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VOL. 6 NO. 68

JUNE 14, 2013

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38,000 will be killed in major earthquake: MMDA

Rockstar welcome for hero dog Kabang

Christy Clark’s new cabinet

PCI’s tribute to fathers

Global Filipino: Chef Thomas Weibull

Flags to the sky

PCI meets John Lloyd Cruz ❱❱ Story on PAGE 46

FILIPINOS wasted no time in showing off the sun and stars of their motherland as flag-raising events took hold of Canada from coast to coast.

Starting June 1, the Philippine flag was waved sky-high in ceremonies across North America as Pinoys kicked off celebrations from potluck to parade. On June 12, President Noynoy Aquino raised the flag at Liwasang Bonifacio, Manila. “As Filipinos, each and every one is asked to do his part in building an even more progressive nation, whether one is in the highest ranks of government, or an employee in a local company, or an OFW working on distant shores,” said the President. “To our Overseas Filipino Workers, for their dedication and sacrifice—may their hard work redound and further contribute to a Philippines that they can come home to with pride and confidence.” (On pp. 24-25) Philippine Canadian Inquirer

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Juan TV Inc. enters into agreement with Philippine Prime Entertainment Mover Viva Communications, Inc. Juan TV Inc. to offer two exciting entertainment channels, Viva Channel (Home of the Stars) and Pinoy Box Office (PBO), to Filipino-Canadians on or before Q4, 2013. (On Page 48)

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Philippine News

3 FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013

Defence lawyer picks apart nanny’s story at human trafficking trial

BY JAMES KELLER The Canadian Press VANCOUVER—A nanny who claims she was forced into servitude in a Vancouverarea household was in reality treated as “member of the family,” often invited along for nice meals and even feted with birthday celebrations, a lawyer for the couple told their human trafficking trial Thursday—a stark contrast to the oppressive, prison-like existence the caregiver has described.

Defence lawyer Nicholas Preovolos picked apart much of Leticia Sarmiento’s story as he cross-examined her Thursday, rejecting her claims that she was forbidden from making phone calls to her family back in the Philippines and suggesting it was actually her idea to move with the family to Canada from Hong Kong in the first place.

Franco Yiu Kwan Orr and Ling Nicole Huen are on trial before a jury on immigration charges of organizing illegal entry into Canada and organizing the illegal employment of a foreign national. Orr is also charged with knowingly misrepresenting facts during the immigration process.

Sarmiento, 40, had worked for Orr and Huen taking care of their three children since 2007, first in Hong Kong and then, starting in September 2008, in Canada. That ended in June of 2010, when Sarmiento called 911 and told responding police officers that she needed help.

Sarmiento has testified she was forced to work long hours with no days off, forbidden from leaving the family’s Vancouver-area homes, forced to clean and cook in addition to her childcare duties, only allowed one phone call to her family in the Philippines each month, and had her passport taken from her.

But Preovolos painted a different picture as he cross-examined Sarmiento, telling the court Sarmiento had a positive relationship with the couple and their children and would have been free if she wanted to. He also pointed to phone records that indicate someone in the house called the Phil-

ippines home several times a month and he denied anyone ever took Sarmiento’s passport.

“Weren’t you like a member of the family while you were here in Canada? A loved and valued member of the family?” asked Preovolos.

“No,” replied Sarmiento, speaking through an interpreter.

“If they were going out for a nice lunch or dinner on the weekend, you weren’t required to accompany them but they asked you if you wanted to enjoy a meal out of the house?”

Preovolos asked later.

“That is wrong,” replied Sarmiento.

Sarmiento, who now works as a cleaner, travelled with Orr and Huen to Canada on a six-month work visa, which had expired long before police attended the family home in 2010.

Sarmiento testified she called the police after an altercation over the type of milk she fed one of the children turned physical when Huen pushed her. She packed her things under the watch of police officers and was then taken to a women’s shelter, the trial heard.

Preovolos pointed to Sarmiento’s own testimony in which she said Orr and Huen were kind to her when they lived in Hong Kong.

“These apparently nice people in Hong Kong turned into very unkind people in Canada?” Preovolos asked. “They switched from good to bad?”

“That’s exactly correct,” replied Sarmiento.

Preovolos presented a handful of photographs that showed Sarmiento posing in front of cakes on at least two of her birthdays, according to time stamps on the photos, as well as other occasions.

In one photo, Sarmiento is seen posing on front of a cake that appeared to have her name written on it, but Sarmiento insisted the cake was not for her.

Instead, Sarmiento said the cake bearing her name was actually for one of the children’s birthdays. She said on her own birthdays, the family would only buy a cake because the children wanted to blow out the candles.

Preovolos handed Sarmiento telephone records he said came from a land line installed in the house.

He said the records showed more than 90 calls to a telephone number based in the Philippines in the 21 months Sarmiento lived with Orr and Huen. He suggested the records dispute Sarmiento’s claim she was only allowed one telephone call per month.

Sarmiento repeatedly denied making the calls and said she did not recognize the number.

She also claimed either Orr or Huen took her phone cards and a sheet of paper with the telephone numbers of several family members written on it the day they travelled to Canada.

Preovolos told the court it was Sarmiento’s idea to come to Canada.

When the family lived in Hong Kong, Orr frequently travelled to Cambodia as part of a construction project in that country. However, in June of 2008, he returned from a trip to Cambodia with news the project had suffered a “catastrophic business failure.”

Orr told Sarmiento and another nanny that worked for the family he had no choice but to let them go, but that he would keep them on a shortterm basis to allow them to look for new jobs, said Preovolos.

“You were very upset when Mr. Orr broke the news that he couldn’t afford to keep you, you pleaded with him to consider letting you join him in Canada?” asked Preovolos “That is not correct,” said Preovolos.

Preovolos did not explain what changed in the following three months that led the family to bring Sarmiento to Canada. ■

Leticia Sarmiento claims she was illegally brought to Canada as a nanny.

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Farmers press gov’t on CARP ‘Vast haciendas still intact’

BY JEANNETTE I. ANDRADE Philippine Daily Inquirer SOME 400 farmers massed in front of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Quezon City, voicing their demands for the fulfillment of a promise, but the 25th anniversary of the celebrated land-to-the-tiller program yesterday went largely unnoticed.

The group belonging to Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) then marched on Mendiola bridge outside Malacañang for a brief rally to remind President Aquino he still had to complete the distribution of nearly 1 million hectares of land under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) before it expires next year.

The KMP criticized CARP as “the most deceptive, longestrunning, most expensive and bloodiest agrarian reform program.”

“It has been 25 years of the government’s CARP and still, vast haciendas remain intact and undistributed,” KMP secretary general Antonio Flores said in a statement. He said most of the 4.4 million-hectare land distributed by DAR were public lands.

“What actually transpired in the 25 years of CARP is the buyand-sell transaction between the government, the DAR and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the supposed farmer beneficiary,” he said, adding that the DAR’s figures did not even reflect reversals and cancellations of certificates of land ownership.”

“The continuing land monopoly and control of a few landlord families shows that the bogus CARP was not meant to break land monopoly and was instead implemented only to appease peasant unrest in the countryside and to create an illusion of land reform,” he said.

“Breaking land monopoly and the free distribution of lands to farmers is the real solution to the centuries old land problem and a truly meaningful step toward genuine social change.”

“The farmers are restive,” said Jansept Geronimo, a peasant leader in Lucena City. “The farmers have long been suffering from injustice.”

He said farmers from the Bontoc Peninsula, a hotbed of communist insurgency, were planning a long march culminating in a protest on July 22, when President Aquino delivers his State of the Nation Address at the opening of the 16th Congress following the successful campaign of administration candidates in the May 23 elections.

Aquino’s mother, democracy icon Corazon Aquino, launched CARP as the centerpiece of a social justice promise to ease poverty and remove one of the major causes of a festering communist insurgency.

“He must do everything in his power to show that he means business,” said Alberto Jayme, president of Task Force Mapalad (TFM), an umbrella group for farmer organizations in Negros, Mindanao and Batangas.

Agrarian Reform Secretary ❱❱ PAGE 9 Farmers press

Philippine News

FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013 4

Aquino ‘deeply touched’ on meeting Aung San Suu Kyi

BY CYNTHIA D. BALANA Philippine Daily Inquirer NAYPYITAW, BURMA—President Benigno Aquino III said his brief encounter with Burma’s opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi struck in him a deep personal cord.

“Nakakamanghang kausap iyung isang person na very historical, iyong sa akin may pagka-personal (It’s awe-inspiring to talk to someone who is part of history, which for me in also quite personal),” the President said at a press conference here Friday night.

“The struggle that my father underwent, my mother underwent … and you can see, that she (Suu Kyi) underwent the same thing (too),” he said.

It was the first face-to-face meeting between Mr. Aquino and the Burmese leader on the sidelines of the three-day World Economic Forum on East Asia in this second largest Southeast Asian country.

Mr. Aquino admitted he was overwhelmed upon seeing

Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma’s Chairperson and General Secretary of the National League for Democracy. Suu Kyi received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, and in 2012, the Gongressional Gold Medal in the United states, one of the highest civilian honors.

PHOTO BY ROBERT VINAS, MALACAÑANG PHOTO BUREAU

and talking to Suu Kyi, whose struggle against the Burmese military junta resulted in her detention for 20 years.

The President’s father, the late Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino was also incarcerated by a dictatorship and his crusade to restore democracy in

the Philippines culminated in his assassination in 1983. A people power revolt in 1986 brought his widow, Cory, to power.

During her time, the late president Cory Aquino campaigned for the release of Suu Kyi and the restoration of de-

mocracy in Burma.

During their meeting, the President reiterated his long standing invitation to Suu Kyi to visit the Philippines to which she replied, “Hopefully soon.”

She announced at the close of the conference her intention to run for president of her country in the coming election.

In his meeting with Burmese President Thein Sein, Mr. Aquino said both countries were now in the spotlight of investors after breaking out of years of economic stagnation.

He said both the Philippines and Burma were being eyed as alternative investment and tourism sites because of the impressive reforms that were taking place in the two countries.

There are around 500 Filipinos in Burma, mostly professionals such as office executives and engineers.

Both Mr. Aquino and Thein agreed to boost cooperation between the two countries in terms of economic and political reforms.

“I understand there are three

companies already, Philex is one of them, working with partners or talking with partners here for possible cooperation, Maynilad also in water distribution and minimizing wastage, and Meralco for electric distribution,” he said.

He also said that Thein Sein sought the Philippines’ help, mostly in agriculture and energy.

Thein thanked Mr. Aquino for the help received by Burmese students who studied in the Philippine’s agricultural institutes.

Mr. Aquino later told reporters: “So pinuri ko naman sila, kako, nag-aral kayo sa amin, siguro may na-impart naman kami sa inyo. Mukhang natuto kayo nang mahusay dahil nag-iimport na kami sa inyo ng bigas (I praised them. I said, you studied in our country, I suppose we were able to impart something to you. And it appears you have learned well because now we are importing rice from you). I think the biggest component of our trade currently with Myanmar is rice.” ■

Animal abusers face harsher penalties, longer jail time under bill

BY LEILA B. SALAVERRIA Philippine Daily Inquirer MANILA, Philippines—Animal abusers, especially those who make it their business to be cruel to animals in order to turn a profit, could soon find themselves slapped with higher fines and longer jail terms, after Congress approved a stronger animal welfare bill on its last day.

The bill, which amends the 15-year-old Animal Welfare Act and prescribes harsher punishment for all those who neglect, abuse or maltreat animals, is set to be submitted to the President for his signature.

The House of Representatives adopted the Senate’s version of the bill shortly before adjourning for the final time, thereby doing away with the need for a bicameral conference committee. This means the measure could be sent directly to the Chief Executive.

Under the bill, the maximum penalty would be a P250,000 fine, with a corresponding three-year jail term, and the

minimum, a P30,000 fine and six months imprisonment.

The most severe penalties are reserved for public officers or those whose businesses involve cruelty to animals.

Under the present law, the strongest punishment animal abusers could face are a P5,000 fine and two years in jail, while the lowest, a P1,000 fine and six months in jail.

Animal rights advocates earlier deplored the puny punishment under the law, which they said hardly deterred abusers, such as syndicates who operated dog fighting operations.

The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), which had lobbied for the bill to strengthen the Animal Welfare Act, hailed Congress for the passage of the measure.

In a message posted on its Facebook page, PAWS said it was pleased with the new penalties to be imposed on those who would engage in businesses that run on animal cruelty.

“We are particularly happy that those convicted of dog meat trad-

ing or dog fighting (or ‘any offender who makes business out of cruelty to an animal’) will now either be fined P250,000 or imprisoned between two years and one day to three years,” it said.

Under the bill, there would be harsher penalties for the following animal abusers: members of syndicates; offenders who make a business out of cruelty to an animal; public officers of employees; or those who committed an act where at least three animals are involved.

They would be meted the penalty of imprisonment of two years and one day to three years and/or a maximum fine of P250,000 for subjecting any animal to cruelty, maltreatment or neglect, regardless of the resulting condition of the animal.

For other people who subject an animal to cruelty, maltreatment or neglect, their penalty would depend on the animal’s condition.

They would be fined a maximum of P100,000 and/or jailed from one year and six months and one day, to two years if the www.canadianinquirer.net

PAWS and its volunteers at the hearing, where an amendment to the country’s Animal Welfare Act was approved after 15 years of lobbying.

Under the revised Act, offenders will be fined P30,000-P250,000 and/ or jailed for at least six months. The current law has penalties of P1,0005,000 and/or six months to two years in prison.

PHOTO BY PAWS ON FACEBOOK.

abused animal dies.

If the animal survives the cruelty or neglect, but is severely injured or loses its natural faculty to survive on its own and would need human intervention to live, the new penalty would be a maxi-

mum fine of P50,000 and/or imprisonment of one year and one day, to one year and six months.

Any animal cruelty, maltreatment, or neglect that does not lead to its death or incapacity to survive on its own would be penalized with a maximum fine of P30,000 and/or imprisonment of six months to one year.

The bill also explicitly states that it would be unlawful for any person who has custody of an animal to abandon the animal.

This would be considered maltreatment under the law, it adds.

The bill defines animal welfare as “the physical and psychological well-being of animals.

It includes, but is not limited to, the avoidance of abuse, maltreatment, cruelty and exploitation of animals by humans by maintaining appropriate standards of accommodation, feeding and general care, the prevention and treatment of diseases and the assurance of freedom from fear, distress, harassment and unnecessary discomfort and pain and allowing animals to express normal behavior.” ■

5 FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013

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Philippine News

FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013 6

38,000 will be killed, 100,000 will be injured if major quake hits Metro Manila

BY PHILIP C. TUBEZA Philippine Daily Inquirer MANILA, Philippines—If a major earthquake hits Metro Manila, 38,000 people will be killed within the first hour, more than 100,000 will be injured, and the area along Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard in Pasay City will be turned into a mass grave.

These were some of the grim scenarios that Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Francis Tolentino told the Philippine Medical Association in a closed-door meeting Tuesday on the agency’s earthquake preparations.

“We have learned from Chairman Tolentino some disturbing facts and dreadful scenarios that can happen to us all in the National Capital Region (NCR) in case a powerful earthquake strikes,” said PMA president Leo Olarte.

“And because of this, we are bent in doing concrete measures to help minimize enormous human casualties resulting from such a calamity,” he

A fire and earthquake drill at the Pasig Central Elementary School: children are evacuated in an orderly manner out into the school quadrangle with makeshift hats made out of rags for protection.

PHOTO BY LON&QUETA (FLICKR)

added.

The MMDA has drawn up “Oplan Metro Yakal” (OMY), a response plan for a Magnitude 7 or a stronger earthquake which experts say could hit the capital every 200 years.

Olarte said the PMA, the largest association of doctors in the country, could mobilize members in Luzon and NCR as Oplan Metro Yakal volunteers.

“At the moment, we are not

asking if this kind of a megadisaster can happen in Metro Manila. Our question now is when will this happen. So far, the little-known 200-year earthquake cycle in Metro Manila has already elapsed, so this nightmare can happen anytime,” Olarte said.

“We need to prepare now and be ready for the worst scenario.

That is why we are partnering with the MMDA,” he added.

OMY identified four possible evacuation sites and a temporary mass burial grounds in the aftermath of a killer quake.

“Tolentino informed us that, for the northern Metro Manila sector, the evacuation site will be at the Veterans Golf Course in Quezon City; the Villamor Golf Course in Pasay City for the southern sector; Wack Wack Golf in Course in Mandaluyong City for the eastern

sector and the Intramuros Golf Course for the western sector,” Olarte said.

He said the reclamation area along Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard in Pasay City will be designated as “a temporary mass burial site.”

“A once-in-200-years earthquake that can hit the Philippines can wipe out 20 percent of Metro Manila. Roads will be made impassable and simultaneous fires will ensue,” Olarte said.

Under the Metro Manila Earthquake Impact Reduction Study (MMEIRS), he added, a Magnitude 7.2 earthquake can break Metro Manila into “four regions’’.

“Within an hour, 38,000 people will be killed and more than 100,000 will be injured. The megaquake will also topple at least 13 percent of the 170,000 residential buildings and will leave 1.2 million people homeless,” Olarte said.

“It can also damage 20 percent of the vital facilities such as hospitals, government centers and schools” he added. ■

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7 FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013

No goodbyes for 3 senators; 2 others cite long records

BY NORMAN BORDADORA AND CATHY YAMSUAN Philippine Daily Inquirer THEY started their 12-year sojourn in the Senate on the heels of the second Edsa People Power Revolution in 2001 that ousted President Joseph Estrada, who was subsequently convicted for plunder.

Three of them were elected because of the high expectations that followed Edsa II; the other two, despite their involvement with the discredited Estrada regime.

But as the administration installed by people power in 2001 steadily lost its sheen as the decade wore on, Senators Joker Arroyo, Edgardo Angara, Panfilo Lacson, Francis Pangilinan and Manuel Villar are bound to be remembered for their own actions in an independent Senate.

All five outgoing senators attended the Senate’s last two session days last week. Two delivered farewell speeches on Wednesday, touting their accomplishments in the previous dozen years. The three others found no need to say a formal goodbye until the uneventful sine die adjournment on Thursday.

‘Nothing to say’

“Because I have nothing to say,” said Arroyo, 86, when asked why he did not deliver a valedictory like Angara and Villar, two former Senate Presidents. “I really don’t like ceremonies,” he said when pressed.

Among the things he didn’t want to spell out was how he spent the last Congress subjecting the Aquino administration’s actions to close scrutiny in the Senate—something he was wont to do from when he was known as the maverick congressman from Makati in the 1990s.

Arroyo questioned the proposed amendments to the AntiMoney Laundering Act saying the changes could be used by the administration to go after political foes.

He questioned the approval of the more than P2-trillion national budget for 2013, saying it was a virtual photocopy of President Aquino’s national expenditure program, and voted against the conviction of

The Senate of the Philippines.

President Aquino’s pet peeve, the impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona.

On his last term as congressman of Makati, Arroyo led the House of Representatives team that prosecuted the impeached Estrada in late 2000, until the prosecution team walked out on Jan. 16, triggering Edsa II. Following Estrada’s ouster, Arroyo was elected to his first term as a senator as part of the so-called People Power Coalition put together by the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration.

Because of his well-documented reticence about spending taxpayers’ money, Arroyo will probably be best remembered as the Scrooge of Congress in his 21 years there—nine as congressman and 12 as senator.

Quiet exit

“I prefer to exit quietly,” Pangilinan said about leaving the Senate without a valedictory.

He said he would like to be remembered as a lawmaker who engaged people’s organizations and other stakeholders in helping improve communities across the country.

“I ran in 2001 with the slogan, ‘Kumilos kasama si Kiko (Move

PHOTO BY ROBERT VIÑAS/MALACAÑANG PHOTO

ahead with Kiko).’ I’d like to think that with our initiatives, we were able to mobilize stakeholders to engage with the government and reshape communities nationwide,” Pangilinan said.

Pangilinan is an advocate of judicial reform, having chaired the Senate committee on justice and serving concurrently as congressional representative to the Judicial and Bar Council.

Even as he was about to bow out last Wednesday, Pangilinan sponsored and successfully sought the ratification of the bicameral committee conference report on the amendments to the Juvenile Justice Act, seeking mandatory confinement for rehabilitation purposes of youth offenders between 12 to 15 years old.

As head of the agriculture committee, Pangilinan looked into the smuggling of rice and discovered the use of dummy farmers’ cooperatives by a few moneyed individuals to corner rice import permits.

Look at the records

Asked if he was looking forward to a vacation after his term ends, Pangilinan said: “Yes. A long one, preferably, so I can devote time to Sharon and www.canadianinquirer.net

the children.”

Like Arroyo and Pangilinan, Lacson also skipped the traditional farewell and valedictory piece. Unlike the two, however, Lacson was one of the few candidates from the coalition backed by the disgraced Estrada to have been elected in 2001.

“I find it too ordinary and boring. Everything is on record in the Senate archives. I know exactly how many bills I sponsored and authored which were enacted into laws,” said the former police chief to explain why he disdained a valedictory.

“I know how many exposés I delivered on the floor that led to cases filed with the Ombudsman and the courts. I know how much lobby money I declined and rejected. I know how many billions of pesos I managed to save for the government out of my share of the pork barrel which I did not avail,” he said.

“Most of all, I know how I managed to keep my nose clean in all 12 years that I served as a senator,” he said.

Propelled into the Senate by his tough-policeman image as Estrada’s chief crime-buster, Lacson acquired the reputation of an anticorruption fighter, launching one exposé after another against Jose Miguel Ar-

royo, the husband of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

He was active in successive Senate inquiries into alleged corruption in the Arroyo administration involving jueteng, or the illegal numbers game, the aborted NBN-ZTE deal and the alleged fertilizer fund scam, and in alleged electoral fraud, particularly the infamous “Hello Garci” scandal.

Lacson blamed the Arroyos for the supposed political persecution that ended in the filing of murder charges against him in 2010 in connection with the Dacer-Corbito murders.

Claiming to be “a fugitive from injustice,” the senator fled the country shortly before an arrest warrant could be served against him. He returned more than a year later in 2011, after the case against him was dismissed.

Lacson and Pangilinan, known allies of President Aquino, are expected to be appointed to Cabinet positions.

The last 12 years

The two graduating senators who served as Senate Presidents chose to make a formal goodbye with a report of what ❱❱ PAGE 9 No goodbyes

Philippine News

FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013 8

PH ranks among most gay-friendly in the world

BY PHILIP C. TUBEZA Philippine Daily Inquirer THE Philippines has earned its ranking as one of few gayfriendly countries in the world.

Of the 39 countries covered by a global survey, only 17 countries had majorities that accepted homosexuality, with the Philippines ranking at number 10 among the 17.

Despite its religiosity, the Philippines is one of the countries in the world where the level of public “acceptance” of homosexuals is high, according to the results of the survey.

The survey titled “The Global Divide on Homosexuality” conducted by the US-based Pew Research Center showed that 73 percent of adult Filipinos agreed with the statement that “homosexuality should be accepted by society,” up by nine percentage points from 2002.

The percentage of Filipinos who said society should not accept gays fell from 33 percent in 2002 to 26 percent this year, it added.

This high level of acceptance, which is comparable to that found in secular western Europe, is even higher than those found in Japan (54 percent), South Korea (39 percent) or the United States (60 percent), where some states allow gay marriage.

“Brazilians and Filipinos are considerably more tolerant of homosexuality than their coun-

tries’ relatively high levels of religiosity would suggest,” the Pew survey report said.

The Philippines bucked the trend found in the survey showing that gays are mostly accepted in rich and secularized countries.

“The survey … finds that acceptance of homosexuality is particularly widespread in countries where religion is less central in people’s lives.

These are also among the richest countries in the world,” the Pew report said.

“In contrast, in poorer countries with high levels of religiosity, few believe homosexuality should be accepted by society,” it added.

Religiosity scale

The Philippines is said to be one of the most religious countries in the world and almost a third of its population lives below the poverty line. In the survey’s “religiosity scale” where a score of “3” was the most religious, the Philippines almost got 2.5.

“Age is also a factor in several countries, with younger respondents offering far more tolerant views than older ones,” the survey report said.

And while gender differences are not prevalent, in those countries where they are, women are consistently more accepting of homosexuality than men,” it added.

In the Philippines, 78 percent of those aged 18-29 who were interviewed said gays should be

Sona seen to harp on economy

BY MICHAEL LIM UBAC Philippine Daily Inquirer MALACAÑANG has begun drafting President Benigno Aquino III’s fourth State of the Nation Address (Sona) which he will deliver during the joint opening session of the 16th Congress on July 22.

Cabinet Secretary Rene Almendras is the point person in collating all the accomplishments of the administration from the different departments and agencies of the govern-

ment, Malacañang said on Saturday.

“The PMS (Presidential Management Staff ) is responsible for tracking the promises made last in the last Sona—what we have delivered, what we failed to deliver,” said presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda in an interview over state-run Radyo ng Bayan.

