservative party politics over the years tells me that one should never underestimate the ability of our own membership to make profound mistakes.’’ Reid and Kenney did not immediately respond to a request for comment when The Canadian Press contacted them Tuesday afternoon. Longtime party activist and adviser Yaroslav Baran says there are legitimate points of view on both sides, but he predicts the status quo will win out. “It won out the last time, and I would suspect that the longer our party has been in government and making policy decisions based on issues such as national unity and pan-Canadian solutions, it might have allowed some former proponents of change to approach these kind of motions in a more holistic or pan-Canadian manner.’’ ■
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news Briefs Consumers get breaks with new cellphone code OTTAWA—Cellphone customers will be able to walk away from their contracts after two years without any early-cancellation penalties under a set of new rules unveiled Monday by the CRTC. But the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission didn’t go as far as an outright ban on the controversial three-year contracts that are so widely hated by many Canadians. Canada hasn’t signed arms treaty: Baird OTTAWA—Canada has not yet joined more than 60 other countries in signing a landmark treaty to regulate the multibillion-dollar global arms trade. Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird says Canada wants to consult before agreeing to sign the deal, despite having initially voted in its favour. MacKay presses Chinese minister on cyberattacks in Beijing meeting OTTAWA—Defence Minister Peter MacKay says he laid down clear “markers” in talks Monday with Beijing on how to curb cyberattacks originating in China. MacKay delivered that message to China’s defence minister with the full approval of Washington, just days before cybersecurity issues are set to dominate a historic summit at a California resort between U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
World News
21 friday June 7, 2013
Doing business in emerging countries calls for careful planning By Harriet Edleson The Associated Press PAUL TRACY remembers it well. He had just arrived in Luanda, Angola, at 4 a.m. when an immigration officer approached him. “Your visa’s not right,” Tracy, a seasoned traveller, remembers being told. “The date’s wrong.” The officer then asked for several hundred dollars. Tracy, a vice-president with the corporate travel management company BCD Travel, did not pay. He still made it through immigration. “They’re all trying to make a little bit of extra money,” he said. “It’s low-level corruption.” Tracy’s experience is not unusual as travel to emerging markets like Angola, Azerbaijan and the former Soviet republics has grown along with their economies in recent years. Emirates Airlines, for example, operates a daily flight from Dubai to Luanda. There is “very strong demand” from oil
and energy business travellers, said Matthias Schmid, a vice-president with Emirates. “We consider Angola a growth market.” But for travellers like Tracy, natural disasters, terrorism and political unrest can disrupt even the most careful plan, and the disruption can happen quickly. To help travellers prepare for a trip, there are resources available, particularly for those who work for major corporations. Travel management companies help arrange the usual details of flights, hotels and airport transfers, but they are also helping to obtain visas. Security consultants can also help train global travellers. The incident in Angola struck a familiar note to William Besse, vice-president for consulting and investigations at Andrews International, who is based in Dallas. “It’s not all that unusual to
be taken advantage of that way,” h e said. “If you appear to know w h a t you’re doing, they don’t want to push the point too far.” If you know what the rules are and are a little bit assertive, Besse added, travellers can avoid further confrontation as Tracy managed to do. Other options are to ask for a supervisor or arrange for someone to meet you “air side,” before going through immigration, Besse said. If the country does not permit a traveller to be met there, arrangements can be made to meet within sight just on the other side of immigration. It is a service that a travel management or security company can arrange at nominal cost. Corporations are increasingly
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becoming aware of their role in preparing their employees for a trip to an emerging market. “Corporations are being held responsible, and corporations see the potential risk if they don’t do what is right,” Besse said. “They are catching on to corporate travel risk programs.” Companies have to meet a basic standard of care for their employees, known as duty of care, which helps ensure their safety and well-being. If they fall beneath that standard, they may be liable. “During an emergency you don’t want to be developing a plan,” Besse said. “Having a plan, travel risk planning, is very important now as people extend themselves around the globe to be competitive in places they have not been before.” The business traveller— whether working for a corporation or as an independent business owner—can register with the regional security officer at the U.S. Embassy or consulate in the country to which he or she is travelling.
“We very rarely say, `No, you shouldn’t go.’ We tell them what to think about,” Besse said. U.S. citizens are urged to know the location and contact number for the U.S. Embassy or consulate and meet the regional security officer. “Know that person; visit that embassy,” Besse said. In addition, always research the company and principals with whom you intend to do business. The State Department created the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, or STEP, a free service for U.S. citizens travelling to, or living in, a foreign country. Travelers can go to travel.state.gov to enter information about a coming trip abroad so they can be reached in an emergency and subscribe to travel alerts for particular countries. There also is a free STEP app for iPhones. “This is not like going to London, Paris or Singapore where everything is set up,” said Gary Pearce, a senior vice-president at Carlson Wagonlit Travel, a travel management company. ■
Immigration
friday june 7, 2013 22
Those who flunk citizenship So, Can You Be Humble? test will get a do-over in bid to speed up process Pangarap: So, Our Journey Begins
By Bolet Arevalo
The Canadian Press OTTAWA—Those who’ve flunked the test to become a Canadian citizen are getting a do-over. The federal government says it will now allow those who fail the test—but who meet all other criteria—to take it again rather than wait for an appointment with a judge. Those currently waiting to see a judge will also get a chance to take the test again. Under the previous system, those who failed the test were required to meet with a judge in order to decide their fate. But a shortage of judges and subsequent delays in getting appointments are among the reasons for a massive backlog of applications in the system. The government announced $44 million in the recent fed-
eral budget to help bring those wait times down. The changes will also allow for family applications to be split up so if one family member fails the test, but the rest pass, they can get citizenship immediately. ■
A PERSON who is not whole himself can never be humble. It takes a strong, courageous and stable person to admit to his own weaknesses and bounce back with two feet firmly grounded. I have always been a whitecollar person. My jobs had always involved my ability to think, analyze and strategize, and I have never been tested for my agility or physical endurance. In Canada, when I had a lot of free time in my hands, I took on a volunteer job as a “doorman” for a private school. Really easy, right? Just make sure you unlock the door where the kids will enter and let them in. Really easy? Let me say that again. Some co-parents complained about me for not doing my job well because I failed to assist their kids when coming
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in to enter. I had to argue that I use my discretion as to which kids I should assist or open the door for, and only did so for the small ones and those with a lot of bags. I said that these kids needed to learn to be independent and be able to open the door by themselves. Apparently, that was not acceptable to everybody. These parents said I overestimated some kids, and so they were mad. That issue was resolved, of course. But it was not easy going back to that door the following duty day knowing those parents would be there watching my every move. I had three options: I could pay somebody else to do my job for me, I could tell the school that I was giving up the discount that comes with the volunteer work, or I could go back next time to try
again and do better. What do you think did I do? I was a top-ranking bank officer from where I came from, multi-awarded for the excellent work that I had always delivered and, most of all, respected for my hard work and dedication to my craft. Yet, I could not be a good “doorman”? How do you think I felt? I felt humiliated, of course. I was bruised. My ego had been deflated. I was tempted to sulk in self-pity. I wanted to cry and run away. I could not even tell the story to my own kids. I was afraid that they’d think less of me. The mother who they have always known for her high achievements could not do her doorman job well. But I decided to face up to it. I went back and did better and better each time. I remember having always advised our clerks and messengers in the office that, when we all die and face our judgment, we will not be distinguished by the position or title we held on earth. The only question that will be put before us is: How well did you perform each task that was assigned to you? And that could well be the same
Immigration
23 friday June 7, 2013
measure that will be used to gather your rewards Up There. It takes a lot of humility to be reduced to a minor role or job. But it takes more humility to be allowed to be corrected so you can perform that role well. Well, some may say it is almost always so natural to be humble in a small role. But what about those in big roles? How can you be humble in a big role? Some of you can be lucky and be able to get into a job that is nearly equivalent to your former job. It can be a good start to recognize that being in a new place or new environment requires a lot of learning and submission to others there ahead of you or who know better than you. It is most rewarding to be thought of as a person who had the humility to accept corrections and welcome others’ ideas and guidance. Pray that you don’t learn the greatest lesson in humility the hard way, because you may not like it at all. Being in a new place, it is possible to find yourself not knowing how to do things well. There is no difference between doing a minor or a big role. You have to do well in either. Humility, a lot of humility, will enable you to gather your
lessons better and faster.
