Filipino Journal Alberta Edition February 2014

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Volume 7, Number 2 • February 2014

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Karilagan Dance Society bags Dinagyang Festival’s Best in Costume in Mardi Gras category

The Golden Sacrifice of Gilmore Junio

Pages 5,6 ► Jerry Caingcoy, TV Filipino Host interviewed Gilmore Junio after the official proclamation.

Page 16 ► Karilagan group picture after the award ceremony.

Martinez’ performance awes Winter Olympics crowd

Typhoon Haiyan: Edmonton’s Iglesia Ni Cristo joins Three-Month Report historical “Worldwide Walk”

Page 11 ► Michael Christian Martinez captured the world’s attention with his impressive performances.

Page 15 ►

Page 22 ► Members of the INC church waited for the go-signal to start the walk.

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The pulse of the Filipino Community in Alberta, Canada

February 2014

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The pulse of the Filipino Community in Alberta, Canada

The Golden Sacrifice of Gilmore Junio

By Jerry Caingcoy

A

ll of us struggle to let go of what we think we truly deserve.

Chances are you would never give up a spot you’ve worked so hard all your life to achieve. A once in a lifetime opportunity that you’ve rightfully earned! It is a chance you’ve been waiting for! A dream that never happens to just anybody!

To put it bluntly, to be an Olympian is embracing the impossible.

Not to Gilmore Junio. He continues to embrace the impossible and inspire us with his story.

A 23-year old bemedalled speed skating athlete who after qualifying for the 1000 M race went on to represent Canada at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. After competing at the 500 M race where he placed 10th place, he decided to give up his spot on the 1000 meter race to give his teammate Denny Morrison a chance to fulfill his dream for his first Olympic individual medal.

Junio sacrificed his chance to become one of the speed skating greats. He did it for his team. He did it for his country.

Denny Morrison failed to qualify at the Calgary Olympic trial when he fell a few meters away from the finish line. The unfortunate incident opened up for Gilmore Junio the chance to qualify for the 1000 M race. Denny Morrison holds the 6th ranking in the world whereas Gilmore Junio occupies the 41st for that distance.

Prior to the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, Gilmore won the World Cup gold medal for the 500 M at Salt Lake City, Utah, USA when he tied with Joji Kato of Japan.

In sports, anything can happen!

It is a game of perfection! A world for the absolute best! It means going the extra-mile, taking extraordinary steps, breaking the barriers and surviving the odds. It means sacrificing your personal life in the pursuit of that elusive Olympic

The crowd composed of speed skating officials, government officials, students, speed skating enthusiasts, parents and friends with major television networks and newspaper covering the event.

medal. And to even be a part of the Olympic team is already a tough feat to follow.

Some comments from the Filipino community.

“This is unprecedented and unfair to Gilmore. He earned his spot and qualified. Therefore he should race.”

“Definitely not a good turn of events, if Morrison doesn’t clinch a medal shame on the coaches for depriving Gilmore Junio what he rightfully earned!”

“Junio’s giving away his chance to win a medal. To me, that makes him a GOLD medal winner already!”

It is undoubtedly heartbreaking!

The Elite Canadian Speed Skating Olympic Team with Gilmore Junio at the middle back row.

Official proclamation of the Canadian Speed Skating Team at the Olympic Oval, Calgary on January 22, 2014.

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February 2014

No one does it just like that! After all the gruelling training and tough competitions, you wouldn’t like to be faced with another gruesome test that not every top-calibre athlete would be able to overcome. Let us face it! It is a dog-eat-dog-world! It is not for the weak! Damn if you do, damn if you don’t!

But Gilmore Junio did it with grace and confidence.

“Wasn't the result I had hoped but beggars can't be choosers - it's an honour to be part of @ CDNOlympicTeam & represent Canada @ the Olympics.â (Gilmore Junio’s tweet) “I believe it’s in the best interest of the team if [Morrison] races. To represent Canada at the Olympics is a huge honour and privilege but I believe that as Canadians, we’re not just here to compete; we are here to win. Denny has proven to be a consistent medal threat in the distance.” (Gilmore’s statement in the press release from the Canadian Olympic Committee) It is an act of selflessness and courage to even consider that someone is a much-deserving athlete than he is. It was a thinking that is unusual for Olympic athletes. To give up something that means the world to you and your family! A chance that might never come again!

Junio travelled to Sochi with 12 of his family members. They skipped their work and spent their hard earned money so they could watch him perform, only to find him watching with them. They cheered and rooted for Denny Morrison. continued on page 5 ►

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The pulse of the Filipino Community in Alberta, Canada

February 2014

Proud to be a Filipino Canadian...

Calgarian Gilmore Junio: A genuine Olympian who wins gold for kindness!

Junio to be the flag bearer at the closing ceremony campaign heats on...

The Republic of Adobo

by Rod

Cantiveros

rod@filipinojournal.com

I

f there is one Filipino Canadian, a Calgarian speed skater who has become the subject of countless editorials, news stories, columns, in print and in broadcast all over Canada, and has become the symbol of selflessness, it is no other than Gilmore Junio who gave the spot to his team mate Denny Morrison.

And Morrison took this opportunity to run and garnered a silver medal in the 1,000 meter speed skating at Sochi Olympic. Morrison said, as reported by Canadian Press; “It’s a dream, a fairytale story. It’s difficult to really believe that it’s happening.”

In the Sochi Olympic, Morrison, a top male long track speed skater, was not suppose to run because of the negative turn of events during the Olympic qualifying tournament.

And lo and behold, Gilmore Junio surrendered his spot in the 1,000 meters. And Junio humbly said they were in Sochi, not only to compete but to win. And a result, Morrison not only won silver medal but also a bronze in the 1,500 metre run.

An on Morrison’s campaign to have Gilmore as the flag bearer at the closing ceremony, he said:”May that’s something we can get behind, because i think that would be really special...He (Gilmore Junio) does embody that is means to be an Olympian.”

In the story written by Jerry Caingcoy of Alberta Filipino Journal, Gilmore Junio was featured to highlights his dreams, his passion and his family. Caingcoy writes: “Again and again, we’ve heard of Filipino achievers aboard. They’re truly inspirational but here’s one Filipino achiever who has broken the barriers on a league uncommon to every Filipino. It’s a “man bites a dog” kind of story. This is the case of Gilmore Junio. He is a Filipino superstar on ice. Yes, on ice! He is

Denny Morrison, Gilmore Junio

Gilmore Junio

not just an ordinary ice skater but a SPEED SKATER!” And he is bound for the Sochi Olympic 2014, the first Filipino Canadian to be a part of Canadian Team!

Caingcoy continues with a Winnipeg connection: “Gilmore Junio is a 23-year long track speed skating athlete born to Filipino immigrant parents who immigrated to Canada in the seventies. Although he was born and raised in Calgary, he is proud of his Filipino heritage. His father, Gino Junio, who hails originally from Bacolod City, immigrated to Canada at the age of twenty-four through a job acceptance program.

He worked as a machine operator in Winnipeg but eventually moved to Calgary to find a greener pasture.

Gino Junio was a manager when he retired. He is married to Julie Tantay, a native of Pangasinan who had been working for 25 years as a reservoir technologist for a progressive oil and gas company. Gino and Julie have three children- two boys and a girl.