Lacierda said he was told by Undersecretary Manolo Quezon III, one of the President’s speechwriters, that the “outline” of the speech had been revised twice.

PHOTO FROM GETTY IMAGES

accepted, 71 percent for those aged 30-49, and 68 percent for those 50 years old and above, according to the survey.

The report also showed that of the eight countries surveyed in the Asia-Pacific region, the Philippines had the second highest acceptance rate next to Australia’s 79 percent.

“In the Asia-Pacific region, where views of homosexuality are mostly negative, more than seven in 10 in Australia and the Philippines say homosexuality should be accepted by society,” the report said.

In contrast, only three percent of people in neighboring Indonesia, nine percent in Malaysia and 21 percent in China said homosexuality should be accepted, the report added.

“It’s just the outline, not the (full) speech yet,” said Lacierda.

“Maybe between now and the State of the Nation Address, apart from the (Cabinet) briefings, the daily work of the President will be engaging— if there are opportunities to meet—with speechwriters and also with the Cabinet secretaries, PMS, to discuss the State of the Nation Address,” he said.

On July 22, when the legislature convenes to formally open the 16th Congress, Mr. Aquino will deliver his fourth report to the public.

The President is widely expected to highlight the economic gains of his three-year-old administration and the structural reforms he has instituted since assuming office in 2010.

With a resounding victory for www.canadianinquirer.net

Not impressed

However, Filipino gay groups were not impressed by the survey results.

When asked if the gay community in the Philippines felt accepted, Jonas Bagas, executive director of the TLF Share Collective, said: “Hardly.”

“I think that the study only reflects the perceived acceptance of the LGBT community based on the high visibility of gay entertainers. It’s acceptance [that is] contingent on how you fit the acceptable stereotype—the gay entertainer, the creative, talented bakla, the lesbian security guard,” Bagas said.

“Once you go outside these stereotypes, that’s when you encounter rejection,” he added.

Bagas said a Filipino student

in a lesbian relationship faces higher probability of getting kicked out of her school than a student in a heterosexual relationship.

“We still have strong biases against gay sex, which for many is still deemed immoral and unnatural. This attitude fosters inequality in our laws, in education, healthcare and even within the family,” Bagas said.

The Pew report said those who conducted the survey had face-to-face interviews with 804 Filipinos aged 18 and above from March 10 to April 3 this year. The interviews were conducted in Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilonggo, Ilocano and Bicolano.

The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.5 percent. ■

Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda: “The PMS (Presidential Management Staff) is responsible for tracking the promises made in the last Sona—what we have delivered, what we failed to deliver.”

PHOTO FROM RUFFYBIAZON.PH

the ruling party and its allies in May’s midterm elections, Mr. Aquino will seek the adoption of his legislative agenda that has turned the once basket case of Asia into the region’s fastest-

growing economy.

When he was interviewed on Monday, the President made it clear that he would let the country’s strong economic performance speak for itself. ■

Philippine News

9 FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013

Farmers press... ❰❰ 3

Virgilio de los Reyes was out of town on Monday and instead, his undersecretary, Jose Grageda, issued a statement reiterating that the department would be able to complete land acquisition and distribution before the President’s term ends in 2016.

“We remain optimistic that the remaining balance of ‘Carpable’ lands will be acquired by the DAR and distributed to qualified beneficiaries before June 2016,” he said in a statement.

No goodbyes... ❰❰ 7

they did in the past 12 years.

Villar, the Speaker of the House of Representatives that transmitted the impeachment complaint against Estrada to the Senate in 2000, became Senate President in July 2006.

Villar lost the Senate presidency in 2008 amid questions about the construction of the C-5 Road extension in southern Metro Manila that allegedly benefited his real-estate businesses. He denied any wrongdoing.

Villar was a strong contender for the presidency in 2010 until the then Sen. Benigno Aquino III threw his hat into the ring following the death of his mother, former President Corazon Aquino, in August 2009.

“I stand here today both proud and humbled. Proud, because in my more than two decades of public service I can confidently proclaim that I have exerted all efforts toward this ideal: That the life path I took from poverty to progress may be experienced by our countrymen too,” he said in his valedictory on Wednesday.

Villar ran his presidential campaign in 2010 on a platform of providing livelihood for the country’s poor people, the same program that his wife, Cynthia, successfully employed when she made her Senate run in the May 13 elections.

He said that while he witnessed senators locked in bitter disagreements during his two-term stint as Senate President, “this democratic institution has survived because (we have) the interest of the nation at heart.”

“We have battled against each other, we debated issues, and we stood united amidst challenges but I am most grateful for the friendship,” he said.

“We may have had face-to-face battles but, at the end of the day, we all walk shoulder to shoulder, arm in arm to perform the people’s work,” Villar added.

He told the batch of incoming senators that their job is to ensure that the President’s legislative agenda for economic growth is sustained.

“The stunning performance of our stock market would only be meaningful if people have food on their table. The increased confidence on the Philippine economy would only be significant if

people have decent jobs that would allow them to build a bright future for their family,” he reminded them.

‘Focus on good politics’

The longest-serving senator after the first Edsa People Power Revolution in 1986, Angara was first elected to the chamber in 1987, serving two terms until 1998, when he ran for vice president with Estrada.

After four terms in the Senate broken only by two stints in the Estrada Cabinet, Angara is now set to focus on his jobs as president of Southeast Asia Parliamentarians Against Corruption and vice chair of the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption.

It being a valedictory speech, Angara enumerated his achievements such as those that led to the creation of the Commission on Higher Education and the Technical Education and Skill Development Authority, the Philippine Rice Research Institute and the Congressional Commission on Science, Technology and Engineering.

Angara also said he was instrumental in the passage of such vital laws such as the Kindergarten Act, Magna Carta for Small Farmers, Senior Citizens Act and the Breastfeeding Law. He warned incoming senators that “pockets of corruption” remain in the bureaucracy despite the efforts of the Aquino administration to instill an atmosphere of good governance.

Angara offered a bit of unsolicited advice to the colleagues he is leaving behind. He said senators should focus on “good politics … marked by close collaboration” with Malacañang instead of engaging in “political intramurals” that he said have no place in government.

He said that it was during his leadership of the Senate during the Fidel Ramos administration that the Legislative and Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) was formed, fostering an unprecedented cooperation between the legislative and executive branches.

According to Angara, while Congress’ role as fiscalizer remains necessary for check and balance, the “golden age” also proved that “obstructionism for the sole sake of opposition is self-serving.” ■

Distribution beyond 2014

Grageda appealed to agrarian reform advocates, particularly farmers’ groups and civil society, to stop telling CARP beneficiaries that the program coverage was set to end in 2014 saying, “These irresponsible statements may only agitate our landless peasants to resort to violence.”

De los Reyes has been roundly criticized by farmer groups and the Catholic Church for his alleged ineptitude.

Grageda said rumor of the CARP expiration next year was based on a misinterpretation of the law, emphasizing that there was nothing in it that limits the distribution to next year.

www.canadianinquirer.net

“In fact, Section 30 of Republic Act No. 9700 (amendments to the CARP) states that the implementation of CARP can be conducted even beyond 2014 with respect to those with pending case or proceeding. This is the purpose why the DAR has been diligently working to issue and validly serve all notices of coverage before 2014,” he said.

The notice of coverage initiates the compulsory acquisition of private agricultural lands and is similar to summons issued by a court, he said.

“Once a notice of coverage is served, the landholding it covers is deemed encompassed by the CARP,” Grageda pointed out, adding that it was critical for the agency to serve all notices of coverage before June 30 next year.

As of December 2012, he said, the DAR had issued around 95 percent of the notices of coverage for all agricultural landholdings above 10 hectares. A close coordination by the agency with the Land Registration Authority has allowed DAR to obtain certified true copies of the covered land titles for the issuance of the notices. ■ With a report from Delfin T. Mallari Jr., Inquirer Southern Luzon

Philippine News

Buhay, An Waray partylists: Why us?

Winners reject Comelec plan to take back 3 seats

BY CHRISTIAN V. ESGUERRA Philippine Daily Inquirer WHY us?

The Buhay Hayaan Yumabong (Buhay), which topped the party-list election on May 13, just can’t accept the decision of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to take away one of the three seats in the House of Representatives that it has won and reserve it for another party that is not yet sure of making it to the House.

Another party, the An Waray, is also not allowing the Comelec to take one of the two seats it has won and reserve it for the Coalition of Associations of Senior Citizens (Senior Citizens).

If the Comelec insists on giving it just one seat, the An Waray said on Saturday that it will bring the matter to the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET).

Lito Atienza, a nominee of the Buhay, on Friday rejected the Comelec’s decision to implement a Supreme Court order favoring the Senior Citizens at his group’s expense.

“The Supreme Court didn’t say the Comelec should get Senior Citizens’ seat from us.

That’s unfair,” Atienza, former mayor of Manila, told the Inquirer in a phone interview.

The Buhay party polled more than 1 million votes, entitling it to three seats in the House.

But the Comelec decided on Wednesday to temporarily give

FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013 10

one seat when they got only 300,000 votes. If we follow this template, then the Buhay should get four seats because we got 1.3 million votes.”

Should the Comelec decision stick, Buhay Rep. Irwin Tieng would lose another three-year term because he is the party’s third nominee.

The Buhay’s first nominee is Michael Velarde, son of preacher Mike Velarde, leader of El Shaddai Movement. Atienza is the party’s second nominee.

HRET’s jurisdiction

Rep. Florencio “Beb” G. Noel.

PHOTO FROM ANWARAY.COM

the Buhay only two seats and two other winning parties that each won two seats—the Magdalo and the An Waray—only one seat each and reserve those seats for the Senior Citizens.

The Comelec earlier disqualified the Senior Citizens from contesting the party-list election, but the group, already represented in the House, challenged the Comelec’s decision in the Supreme Court.

Pending resolution of the Senior Citizens’ petition, the Supreme Court ordered the Comelec on Wednesday to temporarily stop the party’s disqualification and reserve a seat, or seats, for it in the House.

To obey the court’s order, the Comelec decided to take one seat each from the Buhay, the Magdalo and the An Waray parties.

Comelec Chair Sixto Brillantes Jr. said the new seat allocations for the three parties would become permanent should the Supreme Court rule with finality in favor of the Senior Citizens.

Unsound decision

But Atienza sees the Comelec decision as unsound.

“Where is the arithmetical justification for that?” Atienza asked.

He said the Comelec should instead get seats from party-list groups that were proclaimed winners despite polling only around 300,000 votes.

“Where’s the accurate representation of the people’s will in that?” he asked.

“They should look at the bottom rung. Some groups got

An Waray Rep. Florencio Noel on Saturday said his party was not bothered that the Comelec might take away its second congressional seat.

“I don’t think it’s possible,” he told the Inquirer, citing the previous resolution of the Comelec, sitting as the national board of canvassers, proclaiming the An Waray’s victory.

“It’s clear there that we were allotted two seats even if there is still no certificate of proclamation, which is only ministerial,” Noel said.

Since the An Waray has already been proclaimed winner and allotted two seats, Noel said that the HRET, not the Comelec, now has jurisdiction over the question of the number of congressional seats.

“We’re not bothered because we know that they can’t remove our second seat,” he said. “To us, the issue is jurisdictional.

If the Comelec proceeds (with taking away one of our seats), we will write them.”

The Comelec disqualified the Senior Citizens for term-sharing involving the two seats it won in the 2010 election.

Had it not been disqualified, the Senior Citizens would have finished the party-list race in 10th place, having garnered 677,642 votes.

Five seats remaining

Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal said on Friday that the Comelec could not rescind without due process the Buhay’s proclamation on May 28 as the top party-list group, with an allocation of three seats in the House.

Macalintal said the Supreme Court order should not affect the Buhay.

He said the Comelec should get the reserved seats for the Senior Citizens from the five seats that the election watchdog had not yet assigned to any group. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

Palace says communists delaying peace talks

BY TJ A. BURGONIO Philippine Daily Inquirer A PROTRACTED war alongside protracted negotiations.

Malacañang suggested on Monday this communist guerrilla strategy, rejecting rebel claims that the Aquino administration was derailing the search for an end to the world’s longest-running Maoist insurgency.

“We would like to have a peace agreement with them,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a news briefing.

“It is not us who are the stumbling block to the peace process.”

He said the government had always acted in good faith in negotiations, but the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), New People’s Army (NPA) and National Democratic Front (NDF) had not reciprocated accordingly.

“It is unfortunate that after 22 difficult years of trying to achieve peace with the CPPNPA-NDF, the talks are again in another prolonged impasse,” Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita “Ging” Deles said in a statement.

“But we have realized that the tortuous and protracted pace of the peace talks has been designed by the CPPNPA-NDF precisely to make the process protracted, and in fact, unending, while, without conceding anything to the government, it harvests for itself as many concessions as it can in terms of virtual international recognition and the release of their detained comrades,” Deles said.

“We are therefore bringing the peace talks back to its core intent of ending the violence against our people and attaining a just and lasting peace. To do this, there is a need for a new approach under which the community and other peace stakeholders should play a pivotal role. And on this rests our hope and belief that peace will, sooner than later, reign in our land.”

In interviews with the Inquirer last week, NPA commanders in Abra province

expressed skepticism that a peace agreement would be forged to end the decades-old Maoist insurgency.

Abuses by government troops in clear breach of the 1998 Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (Carhrihl) have made such an agreement difficult, they claimed.

The rebels singled out the military’s counterinsurgency program, “Oplan Bantay Laya,” as the main factor for the rise in human rights violations.

For instance, air strikes on May 31 by the military that hit rice fields and residential areas in Lat-ey and Alligang in Malibcong, Abra, wounded two minors, aged 13 and 17, the Abra Human Rights Alliance said.

NPA child soldiers?

Deles said she tried to confirm the allegation from Malibcong Mayor Benito Bacuyag who said there was no record of casualties in the air strikes. The mayor suggested that those wounded could have been NPA child soldiers, Deles said.

Negotiations between the CPP-NPA-NDF and the government have been stalled since 2004.

Lacierda recalled that the government had pushed for a ceasefire and followed international conventions on the conduct of warfare with the rebels.

“I think if you look at the history, or rather several news reports, several years back, we have not used landmines, we have not violated Carhrihl,” Lacierda said.

“In the last proposal of NDF chair Joma Sison, he asked for a ceasefire. We were very happy with it. Suddenly, they withdrew that offer of cessation of hostilities. So it’s not us who’s stopping it,” he said.

The NPA has come under fire for using a landmine in the May 27 ambush of a truckload of policemen in Cagayan province that left eight policemen dead.

They were en route to a medical examination when they were waylaid by the rebels, who ❱❱ PAGE 15 Palace says

Philippine News

11 FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013

Lowly ‘labahita’ may yet help heal Tubbataha atolls

BY DJ YAP Philippine Daily Inquirer MANILA, Philippines—They aren’t the most beautiful fish in the sea, but the labahita may just be what the Tubbataha Reefs need to regenerate after being bruised by the intrusions of two foreign vessels earlier this year.

With the presence of labahita, also known as surgeonfish, two atolls in Tubbataha may heal in 30 to 40 years from the damage inflicted on them by the groundings of a US Navy minesweeper in January and a Chinese fishing boat in April, an expert said.

On the eve of Coral Triangle Day, the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF)Philippines paid tribute to the reefdwelling surgeonfish for its potential pivotal role in the regeneration of the World Heritage Site located in a remote spot in the Sulu Sea. “Perpetually browsing on algae, forever ignored because of their dull colors, these little lawn mowers are the secret to Tubbataha’s recovery,” WWF-Philippines communications manager Gregg Yan said of the fish so named for the sharp, scalpel-like spikes on their tail.

Coral scientist Al Licuanan proposed the regeneration of the damaged atolls after a recent diving expedition to Tubbataha by a team of researchers and environmentalists, according to WWFPhilippines.

“The key to it all might be surgeonfish,” Licuanan said.

The constant grazing of the fish on algae keeps the seaweeds from taking over the freshly exposed rock, allowing coral larvae to resettle on the scars left by the groundings of the two vessels, he said.

“With enough luck, the scars should heal in 30 to 40 years,” Licuanan said.

Licuanan led the team of researchers, park rangers and environmentalists from the Tubbataha Management Office (TMO), the Department of Science and Technology, WWF-Philippines, the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute, and De La Salle University to assess the damage caused by the groundings.

Chinese poachers

On April 8, a 48-meter-by-8-meter fishing vessel from China carrying 12 suspected poachers got stuck on an atoll in Tubbataha, destroying 3,902 square meters of coral, including a number of massive 500-year-old Porites corals sheared cleanly in half, WWF-Philippines said.

The vessel was confiscated and the poachers charged and fined.

The incident happened three months after the minesweeper USS Guardian ran aground on another atoll in Tubbataha on Jan. 17.

Salvors had to dismantle the vessel piece by piece to save the reef from further damage.

The last part of the warship, the stern, was removed from the reef on March 30.

By the time the ship was completely removed, some 2,345 sq m of coral had been destroyed, WWF-Philippines said.

The Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is located in the center of the Sulu Sea. It protects nearly 100,000 hectares of high-quality marine habitats including three atolls and a large area of deep sea.

Tubbataha is home to whales, dolphins, sharks, turtles and Napoleon wrasse. It supports more than 350 species of coral and about 500 species of fish and for this, it has been declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco).

The marine park also protects one of the few remaining colonies of breeding seabirds in the region, according to Unesco.

Tourists welcome

Tourists are welcome in Tubbataha, and a 12-hour, live-aboard cruise can be booked in Puerto Princesa City. But strong waves confine recreational diving to the months of April, May and June, WWF Tubbataha project manager Marivel Dygico said.

“Tubbataha earned its moniker from visiting Samal tribesmen who called it ‘long reef,’ after the exposed coral formations revealed daily by the tide,” she said.

The rich biodiversity in the Tubbataha waters translates into unrivaled productivity, according to WWF-Philippines.

“Whereas a typical square kilometer of healthy coral reef yields up to 40 metric tons of seafood yearly, Tubbataha generates over 200,” the group said.

Fishing within the marine park is not allowed, leaving the fish and other marine life in its waters to enrich the farther reaches of the Sulu Sea with spawn.

The surgeonfish, a tropical bony fish known locally as “labahita,” may yet help heal the Tubbataha atolls from the damage inflicted by the groundings of a US Navy minesweeper in January and a Chinese fishing boat in April.

PHOTO BY TRISHA SHEARS

tion of the epicenter of the world’s marine biodiversity, is marked on June 9 each year, in conjunction with World Oceans Day, observed the day before, TMO said.

Reef degradation

About 85 percent of the reefs in the Coral Triangle are in decline, with the

Coral Triangle

WWF-Philippines’ Yan described Tubbataha as the “undisputed jewel of the Coral Triangle,” a marine area encompassing portions of the tropical waters of the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste.

The Coral Triangle is home to 30 percent of the world’s coral reefs, 75 percent of coral species and almost 3,000 species of fish, according to TMO. “Ocean currents carry larvae from the Coral Triangle to other parts of the world, supplying the globe with marine resources. It is the geographic center of global marine biodiversity and an international priority for conservation,” TMO said.

Coral Triangle Day, a global celebrawww.canadianinquirer.net

Philippines leading in reef degradation, World Resources Institute said in a recent study called “Reefs at Risk.”

As of 2010, only 1 percent of Philippine reefs, including Tubbataha, are in excellent condition, and about 40 percent are in poor condition, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources said. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013 12

P-noy wants better protection if Filipino UN peacekeepers stay in Golan Heights The Associated Press

PHOTO BY THE CIA

13 dead as van plunges into ravine in northern Philippines The Associated Press BAGUIO, Philippines—At least 13 people died when the van they were riding in plunged into a deep ravine in the mountainous northern Philippines, officials said Sunday.

The van veered off a mountain road in remote Buguias town in Benguet province on Saturday and plummeted into a 90-meter (295-foot) deep ravine, initially killing 10 people. Two more victims died later Saturday and another victim died in a hospital on Sunday, Benguet Governor Nestor Fongwan said.

Five other people survived with injuries, Fongwan said by telephone, adding one of the 19 people in the van managed to jump out before the van went over the cliff.

The victims were mostly

members of a family who attended an election victory party for a town mayor. Investigators were trying to determine if the driver, who was among the survivors, was at fault or if the van he was driving had mechanical defects, Fongwan said.

Fog apparently hampered road visibility at the time of the accident, police officer Jefferson Lopez said.

The accident was the deadliest so far this year in the northern region, a scenic agricultural and tourist destination 250 kilometres (155 miles) north of Manila where many mountain roads lack railings, lights and safety signs.

Reckless driving, neglected vehicles and roads, and poor enforcement of traffic laws have been blamed for the many deadly road accidents in the Philippines. ■

MANILA, Philippines—President Benigno Aquino III said Tuesday that he wants better protection and a robust mandate for the country's U.N. contingent in the Golan Heights if he decides to keep them there at the risk of violence coming from Syria.

Aquino said he was weighing a proposal made by his foreign secretary to withdraw all 342 Filipino U.N. peacekeepers, which will be discussed at a security meeting later Tuesday.

The recommendation follows two separate abductions and shelling by Syrian rebels inside the U.N.-patrolled demarcation line separating Syria from the Israeli-occupied plateau. Two peacekeepers from the Philip-

pines and India were wounded last week during fighting between Syrian government and rebel forces.

Austria announced last week that it would remove its 377 peacekeepers from the 911-member U.N. force, which also includes troops from India.

That leaves the Philippines as the largest single contributor.

Croatia withdrew in March for fears its troops would be targeted.

“There are a lot of countries pulling out. There is heightened fear that if the whole U.N. detachment or the U.N. forces there pull out, there will be no buffer between Israel and Syria,” Aquino said, adding that if that happens, “the two forces will draw closer ... and there will be a flare-up of hostilities again.”

Aquino said that the changes

he was looking for included additional equipment and enhanced security for the peacekeepers, and different rules of engagement.

“If there is no change in the conditions, it might be an undoable mission and our poor troops will be in the middle of two potentially clashing forces and they cannot defend themselves,” he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin last week offered to send Russian troops to the Golan Heights to replace the Austrians, but this was quickly shot down by Josephine Guerrero, a spokeswoman for the U.N. peacekeeping department. She said that the disengagement agreement does not allow the participation of troops from a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council. ■

Lacson wants to head anti-corruption task force with ‘operational capability’

BY GIL C. CABACUNGAN JR. Philippine Daily Inquirer MANILA, Philippines—Senator Panfilo Lacson said on Sunday that he would accept a Cabinet position if President Aquino would give him “operational capability” in the job.

“I have expressed my preference, if possible, to assign me to an anti-corruption drive where I would have operational capability. Otherwise, that will be just a paper position, nothing to accomplish, so why will I go there?” said Lacson in an interview with DZBB radio.

“We have had initial talks but these were too general. He mentioned that I could be his ‘bastonero’ or a fireman but he gave no details so it’s hard to speculate. I just heard that he would sign an EO (Executive Order) for the office,” said Lacson who was head of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force during the Estrada administration.

“I do not want to speculate because it all depends on how broad the authority and manwww.canadianinquirer.net

Senator Panfilo Lacson.

date will be granted to the new office or position waiting for me, if there is indeed one.”

Lacson said he would not step on anybody’s toes if ever he got a Cabinet job. “The only ones who will be hurt are those who belong to what Senator (Edgardo) Angara cited in his valedictory, as pockets of corruption in agencies that do not adhere to

PHOTO FROM WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

the President’s vision of “tuwid na daan” and good governance,” said Lacson.

He said the envisioned anticorruption task force would fill a void in government. “The government is either focused on prosecution while the Sandiganbayan handles the trial.

That’s why this is challenging and interesting,” said Lacson. ■

Philippine News

13 FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013

THE ROCKSTAR. Kabang lost her snout and upper jaw in December 2011. The “askal” jumped in

front of a motorcycle to save two little girls—his owner’s daughter and her cousin. Donations poured in from all over the world so that Kabang could be treated in University of California-Davis, where a team of veterinarians closed the gaping wound on her face and reconstructed her nostril.

PHOTO BY GREGORY URQUIAGA, UC DAVIS

Rock star welcome for hero dog Kabang

BY JEROME ANING Philippine Daily Inquirer MANILA, Philippines—Hero dog Kabang, a mixed-breed who lost half her face saving the lives of two girls, was mobbed like a rock star upon her return early Saturday morning from the United States, where she underwent medical treatment for eight months.

Kabang and her handler, Filipino veterinarian Anton Lim, arrived at around 3:30 a.m. at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 on board Philippine Airlines flight PR-105 from San Francisco, California.

Members of the media flocked to Kabang as soon as she was cleared by quarantine personnel and let out of her cage at the arrival section. The dog appeared initially startled by the pop and flash of cameras but became friendly and playful as Lim and the reporters soothed her.