rogant and cannot even drive an old one right.” Gratefulness is a happy, positive feeling. Choose it. Sing gratefulness to your soul like a mantra. Anticipate with happiness in your heart that the right job will come in perfect time. Always remember that, if you cannot learn to be grateful for small things, greater things will not have a place in your life. ■
You Cannot be Humble if You Cannot Be Grateful
If you cannot be grateful for small things, how can you expect to be worthy of bigger things? Gratefulness actually prepares you to receive great things. You probably have heard it before, “Many are called but only few are chosen.” If you had come from an underdeveloped or a developing country, you probably will never know how many of your own countrymen look up to you, some with pride, some with envy, that you had this muchcoveted chance to move to a more progressive country and start to carve a brighter future. Yet coming, here, sometimes only we know how difficult starting a new life can be, much more hoping for a better life. Perhaps, we choose to keep mum because we want to make a go of it really, or because we are afraid people will judge us for having made a mistake. This difficulty or seeming difficulty practically prevents us from seeing the good side of what we have. It may actually threaten to consume us. But before it consumes us in any way, let’s rewind. Take a few
steps back to try to remember back to one or several points in your life when you had fervently wished for this to happen, or how hard you had tried to focus your efforts, your energies, or perhaps your lifetime savings just so you could leave. So, how could it be wrong? How can you not be so grateful for your new opportunities? Gratefulness need not be a reactive behaviour or attitude, only in response to something you have already received. Of course, you can be thankful that you made it here. But now what? I want you to think of gratefulness as being a prayer, like a mantra that you sing to yourself every day for every little victory already won and, most especial-
ly, for those still to come, a job, a new job, a good job coming. If anything at all, gratefulness is a happy, positive feeling. You do not want to be angry, bitter, depressed and unhappy. Rather, you should choose to be grateful now and look to the better days ahead instead of the possible gloomy days. Yesterday is past, tomorrow is not yet here, so today is all you have. So, why be unhappy today when you can choose to be happy and grateful? I remember when my oldest son was just learning how to drive, I would tell him about the men who drive older cars like they own the road. “See that guy? He’ll never get a nicer, newer car later in his life. You know why? Because he is so ar-
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Nobody ever said that our journey, will be easy. But as I write and as you read, we share our strengths and we can hold to the promise that “Where two or three are gathered in My name, there I am in the midst of them,” Matthew 18:20. Bolet is a marketing communications practitioner and dabbles in writing as a personal passion. She is author-publisher of the book “The Most Practical Immigrating and Job Hunting Survival Guide, proven simple steps to success without the fears and the doubts”. The book is available in Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Chapters/Indigo and other online bookshops worldwide, and in National Book Store and Power Books in the Philippines. Please check out www.amazon. com/author/boletarevalo.
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We congratulate the for the celebration of their 115t
A Message from the Premier
June 2013 On behalf of the Province of British Columbia, I would like to extend my warmest greetings to the Canadian-Filipino community as you come together to celebrate Philippine Independence Day. The Philippine Canadian Inquirer is a great resource for information about events, services and community activities around the Lower Mainland. Whether you are attending the Pista ng Bayan in Slocan Park, the Philippine Flag Raising in New Westminster, or Pagdiriwang 2013, this month’s celebrations promise to be full of dance, music, good food and, of course, good company. Thank you to all the event organizers, volunteers, performers, and community sponsors for showcasing Filipino culture and heritage. Please enjoy the festivities. I am sure it will be a memorable celebration! Sincerely,
Christy Clark Premier
Province of British Columbia Office of the Premier www.gov.bc.ca
Mable Elmore, MLA-Elect Vancouver-Kensington Community Office 6106 Fraser Street Vancouver, BC V5W 3A1 Phone: 604.775.1033 Fax: 604.775.1330 Mable.Elmore.MLA@leg.bc.ca
Philippine Independence Day Message By Mable Elmore, MLA-Elect for Vancouver-Kensington June 3, 2013 Around 115 years ago, between 4pm and 5pm in the afternoon, in a town 30 kilometres south of Metro Manila called Kawit, Cavite – hundreds gathered in front of the ancestral home of General Emilio Aguinaldo to witness the proclamation of our independence from Spain. It was a historic occasion where for the first time, the Filipino flag was unfurled and the national anthem, Lupang Hinirang, was played. I can only imagine how those standing there must have felt. How the youth must have felt realizing that their future will now be forged within a nation called the Philippines. The feeling of finally achieving freedom and sovereignty after more than 400 years of colonial rule by the Spaniards is one that I cannot even begin to fathom. Mga kababayan at kaibigan, as a Filipino-Canadian born to a Cebuana mother and an Irish-Canadian father, I only learned about Philippine Independence Day when I was in my 20s. So when I think about the various celebrations planned to mark this day across the Lower Mainland and around BC, I think how fortunate we are. In a multicultural province like ours, cultural events like this add to our diversity and it enriches the fabric of our communities. The struggle for independence and national sovereignty is also an ongoing struggle for our people’s dignity. For me, it is also about our continuous effort to protect and promote our fundamental human rights. As a growing community comprised of Filipino immigrants and increasingly, temporary foreign workers, I hope that we will always speak out against any injustices and speak up to participate in discussions regarding policies that impact our lives. Together, let us dream – and work for a more equitable and sustainable society for everyone in British Columbia. Happy Philippine Independence Day! Mabuhay po tayong lahat! # Sincerely,
Mable Elmore, MLA-Elect Vancouver-Kensington
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MESSAGE Mga Kababayan; my fellow Filipino Canadians … I share with you the joys that June 12th brings to us. It was 115 years ago that on June 12th in Kawit, Cavite, Philippine independence was first declared setting free our beloved Philippines from the bondage of foreign domination. It was a day that for the first time, the Philippine flag was raised to be a national symbol of one beautiful country, rich in natural resources, which has attracted colonization by several countries throughout its infancy. We owe it to our brave forefathers – the heroes we know and the countless and nameless ones who fought fiercely for us, to enjoy the freedoms that we do today. In Canada, June 12 is also a day to celebrate the immense contributions that the more than 500,000 Canadians of Filipino descent make to this country in every area of endeavour. On behalf of the Senate of Canada, I offer Filipinos and Canadians of Filipino heritage celebrating this important occasion my best wishes for a most memorable 115th anniversary. Maligayang pagdiriwang ng ika-115 taon sa Kaarawan ng Kalayaan ng Pilipinas. Mabuhay and Pilipinas! Mabuhay Tayong Lahat!
The Honorable Tobias C. Enverga Jr. Senator
friday june 7, 2013
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Independence Day
Historical Facts about the Philippine Independence Day By Katherine MarfalTeves Philippine Canadian Inquirer FILIPINOS celebrate Independence Day every 12th of June, but did you know that it was on July 4, 1946 that we originally obtained our freedom? • President Diosdado Macapagal signed an executive order on May 17, 1962 that “moved” the Philippines’s Independence Day from July 4, 1946 to June 12, 1898. This was on the basis of the Declaration of Independence by General Emilio
Aguinaldo in Kawit, Cavite—“to correct history and better the national aspirations of the Filipino people.” • The struggle for independence started on April 27, 1521, when the Spanish explorer, Ferdinand Magellan, was killed in Mactan, Cebu, in the hands of native freedom fighters led by Lapu-Lapu. • The Philippine archipelago was not yet a nation then, but composed of small warring tribes. It was only after more than 300 years of Spanish colonization and 50 years of American occupation that the
archipelago was united into a semblance of a nation. • The war for national independence began on July 7, 1892 when the Katipunan was founded by Andres Bonifacio. In 1894, Bonifacio himself inducted Emilio Aguinaldo into the Katipunan. But even as a member of Katipunan, on January 1, 1895, Emilio Aguinaldo was appointed as Cavite’s capitan municipal. He was the seventh of eight children born to a wealthy Chinese mestizo family in Cavite on March 22, 1869. His father, Carlos Aguinaldo y Jamir, was the town mayor or gobernadorcillo of Old Cavite. • The first shot was fired during The Cry of Balintawak on August 26, 1896. The first encounter was in sitio of Pasong Tamo, Bulacan, where the Katipunan suffered more than 3,000 casualties. The 1896 revolt spread to the other provinces. Jose P. Rizal was execut-
The Katipunan. Photo from Wikimedia Commons
ed in Bagong Bayan (Luneta) on Dec. 30, 1896, with charges of being the instigator of the revolution. • In March of 1897, the two Katipunan factions of Bonifacio
and Aquinaldo met in Tejeros for an election. The assembly elected Aguinaldo as president, in a possibly fraudulent poll ❱❱ page 28 Historical Facts
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Flag-facts for every Filipino By Angie Duarte Philippine Canadian Inquirer MY FIRST distinct memories of the Philippine flag are as a pre-grader: 6 years old, in Kindergarten. There was a miniature one on my teacher’s desk, proudly standing next to a bobbing-head statue of St. Therese of Lisieux. I used to stare at that statue all the time; was endlessly fascinated by it. You dropped a coin through a slot in its back, and some internal mechanism would trigger the approving head nod. On Mission Wednesdays, we lined up, 25 centavo coins in hand, for our own encounter with what we believed a minor miracle. Staring at that statue meant inadvertently staring at the flag. This, too, eventually piqued my interest. Every Monday, I would watch high-
The Emilio Aguinaldo Shrine in Kawit, Cavite, where the Philippine flag was first raised. Photo by Shubert Ciencia
schoolers, looking all spiffy in their citizens’ army training uniforms, march into the wide-open school quadrangle, in time with ceremonious drum roll. They would stand at the base of the flag pole, bark out orders my 6-year-old sensibility could not grasp, and then hoist the flag upwards to the strains of “Lupang Hinirang” blaring through the PA system. I would sing along, gazing to the heavens, watching the flag sway rhythmically in the morning breeze. Even at this young age, I understood— almost instinctively—the connection
between the flag and national pride. My little heart would swell, with the anthem’s crescendo, and I was filled with an indescribable love for what I, at the time, barely knew. Imagine how overwhelmed Filipino revolutionary soldiers must have been when they saw the flag for the first time hundreds of years ago? It was—contrary to popular belief—on May 28, 1898, in Cavite City, then known as Cavite Nuevo (New Cavite) or Cavite Puerto (Cavite Port) where the Cuartel Heneral (the revolution’s HQ), the Teatro Caviteño, was located. The revolt by the Katipunan against Spanish colonial rule had reached feverpitch, and the colonizers held on desperately to the last vestiges of authority. Spanish officials had learned of a shipment of ammunition which had arrived at the Cavite port two days earlier and had been shipped to a revolutionary bailiwick in the small barrio of Alapan, Cavite. They sent a group of a little under 300 soldiers to the barrio, with the intent of confiscating the weapons. They, however, did not anticipate the fierce fight the revolutionaries would put up. The gun battle—which lasted from 10 in the morning until 3 in the afternoon— resulted in the victory of the Filipinos, however unlikely that was thought to be. The exuberant revolutionaries took their Spanish prisoners to the headquarters in Cavite that same day, where Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, leader of the Philippine Revolution, waved the Philippine flag, to cheers and shouts of victory. The Katipunan had its own flag, but this was the first time ever that the flag of a dreamed-about, sovereign Philippines was displayed. It was an inspirational act, meant to celebrate what was considered their first major victory, and to fuel the revolutionaries onward in the battle. This was the first unfurling of the flag, which Aguinaldo had made overseas and brought back with him on May 19, when he returned from exile in Hong Kong. May 28, 1898 has since been commemorated as National Flag Day. The second and official unfurling— which most erroneously believe to be the first time the flag was displayed in public—was on June 12, 1898 in Cavite el Viejo (“Old Cavite”, now Kawit), Cavite