Gilmore Junio..

Gilmore is the youngest in the family.

His older brother is a hockey player.”

And in the editorial in the recent Winnipeg Sun issue, a Sun Media paper, extols that Olympics provide true role models! And the editorial cited: “Then there is Gilmore Junio.

He is the speed skater who gave up his spot to Denny Morrison who did not qualify. Junio said that he felt Morrison was the better skater and Morrison went on to win us silver medal. Talk about sportsmanship.

Talk about teamwork. Talk about true role model for your youth!”

Denny Morrison on his silver medal's 1,000 metre run.

The other role model cited is Alexandre Bilodeau who won a gold medal in men’s moguls who taught us humility when honored his win to his brother, Frederic, who has a cerebral palsy.

And Gilmore Junio is looking ahead to the 2018 Winter Olympic which will be held in Pyeongchang, South Korea.”So I thought maybe in four years, hopefully, my 500 will

be good and my 1,000 will be even better, that I won’t have to make this decision. Maybe someone will make it for me,” he said at the Canadian Press.

A Filipino Canadian, the pride of all kababayans here and abroad, a role model for the youth, a golden asset for Canada and for the Canadian team, Gilmore Junio stands tall as a true Olympian!

Attracting immigrants with the skills and talents Alberta needs is an important part of addressing labour pressures – now and in the future.

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from page 4

Denny won the silver medal for the 1000 M adding a much needed boost to Canada’s overall performance. In one of his interviews, he said that half of his medal belongs to Gilmore. He even started a Twitter campaign for Gilmore to be named as Canada's flag-bearer for the closing ceremony at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.

‘Well that escalated quickly!

Thank you everyone for your kind words - happy to be a part of @ DennyMorrison silver story, guy deserves it!’(Gilmore Junio’s tweet) Little did Gilmore Junio know that his courage and humility have caught the admiration of the world!

He is now much talked about for his unselfish gesture. A world class display of teamwork.

Now, Gilmore Junio is every inch a hero!

He’s more than an Olympic medallist! His story will forever remain in the hearts of every Canadian. It will forever be told in the history of Olympics.

A story of a boy who was born to two amazing Filipino immigrant parents: Gino and Julie. He wanted to become a professional hockey player but due to his physical limitation, he pursued another dream. He became a short track speed skater but suffered major injuries. He got back up and became a world-class long track speed skater. He went to the Olympics to skate but gave his spot to someone like him who suffered setbacks and rose up again. He gave away what is rightfully his – for his team and country. It was an act that gave a teammate a chance to fulfil a dream.

An act of greatness that earned Junio a medal beyond the podium.

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The pulse of the Filipino Community in Alberta, Canada

February 2014

Building “Welcoming and Inclusive Communities” in Alberta

by: Jerry Caingcoy

The Come Together Alberta 2014 Provincial Conference was held last February 6 & 7, 2014 at the MacEwan Conference and Event Centre of the University of Calgary.

It was attended by municipalities, businesses, community organizations, post-secondary institutions and other stakeholders.

The conference was organized by the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) in conjunction with its two-fold initiatives: The Welcoming and Inclusive Communities (WIC) and Come Together Alberta (CTA).

The goals for the event were to “share best practices in being welcoming and inclusive, present new knowledge, frameworks and practical tools to take home, provide an opportunity for attendees to network for the purpose of sharing ideas, challenges and successes.”

The topics included “promising practices for diversity and inclusion in the workplace, the work of the Calgary Local Immigration Partnership (CLIP), changes to Canada’s immigration policies, attracting and retaining immigrants to smaller communities, engaging youth in tackling racism, discrimination and bullying, increasing Aboriginal participation in the workforce, barrier-free design and the importance of accessibility audits, addressing and preventing

hate crimes in your community and much more.”

The first day of the conference was graciously emceed by the Mayor of the City of Brooks and AUMA Board Member, Martin Shields.

The panel of prolific speakers came from diverse professional and civic background. They shared their valuable insights and meaningful experiences in making communities more welcoming and inclusive.

It culminated with a tradeshow participated by several non-profit organizations who showcased their projects and promoted their services.

It was also an opportunity to network with participants from different fields across Alberta.

Among the great speakers was Jeny Mathews-Thusoo, Issue Strategist of The City of Calgary who ably spoke about the 17 Characteristics of a Welcoming and Inclusive Community. Among the few she suggested for a community to be welcoming and inclusive are: - Employment Opportunities - Fostering Social Capital - Affordable and Suitable Housing - Presence of Newcomer Agencies - Available and Accessible Transit - Diverse Religious Organization - Safety She also did an excellent presentation on the work of Calgary Local Immigration Partnership (CLIP).

The Calgary Local Immigration Partnership (CLIP) is “a collective initiative bringing committed and influential partners to the table to create positive impact on settlement and integration outcomes for newcomers. CLIP is developing strategies that will enable newcomers to plug into the many opportunities in the city.”

Todd Odgers - Keynote Speaker talking about the Action Model for Inclusion - Inclusion Equals Diversity Plus Engagement

Zenobia Jamal from Zenev and Associates Presenting on the Municipal Planning and Assessment Tool

Amarjeet Sohi, Councillor, City of Edmonton and Chair of AUMA’s Safe and Healthy Communities Committee hosted the second day.

“AUMA was proud to host the Come Together Alberta conference, with the City of Calgary and the Alberta Human Rights Commission,” said Amarjeet Sohi, AUMA VP & Director for Cities over 500,000. “I was impressed by the dedication of front line workers that were present and their commitment to ensuring that all of Alberta’s communities are welcoming and inclusive. There was a lot of discussion around what barriers still exist and what steps need to be taken to remove them.”

The conference included two breakout sessions that covered various topics such as: - Canada’s Changing Immigration Policies: Impacts on Alberta Municipalities - A Role For Everyone: Engaging LGBT in Combating Racism, Discrimination and Bullying - Identifying Diversity Champions - Programs for Newcomers: Best Practices for Helping Newcomers Succeed - Strategies for Inclusion of Alberta’s Indigenous People - From Disability to Ability: How Accessible is your Community?

Vanessa Hennigan, HR Advisor, Organizational Effectiveness of The City Calgary attended the conference. She said: “The AUMA conference was an excellent way to hear about recent

developments and initiatives at the federal, provincial and municipal levels. The statistics provided by Thomas Lukaszuk, Minister of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour, were fascinating such as Alberta having the highest retention rate of 85% for newcomers. This provides us with some helpful information about workforce planning and recruiting a diverse workforce within Alberta and Calgary. The other highlights from my perspective were the sessions, such as Norquest College’s “Action model for Inclusion”, which touched on intercultural sensitivity and intercultural competency to truly value diversity in the workplace. Also, the “Calgary Local Immigration Partnership” and “Canada’s Changing Immigration Policies” provided some good information and tips about the shifting demographics of newcomers to Canada, e.g. younger workers, greater emphasis on language skills, having foreign qualifications assessed prior to arriving in Canada, etc. In this session, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce article on the top 10 barriers to competitiveness was mentioned, with skills shortage being the #1 barrier. Given this reality and our shrinking Canadian labour force, we will look to newcomers to have these specialized skills in the workplace. This will result in placing an even higher priority on Diversity & Inclusion to ensure we have a diverse workplace and a respectful and inclusive workplace for all

individuals.”

