Filipino Journal Alberta Volume 3 Number 06 by Filipino Journal

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Volume 3, Number 8 • August 2010

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Pages 8,9,10 ► The Karilagan Dance Society under the directorship of Memen Cochingco is the performing arts group plus the guest performing group from Culture Philippines of Ontario during the 35th heritage festival. The Philippine Pavilion through its performing group wins as a 2nd prize in the entertainment over-all. Wilf Ladores, over-chair of the Philippine Pavilion, Memen Cochingco, president, artistic director and choreographer,and Jose Angeles, Jr, CEPA president join the ensemble after the awarding ceremony.

Italy Bellisimo

Pinoy Singing Possibilities in motion Sensation 2010 winner (PiM FOUNDATION)

4th runner-up in Miss Universe 2010

Tercentenary Celebration

Page 10 ► Page 22 ► The Doumo overlooking Florence

Page 21 ► Jasmine Ronquillo

Page 23 ► 3-on-3 HOOPFEST

Page 6 ► Venus Raj

300 Years Anniversary of Our Devotion to Ina, Our Lady of Peñafrancia, sponsored by the Penafrancia Religious Society of Calgary (PRSC).

see page 4 for more details

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PEREZCOPE by Perry

Diaz

PerryDiaz@gmail.com

he hijacking and hostagetaking of a tourist bus at Luneta (Rizal Park) in front of the Quirino Grandstand -- where President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III was inaugurated 55 days earlier -- resulted in the death of eight Hong Kong Chinese tourists and the hostage-taker, dismissed Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza. It was an incident that will hurt the image of the Philippines for a long time. Could the incident have been avoided? Maybe. Could the deaths have been avoided? Yes! And that’s the saddest part because the bloodbath that happened after the 11-hour standoff between the Manila Police and the hostage-taker is a big embarrassment for the fledgling Aquino administration. On the surface what we saw was an inept SWAT squad that made a tragicomedic spectacle of themselves -- on television -- trying to free the hostages. But what we saw was just the tip of an iceberg. In my opinion,

the root of the problem goes deep, them of extorting money from his son, Christian Kalaw, who was arrested deeper than what we have seen. for alleged parking violation and drug Good cop possession, forced to eat “shabu,” and The slain hostage-taker, then extorted P20,000 from him for dismissed Senior Inspector Captain his release and dropping of the case. Rolando Mendoza, was a good Mendoza was meted a 90cop when he began his career as a day preventive suspension. After police officer in 1981. During the the suspension he was reinstated first 28 years of his career, Mendoza and scheduled to be reassigned to received the Medalya ng Papuri Mindanao. However, on February (Medal of Honor), PNP Badge of 16, 2009, Mendoza was abruptly Honor, Medalya ng Kasanayan dismissed from his job by Ombudsman (Medal of Competence), Medalya ng Merceditas Gutierrez while his Kagalingan (Medal of Excellence) and case was still pending and under Medalya ng Paglilingkod (Medal of investigation. As a consequence, Service). In 1986, he was recognized Mendoza lost all his retirement benefits by Jaycees International as one of the and permanently disqualified from “Ten Outstanding Policemen of the government employment. Mendoza denied any involvement in the crime Philippines” of that year. He was promoted to Inspector and claimed that his constitutional in 2002 and Senior Inspector with right of due process was violated. the rank of Captain in 2005. With He asked for a reconsideration of his retirement in sight and scheduled for dismissal but nothing came out of it. January 10, 2011, Mendoza enjoyed Some people believed -- including the accolades he received and the a doctor -- that this led Mendoza to good reputation he built with honesty depression. On August 23, 2010, Mendoza and dedication. Indeed, he was on top of the world. Then suddenly in April snapped and went berserk. 2008, in a twist of fate, the world turned upside down on him when Root cause The question is: What was the he was implicated in a “hulidap” -false arrest (huli) and holdup -- caper root cause of the transformation of Mendoza from a good cop to a bad involving several other cops. cop? And when did that transformation occur? Bad Cop A few decades ago, Manila Police Soon after, criminal and administrative charges were was known as “Manila’s Finest” when filed against them following an cops wore their badges with pride and investigation which was triggered dedication. They were then respected by an email (“Beware of a group of -- and trusted -- by the citizens they Manila cops”) that circulated in the served. They were the protector of the Internet. The email sender accused people. But somewhere along the way,

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the police force gradually transformed from protector to predator. Instead of the police protecting the citizens from criminals, the citizens had to protect themselves from criminals within the police force. In the 1990s, a spate of kidnapping-for-ransom activities involving a lot of policemen occurred victimizing rich -- mostly Chinese -businessmen. Many cases remained unresolved and ended up in limbo. Last August 26, Senior Superintendent Francisco Villaroman was appointed acting Manila Police District Chief to replace Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay, who was relieved because he ordered the bungled rescue operation to save the hostages taken by Mendoza at the Rizal Park. On the same day, sources in the Philippine National Police (PNP) revealed that the Hong Kong Department of Justice had written Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and inquired about an old case against Villaroman who was charged with the abduction and subsequent disappearance of two Hong Kong nationals 12 years ago. The following day, barely 24 hours after Villaroman took over his new post, PNP Director General Jesus Verzosa relieved him due to the existing criminal case against him. According to documents in the possession of Inquirer, Villaroman was involved with the now-defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF) and the PNP Narcotics Group who abducted Chong Hiu Ming and Wong Kam Chong in 1998 and 1999, respectively, for

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ransom. The allegation was made by Mary Ong, who was then the principal agent in the operations. During an interview with the media last August 26, Ong said: “The two operations started out as legitimate operations but in the end they became more about the police abducting and killing suspected drug lords and selling the drugs for money. It became a money-making scheme.” According to Ong, the illegal operations were about to be exposed by the former Nargroup intelligence chief, Superintendent John Campos, when he was killed in December 2002 in Parañaque City. Since then, the case dead-ended. Police corruption With all the “hulidap” extortion activities that have been going on around the country -- just google “hulidap” and you’ll see how widespread it is -- involving criminal elements in the police force, Noynoy has a big challenge ahead of him if he is serious about eradicating corruption. And police corruption is the worst kind because it victimizes the powerless people. Can Noynoy do it? Yes, but he has to be more hands-on in dealing with this kind of problems. His handsoff policy during the hostage-taking standoff does not bode well with a citizenry that expects its leader to take the bull by its horns and subdue it with his bare hands. What Noynoy’s 90 million “bosses” want to see is a “take-charge” leader and that’s the image that Noynoy should project of himself. Anything less wouldn’t cut it.

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The Events of August 1896: A Chronology

by Danilo V.

Donor ( M.A Ed. )

donordanilo@yahoo.com

he events of August 1896 were of great significance in the history of the Filipino people the start of a people's struggle for national independence. From 1521 to 1896, Filipinos launched sporiadic and uncoordinated revolts against Spanish rule. The reasons varied from personal grievances, religious as well as reactions against exploitive Spanish colonial policies (ie, heavy taxation, forced labour, etc.). August 1896, started as a mass based urban (Manila) led middle class "revolt of the masses", the rebellion spread to the eight provinces and later transformed into a national revolution against an oppressive Spanish colonial regime. Due to the confusion of the times, problems regarding what happened (events) on that fateful month cropped out, hence a need to a chronological reconstruction. Relying on the contemporary eyewitness accounts like the testimonies of Dr. Pio Valenzuela (Bonifacio's confidant and Katipunan physician) and other participants, the author was able to reconstruct the events as follows: August 6/7-1896- Fr. Mariano Gil of Tondo sent a warning to Sr. Roca, the General de Marina, regarding plots of a masonicfilibuster/subversive organization. (1) August 19 - Teodoro Patino, exposed the secrets of the Katipunan first to his sister and a nun in the Mandaluyong orphanage and later to Fr. Mariano Gil of Tondo. The priest informed the authorities incriminating documents found in the Diario de Manila premises and arrests follows. ( Minutes.p.120) According to Fr. Celestino de las Huertas, they believed that there are 25,000 members and from 19th to27th of August, 5,000 joined the uprising.( Minutes,p.121) August 22- 4:00 AM - Andres Bonifacio, the Supreme President and Emilio Jacinto, Secretary of the Supreme Council and Guillermo