Province. This was the Declaration of Independence, as proclaimed by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo: the independence of the Filipinos and the birth of the Philippine Republic “under the protection of the mighty and humane North American Union.” June 12 is celebrated to date as Philippine Independence Day. Some facts which you may or may not know about the Philippine flag, and which you can casually throw around on June 12, if you so fancy: • The first one was “imported,” as earlier mentioned. Aguinaldo, who designed the elements of the flag while in exile, commissioned its fabrication in Hong Kong. It was sewn by Marcela Mariño de Agoncillo, a daughter of a rich family in from Batangas, who moved to Hong Kong when her husband, Filipino lawyer and jurist Don Felipe Agoncillo, was exiled. The original flag was pre-
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dominantly hand-sewn of fine silk, with Agoncillo being assisted by her eldest daughter, five-year-old Lorenza, and Mrs. Delfina Herbosa de Natividad, Jose Rizal’s niece. The process was far from easy, and took its toll on their eyesight and hands. At one point, they had to redo the flag after the rays of the sun were not in the proper direction. The flag was finished in 5 days; with the women’s arduous labour. • The Philippine flag, in accordance with Republic Act No. 8491 (the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines), is twice as long as it is wide, so that the diagonals of the equilateral white triangle lie on the lines connecting the opposite corners of the flag. • It is sectioned into three main parts: a royal blue field, symbolizing peace, truth, and justice; a scarlet red field, ❱❱ page 28 Flag-facts for
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Historical Facts... ❰❰ 26
Photo by Maerks (Flickr)
Flag-facts for... ❰❰ 27
symbolizing patriotism and valor; and a white triangle, symbolizing equality and brotherhood. The first shade of blue used in the flag was patterned after the Cuban flag, and gradated through the years from shades of sky blue to navy blue. Republic Act No. 8491 has decreed it at royal blue. • Historically, however, the document of the Declaration of Independence says that the white triangle signifies the emblem of the revolutionary Katipunan. • The document also says that the flag’s colors commemorate the flag of the United States as a manifestation of gratitude for American protection against the Spanish during the Philippine Revolution; something that would probably cause more than a raised nationalistic eyebrow or two. • The eight-rayed golden sun commonly perceived as the center of the white triangle is actually not exactly dead-center of the triangle, but shifted slightly to the right. The sun symbolizes unity, freedom, people’s democracy, and sovereignty, with each ray representing one of the first eight provinces that started the 1896 Philippine Revolution against Spain. The eight provinces are listed officially as as Manila, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Laguna, and Batangas. Original documenst have Bataan listed instead of Tarlac. • The official design features an eight-ray sun, whose rays are spaced 3.75°apart. There is an oft-mistakenly used eight-ray sun, whose rays are spaced 5° apart. • There are three fivepointed stars, one for each of the triangle’s points, representing the three major geographi-
cal island groups that comprise the Philippines: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Although originally, one of the stars represented the island of Panay (rather than the entire Visayas region). • The flag was banned during the American occupation starting from 1907 until 1919 when the law that banned its display was repealed. • It is the only national flag which may be hoisted inverted—red side up—when the Congress of the Philippines has declared a “state of war.” Normally, the flag is hoisted blue side up. The flag is required by law to be hoisted or displayed at certain establishments, like government buildings, official residences, public plazas, and schools every day throughout the year. However, local citizens may also display the flag on their house, doorways, and such from May 28 to June 30. As long as you remember that it is prohibited by law to use the flag as a drapery, curtain, festoon, table cloth, or fashion accessory (among other regulations). Neither can the flag be displayed in discos, bars or nightclubs, casinos, and other places of “vice and frivolity.” Sorry, proprietors of worldly conduct, it seems you’ll have to wave your flag elsewhere on June 12. Long-gone are my childhood days; yet many decades later, I find myself as fascinated with the Philippine flag: its rich history, inspiring background, and little-known facts. Tomorrow, I shall go and purchase a small one to unfurl from my balcony window until Independence Day comes around. Now if only I could find a St. Therese of Lisieux coin bank, as well… ■
that aggravated Bonifacio. He refused to recognize Aguinaldo’s government. Two months later, in response, Aguinaldo had him arrested. • Bonifacio and his younger brother were charged with sedition and treason, and were executed on May 10, 1897. Aguinaldo also ordered the assassination of Gen. Antonio Luna in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija. These were among the reasons why he had only limited support, even in his native province of Cavite and in some neighboring areas. • In June of 1897, Spanish troops defeated Aguinaldo’s forces and retook Cavite. The rebel government regrouped in Biak na Bato, a mountain town in Bulacan. Aguinaldo and his rebels came under intense pressure from the Spanish, and had to negotiate surrender later that same year. • In mid-December, 1897, Aguinaldo and his government ministers agreed to dissolve the rebel government and go into exile in Hong Kong. In return, they received legal amnesty and an indemnity of 800,000 Mexican dollars. An additional $900,000 was given to the revolutionaries who stayed in the Philippines. On December 23, Emilio Aguinaldo and other rebel officials arrived in British Hong Kong. Despite the amnesty agreement, the Spanish authorities began to arrest true and suspected Katipunan supporters in the Philippines, prompting a renewal of rebel activity. • In 1898, the United States naval vessel USS Maine exploded and sank in Havana Harbor, Cuba. This instigated the Spanish-American War on April 25, 1898. Spaniards still controlled the cities of Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod, Legazpi, Zamboanga, Vigan and their adjacent towns. • Aguinaldo sailed back to Manila with the US Asian Squadron, which defeated the Spanish Pacific Squadron in the May 1 Battle of Manila Bay. By May 19, 1898, Aguinaldo was back on home soil. • On the 12th of June, 1898, the revolutionary leader declared the Philippines independent, with himself as the unelected President. Emilio Aguinaldo was officially inaugurated as the first president www.canadianinquirer.net
and dictator of the Philippine Republic in January of 1899. Prime Minister Apolinario Mabini headed the new cabinet. • However, the United States did not recognize this new independent Filipino government, or any single foreign government. The Filipino people did not ratify the 1899 Malolos Constitution, which gave “retroactively” Aguinaldo his “emergency” powers to declare a dictatorial government in 1898. • Meanwhile, close to 11,000 American troops cleared Manila and other Spanish bases of colonial troops and officers. On December 10, Spain surrendered its remaining colonial possessions (including the Philippines) to the US in the Treaty of Paris. Spain had handed over direct control of the Philippines to the United States in return for $20 million, as agreed in the Treaty of Paris. • In February of 1899, the first Philippines Commission from the US arrived in Manila to find 15,000 American troops holding the city. By November, Aguinaldo was once again running for the mountains, with his troops in disarray. However, the Filipinos fought on against this new imperial power, turning to guerrilla warfare when conventional fighting failed them. On April 1, 1901, Aguinaldo formally surrendered, swearing allegiance to the United States of America. He then retired to his family farm in Cavite. • In 1935, the Philippine Commonwealth held its first elections after decades of American rule. Then aged 66, Aguinaldo ran for president, but was soundly defeated by Manuel Quezon. • When Japan invaded and seized the Philippines during World War II, Aguinaldo cooperated with the occupation forces. He joined the Japanesesponsored Council of State, and made speeches urging an end to Filipino and American opposition to the Japanese occupiers. After the US recaptured the Philippines in 1945, the septuagenarian Aguinaldo was arrested and imprisoned as a collaborator. However, he was quickly pardoned and released, and his reputation was not too severely tarnished by this wartime indiscretion. • Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt
could have sided with the American Navy top brass in October 1944 and avoided American casualties in the Philippines. The admirals wanted to bypass the Philippines, drive the Japanese from Formosa (now Taiwan) and attack mainland Japan from there. Gen. Douglas MacArthur appealed to President Roosevelt. The general said: “To bypass the Philippines would admit the truth that we had abandoned the Filipinos and would not shed American blood to redeem them.” President Roosevelt agreed with General MacArthur and authorized the October 20, 1944, landing at Leyte. United States lost more than 20,000 American lives in recapturing the Philippines from the Japanese invaders in 1944-1945. • Elections were held in April 1946, with Manuel Roxas becoming the first president of the independent Republic of the Philippines. The United States ceded its sovereignty over the Philippines on July 4, 1946, as scheduled. However, the Philippine economy remained highly dependent on United States markets—the Philippine Trade Act, passed as a precondition for receiving war rehabilitation grants from the United States, exacerbated the dependency with provisions further tying the economies of the two countries. A military assistance pact was signed in 1947 granting the United States a 99-year lease on designated military bases in the country. • In 1962, President Diosdado Macapagal asserted pride in Philippine independence from the United States in a highly symbolic gesture; he moved the celebration of Independence Day from July 4 to June 12, the date of Aguinaldo’s declaration of the First Philippine Republic. Aguinaldo himself joined in the festivities, although he was 92 years old and rather frail. On February 6, 1964, the 94-yearold first president of the Philippines passed away due to a coronary thrombosis. He left behind a complicated legacy. ■ Sources: www.gov.ph/2012/06/12/independence-day-celebration www.worldrover.com/ history/ philippines_history.html www.beda7882.com/Philippine_History.htm
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Independence Day
friday june 7, 2013 30
The Telltale Art of the Jeepney By April Sescon Philippine Canadian Inquirer “CONSIDER HONESTLY / this piece of storm / in our city’s entrails,” Gemino Abad’s famous “Jeepney” begins, inviting us to look at the familiar vehicle as we would a mirror. Described in the poem as an “incarnation of scrap,” but also a “genius of salvage,” the jeepney is proof of our knack for improvisation. It’s almost like a Frankenstein project. The jeepney’s emergence was an innovation that we welcomed into our post-war transportation industry. We breathed a new form unto the corpses of the American Willy models and, later, scavenged for discarded Japanese components. We assembled these mechanical limbs and guts into a creature to serve our needs, a companion on the street. But the jeepney also reflects Pinoy culture well beyond its testament to Pinoy ingenuity.
