February 16-28, 2013 Issue

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FEBRUARY 16-28, 2013

Faith or Fanaticism?

FEBRUARY 16-28, 2013

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‘Whether some expressions are delusional or devotional, it is the heart, the interior of the person, that will often decide if an expression is right or wrong … It is only God who could see through the hearts of these people.’

By lorela u. sandoval

T was an abrupt decision to walk the streets barefoot like a real Black Nazarene devotee the afternoon of January 9, 2013. Like everyone else, I stepped on wet, muddy ground and smelled of stink and sweat. I asked myself why I was there, right at the heart of the dangerous perimeter of the Black Nazarene statue. I’ve seen on television how people get hurt, and even die, and yet I was there. There was a lot of tugging, bumping, pushing, and shouting, and for some precarious moments, I thought I was going to fall on my back, if not for the support of four marshals around me.

Then the devotees started to chant, “Viva Señor!”. I shivered at the sound of it. And for some reason, I clung onto my faith as well.

Many wonder why religious rituals like the Feast of the Black Nazarene continue to draw huge followers even in this digital age.

Filipino Roman Catholics have passed on from one generation to another religious rituals and practices that may not be understood -- and sometimes even questioned -- by other religions.

Such is the case of the Feast of the Black Nazarene that attracts millions of devotees at Plaza Miranda in Quiapo. It is

indeed a cause for wonder why this ritual – and similar practices like the penitents of Pampanga that allow themselves to be nailed on the cross on Good Friday -- persist even in this digital age.

Expression of faith Monsignor Jose Clemente Ignacio, who is also the rector of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, explained in a Philippine Daily Inquirer report that the Black Nazarene procession is an exceptional illustration of spirituality and popular piety of Filipinos “to experience ‘heaven’ even for a short glimpse.”

He added that it is an expression of one’s faith, of one’s devotion.

Josephine Aguilar-Placido, an assistant professor of the Faculty of Arts and Letters at the University of Santo Tomas, sees the ritual as a cultural phenomenon.

“And when we speak of culture, this came from our forefathers and this is being handed down from one generation to the other,” she pointed out in an interview. “And well it so happened that until now it is being passed on. The reason why it is being passed on was that, they also share the experiences of the practitioners of the ritual. And having heard of the positive results, they took it to themselves also to practice. Also in their thoughts or in their minds, normally they will tell you that this is tradition. So we

Both clerics and sociologists are hard pressed to explain the deep devotion of many Catholics to icons and other symbols of faith.

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cannot cut tradition.”

“Practicing the ritual is an exercise of faith,” she added.

isang kapatid na sandayan. Sandayan ‘yan in good times and bad times. So dahil ganun ang pananaw nila, tuloy at tuloy yan, dadami pa. . . they find fulfillment, satisfaction in joining it -- and that is faith. . . this is culture and this is what Catholicism made us, has done for us.”

Fostering idolatry But there are quarters who say that the rituals are encouraging fanaticism and idolatry. Msgr. Ignacio, however, defended the Feast of Black Nazarene while admitting that there are “abuses” that need to be “purified.” Among these abuses, as enumerated in the Inquirer article, are the mandarasals or people who accept donations to say prayers and intentions; manghuhulas or soothsayers; and vendors of anting-antings or amulets, black candles that are believed to bring bad luck to others, and abortion pills.

“We all know we don’t worship statues,” said Msgr. Ignacio. “We worship God and if these statues would `bridge us to God,’ then we want to connect with God using these statues.” “Kissing or holding on to the statues is not worshiping statues, it is connecting to the divine, to touch and be touched by heaven itself,” he continued. Filipinos, he said, are a people of “the concrete”, and that wiping, touching, kissing, or embracing sacred objects and images is a “Filipino trait.”

One Black Nazarene devotee told this writer that he did not fully believe in miracles attributed to the Black Nazarene, but his family continues to join the annual procession because it has been a tradition passed on to them by his parents.

The Church reigns According to Placido, the huge number of devotees to the Black Nazarene is a manifestation of the Catholic Church’s strong influence in the country. “Because if not, we won’t have these rituals anymore.

Remember, every year the population of the devotees is increasing also. See, that’s amazing! And that is an amazing display of the charisma of the image to these people,” she said.

But could the continuation of the ritual have anything to do with life being hard in the Philippines, thus most of the devotees of the Black Nazarene and crucifixion rites in Pampanga are seeking for

Understanding faith

A sociologist explains that devotees expect something positive from worshipping icons and joining rituals. help? Placido does not think so.

“Let us say that rituals are for everybody. Well it so happens that the majority [of the devotees] belongs to the lower class, to the D and E group.”

According to her, these devotees flock to religious rituals “because there is something positive, they get something from it.” She enumerated three reasons: “One is the good feeling. Two, that their Maker is with them. Three, they are with their Maker during the times of crisis. So it depends on the interpretation of the practitioner of the ritual.”

She, however, clarified, “I’m not saying that their faith is so high, but this is an exercise of faith.”

Msgr. Ignacio also has his own interpretation why people keep coming back to such pilgrimages. “It is a wonderful experience to be cleansed, to be one with the peoples, to get in touch with the Divine, to experience `heaven’ even for a short glimpse -- a kind of `transfiguration’.”

Cultural phenomenon So what do these ritual say about the Philippine culture? “In general,

Msgr. Ignacio implores non-believers to respect the beliefs of the devotees. “Whether some expressions are delusional or devotional, it is the heart, the interior of the person, that will often decide if an expression is right or wrong … It is only God who could see through the hearts of these people. . . I hope, before we make easy judgments about devotions, we must fully understand why people express their faith the way they do. Popular piety involves the whole person, not just the mind. It might be a mystical experience even which we do not understand. We only need to respect them.”

Placido has this to say to nondevotees: “Why don’t you try and experience? It doesn’t follow that you have to be there every year. If you feel something good, move on with the practice. And this is one way of enhancing your faith.” n

that religion, that Catholicism has a to. So kahit dumating pa ang digital big role among Filipinos,” Placido age na ‘yan, walang makapagbabago explained. “Even if the attrition kasi kultura ‘yan. Kahit papano, kahit rate of Roman Catholics is very saang anggulo mo tingnan, ang tingin kasi ng mga Katoliko sa Diyos nila ay high, the point is we are still positive about getting back the people who went out of the practice.”

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‘Inquirer’ Filipino of the Year for 2012

The best

president

the Philippines

never had

That he is a rarity in Philippine politics added to the deep regret that accompanied Robredo to his grave.

Without fanfare and self-promotion, he breathed life into the qualities of integrity and professionalism both on the local and national scale.

HOCK was the order of the day when Jesse Robredo’s plane was reported to have crashed into the sea off Masbate late in the afternoon of Aug. 18, 2012. As the days wore on and the window of hope inexorably closed, shock turned into profound regret. By the time the discovery of his body in the downed plane was announced in the morning of Aug. 21, 2012, the aching sense of loss had evolved into grief.

Who was this man and why were people mourning his passing en masse? Laid-back and low-key, he became larger than life in death, and the nation engaged in a collective appreciation of him starting from the report of the plane crash and the confirmation of his death, throughout his wake, all the way to his interment and days after. The mood was sorrowful; the sense of loss was on a personal level even among those who were strangers to him and had no occasion to even shake his hand, as though an old friend had passed into the light too soon. (In the hours after news broke of his plane crash, an unconfirmed

bit of information was aired that he had been found alive by a fisherman. A wave of hope instantly surged among t h e citizenry and took a while to subside.)

Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo had notched a sterling record as a public official early on in his political career. He was legendary as mayor of Naga City from 1988 to

The late DILG secretary was a champion of transparency, good governance and efficient public service.

1998, during which time he turned around the languishing backwater in thrall to crime syndicates to the first-class city that it once was. He was young (29) when he began to resuscitate the faltering “Heart of Bicol.”

Sweeping the streets He was twice reelected by his constituents, who spoke fondly of their mayor as truly one of them, who told stories of his unaffected

ways and how he walked around his city without the customary trappings of power, in slippers often, and who recalled that just as often he rose with the sun and, finding the opportunity, would think nothing of taking hold of a broom and sweeping parts of a street clean.

Then Energy Secretary Rene Almendras, in his tribute to Robredo, called it “tsinelas brand of leadership.”

The fact is that Robredo raised Imagine what he could have achieved and made possible if he were President.

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According to the Ramon Magsaysay Foundation, Robredo demonstrated that “effective city management is compatible with yielding power to the people.” the bar for not only public officials but husbands and fathers as well, and in those dog days in August when the restless sea off Masbate would not yet yield the terrible truth, it became exceedingly clear what the nation and those who loved him had lost: a leader who demanded of his constituents full collaboration in governance, who, borrowing from John Updike, “needed people, the aggravating rub of them, for stimulation,” and who was at once bold, purposeful and innovative in the public realm and attentive, gentle and loving at home. A robust public official and a tender family man—an excellent mix from any perspective.

That he is a rarity in Philippine politics added to the deep regret that accompanied Robredo to his grave. Without fanfare and selfpromotion, he breathed life into the qualities of integrity and professionalism both on the local and national scale. Against the grain of those who feather their nests from lucrative government posts, he was a champion of transparency. As

Robredo with devotees of Our Lady of Penafrancia in Naga City. chief of the Department of the showcase of it. “Unless and until Interior and Local Government the citizens claim good governance (DILG), he instituted a full-disclo- from those who vow to serve them, sure policy that requires local gov- we will not [succeed in] the work ernment units (LGUs) to disclose of participatory governance,” Jean documents showing how funds are Llorin, Robredo’s friend, ally and spent. As of June 2012, according associate, once quoted him as sayto the DILG, 99 percent of LGUs ing. That formulation appeared to had complied. have served as a mantra during his term of office in Naga and resulted The decisive factor in the passage of Ordinance No. The man was untiring in push- 95-092, which was famously known ing people empowerment as the as the “Empowerment Ordinance” decisive factor in good governance; and which became a model for othhis long service as hizzoner was a er cities and towns.

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The ordinance made possible the direct participation of sectoral representatives in Naga’s development planning process. The Naga City People’s Council became an active partner of the local government; in the course of its existence when Robredo was no longer mayor, as though hewing to the idea of continuing revolution, the council was revitalized to beef up its capacity for engagement.

Concrete proof But these are mere words! The concrete proof of Robredo’s work in Naga, as noted by the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation which recognized him for government service in 2000, can be seen in the high schools, daycare centers, public hospital, farm-to-mar-

FEBRUARY 16-28, 2013

ket roads in the rural communities, and lots for the homeless, as well as in the people whom he drew into civic action and the city employees whose performance, productivity and morale he raised.

According to the foundation, Robredo demonstrated that “effective city management is compatible with yielding power to the people.”

Robredo employed the same vision on the national scale, improving LGUs’ disaster risk reduction capabilities, among other things, and, only days before his death, preparing to embark on a campaign to empower ordinary citizens to demand good governance and transparency from their leaders.

How tragic that he would be cut down in his prime, the DILG portfolio only two years in his capable hands, and perennial problems like illegal logging only lately given the benefit of his attention. Those in the know say that an immensely more challenging task had lain ahead of him, that he was actually being groomed for a presidential run in 2016—that he was “the best president the Philippines never had.” Imagine what he could have achieved and made possible.

Still Robredo’s example inspires, lending a wealth of insight into the virtues of people-empowered governance and of unqualified devotion to spouse and children, parents and siblings. Whence comes another?

(Philippine Daily Inquirer) n

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The senatorial candidates of UNA pose with the coalition’s Three Kings – Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Vice President Jejomar Binay and former President Joseph Estrada.

Understanding senatorial preferences

Voters have short memories. The younger they are, the more impressionable they tend to be. Their impressions, mostly based on sound bites and fleeting glimpses, do not last long either.

Three years out of the limelight, a politician who fails to etch a strong presence in the public memory is as good as forgotten.

By randy david

Newcomer Bam Aquino is banking on the magic of the Aquino name and his close resemblance to his uncle, the late martyr Ninoy Aquino.

OT a few have asked how we can make sense of the senatorial preferences expressed in recent surveys leading up to the 2013 elections. What seems to be the basis of these preferences? Is it all about “name recall”? How much value is attached to political programs and visions?

My usual answer is that I am as baffled as they are about the choices that our people make. These preferences don’t seem to be anchored on any serious understanding of what a senator’s functions are, or on a thoughtful examination of the candidates’ qualifications and record, and, least of all, on any idea of the kind of legislative leadership the country needs at this time.

I have before me the results of the most recent Pulse Asia survey released last Feb. 8, with four months left before Election Day.

The official campaign period has not begun, and candidates have yet to explain their programs in public forums, but already, respondents

are filling up, on average, eight of the available 12 senatorial slots.

“Virtually all of the probable winners,” the survey notes, “are either former or current members of Congress.” The odd person in the winning circle of 12 is Nancy Binay, who is ranked No. 4, just below the sure winners—Loren Legarda, Chiz Escudero, and Alan Peter Cayetano.