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Masangkay fled Manila to escape arrest. The three walked along the railway tracks to Caloocan and stayed at the house of his father in law, Nicolas de Jesus. They were joined by another group from Tondo: Macario Sakay, Isaac del Carmen, Eusebio Kasapio, Francisco and Nicomedes Carreon. Caloocan town mayor Silverio Baltazar warned Bonifacio of the arrival of Spanish soldiers and Bonifacio group accompanied by local native policemen took them to the place of Barrio Lieutenant Apolonio Samson in Pook Kangkong, Caloocan. Their host Samson was Kankong's "most prominent inhabitant ...owner of a spacious house ", held hectares of cultivated lands and owned considerable livestock. Jacinto upon the order of Bonifacio summoned the jefes generales appointed last May 1896 to come to Balintawak. The jefes jenerales were: Mariano Llanera and Manuel Tionio of Nueva Ecija; Aurelio Tolentino of Morong; Valentin Diaz of Zambales, Vicente Fernandez of Laguna (did not show up), Miguel Malvar of Batangas and Emilio Jacinto and Guillermo Masangkay (who were already at Balintawak). The cabinet of the REPUBLIKA NG KATAGALUGAN (Katagaluganthe Katipunan name replacing the colonial name Filipinas) that was formed on July 1896 was confirmed during the meeting : Andres Bonifacio (President,Republika ng Katagalugan);Emilio Jacinto (Minister of State), Teodoro Plata (Minister of War), Briccio Pantas (Minister of Justice, Enrique Pacheco (Minister of Finance) and Aguedo del Rosario (Minister of Interior). (Minutes,148,Masangkay Papers at U.P.Library) Dr. Pio Valenzuela, joined Bonifacio and Jacinto in Caloocan. August 23,24,25Emilio Jacinto and Aguedo del Rosario spent their times preparing orders and instructions for the outbreak of the revolution.(Minutes,p.149) Place: Balintawak, Caloocan. (ibid,,p.160) August 23, Bonifacio appointed Teodoro Plata, general in chief ,Emilio Jacinto and Aguedo del Rosario, generals of the divisions and Valenzuela, chief surgeon.(Minutes,p.150) Place: Balintawak,Caloocan. Katipunan general assembly

at the house of Melchora Aquino (Tandang Sora). ( ibid.237 ) Place: Balintawak, Caloocan. Number of attendees: about 300 men armed with bolos, daggers and spears plus 12 daggers and spears and a shotgun. 10:00 AM- The crowd now numbered about 500 men. (Gen. M. Alvarez. Memoirs.) Melchora Aquino opened her granary and fed the "Katipuneros”. A meeting was held attended by about 1,000 men and adopted the following decision: (1) The revolution would commence at midnight of 29 August; (2) the following were appointed brigadier generals: Aguedo del Rosario, Ramon Bernardo, Vicente Fernandez and Gregorio Coronel, (3) tactics to attack and capture Manila. August 24 - 11:00 pm. - A bandit named Laong, joined the Katipunan army.(Minutes.p.149) August 25 - Pio Valenzuela and his guides fled to the mountains of San Mateo, Morong (later Rizal Province) and next day (August 26), made their way to the town of Marikina.(ibid.), to induce them to join the armed revolt. (ibid,151) August 26 - "The fight between the Guardia Civil and the rebels in Baulat and Balintawak (Caloocan) took place"...according to Valenzuela, (ibid.,157). Bonifacio retreated to Balara, Krus na Ligas and later to Marikina. Agust 27 - Col.Francisco Pinto filed a report regarding the skirmish between rebel and the Guardia Civil that happened the previous day. (ibid.,125) August 28 - Dr. Valenzuela reached Escolta and rode in a steamer to Binang, Laguna,met a Filipino cleric received a copy of a general amnesty and later surrendered to the Spanish governor general. (ibid,pp.150-151) on Sept.1(Ibid.p.146) August 28-29 - Bonifacio at Hagdang Bato, Mandaluyong. Preparation for attack on Manila and simultaneous attack on towns and provinces. August 29 - Bonifacio's attack on Manila failed. (see full details on the events of Aug.28-30 in Part 2 of this article) August 30 – Gov. Gen. Ramon Blanco declared martial law in the provinces of Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Laguna and Batangas. (Minutes,p139) End Part 1 of 2 Parts

Harvest Summer’s Bounty at Fort Edmonton Park

elebrate Alberta’s bountiful crops and savour the gifts of summer before it’s over at Fort Edmonton Park’s 37th annual Harvest Fair. Date: Sunday August 29, 2010 Time: 10am – 6pm Location: Fort Edmonton Park (corner of Whitemud Drive and Fox Drive) Admission: Child $7; Youth/Senior $10.50; Adult $13.75; Family/ Grandparent $41.50; Annual passes multi-facility and leisure access program passes also accepted. Take a walk through time at Fort Edmonton Park and watch as technology changes the world of farming. Help costumed interpreters harvest their gardens and prepare a tasty snack from fresh ingredients. Enjoy music, crafts, games and

family entertainment, including a petting zoo, hobby horse barrel races and butter churning. Later, cheer for participants in the watermelon eating contest. Mayor Stephen Mandel and Councillor Kim Krushell will be special guests at the EHS Bench Show, admiring the vegetable, floral and photography creations. Once considered a social highlight of summer, the Bench Show was a competition for gardeners to showcase their wares. Think you have an impressive squash or magnificent beets? Public submissions to the Bench Show are being accepted on Saturday August 28, between 9am and noon. Each entrant will receive a complimentary admission to the park for the following day.

Venus Raj 4th runner-up in Miss Universe 2010

imena Navarrete, 22, of Mexico was crowned Miss Universe during the Miss Universe 2010 held earlier today, August 24 (Philippine time), at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. First runner-up was Yendi Phillipps, 24, of Jamaica; second runner-up was Jesinta Campbell, 19, of Australia; and third runner-up was Anna Poslavska, 23, of Ukraine.

The Philippine bet Maria Venus Raj was named 4th runner-up. Raj ranked fifth overall in the Long Gown competition with an average score of 8.714 while in the Swimsuit Competition, she ranked third with an average score of 8.957. Prior to the pageant, the dusky Bicolana was dethroned by the Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. (BPCI) because of inconsistencies in her birth records. The decision however was reversed and she was reinstated as the country’s representative to the Miss Universe. Only recently she lost a very good friend, Bb. Pilipinas-International 2009 Melody Gersbach who was killed in a vehicular accident in Camarines Sur. The first Filipina to win the Miss Universe crown was Gloria Diaz in 1969. The Philippines last won the Miss Universe title way back in 1973 by Margie Moran. The last time the Philippines placed in the Miss Universe was in 1999 when Miriam Quiambao won first runner-up.

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(About the writer: Jon Salvador is a licensed immigration consultant and a member in good standing with the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultant (CSIC). He has more than 20 years of management and business experience in Canada. Prior to establishing his immigration consulting company, he worked for a U.S. based computer company and then at TELUS, in various management positions. He is originally from Manila, Philippines and graduated from DLSU (De La Salle University) in Manila with a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering. He also studied Business Management at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. You can contact Jon at (403) 241-6276 or at jon@nuerainc.ca )

Recent Changes to the Canadian Federal Skilled Workers Program

ffective June 26, 2010 significant changes were introduced by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) in the Federal Skilled Workers (FSW) program to reflect the changing requirements of the Canadian economy, reduce the remaining backlog of outstanding FSW applications and streamline the application process. The following changes were made: 1. The number of FSW eligible categories was reduced from three to two. 2. The number of “in-demand “occupations was reduced from 38 to 29. 3. The proof of language proficiency (eg. IELTS test scores) is required at the time of application submission. 4. A maximum cap of 1,000 applications per eligible NOC (ie. in-demand occupation), per year. The limit does not apply to applicants with HRSDC approved Arranged Employment Offer (AEO). Remaining Eligible Categories: The two (2) remaining FSW eligible categories that will be considered by Citizenship and Immigration Canada are: a. Category 1 - The applicant has at least one (1) year continuous, full time or equivalent part-time, paid work experience in at least one of the 29 indemand occupations WITHIN the last ten (10) years OR b. Category 2 - The applicant has an Arranged Employment Offer (AEO) consistent with the requirements of IRPR subsection 82 (2) Revised list of In-Demand Occupations: The previous list of 38 “in-demand” FSW eligible occupations has been updated and reduced to 29 occupations. Effective June 26, 2010, twenty (20) of the previous 38 “in-demand” occupations were removed and 11 new occupations were added. Listed below are the National Occupation Classification (NOC) codes and job titles of the 20 occupations that used to be “in-demand” that were removed: 1. NOC 0111 - Financial Managers 2. NOC 0213 - Computer and Information Systems Managers 3. NOC 0311 - Managers in Health Care 4. NOC 0632- Accommodation Service Managers 5. NOC 0711 – Construction Managers 6. NOC 1111 – Financial Auditors and Accountants 7. NOC 2113 – Geologists, Geochemists and Geophysicists 8. NOC 2143 - Mining Engineers 9. NOC 2144 – Geological Engineers 10. NOC 2145 – Petroleum Engineers 11. NOC 3141 – Audiologists and Speech Language Pathologists 12. NOC 3143 – Occupational Therapists 13. NOC 3151 – Head Nurses and Supervisors 14. NOC 4121 – University Professors 15. NOC 4131 – College and Other Vocational Instructors