Many passengers and airport employees who were in the area cheered and applauded while others were teary-eyed as Kabang passed by them. They also took snapshots of the dog using their cell phone and table cameras. Some even posed with the dog for a souvenir shot.

“She’s as normal as she can be. She doesn’t need any special medication. So aside from the aesthetic, she’s normal,” Lim said when asked how Kabang was faring, even with her snout and upper jaw missing.

The dog was present at a press conference held by local members of Team Kabang, composed of the Animal Welfare Coalition and other groups that helped raise funds for the dog’s operations, later in the morning. Kabang was to return to her owner in Zamboanga City this afternoon.

“The most difficult was the operation to close the nostrils. The wound was covered so that she would no longer need antibiotics,” Lim said.

The veterinarian thanked donors from 45 countries who helped fund Kabang’s treatment at the University of California (UC), Davis, with $27,000 in donations raised in the Philippines and abroad.

we’re planning is to make her an ambassador of ‘dog-will’ and promote responsible pet ownership,” Lim added.

Kabang’s snout and upper jaw were sheared off in December 2011 when she jumped into the path of a motorcycle, stopping it from running over her owner’s daughter and niece in a southern Zamboanga city.

She was later flown to William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital in UC-Davis to undergo surgery to close her wound.

UC-Davis veterinary professor Frank Verstraete said doctors at the hospital performed surgery to heal her wounds but they could not reconstruct Kabang’s jaw or snout.

Doctors had to first treat her for other ailments, including a tumor and heartworm, to ensure her wounds would heal.

They took skin from her cheeks, neck and forehead to cover up sensitive areas that were exposed on her face during surgery in March, Verstraete said.

Widespread sympathy

Kabang won widespread sympathy because of her injuries from what has been described as a heroic act. A nurse from Buffalo, New York, spearheaded a fund-raising campaign to bring Kabang to the US because Philippine veterinaries could not treat her.

Lim said a parade is planned for Kabang’s homecoming Sunday in Zambo-

anga.

True to her celebrity status, Kabang also had sponsors and is expected to do endorsements.

According to the Facebook page “Care for Kabang,” the UC-Davis medical team sent Kabang home with a year’s supply of heartworm, flea and tick prevention medicine courtesy of Pfizer. Pet food manufacturer Pedigree will also give a lifetime supply of food to Kabang. The Philippine Airlines Foundation also shouldered the dog’s plane fare.

Other companies in the US that helped Kabang were Hertz Rental Car, Hallmark Inn of Davis and O’Brien Animal Transportation.

The Facebook announcement clarified that Kabang will remain with her owner and that the dog has not been adopted by Lim. “[Lim] will be there for her and Rudy for the rest of her life. For those of you not in the Philippines, understand that Kabang is a major celebrity there and she will, undoubtedly, go on a VIP tour of the country to support education on proper animal care and animal rights. She will not be neglected and will be treated very well. Her life will be happy and healthy.

Thank you all for coming along with us on this amazing journey. None of it could have happened without your support,” the announcement stated. ■ With a report from AP

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Hope restored

“It is very fulfilling that at least our hope in humanity is restored,” he said, adding that Kabang has become a symbol of “unconditional love” shown by a human being toward his or her pet.

“If you give unconditional love to your dog, of course they will give it back to you. So, she saved two lives so the whole world actually came together to save her, so it is really a very nice symbol for everyone,” he said.

Although Kabang will be spending time with her owner, Rudy Bunggal, Lim said the dog, as soon as she settled down, would embark on a mission.

“She’s a hero not just in the Philippines but all over the world. So what

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Philippine News

FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013 14

5 government execs PH preparing to host 2 summits charged for escape of Korean fugitive

BY MICHAEL LIM UBAC Philippine Daily Inquirer

BY MICHAEL LIM UBAC Philippine Daily Inquirer MANILA, Philippines — Four immigration officers and a transportation officer are facing criminal and administrative cases, including bribery, after they were held liable for the departure of a Korean fugitive from the country last March 19.

A fact-finding body of the Department of Justice (DOJ) made the recommendation to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima last June 4 after it wrapped up its investigation of how Korean fugitive Park Sungjun was able to slip out of the country via the Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminal 2 in Parañaque City.

President Aquino had called for the investigation himself, irked at how Park was able to get away despite being blacklisted and in the immigration watch list.

Recommended to be charged were Augustus Ceasar Morales, immigration officer and supervisor at the airport arrival area; Ma. Roselle Sacendoncillo, acting immigration officer; Fernando Pedrajas of the Department of Transportation and Communications-Office of Transportation Security; and immigration lawyers Arvin Cesar Santos and Jing Oliver A. Balina.

Morales, Sacendoncillo and Pedrajas were recommended to be charged for bribery; persuading or including another public officer to commit an offense (violation of Section 3(a) of Rep. Act 3019 or Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act); solicitation or acceptance of gifts and for grave misconduct (violation of section 7(d) of Rep. Act 6713or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees).

All these arose from the findings that Morales instructed Sacendoncillo to clear Park for departure despite knowing the Korean was in the immigration blacklist. Morales had also handed P10,000 cash to Sacendoncillo. For his part, Pedrajas was the one who escorted Park

ILLUSTRATION BY ROBERT CHURCHILL

to the immigration departure counter even if he was already off duty.

Immigration lawyers Santos, head of the Bureau of Immigration’s Law and Investigative Division, and Balina were recommended to be charged for knowingly approving or granting any license or permit to a person not legally entitled to it (violation of section 3( j) of Rep. Act 3019), as well as for gross neglect of duty.

Santos and Balina were held liable for recommending the extension of Park’s visa application when only a month before that, they were aware through documents coursed through their office that the Korean national was put on the immigration watch list on the request of the Korean embassy.

Park was wanted then in his country in connection with a $25-million investment scam.

The Korean national was apprehended by Korean authorities though when his Manila flight landed in Seoul.

The fact-finding team, meanwhile, cleared immigration officer Anna Primerose Mati of any involvement in the case, and was recommended to be taken out of the lookout list. Mati was seen in the CCTV footage in the airport to have been in the counter of Sacendoncillo but she told investigators she did not process Park’s documents and had asked for some snacks from Sacendoncillo. ■

THE Philippines will host two international summits—the World Economic Forum on East Asia in 2014 and the Asia Pacific Economic Conference (Apec) in 2015–as the government seeks to showcase the country’s march to progress, according to Palace officials.

“We have preparations in place,” said presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda in a radio interview on Saturday.

He disclosed that the President had already designated a “lead agency” tasked to make the summits a success. “We will just have to confirm first which is the lead agency, and we’ll let you know,” Lacierda said.

He later told the Inquirer by text that the Office of the President itself would be on top of the preparations for the two summits.

When he attended the WEF on East Asia at Naypyitaw, Burma (Myanmar) on Friday, Mr. Aquino formally accepted Manila’s hosting of the next East Asia summit. He had earlier consented to hosting the 23rd summit when he attended the global WEF in Davos, Switzer-

land, in January.

Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang, who accompanied the President to Burma, told the Inquirer yesterday that “there’s a committee doing the planning” for both the WEF and Apec. “(The committee) is composed of the same group working on Apec,” said Carandang.

He added, “(The government will show) that this is a country that you can do business in, and that has a vibrant but still under-appreciated cultural life.”

The summits would “also show what opportunities are available for investment.”

He said tourism and businesses would also benefit from holding the summits here.

Brightest spark

In his departure statement before leaving for Burma, the President said his attendance at the 22nd WEF regional summit was doubly significant because of Manila’s hosting of the 23rd summit.

“This means that we have an opportunity to announce the exemplary performance of the economy because of the straight path, and encourage the leaders and business not to waste the chance to join in the flight of what is being rec-

ognized as Southeast Asia’s brightest spark—no other than our beloved Philippines,” said Mr. Aquino.

Apec considers itself as the “premier forum for facilitating economic growth, cooperation, trade and investment in the Asia Pacific.” It has no treaty obligations unlike the World Trade Organization, but provides an avenue for global leaders to undertake commitments “on a voluntary basis.”

A Geneva-based nonprofit organization, the WEF is an independent international organization committed “to improving the state of the world by engaging business, political, academic and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.”

Mr. Aquino arrived in Manila from Burma on board a chartered Philippine Airlines plane at 12:40 a.m. on Saturday.

His day-long stay in Burma allowed him to meet with Burmese President Thein Sein and WEF founder and executive chair Klaus Schwab. He also attended a luncheon hosted by Ayala Corp.

The President also met with democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, chair and general secretary of the National League for Democracy. ■

The recently-concluded World Economic Forum on East Asia 2013, held June 5-7 in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar. The Philippines is set to host the World Economic Forum on East Asia in 2014 and the Asia Pacific Economic Conference (Apec) in 2015.

PHOTO BY WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

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Philippine News

15 FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013

Palace says... ❰❰ 10

detonated the landmine before opening fire.

Precondition

Lacierda said the formal peace process had been “stymied” by the rebel insistence on the release of captured insurgents as a precondition for the resumption of talks.

Signed in 1995, the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (Jasig) guarantees NDF members, consultants and staff who work with the negotiating team immunity from arrest. Under the agreement, holders of a safe-conduct pass should not engage in criminal activities, such as terrorism and extortion, or hostile acts against the government.

14 rebels

PHOTO BY SALLY CROSSTHWAITE

Drug mule swallows 60 shabu capsules NBI charges suspect with illegal transport

BY NANCY C. CARVAJAL AND ERIKA SAULER Philippine Daily Inquirer MANILA, Philippines—Something the man ate had obviously disagreed with him—given his obvious discomfort— but authorities had no idea what it was until an x-ray test showed 60 capsules, which contained more than 700 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu, inside his stomach.

Akilou Bassi, a 30-year-old African citizen, was arrested at the airport on Friday after he admitted to National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents that he swallowed the thumb-sized capsules in an attempt to smuggle the drugs valued at more than P2 million into the country.

Head agent Ross Galicia of the NBI’s Reaction Arrest and Interdiction Division said that since his arrest, Bassi has passed just 36 capsules.

“He is trying to stop himself from passing the rest by not eating or drinking anything,” Galicia told the Inquirer.

He added: “He said he would give up the remaining capsules only if he is brought to the airport and deported to his country of origin.”

Ruel Lasala, NBI deputy director for investigative services and head of the bureau’s anti-illegal drugs task force, said that Bassi had already been formally charged in court with “transport of illegal drugs.”

According to Lasala, the West African was brought to the Manila City Pros-

ecutor’s Office on June 9 where he was charged for violation of Sec. 5 (Transportation of Dangerous Drugs) and Sec. 11 (Possession of Dangerous Drugs), Art. II of Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

“The offense carries a penalty of life imprisonment,” he added.

Galicia said Bassi arrived on Friday morning in Manila but was held by Bureau of Immigration agents and turned over to the NBI after he could not tell them where he would be staying or if there was anyone who would be putting him up.

The NBI, meanwhile, had earlier placed him under surveillance after they received information that he was a drug mule for the West African Drug Syndicate in the hopes that he would lead them to his contact here in Manila.

After he was turned over to NBI agents, Bassi complained of stomach ache and was brought to the Philippine General Hospital for an examination.

When an x-ray test showed thumbsized objects in his stomach, Bassi confessed that he had swallowed 40 capsules that contained shabu. The rest, he told the NBI, were inserted through his anus, which explained why he was having difficulty sitting down.

Galicia told the Inquirer that while smuggling illegal drugs by ingesting these was common in other countries, this was the first such case in the country.

Bassi said the drug syndicate had promised to pay him $4,000 “for a successful delivery.” ■

Lacierda said what stalled the negotiations was a disagreement on the verification of the status of 14 rebels that the NDF wanted released.

The floppy disk containing the names of the 14 rebels had been stored in a vault in the Netherlands. A Dutch bishop opened the vault in the presence of government and NDF representatives, and they found the file corrupted.

Lacierda said the CPP-NPA proposed

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“We would like to have a peace agreement with them. “It is not us who are the stumbling block to the peace process.”

a new list, but the government rejected this since there was no assurance the new list would carry the names of individuals on the original list.

Brig. Gen. Domingo Tutaan Jr., spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, expressed doubts about the insurgents’ sincerity.

“Whatever the peace talks will be, whether on the local or national level, [the CPP] is just trying to make an excuse for the atrocities of the NPA,” Tutaan told reporters in an interview.

“They are just covering up the atrocities they have done…. These are human rights violations,” he maintained.

Tutaan said the prospect of forging a peace deal with the NPA was “dim because of the NPA’s continuing violence and attacks on civilian communities.” ■ With a report from Marlon Ramos

Opinion

FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013 16

THERE’S THE RUB

Awa

By Conrado De Quiros Philippine Daily Inquirer IT’S A classic in how not to apologize.

Or it’s a classic in how to apologize without really apologizing. Or it’s a classic in how to apologize while actually asking the other person to apologize to you.

That’s what Manoling Morato did to PCSO chief Margie Juico last week. Morato is one of those Juico has charged with plunder, along with several other former PCSO officials, and along with Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as principal. Specifically, Juico has charged the group with spiriting away P365,997,915, passing it off as intelligence expenses. Morato has been under hospital arrest in St. Luke’s since October last year. He and a couple of others were granted bail last week.

Here’s how to apologize the Moratic way. One, be indeterminate about what you are apologizing for. “Dear Chairman Juico,” says Morato, “I take the courage to write you regarding some unfortunate differences that happened between the two of us in the past. I sincerely feel sorry and deeply lament that infamous incident.” What that incident is, nobody knows, probably not even Juico herself. If Juico pins him down to what

she assumes he means, he can always say that is not what he meant.

Two, reduce everything to a misunderstanding, or to personal miffs. “I assure you it will not happen again.”

Additionally, make the misunderstanding out to be beneath the dignity of “buenas familias,” which should promptly be set aside: “In fact, your mother Doña Nena is very dear to me.”

And he is what, Don Manoling? Still, additionally, make yourself out to be magnanimous, you are apologizing not because you’ve done something wrong but because the issue is petty. While at this, by rights the other party should really be the one apologizing: “I hold no grudge or anger in my heart.”

And, three, the staple of a--holes in this country who have been caught with their pants down, however unpleasant the image that conjures, resort to being kaawa-awa, or a pitiful sight, indeed the victim of an oppression. Comes now a litany of his ills: He is 79 years old, he has been confined in St. Luke’s for a long time now, he has had a surgery or two, he is still under observation, he needs to take maintenance pills, etc. All because of a misunderstanding!

Juico responded a couple of days later to say she had forgiven Morato long ago, she is a faithful Christian after all. But Morato still has to face

the music. The injury, or insult, is not just to her, it is to the public.

What else can you say to such a horrific comedy, to such a comic horror? We, the public, can at least assure him it truly won’t happen again.

He will not be free to steal again. He will not be free to oppress again. He will not be free to breathe the same air as us again.

His “apology” is not a show of courage, it is a show of fear. It is the ashen

Morato’s “apology” is not a show of courage, it is a show of fear. It is the ashen face of someone hearing the key turn in the lock. face of someone hearing the key turn in the lock. What he calls a misunderstanding, the Penal Code calls a crime.

This is by no means the first time Morato has apologized for one. Some 14 years ago, he also apologized to Erap on the eve of his arraignment on several counts of libel. I don’t know why Erap forgave him. He would have done the world a favor by jailing him for it. Every other utterance that issues from his mouth is a lie, legally called libel. It’s not just Erap he has libeled, or lied about, it’s everyone,

from Lino Brocka to Juico.

I myself have been a victim of it.

Some 20 years ago when I praised Brocka’s “Orapronobis,” he said I was in the payroll of the movie’s producers, Golan Globus. Only last year, after I lambasted him for his crimes against good manners and right conduct or, hell, against humanity, he went out to say we had abandoned our mother to a home for the aged. This creature just lies through his teeth. The only reason he hasn’t been sued more often than there are days in the year is that you worry you could end up at the end of a queue that winds across Metro Manila.

Just as well, only a couple of years ago, he apologized to TG Guingona and Chiz Escudero for railing against them in his program on PTV 4. “Nagsalita na naman ’yung TG... Talaga namang sinungaling ’yun.” There must be a pathological explanation for why people like Morato and Juan Ponce Enrile keep calling other people liars. Whatever. But this was during the campaign in 2010, and he was campaigning for Gibo Teodoro.

Teodoro lost, and Morato, fearing a backlash from his attacks, promptly apologized to those he had offended.

As usual, he made it a point to miss the point. Who cares what his opinions are about people? The point was

that he was using government funds, or taxpayers’ money, or our money, to host a program to campaign for a candidate. Franklin Drilon exposed it in the Senate, pointing out that not only was Morato using our money for “Dial M”—P27 million from 2005 to 2010—he also had the gall as a member of the PCSO board to approve another P5 million to replay his campaign rants on IBC 13.

That is corruption, that is a crime.

He should have been prosecuted for it. He should have been jailed for it.

But just as well, he made it a point to miss the point: He apologized to the senators when he should have apologized to us, the taxpayers. Not that we would have forgiven him for it. The senators unfortunately did, and the case was forgotten.

Age and sickness are not a natural barrier or impediment to jail. Gender preference is not a natural entitlement to being spared the enforced deprivations and/or unwanted attentions of jail. Juico has a point: What she—and God—may forgive, the law may not. There is such a thing as justice. There is such a thing as crime and punishment. There is such a thing as fighting air pollution.

Of course there is such a thing as awa too. But let’s pity ourselves first. ■

minister had clearly misjudged the situation. The unions have started to mobilize for a general strike. Turkey hasn’t seen this kind of upheaval in the last 30 years.

The Justice and Development Party (AKP)-led government has been, until now, a beacon of Islamic modernity, lighting up a path to economic and social progress anchored on the ethical values of Islam. That this model of ethical modernity should find its roots in Turkey is a story in itself. This nation was carved out of the ruins of the Ottoman empire by the secular leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

Modern Turkey was accustomed to living under a Westernized secular state fiercely protected by the military and the judiciary—until the emergence about a decade ago of the AKP and the ethico-religious movement known as Hizmet (The Service).

The latter is a tightly knit network of middle-class professionals and businessmen who have been inspired by the influential Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen. This community, which is active in education in and outside Turkey, forms the ethical core of the AKP’s constituency, though it strictly differentiates itself from the party.

The legacy of secularism remains so strong in Turkey that Erdogan him-

self opposes the activation of religion and ethnicity in politics. Still, he understands secularism as state guarantee of religious freedom, not state hostility toward religion.

But because it seeks a link between Ottoman-Islamic culture and nation-state-based modernity, the AKP regime is vulnerable to charges of moral conservatism. And indeed, the recent protests have pointed this out, seeing it as a regime bent on reversing the gains of modern secular culture. The government has come under fire for banning the serving of beer and wine within 100 meters of a mosque or school, and for restricting the practice of abortion. None of these complaints may earn much sympathy from the outside world.

But democrats everywhere will never excuse the employment of brutal police action against demonstrators and state control of the news.

It would be ironic, and a great pity, if Turkey goes down as a casualty of the new movements nurtured by the social media. For there is much to admire in a societal experiment that consciously attempts to carve a different path to modernity by preserving some of the values of a past culture—what Nietzsche calls the “recrudescences of old instincts.” ■

PUBLIC LIVES

Trouble in Turkey

By Randy David Philippine Daily Inquirer SOMETHING unusual is happening in Turkey today that is not eliciting much local interest, mostly because there are not many Filipinos living and working there about whose safety we usually worry. Since last week, the tail end of May, waves of antigovernment mass demonstrations have rocked this ancient land straddling Europe and Asia. People have begun talking of a “Turkish Spring”—an allusion to the season of political uprisings from 2011 onward that brought down corrupt and autocratic rulers in the Arab world.

All this is unexpected. Turkey has little in common with the stagnant societies that were brought down by the so-called “Arab Spring.” Its economy is booming. Its government is led by a political party that has been successfully returned to office in the last three elections. Its modern forward-looking leaders have moved the country, a Nato member, much closer than before to the United States and Europe. And indeed, the new governments that emerged from the Arab Spring—like Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia—look up to Turkey as a model of an Islamic society that is at the same time modern, pro-

gressive, and democratic.

So, what is it that proved outrageous enough to spark more than 600 mass actions nationwide in less than a week and caused the arrest of about 1,000 protesters, mostly young people, who fought the tear gas and rubber bullets of the police with bottles and paving stones? There is no easy answer to this question. The triggering event was a police crackdown on a few dozen urban activists who had pitched tents in an inner garden within Istanbul’s busiest public square.

They went there to prevent bulldozers from knocking down some trees to make way for a new development project—an Ottoman-style shopping mall and a high-end residential tower complex. The police burned their tents while they slept and drove them away with tear gas.

The inordinate brutality of the police action contrasted sharply with the benign advocacy of these treehuggers, some of whom were entire families who had gone there to teach the government a little lesson in ecology. A news blackout about the violent dispersal in the mainstream media brought out the full force of the social media. Photos and video footage of the sneaky dawn attack were instantly uploaded on YouTube

and Facebook accounts. A thousand tweets summoned hitherto dormant activists to descend on Taksim Square and reclaim this remaining frontier of public space from the state. This show of defiance in Istanbul quickly resonated in Ankara, the capital city, and Izmir, the beautiful city along the Mediterranean coast.

And in a matter of a few days, all of Turkey’s major urban centers turned into rebel cities.

Turkey hasn’t seen this kind of upheaval in the last 30 years.

Instead of making an effort to reach out to the demonstrators and soothe frayed tempers, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan came out swinging at the young protesters, calling them extremists, and hitting the political opposition he had defeated at the polls, accusing them of paving the way for foreign intervention. Worse, he heaped the blame on the social media, singling out Twitter as a “menace to society.” One cannot think of a more emotional incitement to youth militancy than this moralistic kind of talk. The autocratic prime

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Opinion

17 FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013

VIEWPOINT

Recovered harvests

By Juan L. Mercado Philippine Daily Inquirer WASTING FOOD is “like stealing from tables of the poor,” Pope Francis told a UN World Environment Day audience. “A culture of waste… is despicable when many suffer from hunger.”

Care for the environment and reduce waste, he urged. A 10-point drop in stocks is a tragedy, “but that some homeless people die of cold on the streets is not news,” he noted. “Our grandparents were very careful not to throw leftover food,” Francis recalled.

“Play after you finish everything on your plate. Other children have nothing to eat.” That edict, from parents long gone, still resounds in our ears. We’re grandparents now. We cheer when Krsitin, 9, and Katarina, 6, prepare rice-cum-sardine packs for slum kids.

Over 3.9 million Filipinos went hungry, the March Social Weather Stations survey found. Worldwide, one in seven doesn’t get enough to eat, although the world can feed all.

“There are people so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread,” Mahatma Gandhi wrote.

Ironically a third of harvests is squandered. That’s a staggering 1.3 billion tons. Each American scraps 400 pounds of food in a year— “the weight of a young male gorilla,” Wall Street Journal reports. Consumers in rich countries junk as much food as sub-Saharan Africa produces.

Yearly, the Philippines loses a million metric tons of already-harvested rice due to several causes—from slipshod processing to shabby storage, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala estimates. Cabbage spoilage mars a third of harvests, UP-Los Baños studies found. Fish losses crest at 40 percent.

A world of abundant food, cushioned by surplus stocks, large forest reserves, fishery grounds and croplands, is history. We razed forests, eroded vital top soil and decimated wildlife. Our profligacy handcuffed our grandchildren to a world where scarcities would be embedded.

Recovering what is frittered away is crucial. Five thousand ate and were filled from five loaves and two fish shared by a young boy, then multiplied by the Galilean. “Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost,” the Master told his disciples. And they “filled

twelve baskets.”

Even in a good year, we produce just about enough food to meet consumption needs. “We will need to produce 70 percent more food, by 2050, to feed the world’s expanding population,” Worldwatch Institute projects.

We must decisively curb onslaughts against systems that nurture life. Today’s fish kill replays the ravaging of critical top soil.

A world of abundant food, cushioned by surplus stocks, large forest reserves, fishery grounds and croplands, is history.

Erosion blights over 52 percent of our croplands. We need to recover postharvest losses. “Ang hindi mapagtapon ay hindi mangangailangan.” He who saves will not want.

Population here declined far slower than in other countries.

Come 2020, Philippine population will surge to 111.7 million. Sea levels meanwhile are rising from warming. Arctic ice sheets are melting.

Altered climate regimes will bug

our world.

President Aquino’s integrity plus his reform efforts have curbed the free fall toward more misery. Standard & Poor’s upgraded the Philippines’ credit rating. That followed earlier upgrades by Fitch Ratings.

But more needs to be done. Unacceptable abortion rates, due to lack of family planning services, must be tamped down. And focusing on job creation is urgent.

Would the Catholic bishops have thumbed down the Aquino regime if the President didn’t stand firm on the reproductive health bill?

How many Filipino bishops live as simply as Francis?

The Pope’s plea for efforts to curb waste resonates. He excels at symbolism that spurs action, the New York Times notes. He lives in a two-room apartment, dresses in simple white and speaks in direct, colloquial language. “His symbolism has begun seeping into substance. He seeks a simpler church, more closely identified with the poor.”