As an immigrant living and working for The City of Calgary, I felt so privileged to be able to represent my Filipino community at the conference.

The success I have today is a testament that Calgary is a City where newcomers can succeed.

I do believe that we all have a role to play to make our communities more welcoming and inclusive.

Moreover, it feels great to know that the government from all levels are committed to make this happen.

Strong Partnership The Welcoming and Inclusive Communities (WIC) initiative is “a partnership between the AUMA and the Alberta Human Rights Commission to create communities with positive reputations, where diversity adds to the social and economic vibrancy of the community and the quality of life enjoyed by all residents. The Come Together Alberta (CTA) supports attraction and integration of newcomers.”

WIC believes “that immigration is a key to the economic needs of Alberta and, in particular, our current and future labour shortages associated with a growing natural resource sector. CTA works on providing support strategies for attraction, retention and integration of newcomers.”

Sources: http://wic.auma.ca/ http://www.calgarylip.ca/

Calgary Fire Department Celebrates New Evergreen Emergency Response Station Filed by Jose “Pepito” Magpayo

Today, Calgary Fire Chief Bruce Burrell and Councillor Diane Colley-Urquhart celebrated the opening of the new Evergreen Emergency Response Station with the community and more than 50 grade one students, who showed their affection for the Calgary Fire Department with hand-made valentines.

“Events like this afford us with the opportunity to express our appreciation to our fire service members, who are willing to put themselves at risk to help others,” said MLA Calgary-Lougheed and Associate Minister of Wellness Dave Rodney. “Your dedication and commitment in preparing, training, and responding immediately when the alarm sounds, exemplifies the

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ultimate in public service.”

The new station is located at 2511 Eversyde Avenue and replaces the previous Bridlewood Station which was a temporary site in a portable building.

“Because we take the safety of our citizens to heart, the opening of this new station, which ensures the safety of ten Calgary communities and much of Ward 13, is a great reason to celebrate,” said Councillor Colley-Urquhart.

The new building was designed with a community focus and includes a pergola, benches and an outdoor area to be landscaped in the spring for community groups to use in front of the building. The facility is also built to post-disaster standards with a generator to power

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the facility during a power-outage and allow it to continue to provide services during a natural disaster.

“This building was very much built with the community in mind,” said Chief Burrell. “The CFD does truly care for the communities it serves and we are very happy to be opening a new station here in Evergreen to proudly serve the more than 45,000 area residents.”

The $15.8 million cost of the facility, land, station, required apparatus and supporting equipment, has been supported thanks to $10 million in funding from the Province of Alberta’s Municipal Sustainability Initiative and $5.8 million from the City of Calgary’s Community and Recreation Levy.

February 2014

The pulse of the Filipino Community in Alberta, Canada

7

Is Pope Francis a Breath of Fresh Air?

by Dr.

Eusebio Koh

W

hen the white smoke came out of the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican on March 13, 2013 and a cardinal came out to announce “Habemus papam”, there was a wild cry of elation and relief at the St. Peter’s Cathedral Square and around the Catholic world watching the event on TV. We have a Pope he said. Shortly after that, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina was introduced as the new pope who would be named Pope Francis.

People wondered “Who is he?”

He turned out to be a first in various categories: first from the Americas, first Jesuit to be pope, first to be named Francis which he chose in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, a man who dedicated his life to simplicity and poverty.

Almost a year after his election, Pope Francis is proving to be a most popular Pope. He has maintained his dedication to the poor. When he was Archbishop of Buenos Aires, he gave up his palace and limousine for a small apartment and public

transportation so he could visit the slums. In the same way, he did not stay at the official residence of the Pope, the Apostolic Palace. He lives at the Vatican guest house and eats with the other priests at their residence, Domus Sanctae Marthae, the easier perhaps for him to visit the poor.

By seeking out the poor and the marginalized, Pope Francis is following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ who came not for the saved but for the sinners. An early step Pope Francis did was to remove the bonuses for Vatican employees and put the funds towards helping the poor.

Another significant early move he made was to appoint an advisory board of eight cardinals from all the continents except Antarctica. .Recently, Pope Francis brought in new personnel changes that seem to continue his desire to broaden and open up a traditionally reclusive Vatican. On January 15, he replaced four of the five cardinals appointed to govern the Vatican Bank, an entity that has been suspected of moneylaundering. Gone was the former secretary of state Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, replaced by the new secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin. The other three new ones are Cardinals Santos Abril y Castillo, Christoph Schonborn and Thomas Collins, the last two having been critical of bank operations. The one who remains is Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Commission of Inter-religious Dialogue.

We are hopeful and prayerful that Pope Francis solves the many

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problems confronting the Church such as the issues of pedophile priests, Vatican leaks, women priesthood and the apparent control of women religious leadership. An important move he can make is to reinstitute seventy-five-year old Fr. Roy Bourgeois to the priesthood and to the Maryknoll Order of Fathers and Brothers. Father Roy, you will recall, was excommunicated for celebrating mass and giving the homily at the ordination of a Janice Sevre-Duszynska as a woman priest ,in Lexington, Kentucky in August, 2008.

But don’t hold your breath.

Based on his pronouncements as a Cardinal-Archbishop, Pope Francis seems to hold traditionalist views on women priesthood and the role of women in the church. But things can change as he gets more input from the wider constituency.

For example, when asked for his thoughts on homosexuals, he gave the now popular non-papal reply, “Who am I to judge?” Ten years ago, he probably would have launched into a homily on the sanctity of the holy marriage between a man and a woman.

Sooner or later, the Catholic Church will have to face the problem of a drastically dwindling number of celibate male priests. One possible solution is to ordain married men.

(Earlier, married men may be ordained to priesthood. Until the twelfth century, priests, bishops and 39 popes including the first Pope, St. Peter were married. Movements for celibacy started because of inheritance problems and celibacy

was imposed following the Second Lateran Council in 1139. Not quite in accord with the Lord!) But more than this practical aspect is the implicit arrogance of the unjust claim that only a man can fathom and convey the divinity of God. Is Pope Francis a breath of fresh air? Indeed, he is. His willingness to listen and to hobnob with the lowly and aggrieved tends to open up a close and strictly orthodox church.

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He said that the church had concerned itself with small-minded rules and was so prone to condemn those who break them. He doesn’t believe that the church's pastoral ministry should be obsessed with the transmission of disjointed doctrines to be imposed insistently. He wants a new balance to bring forth “the freshness and fragrance of the Gospel”. And he is showing his love by his actions.

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The pulse of the Filipino Community in Alberta, Canada

February 2014

The Calgary Airport Authority is named a Top Employer in Alberta Hello. I would like to say that I enjoy reading your columns.

I hope you can continue to be a voice in the wilderness and an advocate for the poor and downtrodden. That is what we need. I rarely hear voices like yours in the media. I guess with a smaller paper, you are more free to speak your mind.

I’m not Filipino myself. I’m from South Korea and have lived here in Canada for 38 years (I’m 39). I have lived in Edmonton for 24 years, and Calgary for the last 14 years. I have been a Christian all my life and my faith has grown over the years. I identify with a lot of the things you say. The reason I read your paper is because I enjoy reading Asian. We don’t hear many Asian voices out there, and if there are, they speak in their own non-english language. As a result, I find myself reading Filipino newspapers very often.