16. NOC 7213 – Contractors and Supervisors, Pipefitting Trades 17. NOC 7217 – Contractors and Supervisors, Heavy Construction Equipment Crews 18. NOC 7252 – Steamfitters, Pipefitters and Sprinkler System Installers 19. NOC 8221 – Supervisors, Mining and Quarrying 20. NOC 9212 – Supervisors, Petroleum, Gas and Chemical Processing and Utilities Listed below are the National Occupation Classification (NOC) codes and job titles of the 11 new “in-demand” occupations that were added: 1. NOC 0811 – Primary Production managers (except Agriculture) 2. NOC 1122 – Professional Occupations in Business Services to Management 3. NOC 1233 – Insurance Adjusters and Claims examiners 4. NOC 2121 – Biologists and Related Scientists 5. NOC 2151- Architects 6. NOC 3113 – Dentists 7. NOC 3131 – Pharmacists 8. NOC 3222 – Dental Hygienists & Dental Therapists 9. NOC 4151 - Psychologists 10. NOC 4152 – Social Workers 11. NOC 7216 – Contractors and Supervisors, Mechanic Trades The new list of 29 “in-demand” FSW occupations and their respective NOCs: NOC 0631 - Restaurant and Food Service Managers NOC 0811 - Primary Production Managers (Except Agriculture) NOC 1122 - Professional Occupations in Business Services to Management NOC 1233 - Insurance Adjusters and Claims Examiners NOC 2121 - Biologists and Related Scientists NOC 2151 - Architects NOC 3111 - Specialist Physicians NOC 3112 - General Practitioners and Family Physicians NOC 3113 - Dentists NOC 3131 - Pharmacists NOC 3142 - Physiotherapists NOC 3152 - Registered Nurses NOC 3215 - Medical Radiation Technologists NOC 3222 - Dental Hygienists & Dental Therapists NOC 3233 - Licensed Practical Nurses NOC 4151 - Psychologists NOC 4152 - Social Workers NOC 6241 - Chefs NOC 6242 - Cooks NOC 7215 - Contractors and Supervisors, Carpentry Trades NOC 7216 - Contractors and Supervisors, Mechanic Trades NOC 7241 - Electricians (Except Industrial & Power System) NOC 7242 - Industrial Electricians NOC 7251 - Plumbers NOC 7265 - Welders & Related Machine

by Guada Lopez Escobar

Operators NOC 7312 - Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics NOC 7371 - Crane Operators NOC 7372 - Drillers & Blasters - Surface Mining, Quarrying & Construction NOC 8222 - Supervisors, Oil and Gas Drilling and Service NOTE: The occupations listed above are all Skill Type 0 (managerial occupations) or Skill Level A (professional occupations) or B (technical occupations and skilled trades) on the Canadian National Occupational Classification (NOC) list. Proof of Language Proficiency: The proof of language proficiency (eg. IELTS test scores) is now required upon submission of the FSW application. There are no exceptions to this requirement, including applicants from English speaking countries like the U.S., U.K, Australia, etc. To obtain maximum points in the IELTS exams, the applicant needs to score at least 6.5 out of 9 in the Reading, Speaking, Writing tests and at least 7.5 out of 9 in the Listening test. Limit on applicants per NOC, per year: Effective June 26, 2010 FSW applicants applying under Category 1 will be limited to 1,000 approved applicants per in-demand NOC, per year. The first year will begin on June 26, 2010 and end on June 30, 2011. Subsequent years will be calculated from July 1st to June 30th. It is therefore important to have the applications submitted as soon as possible. All FSW Category 1 -applications received after the 1,000th approved applicant, per in-demand NOC, per year will be returned and will have to be re-submitted the following year. There are no limits in FSW – Category 2, applicants with Arranged Employment Offer (AEO). The policy change was implemented because Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) was receiving a huge number of federal skilled worker applications than it can effectively process and complete each year. They have more than enough FSW applications on hand to fill Canada’s labour needs. The cap (ie. limit) was introduced to better manage the number of FSW applications CIC receives and balance the applications received to meet the changing labour market requirements. Without the limit on applications, the FSW processing times will get longer and the target FSW processing time of between 6 to 12 months will be difficult to maintain. Legal Disclaimer: This article is designed for general information only. The information presented in this article should not be construed to be formal legal advice or the formation of a consultant/client relationship. Each individual situation is different and people should seek proper advice on their specific cases with a licensed immigration consultant.

ou need a food and feet survival kit to enjoy the ethnic food and dances offered by the 63 Pavilions scattered on the sprawling William Hawrelak Park where the 35th anniversary celebration of the Edmonton Heritage Festival is held every year, on the last day of July and the next early two days of August. An empty stomach and a pair of sandals are necessary before you go to the park where you find yourself to be carried away by the display of various ethnic food and by the lilting music offered by the participating nations. The food is a culinary wonders. Try the coffee and food at the Iraq Pavilion; or try Oabuli Palau, ever-tasteful food offered at Afghanistan; Or the Arab’s Kafta Kohob, or Bangladish’s Chicken Byriani, or the Philippines Halo-Halo and Guatemala’s spicy mango; and savour Gulgula, Figi’s specialty; or Borneo’s spicy veggie noodles; and Nepal’s Furaula, just to name a few. And start your footwork as you join the crowd dancing the Zorba the Great Dance at the Greek Pavilion; or your let your feet be caught by the two bamboo poles when you try the Philippine national dance, tinikling; or just try to be in a crowd when the Latino bands at Guatemala Pavilion start the music and you find yourself dancing colombia or salsa; and try to wiggle your hip when you join the dancers at the Polynesian Pavilion. Historical and cultural discoveries exhibits can be found at the Iraq Pavilion. Myself, i looked at the exhibits of the Iraq history: Babylon, the Nineveh, and the Hanging Garden and other history information. I did the Iraqi costume and I sip the Iraqi black coffee. To history buffs, Nepal, Lao, Kenya, Eritrean, Fiji, Malaysia-Singapore, Taiwan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Portugal, Somali, Sudan, Taiwan, Uganda, Wales, Russia, Pakistan, the Philippines (through the courtesy of the Philippine Department of Tourism), Thailand and Vietnam have all the information you need to know about these countries. And if you plan to visit the country of your choice, you have already found some information to enjoy your holiday. Furthermore, the exhibits in the pavilions will foster for more understanding about their people, their history and their rich cultural diversity. What caught my attention

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is the list of the missing women at the Aboriginal Pavilion. The colorful Pavilions represented by 63 ethnic groups are so compact and easily accessible for everybody. And to the more than 500,000 local and foreign tourists who sweated out by the heat of the sun, by some hot food and by the feverish dancing,the festival has captured the wildest imagination of food lovers, dance aficionados, historians and artists. To amuse myself, I searched where I could see the longest lines during the festival: I jotted down: Guatemala, Iraq, Africa Oyi, Chinese, MalaysiaSingapore, the Philippines, Mexico, India, Russia, Thailand, Vietnam, Ukraine, Afghanistan . India, France, Portugal, Nicaraqua, Japan, German, Poland and Wales...and added to my list of longer lines: the ticket booths, and the women’s washroom. The 3-day of savouring the food and dancing with the ethnic music is worth the trip. And I am looking forward to attend this festival of nations. And I will be there to enjoy the food, the dance and the music and I will immerse myself in the compendium of historical greatness of the participating countries. And I won’t complain paying $7 or $6 for an authentic ethnic food. You cannot put any price on fun and excitement and on a visceral experience. And to add excitement this year, the Philippine Pavilion’s cultural show by the Karilagan Dance Society headed by Memen Chochingco won the 2nd prize award over-all. And the Edmontonions are lucky to have a special guest performing group from other province: the Culture Philippines of Ontario headed by Eleanor Kalash, the choreographer. And I have to congratulate all the CEFA officers, members and volunteers who work together to bring the best of our cultural heritage. Special kudos to Jose (Jun)Angeles, Jr. CEFA president,and his wife, Hermie; Wilf Ladores, chairman of the pavilion and adviser of CEFA; and other officers like Mandy Servito, Memen Cochingco, Freddie Ramos, Letty Tria, Josie Bilo, Lulu Bernal and to all volunteers. When hardworking people work together, the result is a good image of the Filipino community in Edmonton and beyond. Edmonton Heritage Festival, indeed, is the mother of other festivals. see page 9 ►