Airbrushed designs, stickers, and accessories contribute to an overall look and feel that we call “jeepney art.” Luxury
Deprived of their adornments, this metal box wouldn’t be as eye-catching in the clutter of our thoroughfares. True: the screaming colors don’t make it all the more memorable, or remarkable—not always. But the decorations add character to the drab chrome-and-iron shell. Decorating the body involves airbrushed artwork and predesigned stickers, the latter cut into the dimensions and contours of the framework. The stickers are often digitallyrendered and of a limited set of motifs. Airbrushing offers infinite themes and versatility in style. The more intricate and extravagant pieces usually take weeks to conceptualize and actualize, as any careless mistake can delay the production. Availing of a full-body paint-
Photo by tadolo (Flickr)
job is at least a 4,000-peso luxury for the common jeepney owner. But bleak living conditions have never successfully put a damper on the Filipino spirit, it seems. Many jeepney owners still insist on this expense, even if they might have to settle with the most generic or modest kind of design. Telltale art
A Jeepney by Sarao Motors. Photo by Don Taylor
Jeepney art is largely for paporma purposes. Religious images, family portraits, nature, fantasy and heavy-metal motifs, near-naked women, fighter jets, Britney Spears— it’s art defined by no distinct set of aesthetics. Content and style subscribe to no expectations other than the maker’s or owner’s, thus entrusting each jeepney’s art to individual preferences. But the spectrum of themes does have observable trends. Catholic artwork graces many of the jeepneys’ surfaces: the Virgin Mary or the Sacred Heart of Jesus; the Holy Spirit, a dove. It’s a showcase of devotion for some, and clearly an example of the religious Filipino’s penchant for linking all aspects of his life to religion, sparing not even this humble, utilitarian vessel from being an expression of faith. Similar to declaring their religious devotion, owners often have portraits of their children painted on the jeepney, typiwww.canadianinquirer.net
cally on the driver’s door. Occasionally, the son or daughter is garbed in graduation attire, an accomplishment that the parent takes pride in. Others yet indulge in an overkill of artwork and ornaments, appeasing the Pinoy aesthetic of horror vacui—fear of empty space. It is said to have come from our appetite for festivities. The profusion of colors and gewgaws on the jeepney makes the thing a moving visual feast. Then there’s the platoon of chrome horses on its hood. The horses are status symbols for the drivers: jeepneys that flaunt an array of these quadrupeds are said to have remarkable “horsepower.” But the truth to this myth is that the horses stand tribute to the kalesa. It’s the recognized sigil of Sarao Motors, once the biggest manufacturer of jeepneys in the country. Founder Leonardo Sarao, one-time coachman, pioneered the industry by developing the first generation of jeepneys. He incorporated the horses on the jeepneys as a memento of his kalesa days of past. But despite these trends, diversity and individuality still win in the end. The absence of any basic template allows for infinite variations and artistic freedom, so that no two jeepneys share the same appearance, no matter how basic
or frugal the bodywork and furnishings. Some minor details always set each jeepney apart from the rest. Cultural identity
Jeepneys have earned a staple role in mass transportation in over half a century. Though typically exalted by tourist brochures as “the king of the road” and a “work of art on wheels,” the reality in the streets doesn’t speak so universally of these attributes. The jeepney’s appearance doesn’t always go hand-in-hand with quality, nor creativity. But then, the entirety of urban presence signifies—embodies— fragments of our history as a colonized nation; and even, to some extent, the resulting dividedness of our identity as a people. It speaks of Filipinos as a derivative culture: an amalgam of recent trends overlaid on past traditions; of foreign influences adopting a local touch. It speaks of our standard of proletarian lifestyle, which we seem to haveall but accepted as a permanent fate. In this light, the jeepney well may be the most ubiquitous image of the Filipino people, a more aptly-dubbed “visual story on wheels.” It’s a national trademark deserving of a museum display. But it’s one we interact with in the daily grime of life. ■
Independence Day
31 friday June 7, 2013
Bonus Mga Kwento sa Aming Barrio
NI Ka’Sabur MASAYANG-masaya si Tony. Maraming nag-lalaro sa kanyang isip habang nakasakay siya sa dyip. “Ano kaya ang aking bibilhin?” tanong niya sa sarili. “Bagong maong? Sapatos na goma? O radio kaya?”. Nakangiti siya habang iniisip kung papaano gastusin ang P200 bonus na kanyang natangap sa trabaho. “Bagong t-shirt nalang kaya? O kaya pabango? Ay naku! Kaka-inis naman! Ang hirap “Munting sumimangot ang kanyang mukha. Huminto and dyip na kanyang sinasakyan sa kanto ng Kabihasnan. Sa kabilang kanto, isang sakay ang kailangan niyang gawin sa dyip na patungo sa Baclaran kung saan siya mamimili. Sa kanyang pag-tawid, nakita niya ang may isang-dipang tao na nakapila, naghihintay ng susunod na dyip na papuntang Baclaran. Inis na pumila rin si Tony, patuloy ang paglaro ng mga tanong sa kanyang isip “Sinturon,…o siguro polo-shirt nalang kaya? Ay,… kaka-inis talaga! Ang hirap namang mag-isip!” “Tony! Tony…..!”Isang boses ang tumawag sa kanya. “Huh?” gulat na lumingon si Tony. Isang maliit na tao ang tumambad sa kanya, may suot na lumang polo at maduming gomang sapatos . “Si, George ‘to pare! Nakalimutan mo na ba ko?” tanong ng mamang maliit. “Uy, George! Kamusta na ba?” bati ni Tony nang matandaan ang dating kalaro. Lumipat ito ng tirahan mga 3-buwan ang nakaraan ng mawalan ng trabaho ang magulang. “Anong ginagawa mo rito?” tanong ni Tony. “Eto…” sagot ni George.” Nag-hihintay ng kakilala. Na-ubusan kasi ako ng pamasahe. Hindi tuloy ako maka-uwi.” “Ha?...” tanong ni Tony. “Bakit, saan ka na ba umuuwi ngayon?’ “Sa Cavite na, padre” sagot ni George.
“Kakahiya, pero puede bang makahiram maski piso lang?” “Maski piso lang.” Gumuhit ng malalim ang pangungusap na iyon sa isip ni Tony. Mga limang piso ang alam niyang pamasahe patungong Cavite. Biglang umusog yung pila ng tao. Dumating na kasi yung dyip na papuntang Baclaran. “O, nandyan na yung dyip nyo,” wika ni George, “Sige, sumakay ka na at baka ma-iwan ka pa.” “Teka!” sagot ni Tony habang mabilis na humugot ng pera sa bulsa. Singkwenta pesos ang nahugot, at mabilis na inabot kay George. “Eto, pare. Pamasahe mo.” “Ha! Sobra-sobra naman to!!” sagot ni George. “Okay lang. Bonus ko para sa iyo!” sagot naman ni Tony sa pag-sakay niya sa dyip. Mabilis na umandar ang dyip ng mapuno ito. Sa may dulo kung saan nakaupo si Tony, kita niya si George na maluhaluha ang mata habang nakatitig ka kanya. Sa pag-layo dyip, nabasa ni Tony and sinasabi ni George sa pag-buka ng kanyang bibig. “Salamat!...Maraming salamat!”At muling tumitig si George sa hawak na pera. Umandar na ang dyip na palayo, at sabay nito ay bumalik si Tony sa kanyang pag-iisip. Ngunit na-iba na ang kanyang nasa-isip. “T-shirt, sapatos, medyas o maong? Dami mong problema, no?” gumuhit ang tanong sa isip ni Tony. Napangiti siya. ■ WSVictoria is writer/artist now based in Canada. He is the creator of the Starland comics strip and the Junior Inquirer. He won 2 Palanca Awards for the two plays he wrote, “Isang Gabi sa Beerhouse” and “Baclaran”. Currently, he does marketing for a video-eyewear company based in NY, USA, writes Filipino copy for a local advertising agency, writes feature articles for a local magazine, and helps a foundation in Manila that promotes arts and culture.