I find so much in common with Filipino people. I hope you can continue to advocate and help the Philipino people. So many of you come to Canada, work hard, and are outstanding assets to the community.

Sometimes, I am so troubled by the evil in the world. There is so much evil. So much crime, violence, and oppression. And that’s here in Canada, one of the safest and best countries in the world to live in. I am grateful to be living here. It is certainly far worse in most other countries, but even here, there are so many things wrong with society. As a Christian, I look to the Father, and to the New Heavens and New Earth. There is no hope for this world system. I will continue to do God’s will as best as I can, but I realize this horrible world is not my or other Christians’ homes.

Our home is heaven. I also realize that God will remove all evil and evil people from this world one day.

Columns like yours is where our faith meets the harsh realities of life head on, and overcomes.

Filed by Jose “Pepito” Magpayo

Once again, The Calgary Airport Authority is pleased to be on the list of Alberta’s Top Employers.

This prestigious list recognizes employers that are leaders in offering exceptional places to work. This is the fifth time that the Authority has been acknowledged for cultivating a vibrant work environment.

“It is a tremendous honour to be recognized as a leading employer of choice in Alberta,” said Cynthia Tremblay, Vice President of Human Resources for The Calgary Airport Authority.

“This recognition celebrates the wealth of programs we offer, as well as an exceptional work environment that helps us attract and retain some of Alberta’s best talent. We look forward to continuing to work with our employees to further develop our innovative programming and unique corporate culture.”

Being named a top employer reflects the Authority’s

commitment to invest in its people. As a key part of its strategy in developing Alberta’s aviation hub, the Authority believes that employees play an important role in the growth of YYC. The Authority’s key employee offerings include: ongoing professional development, an employee-led community engagement program, a robust benefits and pension program, social opportunities, meaningful student work opportunities, and a peer-to-peer recognition program.

The Calgary Airport Authority is a not-for-profit, non-share capital corporation incorporated under the Alberta Regional Airports Authorities Act. Since 1992, it has been responsible for the management, maintenance and development of Calgary International Airport and Springbank Airport (1997) under long-term lease from the Government of Canada.

by Jairus Bilo

Infinites Could pressure be wilful to submit us in chaos? From bearable to sudden sips of whimpers, forgetting crossovers, when what we knew rose like bubbles.

The fragile sheen of implosion, burnt us for fine habitat.

And never again could we be backwards to those ahead of us.

We rose ahead like ghosts, to mimic our completeness. Ever sound on some hidden formation we babied through imagining lines in some collective birth of nothing.

I will pray for you Lito, and look forward to your future articles.

May God bless you and your family.

Sincerely, Jamie Kim

Alberta expands mental health supports for children and families Filed by Jose “Pepito” Magpayo

The Redford government is giving vulnerable children and families more mental health supports, and ensuring children in care have better access to mental health specialists.

The announcement follows a two-day roundtable that discussed best practices in the child intervention system and how to strike the right balance between transparency and privacy. Hundreds of Albertans participated in the forum, including a cross-section of experts, policy makers, aboriginal representatives and people with lived experience in the child intervention system.

“Children and youth who have been abused and or neglected are often very affected by the trauma they have endured. This funding will allow us to do a better job

of addressing the mental health concerns of children and youth who are receiving intervention services.

This announcement is an initial step in our promise to address root causes and will put more mental health supports where they are needed.”

- Manmeet S. Bhullar, Minister of Human Services According to Alberta Health, one in five people will experience a mental illness; 80 per cent of mental illnesses begin in childhood.

When no formal mental health care is available, children and youth are vulnerable to deterioration in their conditions, behaviours, acute-lifethreatening behaviours and severe emotional distress.

Mental health is a contributing root cause that brings children and

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families to the attention of child intervention services. The $5 million invested by the government will: • Introduce three best practice sites in Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer to provide increased mental health services to children and youth • Provide children and youth in care who have experienced physical abuse, sexual abuse and/or neglect with better access to mental health specialists.

• Provide child intervention staff with instant access to expert clinical/ medical consultation that will help them better understand available psychiatric treatment plans and appropriate medications • Provide crisis mental health supports for high-needs children and offer effective strategies to help foster

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Jose “Pepito” Magpayo

being taken into care are a challenge to the resilience of any child and their family. This investment is certainly a commitment by the people of Alberta to address addiction and mental health issues earlier rather than later.

This is good medicine that will make a positive difference to the lives of children, youth and families.”

- Dr. Michael Trew, Chief Mental Health Officer – Alberta Health Under the Building Alberta Plan, our government is investing in families and communities, living within our means, and opening new markets for Alberta's resources to ensure we're able to fund the services Albertans told us matter most to them. We will continue to deliver the responsible change Albertans voted “The events that lead to children for.

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parents and other caregivers; and • Develop a cross-ministry mental health action plan that will enhance and sustain a high-level of supports for children involved with child intervention and expand the reach to support all children and families with mental health needs in Alberta.

“Making sure that Alberta children, including those receiving intervention services and their families are supported is critical to the future health of our province.

By investing in their mental health, we are building a healthier, more productive and more rewarding future for these children, their families, and all of us.”

- Fred Horne – Minister of Health

We welcome submissions-news, articles, pictures and letters. Letters must include signature and phone number; names can be withheld upon request. We reserve the right to edit for length and content. All submissions, unless arrangements are made, become the property of the publisher. Reproduction of contents, in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited without the expressed written permission from the Publisher/ Editor. Opinions by columnist, writers, and readers do not in any way reflect those of the Publisher/Editor.

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Contributing Writers: Johnny Cantiveros Gem & Lita Anis Danilo Donor Miya Villarena Naresh Bhardwaj Jairus Bilo Thomas A. Lukaszuk

Melanie Angeles Perry Diaz Jon Salvador Lito Mendoza Velasco Jerry Caingcoy Erlinda Dolly Tan

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February 2014

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February 2014

New Government Regulations to protect TFWs and some practical tips to minimize abuse from employers

Immigration News

by Columbio (Jon) Salvador, BSc.

Certified Canadian Immigration Consultant

(About the writer: Jon Salvador is a licensed immigration consultant and a member in good standing with the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC). 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, the 2nd largest telecom company in Canada 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. If you would like to request articles on other immigration topics for future “Alberta Filipino Journal” publications, you can contact Jon at (403) 241-6276 or at jon@nuerainc.ca or the publisher of this newspaper.

Effective December 31, 2013 the Federal government announced several amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) and new Ministerial Instructions issued by the Minister of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) were put into place to protect TFWs and strengthen the integrity of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).

Canadian employers who want to apply for a Labour Market opinion (LMO) as of December 31, 2013, need to be aware of the new powers and duties conferred on the Minister of ESDC, and the new conditions employers will be required to comply with.