Binay has not previously run for, or occupied, any public office. Her political experience is limited to her having served as personal assistant to her father, current Vice President Jejomar Binay. She is not known to have taken any stand on any national issue that is likely to be debated in the halls of the Senate. Yet she enjoys an awareness rating of

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Grace Poe-Llamanzares has made remarkable gains in surveys, thanks to FPJ’s legions of fans and supporters.

88 percent that is significantly higher than that of former Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr. With an awareness rating of only 79, Jun, the son and namesake of the popular president who died in a tragic plane crash, is currently ranked at No. 17.

It is obvious that Binay’s astounding feat in preelection surveys draws solely from the magic of her father’s name. In this, she’s not alone. One could say the same thing for Juan Ponce Enrile Jr., JV Ejercito Estrada, Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel, and Edgardo “Sonny” Angara. Perhaps it is not so much that voters mistake them for their fathers, as they positively associate them with the images of their famous namesakes.

But why does name recall work for them and not for Magsaysay who was a senator until three years ago? I think there is a simple answer: the late President Magsaysay lived in the 1950s, and despite his abundant presence in children’s textbooks and peso bills, he is a remote figure to the young generation of Filipino voters. For all its saliency, the name “Magsaysay” is linked with the past.

On the other hand, Benigno “Bam” Aquino, the namesake and look-alike of the martyred Sen. Ninoy Aquino, might have a better chance of improving his survey ranking as the elections draw near.

He is now at No. 13, three rungs above the 16th place that he occupied in the December Pulse Asia survey. One might hold up the same hope for Grace Poe, whose more deliberate pairing with her iconic father, Fernando Poe Jr., in recent media adverts has pulled her from No. 17 to No. 14. Grace has been able to combine this name advantage with her effective projection of herself as a young sweet woman of serene intelligence.

Name recall is clearly important but, by itself it does not guarantee “winnability.” Jamby Madrigal, who conducted a maverick campaign for the presidency in 2010 and was a senator until six years ago, has an awareness rating of 90 percent. She was at No. 13 in the December 2012 survey, and has slid down to No. 16 in the January 2013 survey. Former Sen. Dick Gordon also ran for president in 2010 and has maintained a high public pro-

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file as head of the Philippine National Red Cross. He enjoys an awareness rating of 88, but remains at No. 15, still outside the winning circle. Former Sen. Ernesto Maceda, an old hand in Philippine politics, having served in various capacities in successive administrations, has an awareness rating of 82 percent but languishes in the surveys at No. 19.

Voters have short memories.

The younger they are, the more impressionable they tend to be. Their impressions, mostly based on sound bites and fleeting glimpses, do not last long either. Three years out of the limelight, a politician who fails to etch a strong presence in the public memory is as good as forgotten.

But those who manage to leave a deep mark on the people’s consciousness are rewarded by a lingering loyalty. Think of politicians like Legarda, Escudero, Cayetano, Trillanes and Honasan. The mere mention of their names conjures, rightly or wrongly, images of vitality, eloquence, audacity, etc.

One would have thought by this same token, that the young activist social democrat Risa Hontiveros, who figured

prominently in the anti-Arroyo rallies and almost made it to the Senate in 2010, would by now be among the top senatorial choices for 2013. It is a puzzle that she is not. She possesses all the qualities that young people seem to admire in their leaders—brightness, courage, compassion for the downtrodden and articulateness.

What seems to spell the difference is that in the last three years she was not in the public eye. It is time now to remind the public that this is the same bright and brave woman they almost made

FEBRUARY 16-28, 2013

senator in 2010.

Today’s voters are mostly young, lower middle class, and with the benefit of no more than a high school education. What the surveys suggest is that they are not interested in the candidates’ party affiliations, or what they stand for, or whether they think they can meaningfully contribute to the discussion of issues at the Senate. They are dazzled by form rather than by substance, a fact that makes television all the more the true battleground of national elections. (Philippine Daily Inquirer) n

FEBRUARY 16-28, 2013

By evalyn g. ursua

EOPLE who say that divorce is not advisable for the Philippines forget or ignore our history.

The ethno-linguistic c o m mu n i t i e s of the Philippine archipelago before the Spanish conquest practiced divorce. We had a divorce law from 1917 until August 30, 1950, when the Civil Code of 1950 took effect. The latter law prohibited divorce for Filipinos, and the prohibition continues under the present Family Code. But Muslim Filipinos have always practiced divorce, which Philippine law allowed. Today, divorce continues to be available to Muslim Filipinos under the Code of Muslim Personal Law of the Philippines (Presidential Decree No. 1083), promulgated in 1977.

So to say that divorce does

We are the only country in the world that has no divorce law for all its citizens regardless of religious belief or affiliation.

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Why the Philippines needs a Divorce Law

Divorce provides a remedy for marital failure while annulment does not terminate a marriage but declares it void from the start.

Divorce does not concern itself with validity or invalidity of a marriage.

It terminates a marriage based on a ground that occurred during the marriage, which makes the marital relationship no longer tenable, regardless of the spouse’s psychological constitution.

not exist in present Philippine law is not accurate. The prohibition against divorce under Philippine law applies only to Filipinos whose marriages are not governed by the Muslim Code. Since Philippine law on marriage applies to all Filipino citizens even though they are residing in a foreign country, the prohibition against divorce for non-Muslim Filipinos is also a concern of Filipino expatriates.

We are the only country in the world that has no divorce law for all its citizens regardless of religious belief or affiliation.

Some think that we do not need a divorce law because the Family Code, which applies to non-Muslim Filipinos, already provides for the termination of marriages through “annulment.� This argument misleads. Annulment is a legal term that has a specific meaning. The remedy of annulment is based on specified grounds that occurred at

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the time of the celebration of the marriage, such as lack of parental consent and vitiated consent (as when a person married another at gunpoint). The remedy of annulment expires, and the defect may actually be cured by ratification through free and voluntary cohabitation.

Understanding annulment When lay people speak of “annulment” as a means of terminating a marriage, they actually refer to the remedy under Article 36 of the Family Code. Article 36 declares that a marriage is void from the beginning when one or both spouses are psychologically incapacitated to perform the essential marital obligations. Under Article 36, a court does not terminate a marriage but only declares it void. One must prove psychological incapacity by presenting evidence on three essential elements of the condition: that it already existed before the marriage; that it is grave or serious; and that it is incurable. To do this, one usually needs the help of a psychiatrist or psychologist to testify as an expert witness.

But what if the marriage worked in the first ten years, but later the parties drifted apart for some reason or another? What if the other spouse was violent, unfaithful, indolent, or an alcoholic or a drug addict? What if one spouse abandoned the family? These may not be used for “annulment,” or for a marriage to be declared void under Article 36, unless it can be proved that these are manifestations of psychological incapacity that predated the marriage.

A divorce law will provide a remedy that Article 36 does not. Divorce does not concern itself with validity or invalidity of a marriage.

It terminates a marriage based on a ground that occurred during the marriage, which makes the marital relationship no longer tenable, regardless of the spouse’s psychological constitution. A divorce law will provide a straightforward remedy to a marital failure. It will benefit Filipinos wherever they are.

Pending divorce bill A divorce bill has been pending in the House of Representatives for the last six years, sponsored by the representatives of the Gabriela Women’s Party. The bill lists five grounds for divorce, among them: when the spouses have been separated in fact for at least five years or have been legally separated for at least two years, and their reconcili-

To be sure, the Catholic Church will be the staunchest opponent of the divorce bill, arguing against the bill on moral grounds.

We are a secular state, where no religious group has the right to define law or policy for the entire population.

Will lawmakers have the guts to defy again the Church as they did when they passed the reproductive Health measure? ation is highly improbable; when any of the grounds recognized by law for legal separation has caused the irreparable breakdown of the marriage. The bill has not progressed beyond the Committee level because the energies of many were focused on the reproductive health bill that was recently passed into law.

There is no more time to pass a divorce law in the current Congress since elections are scheduled in May. But the bill will be filed again in the next Congress. Can it pass?

Yes, definitely, eventually, with the support of enlightened Filipinos.

The lesson we have learned from past initiatives is that a relevant and much-needed measure that has strong popular support will pass.

Just as sustained citizen support carried the day for the reproductive health bill, so too will strong popular support make possible the enactment of a divorce law. People have to make their voices heard in support of the divorce bill.

It is time to give the remedy of divorce to those who need it, even

as we respect the decision of those who want to stay married despite their miserable marital life. To be sure, the Catholic Church will be the staunchest opponent of the divorce bill. It will once again argue against the bill on moral grounds.

SUDOKU RULES: Place a number from 1-9 in each empty cell. Each row, column and 3x3 block bounded by bold line (9 blocks) contains all the numbers from 1-9

Solution on page 30

It will invoke the constitutional provision directing the State to protect marriage and the family, and another that refers to the sanctity of family life. But these constitutional provisions were never intended to prohibit Congress from legalizing divorce.

Church need not worry The Catholic Church need not worry. The institutions of marriage and the family have survived to this day, as they will survive a Philip-

pine divorce law. We are a secular state, where no religious group has the right to define law or policy for the entire population. There is not one but a plurality of beliefs in Philippine society. The law should only give people a choice, to be exercised according to their own personal beliefs.

Every day, Filipinos get married, bear children, separate and get into other relationships, regardless of what the law says. The lack of a divorce law for non-Muslim Filipinos complicates further the marital and family problems of many Filipinos. Our government has clearly failed to respond to their needs. If the country wants to move forward, it has to confront the realities of marital and family life of Filipinos in the Philippines and abroad. It has to pass a divorce law now. (Reprinted from Positively Filipino) (The author is a litigator, human rights lawyer, researcher and academic in the Philippines. She taught family law at the University of the Philippines College of Law in Quezon City.) n

FEBRUARY 16-28, 2013

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By ma. stella f. arnaldo

The annual flower festival, Panagbenga Festival, draws thousands f tourists every February.

ESPITE the development of more local destinations all over the country attracting the serious bakasyonista, Baguio remains a sentimental favorite especially among those who grew up in the 1950s-1970s.

Of course, the weather isn’t as chilly as it was two decades ago—blame it on climate change—but the temperatures still manage to drop low enough for travelers to bring out their sweaters and scarves in the months of December and January.

And the nippy weather is just the best kind to, well, catch up on your sleep! Brrr.

Of course, you can only do so much lazing about in the bed. So if you do venture out into the cold (and traffic), there are other places to explore especially if you’re already over and done with the Burnham Park, Mine’s View, and ukay-ukay adventures of your heyday. A few of these places also offer city slickers a chance to gather their thoughts, pause and reflect in quiet surroundings.

Must-see’s In bloom -- Probably the best time to go to Baguio is during the Panagbenga or the Baguio Flower Festival, which showcases locally grown flora. Already in its 18th year, the Panagbenga festival features a grand street-dancing parade (February 23) and parade with floats festooned with gorgeous blooms (February 24). The festival is from February 1 until March 3, with Baguio hosting various kinds of sporting events, landscaping competitions and market encounters. Reserve your accommodations early as this annual event is a crowd-drawer.

The artist-in-residence -- Just 15 minutes away from the center of the city by car along Asin Road, the BenCab Museum sits as a refuge from the growing incursion of modern city life. It is a four-story building that features National Artist Benedicto Cabrera’s personal art collection and some of his works, and regularly exhibits creations of various budding local artists.

Each level of the building has a terrace that looks out into the artist’s massive property, which includes a farm and garden, greenhouses, a duck pond, authentic Ifugao huts, his workshop and home and the adjoining forest.

The museum also has its own restaurant Café Sabel, named after, of course, BenCab’s iconic muse.

Here, dishes are whipped up using ingredients sourced from the artist’s own garden and livestock farm.

Baguio chills and thrills

Strawberries are not grown anywhere else in the country so tourists flock to La Trinidad to partake of the red fruit.

Another well-known artist, Ben Hur Villanueva, also lives and sculpts in Baguio. His home/workshop and gallery—Arko ni Apo— are just across the Tam-awan Village, another well-known attraction in Pinsao proper, in the outskirts of the city. The artist himself meets and chats with visitors.

Tam-awan Village is known as an artist’s colony and on the property are reconstructed Kalinga and Ifugao huts, which are used as an art gallery, a café, artists’ lodging, as well as for workshops and art exhibits. On a clear day, the glistening South China Sea can be seen from this vantage point (tam-awan).

Religious sites -- Very few young people probably know that the Baguio City Cathedral (Our Lady of Atonement) figured prominently during World War II, as it sheltered many evacuees fleeing from carpet bombing of the city. Located along

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The Tam-awan Village features reconstructed Kalinga and Ifugao huts that serve as art gallery, café, artists’ lodging and venue for workshops and art exhibits.