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Charice comes out as lesbian; Catholic official says she’s in identity crisis The Associated Press MANILA, Philippines - Charice Pempengco, a Filipino singer who played an exchange student in “Glee,” says she’s a lesbian and has apologized to her family in an emotional TV interview. The 21-year-old said on Sunday’s talk show on ABS-CBN TV that she wants to apologize to those who do not understand and cannot accept her. Most comments online and
in the local media are supportive of Charice. But an official with the dominant Roman Catholic Church, Melvin Castro, stirred controversy by saying Charice was experiencing an identity crisis. Charice and her brother were raised by their single mother. She sang in local contests and appeared on TV talent shows in the Philippines and South Korea before she got a big break on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” at age 15. ■
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Record crowd “goes wild” in Be Careful With My Heart’s Canada leg at TFC’s One Kapamilya Go! MAY 30, 2013, TORONTO, Canada—Filipinos in Canada are still riding high days after the recently concluded One Kapamilya Go! (OKGo!) gathered a record crowd last May 19 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre with the “Be Careful With My Heart” (BCWMH) cast adding color to The Filipino’s Channel’s (TFC) annual fiesta. Kicking off TFC’s Summer Caravan, OKGo! subjected the audience to a roller coaster of emotions as it staged yet another successful event with key members of the “Be Careful With My Heart” household performing to a full house Metro Toronto Convention Centre. As soon as Rosario “Tart” Carlos (Doris) and Vivieka Ravanes (Sabel) of the television household entered the stage, the crowd went wild. The duo, who plays lead characters Jodi Sta. Maria’s friends and Richard Yap’s household help, exchanged amusing banter at the start of the show which left the crowd in stitches. Ravanes declared, “It was a wonderful experience. Al-
though I am not a big star, they made me feel important.” Carlos added, “I consider myself lucky. Ang alam lang namin gagawa lang kami ng teleserye. Ni hindi naming naisip na makahabol sa Toronto. Tapos nakikita namin kayo na sobrang effort na makita kami. Katulong lang naman kami (sa serye). It makes us proud.” (We knew we were going to do a teleserye. Toronto was the farthest thing in our mind. And then we saw how you made an effort to see us even if we portray minor roles as household help). Carlos and Ravanes’ ward Abby Lim played by Mutya Orquia, sustained the high note with her cute rendition of the hit song “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen. Emotions took a turn when Aiza Seguerra who plays Kute in the series, made a stirring rendition of her single and “Himig Handog P-pop Love Song’s” winning entry “Anong Nangyari Sa Ating Dalawa?” The concert reached its peak when Sta. Maria and Yap entered stage. Deafening screams filled the air as Sta. Maria and
Yap who play now on-screen sweethearts Maya and “Ser Chief,” sang their own version of the series’ signature theme “Please Be Careful With My Heart,” a Jose Mari Chan original. In a surprising twist, the production team brought out all the sundries on stage to celebrate Yap’s birthday which fell on the day before the concert. Back on track at the high note of the concert, OKGo! also marked the finals of the Eastern Canada leg of TFCKat, TFC’s first global singing competition, where April Llave of Winnipeg, Manitoba emerged winner in this part of Canada. The TFC team in Canada also awarded the winners who paid tribute to their mothers via TFC’s Mother’s Day promo “Idol Ko Si Mommy.” The winners were serenaded onstage by Yap and won the meet and greet with the cast. During the meet and greet, the winners were in unison about the show’s impact. One subscriber said “Nakakatuwa kayong panoorin! Kulang ang ❱❱ page 40 Record crowd
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Serious surfing... ❰❰ 42
website that used enigmatic terms like “outdoor living lab.” When we arrived at the huge lattice gates to Dedon at the end of a long dirt road, it was clear that these weren’t your usual surfer digs. Woven chairs that looked like big bird’s nests swung from coconut palms, a trampoline sat surrounded by a lattice enclosure, and large, traditional-style wood villas were linked by raised walkways past gardens full of blooming frangipani and wild orchids. On one side, a pool and secluded beach offered views of the ocean and islands beyond; on the other, channels of mangrove lagoons were the gateway to kayaking into secluded canals. After dinner, we lingered on oversize sofas and listened to soft rain falling on the roof. (It was February, the tail end of the rainy season.) The foosball table beside us was a reminder of the resort’s genesis. At Dedon’s centre is Bobby Dekeyser, a former soccer star from Belgium who, after a career-ending injury in his 20s, turned to the high-end outdoor furniture business, producing pieces in Cebu, known for their high-quality weaving. Once there he discovered Siargao on a side trip and decided to make the property a showcase for his designs, as well as an introduction to his personal Shangri-La. The result is exactly what is advertised: A kind of luxury camp for those who want both high adventure and high design— and have the money to enjoy them in such an isolated spot. “We are both very active, and in the course of a week we went mountain biking, stand-up paddling at sunset through mangroves wakeboarding, and surfing in the open ocean,’’ said Tania Reinert, a guest from Hong Kong. “It is one of the few places that still takes a while to get to, and it feels really remote, based on fishing and farming cultures.’’ Siargao is indeed a gateway to a particularly beautiful and unspoiled region of islands and island culture. Taking advantage of a clear morning, Sean, the resort’s Kenyan-born activities guru, took us on a boat tour. We floated by Pansukian, nicknamed Naked Island, and past Guyam— really just a coconut grove ringed by sea. At a larger island called Daku, fronted by a powdery beach, fishermen mended their nets, children showed us their little brightly painted wood boats, and cockerels crowed periodically in the village’s front yards. The wood-shaded structures set along the headland are crowded with locals on the weekend, Marlo told us, but on this weekday we were alone. It was hard to imagine such beauty remaining undeveloped in other parts of Asia, and in fact a bill to protect Siargao and the outlying islands as part of an ecological preserve was approvedby the country’s congress. After we digested a beach picnic, the sky turned ominously grey so we quickly headed to the break, where we planned to try out our rusty skills. I hesitantly clambered to my feet on the next wave, but didn’t get far before swallowing a lung full of seawater. But after a few rides I settled into a smoother rhythm. Soon a driving rain began, but our small group continued to catch the growing swell. Afterward we lay under towels in Dedon’s motorboat, shivering from the ocean and rain, drinking fresh coconut water, exhausted but happy. ■
Entertainment Briefs Bad behaviour on reality TV is tested path to fame
Angelina Jolie’s first public appearance after mastectomy
PHOENIX—Arizona restaurateur Amy Bouzaglo became an instant Internet celebrity last month after demonstrating an impressively short temper on a reality TV show that helps reform struggling businesses. The episode of “Kitchen Nightmares” drew more than a million viewers on YouTube, and Bouzaglo’s vitriolic rants became popular fodder on Twitter and Facebook.
LONDON—Since revealing her double-mastectomy in the New York Times, Angelina Jolie has shied away from the spotlight. On Sunday, however, the Oscar-winner stepped out on the red carpet for “World War Z,” partner Brad Pitt’s latest movie. Jolie is reported to be looking into an operation to remove her ovaries as well, due to a gene that puts her at a 50% risk of ovarian cancer. Reuters
Matt Smith leaving ‘Doctor Who’
Bruno Mars’ mother dies of brain aneurysm
LONDON—Who will be the new Who? The BBC says Matt Smith is stepping down from the lead role in “Doctor Who.” Smith, the “11th Doctor” (the 11th actor to play the role), will depart after the 50th anniversary episode in November and the Christmas special. Smith, who took over the role from David Tennant in 2010, said playing the Doctor had been “the most brilliant experience for me as an actor and a bloke.” “Doctor Who” is one of the BBC’s most popular programs, and Smith’s tenure has seen the show gain new fans in the United States. The Associated Press
NEW YORK—The mother of Grammy-winning pop star Bruno Mars has died in Hawaii. Bernadette Hernandez died Saturday of a brain aneurysm. Hernandez was 55 years old. She died in Honolulu at Queens Medical Center; no other information was given. Mars is one of pop’s top acts with several No. 1 hits including his most recent, “When I Was Your Man.” His mother, a hula dancer and a singer who immigrated from the Philippines, nurtured her son’s interest in music at an early age. Nekesa Mumbi Moody, The Associated Press
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Message from Monique Wilson to Vice Ganda ‘To mock a woman because of her size and weight is also a form of violence against her’ Philippine Daily Inquirer “WE really need to reach out to Vice Ganda,” actress/activist Monique Wilson told Inquirer, “not in an aggressive or accusatory way, but in a way that can help shift and transform consciousness.” Promote awareness
She posted on Facebook this message to the comedian: “To Vice Ganda and other media personalities who trivialize rape: Use your celebrity status to promote awareness of the issue of violence against women, so that you can contribute to ending violence, not be instruments in its perpetuation because of your lack of empathy. “Do not capitalize on the pain and anguish of others. Immerse yourself in education and understanding of this issue because actions like this— the mockery of such a serious crime against a woman—is one
of the things that keep impunity in place. “To be held in admiration by people in our industry, show business, means you have a huge responsibility—because people look up to you. You need to carry the gravity of this with more mindfulness and sensitivity, and operate always with love, respect and kindness. “And it is not just rape—to mock a woman because of her size and weight is also a form of violence against her. “I would suggest you go to (feminist group) Gabriela—and sit in a session of one of the survivors of violence support groups that they hold each month. “Listen to the stories of the women who have been raped, or whose daughters have been raped, by fathers, uncles… and gang raped by the military, the police… just listen and take [everything] in. Visit comfort women
“Visit our comfort women