“I left the flock decades ago” writes Jack Persico of the Guardian. “But this Pope Francis has been impressive from the start. He even had kind words for atheists, calling us allies to ‘defend the dignity of man,”’ fel-

low seekers of truth, goodness and beauty.

“If Francis continues to lead by example, not by fiat, he can show Catholics, Christians and nonbelievers alike that faith can deserve respect, and even make a difference.

If not, he’ll blow his chance to speak with such conviction that even heathen might hear him. And that would truly be a sin,” Persico concludes his article.

Francis seeks to be shepherd, not overlord. The Catholic left and conservative right have set aside old arguments—for now. “The result is an outbreak of patience and generosity of spirit,” says Stephen Schneck of Catholic University.

“Whatever your view of Christianity, the example of Jesus remains one of history’s most surprising constants,” writes Michael Gerson in the Washington Post. He never wrote a book. He spent three years teaching in an obscure corner of a vanished empire. “(Yet, he) still stirs the deepest longings of the human heart. When we see his image even partially reflected in another human being, it appeals beyond every political division… and true authority returns." ■

*** THE “baby package” also serves to promote maternal health. Heidi Liesivesi, who works for the social insurance institution of Finland, said later legislation required that mothers-to-be, in order to get the grant or the maternity box, “had to visit a doctor or municipal pre-natal clinic before their fourth month of pregnancy.”

In the 1930s, when the box was first conceived, Finland was a poor country and infant mortality was high—65 out of every 1,000 babies died. It is in the low single digits now. But lack of funds did not prevent Finnish officials from prioritizing babies and their mothers.

“The box provided mothers with what they needed to look after their baby,” notes the BBC, “but it also helped steer pregnant women into the arms of doctors and nurses of Finland’s nascent welfare state.”

At 75 years old, the BBC says, “the box is now an established part of the Finnish rite of passage towards motherhood, uniting generations of women.”

Mark Bosworth, who has two children with his Finnish partner Milla, says of receiving the box for his children: “This felt to me like evidence that someone cared, someone wanted our baby to have a good start in life. And now when I visit friends with young

children it’s nice to see we share some common things. It strengthens that feeling that we are all in this together.” *** WITH the government hard put just getting pregnant Filipino women to get competent prenatal care in health centers and deliver in birth facilities attended by trained personnel, giving each and every pregnant woman a “maternity package” seems a distant possibility.

But why not? The State could be spending as much, if not more, for emergency obstetric services and emergency newborn care, services which could be avoided if we got pregnant women to go for prenatal visits regularly, deliver in accredited clinics or hospitals, and seek competent care for their newborns, in exchange for a package.

Besides which a “maternity package,” as that young father attests, would show parents that “someone cared, someone wanted our baby to have a good start in life.” Maybe receiving a box that could be used as a crib, filled with all the necessities, could drive home to parents the responsibility they have been given, and assure them that the State and the rest of the nation are alongside them in this greatest and most important endeavor. ■

AT LARGE

A baby box? Why not?

By Rina Jimenez-David Philippine Daily Inquirer “HAVE YOU ever been to Fabella Hospital?” Health Secretary Enrique Ona asked me over lunch during a break at the recent “Women Deliver” conference in Kuala Lumpur.

When I shook my head, he leaned in: “Naku, maiiyak ka talaga” (My goodness, you will really be moved to tears), he related, and when I said I had heard, and seen on TV, the conditions in Fabella, the country’s prime public maternity hospital, Ona shook his head.

“You really need to see it for yourself.”

Apparently, reports and even videos of mothers and babies lying threeto-a-bed in a ward, cannot convey the full misery of the conditions in Fabella. The health secretary threw in stories of pregnant women in the final throes of pregnancy, who come flocking from all over Metro Manila and environs, parking themselves in hallways and even out on the sidewalk to make sure room was made for them when their time to deliver came.

Secretary Ona was actually making a pitch for the PPP (public-private partnership) schemes he was hatching for government hospitals, saying government funds were not enough to upgrade these facilities and would thus need

private investments, plus experience, expertise and standards, if they were to better serve their primary publics.

But the secretary’s horror stories about Fabella could also partly explain why maternal and child deaths remain such stubborn problems for this country. Clearly, the health and safety of mothers and their babies don’t receive as much attention—and the requisite budget—they require and deserve. Second, despite the long waiting lines and crowded conditions at hospitals like Fabella, too many women still deliver their babies at home, under less-than ideal conditions, and in the hands of untrained and ill-prepared folk midwives ( hilot). *** CONSIDER then the situation of mothers and babies in Finland, one of the Nordic countries that have achieved “one of the world’s lowest infant mortality rates.”

Thanks to my cousin-in-law Loy Jimenez for passing on this item from the BBC, about the “maternity package” that the Finnish government sends to every pregnant woman “designed to give all children in Finland, no matter what background they’re from, an equal start in life.”

The article is titled “Why Finnish babies sleep in cardboard boxes”

because the entire package comes in a box that is convertible into a crib, equipped as it is with a mattress and bedcovers. Each package, a tradition that dates back to the 1930s, contains body suits, a sleeping bag, outdoor gear, bathing products for the baby, as well as diapers (back to cloth diapers after a brief flirtation with disposable ones), bra pads, condoms, a picture book and a teething toy. The box used to contain baby bottles, too, but health authorities

Each package comes in a box that is convertible into a crib, equipped with a mattress and bedcovers. [The package] is tradition that dates back to the 1930s. decided not to include them any more to encourage breast feeding.

“With the mattress in the bottom, the box becomes a baby’s first bed,” says the BBC report. “Many children, from all social backgrounds, have their first naps within the safety of the box’s four cardboard walls. Mothers have a choice between taking the box (and) a cash grant, currently set at 140 euros, but 95 percent opt for the box as it’s worth much more.”

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Canada News

FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013

18

B.C. Premier Christy Clark introduces new cabinet of old loyalists and rookies

BY JAMES KELLER The Canadian Press VANCOUVER—British Columbia’s premier, who won a stunning election victory on bold promises of transforming the province’s economy, announced her new cabinet Friday that will be tasked with making those promises a reality, leaning on several high-profile veterans while inviting a handful of newcomers to the cabinet table.

Premier Christy Clark revealed her new, 19-member cabinet—one greater than before last month’s election—at a flashy event in Vancouver with hundreds of invitees and its own corporate sponsors.

Clark used the event not only to unveil the cabinet, but also to repeat her election promises to turn B.C. into a world leader in liquefied natural gas—a trillion-dollar industry that she claimed again will one day help the province wipe out its debt.

“I’m presenting to you today the people who will carry out that task, who will meet that mandate you have set for us,” Clark said before calling her new ministers to the stage.

“This team that I have chosen is a blend of experience and fresh eyes coming new to government, the fresh perspective that government needs.”

The cabinet will officially be sworn in at Government House in Victoria on Monday.

Several of Clark’s most trusted ministers will remain in cabinet, though some of them will be shuffled around.

Rich Coleman, whose pitbulllike defence of Clark has been a fixture within the Liberal party even before the campaign, becomes deputy premier and takes over the newly created ministry of natural gas, a key

portfolio given Clark’s focus on liquefied natural gas. Coleman was previously minister of energy, mines and natural gas.

Shirley Bond, previously the justice minister, will find herself in another key ministry when she takes over jobs, tourism and skills training. Terry Lake will move to health, from environment.

And Mike de Jong will continue as finance minister, charged with keeping Clark’s pledge to balance the budget—a promise that drew no shortage of skepticism during the election campaign.

Clark also handed significant responsibilities to those who have never sat in the legislature before.

Former Langley mayor Peter Fassbender will take over delicate negotiations with the province’s teachers in education, while former senior Mountie Amrik Virk takes over advanced education.

Suzanne Anton, a former Crown prosecutor and former Vancouver city councillor, will become justice minister and attorney general. Anton was also a one-time Vancouver mayoral candidate who lost her first attempt at a Liberal riding nomination.

In all, the cabinet is composed of nine veterans, seven rookies and two politicians who have been backbenchers but will be elevated to cabinet.

Three former ministers— Norm Letnik, Moira Stilwell and Ralph Sultan—will no longer be in cabinet, though Letnik will become a parliamentary secretary to the premier.

“The choice was this: to have a much, much bigger cabinet with fresh perspectives added, or have a cabinet that was almost the same size,” Clark said after her announcement.

“That meant that there were some cabinet ministers who weren’t returning. Those decisions were very, very difficult.”

Opposition NDP Leader Adrian Dix said he was surprised by the size of cabinet, given Clark’s focus on fiscal restraint.

Dix preferred to include parliamentary secretaries in his tally of the new cabinet—bringing the total number to 34, including the premier—even though parliamentary secretaries don’t attend cabinet meetings. They do, however, get a stipend of about $6,000 each.

“Thirty-four ministers and parliamentary secretaries is a lot,” he said.

“It’s certainly not the message of fiscal control for politicians that they talked about in the campaign.”

The previous cabinet had 18 ministers, not including the premier, while the new cabinet has 19.

Dix also said Clark’s decision to appoint a minister in charge of a core review of government spending signals the Liberal pledge to balance its budget may be in doubt.

Throughout the campaign, the New Democrats said they estimated the Liberal budget to carry an $800 million deficit—a claim the NDP based on its assertions the Liberals couldn’t meet their own spending targets or sell off a list of government assets.

Clark added two new ministries—natural gas and international trade—and did away with the position of minister of state for seniors.

She also renamed several ministries, including removing the phrase “open government” from the Ministry of Citizens’ Services while shifting technology and innovation to that ministry from advanced education.

Premier Christy Clark’s new cabinet.

PHOTO BY THE BC GOVERNMENT

Three former ministers had either lost re-election or didn’t run again. Ben Stewart, who was minister of citizens’ services, has volunteered to give up his Kelowna-area riding to allow Clark to seek a seat in the legislature.

The veterans who will be reappointed to cabinet also include: • Mary Polak, who moves to environment from transportation.

• Stephanie Cadieux, who has been re-appointed as minister of children and family development.

• Bill Bennett, who was formerly in the relatively junior minister of sport and cultural development, now becomes energy minister.

• Steve Thomson, who returns as forests minister.

• Don McRae, who had been education minister and now becomes minister of social development.

• Naomi Yamamoto, whose minister of state position now includes tourism, in addition to her previous position as minister of state for small business.

New to cabinet is John Rustad, who was first elected to the legislature in 2005. Before the election, he had been serving as a parliamentary secretary, but he now becomes minister of aboriginal relations.

Another former parliamentary secretary, Pat Pimm, is now the minister of agriculture.

He has represented Peace River North since 2009.

Other rookies entering the

legislature and cabinet for the first time include: • Todd Stone, who owns a Kamloops software company, becomes minister of transportation.

• Lawyer and doctor Andrew Wilkinson, becomes minister of technology, innovation and citizens’ services.

• Coralee Oakes, a Quesnel city councillor, becomes minister of community, sport and cultural development.

• Teresa Wat, a former Chinese-language television news director, becomes minister of international trade.

Former Vancouver mayor Sam Sullivan was left out of cabinet.

The new cabinet will have 12 men and eight women, including Clark.

The Liberals were widely expected to lose the most recent election, but they returned— even increasing their seat count—to a comfortable majority with roughly half incumbents and half rookies.

Before the cabinet was introduced, Clark reminded everyone that money was tight and urged them to resist pressure to spend beyond the government’s means.

“The global economy remains fragile and recovery in places that surround us is slower than we like,” she said. “But it’s further confirmation that we must be strong. We must run a tight ship.” ■

Canada News

19 FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013

Parties in Commons jockey to claim ethical high ground in sitting of scandals

BY JOAN BRYDEN The Canadian Press OTTAWA—As the clock ticks down on a scandal-saturated parliamentary sitting, the three main parties are jockeying to claim the ethical high ground.

NDP Leader Tom Mulcair used a speech Tuesday to cast his party as the ethical antidote to Conservative and Liberal corruption. He painted the two “old-line parties” as tired, unaccountable, self-serving and corrupted by the pursuit of power.

Yet an hour later, New Democrat MPs faced accusations of self-serving partisan behaviour after they stymied a bid by Leader Justin Trudeau to open up MPs’ expenses to public scrutiny.

The NDP refused the required unanimous consent to approve four motions presented by Trudeau, which would have required MPs to post online their travel and hospitality expenses as well as the details of the way in which they spend their office budgets.

His motions also included a call for regular performance audits of the House of Commons administration by the auditor general and the development of public guidelines to “ensure proper spending.”

New Democrat MPs said no to all four of Trudeau’s motions and promptly followed up with a motion of their own, aimed at embarrassing the Liberal leader, who has earned tens of thousands of dollars—over and above his MP’s salary—as a public speaker.

NDP House Leader Nathan Cullen called on the board of internal economy, which oversees the financial administration of the Commons, to investigate MPs’ potential use of free travel points to get to privately-paid speaking engagements.

Cullen’s motion received unanimous consent from MPs, including Trudeau, who said he’s never used parliamentary resources for anything other than parliamentary business.

“I have absolutely nothing to hide,” Trudeau said outside the Commons.

“I’ve tried to raise the bar on transparency and they again continue to try and score points and play politics and I’m serious about making changes to this place that will restore Canadians’ confidence.”

For his part, Cullen accused

Trudeau of indulging in theatrics rather than working consensually with other parties on the secretive internal economy board to toughen the rules governing MPs’ expenses.

“Work with us, don’t do stunts. You want to be serious about this, we’ll be serious but no stunts to try to improve transparency,” said Cullen, adding that the board has been working on new rules for a year.

Trudeau retorted:”I would love to be able to co-ordinate with Mr. Cullen or anyone on the government side on doing it together ... but I’m not going to wait for them anymore.”

He added that Liberal MPs will begin posting their expenses online in the fall, whether or not other parties agree to do the same.

Treasury Board President Tony Clement said Conservative MPs supported Trudeau’s motions and will push the board of internal economy to adopt more stringent rules on transparency of MPs’ expenses.

“Our position is going to be, No. 1, that we should in fact, as members of Parliament, have the same proactive disclosure on travel and meals and those kinds of things as cabinet ministers have,” Clement said.

“And our position is also that the board of internal economy itself, for most matters, should be open to the public and to scrutiny.”

The focus on MPs’ expenses comes in the wake of a monthslong scandal over the expenses of four unelected senators—former Conservatives Mike Duffy, Pamela Wallin and Patrick Brazeau and former Liberal Mac Harb.

The scandal has rocked the Conservative government to its core, particularly since last month’s revelation that Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s chief of staff, Nigel Wright, personally gave Duffy $90,000 to enable him to reimburse the Senate for his invalid expense claims.

Harb’s involvement in the scandal has inflicted some damage on the Liberals as well.

The NDP, which has long favoured abolition of the chamber and has no New Democrat senators, has been trying to paint the Conservatives and Liberals as two peas in a corrupt pod—a message Mulcair stepped up on Tuesday.

“What we’re seeing in Ottawa today reflects the worst in Canadian politics,” he said in a speech to the Canadian Club of Ottawa.

“It’s not just that any one govern-

ment or member of Parliament is corrupt. It’s that the old-line parties themselves have become corrupted.

They’ve become tired, complacent, they feel entitled.”

By contrast, Mulcair maintained the NDP has retained its energy and its idealism—perhaps, he seemed to suggest, because it’s never won power federally and, therefore, has not been corrupted by it.

“What New Democrats are offering is a positive, progressive vision based on our shared values,” he said.

“Its a vision that turns the page from the tired and corrupted record of successive Conservative and Liberal governments and builds for the future.”

Mulcair contended the Conservatives have become part of the culture of entitlement their precursors in the Reform party rode into Ottawa to change.

“Step by step, the old Reformturned-Conservative party has turned its back on its own ideals in the pursuit of power,” he said, echoing the complaint of Alberta MP Brent Rathgeber as he quit the Tory caucus last week.

Mulcair didn’t mention Trudeau by name but he contended the Grits have become so dominated by corruption that they’re incapable of changing their ways, no matter who is leading the party.

“Every time Canadians grow tired of their latest round of ethical lapses, Liberals go looking for a new saviour. They promise it’s a new day, they promise that this time it’ll be different,” he said.

“And each and every time, it ends the same way, with nothing but broken promises and broken hearts.”

Trudeau has been under fire from both the Tories and New Democrats since a weekend interview in which he said he’d welcome Harb back to the Liberal caucus if and when the issue of his expenses is resolved.

He clarified Tuesday, amid further taunting from the Conservatives.

“I will be very clear, if he is innocent he is in; if he is guilty, he is out,” Trudeau told the Commons, adding that “nobody on this side is going to cut him a $90,000 cheque to avoid the problem.”

Harb has been ordered to repay more than $200,000 in improperly claimed housing allowances.

He insists he’s done nothing wrong and is vowing to fight the matter in court. ■

www.canadianinquirer.net

NEWS BRIEFS BEARS SHOT AFTER BLOODY BRAWL OUTSIDE A HOME COQUITLAM—Two black bears that were locked in a bloody brawl in the driveway of a suburban Vancouver home were either waging a turf war or fighting over a female, says a conservation officer.``I didn’t see a sow down there, so I’m leaning more towards the fact that they were fighting over territory or dominance,’’ said Cody Ambrose.

MACKENZIE RIVER BASIN UNDER THREAT: REPORT Canada’s vast Mackenzie River basin is a vital global resource that is under threat from development, climate change, inadequate science and piecemeal management, concludes a report from a U.S.-based environmental think-tank. The Rosenberg International Forum on Water Policy at the University of California says control over the enormous area should come under one agency instead of the seven governments and the many aboriginal bands that currently oversee their own bits and pieces of it. By Bob Weber CDNS DON’T UNDERSTAND STROKES: POLL TORONTO—A new poll suggest Canadians don’t have a great understanding of the realities of strokes, with nearly one in five thinking most strokes are fatal. One in six Canadians seem to believe there is nothing a stroke survivor can do to prevent future strokes and more than one-third think the recovery period is limited to a few months.

MANITOBANS MOVE WEST TO SASKATCHEWAN REGINA— For some Manitobans, it’s greener on the other side of the provincial boundary. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation says Saskatchewan has seen a net gain of nearly a thousand people from Manitoba in the past five years.

CHARGES APPROVED AGAINST 229 PEOPLE ACCUSED IN STANLEY CUP RIOT IN VANCOUVER VANCOUVER—Two years after a riot in Vancouver made international headlines, charges have been approved against 229 people while 56 accused rioters are still waiting to learn if they’ll be charged. B.C.’s Criminal Justice Branch says that so far, police have recommended charges against a total of 325 people and that charges were not approved against 40 of them. To date, 149 people suspected of participating in the riot have entered guilty pleas and 102 of them have received sentences ranging from discharges to more than a year in jail. Trials are currently scheduled for 15 people accused in the riot that saw people setting cars on fire, smashing windows and looting stores after the Vancouver Canucks lost the Stanley Cup to the Boston Bruins. The Canadian Press

World News

FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013 20

Global netizens see worrying trend US spying, diminished online privacy

BY FRANK BAJAK AND JACK CHANG The Associated Press CARACAS, Venezuela—News that the U.S. government has been snooping on Internet users worldwide came as little surprise to global netizens, who said Friday they have few expectations of online privacy as governments increasingly monitor people's digital lives, often with Internet companies' acquiescence.

Privacy activists concerned over the U.S. National Security Agency's selective monitoring of Internet traffic called on people to take measures to better protect their digital data ranging from emails to photos to social network posts. But most people eschew encryption and other privacy tools and seemed resigned to the open book their online lives have become.

"It doesn't surprise me one bit. They've been doing it for years," said Jamie Griffiths, a 26-year-old architect working on his laptop in a London cafe.

"I wouldn't send anything via email that I wouldn't want a third party to read."

From Baghdad, to Bogota, Colombia, many said they already carefully censor what they write online and assume governments are regularly spying on online activity, be it as part of global counter-terrorism or domestic surveillance

efforts.

"The social networks and email have always been vulnerable because tech-savvy people know how to penetrate them," said Teolindo Acosa, a 34-yearold education student at Venezuela's Universidad Central who was leaving a cybercafe in Caracas.

Leaked confidential documents show the NSA and FBI have been sifting through personal data by directly accessing the U.S-based servers of Google, Facebook, Microsoft, AOL, Skype, PalTalk, Apple and YouTube.

Following the revelation, U.S. President Barack Obama said Friday that the surveillance did not "target" U.S. citizens or others living in the U.S.—which does not mean their communications were not caught up in the dragnet.

But that didn't dampen the outrage of people who resent what they consider Washington's self-anointed role as the world's policeman.

"To the United States, everyone is suspicious, even the pope!" said leftist Colombian Sen. Alexander Lopez. "Everyone is under observation these days and this should be taken up by the United Nations."

Lopez said he has no plans to close his Google and Microsoft email accounts. He figures he'll be spied on no matter what he does.

The revelation of global data

vacuuming could hurt U.S. technology companies if Internet users become disillusioned and abandon them in favour of homegrown alternatives that offer greater security.

U.S. privacy activist Christopher Soghoian said he finds it "insane" that so many politicians outside the United States use Google gmail accounts.

"This has given the NSA an advantage over every other intelligence system in the world.

The Americans don't have to hack as much, because everyone in the world sends their data to American companies," he said.

Hossam el-Hamalawy, a blogger with Egypt's Revolutionary Socialists, one of the Egyptian groups that helped spearhead the 2011 uprising, said the dearth of locally developed Web tools means many around the world are simply stuck with U.S. sites, even if they know the government is monitoring them.

"The problem is that there is no alternative," he said. "If you don't use Facebook, what is the alternative social network available for the Internet user who is not an IT geek?"

Soghoian predicted an increasing push by governments and companies in Europe in particular, where privacy has been a much bigger issue for voters than in the United States, away from storing data in U.S.-based server farms.

Indeed, under U.S. law it is www.canadianinquirer.net

PHOTO BY DANIL MELEKHIN

not illegal for the NSA to collect information on foreigners.

The disclosure of the NSA data-vacuuming program known as PRISM is only the latest "of many U.S. government programs created to infringe on personal freedoms," said Carlos Affonso Pereira de Souza, a technology policy professor at FGV think-tank in Rio de Janeiro.

Going back well into the 20th century, the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand ran a secret satellite communications interception network that became known as Echelon and searched information including telexes, faxes and emails, according to experts including U.S. journalist James Bamford. The system was the subject of a 2001 European Parliament inquiry.

According to a U.N. report released this week, such surveillance has been on a global upsurge with governments increasingly tapping into online personal data and even discouraging online anonymity by passing laws prohibiting it.

The governments of China, Iran, Bahrain are among other nations that already aggressively oversee online activity, in many cases putting people in prison for political blog posts and other messages.

Israel's attorney general in April upheld a practice allowing security personnel to read email accounts of suspicious individuals when they arrive at the airport, arguing it prevents militants from entering the country.

China has long imposed tight control over media and spied on private communications among its citizens, especially

government critics and activists, sifting through their email, listening in on their phone conversations and snooping on their cyber activities.

Major Internet companies employ internal reviewers who regularly censor content posted by users and scrub off offensive language, including political topics the authorities do not wish to be publicly discussed.

The U.N. report said such activity has been expanding as technology advances, and that countries should prioritize protecting people's online rights.

"In order to meet their human rights obligations, States must ensure that the rights to freedom of expression and privacy are at the heart of their communications surveillance frameworks," the report reads.

Its author, Guatemalan Frank La Rue, calls for legal standards to ensure "privacy, security and anonymity of communications" to protect people including journalists, human rights defenders and whistleblowers.

Civil libertarians in the United States were much more upset about a different revelation published Wednesday, that the NSA has been collecting the phone records including the calls, numbers, times and duration of all U.S. citizen customers of the telecommunications giant Verizon. ■ Associated Press writers Vivian Sequera in Bogota, Ian Deitch in Jerusalem, Jill Lawless in London, Bradley Brooks in Sao Paulo, Fabiola Sanchez in Caracas, Sameer N. Yacoub in Baghdad and Tony G. Gabriel in Cairo contributed to this report. Jack Chang contributed from Mexico City.

World News

21 FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013

South African foundation says Nelson Mandela suffering 'ravages of time' in hospital

BY CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA The Associated Press JOHANNESBURG, South Africa—Nelson Mandela was in serious but stable condition in a Pretoria hospital for the third day Monday with a recurring lung infection, and a foundation led by retired archbishop Desmond Tutu described the 94-year-old anti-apartheid hero as an “extraordinary gift” to South Africa.

As family members visited South Africa's first black president in the hospital, the government announced—in only the second communication on Mandela since he was hospitalized on Saturday—that his condition was “unchanged.”

A statement issued for the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation described Mandela as “the beloved father of our nation” and offered prayers for a man seen by many around the world as a symbol of reconciliation because of his peacemaking role when white racist rule ended in South Africa.