General Luna Road adjacent to Session Road, the cathedral—one of the enduring landmarks of Baguio—stands tall with its pink color, twin spires and stained- glass windows. A favorite attraction is its view deck, which offers a panoramic view of Burnham Park, the city hall and the downtown commercial area.

Expect the Taoist Bell Church (La Trinidad Valley, Benguet) to be crowded this Lunar New Year

About 30 minutes away from Baguio city proper are the glorious strawberry farms of La Trinidad. You can either stoop down and pick the strawberries yourself or just buy from the traders along the road.

Either way, it’s an exhilarating experience just to stand in the middle of all that gorgeous red fruit waiting to be plucked from their stems. as our Filipino-Chinese brethren make the trek to watch the annual Chinese New Year parade, as well as to offer prayers to their ancestors and light joss sticks. On the property are the usual colorful and intricately designed Chinese pagodas and temples amid a well-maintained landscaped garden.

Not to be missed also is the Lourdes Grotto atop Mirador Hill with its 252 steps. Those fervently seeking favors from Mama Mary usually climb all the steps to reach the grotto. There are, of course, shortcuts to the top for the ordinary

sightseer.

Strawberry fields forever -About 30 minutes away from Baguio city proper are the glorious strawberry farms of La Trinidad.

You can either stoop down and pick the strawberries yourself (and pay for them, of course) or just buy from the traders along the road. Either way, it’s an exhilarating experience just to stand in the middle of all that gorgeous red fruit waiting to be plucked from their stems.

To-do’s Get an adrenaline rush -- The Treetop Adventure in Camp John Hay, a former US military reservation, is a magnet for thrill seekers.

There are different “rides” offered that are sure to pump up the heart rate and give you an adrenaline rush. The Tree Drop, for instance, straps you in a harness and lets you drop from a height of 60 feet, face down, until you almost hit the ground. Another is the Superman ride, basically a zipline that gives you a heart-stopping ride 100 meters above ground with an excellent view of pine trees.

Shop -- The Baguio City public market along Magsaysay Avenue is still the best place to get your vegetables and brooms at dirt-cheap prices. Also available is an assortment of Baguio/Benguet native trinkets, souvenirs, Cordillera rice wine (tapuey), Benguet coffee, Sagada oranges, Vigan longganisa, even fish from Pangasinan. Yes, the market has it all.

A visit to Baguio is never complete unless one visits the Good Shepherd Convent (15 Gibraltar Road) for your pasalubong of strawberry jam and preserves, ube jam, peanut brittle, etc.

Proceeds from the purchase of these food products support the upkeep of the convent and the different charities of the nuns.

Drink -- Whether it be strong Cordillera coffee or a cold beer, Baguio has quite a few well-known joints to grab either one. The enduring Café by the Ruins (25 Shuntug Road) is a favorite destination to get your jolt from kape alamid (civet coffee). It serves a pleasant variety of sandwiches to go with your coffee.

Nevada Square (Loakan Road) has an array of restaurants and bars to keep you well-hydrated with your favorite poison until the wee hours of the morning. It is party central for most Baguio residents and visitors where dancing on tables is definitely allowed. (BusinessMirror) n

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The bee and the sweetening of a country’s culture

Jollibee’s success has gone beyond Philippine taste in spite of the fact that others might define its fare as substandard, a taste for the masses. It has conquered the international palate, earning Jollibee the right to call itself the “Filipino Triumph”.

The Philippines is perhaps the only country in the world where McDonald’s is not the reigning burger chain, prompting The Economist magazine to say that the country “is a huge embarrassment to McDonalds.”

Vancouver Edition

By ana maria villanueva-lykes

N the US a child’s first words are usually “dada”, “momma”, and “dog”. In the Philippines, it’s “papa”, “mama” and “bee”. And it’s not just any kind of bee.

It’s a special yellow and orange bee with a chef ’s hat and jacket. No pants.

Every toddler in the Philippines knows the sweet taste of the hotdog bits in the spaghetti just as well as Lolo is familiar with the delightful sensation of the Chicken Joy crispy skin on the tongue. Their wide eyes -- both Lolo’s and apo’s -- shine at the first bite. It is because of these toddlers and their lolos -- and every member of the family for that matter -- that Jollibee is no longer just a fast food chain but an icon.

A mere burger chain has somehow managed to colonize “the youth culture and mass consumption”, as Andréa Picard would put it

in her Cinema Scope feature. What is it about Jollibee that makes international film critiques call it a phenomenon and even The New York Times describe it as “strangely addicting”? Jollibee’s success has gone beyond Philippine taste in spite of the fact that others might define its fare as substandard, a taste for the masses. It has conquered the international palate, earning Jollibee the right to call itself the “Filipino Triumph”.

Jollibee’s story is not just the tale of Tony Tan Caktiong but the story of the Filipino’s triumph over the red-haired clown and what others might consider great taste. An inspiration for small businesses, Caktiong grew his empire from two humble Magnolia Ice Cream franchises. But people were hungry and Caktiong quenched the demand with hamburger and chicken. No longer just an ice cream parlor, the

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Jollibee outlet in Woodside, Queens, New York business needed a new name, one magazine wrote that the country that signifies productivity and abun- “is a huge embarrassment to Mcdance. What better image to repre- Donalds.” sent that than the hardworking bee?

Try as Ronald may, he could not But even from the start, Caktiong compete with the Filipino taste. It knew that he wanted to serve more attempted to localize its burger and than just food, he wanted to serve bring the Golden Arches closer to happiness, not just for the belly, but the Filipino heart with taglines like for every child within. He wanted a “love ko ‘to”. But it was no match to place where “bida ang saya”. And so “ang sarap maging at home”. the jolly bee was born.

Taste is just one part of the The bee’s colony grew so huge, story. Jollibee also understands the spreading happiness all over the Filipino. It understands that time country (more than 750 stores) and with Lolo is spent sharing palabok abroad (USA (26), Vietnam (32), and fries even if they don’t match.

Brunei (11), Jeddah (7), Qatar, It understands that teens, as much Hong Kong (1), and Kuwait (1)). as toddlers, love to pose beside the Today, Jollibee claims a market mascot for pictures, and there is share that totals to more than half nothing baduy about that. It is unof the entire industry. abashedly kitschy with its bright But perhaps, more triumphant colors and does not make apolothan the franchise’s story is the gies for it. After all, the Pinoy is all Pinoy’s bond with Jollibee, Champ, about color and celebration even in the Chicken Joy, and of course the the midst of poverty.

Young and old alike love to pose beside the Jollibee mascot for pictures, and there is nothing baduy about that. sweet spaghetti.

Jollibee recognizes the fact that The New York Times calls Jolan occasional cheeseburger treat libee the “fast food for the Filipino can cause a sting to the Filipino soul”. Every single character and who earns below minimum wage. item on the menu taps at the heart A chicken and spaghetti combo for of the Pinoy and understands its many is not just a meal but a celtaste buds. Palabok and tapa sit side ebration, a splurge. The bee caters by side with hamburgers and fries to this culture. It serves a feast in a in the menu. The franchise does not plastic tray with a big smile. Let toforce foreign fare down the people’s morrow’s meal worry about itself. throat. Jollibee sweetens the servThe bee knows the culture of ings to make it go down easy. The Filipino celebration. It knows that spaghetti, an Italian classic, is an a Pinoy will borrow money for a fiexample. They made it Filipino esta, to enjoy life through food and style, sweetened it and garnished dance even with holes in the pocket. it with hotdog and ham slices, and It is clearly evident even in Jollibee’s people gobble this up. ads. Someone once wrote that you The phenomenon has reached can tell much about a country’s culinternational status, earning at ture through their TV commercials, least four features in The New York spotlighting on Jollibee’s TV ads of Times. One of which tells how singing, dancing and eating. And in the friendly bee stings Ronald in almost every commercial there is althe Philippines. The Philippines ways the family, the elderly couple is perhaps the only country in the who misses the langhap sarap or the world where McDonald’s is not the young man who yearns for the Sunreigning burger chain. The bee has day Jollibee trips of his childhood. already marked its territory before the clown set its red boots on Phil- From the start, Caktiong wanted to serve more than just food, he wanted to serve happiness, not just for the belly, but Everybody goes back, back to the taste of their youth. n ippine soil. In 2002, The Economist for every child within.

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M

illions of families all over the world are trapped in poverty due to limited access to critical resources such as decent housing and education. Many families are so hard-up that they live in shanties and attaining basic education remains a dream for children. In a 2010 study by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, an estimated 71 million children of lower secondary school age all over the world were out of school. This means that there are more children deprived of their basic education than there are people living in Canada.

ANCOP, which stands for “Answering the Cry of the Poor,” aims to address the need for shelter, one house at a time; and education, one child at a time. ANCOP is a registered non-profit Canadian charity committed to alleviating poverty. Currently it supports programs in the Philippines and Africa, and will expand to other parts of the world.

On March 10, 2013, ANCOP Vancouver will stage Right Here, Write Now! the Musical at the prestigious River Rock Theatre.

The musical will raise awareness on the issues of families and children denied the right to decent housing and education. Proceeds from the show will be used to gift underprivileged families with homes and out-of-school children with education they need and deserve.

Right Here, Write Now! is an original musical of hope, bringing light to the stories around us,

Ancop village - Taguig

Ancop village in Paranaque Anita & sponsored child

and reminding us that we have the power to write our own story today.

Right Here, Write Now! opens with a group of friends, preparing on their graduation day. Through upbeat and high-energy numbers, they excitedly share the stories that have brought them to this very moment. One of the graduates, in eager anticipation of the next chapter of her life, struggles in finding her own story, unsure how to piece together a compelling story worth telling. After listening to the interweaving tales of friendship, life, family, and love, our main character discovers the power to write her own story through the stories of her loved ones. The entire musical runs against a background of music that will move your feet and your hearts as our graduates take us on a heartwarming journey through the pages of their adventures, leading up to their commencement... and ours.

Tickets are only $25 @. Showtimes are 2:00 and 7:30 pm. You may get tickets through Ticketmaster or the ANCOP office at 604-270-1988.

For more information, go to : www.ancop.ca www.rightherewritenow.com

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NGOs and other support groups provide sex education and reproductive health to poor communities.

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In Tondo,

Text and photos by Tess Raposas

HEN she was barely 13, Lily got pregnant.

It was definitely not a matter of choice, but a case of being helplessly led into a situation because of ignorance on one hand, and a family hesitant to entertain curious questions about sexuality on the other. Bring in a pushy boy with equally limited knowledge on the matter, and there’s the inevitable teen-age pregnancy. When he left, Lily had to carry on with the burden alone.

Teenage mothers

see RH Law as a blessing The Philippines has one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancies in Southeast Asia, recording a 70 per cent increase in the 10-year period from 1999 to 2009. Lack of sex education and misconceptions about reproductive health contribute to the high incidence.

A health worker checks on a teenage mother in Tondo.

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Her friend Bingbing can only feel sympathy for Lily. At 17, Bingbing is due to give birth to her second child in a few months. She lives with her child’s father, but they are not married. Both girls rely on dole-outs from family members and friends, but more often, they have to go scavenging for useable materials from garbage dumps that they can exchange for cash.

Fortunately for Bingbing and Lily, who requested that their names be withheld to protect their privacy, there’s assistance to be had in their community.

Once a month, they line up at the barangay center to avail of the reproductive health services provided by the local council and the Zone One Tondo Organization or ZOTO, which defends the rights of urban poor communities. Both groups decided to offer the services due to the alarming rise of teenage pregnancies in the area, where they attend to an average of 50 teenage mothers every month.

“Malaking tulong itong libreng check-up. Hindi ko na kailangang pumunta sa ospital pag may nararamdaman ako, tapos bibigyan ka pa ng libreng gamot at vitamins,” says Bingbing. “Kung wala ito, hindi pa rin ako ako pupunta sa ospital kasi malayo at wala akong pamasahe.”

Sex education for teens

With the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law that came onto effect last January, volunteer doctors like Dr. Rosan Badon are optimistic that such collaborative efforts will no longer be an isolated project, and similar efforts can be implemented in more barangays.

Dr. Badon is one of the health professionals who checks on pregnant teenage girls, or those with young babies, in Tondo every month.

During consultation days, the barangay basketball court is transformed into a teen health center as medical doctors provide counseling, medication, and even contraceptives to their young patients.

“Our program is meant to provide support and assistance because of the difficulty that these teenage mothers find themselves in, and clearly they are in need of all the help they can possibly get even just for their day-to-day survival,” she observes.

“Of course it is always better if we provide them a more sustainable support that allows for personal growth and self-reliance,” she added.

Based on her experience in providing RH services in urban poor communities, Dr. Badon said most teenage girls who get pregnant of-

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ten succumb to peer pressure, force and intimidation, or fall victim to misinformation.

“Many of them think that it’s wrong to use contraceptives because it will have bad effects on the body,” she said.

In addition to health services, the medical team also provides information on gender equality, the rights of children, and HIV/AIDS awareness.