lolas at Lila Pilipina. They will tell you stories about how they were raped 70 times a day by Japanese soldiers for years, when they were just 13 or 14 years old. And how they are still waiting for justice now, 65 years later. “Be grateful and humbled by what you hear because you will never want that kind of violence to be done to you or to any woman or girl in your life. Much to learn
“And I hope what you hear pains you and enrages you, so that you will want to use your celebrity status in every possible way, to help end violence against our sisters and our mothers. “While you are there, watch and observe all the tireless women’s rights activists who devote their lives to ending violence towards women, who risk their lives getting justice for them. “There is much to learn from
3 3 3 3 3
them. You will be opened in ways you never knew was possible. “Your understanding will deepen. Only then will your heart understand why mocking
rape and any violence towards a woman is not a subject you should build your career on. “And why it is reprehensible in any space, in any platform, most especially on a stage.” ■
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The most unlikely places for hot and cool gigs By Pocholo Concepcion Philippine Daily Inquirer CHIC-BOY, the popular roast chicken and pork restaurant chain, is the last place one would expect to feature live music. But for the past few years, its Timog Avenue branch in Quezon City has been enjoying full-house crowds—who not only feast on lechon manok and liempo, but also watch its star performer, Cathy Go. It’s also at Chic-Boy where Go was said to have been discovered by musician, songwriter and record producer Mike Villegas, who went on to write songs and sit as producer for her debut album, “Finding My Way to You,” which was released last year. On a Monday night, Chic-Boy is filled with a young audience, a mix of male and female gangmates who order beer by the bucket. The people don’t seem to care if the place is not airconditioned; the atmosphere gets hotter as Cathy heats up the stage with a full band. Full-bodied voice
Her full-bodied voice reverberates with life and power, giving justice to her covers of Avril Lavigne (“Wish You Were Here”); Christina Perri (“A Thousand Years”); Katy Perry (“The One That Got Away”);
Pink (“Perfect”); and Adele (“Set Fire to the Rain”). It’s the perfect kind of voice: One that can go low and mine the depths of sadness and desperation, and likewise soar and reach the heights of gladness and ecstasy. On her second set, Go surprises us with The Police’s “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic,” a song from a generation much older than hers, but which she renders like she grew up on it. Another unexpected number, Heart’s “These Dreams,” fuels our thoughts that Cathy must be so serious in her profession that she digs up material from as many sources to widen her repertoire. Confidence
But whether she’s interpreting Miley Cyrus, Alicia Keys or Celine Dion, one thing stands out: Go exudes confidence and excellent musicianship, and will most probably go a long way in her career. Her band for this gig—guitarist Christoph Huschick, bassist Kristian Umali, drummer Eddie Boy Ramones, and keyboardist Phlafe Edu—deserves credit for providing solid backup, never mind if the audio system sounds badly mixed, including the house speakers, because it’s hard to talk to one’s friends when the background music is too loud. Here’s hoping Chic-
PA-MAX-DAD-Q2-2013-Philippine Canadian Inquirer-BC.indd 1
Photo from Chic-Boy on Facebook
Boy’s owner fixes it soonest. The San Mig Light beer, by the way, sells cheap at P45. Unlikely performer
On the same Monday night, another restaurant, Off the Grill (also on Timog Avenue, a stone’s throw from Chic-Boy toward the Boy Scouts rotunda), features an unlikely performer: Paolo Santos. We say unlikely because Paolo—the hottest act to emerge from the acoustic pop-rock craze many moons ago—can sound boring to the discriminating music fan. But it turns out he has been a regular attraction at Off the Grill for the past several years, says drummer Stanley Celudo, who plays here with Santos as a trio, with bassist Joel Guarin. Jimmy Bondoc jams on guitar and vocals. “Walang bayad ’yan, jam lang talaga,” Stanley points out.
If Go’s gig at Chic-Boy is hot in terms of the band’s energy and the music, Santos’ show is cool—relaxing but gets too laidback at certain moments that it borders on “muzak” or the piped-in sounds one hears in elevators and motels. But it doesn’t mean his choice of songs sucks, because we appreciate that he covers Bong Gabriel’s “Ang Aking Awitin,” Player’s “Baby Come Back,” Little River Band’s “Cool Change” and Christopher Cross’ “Sailing.” It’s just that, well, he fails to overcome his shy-type persona onstage and ends up giving lame versions of Stevie Wonder’s “Overjoyed” and James Taylor’s “Your Smiling Face.” (But in the first place, these two songs are boring indeed, having been covered to death in practically every gig with a ’70s and ’80s repertoire.)
Good time
And yet the crowd at Off the Grill loves every song it hears— or perhaps some of them actually requested for those tunes. When we look around, the audience—mostly couples on dates and groups of friends on a night-out—appear to be having a good time. Santos calls out Luke Mejares to jam, and the latter, who is seated with friends in the audience, obliges. His rendition of VST & Co.’s “Ipagpatawad Mo” sounds apt for his soulful style, and that’s when we realize that, for all of VST & Co.’s Bee Gees copycat music, there are actually a few songs (“Ipagpatawad” included) that its lead singer and co-writer Vic Sotto did well. The San Mig Light at Off the Grill costs slightly higher at P65, but the audio system is much better than Chic-Boy’s. ■
2013-06-04 1:26 AM
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I-Remit Canada: More than a just a Philippine remittance service company Spring 2013 introduces a new branch office for iREMIT, the largest non-bank Filipinoowned remittance company in Canada. iREMIT is now ready to serve the Filipino communities in Surrey B.C., Delta, New Westminster and the surrounding areas of Surrey where we have the largest concentration of Filipino families. iREMIT’s new full service office is very conveniently located at 10314357 104 Avenue, Surrey BC V3T 1Y1. It is right within the commercial plaza of Henlong Supermarket, a favorite Asian community supermarket in Surrey which sells a good variety of Asian food products, including a wide array of Filipino products. Home to at least 13,000 Filipinos, City of Surrey is the 12th largest city in Canada and the 2nd largest in British Columbia. Surrey population is growing at an average of 10,000 new residents annually and now evolving as BC’s next metropolitan center. The City’s diverse community, improving infrastructure, growing demand for workers, and low-priced residential homes will continue to attract more Filipinos to move into the city. Since 2001, iREMIT has provided dependable, competitively priced, and efficient range of remittance services to Filipinos in Canada, making their remittance process to their loved ones a hassle-free experience. Unknown to many, it offers services beyond the usual money deliveries to families in the Philippines. iREMIT accepts and processes contributions to the Philippine Social Security System (SSS), Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF or PagIBIG), the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), and the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA). Government services that especially our Filipino workers in Canada can take advantage of in order to care for their loved ones back in the Philippines, and therefore reduce the financial strain as they carry on with their jobs here. How do these contributions benefit you? Contact or visit any iREMIT Branch to find out
the schedule for their next infosession and enjoy the experience of learning all about these benefits. Wondering if you can treat your loved ones in the Philippines to what you may have been used to as a Saturday or Sunday out in Jollibee for the Philippines’ most popular burger? iREMIT can help you make your loved ones continue to experience this weekend fun even in your absence. Nestle products for your loved ones even while you’re in Canada? Absolutely! I-Remit
can make that happen as well! iREMIT can accept your Jollibee and Nestle food package orders, and have it delivered to your family in the Philippines. How about saving some pocket money for your travel to the Philippines? Don’t be surprised! The iREMIT Visa Debit Card will take care of that for you. Just drop by at any iREMIT Branch to open an iREMIT Visa Debit Card and start saving for that long awaited vacation. Carry on with the savings until you’re ready to go. www.canadianinquirer.net
When you arrive in the Philippines, use your iREMIT card at any ATM kiosk to withdraw cash. More than 11,000 Banc Net, Megalink and Expressnet ATM kiosks in the Philippines will be ready to service your cash needs. Can’t get to the branch? The service gets more convenient with iREMIT Direct Online or IDOL for short, it will help you remit money only through your computer or telephone from payment to delivery instructions. Contact your favorite iREMIT branch for more
information. Best of all, unlike any other remittance company, iREMIT provides customer support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to you and your beneficiaries via our 1-866-747-3648 hotline. Our customer support agents will be there to assist you (whether in English or Tagalog). They have the right tools to serve you in the best way possible. Visit the iREMIT Surrey Branch and see what awaits you! iREMIT… taking care of your hard earned money… taking care of your loved ones.
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friday june 7, 2013 38
Love in different tongues By Pocholo Concepcion Philippine Daily Inquirer
Tonight’s performers are Eileen Sison, Skarlet, Joey Ayala and Lacaba himself, with Ferdie Borja on piano.
CONSPIRACY GARDEN Café (59 Visayas Ave., Project 6, Quezon City) is the offshoot of an idea that musicians can open and operate their own venue for live performances. It’s actually a cooperative composed of more than 100 shareholders led by singersongwriters Joey Ayala, Noel Cabangon, Gary Granada and other like-minded artists, including writers, poets and their friends. Thus, the gigs held in Conspiracy are mostly acoustic sets. The place used to be a house; there is a garden, as its name suggests, where friends chat while drinking al fresco. Inside the club are two rooms—on the right is the bar and a few tables; on the left is where the gigs are held. There is a bohemian vibe which recalls Hobbit House on its original site in Mabini, Manila, and ’70s Bistro (before it was refurbished) in Anonas, Quezon City. It is a Tuesday night and journalist/poet Pete Lacaba is hosting an edition of “Salinawit”—the series of jam sessions that features a mixed lineup of artists singing Lacaba’s Filipino translations of jazz and pop classics.