Mandela “once again endures the ravages of time in hospital,” said the Cape Town-based foundation, which was founded

by Tutu and his wife Leah to promote peace. “We offer our thanks to God for the extraordinary gift of Mr. Mandela, and wish his family strength.”

Tutu, 81, was also vigorous campaigner against apartheid, which ended when all-race elections were held in 1994 and

Mandela president. Like Mandela, Tutu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts on behalf of his compatriots.

Mandela shared his prize with F.W. de Klerk, the last president of the apartheid era.

“We send our blessings to the doctors and nurses responsible for his care,” Tutu's foundation said.

Meanwhile, the African National Congress, South Africa's ruling party, dismissed as false a report in Monday's edition of The Star newspaper that Mandela's family had barred senior party leaders and government officials from visiting the hospital.

On April 29, state television broadcast footage of a visit to Mandela's home by President

Jacob Zuma and other ANC leaders. Zuma said then that Mandela was in good shape, but the footage—the first public images of Mandela in nearly a year—showed him silent and unresponsive, even when Zuma tried to hold his hand.

Some South Africans said that showing images of a clearly ill Mandela was inappropriate and appeared to reflect an attempt by the ruling party to benefit politically from its association with Mandela, a former ANC head, in the run-up to national elections next year. The party denied the accusation.

Mandela has been hospitalized several times in recent months. During a hospital stay that ended April 6, doctors diagnosed him with pneumonia and

drained fluid from his chest.

Mandela has been particularly vulnerable to respiratory problems since contracting tuberculosis during 27 years as the prisoner of the white racist government. The bulk of that period was spent on Robben Island, off the coast of Cape Town where Mandela and other prisoners spent part of the time toiling in a stone quarry.

He was freed in 1990, and then embarked on peacemaking efforts during the tense transition that saw the demise of the apartheid system and his own election as president in 1994.

The former leader retired from public life years ago and had received medical care at his Johannesburg home until his latest transfer to a hospital. ■

Russia offers peacekeepers for Golan Heights, but UN says no thanks

BY LYNN BERRY The Associated Press MOSCOW—President Vladimir Putin offered on Friday to send Russian troops to the Golan Heights to replace the Austrians who are withdrawing from the U.N. peacekeeping force that monitors the disengagement of Israeli and Syrian forces.

“Naturally, that will happen only if the regional powers show interest in our proposal and if the U.N. secretary-general asks us to do that,” Putin said, adding that Ban Ki-moon had personally asked him to increase Russia's participation in U.N. peacekeeping operations during a visit to Russia last month.

Putin's offer was quickly turned down, however, by Josephine Guerrero, spokesperson for the U.N. peacekeeping department. She said that while the offer was appreciated, the disengagement agreement and accompanying protocol do not allow the participation of troops from a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council.

Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters at U.N. headquarters in New York that he raised Putin's offer dur-

ing Security Council consultations on the U.N. force, known as UNDOF, which has been caught up in the spillover of fighting between government and opposition fighters in Syria, including being the target of three hostage-takings by rebel fighters.

“Obviously we are aware of that document, but we believe that times have changed,” Churkin said. “The document was signed 39 years ago at the height of Cold War and the whole context of the war of 1973. Now the context is completely different.”

Churkin said council members agreed that Syria and Israel would have to approve a Russian deployment. He added that U.N. legal experts would also examine whether the council might have to adopt a resolution if the Russian offer moves forward.

The Kremlin said Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed Syria during a telephone conversation on Friday. No details were given.

Russia is a close ally of Syria and Putin would almost certainly not have made the offer without advance approval from its president, Bashar Assad.

Austria announced Thursday that it is withdrawing 377 U.N.

peacekeepers from the Golan Heights after Syrian rebels briefly overran a crossing point near the border with Israel. Churkin said Russia was prepared to replace the Austrian contingent “quite expeditiously.”

The United Nations is urgently looking for troops to replace the Austrians, who made up a sizeable portion of the 911-member peacekeeping force. The Philippines and India also contribute troops.

UNDOF “seems to be in dire straits,” Churkin said. “We are offering essentially to rescue UNDOF, but of course that problem needs to be sorted out.”

He said Russia is waiting to see the reaction from Syria and Israel and will likely consult with the other permanent members of the council— the U.S., China, Britain and France—”because they are also mentioned in the protocols.”

Britain's U.N. Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant, the current Security Council president, said “it's good” that Russia made the offer, which was welcomed by some council members. The peacekeeping department “will need to take that offer alongside offers from other potential troop contributors,” he said.

The peacekeeping departwww.canadianinquirer.net

PHOTO BY THE ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES

ment “appeared confident that there will be offers from other troop contributing countries, and including some existing troop contributing countries,” Lyall Grant said.

He said peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous also raised the possibility of increasing UNDOF to its authorized strength of 1,250 peacekeepers.

Israel has expressed concern about the security of the crossing point on the demilitarized area on the plateau that Israel captured from Syria in 1967.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke with Ban about Syria, including the escalation of tensions on the Golan Heights, the ministry said.

Lyall Grant said the peace-

keeping department will be providing options to the council in the coming weeks on possibly strengthening or changing the UNDOF mandate, which expires at the end of June, in light of the fact that fighting in Syria is likely to continue for some time.

“All 15 (council) members are united on the need for UNDOF to try to continue to do its mission as best it can,” Lyall Grant said. “We're in a serious situation and we need to work together to try and protect the mission from collapse.” ■ Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer contributed to this report from the United Nations in New York.

Immigration

FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013 22

Crossing One Valley to Another

BY MICHAEL S. BORJA, RN, BSCN I CAME to Canada six years ago as an Internationally Educated Nursing student. I studied for two and a half years in the undergraduate nursing program of the University of Santo Tomas, a distinguished university in the medical field in the Philippines. Coming here was a struggle since I had to start from scratch. My credentials were not considered equivalent to Canadian education. I was also facing several financial issues at that time due to the high cost of living in Toronto. I started working in a factory so I could save for school.

Still wanting to pursue nursing, I applied and was accepted in the York University-Seneca College Collaborative Nursing program. I was excited about this and I took the challenge acutely. I had to commute for at least two and a half hours from Scarborough to Seneca King

campus. I also had to take several shifts in between my study periods to fund my education.

Nursing in Canada was tough.

I had to learn and re-learn a lot of things. Most of my clinical experiences in the Philippines were not applicable to Canadian nursing. But I kept going, driven with the desire to make a difference by serving vulnerable populations as a Registered Nurse. My Christian faith helped me a lot during those weeks that I wanted to give up.

My family also encouraged me to persevere despite the physical and emotional challenges of being a nursing student.

After two years in Seneca King campus, it was time to finish my remaining two years in York University. It was a new undertaking. It was closer to home even though it still took me an hour and a half to get to York. But I was thankful! I would take that over commuting from Scarborough to King city.

Coming from a third world

country, I was impressed at the quality of teaching in both Seneca College and York University. The professors and clinical instructors were really helpful. The laboratory classes and simulations we had were state of the art. Most importantly, the clinical experiences I gained refined my character and enhanced my skills. I made a lot of friends in the process and kept in touch with most of my professors and clinical instructors.

After completing my two years in York University, I finally graduated but not without distinction. I graduated Summa Cum Laude and was awarded the Caolinn Carter Award for excellence in theory, practice and commitment to children and families. I also received several awards related to my academic performance and volunteer work as a peer mentor in York University and Mount Sinai Hospital. Not too long after, I passed the dreaded Canadian Registered Nurse Examination (CRNE) on my first try after receiving a job offer from the Hospital for Sick Children. I was so thrilled and honored to work in SickKids. Working in SickKids has completely changed my life and perspective of nursing.

PHOTO FROM GETTY IMAGES

Presently, I own a small nursing consultancy business while still working as a Registered Nurse in SickKids. Looking back at all the struggles, challenges and obstacles I faced, I am grateful I made it. It was a long and narrow way but thankfully, by God’s grace and

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mercy, I succeeded. Here I am now representing one of the many Internationally Educated Nurses who just crossed into the valley of Canadian nursing.

Everything was worth it and I look forward to advancing my nursing career as I serve my local community. ■

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Since 1992

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Father’s Day

FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013

23

Three small letters, one big word: DAD

BY ANGIE DUARTE Philippine Canadian Inquirer IT IS difficult for me to collect my thoughts on this one. Simply because there are way too many; and most seem to go beyond the realm of words. For how do you accurately capture in words emotions, memories which are so deeply engrained within your soul?

As Father’s Day draws near, I sit here, and try.

As a child, I remember early mornings, waking up with one goal in mind: to help my Dad pick a tie for work. Although quite capable of doing it without me around, it had become a ritual of sorts. First, color. Then, pattern. And let’s not forget, width. Quite a lot for my 5-yearold aesthetic sense to consider!

It felt like the most important task in the world - no matter how mundane it actually may have been – and I HAD to choose

correctly. Then my Dad would stop by the foyer mirror, look at himself and exclaim – only halfjokingly, I’m sure – “Hey there, good looking!” And my face would beam with pride, in all certainty that the tie was more than partially responsible for his self-professed yet very obvious good looks. Looking back, these were early lessons in selfconfidence. And not to forget, sartorial elegance, of course.

Then, the day seemed to stretch on forever, as I waited for him to return home from work. I would stand behind a post in the living room, leap out and yell “bulaga!” (“surprise!”) at the first sign of the front door creaking open. No matter how often I did it, he never failed to jump, as though super startled.

Sometimes, I really got him; but mostly, he knew I was there. He jumped anyway. This was followed by the hunt for candies in his coat pocket, before he scooped me up for an air-toss/

Dad and me, enjoying a night out.

hug-landing.

At the dinner table, under the watchful eye of an almost militaristic Spanish grandfather, I knew I could quickly slide my portion of cow brain tortilla (omelet) – a Spanish delicacy for which I did not care much at all, but it was supposed to “make me smart” – onto my Dad’s plate as soon as Abuelito averted his intense gaze. Dad was, actually still IS, my food disposal system; wolfing down portions I cannot finish or cannot palate.

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When I had nightmares, I would squeeze in between my parents, find a spot underneath my Dad’s arm, and be safe from monsters and all other forms of childhood evil. He could beat the boogey-man, easy peasy.

And when I grew too big to fit in his arm’s crook, I snuck into the bedroom, dragging my mattress behind me, happy to sleep on the floor by his side of the bed.

Dad has always been my protector, defender, and my safety-net; catching my fall more times than I can count. And more times than I sometimes care to admit.

My very own superhero, if you will.

My adolescent years are filled with memories of how well he provided for us (me, my brother, and my sister), and how effectively he balanced this with lessons on hard work and fending for ourselves. We moved to our own house (after years of living with strict Spanish gramps), then to a house in a better neighborhood, enjoying just the right amount of luxury without being spoiled, whilst encouraging the growth of a work ethic. He taught us how to sell everything from re-packed kiamoy (dried, salted plums) to glass jolen (marbles), which he would buy in bulk on his various work trips out-of-town. We learned the value of earnest, honest work, as he modeled it.

The very origins of father’s Day are rooted in honoring the

“provider” role, in fact. During a Mother's Day church service on June 20, 1909, Sonora Smart Dodd - a woman from Spokane, Washington - was inspired by the idea of creating a special holiday to honor fathers, too.

Her mother had passed away in childbirth when Sonora was in her teens, leaving her father the task of providing and caring for 6 children, one of whom was a newborn. Despite the many challenges of single parenthood, Sonora’s father did a wonderful job. This motivated Sonora to push legislators for a day to honor and esteem him and other fathers.

Indeed, much has been said about the mother-daughter connection. But so much remains to be explored when it comes to the father-daughter bond; which is among the most important connections in a girl’s life.

Brief history lesson over.

Enter the slightly belligerent teenage years (mine. Not Sonora’s): mini-skirts and fishnets, before they were all the rage; the occasional ninja takas (sneaking out) on a school night; the suitors. Dad was Taong Bato.

Forget the Man of Steel: he was the Man of Stone! The once starathlete, ex-varsity-football-starturned-moonlighting-coach; a force of nature to be reckoned with. And brave were the ones who dared. The brave, appar❱❱ PAGE 26 Three small

Seen & Scenes

FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013 24

At Vancouver City Hall, led by Vancouver City Mayor Gregor Robertson on June 5

SLOCAN The Philippines Cultural Pista ng Bayan Society through the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver celebrated the 115th Philippine Independence Day via a potluck at the Slocan Park on June 8 attended by different Filipino associations and organizations in Vancouver.

NORTH VANCOUVER The Metro Vancouver Philippine Arts & Cultural Exposition Society held the 2013 Philippine Days Festival from June 8 to 9 at the Waterfront Park in North Vancouver. Please see related story on their special guest, John Lloyd Cruz, on page 46.

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At the Filipino Plaza, Vanness St. near Nanaimo Station in Vancouver on June 1

Seen & Scenes

25 FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013

Airing 6 Days a Week on 96.1 FM on Fairchild Mo n - Fr i 1 0 -1 1 a m a n d S a t 1 1 a m -3 p m

Bringing you your favourite OPM & News

SPIDS

SANTACRUZAN: 5th SPIDS Annual Philippine Independence Day Celebration, held on June 8 at the Guildford Recreation Centre in Surrey, spearheaded by community leader, Narima de la Cruz.

At New Westminster City Hall on June 9

CRANBROOK The Filipino-Canadian Association of the East Kootenays marked the 115th Philippine Independence Day with a day-long celebration of food, culture and performances at the Rotary Park. Association President Lourdes Roxas-Butalid opened the celebrations along with Mayor Wayne Stetksi. Messages of congratulations were conveyed by the the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver, and David Wilks, MP for Kootenay-Columbia. Father Peter Tompkins delivered the invocation.

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Father’s Day Three small... ❰❰ 23

ently, were not as fewand-far-between as he had hoped; so the fearand-awe-inspiring, intimidating Taong Bato assumed a new role: chaperone.

Nights out became even more fun, as he eventually adapted to the teen-spirit, and adopted a semi “if-you-can’t-beat-‘em…” mind-set. We would dance ‘til the wee hours to ‘80’s rock music, the lyrics of which he would generally murder. But I didn’t mind; not one bit.

Perhaps what remains topof-mind, to this day, is my Dad’s unconditional love; of which there are many, many examples.

For instance, I’m pretty sure he doesn’t quite fathom some of the life choices I have made. Such as choosing to become a modelturned-events-host-turnedwriter-and-rock-n-roll-hoochiekoo instead of banker or stock market analyst – given my summa cum laude university graduate background (sans the cow

brain tortilla. Hm.) Yet he has supported my every undertaking, strange as these may seem in his eyes. He helped me through post-part depression; purposely ignoring my very disagreeable (mainly and quite inexplicably towards him) attitude. When a recent turn of events had me moving out of a proper house and into a 26-square-meter apartment unit, he bought me a pullout sofa bed; this, despite the angsty, confused look in his eyes.

And when I’m down on financial luck, he is quick to shell out some bucks; no questions asked.

The lectures and life-lessons do come, as do the semi-occasional angry words and raised voices between us; but not until after he has expressed his unwavering love.

His love extends to his grandchildren, as well. He has now taken on the role of loving Abuelito (a far cry from his own father)—my daughter simply calls him Toh—and he dotes on Andie, as he once did with me.

These days, my Dad hardly ever wears ties anymore. But when I spend weekends at his

FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013 26

house, I look forward to early mornings of coffee and crosswords. I sit with him, before I go out for my run, waiting for him to ask “Angie, what’s another word for…” First, definition. Then, number of letters.

And let’s not forget, words it connects with.

I realize he hasn’t changed much through the years. Although I certainly have. I am now able to see my Dad as a man, and not just a father. A man with dreams, frustrations, regrets, and shortcomings. Like us all.

Maybe not quite as “super” and “perfect” as I once thought, in my little girl’s mind. But definitely still every bit a hero to me. ■

TOP: Daddy’s girls. My Dad, with my younger sister, Maricar and I. RIGHT: Back in the 1970’s, Dad with my younger brother Joey and I. FURTHER RIGHT: My Dad, Jose Mari, watching over me as a newborn.

WORTH

Movie Night with Papa

were fading away, starting with the most recent.

Mama told me he could not even watch a TV show, because he would forget the plot and the characters within minutes. But

BY LEO VALDEZ AS I entered my old room, it looked like it did when I was growing up. My world map piggy bank was on display. The Mercury capsule model I built and hung from the ceiling was still there. It was good to be home that day in 2006.

I was on my last assignment as a resource person for the Department of Social Welfare.

After this, it would be several years before I could return to the Philippines. I took this opportunity to spend an extra week with my parents.

Papa lived an exciting life. In his lifetime, he experienced radio shows, World War II, hi-fi, lunar landings, color TV, plastic bags, microwave ovens, personal computers and cell phones.

He was the life of a party. His signature high-pitched laugh could be heard at a gathering a block away. He told stories with a heavy dose of embellishment.

Even if he retold a story, it would sound even more exciting. He was pulling everyone's leg, but

A sentimental journey for my dad and I: The Sound of Music and its Von Trapp family

they didn't mind. So when he talked at a Christian seminar, you’d think he was the pastor.

He was forgetting all that. He was no longer comfortable with everyday things. He couldn't recall the cities he visited in his travels. His older brothers have passed away, and he wondered why they had not called

him. Papa went about his days quietly – bent down and unsure – a stark contrast from his loud and outgoing personality.

My Papa, like millions of people around the world, was going through dementia or Alzheimer's Disease (AD). It robs people of their memories and personalities. Papa's memories www.canadianinquirer.net

then, I had an idea.

I asked the help of his nurse to put up a white bed sheet over the sliding doors in the living room. Then I set up my laptop and the video projector I use in my seminars, and attached them to the karaoke machine.

After dinner, Papa and Mama sat on the couch, and we turned

down the lights. I popped in the “Sound of Music” DVD and started the movie. Everyone in the household stopped to gaze at the big makeshift screen.

Four decades had passed since my parents took us to watch “Sound of Music” at Rizal Theatre in Makati. They loved the movie so much, that they bought the souvenir program and the LP album. Surely, if Papa had some long-term memory left, he would remember the movie.

Papa watched it all the way to the intermission, sometimes lip-synching to the songs. Then, he asked to return his room.

Perhaps he knew that the second act was not pleasant. Later that night, Mama told me that he had never spent that much time on a single show. We felt good about that.

Days later, it was time to return to Canada. Before heading out the door, I told him a white lie – I would be back soon. Then he looked straight up at me with longing eyes and uttered, "you promise?" I lied again, “Yes”.

But I did come back. And he almost, just almost, remembered movie night. ■ Leo Valdes is a businessman and a college instructor in Vancouver and in the Philippines. Contact: leo.valdes@uniserve.com.

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Father’s Day

FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013 28

My Journey with my Father

BY KATHERINE MARFAL-TEVES Philippine Canadian Inquirer BEING a father begins at the birth of his first child, continues with the birth of his other children, when they enter school and finish their studies; when they get married.

The act of being a father doesn’t stop, and it will not. It is unconditional love.

A father doesn’t expect something in return for all his hard work and sacrifices.

So, this father’s day, I would like to fill this blank sheet with the most important memories and lessons I’ve learned from the very first man in my life, my Papa.

I was in 6th grade, and running for honors. Papa told me, “Kung ano man ang maging ranking mo, okay lang ‘yan, ‘wag kang ma-pressure.” (Whatever ranking you get into, it’s all right, you don’t have to feel like there is pressure on you.) I bagged third honorable mention. *Papa never gave me a standard that I need achieve, but he constantly remind-

ed me to do my best.

I was in my first year of high school.

On my way home, I got into the wrong jeepney. I got lost in a strange place. I called Papa and asked him to fetch me. In less than 30 minutes, he, along with my brothers, reached me. While my brothers laughed at me, Papa said, “Okay lang yan, first time eh, excused ka. Pero next time, hindi ka na excused.” (It’s okay. It was your first time, and you’re excused.

But next time you get lost again, it is not an excuse anymore.) *He has been always objective.

I was in my second year of high school.

I became a victim of bullying because of my naïve demeanor. I had almost given up, but Papa stayed at my side, and told me, “Kung magpapaapekto ka sa kanila, sino ang talo? Pabayaan mo na sila, prove them that you’re more than what their eyes can see.” (If you let them get under your skin, you let them win. Don’t mind them. Prove to them that you’re more than what their eyes can see.)

On the recognition day, I bagged honors and special awards. *Those words have stayed with me to this day. Every time I feel like giving

The author with her Papa on her most special day.

up, I would always remember my Papa’s words.

I was in college, taking up an Education course. I had intended to take up Journalism or Creative Writing, but didn’t pass the entrance exams in order to enroll in some major universities in the Philippines. I passed the exam at Philippine Normal University, and enrolled soon after.

Papa said, “Okay lang ‘yan, if you want to be a writer, you will be one. Mag-attend ka ng mga writing workshops. Don’t stop writing, practice lang nang practice.”

(Everything will be fine. If you want to be a writer, you will be one. Attend writing workshops. Don’t stop writing, practice more.) *He has been always supportive of me.

He looks for workshops and seminars that I can attend so I can develop my writing skills.

I was a graduating student at PNU; I dropped three of my subjects to accommodate some writing gigs at a local newspaper. Result: my graduation got delayed for one semester. My parents were disappointed. They talked to my professors to allow me to graduate on time, but didn’t get what they want.

At first, Papa was reluctant to talk to me; he was quiet. After half a day, he told me, “Sayang, cum laude ka sana kung ‘di ka nag-drop ng mga subjects mo, sabi ng mga professors mo.” Then, he smiled. “Di bale, nag-eenjoy ka ba d’yan sa mga raket mo?”

(You’ve lost your chance to be a cum laude. Your professors told us that if you

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didn’t drop your subjects, you would’ve graduated with honors. But it’s okay. Do you enjoy your writing job?) *Papa would always tell us, his family, whatever makes you happy, makes me even happier.

After working for two years in a BPO company, I’ve decided to pursue teaching—to give it a try. I would admit that it was quite tough. In spite of the smiles and kisses, plus chocolates I received from my preschooler-students everyday, I still felt that something was missing.

So, I quit from teaching, and pursued writing. *Papa has been always there to support me. He has been always my mentor and my critic. I let him read my articles, poems and stories; he gives me constructive criticism every time. Sometimes it hurt, but this molds me into a better writer.

He is the happiest every time he sees my name on the byline; he makes it known to our relatives, neighbors and friends. If he can buy all the copies, he would.

The day before my wedding day, Papa smiled at me. “I am happy, because you got a good man to be your husband.”

Even now that I’m married and living separately from him, I always make sure that I visit him once, twice, or more often in a week. He has been always my source of strength and inspiration, so I would not want to miss special moments with him.

Happy Father’s Day Papa! ■

Father’s Day

29 FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013

Pastimes for Retired Dads

BY KATHERINE MARFALTEVES Philippine Canadian Inquirer IS YOUR father retired from work? As a daughter with a retired father, I like providing my dad with pastimes to occupy his time.

Here are some activities that your dad can busy his hands with: Exercise.

Encourage him to exercise at least once a week. This will help him achieve a certain level of fitness and keep him healthy.

At first, my Papa was too lazy to go with us on our Sunday morning walks. We managed to convince him after many attempts. Now, he’s eager to join us every time. It also serves as our family bonding.

If your dad, papa, or tatay is into sports, get him to play at least one sport a week. Golf, basketball and billiards are a few examples.

Reading. Build a small library for your dad. Reading is one hobby that you can (re) introduce a retired father to. My Papa loves reading so we give him books and magazines (his favor-

ite’s the National Geographic) as often as we can. Now, we have a small library just for him. He settles into the library with a cup of coffee to read every morning.

Social media. Teach your dad how to use social media. My Papa made his own Facebook and Twitter accounts. He’s always online—blogging; checking e-mails. We didn’t have to show him the ropes. Social Media entertains him. He gets to reconnect with old friends, make new ones, stay up to date on news and current fads, and keeps his mind sharp by writing i n

his blog.

If your dad doesn’t have Facebook or Twitter, teach him how to make, use, and enjoy these platforms.

They will surely be an interesting activity for him.

Volunteer work.

Persuade him to join at least one civic or church organization.

Staying at home everyday may prove boring for your father, so urge him to join groups tailor-fitted to his interests. We’re still in the process of getting him to choose and join an organization in our community. Hopefully, Papa will say “yes” soon.

Gardening. It’s peaceful and relaxing. At his age, fresh air is what he needs to maintain his good health.

Keeping in touch with old friends. Get him to meet up with old friends from work, school, or elsewhere now and again. Just like the old times.

Romantic dinners with your mom. Set up a date between your dad and mom as often as you can. Give your father (and mother) the opportunity to be young at heart again. Arrange for them a dinner at a restaurant you know they would like, or cook and set for them a small and intimate dinner at home.

There are countless ways to make your father feel beloved even when he’s not bringing home the bacon anymore. You just need to know what his interests are so you can help him enjoy his life to the fullest. After all, he had worked hard for the past years. Don’t you think it’s about time to return the favor?