Because they provide contraceptives, the doctors are sometimes accused of spreading promiscuity among young people, but Badon vehemently denies the charge.

“That’s the farthest thing from our minds,” she asserts. “With or without us providing sex education, risky behavior among teenagers is a reality that you can’t just banish away like magic. What we do is provide counseling and RH education to young people to prevent pregnancy, not to encourage it.”

Adverse effects on teenage mothers The Philippines has one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancies in Southeast Asia, recording a 70 per cent increase in the 10year period from 1999 to 2009, the United Nations Population Fund

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A teen health center in Tondo offering pre and post-natal consultation and family planning services.

Agency (UNFPA) reported.

In a 2011 study, the UNFPA said the huge number of teenage pregnancies translated to 11 percent of 1.75 million live births in 2009. Lack of sex education and misconceptions about reproductive health contribute to the high incidence, the report said.

In a lecture on Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality, population expert Dr. Corazon Raymundo underscored the need to prevent teenage pregnancy due to its adverse effects

on the health of young women.

“Maternal mortality rate among pregnant adolescents is 2 to 4 times higher than for women over age 20. Moreover, infant mortality rate is also 30% higher for infants born to mothers with ages 15 to 19 than for those women 20 years or older,” said Raymundo, who is a former Director of the University of the Philippines Population Institute.

Twice the growing up pains For teenage mothers like Lily

and Bingbing, the passage of the RH Law is a milestone in the population debate, but there is much to be done in making sure that it reaches its intended beneficiaries. Many teenage mothers in the community have to take care of their babies without significant support from the father of their child or from their own families, even as they still have a lot of growing up to do themselves.

Support groups have assured them of continued assistance though, complementing government efforts in implementing the law.

“Initially, there were expressed sentiments that perhaps NGOs will no longer play its usual major role in this cause since we have already attained the core of our mission through this most recent development in policy advocacy,” said Xerxes Arcenal, Coordinator for

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the Humanitarian Response Programme of the Family Planning Organization of the Philippines.

“But this is unfounded. We believe NGOs’ role as the sentinel and instigator for change in society will always stay. Besides, we are always here to complement or assist local government initiatives and projects if we can be of service to them,” she added.

For instance, her group helps provide RH services in disasterstricken areas, and has launched the Cervical Cancer Caravan Project that does screening and treatment using a single visit approach through visual inspection.

Meanwhile, ZOTO has come up with new programs involving the use of music and arts in RH education, engaging young people as volunteers or facilitators.

This is good news for Lily and Bingbing, who believe that taking part in RH programs gives them a better understanding of their bodies. It also gives them a chance to caution young people against glorifying pregnancy, knowing that the experience is not only difficult for them as young people who should be in school, but also their babies who need more mature parents.

(GMA News Online) n

The Second

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Coming of Nora Aunor One hopes that Nora’s resurrection in Philippine cinema would reverse the trend and give hope to her contemporaries that there is still a chance for talent to rise above and take precedence over youth, good looks and cheap marketing gimmickry.

Nora accepts the Best Actress award from film critics at the Venice International Film Festival.

Vancouver Edition

By cherie del rio

N the last four decades, Nora Aunor has been delivering spellbinding performances that have raised the quality of Philippine cinema, pushing the standards in showbiz industry to the point of getting critical acclaim from international award giving bodies. Among her most brilliant acting performances were in Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos (1976), Minsa’y Isang Gamu-Gamo (1976), Ina Ka ng Anak Mo (1979), Bona (1980), Himala (1982), and the Flor Contemplacion Story (1995).

Indeed, Nora Aunor has earned the distinction of being one of the strongest pillars in Pinoy show business. She is one of the country’s finest actresses and definitely one of the most talented performers that the Philippines has produced.

Despite her long absence as a result of her self-exile in the United States, Nora returned to the spotlight with a b i g

bang. All glitz and sparkle well-deserved by a showbiz royalty were shone and showered upon her. Her return to the big screen in Brillante Mendoza’s Thy Womb has proven that Nora remains to be one of the brightest stars in Philippine cinema.

The 59-year old, multi awarded actress has proven herself to be a legendary icon in the field of acting. Her epic portrayal as a Badjao midwife in Thy Womb has earned her nominations for Best Actress in the Dubai International Film Festival, Asia Pacific Film Festival, Venice International Film Festival, and the International Film Festival of India. She bagged the Best Actress Award in the 6th Asia Pacific Screen Awards and the Bisato

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Nora’s searing portrayal of a Badjao midwife in Thy Womb has earned plaudits at home and abroad. d’Oro for Best Actress from Premio Della Critica Indipendiente during the last Venice Film Festival.

MIFF award Nora’s most recent laurels came during the Metro Manila Film Festival last December where she won the Best Actress Award and Female Star of the Night. The film likewise snagged the awards for Best Director, Best Original Story, Best Production Design, Best Cinematography, the Gatpuno Villegas Cultural Award, and the Most Gender Sensitive Film Award. Thy Womb tackles the story of a Badjao midwife dealing with her own infertility. Joining the cast are seasoned actor Bembol Roco and young actress Lovi Poe. Being recognized for her stellar performance in Thy Womb truly is a second coming for the Original Superstar. Although her extensive career in the fields of movies, music, theater, and television was enough to keep her name on the list of who’s who in Philippine showbiz, her long absence certainly did damage to her popularity among the Philippine audiences. Compared to Vilma Santos who continued to remain visible in both showbiz and politics, Nora was completely gone from the limelight. People wondered if she could really make a successful comeback, much more reclaim her status as a Superstar.

Successful comeback Nora has proven her detractors wrong and her supporters correct.

Her work in Thy Womb has attested to the fact that her absence from both the big and small screens was

not a hindrance to her journey back into stardom. She bounced back, and she did so with all the brightness of a true Superstar. It, therefore, did not come as a surprise that the critics have quickly taken notice once again of Nora’s timeless acting skills.

“Masaya ako dahil matagal akong nawala,” Nora said after winning the Best Actress award in the MMFF. “Matagal akong hindi nakagawa ng pelikula. Eto nga, muli na namang napansin ang ating nakayanan sa pelikula.”

Despite the critical acclaim for the film, however, the movie suffered a few setbacks when it came to getting audience approval from Filipino mass movie goers. The movie was pulled out from several theaters a few days after it opened due to poor box office receipt. Nora has not commented in detail about the pullouts but has remained firm that even if people will not watch the movie, she will continue to make films like Thy Womb.

“Basta ang iniisip ko lang, makagawa ng makabuluhang pelikula,” Nora stated. “Nasa manonood na yun kung magugustuhan nila.” She and the film director Brillante Mendoza lamented that while Thy Womb won plaudits abroad, it was snubbed by local audiences.

Against all odds The incident is but a minor setback in Nora’s second coming. Her performance has been given the awards it truly deserves both here and abroad. This is quite a big deal in today’s showbiz scene as Nora is competing with the newer, fresher

breed of actors. Nowadays, it is the likes of Anne Curtis, Vice Ganda, Vic Sotto, and Ai Ai Delas Alas that thrive in the cinema. Their movies become blockbuster hits because they have an uninterrupted presence in showbiz and they receive continued support from their fans.

This makes Nora’s return to fame all the more compelling.

Although it cannot be denied that her fan base is solid, being absent from the industry was still a blow that Nora suffered and endured.

Returning to work meant competing against the younger stars. And unlike in Hollywood were veteran actors such as Robert de Niro and Meryl Streep continue to command respect and mass following, the Philippine showbiz industry tends to favor the newer names, making big stars out of small talents and setting aside the old, aging veteran actors. One hopes that Nora’s resurrection in Philippine cinema would reverse the trend and give hope to her contemporaries that there is still a chance for talent to rise above and take precedence over youth, good looks and cheap marketing gimmickry.

When she won the Best Actress Award in the last MMFF, Nora bested sexy stars Angelica Panganiban and Angel Locsin (who starred together in the movie One More Try) and Judy Ann Santos (for the movie Si Agimat, Si Enteng Kabisote at si Ako). It was Nora’s eighth trophy from the MMFF. Her last Best Actress award from the same body dates all the way back to 1995 for her role in Muling Umawit ang Puso. n

Her legions of fans are hoping that her successful comeback would energize the local movies industry and result in more quality films.

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CELEBR TY

KRIS LAMENTS ‘MILLIONS’ IN SETTLEMENT KRIS Aquino vented her sadness on Twitter over what she called “past stupidity” for agreeing to pay “millions” to former husband, James Yap, when they separated. She said in the past that she regretted not following the advice of her mother, the late President Cory Aquino, to enter into a pre-nuptial agreement when she married James.

Without directly naming the basketball player, Kris on Feb. 7 said she remembered her “past stupidity” as she signed a “check in the millions” as part of her financial settlement.

What makes it bad, she said, is the fact that all her hard work was put to waste. “Siguro birthday blues talaga,” tweeted the TV host-actress who celebrates her birthday on Feb. 14. “Last night while taking care of Bimb I had to sign another check in the millions. Last payment sa financial settlement w/ u know who... I cried because of my past stupidity & sa exhaustion. I feel sa trabaho na unfortunately hindi naman kay Josh & Bimb napunta ang pinagpapaguran ko.”

She added: “Honest parang cold water was poured all over me to realize that maybe wag na lang umasa ever to find my happily ever after... Haayyy birthday blues. Just needed to get that pain off my chest.”

Last month, Kris lambasted fans of James after she received a lot of hate tweets she claimed came from his camp.

She also revealed that James got millions from her.

“With the millions he got from me and I wish they’d just let me have peace,” she tweeted. “Di ko kaya ginugulo. I more than ‘paid’ for my peace already. Don’t dare me to name the amount because then everyone will know why I’m so afraid of being used again, because si Josh and Bimb ang nabawasan ang savings for their future.”

MARIEL, ROBIN SETTLE ‘RIFT’

MARIEL Rodriguez and her husband Robin Padilla are reported to be on good terms again after the former allegedly left their house and removed her wedding ring out of jealousy after she saw Robin’s love scenes with Kris Aquino in their ongoing soap, Kailangan Ko’y Ikaw.

Whether it was indeed a case of marital rift or a cheap publicity gimmick to drum up interest in the teleserye, the whole drama was seen on national television when Robin surprised

his wife on the noontime show, Wowowillie, last Feb. 7 to assure her of his love. Mariel is one of the co-hosts of Willie Revillame in the show.

On Twitter, Mariel thanked her husband for loving her and for protecting her against online bashers. “My hero!!! thank you babe! @robinhoodpadilla mahal na mahal na mahal kita!!!! thank you for loving me...whether im at my best or at my worst u love me. thank you!!! i promise to be a good girl YYY best wife!!! i love you!!!,” she tweeted.

She vowed that she will try to be the best wife, saying Robin is a good husband. “Dahil mabait ang asawa ko lalo kong sisikapin na maging mabait :) :) :).”

Robin thanked Kris for her effort to convince his wife to return to their house. He then challenged his wife’s critics to a fist fight.

Vancouver Edition

KIM, MAJA ‘BEHAVE’ WHILE ON SET THE production staff behind the top-rating series Ina Kapatid Anak belied speculations that the rift between Kim Chiu and Maja Salvador are taking its toll on the hit series.

Kim and Maja made headlines recently when the former broke her silence on reports that latter, whom she considers her best friend, is now dating her former boyfriend, Gerald Anderson.

Kim said she was surprised by the turn of events. “Nasayang, yeah ‘yung friendship namin ni (Maja),” she said.

But in a recent interview, the former Pinoy Big Brother winner said she and Maja enjoy a good working atmosphere at the set.

What’s important, she pointed out, is they deliver a good story for the viewers.

“Wala namang [intriga],” Kim stressed. “Ang importante ‘yung trabaho, trabaho naman. And sa mga feedback, sa mga napapanood nila ngayon na nagaganda-

han sila and natutuwa sila sa kuwento, natutuwa na rin kami and nai-inspire kami na magtrabaho ng mas maayos.”

She continued: “Siguro ‘yung mga artista na nakapaligid sa amin, sobrang magagaling and nadadala nila kami sa kung paano sila umarte, ganun na rin kami. Kasi siyempre nakakahiya para sa amin kung hindi namin ibigay ang 100% percent namin.

And siyempre ‘yung story maganda.”

COCO IS JULIA’S ESCORT ON HER DEBUT JULIA Montes revealed that Coco Martin will be her escort on her 18th birthday in March.

Speaking on The Buzz, the young actress said, “Baka mamaya maudlot. Yes po [si Coco ang escort ko].”

Julia said she is glad to have Coco by her side during her debut because the actor is really a caring person on and off camera.

“Sa lahat ng aspect, mapa-simpleng bagay, talagang maalaga siya, hindi lang sa co-worker niya.

Kung mapapansin niyo siya sa set pati crew inaalagaan niya, ganun siya kabuting tao talaga, good guy,” she said.