Tricky exercise
Translating lyrics is a tricky exercise, and Lacaba knows fully well that doing it word for word or in its literal sense would sound corny, if not awkward. But what he has accomplished deserves a book of its own: From a few pieces, the “Salinawit” repertoire has multiplied to 134 songs as of February 2012. We feel the beauty of the Filipino language when Ayala interprets John Denver’s “Perhaps Love”: “Marahil, ang pagibig ay/Kanlungan sa ulan/May init na ibibigay/Kung ika’y giniginaw…” (“Perhaps love is like a resting place/A shelter from the storm/It exists to give you comfort/It is there to keep you warm…”) We also chuckle at Lacaba’s wit, as he probably struggled to find the proper hip term to fit into a Phil Collins hit: “Wouldn’t you agree/Baby, you and me got a groovy kind of love…” (“Di mo ba alam/Grabe, irog ko, grabe ka kung magmahal…”) But truly hilarious is what he did to the Bacharach/David pop gem, “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again,” charmingly rendered by Sison: “Ano’ng mapapala kung iibig ka?/Sakit ng ulo lang ang makukuha/At palagi pang
ubos ang pera/Ay!Ayoko nang umibig pa…” Walking toward the bar during the break, we spot Inquirer columnist Conrad de Quiros at a table with singer-songwriters Cooky Chua and Lolita Carbon. No longer gender-specific
Filmmaker Jun Urbano enters the main music room. He tells us that he came to meet with Ayala, whom he has asked to write the soundtrack to a new movie he’s directing. In the audience are AMP band leader and musical director Mel Villena, and poets Marne Kilates and Charleson Ong— who would all stand up and jam on the mic as the night wore on. Before we leave, the translation to the Jack Jones hit (original French music and lyrics by Charles Aznavour) caresses our soul. Sung by Skarlet, it is no longer the gender-specific “She”: “Siya ang di malimot na ganda/Na ang timpla’y ibang-iba/ Haplos ng hangin o haplit ng tag-araw…” Surely “Salinawit” is the perfect antidote to videoke singing. Relaxed mood
Over in Makati, a new club called Society Lounge (G/F, Atrium Bldg., Makati Ave. cor. Paseo de Roxas) is where jazz crooner Zenaida Celdran performs on Thursdays with Riki Gonzales (lead guitar), Paolo Blaquera (second guitar), Ed “Sarge” Cariño (bass), and Glenn Lucero (trumpet). Society Lounge has classy interiors and a relaxed mood; its chef and managing
partner, Patrice Freuslon, is French. We have yet to try its Euro-Asian cuisine, ordering just San Mig Lights instead because the crowd and the music are quite interesting distractions. At the center table is Inquirer editorial consultant and columnist Amando Doronila in the company of Tata Poblador, Joanna de Asis-Benitez, Dr. Verm Verhallo and Roman Mato Cruz. Celdran is an unconventional singer. Her voice is not pretty in the pop sense of the word, but it has a distinct character that recalls Edith Piaf, whose songs she loves to cover, aside from jazz standards like “I Got Rhythm,” “God Bless the Child,” “Summertime,” “You Go To My Head” and “But Not For Me.” She even sings “Autumn Leaves” in its original French incarnation, “Les feuilles mortes.” Her own songs
The biggest surprise is that Celdran has been writing her own songs, one of which she previews that Thursday night. Some of the lyrics go, “Call me crazy… I know one day/He’ll show me the way/I trust… come what may…” We think she’s referring to the jazz musician she fell in love with—perhaps the main reason she decided to drop her corporate job and sing her heart out. In any case, whether at Conspiracy or at Society Lounge, the subject of love and its joys and complications sound deeply engrossing when sung in different tongues. ■
Art banners pay tribute to 150th birth anniversary of Bonifacio Philippine Daily Inquirer
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EACH summer, the Academic Oval at the Diliman campus of the University of the Philippines transforms into a public museum, with banners featuring the artworks of dozens of Filipino artists lining the popular running and biking destination. This year, “Looking for Juan: Revolution” celebrates the 150th birth anniversary of the Katipunan’s supremo Andres Bonifacio with more than 70 artists contributing their paintings, sculptures and interpretations on the theme, “Revolution.” The “Looking for Juan Outdoor Banner Project” is an annual show organized by The Center for Art, New Ventures and Sustainable Development (Canvas), which seeks to promote Philippine art and culture. “Looking for Juan: Revolution” is Canvas’ fifth in the series that hopes to bring Philippine art to a wider audience. Hence, the shows are set in popular and “non-intimidating” spaces—such as parks and underpasses—where people can interact freely with the images. Original works are on display at the Vargas Museum in UP until June 18, while tarpaulin banner reproductions are on view along the UP Academic Oval and gar-
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dens at the BenCab Museum in Baguio. Among the participating artists are Leonard Aguinaldo, Alee Garibay, Palma Tayona, Gerry Leonardo, Jef Carnay, Michael Cacnio, J. Pacena II, Chloe Dollosa, Elmer Borlongan, Jim Orencio, Pablo Baen Santos, Gavin Escolar, Jhom Centeno, Ed San Jr., Ronson Culibrina, Joven Mansit, Don Salubayba, Emard Canedo, Juanito Torres, Robert Alejandro, Kuleng Manzanero, Raymond Legaspi, Reymar Gacutan, Fernando Sena, Jerson Samson, Erwin Leano, Franklin Cana Valencia, Sam Penaso, Julius Samson, R.A. Tijing, Dansoy Coquila, Rommel Joson, Felix Amoncio, Mark Arcamo, Janelle Tang, Gerrico Blanco, Raul Agner, Dante Lerma, Wilfredo Offemaria Jr., Ferdinand Doctolero, Buen Calubayan, Dawani de Leon, Anton del Castillo, Philipp Ines, Imelda Cajipe-Endaya, Sergio Bumatay, Juan Elani Tulas, Liv Vinluan, Aldy Aguirre, Weena Espardinez, Mark Salvatus and Farley del Rosario. After the exhibit, the tarpaulin banners are recycled into tote bags and balikbayan box bags—functional pieces of art for sale—the proceeds of which fund Canvas’ other projects promoting Philippine art and culture. “Looking for Juan: Revolution” is made possible in part by Sun Cellular. ■ Visit canvas.ph or e-mail info@canvas.ph.
Lifetyle
39 friday June 7, 2013
Single and Searching By Felichi PangilinanBuizon IF you are single and you think getting married will make you happy, why not ask someone who is married.” These were the weighty words of inspirational evangelist Nick Vujicic, who recently came to the Philippines for a series of talks. Nick, a man without limbs, yet always with an infectious smile, spoke about the true source of joy and wholeness: Jesus, who truly satisfies. Early this year I spoke to a crowd of women in a local church in Cebu. It was a time of encouragement as we visited different seasons that women go through in life. Single and searching is one of them. I can identify with singles longing for lifetime partners, for I was once single and longing. But I am one to tell that that longing will not end in a new status, in a position, or a partner. I am grateful to the word of God that reveals
where our search really ends and I am thankful to other women whose insights guided my responses during that season in my life. If I sense something missing in my life, I will not find it in another person. Two imperfect people joined together will not arrive at one complete whole. Like a missing puzzle piece, Colossians 2:9-10 was a powerful truth that unveiled many misconceptions that controlled my life. “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the godhead bodily and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.” I am complete, not lacking, whole and undamaged in Christ. As I watched God-confident Nick speak on stage, as I heard others who have met him personally describe him as a happy person, self-assured and such an encourager. Who would think that this same man struggled as a child and despaired, oppressed by the uncertainty of his future? Will
I ever marry? What will become of me? God eventually answered those questions. He married last year and they have a beautiful baby boy. His mission is to share to as many people his testimony: the gospel of Jesus, God’s conquering presence and the wholeness he received through Christ. So unlike many that struggle with their self-image. How many see their being alone as a disadvantage? I remember I used to belong to a group called SMP: Samahan ng mga Malalamig ang Pasko. (Cold Christmas Club). Seeing my peers or colleagues pairing off with this person and that person, I would feel overlooked and left behind. As though having a relationship would prove that nothing is wrong with me. Will I finally meet the person who will complete me? How many devalue their singleness and allow others to wreak havoc in their lives? I once asked these questions myself cause I thought the missing piece
was a mate. Aren’t millions spent on producing movies, TV shows and books that revolve around “finding that special someone”? Is there anything wrong about being single and searching? I was enlightened when a lady explained to us that Adam was asleep, when Eve arrived. Adam was not preoccupied with finding his match. He was submitted to His Maker’s agenda for him. Familiar verses such as Seek God first and all these things shall be added; Delight in Him and He will give you your heart’s desire became promises to hold on to. I realized that the missing piece was not a mate but a relationship with my Maker, the way He wanted to be known, through Jesus Christ. Jesus gave me access to God, not just on Sundays or on special holly or holy days but every moment, everyday. As I sought more, I have come to realize that all longings end with Jesus. Lee Brase in his book, Approaching God
describes the sufficiency of God, “God’s name is Yahweh… which means I AM. The selfexistent One. He who was and is and will be. The only uncreated being, complete within Himself, needing nothing outside Himself to be more sufficient or whole.” Jesus makes us whole. From single and hurting, single and searching, to healed, renewed and serving. Serving Jesus is a byproduct of knowing Him and what He has done. It was when I was preoccupied with God’s plan for me that I met my lifetime partner! I remember praying that God put my heart to sleep until His appointed time comes. And when my heart awoke to God’s choice for me, I simply obeyed, no longer needing to be complete because I was already complete in Jesus. Single or not, completeness is in Christ. May you be preoccupied with His agenda for you and serve unhindered. And may your heart be stirred at His pleasure and time. ■
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Business
friday june 7, 2013 40