Happy Father’s Day Papa and to all fathers out there! ■

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Think type, not tie, when picking a bottle for Dad on Father's Day

BY MICHELLE LOCKE The Associated Press Forget the tie. Think bespoke booze for Father's Day, specifically a beverage tailor-made to suit the hobbies father knows best.

Of course, to do that you first have to decide who, exactly, is your daddy. The type of guy who likes to putt? Or someone who's happiest when merely puttering?

Is he sporty? Handy? Or maybe he's that most challenging of giftees, the man who has everything. Whatever the type, we've got a few suggestions to help you pick out that perfect bottle.

THE SPORTS FAN

Lots of choices in this category, including a number of wines

by NFL greats such as legendary coach Dick Vermeil (http:// www.vermeilwines.com ) of the Philadelphia Eagles, St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs as well as former Oakland Raiders and Green Bay Packers player Charles Woodson (http:// www.twentyfourwines.com ). Is dad more of a brew guy?

Radeberger Pilsner (http:// www.radebergergruppe.com ) is a classic German Pilsner made with barley malt, hops and water from the brewery's own well.

THE HANDYMAN

Is your dad the kind of guy who disappears into his workshop for hours in search of a better mousetrap? He might like Lucid Absinthe. Popular in the 19th and early-20th centuries, especially in France, the anise-flavoured spirit was banned due to concerns that it contained dangerously high levels of the chemical compound thujone, found in the key absinthe botanical ingredient Artemisia Absinthium.

But environmental chemist T.A. Breaux wasn't convinced the experts were right. A Louisiana native, Breaux had some pre-ban bottles of absinthe. He ran it through the mass spectrometer and, hey presto, found only trace amounts of thujone.

In 2007, Lucid, produced in France, was approved for im-

portation to the United States.

THE GOLFER

Scotland is the home of golf and of Scotch whisky (no telling if those two are related), and a good gift for the dad who golfs might be Johnny Walker Double Black, a smoky, complex whisky.

Or, try a single-malt whisky like Oban 14-year-old, which balances sweet and smoky with a slightly briny finish.

If dad likes wine, a number of golfers have gotten into the wine business, including South African Ernie Els, who produces wines from his country's Stellenbosch region (http:// www.ernieelswines.com/ ) and Arnold Palmer who collaborates with Luna Vineyards in the Napa Valley. (http://www. arnoldpalmerwines.com/ ) THE GUY EVERYTHING

WHO

HAS

There are a lot of people to look up to in the world of wine, but maybe none so literally as 7-foot-6 former NBA star Yao Ming. Ming's Yao Family Wines made its debut in 2011 with two choices, Yao Ming 2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Yao Ming 2009 Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. They're both priced in the special occasions category, the first coming with a suggested retail price of $150 and the second tagged at $625 and are available at a few fine wine shops by signing up on the winery mailing list.(http:// www.yaofamilywines.com ) In the spirits category, cognac offers elegance and finesse, just the ticket for a dad with sophisticated tastes. Camus cognac fits the Father's Day theme well since it's now being run by fifth-generation member Cyril Camus. The line starts with the reasonably priced VSOP Elegance at $24; try it over ice for a refreshing change. But if you recently won the lottery or are celebrating a VERY special Father's Day, how about the Cuvee 5.150 which marks the family-owned company's 50th anniversary and rings up at $13,500 a bottle. Or maybe you need a bit more time to save up for that one. ■

Father’s Day

FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013 30

This is a healthy version that can be enjoyed by the whole family.

FEATURED INGREDIENT: COUSCOUS

BY CHEF MICHELLA CACDAC

Couscous Paella: A Father’s Day Special

MY DAD was a public servant.

He was often assigned to different provinces in the Philippines and sent to faraway cities abroad. Despite his busy schedule, he would still make us breakfast whenever possible. He would never let mom do the chores when he’s around.

I still remember the omelets he cooked for us when we were little, and how we would wake up to the savory smell of it in the morning. He would make us powdered milk or chocolate drinks while we were still in bed. I treasured those simple things, and now that I’m a chef, I dedicate myself to preparing food for my parents more than anybody else in this world.

For a Father’s Day recipe, I prepared my dad’s favorite Spanish dish: couscous paella.

(Unlimited Local Calling)

Couscous is grains made from semolina or wheat that is widely used in North- African cooking. Couscous is a healthier substitute to rice or quinoa.

It could be steamed, stewed, and served as part of the soup, a salad, and even as the main course.

Every cup of couscous provides 176 calories (8% of the requirement per day), 6 grams of protein needed for muscle building, and 38 grams of carbohydrates to sustain energy.

It has selenium that helps fight toxins in our body. Potassium is also present, which prevents irregularities in heart rate. ■ COUSCOUS PAELLA MARINARA

Serves: 4-6 persons Prep time: 15 mins.

Cooking time: 20 mins.

INGREDIENTS:

500ml water 1pc medium- sized crab 200g mussels 200g prawns

150s squid rings 1 stalk leeks 3T olive oil 1 pc julienned white onion 1 clove garlic ½ pc yellow capsicum ½ pc green bell pepper a pinch saffron threads 396g of couscous 1/2c whole peeled tomato sauce 4 cups seafood stock a pinch of thyme a dash of paprika tt Himalauan salt tt ground black pepper 1 pc lemon PROCEDURE

1. In a stockpot, boil water, add the seafood and leeks until done. Set aside. Squid cooks in a matter of seconds so set aside right away.

2. In a paellera, heat olive oil and sauté onion, garlic, bell pepper, saffron and couscous.

3. Add tomato sauce and seafood stock. Stir until stock is properly absorbed.

4. Add the seafood.

5. Add paprika and thyme.

Season with Himalayan salt and pepper.

6. Once done, drizzle with some lemon.

7. Serve and enjoy!

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FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013

Another B.C. talent bagged this year’s TFCKAT’s Western Canada Finals Twenty-Four year old Boholano Ana Jenessa Escabarte swept the audience off their feet when she dished out a souful rendition of Beyonce’s “Stand Up For Love” at this year’s TFCkat Western Canada Finals held at the Philippine Days Festival, Waterfront Park, North Vancouver on June 9, 2013.

It was a sweltering sunny afternoon of familial merriment in the park to commemorate 115th anniversary of Philippine Independence. Hand in hand with the celebration was the much-anticipated final showdown of amateur vocal artistry of TFCkat Western Division Finalists. There was a total of five (5) finalists who vied for the title this year and 3 were from British Columbia—Jenessa Escabarte, Sarah Cantuba and Irene Lumayag. One will recall that last year’s TFCkat Canada Grand Chamption was another homegrown BC talent—Russel Figueroa who went on to compete at global talent franchise Pilipinas Got Talent (PGT) in the Philippines aired on ABSCBN’s Channel 2. Figueroa etched his way up to the quarter finals of PGT. Jenessa Escabarte will fly to Toronto next month for TFCkat Canada’s Grand Championship to challenge the winner of Eastern Canada (Winnipeg)—April Rose Llave. Both

'Kinky Boots' struts off with the most Tonys

BY MARK KENNEDY The Associated Press

Ana Jenessa Escabarte

Escabarte and Figueroa were former development/management artists of the now-de-

funct, MaxiPro Entertainment under the mentorship of Babes Castro-Newland. ■

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NEW YORK—The feel-good musical “Kinky Boots,” with songs by pop star and Broadway newcomer Cyndi Lauper, strutted away with a leading six 2013 Tony Awards on Sunday, including best musical, best original score and best leading man.

Christopher Durang’s comical “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” won the best play Tony. “Matilda the Musical” and “Pippin” won four awards each and two other shows—”Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” and “The Nance”—shared three awards each. Tom Hanks left emptyhanded, a Broadway newcomer not fated to be a “Lucky Guy.” Neil Patrick Harris was back for his fourth turn as host and was once again crucial to keeping the show funny and smart.

He opened with a razzle-dazzle bang amid dozens of dancers and singers—even getting boxer Mike Tyson to hoof—and closed it three hours later by rapping with Audra McDonald to a reworked “Empire State of Mind.”

The big, opening number started with Harris simply holding a guitar in a pub like “Once” but quickly morphed into a flashy number that showcased performers from almost a dozen musicals. Harris sang

“It’s bigger! Tonight it’s bigger,” jumped through a hoop, vanished from a box and promised a “truly legendary show” before glitter guns went off.

Lauper, who wrote the hit “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” was part of an impressive group of women who took top honours. Diane Paulus and Pam MacKinnon both won for directing—a rare time women have won directing Tonys for both a musical and a play in the same year. (It happened most recently at the 1998 Tonys.)

“Kinky Boots”—based on a 2005 film about a failing shoe factory that turns to making drag queen boots—also won for choreography and two technical awards, and Billy Porter won for leading man in a musical.

Along the way, Porter had to beat “Kinky Boots” co-star Stark Sands and told him from the stage: “You are my rock, my sword, my shield. Your grace gives me presence. I share this award with you. I’m gonna keep it at my house! But I share it with you.”

Durang’s play centres on three middle-aged siblings uneasily negotiating with age and hysterically mixes in references to Lindsay Lohan, Maggie Smith and ancient Greek drama.

Paulus won her first Tony for directing the crackling, high❱❱ PAGE 33 ‘Kinky Boots’

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FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013 32

Whedon tackles Shakespeare with 'Much Ado,' a charming but slight dress rehearsal

BY JAKE COYLE The Associated Press JOSS WHEDON’S bare-bones “Much Ado About Nothing” is the cinematic equivalent of Shakespeare in the parking lot and proof, again, that it doesn't take much doing to bring Shakespeare to life.

The circumstances of this low-budget, black-and-white “Much Ado” is already well known: Whedon shot it at his Los Angeles home over just 12 days immediately after production for a slightly larger film he directed: “The Avengers.”

So this adaptation - a Santa Monica house party - of one of Shakespeare's great comedies arrives with perhaps a touch of smugness. It's almost surely the only time the Bard has been performed with a suburban golf course in the background.

But Whedon, the fanboy hero of cultishly adored TV shows like

“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Firefly,” is particularly suited to “Much Ado About Nothing,” which Kenneth Branagh adapted in a 1993 film. Whedon can write some of the best banter around, so it's not surprising he feels a connection to Shakespeare's “merry war” of wit. It's fitting, too, that the same man that made a ponytailed teenager a supernatural warrior delights in a play that mocks male fears of female sexuality.

The verbal duel of “Much Ado” pits the proud bachelor Benedick (Alexis Denisof ) against the quick-tongued Beatrice (Amy Acker), as they sling clever put-downs back and forth, even as they're drawn together by their scheming friends. Most of the cast (including, memorably, Nathan Fillion as the bumbling Constable Dogberry and Clark Gregg as the governor Leonato) are long-time Whedonites, veterans from his TV shows and

films.

Rather than emphasize the Beatrice-Benedick sparring, Whedon's faithfully-adapted “Much Ado” is an amiable ensemble that spills around the director's spacious home (which was designed by Whedon's wife, Kai Cole, a producer on the film). It's a contemporary setting (a song sung in the play, for example, is played on an iPod), but most of the updating is minimal and consists of a whole lot of strewn-about wine glasses.

Fran Kranz plays the swooning Claudio, the suitor of Leonato's daughter, Hero (Jillian Morgese), whose wedding is sabotaged by false rumours of Hero's fidelity started by the villainous Don John (Sean Maher). But the scenario somehow lacks the biting gender commentary of the play.

One would expect Whedon, given his knack for wordplay, to highlight the verbal joisting and

Awarded production designer was ‘a story unto himself’ Dante Perez died at 56; colleagues remember him with affection

BY BAYANI SAN DIEGO JR. Philippine Daily Inquirer INDIE actor-production designer-artist Dante Perez passed away due to complications arising from “lung infection and untreated pneumonia” on May 28. He was 56.

Perez won best production/ visual design at the Gawad Urian and Young Critics’ Circle for Lav Diaz’s “Death in the Land of Encantos” in 2008.

He worked as production designer in other acclaimed Diaz films: “Melancholia” (2008), “Butterflies Have No Memories” (2009), “Century of Birthing” (2011) and “Florentina Hubaldo, CTE” (2012). He appeared as actor in these Diaz films, too—as well as in the ground-breaking 10-hour epic “Ebolusyon ng Isang Pamilyang Pilipino” (2004).

Among Perez’s last films as

actor was Rico Maria Ilarde’s horror film “Pridyider” (2012).

(IMDb.com lists him as part of the cast of Khavn de la Cruz’s “Misericordia: The Last Mystery of Kristo Vampiro.” He was also in the cast of Tikoy Aguiluz’s “El Brujo.”)

For Ilarde, Perez’s passing was sad news. “We were making a mainstream Regal movie, but I recommended Dante to our producer because I had seen his work in some indie films,” Ilarde recalled. “As luck would have it, the actor originally cast as JM de Guzman’s father became unavailable.”

“Pridyider” line producer Ferdy Lapuz recounted: “Dante saved our shoot. We picked him up at his house around 5:30 a.m. He never asked about talent fee.”

Ilarde described Perez as a “pleasant surprise” on the set.

“He wore vintage sunglasses that made him look like a cool,

bohemian artist,” Ilarde said.

“That’s how I’ll remember him.”

“Dante never lost his sense of humor,” said Aguiluz.

Perez’s daughter Sidd said, amusedly: “Papa was 56, but kept insisting he was 52.” He left her a treasure trove of memories, she said. “He told lots of stories, but was a story unto himself. I didn’t always understand his friends’ crazy love for him. One said he lost a ‘soul mate’ with Papa’s passing.”

Sidd said she would cherish one piece of advice from her father the most: “He told me, ‘It’s okay to follow your heart.’” ■

Visual artist and production designer Dante Perez FACEBOOK PHOTO

www.canadianinquirer.net

really chew the play's choice lines. But much of the acting doesn't make the language pop (Denisof is particularly without snap) and the wan black-andwhite photography bleaches the play of its snappiness. Acker (“The Cabin in the Woods”) gives a likable and lithe performance, even if its lacks the commanding presence Beatrice deserves.

More effort, it feels, went into making the play feel natural rather than to making it sing.

This “Much Ado” (for which Whedon also composed the music) is perhaps best considered merely a promising but casual dress rehearsal, not a polished production.

Best here are the bits of farce, like the pratfalls and double takes of Beatrice and Benedick when they overhear rumour of the other's alleged infatuation.

The lack of polish, though, also gives Whedon's film its charm. The history of Shake-

speare movie adaptations is littered with stiff productions that crack under the weight of its sacred material. That, thankfully, is definitely not an issue to Whedon's slinky, unadorned “Much Ado,” which, if anything, is too light.

But despite all these quibbles, moviegoers will likely have few better options this summer for a good romantic comedy.

Among the globe-trotting spectacles of Hollywood (whose ranks Whedon will rejoin, as he's writing an “Avengers” sequel), the micro-budget “Much Ado About Nothing” points a way for filmmakers to make - with cheap technology and a few talented friends - something substantial. A script by Shakespeare helps, too.

“Much Ado About Nothing,” a Roadside Attractions release, is rated PG-13 for some sexuality and brief drug use. Running time: 109 minutes. Two and half stars out of four. ■

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33 FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013

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‘Kinky Boots’... ❰❰ 31

energy, circus-based revival of the musical “Pippin,” which also earned the best revival honour and helped Patina Miller earn a best leading actress trophy.

Paulus’ last two revivals, “Hair” and “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess,” both won Tonys for best musical revival. She dedicated her award to her parents, “who gave me the best gift a daughter could ever hope for, the encouragement to do what you love with your life, which for me was the theatre.”

For Miller, the win caps a whirlwind few years for the Carnegie Mellon University graduate, who was nominated for back-to-back Tonys for her first roles on Broadway. Last year, she played a nun in “Sister Act.” MacKinnon won for directing the play “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” a year after earning her first nomination for helming “Clybourne Park.” Her revival of Edward Albee’s story of marital strife won the best play revival and earned playwright and actor Tracy Letts his first acting Tony, which prompted an upset beating of Hanks. Letts, speaking on behalf of all actors, called what he does “The greatest job on Earth.”

Andrea Martin, 66, who won as featured actress in a musical, plays Pippin’s grandmother and sings the music hall favourite “No Time at All.” She stuns audiences nightly by doing jaw-dropping stunts that would make someone a fraction of her age blanch.

Courtney B. Vance won for best featured actor in a play for portraying a newspaper editor opposite Tom Hanks

in “Lucky Guy.” He dedicated his award to his mother.

Judith Light won her second featured actress in a play Tony in two years, cementing the former TV star of “One Life to Live” and “Who’s the Boss?” as a Broadway star.

She followed up her win last year as a wise-cracking alcoholic aunt in “Other Desert Cities” with the role of a wry mother in “The Assembled Parties,” in which she goes from about 53 to 73 over the play’s two acts.

“I want to thank every woman that I am in this category nominated with: you have made this a celebration, not a competition,” she said.

Gabriel Ebert of “Matilda the Musical” won as best featured actor in a musical. He thanked his four Matildas and his parents, stooping down to speak into the microphone.

Cicely Tyson, 88, won the best leading actress in a play honours for the revival of “The Trip to Bountiful,” the show’s only award on the night. It was the actress’ first time back on Broadway in three decades. “‘Please wrap it up,’ it says. Well, that’s exactly what you did with me: You wrapped me up in your arms after 30 years,” she said.

Going into the night, “Kinky Boots” and “Matilda the Musical” were fierce rivals, but the musical adaptation of the novel by Roald Dahl managed only best book, best featured actor and a few technical awards. Shows that walked away empty-handed from Radio City Music Hall included the acrobatic “Bring It On:

The Musical,” the hit-heavy “Motown the Musical” and “A Christmas Story, the Musical.”

Some of the telecast highlights included the stunning kids on Broadway—the orphans in “Annie,” the actor Raymond Luke Jr. as a pre-teen Michael Jackson in “Motown the Musical,” and the dancing tots in “A Christmas Story, the Musical”—especially the young tap dancer wizard Luke Spring—plus the four young women in “Matilda.”

Harris got his face licked by the dog playing Sandy in “Annie,” made fun of Tyson and Shia LaBeouf, who left a revival of “Orphans” before the show opened and then tweeted about it, and joined with “Smash” star Megan Hilty, “Go On” star Laura Benanti and former “The Book of Mormon” star Andrew Rannells to skewer theatre stars who seek fame on TV with a twisted version of “What I Did For Love” from “A Chorus Line.”

Kenneth Posner, surprisingly, did not take home the award for best lighting design of a musical. Of the four shows in the category, Posner had been nominated for three—”Kinky Boots, “Pippin” and “Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella.” But he lost to his only competitor, Hugh Vanstone, who designed the lighting for “Matilda the Musical.”

Presenters included Jesse Eisenberg, Jon Cryer, Jake Gyllenhaal, Anna Kend-

www.canadianinquirer.net

rick, Zachary Quinto, Sally Field, Audra McDonald, Alan Cumming and Jesse Tyler Ferguson.

The Tony winners were picked by 868 Tony voters, including members of The Broadway League, American Theatre Wing, Actors’ Equity, the Dramatists Guild, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society as well as critics from the New York Drama Critics Circle.

The awards telecast faced competition for attention on Sunday night from an episode of “Mad Men” on AMC and Game 2 of the NBA finals between San Antonio and Miami on ABC. Last year’s telecast was seen by 6 million viewers, down significantly from 2011’s 6.9 million.

The awards cap a somewhat grim financial season on Broadway in which the total box office take was flat and the number of ticket buyers slipped 6 per cent. Both numbers were blamed in part on Superstorm Sandy, but high ticket prices and the lack of long term audience growth has many worried.

A total of 46 new shows opened during the season, which began last May and ended May 26: 15 musicals, 26 plays and five special events or concerts. ■ AP Entertainment Writer Frazier Moore and AP National Writer Jocelyn Noveck contributed to this report.

Entertainment

FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013 34

Boyet remembers a mentor, father, friend

BY BAYANI SAN DIEGO JR. Philippine Daily Inquirer “A WISE man” is how actor Christopher de Leon describes the late Eddie Romero, National Artist for Cinema and Broadcast Arts.

De Leon counts himself lucky to have been directed by Romero in four movies—“Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon” (1976), “Aguila” (1980), “Kamakalawa” (1981) and “Faces of Love” (2007). Thus, he feels the director watched him grow as an actor—from his days as a neophyte in “Ganito” (only his third year in acting) to his maturation in their first “indie” collaboration, “Faces.”

Says De Leon of Romero: “He was brilliant. He gave me simple instructions on the set. Little did I know that the film we were making would be a classic.”

Golden year

That film was “Ganito,” which swept the Famas, Urian and Metro Manila Film Festival awards—in the same golden year that produced Lino Brocka’s “Insiang,” Mike de Leon’s “Itim,” Ishmael

Bernal’s “Nunal sa Tubig,” Lupita Aquino’s “Minsa’y Isang Gamugamo” and Mario O’Hara’s “Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos.”

Considered Romero’s finest work, “Ganito” chronicles the adventures of a young peasant (De Leon) caught in the middle of the revolution against Spain and the resistance against the United States.

Far from being a tyrant on the set, Romero was a benevolent patriarch, De Leon says. “He made sure the team sat together at this long table…for meals.”

Multitasking

Romero worked on “Ganito” at the same time as Francis Ford Coppola’s “Apocalypse Now,” where he was overall Philippine coordinator. In a 2005 interview, Romero told the Inquirer that Coppola allowed him to do “Ganito” only if he would always carry a walkietalkie, so that the Hollywood director could reach him anytime.

De Leon confirms: “Every so often, he left ‘Ganito’ to report to the ‘Apocalypse’ set. That was why we shot ‘Ganito’ in Laguna, near the set of ‘Apocalypse.’”

As bonus, De Leon got to visit the “Apocalypse” set. “I met Coppola, [and actors] Martin Sheen and Dennis Hopper.”

Critics considered Nicolas “Kulas” Ocampo, De Leon’s character in “Ganito,” as the Filipino “everyman,” though some dismissed Kulas as a glorified simpleton, De Leon relates.

“When I saw ‘Forest Gump’ years later, I realized that Eddie was way ahead of his time,” the actor points out.

Four years after “Ganito,” they were reunited in “Aguila,” where De Leon played the son of Action King Fernando Poe Jr., another National Artist.

De Leon admits he felt jittery on the set of “Aguila,” a star-studded megaproduction. “My costars were all good.

I enjoyed the action scenes— and fighting the Japanese alongside FPJ. But I must confess that I had a hard time in that movie because I had to age three decades.”

Shooting the ending was memorable, he recalls.

At the end of “Aguila,” son (De Leon) finds his long-missing dad (Poe) in the forest, living his remaining days in the village of an indigenous tribe.

“I remember that day vividly,” says De Leon. “I thought that it was the ending that Eddie wanted for his own life. It was his dream to fade away quietly, without fanfare. But he was a National Artist and much-loved in the industry, so that would be impossible.”

De Leon was in Albay shooting the TV5 series “Misibis Bay” at the time of Romero’s passing on May 28.

A scolding

A year after “Aguila,” they teamed up again in “Kamakalawa,” where De Leon played another “Kulas”-like character,

outwitting gods and monsters in precolonial Philippines. “I had fun doing that,” De Leon recalls. “We shot it entirely in Eddie’s hometown of Dumaguete.”

On his free day, the actor decided to go scuba diving, without checking the weather report. He recounts, “There was a coming storm and our boat got swept away. We ended up in [the neighboring island of ] Siquijor.”

De Leon and his companions had to hike for 12 hours to get to the port where a ferry could take them back to Dumaguete.

He continues: “The next day, we got back to the set. Eddie was worried sick; he had contacted the Coast Guard. Upon seeing me, he said, ‘Buti nga sa iyo!

(Serves you right!)’”

That, De Leon says, made him feel like the mischievous kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “That was what our relationship was like. He was a second father to me and he treated me like a son.”

Trusted friend

Romero was a contemporary of his parents, LVN actors Lilia Dizon and Gil de Leon. “I looked up to him not just as a director, but also as a friend. I trusted him completely,” says De Leon.

They again got to collaborate six years ago in the indie film, “Faces of Love.”

“He was still strong and sharp at that time,” De Leon remembers.

He is glad that the ABS-CBN Archives and Central Digital Lab is now digitally restoring “Ganito.”

“It is part of our history, our culture,” De Leon explains. “It should not be forgotten. It speaks to our countrymen. It’s important for younger generations to get the chance to watch ‘Ganito.’” ■

John Malkovich saves a man’s life The Canadian Press TORONTO—A 77-year-old Ohio man says he’ll be forever grateful to actor John Malkovich for coming to his rescue during a frightening incident in Toronto.

The Toronto Stars reports Jim Walpole and his wife Marilyn, 79 were visiting the city on Thursday as part of a crossCanada tour.

Walpole told the newspaper they’d just finished dinner at a downtown restaurant and were walking back to the King Edward hotel when he tripped and fell on a piece of scaffolding that gashed his neck.