The following is a list of the changes being implemented: 1. Authority to conduct inspections without a warrant ESDC/Service Canada will have the authority to conduct inspections to verify an employer’s compliance with the conditions in IRPR (and confirmed in the LMO letter and annexes) for a period of 6 years, beginning on the first day of the period of employment for which the work permit is issued to the foreign worker (unlike an employer compliance review (ECR) that occurs in the context of the assessment of an LMO application). This is to ensure that employers adhere to the terms and conditions they submitted on their LMO applications. For example, if the employer’s LMO application indicated that the TFW will be paid $12.00 per hour the government will check if the TFWs are actually paid $12.00 per hour. The government could also check, if the employer is paying the TFWs overtime rates for work done over 40 or 44 hours per week depending on the terms outlined in the approved LMO application and Employment Contract signed by the employer and TFW. NOTE: TFWs can anonymously (ie. not reveal their identity) report to the government – employers who are not following the terms and conditions of their approved LMO or Employment Contract.

During an inspection, employers will be required to demonstrate that they are compliant with the conditions set out in IRPR (and confirmed in the

positive LMO letter and annexes). In order to verify compliance with the conditions, ESDC/Service Canada will have the authority to: a. require employers to provide documents that relate to compliance with those conditions; b. conduct on-site inspections without a warrant (private dwellings excluded and in the majority of cases, advance notice will be given to employers); and c. interview foreign workers or Canadian employees, by consent. d. enter a private household (e.g. place of employment for a live-in caregiver), with a warrant or consent; and e. request to be accompanied by any person to assist in the compliance review.

Employers who have failed to comply with the conditions set out in IRPR (and confirmed in the LMO letter and annexes) will have the opportunity to provide a justification and to take corrective action, where applicable, before a determination of noncompliance is made. If the TFWs are not being paid their correct hourly rates or required overtime pay – the government can order the employer to pay back the owed money.

Following a determination of the employer’s non-compliance, employers will: a. be deemed ineligible to hire foreign workers for 2 years, and have their company name, address and period of ineligibility published on a public ban list; b. be issued negative LMOs on any pending LMO applications; and/or c. may have previously-issued LMOs revoked.

2. Modified Employer Compliance Reviews (ECR) The new regulations have also modified the requirements for employer compliance reviews (ECR). ECRs are different from inspections, they occur as part of the LMO assessment process, and only review the wages, occupation, and working conditions provided to foreign workers employed under previous LMOs. The modification to the ECR criteria only apply to LMO applications submitted for on, or after, December 31, 2013. The two (2) amendments that have been made are: a. ESDC will have authority to review an employer’s compliance for the 6 years prior to the receipt of the LMO application (previous legislation provided only a 2 year look back); and b. Employers applying for and receiving LMOs on, or after, December 31, 2013 will be required to provide the “same” occupation to foreign workers (previously called “substantially the same” occupation) as set out in the Employment Contract or offer of employment (and confirmed in the LMO letter and annexes) and wages and working conditions that are substantially the same—but not less favourable than—those set out in the Employment Contract or offer of employment (and confirmed in the LMO letter and annexes).

How Employers can demonstrate Compliance – ECRs and Inspections Employers will be notified that they have been selected for a compliance review, and what type (ECR or inspection). They will be informed in writing of the: • steps they need to take; • conditions for which they need demonstrate compliance; • types of documents they are required

to produce; and • dates by which they are required to produce them.

Suggested business practices for employers to ensure they remain compliant include: a. Retaining all documents to demonstrate that the information on the LMO application and the terms and conditions set out in the LMO letter and annexes were accurate from the first day of employment of the foreign worker and up to 6 years after; b. Contacting ESDC before making any changes to conditions set out in the LMO letter and annexes; ( NOTE: Employers cannot arbitrarily change terms in the approved LMO or Employment Contract) c. Cooperating with ESDC during compliance reviews; d. Working with authorized thirdparties only (ie. licensed immigration consultants and lawyers) e. Regularly checking the TFWP website for updates and changes.

3. New conditions imposed on employers on LMO applications The amendments to the IRPR will create new conditions employers will be required to comply with the following: a. retain any document that relates to compliance with the conditions set out in IRPR (and confirmed in the LMO letter and annexes) for a period of 6 years, beginning on the first day of the period of employment for which the work permit is issued to the foreign worker. For this same period, the employer must be able to demonstrate that any information they provided in the context of an LMO application was accurate; b. make reasonable efforts to provide a work place that is free of abuse; and c. hire or train, or make reasonable efforts to hire or train, Canadians or permanent residents, if that was one of the factors that led to the issuance of the LMO. 4. ESDC will not have the authority to provide an LMO to an employer or a group of employers who, on a regular basis, offers striptease, erotic dance, escort services or erotic massages. □ This decision is to protect foreign workers from the risk of abuse and exploitation. □ No LMO fee will be charged for applications not processed.

5. Ministerial Instructions to suspend and revoke LMOs, or refuse to process LMO applications As a result of Ministerial Instructions, ESDC may suspend or revoke LMOs, or refuse to process LMO applications, under identified public policy considerations. Decisions governing the LMO suspension or revocation will not be taken lightly. Employers facing a suspension or revocation of their LMOs will be contacted and provided an opportunity to respond.

ESDC/Service Canada may also refuse to process LMO applications based on the public policy considerations provided in the Ministerial Instructions for selected sectors; regions; or occupational groups.

ESDC will publish on its website, in advance, any information related to any decision made by the government regarding the refusal to process LMO applications for any specified groups.

Some Practical Tips to TFWs to minimize abuse from Employers Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs) have exactly the same rights as other workers in Alberta. TFW worker’s rights are protected under Alberta Employment Standards, Workplace

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Health and Safety and Worker’s Compensation legislations. While working in Alberta, the best way to protect your rights is to become familiar with the laws regarding the Alberta Employment Standards (visit their website) and learn some practical tips when dealing with your employer.

Listed below are some practical tips for TFWs based on complaints I have heard to-date: 1. Make sure you get a copy of your approved LMO from your employer.

Your LMO contains valuable information with regards to your salary, employee benefits, your NOC code, length of employment contract, etc.

Report to EDSCC/Service Canada employers who refuse to give you a copy of your approved LMO. 2. Make sure you get a copy of your Employment Contract signed by your employer. Ensure that the Employment Contract indicates the same salary, employee benefits, length of contract period, housing rental fees, etc. as your approved LMO. Report to EDSC/Service Canada and Alberta Employment Standards employers who pay you less than the salary indicated on your approved LMO or charges you more than the fees that are stated in your Employment Contract.

3. Keep a copy of all the pay slips you receive from your employer. The pay slips should indicate your hourly rate as indicated on your LMO, no. of regular hours worked, no. of overtime (OT) hours worked, hours worked during official holidays, Tax, CPP, UIC deductions, etc. Report to EDSC/Service Canada and Alberta Employment Standards employers who pay you less than the salary indicated on your approved LMO or deducts fees that are not listed on your Employment Contract.

4. If an employer ask you to sign a document that you are not comfortable signing or if you do not understand the contents of the document, do not sign the document. Request a copy of the document and tell the employer that you would like additional time to think about it. Then use the additional time given to seek advice from a licensed lawyer or a certified immigration consultant and have them review the document.

5. In Canada, documents that are signed under duress, intimidation, threats, etc. are not legally enforceable. If forced to sign a document, always request a copy of the document and report the incident immediately to EDSC/Service Canada and Alberta Employment Standards.

6. An employer cannot force you to have your overtime (OT) pay … paid as regular days off or banked as days-off.

OT hours are worth 50% more than regular hours. So if your regular hourly rate is $10.00 per hour, then the OT rate is equal $10.00 x 1.5= $15.00/hr. If forced to sign a document to have your OT hours to be paid as regular daysoff or banked as days-off, report the incident immediately to EDSC/Service Canada and Alberta Employment Standards.