But Julia shrugged off rumors that there is something romantic going on between them. She said she and Coco have just developed a close relationship because they have been working together since the toprating series Walang Hanggan.

In a separate interview, Coco explained that he does not want to get into something which he feels he has no chance of success. “Bago kasi ako pumasok sa isang bagay, sinisigurado ko muna na may laban. Siyempre sabi ko nga ayaw ko namang mapapahiya ang sarili ko. Pinapakiramdaman ko pa,” he said.

Meanwhile, after confessing that he once courted Erich Gonzales, Coco admitted that Sarah Geronimo also rejected him in the past.

In his live appearance on Sarah G Live on Feb. 3, Coco said he fell for Sarah when they were doing the musical series Idol.

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CELEBRITYFILES

OYO NOT AGAINST VIC-PAULEEN AFFAIR OYO Sotto has clarified that he is not against the relationship of his father, Vic Sotto, with Pauleen Luna.

“Actually, naging isyu ‘yan na parang iniikot nila na galit ako kay Pauleen,” he explained. “Sabi ko, hindi. Hindi naman ako galit… siguro nandun lang ang konting ilang, di ba?“ “Ba’t naman ako magagalit?”, he continued. “ Wala naman siyang ginawa sa akin, para magalit ako. At least, masaya si Daddy, di ba? Yun naman ang im-

PIOLO FINALLY OPENS UP ON SON’S MOM FOR the first time, Piolo Pascual talked about the mother of his son, Iñigo.

During a guest appearance on Kris TV recently, Piolo said there is “mutual respect” between him and his former partner, who is currently living with Iñigo abroad.

“What›s nice about the mom of Iñigo is that she involves me in everything that my son does.

Ipinapakita niya, ini-email niya ako, ‹yung report card ng bata.

Tinatawagan niya ako kapag may problema ‹yung bata, kapag may male problem sa akin niya dinidiretso. So, well, open. There should be an open communication,” the actor said, praising his former partner for raising their son well.

“There›s a mutual respect.

Importante ‹yon. We are doing it, we are being selfless for the kid.

It›s not about us,” he added.

Piolo admitted that it is hard being in constant contact with Iñigo›s mother, but he continu-

es to do it for his son. “Mahirap ‹yon, mahirap ‹yon. And hindi siya natatapos sa isang usapan lang, sometimes lifetime ‹yon. Hindi para sa inyo ‹yon, you have to think about the kid. Siya ‹yung involved doon, kasi ang ibinigay mo ay broken family and he didn›t deserve that. Wala namang magagawa ang bata.”

“So the only thing you can do is to be civil. You have to think things for your son or your daughter,” he added.

ANGELICA ON HER ‘PERFECT LIFE’ ANGELICA Panganiban says her relationship with John Lloyd Cruz is stronger than ever.

“Actually siguro ‹yung problema namin, wala kaming issue na mapagtalunan. Laging okey, laging nagtutugma ang mga gusto namin,” she said in an interview on The Buzz.

Angelica said even their equally hectic schedule never became an issue, as she belied reports that there is an issue bugging them.

“Hindi naman namin napag-aawayan. Noong una tinatanong ko siya, ‹Ganyan ka ba talaga kasikat?

Kasi sobra kang busy.› Parang wala talaga siyang time, nagkikita lang kami kapag weekends. Dati kasi sanay ako na may time sa akin

‹yung lalaki. Pero ngayon kapag nagkikita naman kami, talagang sagad, sulit talaga ang mga oras

portante -- hindi ko nakikitang malungkot si Daddy. Siyempre, gusto ko ring may makakasama siya habang buhay, dahil mga anak niya, may asawa na.”

Oyo pointed out that he, his sister Danica and his half-siblings – Vico, Vic’s son by Coney Reyes, and Paulina, Vic’s daughter by former model Angela Luz – have families now while his father is all by himself. Oyo and Danica Sotto-Pingris are Vic’s children by his former wife, Dina Bonnevie.

ALICE, HUBBY FILE FOR DIVORCE ALICE Dixson and her husband of 13 years, Ronnie Miranda, have filed for divorce at a court in Vancouver, BC, in late December 2012 due to “irreconcilable differences.” Alice, 43, and Ronnie, 49, are childless. Both are Canadian citizens.

Alice told entertainment columnist Ricky Lo in an interview that the decision to split was mutual.

“Yes, it was mutual. It took us a while to reach that decision because we really tried to work things out. Sadly, things didn’t work out.”

She said they both realized in early 2012 that the marriage was beyond saving because they had “a lot of irreconcilable differences.”

According to the actress, her frequent trips to Manila for work have nothing to do with their problem.

“No, not at all, because we have been apart earlier in our marriage when I would come home for work,” she pointed out.

“First time I came back was in 2002 for a GMA soap and it lasted for three years.

But I would go back to Vancouver for visits and Ronnie would come to visit me, too. We were connected; we got in touch. So the distance has absolutely nothing to do with it.”

She stressed there was no third party involved.

She refused to comment on whether their inability to have a child had a bearing on their marital woes although she said she had wanted to have children. namin,” she said.

She explained that their friendship the reason behind their strong relationship. “Kasi para siyang a promise of friendship. Para siyang blessing na nakahanap ako ng partner na para kong best friend na wala kaming dapat itago sa isa›t isa, relax na relax.”

She said she will still never trade her “perfect” life for anything. “Ang perfect ng lahat eh. Wala na akong hihilingin pa.

Dumating ako sa point ng buhay ko na gaano ba ito katagal magla-last?

Puwedeng i-maintain ko na lang ito?

Kasi parang death na bukas, parang ibinibigay na ni Lord sa akin lahat,” she said.

Oyo said his wish is for his father to find a lifetime partner. He said he did not want to interfere with his father’s love life. “Ako, okey lang kahit kanino man siya ma-in love… yun lang. Basta sa amin naman ni Ate [Danica], basta maalagaan siya, at yung relasyon nila… kumbaga magmahalan lang sila.”

Vic, meanwhile, remains tight-lipped about the issue. “Wala naman talagang problema, e. Basta relax lang kami, pa-chill-chill lang,” he said in a separate interview.

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Vancouver Edition

By emmily magtalas rhodes

PEAK properly,” my five-year-old Arthur admonished me. I was talking in fluent Tagalog to my mum over the phone. “I can’t understand you,” he said. I was left speechless for a minute as it struck me that (a) he was eavesdropping on my conversation and (b) he thought I was speaking gobbledygook with his lola in the Philippines.

Speaking

in T-Tongues I realized the moment had arrived for me to finally face the monumental task of giving him his long-delayed Filipino lessons.

Five years ago, while pregnant, I had the dilemma of when and how to teach my future offspring the language I grew up speaking. I wanted them to be in touch with their Filipino heritage, and part of this would involve learning my mother tongue. After all, language reflects culture. And when the time comes for them to explore their Filipino identity by backpacking around the country, I will want them to be armed with a verbal knowledge of Tagalog. I wouldn’t want them to be ripped off by unscrupulous tour guides and roadside vendors.

So I read up on raising bilingual children. My research told me that young minds absorbed quickly, and that teaching two languages at the onset would help in the development of their linguistic skills.

To see how this worked, I sought advice from friends who, like me, came to Britain from another culture.

My Spanish friend employed immersion. She spoke to her baby exclusively in Spanish. “She’ll learn English at nursery, and from other people,” she reasoned. This worked for her because her partner was also Spanish.

At home it was the language they used. But because my English husband could not speak in Tagalog, I had to disregard this model.

Another friend spoke to her child only in her native German while her British husband mainly used English. This made sense to me until I had my baby. I found that, having no one to converse with in Tagalog on a regular basis, I ended up think-

Language learning modules are a great help. ing in English and translating in my head. Whenever I spoke to my baby, it came out stilted. I sounded like a badly programmed robot. By default, I reverted to English.

Disheartened, I turned to a Filipino friend who was also a mother.

Like me she was married to a nonTagalog-speaking Englishman. Her approach involved waiting until her children were school-age before she introduced the language. She wanted them to master English first then have a more structured lesson in Tagalog. After my failed first attempt, I decided I would follow suit.

Until recently, Arthur’s Tagalog vocabulary was limited to a few words -- lola, lolo, gigil and tabo. It bothered me that he could count in French and sing in German (languages he has been learning in school), but he hardly knew any words in my language. So over a relaxed Saturday breakfast, I decided

The author and her family (L-R): Edward, husband Daniel, and Arthur in Derbyshire, England. to teach him a few more. him more in her language. Like me According to books I’ve read, she mostly spoke to her children in one way to acquire a language is English, only occasionally using by making visual connections with some Tagalog words. The encouna word, similar to how babies learn ter made me determined to improve to speak. The advice was to make Arthur’s Pinoy lingo. it fun, as positive association reinThat night, I eagerly showed off forced learning. to my husband the results of our “Arthur, “I said, giddy with Tagalog lessons over family dinner. excitement. “Let’s play a game. ” I pointed to my mouth. “What’s I pointed to my mouth. “Bibig,” I this in Tagalog?” “Bibig!” Arthur said. “Bibig,” he mimicked. Encour- exclaimed. “Yes!” I pounded my fist aged, I pointed to my eyes. “Mata” in the air. We were making progress.

“Mata,” he repeated. I proceeded Egged on by my husband’s expectto point to various parts of my face ant smile, I moved my index finger and head while naming them in to my nose. “What about this?”

Tagalog. He did his best to say the Arthur was silent for a while as he words correctly. He was enjoying searched his mind for the answer. “I the session, and I felt proud. know, I know,” he said. “No-nose!”

For the next two days, we car- Then he pointed to his eyes, “Eried on with the exercise. I would eyes!” Then to his ears, “E-ears!” point and say the word, and he “I can speak in Tagalog,” he would repeat. boasted. I couldn’t help but laugh, A week later, I bumped into a although I was dismayed that he new Filipino friend. She had just thought Tagalog was merely stuttaken her little boy to see the health tering in English. visitor and was advised to talk to I made a promise to resolve the

issue.

With a new baby in our family, there’s even more reason to revive our Tagalog lessons. I will start by talking more about the country where I grew up -- the customs, the climate, the food. When I do, I will use Tagalog words to describe my experiences. I also intend to teach Tagalog nursery rhymes to Arthur so we can sing these to the baby.

I’m planning to get Tagalog books, which we can read together. I will do my best to speak more in Tagalog, especially with Filipino friends.

I’m going to ask those friends to speak to my children in Tagalog. I will start a “Tagalog word for the day.” I will ask for advice from other Filipino parents raising their children in an English-speaking environment. Tagalog will be part of our every day, and if the children resist, I will tell them I’m talking in a top-secret language. It should pique their interest.

With this scheme in place, I’m hoping by the end of the year when Arthur opens his mouth, his arsenal of Tagalog will be b-big. (Positively Filipino) (The author is a full-time mother of two boys. She lives in Derbyshire, England.) n

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Tourists flock to new destinations

H E N tourists think of Bohol, Chocolate Hills and gentle tarsiers are usually the first things that come to mind, not a heart-stopping drop into a deep gorge.

There’s more to the island-province than bug-eyed primates and brown mounds. Just a couple of hours away, the Danao Adventure Park offers the exhilarating Suislide and Plunge.

The local version of the zipline, the Suislide consists of a pulley suspended on a cable, which is mounted on an incline, according to the Eco/Extreme/Educational Adventure Tour Danao website.

Meanwhile, the Plunge is a canyonswing adventure mounted over a gorge that is 200 meters high and 300 meters wide.

While not for the faint-hearted, such extreme activities offer an alternative vacation for tourists who want more than laid-back sightseeing. The annual Travel and Tour Expo, held Feb. 15-17 at the SMS Convention Center in Pasay City, put the spotlight on emerging Philippine destinations, from Tuguegarao in Luzon to the Camotes Islands in the Visayas.

“There is a good bulk of local players coming in exhibiting during the fair,” said Philippine Travel Agencies Association President John Paul Cabalza, noting that they increased the number of booths to 554 from last year’s Expo of 477.

The PTAA identified nine emerging tourist destinations that they will aggressively promote: Baler, Bataan, Camotes Islands, Davao, Leyte, Mindoro, Samal Islands, Siargao Island and Tuguegarao.

“We’re actually looking at more domestic players gaining ground and at the same time assisting the Department of Tourism. This is a good example of the public private partnership,” Cabalza said at a press conference.

Emerging destinations Cabalza said the emerging destinations include the Cagayan Eco-

Adventure tourism offers an alternative vacation for tourists who want more than laid-back sightseeing. Tour operators are promoting new destinations including Baler, Bataan, Camotes Islands, Davao, Leyte, Mindoro, Samal Islands, Siargao Island and Tuguegarao.

push domestic travel,” said Bengzon.

He added that the increase in airlines operating within the country contributed to this growth, as it gave consumers more options.