As he lay on the sidewalk bleeding profusely, his frantic wife yelled for help.

Malkovich just happened to be standing nearby and Walpole says the acclaimed actor rushed to his aid, applying pressure to his wound to stop the flow of blood until paramedics arrived.

Walpole was stitched up at nearby St. www.canadianinquirer.net

Two-time Oscar-nominated actor John Malkovich, known for roles in “Places in the Heart”, “Dangerous Liaisons”, and “Being John Malkovich.”

PHOTO FROM WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Michaels Hospital and says doctors told him he could have been in real trouble had the gash been just a fraction of an inch longer.

Walpole said he didn’t recognize his guardian angel at the time of his crisis and never got to personally thank him, but he added he definitely plans to check out some Malkovich movies. ■

FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013

Lifestyle

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History Comes Alive with Professor Ambeth Ocampo in Ottawa

Prof. Ambeth Ocampo delivers his lecture.

Dr. Ruby Formoso, PHFC Chair, welcomes guests as co-sponsor of the lecture Cheryll San Juan (below), The Chief Executive Officer of Eskwela Inc., introduces the guest lecturer.

11 June 2013 – Launching festivities in observance of the 115th Anniversary of Philippine Independence, the Filipino community in Ottawa revisited Philippine history in a lecture delivered by Professor Ambeth Ocampo on June 07 at the Conservatoire de Musique de Gatineau.

True to its promise, the lecture “History Comes Alive with Professor Ambeth Ocampo” engrossed the attention of Filipinos and Canadians alike in a deftly-woven story of the life and loves of Dr. Jose Rizal. Hooking his audience with the theme “Queridas ni Rizal: Love and Sex in Philippine History,” Professor Ocampo entwined facts with instructive insights that refuted long-held impressions of the

national hero by humanizing a paragon of Filipino nationalism.

The lecture went into overtime with Professor Ocampo fielding questions from an audience animated by his perspective on our national narrative. From questions about language to Filipino identity, he reminded the eager audience of the fact that context is especially important in the slippery discipline of history.

“Our take-away this evening is a deeper appreciation of our history through Dr. Ocampo’s clarification of myths we learned as pupils of Philippine history. We are further inspired by the good Professor’s instruction on our identity as Filipinos and individual potential for heroism,” Philip-

pine Ambassador to Canada Leslie B. Gatan remarked.

On behalf of the Filipino community, Ambassador Gatan presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Professor Ocampo for his authoritative insights on Philippine history and commendable contributions to the promotion of Philippine culture in Canada.

Professor Ocampo is a multi-awarded Filipino historian, academic, journalist, and author best known for his writings on Dr. Jose Rizal.

His lecture in Ottawa was organized by the Philippine Embassy in Ottawa, in partnership with the Philippine Heritage Foundation Canada (PHFC), Eskwela Inc. and the Knights of Rizal – Ottawa Chapter. ■

Ambassador Leslie B. Gatan presents a Certificate of Appreciation to Prof.

Ocampo.

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FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013 36

Philippine Embassy in Brussels Holds “Agahan Para sa Kalayaan” 11 June 2013 - The Philippine Embassy in Brussels brought together 100 leaders and members of Filipino community organizations at the Chancery on Avenue Moliere on June 01 to share in an “Agahan Para sa Kalayaan” event. This served as the kick-off ceremony for the diplomatic reception to be hosted by the Embassy on June 12 as well as the four-city (Brussels, Ghent, Brugge & Luxembourg) Philippine Independence Day celebrations in Belgium and Luxembourg by various Filipino organizations this year.

This breakfast event was launched last year by Philippine Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Union Victoria Bataclan as a way to bring together all Fili-

pino community leaders in Belgium and Luxembourg, express appreciation for their efforts to celebrate Philippine Independence through their various organized events and to inspire them to do more for their country and their fellowmen.

In her remarks, Ambassador Bataclan highlighted the 2013 Kalayaan theme “Ambagan Tungo sa Malawakang Kaunlaran” and outlined ways of how every Filipino could contribute to growth and development of the Philippines, such as through encouraging foreigners investors and tourists in the Philippines. She cited the most recent investment upgrades that our country has received from Standard & Poor’s and Fitch and our growth rate of 6.6%. She, however, reminded

everyone that the poverty level in the Philippines is still at 30% which means that a lot more needs to be done for the country and for the people.

The Embassy also opened a Filipino painting exhibition at the Chancery entitled “Filipinism.”

Germany-based Filipino curator Virgilio Cuizon, who is responsible for organizing the exhibit, explained that “Filipinism” was defined by former President Jose Laurel as the assertion of one’s national birthright with patriotism defined as love of country as primary element. If applied in the art scene, Filipinism is a way of showing the true identity of artists as Filipinos in their works of art.

The exhibition featured the works of Aris Bagtas, Ra-

fael Cusi, Erick Dator, Rigor Esguerra, Vincent Gonzales, Ronna Manansala, and Rene Robles.

Also part of the program was a candle-lighting ceremony which was done while singing “Pananagutan” which symbolized each citizen’s responsibility towards each other especially in nation-building.

To add to the festive mode, the Embassy brought in homegrown Filipino talent, Mr. DK Valdez, Philippine Movie Press Club’s (PMPC) Best New Male Recording Artist 2012 and Belgium-based Ms. Maria Theresa

Morales who was a semi-finalist in the recent “The Voice Flanders” singing competition on Belgian television.

During the event, Ms. Adela Lulu, Council of Filipino Organizations in Belgium (COFAB) President and Ms. Haydee Holliday, President of Belga Cultura Filipina (BCF) invited the leaders to participate in the first project of the Philippine Cultural Promotion Circle (PCPC), the PCPC Youth Day, a first-ever initiative to orient the Filipino youth of Belgium and Luxembourg on their rich Philippine heritage. ■

New York Celebrates Philippine Fashion for Independence Month 11 June 2013, New York – The Philippine Consulate General in New York with the Philippine Center launched a special fashion-themed exhibit for Philippine Independence Month on June 05.

The exhibit entitled “Filipiniana Romance” brings together twenty (20) Filipiniana dresses created by some of the best-known Filipino designers based in the Philippines and in New York.

This special exhibit is part of the commemoration of the 115th anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine Independence. Featured designers include Philippine National Artists for fashion Pitoy Moreno, Leonard Co, Ben Farrales, Alfonso Guino-o, Edgard Madamba, Cora Manimbo, Elvira Reyes, Rene Salud, and Patis Tesoro. Up-and-coming young Filipino designer Anna Purugganan’s modern take on the terno was showacased by live models during the exhibit opening.

Four of the featured designers – Leonard Co, Alfonso “Boy” Guino-o, Elvira Reyes, and Anna Purugganan graced the opening.

(Left photo) Consul General de Leon with exhibit patrons and featured designers Leonard Co, Alfonso Guino-o, Elvira Reyes & Anna Purugganan; (Right photo) Consul General de Leon, Mrs. Eleanor de Leon, designers & patrons at the ribbon-cutting ceremony

What makes the exhibit doubly special is that the featured pieces are from private collections of members of the Filipino-American community in the US Northeast and speak volumes about the great pride these women have in their cultural heritage.

The pieces on display all have the common features of the basic Baro’t Saya, the Maria Clara design, and their more modern cousin, the Terno.

The June window display features a one-of-a-kind ethnic costume by Alfonso Guino-o

from the collection of Ms. April Talangbayan.

The Exhibit patrons who generously loaned pieces from their collections are: Mrs. Fe Cabactulan, spouse of Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) Libran Cabactulan, Ms. Leila Benitez, supermodel, actress and host Ms. Bessie Badilla, PIDCI President Fe Martinez, Mrs. Cora Reyes, Ms. Luz Vivas, Mrs. Evelyn Sison, Ms. Ollie David, Dr. Anita Jongco, Ms. April Talangbayan, Ms. Joyce de Leon, and Ms. Avelina Pimo. www.canadianinquirer.net

The opening also featured well-applauded performances by soprano Kay Habana who sang the classic “Ang Maya” and multi-awarded actor and singer John Arcilla’s who sang two popular Filipino songs “Ika’y Panaginip Lang” and “Ikaw”.

Professor Christine Pomeranz of New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) was likewise one of the special guests at the opening Filipiniana Romance will be on display until 21 June 2013 at the Lobby-Gallery of the Philippine Center. ■

Some of the beautiful designs on display

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37 FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013

Voices of Loboc’s Children Soar Over China 11 June 2013 - On the occasion of the visit to China of the Loboc Children’s Choir, China’s national radio, China Radio International, aired a onehour program on the Loboc Children’s Choir and Philippine music on June 07, as part of the program “World Culture Circle.”

Two members of the Loboc Children’s Choir, Carmelle and Vea, were invited to participate in the program, and they were assisted by a fluent Mandarin-speaking Filipino student doing his master’s degree at Peking University, Bojer Capati.

Professor Zhu Zhuojian of the China Central Conservatory of Music also spoke of Philippine music and his memories of the Philippines when he pursued his masters in Philippine music at the University of the Philippines (UP) Conservatory of Music from 1986 to 1988. A fluent Filipino-speaking Chinese broadcaster, Jade Xian, also pitched in to converse with

the children.

The program highlighted the warm, cheerful and musical nature of Filipinos, and the talent of the members of the Loboc Children’s Choir. “They are very warm and cheerful,” stressed Professor Zhu. When asked to sing a favorite childhood song, Carmelle and Vea sang “Leron Leron Sinta” in perfect harmony; when queried on what the song was saying, Carmelle shyly said “it is about climbing a papaya tree and falling down,” whereupon the anchor laughed and said, “You fall down and still, you sound so joyful!”

Professor Zhu recounted his memories of his mentor at the UP Conservatory of Music, Dr. Jose Maceda, revealing his deep respect for his teacher.

Professor Zhu also recounted his trips to northern Luzon to immerse in traditional Philippine music, where he was most warmly welcomed by all the Filipinos he met.

He praised the Choir, saying “They are excellent and very

accurate. When they sing, one has the impression of listening to only one voice.”

Filipino student Boj Capati was asked about his favorite Philippine songs, and was requested by the anchor to let the audience sample “Philippine rock and roll.” Boj gamely sang an excerpt from his favorite Eraserheads song on the air. Also aired were “Tara na – Biyahe Tayo,” an old Department of Tourism jingle,

eliciting the anchor’s comment, “This makes me want to travel to the Philippines!”

Several times during the program, Carmelle and Vea were asked to sing on the air for the audience. They sang an internationally-loved Chinese song, “Molihua” (Jasmine, or sampaguita), drawing sighs from the anchors. The program closed with the recorded song “Handog,” a Florante classic from the 1980s, as sung

by the Loboc Children’s Choir, and the reading of the Chinese translation of the lyrics.

“Handog” is the banner song of the Loboc Children’s Choir concert in China, entitled “Handog para sa Kaibigan,” to celebrate the 38th anniversary of the establishment of Philippines-China diplomatic relations, the 2012-2013 Years of Friendly Exchanges between the two countries, and International Children’s Day. ■

s u n

s u n

i Jo

The 4th Annual

i Jo

FREE

The 4th Annual

Surrey Seniors’

FREE

Surrey Seniors’

Intercultural Showcase

Intercultural Showcase

Where: Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre (13458 107A Avenue, Surrey) When: Saturday, June 15th, 2013 (11am-3pm)

Where: Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre (13458 107A Avenue, Surrey) When: Saturday, June 15th, 2013 (11am-3pm)

Music and entertainment from around the world!

• Free lunch featuring cuisine from different cultures!

• Learn about various cultural groups living within Surrey!

Music and entertainment from around the world!

• Free lunch featuring cuisine from different cultures!

• Learn about various cultural groups living within Surrey!

•

•

For more information, please contact Judith McBride Tel. 604-671-7761 email. jmcbride@mcgi.ca

For more information, please contact Judith McBride Tel. 604-671-7761 email. jmcbride@mcgi.ca

www.canadianinquirer.net

Lifestyle

FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013 38

SOUS VIDE ORGANIC CHICKEN AFRITADA by THOMAS WEIBULL Chef Weibull participated in the recently-concluded Eat! Vancouver at the B.C. Place Place Stadium. He showcased Philippine Cuisine: Colourful & Fun through his Sous Vide Organic Chicken Afritada. See related story on page 39 Ingredients:

Why ‘Wasted’ matters Gerry Alanguilan’s ground-breaking, blood-soaked 1990s epic is our most important independently published comic book

BY RUEL S. DE VERA Philippine Daily Inquirer THERE was simply nothing else like Gerry Alanguilan’s “Wasted” when it first came out in July 1994. The photocopied, black-and-white independently published comic book was a shot across the bow for the coming wave of comic books. It was a loud and proud next stage of evolution from the venerable komiks tradition.

Filipino comic books were still in their infancy then but “Wasted” was definitely the bad boy of the bunch. It was angry and profane but also starkly honest.

Bad trip gone worse

Running eight issues from 1994 to 1996 and published by Alanguilan’s garage imprint Deranged Comics, “Wasted” was basically one bad trip that steadily got worse. The young man named Eric took a walk across the city while pretty much destroying everyone who got in his way—and a few people who just happened to be there.

His father was dead. His girlfriend had left him for another man. So Eric took it out on the world around him, sometimes with his bare hands. He was hurting so bad that he wanted to hurt everybody else until it stopped hurting.

As each issue went by, the stakes got higher. Unlike what you would expect in a conventional comic book story, this

was not going to end well. And that was the point. It was depressing then and it is depressing now, which is a good thing.

The art was raw but effective; it scared the heck out of anyone reading it.

Loyal audience

“Wasted” was unabashedly visceral and violent, stunning the reader with its ferocity from the very first issue. A lot of people died badly. There was nary an ounce of political correctness in it. It was romantic in a fatalistic way and yet the violence was cathartic—though the book remains, as it will always be, strictly for mature audiences.

That audience was also loyal. The readers waited for the following issues, even though they came out irregularly. They wanted to know what was going to happen to Eric— even if deep inside the reader probably already knew. They waited anyway.

That kind of devotion made “Wasted” a must-read. It was the first series collected into a trade paperback by the nascent Alamat Comics in 1998.

New edition

It’s been reprinted several times since, but when the original artwork went up in a fire in 2003, it seemed that “Wasted” was going to go out of print for good. So, when Alanguilan’s own Komikero Publishing released a new collected edition at the Summer Komikon, it was

a cause to celebrate.

Of course, Alanguilan went on to write and illustrate other comic books. He became a world-class inker, worked with the big names and inked major characters Superman and Wolverine, among many others. He also became a dedicated historian of Filipino comics.

But “Wasted” was the work that started it all. It’s not Alanguilan’s best work; that distinction goes to “Elmer,” his whimsically insightful, Eisnernominated, talking-chicken saga. But “Wasted” was the work that heralded what was to come. It proved that the audience for such ground-breaking books was there and that the model, even in its photocopied, black-and-white, limited-distribution incarnation, could work.

Its success made possible everything from Arnold Arre’s “The Mythology Class” and Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo’s “Trese.” That makes “Wasted” the most important independently published comic book in Philippine history.

So, if you haven’t read it yet, here’s your chance. And if you’ve already done so, then read it again.

The new edition of “Wasted” is available at Comic Odyssey branches at Robinsons Galleria, Robinsons Place Malate, and Fully Booked, Bonifacio High Street. Or log on to http://www. comic-odyssey.com/wastedby-gerry-alanguilan/ ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

4 pieces of chicken breasts 5 pieces potatoes, peeled and halved ½ onion, diced ½ head garlic, minced 1 roasted green bell pepper, skin peeled, sliced into strips 1 roasted red bell pepper, skin peeled sliced into strips 1 ½ C chicken stock (broth) ½ C chopped canned tomato 2 tbl of patis (fish sauce) 3 tbl of olive oil ½ C fresh or frozen English Peas

Equipment:

Polyscience Sous Vide machine from William Sonoma and Food Saver Instructions:

1. Set the Sous Vide machine at 62 C with water in a large pot or plastic basin.

2. Sauté garlic and onions, then pour the tomato sauce and stock.

Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for 20 minutes then chill.

3. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place in a foodsaver bag with the ½ cup of just made tomato broth and seal with foodsaver machine.

4. Be sure that all ingredients are chilled properly before placing in already heated water bath.

5. Cook sealed bag of chicken afritada in water bath for 60 minutes.

6. Cook potatoes in remaining tomato broth and continue to cook for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.

7. Add the green and red bell peppers, English peas, and simmer for an additional minute or two.

8. Salt and pepper to taste.

9. Remove all ingredients from bag after being cooked, add the remaining sauce on top.

Optional: If you like crispy skin on your chicken, pat chicken dry after being cooked and sear with olive oil for four minutes, then place sauce on top.

PHOTO FROM GEVMAG.COM

Dining

39 FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013

Chef Thomas Weibull whips up a sample of his Modern American cuisine.

PHOTO FROM EAT-VANCOUVER.COM

Future plans and words of wisdom

THE GLOBAL FILIPINO

Chef Thomas Weibull

BY ANGIE DUARTE Philippine Canadian Inquirer AS FILIPINO dishes go, adobo is quite possibly the most well-known; the most global of Pinoy gustatory delights. It is, perhaps, our nation’s signature comfort food which brings back waves of nostalgia, bite after savoury, soy-saucy-vinegary bite.

It is also, quite frankly, the most elusive of dishes, for no two adobos are exactly alike. It’s true. If you won’t take my word for it, then take the word of Filipino-Swedish Chef Thomas Weibull (pronounced Way-bull, thanks very much).

Chicken adobo is his favorite Filipino dish, the perfection of which evades him at every turn.

After all, it isn’t just any chicken adobo that he craves; it’s his mother’s.

“The one that always sticks to my head as favorite Filipino dish is my mother’ chicken adobo. I’ve tried many different variations of it, but sometimes you always have that distinct flavor of your mother’s cooking. It’s that food memory that always stays there. There are times I’ve tried to replicate how she cooks it, but I don’t think I’ve gotten it down yet.

I’d call her in Sweden, and ask for her recipe, and my mom would be upset and say ‘How can you be a professional chef and not know how to cook chicken adobo?!?’” he shares, in a quipping manner.

This accomplished, Executive Chef at the Velvet Room in the Clift Hotel, San Francisco, tips his toque to his mother’s chicken adobo. For as chef Thomas theorizes, “cooking isn’t just about food; it’s a lot about food memories; food passions from your childhood and what you remember as a child.”

The eldest child discovers Julia Child

Chef Thomas was born in Philadel-

phia, USA to a Filipino mother and a Swedish dad. His mom, who originally hails from the Philippine province of San Andres, Quezon, would spend many nights working her shift as a registered nurse in the US. His Swedish dad, an engineer, was often out-of-town on work-related trips. This left Thomas, the eldest of the Weibull siblings, the responsibility of looking out for the younger ones. He was in his teens.

Having inherited a strong-sense of family from his mom’s tightly-knit clan, Thomas did not mind taking on the role.

This, coupled with a healthy interest in cooking (something he credits to watching his mom in the kitchen), led him to experiment with simple dishes, at first: spaghetti, roast chicken; such was their dinner fare as Thomas honed his culinary skills.

Then he discovered Julia Child.

Thomas spent many hours watching her, and other cooking shows, and the dishes became more sophisticated: roast beef, and then roast beef with Béarnaise sauce, for instance.

At the age of fifteen, Thomas and his family moved to Stockholm, Sweden for 5 years. During this time, the budding chef pursued a culinary course at the Kristinaberg Restaurant and Hotel School.

cooking education is a life-long one.”

Determination and passion for his chosen path, however, propelled him past the challenges and onward to bigger and better things. He now “wows” the most discriminating of palates with his culinary flare, the style of which he describes as “modern American”: a fusion of ingredients from global cultures (like Filipino kalamansi, Japanese miso, Korean spices, etc.) that he takes from “here and there” and then works them into an American dish, while staying true to the particular focal point of the dish.

Learning the (often challenging) ropes

The now established chef looks back at his beginnings in the profession and recounts the challenges of learning the ropes as a line cook. Though armed with his training in French technique, he nevertheless found himself peeling vegetables – for 6 months on end.

He shares that the origins of professional cheffing are rooted in “hard work, long hours, not the most gratifying and financially rewarding job in the beginning. But you have to stay focused; realize that it is part of education, and that www.canadianinquirer.net

Chef Thomas, who has been to the Philippines twice (once as a boy, and then again in 2002) has a desire to someday connect with the Filipino half of his cultural roots. “I see myself as an advocate, to help push Filipino cuisine, from a multi-cultural background. Also in homage to my Mom, to get Filipino food into the mainstream.”

Meantime, he reveals that he doesn’t “know exactly” where the next step will take him. “Right now, I’m back in the corporate world, as Executive Chef of a hotel. I always try to change up what I’m doing in my career. But in the end, I see myself owning my own place again.

Maybe a 40-seater…” he adds.

For aspiring chefs, he has these words of wisdom hot-off the stove: “The most important thing is to push yourself; you have to have a passion for this career.

You probably won’t get your break early on, like the television or ‘chef shows’ show. But if you work hard, you’ll get there. You have to learn the ropes: respect your Chef, work hard, and learn as much as you can. Be like a sponge. The success will come later.” ■ With reports from Melissa Remulla-Briones.

Business

FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013 40

New BIR rule on receipts raises uproar Amid mounting complaints, groups seek postponement

BY MICHELLE V. REMO Philippine Daily Inquirer

ILLUSTRATION BY MARK STAY

PRIVATE enterprises in the country are in an uproar over a directive from the Bureau of Internal Revenue for them to issue new receipts starting July 1 and for the steep penalties to be imposed on those that will fail to comply.

Complainants criticized the timing of the directive, embodied in Revenue Regulation 18-2012 published last January, which they said was hasty and could cause losses especially for small firms.

The controversial revenue regulation states that all businesses operating in the country should have applied for a new authority to print (ATP) receipts with the BIR not later than April 30 and should issue and use the new set of receipts starting July 1.

Moreover, businesses are required to transact only with a new list of BIR-accredited printing companies. BIR employees and their relatives are disqualified from offering printing services.

Those who failed to apply for an ATP last April 30 faced a penalty of P1,000, while those who will fail to issue new receipts starting July 1 will be slapped a penalty that can go as high as P50,000.

“I am very angry. The penalty of P50,000 is so steep and is already equivalent to a few months worth of net income for our small business. We did not even know about the new BIR directive until a few days ago,” an entrepreneur, who declined to be identified, told the Inquirer when asked to comment on the new BIR ruling. The entrepreneur and her husband run a small printing business.

She said that when her employee went to a BIR branch last April to pay income tax, none of the BIR staff mentioned about the new ruling on receipts.

Sergio Ortiz-Luis, president of the Philippine Exporters Confederation (Philexport) and an officer of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), said the head offices of the two business groups had been bombarded with calls from various members all over the country inquiring about the new BIR ruling and asking if a request could be made for the BIR to delay the implementation of the directive on receipts.

Ortiz-Luis said majority of businesses in the country were not prepared for the implementation of RR 18-2012.

“We asked the BIR for more time, but they [tax officials] would not listen,” Ortiz-Luis said. “There are a lot of businesses that want to cooperate with the BIR and pay the right taxes.

But why can’t they [BIR officials] be more understanding.”

Ortiz-Luis said six months were not enough for the BIR to prepare the entire business community in the country for the implementation of a new directive. He said the BIR should have allotted one to two years before implementing a regulation that requires all enterprises in the country to apply for an ATP and to issue new sets of receipts to replace the old ones.

He said members of Philexport and PCCI acknowledged the reason behind the BIR regulation. However, he said the government should be considerate and take into account the needs of businesses in order to be viable.

The BIR issued RR 18-2012 with the objective of curbing tax evasion and smuggling.

It said the regulation was a necessary reform to address serious problems, including the proliferation of fake receipts that are being sold to tax evaders and smugglers, and unscrupulous acts by some BIR personnel whose relatives used to own receipt printers previously accredited by the BIR. The BIR said it was getting complaints that these personnel were giving taxpayers a hard time securing an ATP unless they tapped these employees’ printing services.

Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares said in a statement issued last week that the revenue regulation would be implemented as scheduled next month.

“The complaints against the new regulations are without any basis. We believe that six months is enough preparation for everyone to comply with such requirement,” Henares said.

Meantime, Ortiz-Luis said some businesses might go to court to formally complain about the timing of the BIR ruling.

“Some businesses may be forced to go to court, but this should not be necessary if the BIR would be a bit considerate.

We [government and business sector] do not need to hurt each other,” Ortiz-Luis said. ■

www.canadianinquirer.net

ILLUSTRATION FROM GETTY IMAGES

Emerging countries will soon control half of the world economy, conference told The Canadian Press MONTREAL—The global economy is recovering but won’t take place in the same way it has in the past, experts said Monday.

Emerging countries led by Asia, Africa and Latin America will soon control half of the world economy, up from a third currently, Scotiabank chief economist Warren Jestin told the Conference of Montreal.

Jestin says U.S. is slowly recovering at about two per cent growth, but European won’t move much beyond recession any time soon.