7. Employers are required by law to pay for the transportation costs (round trip) of TFWs in the semi-skilled and low skilled categories (NOC: C and D). For example, a semi-skilled or low skilled worker from the Philippines does not have to pay for their airplane tickets coming to Canada and going home from Canada. Employers are not allowed to recoup these expenses by deducting fees from the TFWs salaries. If required to pay or repay transportation expenses, report the incident immediately to EDSC/Service Canada and Alberta Employment Standards.

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8. It is against the law for the employer to force a TFW to do work that you think is unsafe. The TFW can refuse to do work that he thinks is unsafe.

The TFW can also refuse to do work in case of imminent danger. Imminent danger means any danger that is not normal for your job. If you think that the work may put you or a co-worker in imminent danger, then you can refuse to do it. The employer cannot lay you off or fire you for refusing to do dangerous work or work that is unsafe. If you are fired or laid-off for refusing to do unsafe work, report the incident immediately to Alberta Employment Standards.

9. TFWs are entitled to remain in Canada for the full term of their Work Permit. An employer or employment agency cannot force a TFW to return home, if their Employment Contract is terminated before the expiry of their Work Permit or if the TFW decides to find a job with another employer. It is illegal to threaten or force a TFW to return to their home country. If threatened by employer or employment agency, report the incident immediately to EDSC/Service Canada and Alberta Employment Standards.

10. TFWs are protected by privacy laws. Alberta’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) protects information held by private sector organizations in Alberta by setting out rules for how organizations can collect, use, or disclose personal information.

For example, it is illegal for an employer to request a TFW to give them their passport for safe-keeping and threaten to send them home, if they do not comply.

A person’s passport is private property and employers do not have the legal right to get them from their employees.

If an employer forces you to give them your passport, you should report the incident to Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta at 1-888-878-4044.

11. If a TFW is not being paid the proper salary as indicated in the approved LMO and Employment Contract, they can anonymously (ie. not reveal your identity) report the employer to HRSDC/Service Canada and request that their employer’s company be audited. If the HRSDC audit proves that the employer is not following the terms and conditions of the approved LMO such as: not paying the employees the proper hourly rate, not paying overtime, charging more for rent, etc. his company could be blacklisted by the government and not allowed to hire more TFWs for a period of two (2) years and ordered to pay back the money that is owed to the TFWs. NOTE: TFWs should collect hard evidence of employer abuse to help prove their complaints. Hard evidence could be: copies of emails, copies of payment receipts, copies of pay slips, copies of LMOs, copies of contracts, memos, letters, pictures, videos, etc. If several TFWs are being abused, then the group should work together and file a group complaint to Temporary Foreign Worker Advisory (TFWA) office at (780) 644-2584 or (403) 4764540 or contact a licensed immigration consultant or lawyer.

Legal Disclaimer: This news 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 of their choice.

February 2014

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Martinez’ performance awes Winter Olympics crowd Michael Christian Martinez continued to make an impression with his performance in front of a highly-appreciative crowd watching the 2014 Winter Olympics at the Iceberg Skating Palace in Sochi, Russia.

The 17-year-old Martinez, the youngest among the 24 finalists in the free skate program, regaled the crowd with impressive moves that made them wonder as to how the Philippines can produce such a graceful performer on ice.

Japanese Yuzuru Hanyu garnered 280.09 points to take the gold medal, while Patrick Chan of Canada and Denis Ten of Kazakhstan got the silver and the bronze,

respectively. Although Martinez finished with total of 184.25 points which is good for 19th place, even the commentators were so awed that one of them declared a bright future for the Filipino figure skater owing to his young age.

Speaking after his performance, Martinez said his next goal is to qualify and take part in the next Winter Games in 2018 in Pyeongchang, Korea.

Meanwhile, Deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte urged the private sector to pour in more support for Martinez in his upcoming competitions, especially his preparations for the 2018

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Winter Olympics. Valte added that the private sector provided financial support for Martinez in his Sochi Olympics bid.

She also said Martinez received support

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from the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), and the Philippine Ice Skating Union.

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February 2014

2014 Detroit Auto Show: A whole lot of cars!

My Ride

by Ron

Cantiveros

ron@filipinojournal.com

T

wo incredible days of nonstop media press events at the North American International Auto Show can be quite fun and exhausting.

Ford kicked off the Media Preview Days in the famed Joe Louis Arena as they announced the best-selling vehicle in the US.

The 2015 Ford F-150 sheds almost 700lbs as the body will be made out of military-grade aluminum.

The biggest announcement was the 7th generation Corvette. The bright yellow 2015 Chevy Corvette Z06 unveiling did not disappoint.

The new 'Vette features an all-new 625-horsepower supercharged V8.

For those in Winnipeg looking to buy lesser vehicles, maybe consider holding out for the new Honda Fit. The new 2015 Honda Fit will be getting a new engine and feature a larger interior.

Other new car announcements include the 2015 Volkswagen Golf R, 2015 Subaru WRX STI, 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, 2015 Lexus RC F, 2015 Hyundai Genesis, 2015 GMC Canyon, 2015 BMW M3 Sedan and M4 Coupe, 2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe, and the Chyrsler 200S.

2015 Chevy Corvette Z06

Supra fans, get ready for the Toyota FT1

Isn’t she beautiful? What would a car show be without beautiful cars and stunning models.

The all-new 2015 Honda Fit unveiled

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Photos by Ron Cantiveros | Filipino Journal

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The pulse of the Filipino Community in Alberta, Canada

February 2014

Filipino-Canadian Donations Reach Tacloban Victims

L-R Wenny Deauna of Edmonton, Jun Angeles, Fr. Ramon Merino, Hermie Angeles, Sister Ruth and Tessie Deauna of Edmonton

Rev. Fr. Ramon U. Merino, oeconomus of the Archdiocese of Manila accepted with warm welcome the remaining balance of the fundraising money of the Filipino-Canadian Fundraising efforts for the victims of Typhoon Yolanda. The money equivalent to approximately P400,000.00 will go towards the rebuilding of Tacloban to assist the victims in dire needs Jun Angeles, publisher of Alberta Filipino Journal personally delivered the funds..Cardinal Antonio Tagle expressed regrets for his absence being in Rome to attend an ecumenical obligations.

Rev. Fr.Merino will make sure our community get a thank you letter from the Cardinal and will advise the Journal of the progress of the ongoing Typhoon Yolanda Project. Fr. Merino expressed his gratitude to the generosity of the Filipinos and Canadians in Edmonton. The rest of the money raised during the Fundraising campaign went directly to the Canadian Red Cross.

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February 2014

Typhoon Haiyan left unprecedented destruction in its wake, affecting 16 million people. Three months after Typhoon Haiyan made landfall, the Red Cross continues to respond to meet the needs of those affected and remains committed to working with the Philippine Red Cross as they help survivors recover from this disaster.