Similarly, there is a variety of options when it comes to accommodations and facilities for travelers. “If people want the luxury, fivestar type, we have it. If they opt for the more Spartan budget type of accommodations, we also have it. But definitely, domestic tourism will continue to grow,” Bengzon said.,

Everybody’s business

Adventure-seekers try the Suislide at Danao Adventure Park in Bohol. the fair is an opportunity for emerging destinations to become more comfortable before promoting themselves outside the Philippines.

“Since there are new destinations that we are promoting, this is like their first dry run of their destination, their product, their hotels...

When they get that confidence level, there’s no stopping them from gaining all the inbound market as well,” she said.

Tourism receipts

Nothing beats surfing in Siargao Island. nomic Zone Authority, where there are already 17 resorts and hotels.

Meanwhile, in Baler, more than 15 resorts are currently operating, he said, noting that the popular surfing destination also has numerous waterfalls.

“We went there, and it was a fun trek. Even if you swim in their waterfalls area, it’s not that deep,” said Cabalza, adding that the waterfalls

are well-managed.

Cabalza also recommended Baler’s history trail, which includes Baler Church, the site of the Siege of Baler in 1898. The trail also includes Ermita Hll, where only a few Filipinos survived the tsunami of 1735 that wiped out the entire town.

Aileen Clemente, chairperson of the 20th Travel Tour Expo, said

In 2011, the revenue from foreign tourists reached about P100 billion, while the revenue from domestic tourists was at P800 billion, according to Department of Tourism Assistant Secretary Benito Bengzon Jr. In 2012, the number of domestic tourists exceeded 30 million.

“We’re seeing a lot of Filipinos going around the country. More than ever, there is a greater sense of appreciation, greater pride in what the country has to offer and we feel that’s one of the factors that will

PTAA Media Committee Chair Nit Ragaza noted that many foreign tour operators will be participating in the Travel Tour Expo, and this is also an opportunity to promote domestic tourism.

“While their purpose is to sell their country, unavoidably they will be moving around and they will see also the beautiful spots that we have, and they can also relay this to their countrymen. Hopefully this will translate to more visitors in the Philippines,” Ragaza said.

Bengzon also encouraged Filipinos to travel abroad, as this allows them to promote the country.

“The more Filipinos go abroad, the wider the network that we have.

Marketing the Philippines is not just the sole responsibility of the DOT. It’s everybody’s business, and we’re happy when Filipinos go abroad and start spreading the word around that it’s more fun in the Philippines,” he said.

While tourists can easily book their trips online, the Travel Tour Expo gives them an opportunity to find out about other destinations, as well as take advantage of promos and discounts. According to Clemente, the expo has something for everyone, from luxury deals to budget trips.

This year’s fair is also bigger than last year’s event, which drew some 60,000 visitors. “The fact that we’re getting huge numbers is a very strong indication that there is deeper appreciation of tourism and travel among Filipinos,” Bengzon said. (GMA News Online) n

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The

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best

Restaurants for Balikbayans Good Filipino cooking was only to be had in the provinces, specifically in roadside eateries or in the market where cooks work with the freshest ingredients and prepare dishes the traditional way. Today, thankfully, serving Filipino dishes has become more viable, and so restaurants that serve them have sprouted.

Vancouver Edition

Barrio Fiesta is still one of the best places to get crispy pata, which the restaurant claims to have invented.

By micky fenix

VEN on a short trip from abroad, my husband looks forward to steaming sinigang as his first meal back. The sour broth warms his stomach as well as his heart. Good to be home.

It used to be that the best way to get good Filipino food is to eat at home. Good Filipino cooking was only to be had in the provinces, specifically in roadside eateries or in the market where cooks work with the freshest ingredients and prepare dishes the traditional way. Today, thankfully, serving Filipino dishes has become more viable, and so restaurants that serve them have sprouted. And young culinary studies graduates have decided to rediscover their roots, learning to cook not only the old way, but also applying modern techniques to the dishes, updating the look but preserving the flavors.

The home of potter Ugu Bigyan in Tiaong, Quezon, has expanded its eatery and its menu that includes a lot of seafood from the fisher folk who sell their catch at the pier nearby.

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At Ugu Bigyan’s Potter Garden, there is a lot of seafood from the fisher folk who sell their catch at the pier nearby.

Here are the best restaurants for balikbayans eager to savor the taste of home: ABE (in Serendra in Taguig, Trinoma Mall in Quezon City, SM Mall of Asia in Pasay) Named in honor of the author and artist Abe Cruz, this is part of the late Larry Cruz’s fleet of restaurants. Yes, it does have the good Pampango dishes, home province of the Cruz family – sisig, fried fish with buro, camaru and betute (crickets and stuffed frog). But the callos is excellent, and try my favorite -crispy tadyang, which the restaurant named after me. Expect similar menus but individual specialties at the other outlets (Café Adriatico, Fely J, Lorenzo’s Way, Ang Bistro sa Remedios).

VIA MARE (Best at Greenbelt 1 in Makati) The name doesn’t reflect what people go to this place for -- not seafood but bibingka and puto bumbong.

Order pancit palabok, lumpiang ubod and if your arteries aren’t clogged yet, the bagnet salad (crisp pork belly in greens and tomato with a dressing of bagoong vinaigrette).

EVERYBODY’S CAFÉ (San Fernando and Angeles, Pampanga) You know a good restaurant when you see locals eating there.

This is where to taste the incomparable morcon, ground meat with all the goodness formed into a roll and known as embutido elsewhere.

The secret is in the sauce, rich orange from the chorizo, full of flavor and collected from the morcon drippings. Everybody’s has the usual Pampango dishes, but also excellently cooked camaru and betute and fried hito with buro.

SUSIE’S CUISINE (Angeles, Pampanga) The best tibok-tibok is here.

That’s carabao milk maja blanca, and it gets its name from heart palpitations because it vibrates when you carry it around. When it’s tamarind season (summer), they make the best sweetened version, the fruit looking as if it was just peeled fresh even if it has been cooked in sugar.

BREAKTHROUGH (Iloilo City) Imagine big clams (imbao) and angel wings (diwal) with their meats ballooning, an indication of freshness and fatness. But the must-order dish is grilled managat or mangrove jack, because it exudes a milky fla-

or banana heart salad (puso ng saging) with a smoky coconut milk produced by toasting grated coconut in charcoal embers. There is a lot of seafood from the fisher folk who sell their catch at the pier nearby. Reservations and a minimum number of diners required.

Bale Dutung offers the Pampango menu -- ten courses that include ensaladang pako, kare-kare lamang dagat and a sinigang that is called bulanglang in Pampanga. vor that is similar to eel. There is abalone sashimi, in case you’re interested.

BARRIO FIESTA (Best at EDSA near Ortigas, Metro Manila) This is the restaurant that claims to have invented crispy pata. Let’s give them that because it is still one of the best places to get it. Kare-kare with bagoong is also a good save for the container, the hopelessly archaic palayok. Thankfully, the new owners didn’t change the recipes, only the interior decor, which has made the place less kitschy. Barrio Fiesta bagoong is still the best; it’s available in groceries.

MILKY WAY (Arnaiz Avenue in Makati, Virra Mall in Greenhills, Rockwell Mall in Makati) Another restaurant founded by a Kapampangan, which is why the grilled catfish should be ordered.

But many of us who have been to the original restaurant near Malacañang Palace swear by its chicken asparagus sandwich, the freshly made ice cream and the halo-halo that’s still the best.

LA COCINA DE TITA MONING (San Rafael St., San Miguel District, Manila) The old house of the Legardas in the shadow of the Presidential Palace (just tell the palace guards where you are headed) has pre-

served its exterior and some of its interior, but the dining areas are dressed opulently. The menu features the dishes of Tita Moning (Ramona Legarda), which belong to the time when fast food wasn’t even heard of and slow cooking was the norm. Some of the dishes are paella Valenciana, lengua and whole baked lapu-lapu, but there are Filipino dishes like kare-kare and dinuguan. The quality of the cooking is maintained because granddaughter Suzette Montinola, who studied at the Culinary Institute of America, is in charge.

UGU BIGYAN’S POTTER GARDEN (Tiaong, Quezon) The home of potter Ugu Bigyan has expanded its eatery and its menu.

But what lures me there is the kulawo

KUSINA SELERA (115 Legazpi St., Davao City) The restaurant is inside a compound with the 1930s house of the Lat family at the very center. Three partners from Manila offer food and beverage to hotel guests at the Legazpi Suites at the back. Grilled fish and squid, steamed shrimps and mussels, seaweed and stray strands of pork longganisa. Try the soup of imbao (big clams), pinakbet and three desserts, a tres leches, maja blanca and buchitaw, an imaginative combination of buchi and palitaw.

BALE DUTUNG (Villa Gloria Subdivision, Angeles, Pampanga) If you’ve seen Anthony Bourdain’s show, that’s a good introduction to the place where Claude Tayag cooks, and his wife Mary Ann talks about the food. There are three menus to choose from, but the best is still the Pampango menu -ten courses that include ensaladang pako (fiddlehead fern salad), karekare lamang dagat (seafood) and a sinigang that is called bulanglang

At Market, Market at the Global City, one can find regional delicacies – from bocayo and dried mangoes to sweetened pili and Vigan longganisa.

FEBRUARY 16-28, 2013

in Pampanga. This is where one should eat slowly to savor not only the food, but also your company and the artworks of Claude. Again, reservations required for a set minimum number of guests.

MARKET MARKET REGIONAL STALLS (Fort Bonifacio, Taguig) The enlightened management of this mall has given prominence to food stalls from the country’s different regions. You don’t have to go to Baguio to get your coffee beans, or to Pangasinan for your bocayo, banana chips from Roxas City, roasted cashew nuts from Palawan, dried mangoes from Cebu and sweetened pili from Bicol. So if you forgot to buy pasalubong from where you visited, this is the place to go. Inside the mall, native products, such as Iloco abel (blankets) are available as well.

SARAMSAM YLOCANO RESTAURANT AND BAR (JP Rizal corner Hizon Streets, Ilocos Norte) The dinendeng (boiled mixed vegetables) should be ordered as well as other traditional Ilocano food. But owner Sammy Blas offers more than just the usual, such as dinuguan pizza or igado crostini. You can call that fusion but the flavors are there even if the setting is different.

GLORY’S EMPANADAHAN (Riverside Empanada Plaza, Batac Ilocos Norte) IRENE’S EMPANADA AND OKOY (Vigan, Ilocos Sur) Sometimes I miss how empanada used to be available only for afternoon merienda in Vigan. The waiting made eating it extra special.

But now you can have the crisp turnover at any time, Norte or Sur. It can make your heart stop just thinking of the whole egg and chorizo that go into some of the versions and some flirt with danger just to have two eggs per empanada.

HALO-HALO DE ILOKO (San Fernando, La Union) The mix is so inviting -- nata de coco, corn, cornflakes, saba, yema cooked in pandan, gulaman cooked with buko juice and burisangsang (muscovado) as sweetener. Order also a huge fried bun called emparedados with Vigan longganisa within.

The name is Spanish for sandwich.

(Reprinted from Positively Filipino) (Micky Fenix writes the weekly column “Country Cooking” for the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Her book on regional cuisine will be published this year.) n

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Vancouver Edition

VANCOUVER Impressions

By Mel Tobias

TRENDS

Acorn’s Stuffed Acorn Squash

C

ommunal tables are now chic and popular. The trend is daring Vancouverites to dine with complete strangers, provoking the locals to shrink their personal space.

This is better than computer social networking because it allows everyone to have real human social interchange. This is a good exercise for computer geeks and people without social skills.

Street Cart food is now acceptable along with food vendors selling hot dogs and chestnuts. The variety of food offerings is enormous and mind bending. But food cart cuisine is seasonal and while waiting for sunny, summer days, hole-in-the-wall eateries are abundant. Small bistros and diners offer barbecue meat, tacos, craft beers, crab cakes, cured meats, sausages, salmon, bacon seasoned dishes, oysters and the emergence of several charcuterie. Local diners are opting for casual dining with affordable prices.

Vegetarian restaurants are fashionable. Two high- end vegetarian restaurants are making news (Acorn and Heirloom). Vegetarian foodies have many choices (100% vegetarians, vegan, gluten free food or pre-mixed gluten free flours are available). At Heirloom on 1506 West 12th you can order avocado frites, butter chickpea curry or tempeh (soy protein) reuben sandwich.

Kale (taking the limelight away from broccoli) is being hailed as high in Vitamin A, high fibre and bulk. Arugula is also making a comeback. They are supposedly a dieter’s dream food. Chips are also popular, judging from the variety in supermarkets. They are selling all kinds of fruits and vegetables, reincarnated into baked chips.

Personal favorites include Plantain, beets, yam, carrots, taro and olive to name a few.

As locals search for wheat alternatives, gluten-free food products and bread are now popular in Vancouver. Quinoa is suddenly the “in” product of the year. It is said to be a powerpacked source of protein, fiber and vitamins.