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(1) The Heritage Festival directors and staff for a wonderful souvenir of the event. With them are CEFA officers and members, Jun Angeles, Wilf Ladores, Memen Cochingco, Freddie Ramos, Letty Tria, Lulu Bernal, Hermie Angeles and Alberta Filipino Journal, Rod E. Cantiveros. (2) The Volunteers of the pavilion with the chairperson, Mandy Servito. (3) Pancit, Adobo, Halo-Halo..so good at the Philippine Pavilion. (4) Heat Wave demands more Halo-Halo! (5) Lady volunteers at the Philippine Pavilion. (6) Information Philippine by the Philippine Department of Tourism headed by Debbie C. Galliano, and assisted by Gab Agcaoili with guest. (7) Councillor Amarjeet Sohi with Letty Tria, Jun and Hermie Angeles. (8) The Culture Philippines of Ontario, with 25 members headed by its choreographer Eleanor Kalash, on the stage with Wilf Ladores, Memen Cochingco, Jun Angeles. (9) A command performance by the Karilagan Dance Society, the Igorot suite. (10) At the Polynesian Pavilion: a lovely tahitian dancer who is ready to perform. (11) The Korean Musicians perform at the Korean Pavillion. (12) King Rod Cantiveros, with Iraqi costume at the Iraqi Pavilion. (13) Gemmalyn Daculan and Bella Cruz take time for a photo souvenir. (14) At the Greece Pavilion during the Zorba the Greek dance audience participation. (15) Singkil is performed by the guest performer from Culture Philippines of Ontario. (16) Family eats halo-halo together...just a perfect taste for summer! (17) At the Guatemala Pavilion with Senyor Jose Torrres and mangoes. (18) Entertainers on stilts. (19) What a day to work at the Philippine Pavilion Melanie Angeles, Gemmalyn Daculan and Katie Angeles take a short pause for photoshoot. (20) Celebrating the links between the Turkish and the Indigenous Peoples of Canada. (21) Volunteers are getting ready more bbq at the Philippine Pavilion. (22) The director/choreographer and members of Culture Philippines of Ontario pray before the performance. (23) At the Guatemala Pavillion, who likes mango? Please join the longest waiting line! (24) Anywhere can be a good place to enjoy Filipino food. (25) Breaktime for the volunteers, Gemmalyn Daculan and Melanie Angeles savour the bitso-bitso. (26) Want to wear an Ati-Atihan costume? Just pose and presto, you got the costume. Photos by Rod Cantiveros | Alberta Filipino Journal (27) The list of missing women takes the centre of attention at the Aboriginal Pavilion.

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Alberta

The Pulse of the Filipino Community

August 2010

Philippine Pavilion wins 2nd prize in entertainment category

his year the Servus Heritage Festival 2010, the biggest event in Edmonton celebrated its 35th year of annual occurrence showcasing cultures from all over M AFJ-Elegant U (Dec2009)1.pdf theC world. The Philippine Pavilion Y K Width: 6” Height: 6” has participated in this festival since

its inception . This year 63 Pavillions and 83 Cultures were involved to this event at the Hawrelak Park July 31 to August 2nd, 2010 attended by over 500,000 spectators from all over the world. The Philippine Pavilion entertainment with the participation

of Karilagan Dance Society was one of the crowd pleasers with its international calibre performances. The Philippine Pavilion was voted as the second best in entertainment out of 83 cultures. The Council Creative Services of Edmonton Filipino Associations

headed by President Jun Angeles, the Overall Chairman of the Philippine Pavilion and the President and Choreographer of Karilagan Dance Society, Memen Cochingco received the award from the President and

Directors of 2010 Servus Heritage Festival. Karilagan Dance Society was an international gold winner at the Barcelona Dance Competition in Spain this year.

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Devotion to INA, Our Lady of Penafrancia”, sponsored by PRSC. The “Tercentenary Celebration” will be held at Polish Canadian Cultural Centre on September 18, 2010 (ticket is $45.00 per person). You are invited to attend the Mass officiated by Fr. Ranola, Penafrancia Advisor, to be held at Corpus Cristi Catholic Church at 10:30am. The culmination event is the Dinner, Dance and Coronation of Miss Teen Penafrancia 2010. Proceeds for these activities will be donated to various projects in the Bicol Region.

August 2010

The Pulse of the Filipino Community

Filipino Journal

Alberta

Quezonian Club Celebrates Summer by Jozel Villamayor

cheerful crowd bravely chomped on freshly cooked tuyo at Hawrelak Park on a mild Sunday afternoon this past August 9. Hawrelak Park, blessedly restored after the happy chaos of Heritage Days a week before, was relatively empty, allowing the rare pleasure of indulging in the Philippine staple dish. The Quezonians, referring to the Quezonian Club of Edmonton, a group of individuals that either grew up in or could trace their ancestry back to the lands of Quezon, the sixth largest province in the Philippines.

As with most Filipino gatherings, there was no shortage of food. There was everything from pancit, to dinuguan, to large trays of toron. It was a definite feast for the palate enjoyed not only by the Quezonians, but by also several of the neighboring picnickers and occasional passersby welcomed by traditional Pinoy hospitality and enthusiasm. When asked about the province's culinary specialty, a couple of ladies just laughed and pointedly looked at the dish at hand and exclaimed, "LAING!" They continued with, "anything with gata. That's our

specialty." As an aside, they finally said, "We [Quezon] has a lot of coconuts," therefore explaining the widespread use of its derivative- gata.

No Filipino party would be complete without music, therefore it wasn't surprising when the sounds of guitar and classic English and OPM songs

filled the air. Armed with a couple of guitars and ancient songbook, the Quezonians showed off that they didn't need much more than that to have a rousing good time.

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The Pulse of the Filipino Community

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August 2010

Filipino Journal

The Pulse of the Filipino Community

Alberta

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14 Filipino Journal

oseph and Divina Duenas presented their daughter Jodie as debutante on her 18th Birthday at the Fantasyland Hotel Saturday, August 21, 2010. Relatives and friends as far away from Chicago and Toronto came to celebrate Jodie's birthday. The ballroom elegantly dressed with decor of yellow and purple stand

Alberta

August 2010

The Pulse of the Filipino Community

out when Jodie was presented to the audience with a flowing yellow dress. A Cotillon de Honor and 18 Roses and 18 Candles were part of the program as well as Jodie singing a song to entertain her guests. A night to remember for Jodie on her 18th Birthday. Congratulations Jodie! Debutante with Mom Divina and Dad Joseph.

Celebrant with Cousin Ryan Ladores.

The Cotillon de Honor with Classmates and Friends.

and Uncle Wilf

Relatives: Sitting L-R: Aunt Gloria Perez from Toronto, Grandma Letty Duenas; Standing LR Aunt Lina Perez, from Toronto, Aunt Aileen, Aunt Amor Catli from Toronto and guests Jun and Hermie Angeles.

he need of another Filipino store in an ever thriving Filipino community in Millwoods attracted Anthony and Marie Perdon to open their fourth store in and around Edmonton. Anthony and Marie Gift Shop and Variety Store had a grand opening last Saturday July 17, 2010. Father Gary Lee cut the ribbon and blessed the store which is located at #33 - 2021 Milbourne Road West NW. The store will cater services selling oriental food and delicacies, money remittances, UMAC Door to Door Boxes, gifts items and ceramic vases. For information and direction contact 780-757-3712. Let us patronize our kababayan in Milbourne.

Owners and Cu stomers with Fa ther Gary Lee Jun Angeles, Pu and blisher of Alberta Filipino Journa l.

oprietors) The Pedron Family (Pr

Official Cutting of the Ribb

on by Father Gary Lee.

a Early Bird Customers.

Rosana Javier and Marianne Colin

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August 2010

The Pulse of the Filipino Community

Filipino Journal

elissa Recto Marquicias, the only daughter of Nandy and Gina Marquicias and the granddaughter of Atty. Peter and Lita Recto and Ines Marquicias celebrated her 18th birthday at the Marriott Hotel at the River Cree Resort. Families, friends the schoolmates participated

Melissa's first dance with his Father Nandy.

Melissa Marquicias

HARI NG PADALA

LBC Cargo arrives in Toronto By Jojo Taduran

he twenty (20) years old LBC Mundial Cargo Corporation is formally opening its' branch in Toronto on September 18, 2010 (Saturday) at 11:30 a.m. which will be located at 4500 Sheppard Avenue East, Unit 29, Sacarboroug, Ontario.

Rafael (Raffy) Policarpio, LBC's cargo manager, revealed that his outfit will serve the Filipino community in Toronto and the province of Ontario both on the cargo forwarding (door to door) and money remittance. He cited the reward program which is the more boxes and money transfer one send to the Philippines, he or she will earn points either they will be given big discount or free service fees if the will be sending both the door to door boxes and money to their loves ones in the Philippines. Policarpio, an old hand in freight forwarding business, is inviting Filipino businessmen

to join him serving the Filipino community in the country. LBC is also offering the baby boxes on the door to door system, he said. For more information, he can be contacted at 416 - 292 - 9522 (landline) and 416 - 435 - 7935 (moblie, and Email: rafael@ lbcusa.net. LBC Mundial Cargo Corporation is truly Filipino business which is catering to the Filipino community throughout the world. Policarpio is an alumnus of the University of the Philippines, Diliman campus.

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in the celebration. A Cotillion de Honor choreographed by Catalina Montinola add elegance to the affair as well as the 18 Roses and 18 Candles. Guest from different parts of Canada and the United States came to witness the debutante's elaborate and memorable event in her life. Congratulations Melissa.

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The Pulse of the Filipino Community

meet this year’s budget forecast and to be back in the black by 2012-13. There has been some improvement in our revenue forecast, with increases in corporate income tax revenue and land sales. Spending has increased by about the same amount as revenue, mainly for emergency and disaster assistance for forest fires and flooding. We remain the only province with no net debt, as we are drawing on the savings from the Sustainability Fund, the province’s rainy day fund.