Stocks take a big hit; peso weakens By Doris C. Dumlao and Michelle V. Remo Philippine Daily Inquirer THE LOCAL stock market suffered its worst bloodbath in two years as high risk aversion across the region overshadowed good tidings from the strongerthan-expected first quarter Philippine economic growth data. The main Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) lost 275.22 points, or 3.81 percent, to close at 6,953.35. This marked the PSEi’s steepest single-day decline since Sept. 21, 2011 when the index slumped by 4.2 percent at the height of the European fiscal crisis then. This time, however, financial markets across the globe are jittery as prospects loomed that the US Federal Reserve would temper its liquidity-inducing bond buyback program that has perked up markets across the globe. The announcement of a 7.8percent growth of the Philippine gross domestic product (GDP) in the first quarter initially pared down PSEi losses to about 30 points from over 100 points, but the index again widened losses afterward. “While the GDP figure was a positive surprise, the market was not able to sustain the short knee-jerk positive reaction to the surprise GDP numbers. At the core is higher risk aversion, as evidenced by a blip in 10year bond yields overnight,” UBS Securities Philippines said in its daily commentary. Peso depreciation
The UBS said the depreciation of the peso—which has weakened by 3 percent against the US dollar so far this month— likewise induced the stock market pullback. After showing higher volatility throughout trading hours, the peso closed at 42.32 against the US dollar, up by 12 centavos from the previous day’s finish and the 11-month low of 42.44 to
the greenback. Manny Cruz, chief strategist at Asiasec Equities Inc., said it seemed that some large funds were dumping stocks from emerging markets—particularly the bloc referred to as TIP, or ThailandIndonesia-Philippines and Mexico—and likewise selling out of Japan to shift to US dollar assets on valuation concerns. Expensive valuation
The expensive valuation of the local stock market was likewise cited as a key factor behind the selldown. And with signs of recovery in the US economy, some global funds were moving out of richly valued markets, said Joseph Roxas, president of local stock brokerage Eagle Equities Inc. The UBS estimated that the PSEi was now trading at a price-to-equity ratio of 21x, which means that investors are paying 21 times the amount of money index stocks are expected to make this year. In the last five years, historical valuation was only at 14-15x earnings. Several companies have embarked recently on large public offerings—whether an initial public offering or a follow-on offering. Rich valuations have likewise encouraged a number of companies to sell shares kept in their treasuries. 160 decliners
Value turnover at the local stock market amounted to P16.86 billion. There were 160 decliners that overwhelmed 15 advancers while 38 stocks were unchanged. The biggest decliners among PSEi stocks were Jollibee (-7.28 percent), ICTSI (-6.45 percent) and ALI (-6.29 percent). Metrobank, SMC and URC were all down by over 5 percent while SMIC, AEV, EDC and AGI all tumbled down by over 4 percent. Opposing pressures
At the foreign exchange market, pressures that boosted and dragged the appetite for local currency clashed as cur-
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rency traders weighed indicators of an improving US economy on one hand and reports of another robust growth of the Philippine economy on the other. The trading range was wide, with the intraday high hitting 42.22 and the intraday low settling at 42.63 against the US dollar. The volume of trade amounted to $1.11 billion from $1.06 billion previously. Traders said indicators showing an improving employment situation, growing retail sales, and rising consumer confidence in the United States fueled the appetite for the dollar and dollardenominated assets. Flight of capital
Because portions of liquidity being injected by advanced economies normally spill over to emerging markets like the Philippines in the form of portfolio investments, talks about an end of the US Fed’s stimulus program have sparked speculations of flight of capital away from emerging markets and of depreciation of their currencies. Projections of depreciation of emerging-market currencies, in turn, drove some fund owners to make early positions by buying dollars. On the other hand, however, the favorable performance of and rosy projections for the Philippine economy con-
tinue to make the peso attractive. According to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the latest movement of the peso, which weakened to the 42-to-adollar territory, was not worrisome. BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said the Philippines was unlikely to suffer from significant flight of capital even as the US economy improved. This is because the Philippines continued to show an encouraging economic performance, he said. No cause for alarm
Tetangco said that an exchange rate at the 42:$1 level was no cause for concern and still reflected market confidence in the Philippine economy. “The peso continues to be supported by fundamentals,” Tetangco told reporters. The depreciation of the peso this week is actually a welcome development for the BSP, which had been contending with losses due to the local currency’s appreciation over the last few years. Appreciation pressures on the peso last year forced the BSP to engage in heavy dollar buying to prevent an even steeper rise of the local currency. Huge spending led to P95 billion in net loss for the BSP last year. The recent weakening of the peso, therefore, is seen to temper the BSP’s losses. ■
Record crowd... ❰❰ 32
araw naming kapag hindi namin kayo napanood. Inspiring.” (You are such a joy to watch. Our day would not be complete with you). More touching moments were witnessed by kapamilyas present at the meet and greet when Ching Quejas, the President of the Kalayaan Centre who attributes part of her recovery to the good vibes she got from the show, finally met the cast of her beloved serye. While happiness was evident in Mama Ching’s face, the cast was evidently moved by her effervescent personality and her miraculous story. When the cast, including the production team heard mores stories of Filipinos (including those who miraculously recovered from accidents or depression) whose lives they touched with their story and colorful characters, it was time for the cast to be moved. Yap said, “It’s so touching how a simple teleserye can touch so many lives in a positive way. The meet and greet in Canada proved that we are happy and that we can be part of the inspiration that helps so many people.” Fighting back tears, Sta. Maria said, “Kapag napapagod po kami minsan, iniisip namin na tama ba itong ginagawa namin. Pero nang makita naming kayong lahat, marinig yung istorya niyo, na naiinspire namin kayo, nagiging worth it ang lahat ng pagod. Isang pribiliheyo po para sa amin ang maging blessing.” (Sometimes
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when we feel tired, we rethink what we are doing. But when we see all of you, how you have been touched by the series, our weariness goes away. It is a privilege to be your blessing). Seguerra agreed with Sta. Maria. “Hearing their stories reaffirmed why I am still here in this business. It’s not about fame. It’s about touching and inspiring people. Their stories rejuvenated my soul and gave me sense of purpose.” ABS-CBN Canada ULC Managing Director Marco Amoranto said seeing the tables turn or the stars touched by the subscribers’ stories reaffirms TFC’s mission. “It is noteworthy that while we have given our customers and kababayans a reminder on how to preserve our Filipino values, our customers have also spoken back to us on why we should continue to do our best to bring these type of shows to them.” During the Toronto meet and greet, the stories shared by our artists and by TFC customers who have battled cancer, depression, abuse and loneliness with the help of BCWMH, moved everyone to tears. That is how important we are to our audience and we do make a difference to them. It is not just about business." The OKGo! featuring the “Be Careful With My Heart” cast is part of a series of events in TFC’s Summer Caravan which promise more entertainment highs from the kapamilya network. ■
41 friday June 7, 2013
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friday june 7, 2013
Travel
Serious surfing and serenity on a remote island By Ondine Cohane The Associated Press We sat facing a weathered wood pagoda set in an emerald sea, the perfect swimming distance from a private beach lined with crooked coconut trees. Grilled mahi-mahi that arrived via a banca, a Filipino fishing boat, just an hour earlier was seasoned with calamansi (a citrus fruit native to the Philippines) and served with grilled eggplant and squash from the resort’s organic farm, accompanied by a bottle of crisp white wine. Steps from the restaurant pavilion was our villa with its huge bed swathed in a white mosquito
net, an open shower surrounded by local shiny white pebbles, and swinging outdoor daybeds. The pummeling of an unforgettable surfing session hours before made the idea of crawling back to such luxurious digs even more appealing. We were on Siargao (pronounced shar-GOW), a teardrop-shaped island that’s just one of the Philippines’s 7,000plus, and the southernmost refuge for travellers before the less politically stable region of Mindanao. Even to Filipinos, the island, on the country’s Pacific-facing side, is not all that well known. Before the airport opened here in 2011, it was an overnight ferry ride from Cebu
(which Magellan put on the map when he landed there in 1521). And it’s still not so easy to reach: The two-flight, roughly four-hour trip from Manila (including a layover in Cebu) has only the semblance of a schedule part of the year because of mercurial weather.
But the island is known to surfers, largely because of its fabled break, endearingly called Cloud 9. It stands in the firmament of the best rides on the global circuit, a fast and powerful monster because of the water that sweeps in from the Philippine Trench in the Pacific Ocean. In the fall the arrival of the habagat, a weather system fed by southwest winds and easterly currents, creates even more monumental tubes. Local lore credits a drug runner-turned-surfer with putting
Photo by Miguel Navaza
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Cloud 9 on the radar— and in the decades since, it has drawn world pros for an international tournament hosted by companies like Billabong and Quiksilver. A small industry of hippie-style guesthouses, bars and surf schools has followed. My interest in the island was already piqued— I have invariably found in my travels that surfers get to the best beaches first, before mass-market tourism arrives. And then came word of the opening of Dedon Island Resort, a gleaming nine-villa property. Stays there come with a full menu of adventure sports, from surfing to deep-sea fishing, and it has amenities like an outdoor cinema and a private chef using organic produce from its farm. But it also had a $1,600-a-night price tag for two attached (rates have since dropped a bit) and a ❱❱ page 33 Serious surfing
43 friday June 7, 2013
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