Typhoon Haiyan: Three-Month Report

Young boy makes full recovery at the Red Cross field hospital

Red Cross response by the numbers Over $ 42.6 million raised by the Canadian Red Cross Over 5.5 million litres of water distributed 1,136,385 people have received Red Cross food packages 324,000 households received immediate shelter assistance 104,560 reached with health and hygiene promotion 27,723 people reached with psychosocial support 33,931 family reunification cases responded to 54,194 hot meals distributed 8,500 Red Cross volunteers mobilized 12 International Emergency Response Units deployed The Canadian Red Cross field hospital has been active in the city of Ormoc since mid-November and has during that time admitted 1,226 patients, performed 114 surgeries and supported 418 deliveries.

When seven-year-old Abloy showed up at the Canadian Red Cross field hospital in the Philippines, medical staff didn’t think he was going to make it. Abloy had contracted tetanus by cutting his foot in the debris after Typhoon Haiyan made landfall.

“I felt so sad, and was so afraid and I was praying to God that he would make it and feel better,” said Abloy’s mother, Amy Bulahan.

The family lives 67 kilometres from where the Red Cross field hospital is set up in front of the district hospital in the city of Ormoc.

Not only was their second oldest child of three very sick, but their home was completely destroyed by the typhoon.

Abloy needed around-the-clock care for almost two weeks. He was moved into a quiet room by himself and was given medication for the pain and to sedate him as the spasms wracked through his body.

In addition to medicine, Red Cross aid workers spent some time doing psychosocial activities and

play therapy with Abloy, playing music with him, and getting his muscles working again by throwing a ball around.

“I really feel it was the combination of all the care we were able to provide to him that saved him,” said Colleen Laginskie, Red Cross head nurse. “We not only cared for his physical body, but we cared for his soul, we loved him.”

Abloy went home on December 18, walking all by himself out of the field hospital.

“If it wasn’t for the Red Cross, I don’t know what would have happened,” said Amy. Everyone involved in Abloy’s recovery is convinced if there are miracles, this is certainly one of them.

Filed by Jenn McManus, Provincial Director-Alberta, Canadian Red Cross

Mercan Recruit Ltd. Mercan has successfully brought 25,000 individuals to Canada Since 1989 and assisted them in obtaining permanent residency.

The founder and President, Mr. Jerome Morgan (R415983) and TFW Recruitment and Immigration Projects Manager, Marjorie Quintos (R507150) are accredited members of the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council, and Ms. Valerie Marcas, Is a member of Quebec Bar, Canadian Bar Association and the Quebec Immigration Lawyers Association.

The International Red Cross & Red Crescent response Immediately following the disaster, Red Cross volunteers in the Philippines and across affected communities rapidly mobilized to support disaster response operations. Now, three months later, the focus has shifted from emergency relief to providing longer-term support for recovery.

Shelter remains one of the most urgent needs, with over 100,000 people still living in evacuation centres. To date, the Red Cross has

provided over 2.2 million people with emergency shelter materials, including tarpaulins, tents, tools and ropes. The Red Cross’ priority is to support self-recovery with shelter tool kits, safer building advice and roofing materials.

Twelve specialized emergency response teams were deployed in the affected areas, including the field hospital run by the Canadian Red Cross.

The Canadian Red Cross response Shortly after the devastating typhoon made landfall in the Philippines, the Canadian Red Cross, with support from the Government of Canada, deployed a mobile field hospital to provide critical life-saving health services to hard-hit communities.

The Canadian Red Cross led a joint medical team from Canada, Norway, Australia and Hong Kong.

The medical team was active in the city of Ormoc during November and December 2013. Over this time period, the hospital admitted 1,226 patients, performed 114 surgeries and supported the delivery of 418 babies.

Typhoon Haiyan had destroyed 80 per cent of the Ormoc

district hospital upon impact. It is now operating at pre-disaster capacity thanks to support from the Canadian Red Cross field hospital.

In addition, the Canadian Red Cross field hospital provided psychosocial services to over 3,800 children and adults. Red Cross teams also provided training and workshops to over 230 teachers and volunteers on violence prevention, stress management, and safety and security.

The Canadian Red Cross also contributed to the overall response by deploying 11 Canadian delegates specialized in field assessment and coordination, logistics and information management in the days following the storm.

Sincere thanks for the generous support of all of our committed donors. Your donations, fundraising campaigns and initiatives make

a world of difference to the impacted communities in the Philippines.

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February 2014

Karilagan Dance Society bags Dinagyang Festival’s Best in Costume in Mardi Gras category

By Jun Angeles

Karilagan Dance Society has done it again!

Competing and winning are not new for this family oriented dance group. In the recently held Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo City last January 23-26 2014, Karilagan Dance Society, based in Edmonton, Alberta, won the best costume award in the Mardi Gras Category.

President and choreographer Memen Cochingco received the trophy awarded by the Iloilo City Mayor Jed Mabilog during the festival.

To attest the winning streak of this dance troupe, one would remember that the group won at the Barcelona, Spain competition;

and more than that, they brought several trophies from the various international competitions, such an incomparable achievements.

In Edmonton and nearby cities, the Karilagan Dance Society has been recognized as one of the premiere dance groups in the country. And more so, the dance society has travelled in Canada and raved many awards, and lately this early 2014, this group of young adults and children went to the Philippines not only to compete for the coveted award but also as a goodwill trip to let our kababayans in the Philippines know the great talent pool within this group.

With true dedication and

passion for folk dance, as a performing art, Memen Cochingco has become the mentor, a symbol of genuine cultural volunteerism, and has spent many years to explore new dances, in addition to other popular dances which have won many awards.

And performing in Iloilo City, it is great gesture of looking back, and letting the members of the Karilagan Dance Society experience being with people and explore the country where their grandparents, parents, uncle and aunts have had cultural roots. And not to be forgotten is their real experience to see the devastation left by super typhoon Haiyan.

Photos by Jun Angeles | Filipino Journal

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February 2014

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The Filipino Martial Arts: Are they the best martial arts ever created?

By Oliver Salvador

T

he growth of the Filipino martial arts (FMA – known as Kali, Arnis, or Eskrima) on a global scale has been nothing short of phenomenal. Throughout North America, Central and South America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, tens of thousands of people are now practicing the Filipino martial arts. Special Forces the world over are now including Filipino martial arts into their training programs because of their direct application and effectiveness in close quarters combat. This may lead some to ask the question – are the Filipino martial arts the best martial arts ever created?

As a Filipino, I would be inclined to automatically answer with a “yes!”. However, to remain objective, we must ask ourselves what a “best” martial art would have within its system(s). As a longtime practitioner of martial arts in general (with my specialization being in the Filipino martial arts), and as a recognized expert in selfdefense and martial arts both in the martial arts community and the security profession, I can say with authority that a complete martial art should have the following elements within its scope of instruction: 1) Weapons Combat (Edged weapons, impact weapons, handlaunched or thrown weapons, flexible weapons, and weapons of varying length, from the length of spears down to the short length of a folding knife) 2) Kicking or Leg Combat (Any combative movement or function of the legs and feet such as kicking, kneeing, striking with the shin,

instep, side of the foot, ball of the foot, or heel as the striking surface, stomping, pushing, etc.)

3) Punching or Fist/Hand Combat (Any combative movement or function of the arms and hands such as straight, uppercut and hooked punching, elbowing, hammer fists, back hand strikes and eye jabs/eye gouges, etc.)