Carl Benito, MLA Edmonton Mill Woods

As the MLA for Edmonton Mill Woods, I am always available to assist constituents. If you have any questions or concerns about the second quarterly fiscal update, Alberta’s 10-year plan to end homelessness, the First Nations Economic Partnership Initiative, the Royal Tyrrell Museum or any other matter, I can be reached in my constituency office at #218; 4128 A – 97 Street, or in my Legislature office at 780-422-9299 or through email @ edmonton.millwoods@ assembly.ab.ca.

Alberta on track to meet budget forecast

On Aug. 25, 2010, the Alberta government released its 2010-11 First Quarter Fiscal Update. It confirmed that Alberta is on track to

First Quarter Fiscal Highlights: · revenue for 2010-11 is forecast at $34.6 billion, up $602 million from budget, due mainly to an increase in land sales and stronger corporate tax revenue; · expense for 2010-11 is forecast at $39.3 billion, an increase of $609 million from budget, mainly for disaster and emergency funding; · deficit for 2010-11 is forecast at $4.76 billion; and · Sustainability Fund assets are forecast at $11.2 billion for yearend, an increase of $3 billion from budget. The Alberta government will continue to take a balanced and cautious approach, keeping a close eye on spending while relying on the Sustainability Fund to off-set the deficit. We will continue to take steps to keep Alberta in a strong financial position, with advanced infrastructure, an innovative and competitive economy, and the best performing health care system in Canada. For more information on the First Quarter Fiscal Update, you can

go to http://www.finance.alberta. ca/. I also invite you to contact me with any questions you have about government or what we are doing for Albertans.

Alberta receives national awards for plan to end homelessness and First Nations economic development

Alberta’s approach for helping people most in need received countrywide recognition at the 2010 Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC) national awards ceremony. Alberta is a recognized leader in the nation when it comes to ending homelessness and promoting Aboriginal economic development. The two awardwinning initiatives are the first of their kind in Canada and set new standards for collaboration among funders, community leaders and service providers. A Plan for Alberta: Ending Homelessness in 10 years won the Gold national award. Spearheaded by Alberta Housing and Urban Affairs, this initiative shifts the role of government from managing homelessness through emergency shelters to ending homelessness by providing permanent housing and the supports needed to break the cycle of homelessness. When fully implemented, the plan will

ensure homeless Albertans are permanently housed with the supports they need within 21 days of entering a temporary emergency shelter. Fifteen Alberta government ministries are involved and all of Alberta’s major cities have multiyear strategies to end homelessness which align to the provincial plan. The First Nations Economic Partnerships Initiative, led by Alberta Aboriginal Relations, received the Bronze level award. The innovative program is delivered in partnership with Alberta Employment and Immigration to develop sustainable partnerships between First Nations, industry and government. Its unique crosssector approach with industry and government strengthens First Nations economic capacity. The 2010 Innovative Management Awards recognize governmental/public sector organizations that have shown new and innovative ways of cutting across bureaucratic boundaries and silos to address the complex issues facing society. For more information on IPAC, visit www. ipac.ca. For more information on Alberta’s 10-year plan to end homelessness, visit www.housing. alberta.ca. For information on the First Nations Economic Partnerships Initiative, visit www. aboriginal.alberta.ca.

•Provide official Legislature commemora tive certificates for special occasions such as significant wedding anniversaries, birthdays and facility openings. •Help you resolve issues with any government Department, or help you access assistance regarding social services, student loans, etc. •Provide you information or material on provincial issues, including copies of Hansard, Bills, Motions, News Releases, etc. •Have petitions presented to the Legislature Assembly on provincial issues that are important to you. •Meet with you, your family, your co-workers your organization, or your Community League to listen to and act on your concerns or ideas. •Assist organizations with provincial grant applications, such as the Community Facility Enhancement Program (CFEP), Community Initiatives Program (CIP), etc. •Arrange for you to attend Question Period session or any Legislature debates, or tour of the Legislature for you, your out-oftown guests, your service club, or school.

when he spotted what he thought might be a dinosaur bone. The city contacted Jack Brink, Curator of Archaeology at the Royal Alberta Museum, who brought Mike Burns, a Ph.D. student in palaeontology from the University of Alberta, to investigate the find. Burns determined that the bones, located in west Edmonton, are a very wellpreserved tooth of a tyrannosaurid (likely Albertosaurus) and large limb bone elements possibly from the hadrosaur Edmontosaurus. Venturing 30 metres underground to the source, Burns and Brink discovered more dinosaur bones, including a vertebra and a femur.

The Royal Tyrrell Museum confirmed that the find is significant. “We will work with the U of A palaeontologists to ensure there is someone on site as the material is uncovered so the fossils are preserved without causing any project delays for the city,” says Andrew Neuman, Executive Director of the Royal Tyrrell Museum. “The City of Edmonton should be commended for doing the right thing - this is a great example of how we can all work together to preserve Alberta’s heritage.” The bones will be excavated over the next few days and then will be transported to the Royal Tyrrell Museum for further study. The museum, operated by the Government of Alberta, is located six kilometres northwest of Drumheller on Highway 838. For more information visit www. tyrrellmuseum.com or call 403823-7707 (dial 310-0000 for tollfree access in Alberta. For photos of the tyrannosaurid tooth found in the Edmonton tunnel, along with photos of an Albertosaurus and A sharp-eyed City of Edmonton drawings of an Edmontosaurus, www.culture.alberta.ca/ worker halted the construction of visit: a sewage tunnel earlier this week newsroom/default.aspx.

Dinosaur bones found in Edmonton tunnel excavation

As your MLA, I can: •Commission legal documents, free of charge as a Notary Public or Commissioner of Oaths.

August 2010

Constituency Office #218, 4128 A - 97 Street Edmonton, AB T6E 5Y6 Tel (780) 414-1000 Fax (780) 414-1278 E-Mail: edmonton.millwoods@assembly.ab.ca

Legislature Office #723 Legislature Annex 9718 - 107 Street Edmonton, AB T5K 1E4 Tel (780) 422-9299 Fax (780) 422-1671

•Visit your school or organization to explain how the Government works and answer your questions.

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Filipino Journal

August 2010

Alberta

Philippine News

Carl Benito

MLA, Edmonton, Millwoods

An Open Letter to all Edmonton Mill Woods Constituents My dear Constituents in Mill Woods: One of the core values of effective journalism is the discipline of verification. Information should be gathered from all pertinent sources as reasonably possible to establish the veracity and credibility of the same. Its first obligation is to pursue the truth by responsible and adequate collection and dissemination of unbiased information. These elements appear to have been lacking in the recent reporting of these articles related to my campaign commitments to which I felt you need to hear directly from me. As your MLA, I have a responsibility to report you about our programs and services carried out within our constituency that directly affects all of you. I would also like to shed light and clear any misconceptions or confusions that the articles in the newspaper have created. I am extending my invitation to all my constituents and concerned members of the Mill Woods Constituency including the public at large to revisit the news article dated March 4, 2008 after the election of March 3, 2008. I am citing paragraphs 6 and 7 wherein I confirmed my commitment to contribute a total of $75,000.00 towards a scholarship program for the youth/students of Mill Woods. I invite you to see the article yourself online at Canada.com, search for “Benito ends 15-year Grit Domination.” This archived information which defined the specifics of my commitment to give back to the community in the form of this scholarship program remains as the basis of my hard work and dedication to this constituency. I am honoured for it to be one of the legacies I am leaving behind even after the completion On Monday night, Benito repeated his promise to donate his MLA salary (about of my tenure in office. In fulfillment of $75,000.00) to a scholarship program. The idea was created to sway young this commitment, we have granted 14 people into more positive areas and away from youth related crime, he said. scholarships to deserving students in 2009. “We`ve put that in writing and we’re one hundred percent committed to it. I From this year, 2010, until 2012, I will strongly believe in giving back to the community. The young people in Mill continue helping students and provide the Woods are the future of our community.” same benefits and assistance to 36 more scholars Edmonton Journal giving a total of $26,000.00. This is in addition to the $41,000 I have given to the Edmonton Community Foundation MLA Carl Benito Permanent Endowment Scholarship Fund. I am also forwarding an additional $8,000.00 funds to the Foundation before the end of my term. In effect achieving my promise of $75,000.00, one year’s salary of my time in office as promised. I encourage each and every interested member of this constituency to call or visit the Edmonton Community 2009: $8,000.00 Foundation for more information and details. The Foundation will be assisting us in the 2010-2012 $18,000.00 administration and ensuring the fulfillment for the goals to which our Scholarship Program has ECF: $41,000.00 been designed. Ms. Karen Good would be very pleased to hear from you and willing to assist End of term: $8,000.00 you with any information you might require. She can be reached at (780) 426-0015. Thank you very much for your support and involvement. Let us continue to work together Total: $75,000.00 and see through the realization of our dreams and vision for a well informed Mill Woods constituents and a better community for us. I will reiterate my firm resolve and commitment to all of you for all the objectives and goals I have set before and after the election. I have not reneged on any one of them and I have no intention of doing so.