He told the economic conference that Europe faces high unemployment and growth that will at best reach one per cent over the next five years.

Jestin said growth rates in the developing world will be two to three times the level of the developed world and will be

the global economic engine by 2020.

The winners will be businesses that are less focused on the United States and Europe, he said.

“It is a different type of competitive environment, but is one that is very exciting and will probably be very positive for Canada going forward,’’ Jestin said.

Barclays chairman David Walker said banks bear a major responsibility for the financial crisis.

“Knocking the banks and bankers has become a political and media industry,’’ he said.

But he also decried the shortterm thinking by government and companies focused on quarterly results.

“I’m convinced that there’s need for much greater awareness of the affliction of an undue short term focus or myopia in our capitalist democratic societies.’’ ■

Sports/Horoscope

41 FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013

French reign for a Spanish king: Nadal tops Ferrer for 8th title in Paris in grandest of Slams

BY STEVEN WINE The Associated Press PARIS—Rafael Nadal’s final shot at the French Open was a typically ferocious fallaway forehand, and when it landed for a winner, his momentum and emotions sent him splaying backward onto the clay he loves.

The champion quickly bounded to his feet and headed for the net at a trot. It was time to collect his latest Roland Garros trophy.

Nadal became the first man to win eight titles at the same Grand Slam tournament when he beat fellow Spaniard David Ferrer in Sunday’s final, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3. The King of Clay broke the men’s record for match wins at Roland Garros, where he improved to 59-1, with his lone defeat against Robin Soderling in the fourth round in 2009.

For fans enthralled by Nadal’s semifinal victory over top-

ranked Novak Djokovic, Sunday’s final may have seemed anticlimactic. But not for Nadal.

His path to the Roland Garros title was more arduous than usual. He fell behind in each of his first three matches and needed a fifth-set comeback to beat Djokovic.

And the latest title was especially sweet for the Mallorcan because of his comeback after a seven-month layoff caused by knee trouble. Since returning in February, he’s 43-2 with seven titles in nine tournaments, and he has won his past 22 matches.

With his 12th Grand Slam championship, Nadal moved into a tie for third place with Roy Emerson behind Roger Federer’s 17 and Pete Sampras’ 14.

Nadal came into the final with a 16-match winning streak on clay against Ferrer, who was a big underdog playing in his first major final at age 31. Ferrer had a few chances to make

Nadal uneasy but converted only three of 12 break points and double-faulted five times.

As a result, Nadal was in control throughout, although he did wear a quizzical expression when protesters tried to delay the match in the second set. One man jumped onto the court near Nadal with a fiery flare spurting white smoke, and security personnel wrestled the protester to the ground and quickly dragged him away.

Other protesters also brandishing red flares climbed to the top of nearby Court Suzanne Lenglen and unfurled a banner calling for the resignation of French President Francois Hollande.

The interruptions were brief, and there was no stopping Nadal. He has lost a total of 16 sets in nine years at Roland Garros and was never in danger of doing so against Ferrer.

“Rafael was better than me,”

Ferrer said. “He served better; he played very aggressive with his forehand. He didn’t make mistakes. He played more regular and consistent than me.”

Trophy presenter Usain Bolt watched from the front row wearing sunglasses, even though the day was grey with occasional drizzle. Both finalists grinded away from the baseline, with one rally lasting so long fans began to buzz, then started to shush each other.

The 5-foot-9 Ferrer often wins points by extending them with his dogged defence. But Nadal matched his retrieving skills, and the torque on his groundstrokes eventually had Ferrer reeling.

Nadal misfired more than usual in the early going, perhaps adjusting to slow conditions and feeling the effects of his 4 1/2-hour win over Djokovic. He gave back an early service break and had to erase two other break

points in the opening set.

“Rafael, in important moments, he’s the best,” Ferrer said.

It was the first set Ferrer had lost in the tournament, and at that point, he knew he faced a daunting task. Nadal is 146-3 when he wins the first set in Grand Slam tournaments.

Nadal broke again early in the second set, and then came Ferrer’s best chance to reverse the course of the match. At 3-1 he had four break points, but Nadal erased them all, the last with a backhand winner to end a 31shot rally, longest of the match.

In the final set, Ferrer double-faulted to lose serve and fall behind 5-3, and Nadal needed only five more points to close out the victory.

Nadal broke the record for most men’s victories at Roland Garros he had shared with Federer and Guillermo Vilas, and he improved to 20-4 against Ferrer. ■

HOROSCOPE ARIES

(MARCH 21 - APRIL 19) Information gleaned from friends could have you focusing on a new goal, Aries. You may have a lot of ideas about projects you want to take care of, and today you might realize which one has top priority. Start moving! Whatever you choose to do, find out what you need before you start.

There’s a chance that you might waste time running around trying to find necessary materials.

TAURUS

CANCER

LIBRA

(JUNE 22 - JULY 22) Dreams and visions might come and go today, Cancer, as unconscious drives and images surface. Some of these impressions could represent old traumas or phobias that need to be released. You could also draw creative inspiration from these perceptions and use them as a basis for artistic projects. By day’s end you may feel much lighter - emotionally, at least.

LEO

(SEPT 23 - OCT 22) Spiritual passion is tempered by romantic desire today, Libra, and you’re likely to want to pursue both. Perhaps your romantic partner is as spiritually inclined as you, and you both aspire to the same ends.

Much of the passion you feel wells up from deep within. If you’re in any way creatively inclined, you may want to memorialize these feelings through writing, painting, or music.

SCORPIO

(JULY 23 - AUGUST 22)

(APRIL 20 - MAY 20) The Universe is inviting you magnify your vision, Taurus. It’s time to see the bigger, better, more advanced side of things. Remember that life is a mirror.

You’re highly unlikely to receive more than you hope for. So dream big, hope big, and imagine yourself in the stars. Don’t sell yourself short. It’s a misuse of humility and modesty.

GEMINI

(MAY 21 - JUNE 21)

(OCT 23 - NOV 21) Social events or group activities could put you in touch with a lot of people, Leo, both close friends and casual acquaintances. A new person may come into your life who makes a difference for you. Issues may come up that you feel strongly about, and you aren’t likely to hesitate about expressing your opinions. This is fine, as you will be tactful and others will appreciate your sincerity.

VIRGO

If you’re currently romantically involved, Scorpio, you can expect your relationship to move to the next level of commitment. You and your partner could agree to be monogamous, get engaged, or set a wedding date. If you’re married, you might decide to have a child. If you aren’t involved, expect to attract someone soon. You’re ready, and eligible partners are definitely registering your availability!

SAGITTARIUS

(AUG 23 - SEPT 22)

CAPRICORN

(DEC 22 - JAN 19) A previously untapped talent could emerge today, Capricorn.

You may decide to train this talent and foster a skill that can help you with any type of work you will do. This is definitely the day for it, as you should be full of energy and enthusiasm, capable of assuming any task, however formidable.

Physically, you should feel strong and well. This is a day full of challenges and new enterprises.

AQUARIUS

(JAN 20 - FEB 18) Romantic passion might motivate you to work on improving your appearance, Aquarius. You might decide to exercise, change your diet, and experiment with new clothing styles. You’re likely to produce the results you want. With the energy and enthusiasm churning within you today, you might surprise yourself with this task or anything else you do.

PISCES

(FEB 19 - MAR 20)

(NOV 22 - DEC 21) You should feel especially emotional today, Gemini, reacting strongly to nearly everything you see, whether a photo of a natural disaster, a group of children, or a kitten sitting on a doorstep. Spiritually, you’re highly motivated and longing to know more about worlds beyond this one. You might long to make a pilgrimage, perhaps to a holy shrine or other sacred place. If you’re serious, make plans.

Virgo, you should feel physically strong and energetic today and ready to take on just about anything that comes your way. This is good, as you may be presented with some powerful challenges that bring new purpose to your life. Excitement and enthusiasm permeate your entire being right now. Anything that comes your way you’re likely to face with determination, undeterred by the enormity of the task.

An invitation to an important social event could come today, Sagittarius. This could represent a chance to meet important people who could advance your career or who might be involved in a field that interests you. Your energy and enthusiasm won’t be lost on these people, or anyone for that matter, as you will obviously be speaking from the heart when you discuss what’s on your mind.

www.canadianinquirer.net

You’ll wake up ready to take on the world, Pisces. Excitement, enthusiasm, and purpose will fill your soul, yet you might wonder where it comes from, as nothing has changed since yesterday. Don’t waste time mulling over it - harness it! Tackle a class or exercise program. Start a project. This energy is generated from deep in the subconscious, but should be channeled into the conscious world!

FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013

Away from the madding crowd

BY POCHOLO CONCEPCION Philippine Daily Inquirer IT’S very tempting to do nothing and just laze away on Lagen Island, one of four high-end properties owned and operated

by El Nido Resorts in Palawan.

After all, this is as close as one can get to Eden—or its modern incarnation.

But then again, there’s much to get busy with in this land of rugged, natural beauty where the past, present and future converge.

First, some history lessons: The cliffs that bookend the cove of Lagen Island are 250 million years old, according to Jamie Dichaves, the resort’s environmental officer. Made of limestone, they are home to swiftlets—the bird species whose edible nests are made into “Nido soup” and where El Nido got its name.

These cliffs, seen in an edition of the French franchise of the popular American reality TV show “Survivor,” provide a good challenge for rock-climbing enthusiasts.

Scuba-diving and snorkeling gear are laid out in a room along the walkway that leads to the resort premises.

The first-time visitor immediately feels at home; the Lagen Island staff, 80 percent of whom are locals, break into radiant smiles and greet guests upon eye contact.

What to do at the refreshing sights of the beach and a swimming pool? But before we could take our clothes off for a quick dip, lunch beckons.

The Romaine lettuce in the vegetable salad is crunchy good.

“Those are organic, raised in our own greenhouses,” says Joey Bernardino, El Nido Resorts director of sales and marketing. He proceeds to explain the importance of responsible, sustainable tourism or eco-

Travel

tourism which the resort promotes.

“You can enjoy the sea without destroying it and its surroundings,” he points out, adding that the resort’s GAMS (Guest Activity and Marine Sports) coordinators, who take guests to sightseeing and island-hopping tours, are very careful that the motorboats they ride in do not harm the coral reefs that abound in the area.

The forests that cradle Lagen and its three sister-islands, Miniloc, Apulit and the newlyopened Pangulasian, are all protected areas, he says.

Which is why lots of birds, fish and an assortment of mammals and reptiles have become happy neighbors at El Nido Resorts.

The crashing waves from the sea and tweets from birds are musical sounds that punctuate the soothing peace and quiet here.

There are only 50 cottages and suites in Lagen, which means guests are limited and privacy is valued. On our visit, there were about 130 domestic and foreign tourists billeted, but we saw some of them only at dinnertime in the clubhouse.

Water in the resort is desalinated and what comes out of faucets is safe for drinking. Although most guests still order bottled water, Joey says these will soon be phased out.

Recycled water is used in flushing toilets.

In the absence of electricity on the island, the resort is powered by engine-generator sets and solar panels.

There’s more to be proud about, adds Joey. After winning a number of accolades from various international awardgiving bodies, El Nido Resorts has been picked as one of three finalists in the Community Benefit category of the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards—handed

out annually by the World Travel and Tourism Council, whose select members are chairmen, presidents and CEOs of 100 of the world’s foremost travel and tourism companies.

The group votes for Community Benefit nominees whose “companies and organizations directly benefit local people, supporting community development and enhancing cultural heritage.”

Among the locals who have been gainfully employed at Lagen is Julie Badajos, a GAMS staffer for the past six years.

He’s the official guide during our four-day stay. Apparently he loves his job and says his young son understands the vital link of environmentalism to daily life.

The Big and Small Lagoons near Lagen, Julie says, are the best spots to feel “kalmado … kasi yung tubig ganun din.”

His comment is validated as soon as the boat we’re riding enters the area, which looks like a sanctuary for stressedout souls. The still waters have a calming effect indeed, even as a couple of female Caucasians in a kayak come slicing through.

Short visits to the neighboring Pangulasian and Miniloc Islands give us a glimpse of why the discriminating few prefer to stay at El Nido Resorts.

Pangulasian is like an exclusive-membership island; among its amenities is a private swimming pool. The more reasonably-priced Miniloc is for families and couples who also want to enjoy the beach away from the madding crowd.

“Look, that’s an Eastern Reef Egret,” says Kitsie Torres, the resort’s environmental officer.

She’s pointing to a black bird with a long beak which lands on the Pangulasian beach. Kitsie, who took veterinary medicine at UP Los Baños, says she has worked in Australia and other countries, but came home only because she knew that working for El Nido Resorts would be fun and fulfilling.

The scene in Miniloc: Small families soaking up the cool breeze while riding kayaks; a mother and her child sitting

Lagen Island.

around wearing coconut hats that locals teach how to make; a lone Asian-looking woman drinking beer at 10 a.m.; a group of three Europeans playing billiards.

It is almost dusk and time to go back to Lagen. On the boat, Julie says there are 45 islands surrounding El Nido town, a number of them uninhabited, but all of which he and the rest of the GAMS team try to monitor to protect flora and fauna.

We finally get to swim in the pool, our lungs heaving a sigh of relief after years of enduring air pollution in Manila.

Dinner is served at the poolside. We join the LOOK magazine team which is doing a fashion shoot here. Iza Calzado shows up with her FilipinoBritish boyfriend, Ben Wintle.

Turns out they are billeted at Pangulasian.

After a couple of beers, a succulent sample of fresh, grilled squid and red snapper, and humorous conversation with the LOOK team and Iza, we make a French leave.

It’s rare for us to be up and about at 6 a.m., but we are— that’s how energizing the vibe is on this land, often called the country’s Last (Ecological) Frontier. A Long-Tailed Macaque, said to be the only species of monkeys in the Philippines, scampers when our eyes meet. We also spot another black bird which, like the Macaque, seems rattled when it senses our presence.

42

PHOTO BY RANDOMIX (FLICKR)

Julie guides us on a short hike up the forest at the back of Lagen. An Australian couple overtake us. We stop every so often as Julie points to several endangered species of trees like the Dau, whose bark and roots are so large and wide they resemble a wall panel.

What’s great about this hike is that we perspire after only five minutes of climbing over rocks and soil. Our shirt gets soaking wet at the end of the trail which leads to an isolated beach. The Australian couple are enjoying the view; the guy says, “it’s been an awesome experience” they’ve been having for the past few days.

Later Jamie takes us on a nature walk around the resort; she names some of the plants and flowers that line the walkway, pointing out that all of them grow here naturally.

Jamie and the rest of the efficient resort staff are fine examples of Filipinos who care for the history and present state of El Nido for the next generation of tourists to behold.

Watching the sunset at Lagen, our mind’s eye tells us: On a clear day you can see forever in this blessed land.

A 75-minute direct flight on the Island Transvoyager Inc. (ITI) plane from Manila and a boat transfer from El Nido Airport will take you to Lagen Island. Log on to elnidoresorts. com, e-mail holiday@elnidoresorts.com, or call 8130000. ■

Art

43 FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013

First Interactive Art with Filipino Artist Community unified in colours

BY DULCE CUENCA Special to Philippine Canadian Inquirer WITH playful and artful strokes of colour markers, the community was united via the art offering of Filipino artist, Danvic Briones (painter, graphic artist, innovator, educator—www.artbydanvic.com/) at the Asian Heritage Month celebration at the Richmond Public Library (RPL), Brighouse branch.

About 38 community members, young and old, participated in a collaborative community art piece, part of Briones’ five art pieces featuring Philippine modes of transportation.

The theme of the presentation is movement of Philippine culture through art and migration and how Filipinos seamlessly assimilate into their new environment while keeping their identities close to heart. The presentation highlighted four modes of transportation - Jeepney, Calesa, Tricycle, and Vinta. Briones depicted these modes of transportation with iconic Canadian symbols like the maple leaf and the Inukshuk, symbolizing Briones’ own journey, as well other Fili-

Artist Danvic Briones with MLA Mable Elmore

pinos’, to other countries, specifically Canada. Hence, the presentation has both an educational and cultural component.

Briones talked about his art and guid-

ed would-be artists in completing his partially finished image of the Jeepney juxtaposed on a popular Vancouver landscape and iconic symbols, carved and outlined on a 48” x 24” masonite board. Excited library goers took time to colour the canvas and express themselves in the collaborative community art piece. Parents and children took markers and coloured the Jeepney as Briones guided them in art techniques and talked about the theme of the event, the medium used, and his paintings. The finished piece will be given as community gift to the RPL. Lee Anne Smith, Coordinator, Learning Place Services at the RPL participated in the art piece too and said: “May is Asian Heritage month and the library

Fe and Angel Morales with the artist

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wanted to provide hands on activities for the community from a variety of Asian cultures. Promoting cross-cultural understanding is one of the most important goals for the library. The Philippine interactive art project with Danvic Briones was a big success in meeting that goal and a delightful addition to library programming. The library worked in partnership with the Richmond Intercultural Advisory Committee to offer the program.”

Newly re-elected Member of the Legislative Assembly, Vancouver-Kensington, Mable Elmore, participated in the art piece as well and commended Briones in his endeavour in engaging the community in art while featuring Filipino culture. ■

FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013

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Canada

FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013 46

Publisher Philippine Canadian Inquirer Editor Melissa Remulla-Briones editor@canadianinquirer.net Associate Editor Laarni de Paula

An afternoon with John Lloyd Cruz: in photos

BY MELISSA REMULLA-BRIONES Philippine Canadian Inquirer

ABOVE: Nenette Demilio (John Lloyd’s handler), John Lloyd Cruz and PCI’s Melissa Briones

BELOW: Gil, Chie, Nenette, John Lloyd and Melissa of PCI

The weekend could not make up its mind. Saturday started out shaky, with dark clouds blowing in, threatening the several Philippine Independence Day celebrations in Vancouver that took many months to plan. Light rain descended but it remained light, and the afternoon saw the sun peeking (peaking). By Sunday, sunscreen was necessary, and the revelry for the Philippine flag dancing with Canada's winds was in full swing.

The highlight of the weekend, however, was TFC's offering of Special Kapamilya guest star John Lloyd Cruz at the 2013 Philippine Days Festival at the Waterfront Park in North Vancouver on June 9.

John Lloyd was awed and humbled by the reception in Vancouver, says it reminded him of a similar event in London, where throngs of Filipinos remained true to their Filipino roots (and favorite Philippine actors). According to John Lloyd, the North Van organizers told him this year's event drew in more crowds than last year's.

PCI spent a private moment with John Lloyd at Simpatico, a Greek restaurant in West Vancouver, and went down

memory lane with him: his Tabing Ilog days (and loves), and how he came to Star Magic with 'gatas sa labi'. We agreed that he was a passionate teen (yours truly managed him for some months), but it was that trademark Christopher-DeLeon-intensity (palpable even in those days) that propelled him to stardom.

His co-actors, his projects, his endorsements, his parents, his family, Bea (Alonzo), Sarah (Geronimo), and of course, Angelica (Panganiban) were mentioned in the conversation (but PCI promised not to spill the beans).

John Lloyd is barely recovering from a hectic schedule because of "It takes a Man and a Woman," his hit movie with Sarah Geronimo. But fans would be delighted to know that another teleserye is in the works for John Lloyd. At the same time, a movie starring him and Piolo Pascual is in the planning stages. They will be paired with another top Viva star (abangan).

In between bites of roast lamb, John Lloyd waxed sentimental. He says he is happy and content. "Kung hindi pa ako masaya, hindi na tama yon," he said in the vernacular.

Looking at him, happy, healthy, enjoying his career, past and present colliding—in beautiful Vancouver—one cannot help but be overjoyed. ■

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 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.

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47 FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013

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FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013 48

Juan TV Inc... ❰❰ 1

RICHMOND, British Columbia, May 28th, 2013—Juan TV Inc., a newly formed Canadian television enterprise, announces that it has entered into an agreement with the Philippines’ entertainment giant Viva Communications, Inc. to offer two linear channels showcasing the best Filipino movies via PBO (Pinoy Box Office) and general entertainment fare through Viva Channel to Filipino-Canadians all over the country.

Juan TV is giving more choices to the Filipino community in Canada by adding not only its own channel, JuanTV, but also Viva Channel and PBO—a total of three new channels, to the existing offers from GMA, ABSCBN and FTV. Viva top honcho Vic Del Rosario, Jr. says, “This is the first time that our channels will be available in Canada and we are excited to expand and grow our market there with this newest business partnership with Juan TV Inc.” Vincent Del Rosario III, Executive Vice President of Viva, says, “This is just a first step in our relationship with Juan TV Inc. and we look forward to expanding and growing our business with them.”

Alan Yong, CEO of Juan TV Inc. says, “We are honored to form this partnership with Viva and look forward to more projects in the future. With Viva, we

are offering unique television programs as well as movies.”

PBO has the biggest collection of both newly-produced and favorite hit movies that viewers look for. Every month, PBO plays about a hundred titles, rotated in various schedules so viewers can enjoy watching at their convenient time. From the drama movies of Sharon Cuneta, Lorna Tolentino, Vilma Santos, Nora Aunor, Anne Curtis, Sarah Geronimo, Judy Ann Santos; to the action flicks of Fernando Poe, Jr., Robin Padilla, Bong Revilla, Jr.; to the comedies of Dolphy, Vice Ganda, Janno Gibbs, Tito Vic and Joey, to the films of hunks and heartthrobs Richard Gomez, Jericho Rosales, Christopher de Leon – PBO has them all.

On the other hand, viewers will get the best and freshest general entertainment shows from VIVA Channel (Home of the Stars). The channel features an exciting mix of reality, documentary, magazine/talk, comedy and music shows exclusively produced for it by Viva Communications. Inc. Among the fan favorites showing on the channel are the top-rating Popstar Diaries hosted by the pop princess herself, Sarah Geronimo. The show gives viewers behind-the-scenes look at the busy activities of the Philippines’ biggest star; the laughout-loud series The Jon Santos Show; @nnebishowsa, the Pambansang Sweetheart Anne Curtis’ own show; Star Yayey, the funny yet insightful look at

Alberto Espedido, Jhynet Yong, Juan TV CEO Alan Yong, Viva’s top honcho Vic Del Rosario, Jr. and Viva’s EVP Vincent Del Rosario III.

the lives of personal assistants and his/her celebrity boss; Petra’s Panniest, the super fun show hosted by Youtube sensation Ashley Rivera aka Petra Mahalimuyak; Live from Amerasian, the one of a kind show where the country’s top music stars perform live straight from the best recording studio in the region; Pantaxa, the reality/star search show for the newest sexy star; Karaokray, the hilarious combination of comedy/reality search for the worst singers and actors hosted by Giselle San-

Juan TV CEO Alan Yong and Viva’s EVP Vincent Del Rosario III at the contract signing.

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chez; Wapak, the teen-oriented comedy series; Pinoy Star Stories, the documentary series on the lives of famous Pinoy icons; Front Row, showcasing the various SRO concerts produced by Viva; and a whole lot of others sure to be enjoyed With JuanTV, PBO and Viva Channel (Home of the Stars), subscribers are able to experience an optimal selection of television shows available for subscription like no other.

About Juan TV Inc.:–Juan TV Inc. is a Canadian-based Radio, Television and Talent Management Company focusing on Filipino demographics in Canada.

Juan TV Inc. will be launching its own television channel to be known as JuanTV with a combination of original productions to include, but not limited to, local news, commentaries/talk shows as well as news and television programs from the Philippines. Juan TV Inc. will also be offering “linear” programming from some of the Philippines’ entertainment giants and major players such as Viva Communications, Solar TV and others. JuanTV, via its radio division, Juan Radio 96.1FM, launched Vancouver’s first and only Filipino radio program that airs 6 days a week for the Vancouver Filipino community bringing breaking news, talk shows and interplay of Original Pilipino Music or OPM. Juan TV Inc.’s affiliates also include Canada’s first and

only nationwide Filipino paper and daily news website – The Philippine Canadian Inquirer. It has a readership of over 480,000 monthly and is printed in cooperation with the Philippines’ largest circulating newspaper – The Philippine Daily Inquirer.

About Viva Communications Inc.: Viva Communications, Inc., is the flagship company of Viva Entertainment Group (VEG) , an integrated entertainment conglomerate with businesses in entertainment content development, production, acquisition and distribution as well as artist management, development and representation.

It is a leader in film production and theatrical distribution, video distribution and retail, cable and pay tv, concerts and events production and management, music production, publishing and distribution as well as in new media distribution. VEG is home to the Philippines’ biggest stars and is the recognized authority in producing quality Filipino content in traditional as well as new media formats.

Viva Communications, Inc. owns and operates VEG’s pay tv channels PBO (Pinoy Box Office) and Viva Channel. It operates and distributes pay tv channels not only in the Philippines but also in the USA, Middle East and Europe via cable, direct-to-home (DTH) and iptv, bringing the best entertainment to Filipinos worldwide. ■