Grown in the Peruvian highlands, it was declared the year of Quinoa by the United Nations (Food and Agricultural Organization).

Canadian artisan products are gaining prominence like Monkey Butter Products, selling maple bacon peanut butter, salted caramel peanut butter, dark chocolate cherry peanut butter.

Also popular is salty sweet popcorn and my

Acorn’s Polenta frieds with wasabi pea mayo personal favorite is from Abbotsford. ;Growing or buying, cooking or eating local sustainable, healthy, non-fat and non-greasy delicious food is essential to Vancouver eating and dining in 2013.

Pan Asian cuisine continues to grow in num-

Heirloom dining room bers. More and more Asian fusion restaurants continue to open as bistros serving deconstructed traditional Asian dishes. A fine example is the recently opened Soho Bistro near Park Theater on Cambie and Sen Bistro on West Broadway.

They attract a clientele attuned to global cuisine or Asian food with a Canadian twist.

Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Thai, Japanese are prominent in the scene but Filipino food has not entered the mainstream.

Filipino cuisine is way behind and it caters simply to the Filipino community.

Heirloom’s Avocado Frites and Chick peas

BAROQUE MUSIC IN THE 21st CENTURY

Heirloom at Vancouver heritage building

Pop and commercial music come and go briskly but baroque music and concertos are ageless in the 21st century. The word “concerto” in latin means to contend, dispute, debate and in Italian, it means to arrange, agree, get together. It is used to describe this genre of music written for ensembles of voices and/or instruments.

In our world of downloading and freeloading, the classical music industry is flourishing.

Observe the abundance of classical artists performing in Vancouver , the numerous CD releases of newly minted albums, along with re-is-

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PHILIPPINES

is best known for his interpretation of Bach’s works.

Now in his early 30s he is acclaimed for his recordings of Bach’s sonatas, Trio Sonata in G, Partita in A Minor and Brandenburg Concerto No. 5.

Ashton College Opens Doors Into the HR Field With $1,000 Tuition Grant for Filipinos

PROVOCATIVE SUBJECTS AND ATTENTION GETTING HEADLINES

Baroque Music in the 21st Century sues of classic albums centered on the works of Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, Telemann, Locatelli, Zelenka and Marcello.

Recommendations for Baroque Listeners BAROQUE MUSIC IN THE 21st CENTURY Here is a marvelous compilation of popular baroque pieces as performed by new European artists, ranging from Uri Caine to Paolo Beschi.

This is a marvelous sampler of composers from the Baroque period. Recorded and pressed in Germany, the quality of the recording is outstanding.

When it comes to head turning cover story headlines, it is difficult to outshine Maclean’s, Canada’s weekly national newsmagazine. Here are fine examples.

THE NEW UNDERCLASS – Why so many smart, educated, ambitious young people have not future BIGGEST DISCOVERY EVER –Scientists have just detected billions of new planets

WHY ARE WE RAISING OUR YOUNG BOYS TO BE UNDERACHIEVERS THE CATCH – Online dating is fast becoming the number one way people meet and get married. And that’s bad for marriage.

On the subject of Internet dating, it was reported that the Internet has become a fixture of the modern-day romance plot. A quarter of all Canadians have tried Internet dating, and 16% have had sex with someone they met online.

V The Culture Code THE CULTURE CODE – An Ingenious Way To Understand Why People Around the World Live and Buy As They Do – Clotaire Rapaille Rapaille is a well-known cultural anthropologist and marketing expert. He spent decades studying cultures, observing consumer behavior and advising international companies on how to design appealing products.

The difference between Americans and the English is very precise. Americans celebrate work. They strongly believe that they are what they do in their jobs. And the English find youth boring while Americans glorify the vitality and verve of youth.

BUSINESS BOOKS FOR PLAIN FOLKS

Emmanuel Pahud interprets Bach

The End of Business As Usual

The $100 Startup

Emmanuel Pahud interprets Telemann BACH – COMPLETE FLUTE SONATAS – EMMANUEL PAHUD Pahud is a Swiss-French flautist who looks like a movie star. He is one of today’s most exciting musicians. At the age of 22, he was the Principal Flute of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

Though he recorded and performed the works of Mozart, Hadyn, Debussy and Prokofiev, Pahud

THE $100 STARTUP – Reinvent the Way You Make A Living, Do what You Love and Create A New Future – Chris Guillebeau The author is a young entrepreneur, traveler and writer. He is focussed on encouraging individual quests and writing about self-employment. In today’s world of microbusiness, a way of earning good living can be done while crafting a life of independence and purpose. You don’t need an MBA degree to succeed. All you need is a product or service that springs from what you love to do and get people who are willing to pay and a way to get paid.

FEBRUARY 16-28, 2013

THE END OF BUSINESS AS USUAL – Rewire the Way You Work To Succeed In the Consumer Market – Brian Solis Today’s consumer landscape is totally changed, affected by the mobile web and social media. Here’s a book that will help the reader adjust to survive in the new digital world.

Solis is one of the most prominent leaders and thinkers in new media. His book reminds us that in 2011, the youngest of the Millennial generation hit their mid-teens while the oldest Millennial entered their 30s. That the influential generation is moving beyond the role of traditional consumer and assuming the role of self-ordained experts.

This means that the old methods used in business will have to be changed drastically to connect with the new consumerism. n

ancouver, British Columbia—January 31, 2013 - Ashton College happily announcesthat Cielo Corcuera Rivera is the first-ever recipient of its new $1,000 tuition grant, which is available to those entering its Diploma in Human Resources Management (DHRM) online program.

A recent immigrant from the Philippines, Cielo was an exceptional candidate who exceededthe requirements for Ashton’s DHRM grant, arriving in Canada with more than 10 years’ experience in human resources.When she finishes her program, Mrs. Rivera will join more than 250 other Ashton DHRM graduates whose education has prepared them for rewarding careers in the industry.

Ashton is pleased to offer this new grant, as itis positioned to help skilled immigrant HR professionals who are new to Canada.The grant is unique in that it recognizes the value of a broader experience base than scholarships normally include, celebrating work experience not only in the field of human resources,but also in other fields.

“We wanted to extend a goodwill gesture to those looking for a rewarding career in human resources,” saidColin Fortes, President of Ashton College. “It was important for us to parallel the Government’s attempts to help place skilled immigrant workers into fields in which the majority of their experience lies. We believe this grant achieves that.”

Recent Canadian landed immigrants with post-secondary education and at least one year of work experience are eligible to apply for an Ashton College DHRM tuition grant. Anyone interestedin working with others and intransforming their careers to excel in today’s tough job marketshould contactCairrie Williamson, Ashton’s recruitment adviser, at (604) 8990803 (ext. 127) or email her at cwilliamson@ashtoncollege.com.

Cairrie Williamson Recruitment Adviser, Ashton College (604) 899-0803 (ext. 127) cwilliamson@ashtoncollege.com www.AshtonCollege.com

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WORLD BANK HAILS PH ECONOMIC GAINS

President Aquino is received by MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim (center) upon his arrival in Maguindanao.

AQUINO MAKES HISTORIC VISIT TO MILF CAMP

D

EFYING security concerns, President Benigno Aquino III arrived before noon of Feb. 11 in the stronghold of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Maguindanao province.

His historic visit—the first by a President to the MILF stronghold during peace time—came three months after MILF leader Al Haj Murad made history himself by setting foot in Malacañang for the first time.

“We welcome [you] on this humble yet historic grounds,” Murad said in a speech delivered at the Bangsamoro Leadership and Management Institute near the MILF’s main base, Camp Darapanan, in Sultan Kudarat town. “We are humbled by this grand gesture of the President of personally launching several socio-economic projects on this hallowed ground that has seen many of the battles we have fought.”

Casual in a yellow, short-sleeved, collared shirt, Aquino launched the Sajahatra Bangsamoro (“Peace Bangsamoro”) socio-economic initiative, which aims to uplift the health, education and livelihood conditions of MILF communities.

“Hindi na kailangang maghintay ng mahabang panahon para makara-

nas ng pagbabago,” he said.

The President also spoke about the process that led to the government’s signing of a peace deal with the MILF in October 2012.

“Others have stumbled in the past, and we were determined not to make the same mistakes, we were determined not to succumb to indiscriminate knee-jerk reactions borne out of anger, or to cast aside true consensus, or favor concealment over transparency in negotiations,” he said.

MILF vice chairman for political affairs Ghadzali Jaafar expressed the group’s appreciation for Aquino’s efforts.

“Ni-recognize niya na kanyang responsibilidad ang pagtugon sa problema ng mga Bangsamoro people at dahil po dito kami nagpapasalamat,” Jaafar said.

He explained that although former President Joseph Estrada was the first chief executive of the country to visit their territory, Aquino was the first one who sincerely wants to address their

problems.

“Yun pong pagpasok ni dating Pangulong Estrada sa kampo ng MILF eh pag-insulto po ‘yun hindi lang sa Bangsamoro Muslim kundi sa buong Muslim ng buong mundo dahil nagdala po ang Pangulong Estrada ng isang truck ng alak at lechon at nag-inuman sila doon. Kumain sila ng lechon sa loob ng moske,” he said.

“Ngayon yung pagpasok ni Pangulong Aquino sa kampo ng MILF [ay] upang i-deliver ang kanyang... responsibilidad na i-resolve yung pangunahing problema ng grupo ng mga sakop ng Pilipinas at pinapangunahan ni Pangulong Aquino,” he added.

At the event, Aquino handed out educational, health and livelihood benefits to the families of the rebels, to show his government’s intention to improve the lives of the Muslim minority in the largely Christian nation.

He also said peace talks should be completed before his term ends in 2016.

“We have just three years and four months left. We have to speed up everything we are doing now to make this [peace] permanent,” he said.

Aquino said this would ensure that future peaceful relations would not be dependent on who is in office.

AFTER being the region’s economic laggard for years, the Philippines is now earning much praise in Asia because of its impressive economic growth and good governance, the World Bank said last Feb. 5.

“The Philippines is no longer the sick man of Asia, but the rising tiger,” Motoo Konishi, World Bank country director for the Philippines, said during a videolink media conference at the culmination of the Philippine Development Forum in Davao.

“There is macroeconomic stability. The government’s finances are sound and improving,” Konishi said.

But aside from the record economic growth, Konishi also praised the Aquino administration’s campaign to weed out corruption.

“The fight against corruption is paying off. There is greater transparency. The leadership’s commitment to good governance is inspiring confidence in the country’s prospects,” Konishi said.

“As a result, the Philippine economy is going strong despite the global uncertainty,” Konishi added.

On the back of the robust services sector and domestic consumption, the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew 6.6 percent last year, exceeding the higher end of the government’s 5-6 percent full-year target. The National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) has a 6-7 percent growth goal this year.

But despite the economic

“We are near the fruits of our labor. This is not the time for our hearts to grow faint,” he told MILF leaders, Muslim residents and foreign diplomats in the sprawling community housing many of the best-armed MILF fighters.

Murad said he has no opinion on those who have branded the impending Bangsamoro political entity unconstitutional, but expressed hope that detractors will change their minds.

“Hindi natin maiiwasan na meron ding mga iba na hindi sumasang-ayon but titingnan natin. Baka sakali na maimpluwensyahan na din, ma-realize din nila ‘yung talagang kabutihan nito,” he told reporters.

Murad’s statement followed Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) chairman Nur Misuari’s assertion that

gains, Konishi said much work still has to be done to attain a broad-based economic trajectory.

“Underpinning inclusive growth is better infrastructure -- roads, transport, power, irrigation, among others). Government spending on infrastructure needs to increase from 2.6 percent to 5 percent of GDP,” Konishi said.

Konishi said higher infrastructure spending is key to trimming the ranks of the unemployed.

The agriculture and tourism sectors are low-lying fruits because of their multiplier effects for the economy, Konishi said.

“In the next three years, the country needs to put greater focus on creating the environment for the private sector to generate jobs, especially in agriculture and tourism,” Konishi said.

“Support for agriculture and tourism is particularly important for job creation. These sectors also create more jobs and economic opportunities in other areas of the economy,” Konishi added.

Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said stakeholders in Mindanao agreed during the forum that agriculture and tourism will bring the most economic dividends for their region.

Konishi also raised the importance of social programs in the inclusive growth agenda.

According to Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman, they are targeting about 321,000 families for the Conditional Cash Transfer Program. n

the landmark peace deal between the Government of the Philippines and the MILF, which seeks to create a new Bangsamoro political entity by 2016, was illegal and unconstitutional.

Murad however said that Misuari’s opinions were his own, but that he continues to wish his MNLF counterpart will see the potential benefits of the new political entity.

“Wala na kaming reaksyon doon dahil that is his own opinion. Pero nakikita naman ng lahat kung ano ang maidudulot nitong Framework Agreement,” Murad said.

Murad also said that he takes heart in the majority support for the Bangsamoro.