Carl M. Benito

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With slump in demand for nurses, more Pinoys opt to become doctors

ore young Filipinos now opt to become doctors apparently due to the slump in the demand for nurses abroad. The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) reported Sunday (August 22) an increase in the number of Filipinos entering medical school. Dr. Jose Cueto, a member of the PRC Board of Medicine (BOM), said the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has informed the PRC of the sudden reverse in the number of students entering medical and nursing schools nationwide. “There is now a reverse pattern of education with more students now taking up the National Medical Admission Test (NMAT), a requirement for entrance to any medical school in the country,” Cueto disclosed. Cueto said the evident rise in NMAT examinees came in the midst of the continuing decline in the number of students entering nursing school. “There has been a drop in the number of nursing students so we thought the rise in NMAT examinees came from there,” Cueto said. According to Cueto, they have also received reports that many nursing graduates who are now having difficulty finding employment are opting to take up medicine. “Before it’s the doctors who are taking up nursing because they want to work abroad. Now it’s the reverse, our nurses are continuing their studies and are entering medical schools,” Cueto added. The government previously reported about 10,000 doctors who have turned nurses and 99 percent of the figure passed the licensure examination. More than half of those doctorsturned nurses have left for abroad.

18 Filipino Journal

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The Pulse of the Filipino Community

Divorce, P-Noy Style

Balitang Kutsero by Perry

Diaz

PerryDiaz@gmail.com

llustration by Dave San Pedro

magine, President Benigno “P-Noy” Aquino III favoring “legal separation” that would allow couples to remarry without getting a divorce? Now, that’s pretty bold and I must say, revolutionary… or revisionist? He said that he is opposed to Las Vegastype divorce and would rather see estranged -- or legally separated -- couples re-marry without getting a divorce. Well, it seems Noynoy has just introduced a new form of “divorce” -- divorce P-Noy style. And now the Catholic bishops are on the warpath! It’s going to be a “holy war” and they’ll see to it that “heretics” will burn at the stake.

The problem is complicated because “legal separation” is a civil matter and, like divorce, it is not recognized by the Catholic Church. What the Church recognizes is annulment which is granted by the Church on the premise that the marriage has never been consummated. Hehehe…. And unlike some other countries, there is no “civil annulment” in Pinas. Only the Catholic Church can grant annulment since marriages in Pinas were made in Heaven. Well, I know of a few couples with children who were granted annulments. Does that mean that the births of their kids was virgin? Hahaha… Noynoy’s younger sister Kris Aquino claimed that her marriage to James Yap was invalid -- a sham. But James said that their marriage was performed in “good faith,” and not just once, but twice! James’ lawyer said, “You can make a mistake once but in this situation there was a second time. So to say that it was orchestrated by James is not correct. The parties were really in good faith.” Now that’s double whammy for James cuz there might be a bishop out there who’d consider their first marriage valid and the second a bigamy. James should really be careful if he is going to divorce Kris, P-Noy-style, and marry another woman. The Church could really come down on him for polygamy. The Philippines is one of only three countries that do not recognize divorce. The other two are the Vatican and Malta. Well,

of course there couldn’t be any divorce in the Vatican because all the citizens are celibate -- no wives, no kids. That’s not fun. And who cares about Malta? People there don’t get married anymore, they just have fun. To understand the “politics of marriage” in the Philippines, one has to understand the economics of it too. The cost of annulment in Pinas is about P500,000. That’s a lot of moolah! It’s so prohibitive that only the filthy rich could afford it. So if divorce -- which would be a lot cheaper -- is legalized, the Church is going to lose a lot of revenue. The cost of P-Noy style divorce is a lot cheaper -- zero. But before P-Noy style divorce is allowed, what most men who are separated from their wives would do is to live with a commonlaw wife or two… heck, as many as they want as long as they have the money. There’s no law against it. But that would be adultery in the eyes of God. But if the bishops on the ground couldn’t care less, who cares? Well, the estranged wives do care cuz they’re the ones left with the kids. With no alimony and child support from the deadbeat dads, how are they going to make ends meet? And they can’t re-marry cuz that’s taboo in Pinas. So, if they end up co-habiting with men, they’re called “querida” or “kabit.” The only time they can re-marry is when their husbands die. Now, would you be surprised if a lot of these men die mysteriously? And the widow are required to mourn for three years. Only in Pinas!

*** News story of the week: “Kris’ Latest Crisis.” “THEIR families may be on the opposite sides of the political divide, but do you realize Liza Araneta-Marcos now has the goods on Kris Aquino, a trump card that the Marcoses could eventually trade off with P. Noy should the need arise? “LAM, as the wife of Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is called in her law office, happens to be the managing principal of the MOST law firm that the troubled actress has retained to wash basketball player James Yap right out of her hair. “The showbiz queen, as you may have already read, has claimed that her five-year marriage with the peasant from Escalante, Negros Occidental had all along been a sham. Kris even went as far as to claim that the ‘minister’ to whom the star-crossed lowers vowed to love, obey, honor till death do them part was all along not authorized to solemnize marriage.” (End) If I remember it right, P-Noy announced after his inauguration that he has reconciled with the Marcoses. I wonder if P-Noy’s newly minted Executive Secretary -- the “Little President” -- Paquito “Jojo” Ochoa Jr. had anything to do with the reconciliation? You see, Jojo was a law partner of Liza Araneta-Marcos for 15 years. Get my drift? Indeed, being the “Little President” is no puny job. Jojo’s got both ears of P-Noy. The only person who wields more power than Jojo is the “First Lady” for which there is none... yet. There is a “First Lady-

August 2010 in-waiting” but that’s just what it is -- waiting, waiting, waiting... But wait a minute, there exists four lovely ladies -- called the “Four Witches” by envious and hungry wanna-be influence peddlers -- who protect P-Noy with their magic wands. *** The bloody mess that resulted from the hostage-taking at the Luneta in front of the Quirino Grandstand brought out Pinoystyle jokes that usually mushroom in sad situations. Yup, Pinoys have a penchant of making “dyoks” out of bad things. The following are some that have been posted in the Internet: The Manila Police which was once called “Manila’s Finest” is now “Manila’s Funniest” and the “Philippines’ Worst.” SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) now means any of the following: 1. Sugod, Wait, Atras, Tago (Attack, Wait, Retreat, Hide) 2. Sorry We Aren’t Trained. Manila cops are trained for hostess-taking, not hostage-taking. *** News Item: “Supreme Court reverses self again, thumbs down 16 new cities.” If the Supreme Court keeps on reversing its previous decisions, it could become the “Reversible Court.” That’s bad enough; however, it could get worse and become the “Submersible Court,” that is, submerged in murky decisions like legitimizing the “midnight appointment” of the chief justice. Yup, legitimizing an illegitimate appointment makes it legitimate. Only in the Philippines.

Be A Rewarded Pet Owner

hat do pet service providers have in common with cycle shops and adventure tours; hotels and restaurants; hobby stores and hair salons; tire specialists and junk removal companies? These varied merchants have all partnered with The City of Calgary Animal & Bylaw Services to provide discounts to licensed pet owners through the “I Heart My Pet” licensing rewards program. “In March 2010 we launched the “I Heart My Pet” rewards program to thank the thousands of Calgarians who annually license their pets,” says Bill Bruce, director of Animal & Bylaw Services. “This rewards card is a way for pet owners to recoup the cost of their licensing fees through savings and services offered by our generous partnering merchants.” The “I Heart My Pet” licensing rewards card is just one of the many

advantages that over 90% of the dog owners in Calgary and 48% of the cat owners receive as a result of their pet being licensed. The real value is that a pet licence helps Animal & Bylaw Services reunite lost pets with their owners. This peace of mind costs $31 a year for a spayed or neutered dog and $10 per year for a spayed or neutered cat. Every month until the end of February 2011, “I Heart My Pet” rewards cards are being mailed out to cat and dog owners with their pet’s yearly licensing renewal forms. If pet owners want to receive their rewards card earlier, they can visit the Animal Services Centre at 2201 Portland Street SE between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday to Friday or 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends to pick up their card and start saving immediately. The Animal Services Centre is closed on statutory holidays.

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When Calgarians purchase a new pet licence, they will immediately receive an “I Heart My Pet” rewards card. The partnering vendors and their discounts are listed on iheartmypet.ca and on the calgary.ca/animalservices web sites. All cats and dogs residing in Calgary must be licensed at three months of age. There is a $250 fine for having an unlicensed pet. A pet can be licensed by calling 3-1-1, going online to calgary.ca/ animalservices or coming in person to the Animal Services Centre during business hours. Public Information: Call 3-1-1 or email 3-1-1contactus@calgary.ca For more information please contact: Bill Bruce, Director, The City of Calgary Animal & Bylaw Services, bill.bruce@calgary.ca, 403-268-5811

Filipino Journal

August 2010

by Lito Cleofe

im Paredes, the writer and musician interviewed President Noynoy three weeks into his presidency and saw in him a confident chief executive. Excerpts of this interview were included here to illustrate the personality of PNoy.

The focus was on the person of Noynoy and did not cover politics and policies. This way we as Filipinos would better understand the president. In conjunction with this interview, we included too PNoy interviews and insights of Candy Cruz in May 1, 2010 and Karim Raslan of Jakarta Globe’s point of view on PNoy as a thoughtful and pragmatic leader. Cruz said that contrary to what many think, PNoy is a pragmatic and processdriven leader.

he identifies with Lapu Lapu – not intimidated by technologically superior and unknown entity. And Lapu Lapu prevailed. In the service of man PNoy Jim Paredes saw in PNoy likes JFK, Mandela and Edison. glimpse of the idealism, sense of His attitude is service for others duty and honor of PNoy, which he rather himself. inherited from both his parents. Candy Cruz, daughter of Passionate about many topics. the late Ambassador JV Cruz “Passionate about solving a sees in PNoy the gall, intellect long-time problem like corruption. and stubbornness of his Dad, I know somebody’s corrupt… and the humility, spirituality Here he throws a lot of reflective and thoughtfulness of his Mom questions to tear apart the possible as a person. That, she says is an dimensions of corruption and its explosive combination. A good consequences. Tumatagal ba sayo head and a big heart. ang nakurakot mo? Ano ba yung When the public sees PNoy cost ng kinurakot mo? Sino ba nowadays – it’s puro picture ang namundok dahil diyan? Paano taking daw. But beneath the pop ba nagging kapaki-pakinabang star presence of photo ops is sayo na pasukan yan? Kung hindi the depth and wide interests on sayo ang epekto, pano kaya ang varied topics. In Candy Cruz’ anak mo? ‘Yung anak mo, sabihin words PNoy is well informed on nating napag-aral mo ng maayos, everything about the country, the naghanap ng empleyado with constitution, his kind of politics technical skills, language skills, and books. He could talk about wala siyang makuhang empleyado books quoting from authors from dahil na-deprive ng education. I the top of his head. tend to try and convince them at There were touches of the end of the day, no matter which literature, history and philosophy avenue you go through, wala ring as means to understanding one’s nakinabang diyan. In switching character. PNoy has an Ateneo de between Tagalog and English, Manila liberal arts education in PNoy shows his fluency in both history, literature, philosophy, arts, languages.” languages, theology, sociology, “The dream is to have enough humanities, math, science, and of a momentum, so the people can economics in a Catholic tradition. get used to a government that is He identifies himself with del really there for them and works, Pilar among our national heroes. so that the person who comes Idea of duty, sacrifice. A small after you cannot but follow in force against all odds: a superior your footsteps and continue the force, better armed. Another one, process.”

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PNoy has an incredible sense of humor. Here is an example: when asked “What are your comfort clothes? “Maong. When I’m at home, shorts, tsaka ‘yung shirts na hapit. When we were in Malacañang in my Mom’s time, I had a Grade 5 T-shirt that was very loose, and that was her pet peeve. ‘Yung mga threadbare na undershirts, for instance. There were points when she didn’t have a busy schedule and she would raid my cabinet and remove all of these things and give them to the help and say, gamitin niyo nang trapo ‘to. So when I got back, I would be looking for them. Habulan kami.” “Sabi niya, maawa ka naman sa naglalaba. Parang tinitingnan pa lang, napupunit na sa kanipisnipis…” “How do you deal with criticism that’s really just mean-spirited? If I pay attention to it, then I would try to turn the tables and show them or at least the other people kung gaano kaunreasonable nito and apply my strength on the reasonable ones. But I try to purposely control myself. I tell everyone, o mga kasama, hindi tayo pwede magalit, hindi tayo pwede mapikon, hindi tayo pwede mainis, hindi tayo pwede maasar. Maraming hindi pwede rito. Focus lang tayo parati sa, eto ang aabutin natin.”

Alberta

which you know are probably intractable?” “Why will I give up if I think the goal that we have set for ourselves is worthwhile? It really redounds to the common good. Why should we be distracted?” “So long as we are convinced, sige, tuloy na! Naniniwala naman ako na kung hindi ko kaya, bahala na ang Diyos. Tutulungan na niya ako dun.” “What’s the best thing about being Filipino?” “One is it’s very easy for a Filipino to smile. ‘Pag napunta ka sa urban areas, parang tinuturuan na ‘wag ka parati nakangiti, baka akalain nila, promdi, madali kang utuin, madali ito lokohin, etc. But when you go to the province, it’s so easy for everybody to start breaking into a smile.” “It talks also of the resiliency… Ang dami ng dagok na inabot natin dito. Ang sama nga ng government natin for so many years. Ang daming pagsubok ang nagsamantala sa atin. Mga invaders and so on and so forth. But no matter how down we are, we’re still proud to be Filipino. Then, the Filipino in the right environment can really prosper and can surpass so many other races. So, dito tayo nakaka-succeed in modest ways in different conditions. If we could live in good conditions that could nurture all of these aspirations… ano kaya ang maaabot natin?”

“What inspires you to keep going Lito Cleofe can be contacted at despite the problems, some of radyopilipino@gmail.com.

20 Filipino Journal

Philippine News

Alberta

Paje to jumpstart $1-billion food security program

nvironment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje will try to jumpstart the stalled $1-billion food security program of San Miguel Corp. and the Kuok Group.

In an interview over the weekend, Paje said he would try to revive the stalled $1 billion food security program of the SMC-Kuok Group that was first announced in July 2008 in a lavish ceremony attended by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Kuok Group chairman Robert Kuok, then Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, SMC chairman Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. and SMC president Ramon Ang. SMC and the Kuok Group had agreed to jointly invest $1 billion to develop a million hectares of idle land to help boost production of rice, corn, sugar and other crops in the Philippines. The project was supposed to address the critical food security issue.

August 2010

President Aquino to adopt freeze hiring in agencies next year

he government will adopt a freeze hiring policy next year in line with its austerity measures, President Aquino said. Mr. Aquino made this clear at the All Leaders’ Forum with volunteer groups who helped him in the campaign. The President said he would have wanted to respond to online queries regarding employment opportunities, but decided against it.He said Budget Secretary Florencio Abad had advised him against employing more people in government because of budgetary constraints. Abad had pointed out that

Sudoku Puzzles are games of patience, numbers and genius! The satisfaction of solving a challenging Sudoku Puzzle is one of the greatest accomplishments any sudoku game player can experience. 1

10 12 12 19

16 19

18 21

27 29 33

30 29

28 32

35 32 30

29 33 32

30 33 32

13 17

23 23

Each Sudoku has a unique solution that can be reached logically without guessing. Enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces. Every row must contain one of each digit. So must every column, as must every 3x3 square.

Here is the puzzle. Good luck!

30 32 33 32 36

30 32

So what is Sudoku? Pronounced [su:doku], Sudoku is the Japanese abbreviation of “the digits remain single”. In Japan Sudoku is sometimes referred to as “Number Place” and can be spelt “Su Doku”. Sodoku originated in Japan and was designed by Howard Garns. The Sudoku Game was first published in New York in 1979 and was likely inspired by a game called Latin Square.

PAHALANG 1 3 6 8 9 11 12 14 17 18 19 21 22 24 26 27 28 29 31 32

Halo Pinturang makintab Laki Pinid Simbolo ng Astatine Nasan: ibang anyo Sebo Pigil sa leeg Yugto sa karera Misalucha ng musika Hawak sa kamay Anak ng kambing: Ingles Bitak Aborsyon Rangya Katumbas ng 3.1416 Isidro, aktres/singer Bayaw Pagtakbo ng pampapasaherong sasakyan Bawas

PABABA 1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 10 13 15 16 20 21 23 25 26 30

Di swerte Kulay ng kabayo Sagot na walang alam Simbolo ng Sodium Hikayat Kabutihang matututuhan Maggagawa sa tubuhan Kasuotan ng babaing Muslim Tapik: Ingles Kuwentong Bayan Taba ng alimasag Dilag Sasakyang my palamuti Idol Ko Si _____ Tindig Takaw Libot Pagkakakilanlan

Solutions for Palaisipan & Sudoku will be posted online www.FilipinoJournal.com

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next year’s national budget has no allocation for the payment of salaries of additional government employees. Abad suggested the government might adopt freeze hiring in most agencies, possibly with the exception of the Department of Education (DepEd) for the hiring of additional teachers. The government has managed to keep its national budget for 2011 at optimal level, P1.645 trillion, by doing away with personal expenditures and projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways that can be pre-terminated.