“Itong Framework Agreement ay alam naman natin na suportado ng karamihan,” he said. n

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ADMIN’S FOCUS IS JOB CREATION WITH economists pointing out that slow jobs growth could imperil the country’s economic progress, the Aquino administration plans to focus on creating a business environment that is more conducive to job creation, particularly in Mindanao, the government’s economic managers indicated at the Philippine Development Forum in Davao City recently.

“The big challenge is to continue improving the investment climate to offer profitable opportunities and channel these savings to productive use that generates jobs,” said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan.

One way to improve the business environment, said Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, is to streamline business registration and other processes to make them more efficient as well as more attractive to prospective in-

vestors.

“We will provide the necessary environment to encourage not only the big companies but also the micro, small and medium enterprises to be our partners in development through marketing assistance, access to credit and reduced red tape,” said Balicasan.

And to bring inclusive growth to areas such as Mindanao, the government must address the problems that act as constraints to growth, such as poor infrastructure, administrative inefficiencies and power deficiencies, said Balisacan. The government already plans to increase infrastructure spending from 3 percent to 5 percent of the GDP by 2016.

“To support this agenda, Congress needs to enact critical laws such as the National Land Use Code, the Competition Policy Law, and the Cabotage

Law. These would have country-wide impacts, but more so in Mindanao, which is recognized as the food basket of the country and where inclusive growth would make the greatest difference in people’s lives,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Department of Trade and Industry said the Philippines’ booming business process outsourcing (BPO) industry will employ one million Filipinos by mid-2014— and the number could reach 1.5 million by 2016.

“We see continued strong growth [in BPO] of 15 to 20 percent yearly.

The 1.5 million [jobs] target in 2016 might be a bit stretched, but I see that it is achievable,” Trade Secretary Gregory L. Domingo said.

The number of jobs in BPO reached 750,000 in 2012 and is expected to reach 920,000 by the end of this year.

SURGE IN OVERSEAS VOTERS SEEN IN 2016 POLLS

SENATOR Aquilino Pimentel III expects 10 million overseas absentee voters to cast ballots in the 2016 presidential election following the Senate’s ratification of amendments to the Overseas Absentee Voting Act. Pimentel, chairman of the committee on electoral reforms and suffrage, sponsored the bill in the Senate and pushed for the removal of the provision in the old law requiring Filipino immigrants and permanent residents of other countries to issue an affidavit declaring an intention to return to the Philippines after being registered as voters under the OAV Act. The removal of the provision was one of the amendments approved by the bicameral conference committee and ratified by the Senate.

The ratified bill also provides for Filipino migrants registering and voting through mail, both postal or electronic, fax, “and other secure online systems.”

“Maybe not in this coming election in May, but once the OAV amendments take effect, overseas Filipinos may soon be able to register and vote using mail, whether postal or elec-

The BPO sector is seen to employ one million by the middle of next year.

BPO revenues are expected to hit $27.2 billion in 2013, nearly $10 billion more than 2012’s revenues of $17.77 billion.

In Cebu, jobs in the BPO sector are expected to reach 100,000 this

NETWORKS QUESTION AIRTIME LIMITS ON CANDIDATES

OFWs in China cast their ballots during the 2010 election. tronic, fax, and other secure online systems,” said Pimentel.

The amended OAV Act would mandate the Comelec to put in place a system that would allow online registration and voting for the estimated 13 million overseas Filipinos remitting $20 billion a year.

Once the amendments are enacted into law with the signature of President Aquino, Pimentel said, having 10 million voters online and over 90-percent OAV turnout in 2016 would be a distinct possibility.

Pimentel said the Comelec was targeting a turnout of only one million OFWs in next May’s mid-term elections.

“In 2016, when Filipinos come together as one nation to decide on the next administration, one of our biggest legacies to voters around the world is an OAV law that offers flexibility in terms of new technologies,” Pimentel said.

Pimentel said that requiring overseas Filipinos to go to Philippine embassies or consulates to register and then vote was “untenable.”

Under the amended OAV Act, “the participation of overseas Filipinos in the election of national officials would be as easy as their turning on their computers and connecting to the Internet to register or to vote,” Pimentel said. n

BROADCAST networks GMA Network Inc and TV5 filed petitions before the Supreme Court questioning the Commission on Elections (Comelec) airtime limits for candidates.

GMA Network criticized Comelec Resolution No. 9615 and its amendment, Resolution No. 9631, as “too restrictive.”

The network said the SC should stop the Comelec from implementing its airtime limits, the most stringent in almost a decade. Unlike in recent years, the Comelec will impose aggregate and not per-station ad limits.

This means that in computing if a candidate has breached the ad limits, the Comelec will factor in all his ads across all broadcast networks. Since former Comelec chair Benjamin Abalos loosely interpreted the Fair Elections Act in 2004, until this year, the Comelec has computed a candidate’s ad limits on a per-station basis.

“We raised that the aggregate airtime for political advertisements is restrictive considering that it impinges on the right to suffrage and the right of the people to be informed on important matters and the right of the people to free

‘TEAM PNOY’ BETS ON PRESIDENT’S POPULARITY THE Liberal Party-led administration slate to the 2013 senatorial elections made it clear on that its candidates are tying their fate to the popularity of President Benigno Aquino III, with their campaign manager calling the coming polls “a referendum on the President.”

Liberal Party campaign manager Sen. Franklin Drilon said that “if our people believe that the President’s

year. Cebu was recently named the eighth best global outsourcing destination by international services globalization and investment advisory firm Tholons. Metro Manila was ranked third. n

programs are bearing fruit, then I think that should be the basis for the people to vote for Team PNoy.” “Team PNoy” refers to the LP-led coalition with the Nacionalista Party (NP), the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP), and partylist Akbayan. The administration ticket will run against the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), a coalition led by

Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, and former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada.

“The choice is clear, President Aquino and his team stands on the platform of good governance, Daang Matuwid. Daang Matuwid is the platform upon which the 6.6 percent growth in the gross domestic product was achieved,” Drilon

said. “Of course, the critics from the opposition are quick in pounding on the continued lack of jobs, continued poverty. What they forget is that the President has just been in the office for two and a half years. The President never said he will solve all the problems he inherited from the past administration in two and a half years.”

President Aquino continues to

speech and expression,” said one of GMA Network’s lawyers, Maria Estelita Arles, in an interview posted on the network’s news website.

In a separate petition, TV5 said the airtime rule is “vague as it does not provide for a definitive manner in which aggregation shall be made thus making it difficult or impossible for media outlets to comply while subjecting them to possible criminal liability and loss of franchise permits.”

Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) chair Jun Nicdao said the organization will file its own petition soon.

The campaign period begins on Feb. 12. By then, the Comelec will keep a close watch on compliance with the following propaganda limits: For all national candidates, 120 minutes in all TV networks and 180 minutes in all radio stations. For all local candidates, 60 minutes in all TV networks and 90 minutes in all radio stations Unlike the broadcast giants, no political party has trooped to the Comelec to protest the new airtime rules. Much less has any politician filed a petition over this before the SC. n

ride high approval ratings. Despite disappointment among some key supporters that he has so far reneged on a campaign promise to marshal the passage of a Freedom of Information Law, Mr. Aquino enjoys wide public support for his anticorruption platform. He has also garnered crucial political points on the back of a surging and stable economy. n

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AQUINO ORDERS RAPS VS NPA FOR NEGROS RAID PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III has ordered the filing of charges against the New People’s Army for alleged “war crimes” as defined in Republic Act 9851, which penalizes crimes against International Humanitarian Law, for the recent attack in La Castellana town, Negros Occidental that left nine people dead and 12 others wounded.

“This will be a test case,” Senior Superintendent Celestino Guara, acting director of the Negros Occidental provincial police, said after meeting with lawyers from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.

The order “came all the way from the top, from PNoy himself,” Guara said.

Guara said this is the first time the relatively new law will be used against a party to the armed conflict in the country.

The law was signed December 11, 2009 by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Guara said they have not yet identified the specific provisions to be cited in the charges, although

Section 4 (b) partly says, “serious violations of common Article 3 to the four (4) Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, namely, any of the following acts committed against persons taking no active part in the hostilities, including member of the armed forces who have laid down their arms and those placed hors de combat by sickness, wounds, detention or any other cause…” are considered war crimes.

The police said most of the passengers on the truck that was ambushed by the NPA on January 24 were civilian hitchhikers although the rebels claimed they recovered several firearms from members of a village police auxiliary assigned to a police sub-station.

Guara confirmed members of the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team are not supposed to be armed although he stressed that he was unsure if those caught in the ambush were, indeed, carrying weapons.

On Feb. 5 the composite Task Force La Castellana filed complaints for nine counts of murder against 20 suspected members of the NPA.

The NPA faces war crime charges for the Negros ambush that killed nine people.

Rebel spokesman JB Regalado earlier admitted the NPA was behind the attack but clarified it was only meant to be a disarming operation.

However, he claimed the first burst of hostile gunfire came from the

PNOY SHELVES EDSA REHAB WORK MOTORISTS and commuters can heave a sigh of relief as President Benigno Aquino has put on hold the P3.7 billion EDSA rehabilitation plan slated to be started this May after the mid-term elections Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said that President Aquino has ordered further study of the EDSA rehab plan, including additional measures to mitigate inconveniences to motorists plying the 23 km highway.

Various sectors notably commuters and motorists including several local government executives have raised serious concerns about the planned highway rehabilitation.

Valte said the implementation of the rehabilitation plan remains “pending until further studies are completed.”

The studies will be conducted by the Department of Public Works and

SUDOKU ANSWER FROM PAGE 9

Motorists and commuters on EDSA can heave a sigh of relief for now.

Highways and the Metro Manila Development Authority.

A delay in the implementation of the EDSA rehab plan is seen as Valte said the President did not give a deadline to the studies on the concerns which Aquino raised during yesterday’s meeting in Malacanang attended by officials of concerned departments notably DPWH and MMDA. Earlier, the management of the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT-3) said it is preparing plans on how to handle the expected surge in train passengers once the rehabilitation of EDSA begins in May. Currently, an estimated 1.2 to 1.5 million people travel along EDSA every day. The MRT 3 accommodates up to 40% of that volume or around

520,000 on the average daily.

The DPWH over the weekend sought understanding from the public for the traffic jams that may occur during the rehabilitation of Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) starting in May. DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson said the inconvenience from the traffic jams would be short-term compared to the long-term benefits of an improved 23-km highway.

Metro Manila mayors approved last February 1 a P3.7-billion plan to rehabilitate EDSA for the next two years.

But the Metro Manila Council is also studying several temporary traffic solutions during the rehabilitation amid concern about possible traffic woes. n

truck after one of the guerrillas fired a warning shot meant to make the driver stop the vehicle.

Regalado, who spoke for the Leonardo Panaligan Command of the NPA, apologized for the incident and

said they will indemnify the victims, an apology that is not about to be accepted yet by the families of the victims, Puso village chief Florencio Nellis said a day after the rebels issued the statement. n

MNLF-ABU CLASH LEAVES 26 DEAD

PRESIDENT Aquino said the government did not sanction the attack by armed men of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) against kidnappers believed to be members of the extremist Abu Sayyaf Group that left at least 26 dead.

“There’s no sanction; there’s no clearance. They didn’t tell us that they were going to attack the Abu Sayyaf,” the President said in a press conference after he spoke at the Philippine Development Forum in Davao City.

The President’s deputy spokesperson, Abigail Valte, said they were deferring to local authorities to determine whether either camp would be held liable for the killings.

Reports said the MNLF, which signed a peace treaty with the government in 1996, had gone to the Abu Sayyaf lair in upland Patikul in Jolo to demand the release of Jordanian journalist Baker Atyani and his Filipino companions.

The clash broke out on Feb. 3, hours after the kidnappers freed cameraman Ramelito Vela and audio technician Rolando Letrero after eight months of captivity in the jungles of Sulu but reportedly refused to hand over Atyani.

The fighting subsided on Feb. 4 after the kidnap group reportedly split into smaller groups, with a large group seen fleeing Patikul to an adjacent town. Authorities

put the death toll at 26.

On hearing about the clash the President said he ordered the military and police to secure the civilians, and sent the social welfare department to evacuate those caught in the crossfire.

“There was something like 300-plus families that are currently being assisted primarily by the LGU (local government unit) of Sulu, assisted by our national government agencies,” Aquino told reporters in an ambush interview aired over governmentrun radio.

Aquino said the violence was “being contained” so that it would not spread beyond Patikul.

To prevent similar skirmishes in the future, the President said the government has always advocated a long-term solution: development of Mindanao, specifically the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

“That’s what we’re hoping to achieve with the peace process: address the root cause of rebellion, and find solutions to the social ills that have not been addressed,” he said.

After a new comprehensive peace agreement is forged with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, a breakaway faction of the MNLF, the government would press ahead with its development plan for Mindanao, specifically ARMM, Aquino said. n

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