August 2010

The Pulse of the Filipino Community

Filipino Journal

Alberta

By Jun Angeles

ho will be the next Pinoy Singing Sensation 2? A question that has been a year long quest of Le Tigre Entertainment Productions orchestrated by producers Tony Surtida and Christy Raspado. The quest for the province wide search ended at the Al Shamal Shriner Center with full packed crowd who would like to witness an exciting drama of unveiling who among the 16 finalists will bring home the $2,000 cash prize and the chance to record in the Philippines under the guidance of Vehnee Saturno, director for talent development. From Grand Prairie and Drayton Valley of the north and from the south, Red Deer, Calgary,and Lloydminister, the finalist in the competition came to Edmonton ready to take the chance for the big prizes. All the hype and the excitement started at 2:00 pm Saturday of August 29, 2010. The first round of competition eliminated 8 of the contestants and 8 of the remaining contestants vied for the title and prizes. Among the eight finalists were Camille Mae Macariola, Jimmy Buena, Dione Dadivas, Jr., Jasmin Remoquillo, Vanessa Oller, Rene Haveria, Anajanjane Sunglao and Ericka Omnas. The judges included Bernard Quilala, a Canadian Idol

finalist, Bernadette Piojo former President of and Artistic Director of the Philippine Barangay Performing Arts Society, Glen Bermundo, former member of OPM (Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mangaawit, Jun Angeles, President of the Council of Edmonton Filipino Associtons (CEFA) and Chairman of the Regional Songfest of Alberta and Saskatchewan and Shirley Kalita, a singer and entertainer who currently sings with the the New Rise Band in Edmonton. Glen Bermundo commented that he agreed with the other judges that it will be difficult to pick the winner from this bunch of contestants with their calibre and talent in singing. The contestants belted their songs and after the tabulation of judges score and audience participation a winner emerged and Jasmine Remoquillo of Calgary was announce as the new 2010 Singing Sensation 2. Vanessa Oller took the second prize of $500.00 and Jimmy Buena, third prize and took home $300.00. Another saga of the quest for Pinoy Sensation unfolded and once again new talents were discovered and with their songs and their music the audience who took their time and effort to be part of this singing sensation competition won.

Jasmin Remoquillo, First Prize Pinoy Singing Sensation.

Vanessa Oller Second Place Winner.

Jimmy Buena, Third Place Winner.

The Winners...Jimmy Buena, Vanessa Oller and Jasmin Remoquillo.

Rene Haveria 4th Place Winner.

The Tigah Sistahs 2010 PSSJrs. finalists.

The Judges, L-R: Jun Angeles, Bernadette Piojo, Shirley Kalita. Bernard Quilala, Glen Bermundo

Hermie Angeles, Jun Aller, Jasmine Remoquillo, Emy Rante, Edith Granado, Christy Raspado and Tony Surtida

Erica Omnas

Dione Dadivas,Jr.

Ana Jane Sunglao

Camille Mae Macariola with Tony Surtida

Photos by Jun Angeles | Alberta Filipino Journal

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22 Filipino Journal

Alberta

Italy Bellisimo

he enduring appeal of Italy attracts millions of tourists and pilgrims from all over the world anytime of the year. From the capital city of Rome you can travel by bus, train, rent-a-car, or join a local guided tour to see the beautiful and interesting places of the country. Our Italian trip had taken us to Portofino, Pisa, Rome, Florence, and Venice. Portofino used to be a small Itallian fishing village in the province of Genoa on the Italian Riviera. Today, Portofino with its waterfront ringed with restaurants and cafes as well as lovely ochre and yellow houses is an exclusive seaside resort for the rich and the famous and other celebrities. One of the main sights out to the sea of Portofino is the bronze statue of “Christ of the Abyss” looking up towards the sky with open arms as a sign of peace to protect sailors, fishermen and scuba divers of the harbour. After spending the night at Hotel Zoagli high up in the hills we drove south through the winding narrow but scenic highway overlooking the calm blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea until we were greeted by the

famous Leaning Tower of Pisa at the Square of Miracles with its monumental cathedral. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Started in 1174, the bell tower, standing at 185 feet, is constructed of white marbles. In 1990 the Tower was closed to visitors due to the undergoing works of strengthening the building’s foundations (sinking into the weak subsoil) by the injection of cement grout and various types of reinforcements to stop the leaning. This work was finished in May, 2001, and the structure was reopened to tourists with an entrance fee. The top of the Romanesque

Gem & Lita at the Baptistery, Florence

August 2010

The Pulse of the Filipino Community

styled Leaning Tower can be reached by climbing its eight floors and 294 steps which rise in the form of spiral on the inner side of the tower walls. There are 7 bells tuned on to seven musical scale. From the summit of the tower Galileo performed his famous trial about gravitation. The next city we visited is Florence (Firenze), the capital city of the Italian region of sunny Tuscany. Also known as the “Cradle of Renaissance”, Florence is considered as a cultural, artistic and architectural gem. The city is quite famous throughout the world for its monuments, museums (over 80 museums - the most famous of which is the UFFIZI), churches, and fabulous buildings. We visited the best-known site and crowning architectural jewel of Florence, the Santa Maria del Fiore, known as the DUOMO which dominates the city skyline from every direction. Next door is the baptistry, a re-used Roman temple with three sets of ancient bronze doors. Don’t miss to see the Ponte Vecchio (old bridge), the only

The Doumo overlooking Florence

surviving original bridge across the Arno River lined up with high-end stores and most famous shops in the world. Be careful when buying a knock-off version of a designer brand from illegal street vendors selling imitation goods like Rolex watches or Gucci sunglasses. If you’re caught by the police while buying imitation brand you can be fined up to 10,000 euros. From the banks of the Arno River you can see and enjoy

Florence’s unspoiled skyline of russet domes and towers. Don’t miss the Accademia Gallery which houses Michelangelo’s monumental statue of DAVID - perhaps the most well-known work of art anywhere. Standing at 15.7 meters (17 ft.) the statue, a masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture, portrays the Biblical King David in the nude. Next issue we continue our sightseeing tour to Venice and Rome.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa

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August 2010

The Pulse of the Filipino Community

Possibilities in motion (PiM FOUNDATION) Our story: Wouldn't it be great if our kababayans could have similar opportunities that we are privileged to have? Wouldn't it be great to see a visibly organized Filipino representation in Calgary? Wouldn't it be great to recognize the amazing works of local Filipinos? These aren't just wishful thinking. Last May, this idea started to turn into action. The Possibilities in Motion (PiM) Foundation was created as an instrument for one small positive act to cause a ripple of hope and the small acts of many to create ripples with lasting impression. This past August 21, we organized our very first social event and fundraiser. Today, we continue to plan with passionate commitment. Tomorrow, we are confident we’ll have the community base to take it to the next level. As the founder of this foundation, I am very fortunate to be supported by dedicated Officers and members who are very keen on giving back to the community. As we embark on this journey, we are inviting more individuals to join as Officers or Committee members. Our initiatives: We envision an empowered Filipino community, united in their dedication to build a socially responsible global society. Our mission is to be an exemplary leader in Canada in educating, engaging, and inspiring Filipinos and their Canadian friends to reach out for the benefit of our less-privileged neighbours. The PiM Foundation will be a symbol of the Filipino community and their Canadian friends to reach out, connect, and share. We will raise funds for projects that will

be implemented in the Philippines. Imagine getting your hands dirty to build a library and supply it with books for a town where education is hard to come by. Imagine being involved in a camp for street children where we can also provide them with nutritional food. The possibilities are many – it could

Our first social event and fundraiser: This past August 21, we hosted a 3-on-3 Hoopfest as our first social event and fundraiser. We thank all of the attendees that came out to support us. The event not only served as an opportunity for Filipinos to connect, but also

3-on-3 HOOPFEST

be free clinics, internet-literacy, housing, etc. We also want to encourage Filipinos to connect with each other through social events and display a solid Filipino presence in various festivals. We’re excited to initiate the 1st annual Filipino fiesta in the city someday and call on all the different Filipino associations to come together as one. Our other initiatives involve giving out small grants and recognizing our fellow Filipinos who display the spirit of generosity. If you or your group would like to volunteer with us, partner with us, or fund raise for our cause, we’d love to hear from you!

increased the awareness of the Foundation and recruited other members and volunteers. We’d like to thank the following sponsors who helped us make this event a possibility: Opening Doors program – a partnership between the United Way of Calgary and Area and the Calgary Youth Foundation, YMCA, Sheldon Parsons (Associate/Owner of Shoppers Drug Mart – Northland Village), 7-Eleven, and Ella Dacer.

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Filipino Journal

We’d also like to thank X92.9 for coming out with giveaways and Q107 for showcasing the brand new 2011 Mustang to which the attendees entered for a chance to win. A special thanks go out PiM Foundation VPs Analyn and Joy Siapno as well as members Melissa and Shena Marie Fortozo for all their valuable time and hard work in planning and delivering this event.

Alberta

We look forward to your kind support! To be involved in whatever capacity or for more information, please contact us: Filipino.Empowerment@yahoo.com

www.facebook.com/ possibilitiesinmotion

Filed by: Sandra Fortozo, Founder and CEO

24 Filipino Journal

Alberta

The Pulse of the Filipino Community

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August 2010