4) Limb Trapping and Disabling/ Breaking (Any combative movement which serves to trap and/ or break or disable and opponents limbs. These movements can be performed with either the arms/ hands or legs/feet.)

5) Ground Combat/Grappling (Any combative movement which is performed on the ground, or at ground level. This includes grappling with or without weapons, movement when one is in a prone (stomach on the ground) or supine (back on the ground) position.)

The Filipino martial arts – as a whole – definitely meet these criteria. Every Filipino martial art that I have encountered has all of these elements. I will use generalized Tagalog terminology to describe those elements.

Sandata is the general term used to describe weapons. The term Pananandata refers to the active use of weapons in the Filipino martial arts. In the Filipino martial arts, all types of weapons are used from spears, staffs, sticks of varying length, swords, axes, knives of varying length, flexible weapons such as scarves, bandanas and nunchaku are all used in the Filipino martial arts as are thrown or handlaunched weapons such as throwing

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knives and other implements.

Weapons practice usually the first phase of training in the Filipino martial arts. This is because in the Philippines, combatants are usually armed, or have easy access to weapons, so armed combat is usually what is encountered. A positive benefit of weapons training as the first phase of training is that it eliminates the apprehension that normally occurs in people when they are suddenly faced with a weapon-wielding attacker.

Sipa or Tadyak are terms which are used to describe the act of kicking. The Filipino martial arts utilize all types of combative foot and leg movements such as stomping, kicking, kneeing, kicking in all directions and using the heel, side of foot, ball of foot, and instep as the contact areas during strikes. The Filipino martial arts also utilize reverse direction kicks and spinning kicks. In fact, the Founder of the Filipino martial art of Sikaran (A Filipino kicking art) has claimed that the popular Korean martial art of Tae Kwon Do did not have spinning kicks until they saw Filipinos using it in competition in Korea in 1957.

Suntok is a term which means “to hit with the fist”. Suntokan is a term used to describe a “fist fight” that is occurring. The Filipino martial arts includes all manner of hand striking. Hammer fists, open hand strikes, eye jabs with the fingers, and back hand strikes utilizing the knuckles of the hand are all a part of the Filipino martial arts. In fact, Filipino “dirty” boxing is in fact a more combat effective method than conventional “boxing”

as it utilizes strikes and attack angles that are not used in conventional Western boxing.

Huli is a term meaning “to catch, or trap”. Bali is a term that means “to fracture, or break”.

Combined, these terms form Huliin at Baliin, which translates as “trapping and breaking”. The Filipino martial arts emphasize the trapping and seizing of limbs to immobilize the opponents attack.

This enables the defender to then break or disable the attacker’s limbs so the attacker can no longer continue to attack. This is an integral part of the Filipino martial arts, and every system has its own preferred methods of accomplishing the task.

Buno is a term used to describe “wrestling or grappling”. It is a Filipino combative grappling art that is derived from the weapons movements. This is a little-known fact about the Filipino martial arts, as most people think of stick fighting when asked to describe what they know of the Filipino martial arts.

However, Buno is an integral part of the Filipino martial arts as most close combat situations eventually end up on the ground. Buno is a skill that Filipino warriors, known as Mandirigma, from different tribes in the Philippines, have practiced since before recorded history. Even in these modern times, these same tribes still practice and preserve this art.

All of the above-mentioned elements comprise the Filipino

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17 martial arts.

This enables practitioners of Filipino martial arts to be able to adapt to any combat range or situation, whether armed or unarmed. The versatility and the effectiveness of the Filipino martial arts is so widely recognized that military forces from around the world, from the Israeli Defense Force, to the Russian Spetznaz (Special Forces), to the Navy SEALs and Army Rangers have now incorporated them into their training. Even practitioners of the late Bruce Lee’s art of JeetKune Do have recognized the effectiveness of the Filipino martial arts. Ron Balicki, a world-renowned practitioner of JeetKune Do, and husband of Diana Lee Inosanto (Bruce Lee’s niece), sums it up best in The Bladed Hand, a documentary on the Filipino martial arts, when he says, “Kali is more JeetKune Do than JeetKune Do is JeetKune Do”.

So are the Filipino martial arts the best martial arts ever created? They just might be! That’s one reason why I’m proud to be a Filipino!

About the author: Oliver Salvador is a Master in the Filipino martial art of Rutano Estokada (Estokada is another term for Arnis, Eskrima or Kali) as well as a Guro in Modern Arnis. He has been studying and training in the Filipino martial arts for 38 years.

He is the Founder of the Philippine Warrior Arts Society (Check it out on Facebook), and can be contacted at 587-708-2000 or by e-mail at olsalvador@outlook.com

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The pulse of the Filipino Community in Alberta, Canada

February 2014

Horoscope Acting on impulse could be stressful as far as relationships go.

Try to avoid purely selfish interests if you can, as they may not win you any fans. However, sharing honest thoughts with a spouse or close friend would be a good use of your energy.

The potential for surprising news on the job or career front could trigger thoughts about what the future holds. This week’s blend of energies could have you on the edge of your seat, yet there is also a possibility of making a few changes of your own that could surprise your boss or employer.

In the first half of this week, love is on your cards. All what you want to do is just be there with your partner and spend some quality time together. You may plan a surprise party or some special gift for your spouse. Try to avoid any kind of hot headed conversation.

In the beginning of this period, you are likely to find your perfect match. So, if you are looking out for your soul mate, fortune is on your cards this week. You will definitely come across a special person in the end of this week.

Friends from afar may send you unpleasant news as February opens, but it’s nothing to rock your world. Friends and lovers near at hand are here for you. Frivolous feelings won’t be much help now. Respect and listen to your heart.

Don’t let other people’s problems sideswipe you in the first week of the month. It might be tempting to overreact and chase after too many good times, but resist that, too. Things will settle down. Be the royal couple and share secret wishes and a fantasy or two. You deserve to decompress.

This is the best and most fortunate duration to make a positive impression on your better half, as your cards are saying it out loud that this week will be extremely fortunate and fruitful for you. In the beginning, you may spend some more time with the love of your life.

The first two weeks in Feb 2014 won’t be as sentimental as you’d like them to be. They’ll bring a lot of energy, but you seem to want more tenderness and understanding. To get what you want, you have to make an effort of communication. Talk to your partner as much as possible.

This might not be the best time to organize job interviews or crucial meetings with your boss because things might not go as planned. If you need to commit to a plan or project, try to keep track of important documents and paperwork, as you may need them further down the line. Changes at this time could be inevitable.

You need to be more cautious this period, as some unnecessary matter may get stretched and make you feel a bit disturbed. In the first half, you will go through some alone time, as your partner might go away for some work. You will come across some positive changes in your life, which will boost up your chances of finding the love of your life.

The time will be in your favor and you will feel extremely satisfied by the end of this week. Your hard work and efforts will definitely be respected at work as well as in the personal life. Try to keep a control over your anger as this might drag you towards trouble in the end of this period. Differences due to financial problem and private matters might come up.

Starting days will be full of happiness. You would like to give importance to the entertainment. In the mid of this period, you may give financial help to a friend. Time is good for shopping.

It is very important to keep a control over your speech.

Weekend will be positive for you. Your psychological energy may increase by staying loyal to someone.

PAHALANG 1 Kapa 7 Pagalis ng balahibo 11 Mahinhin 12 Talo 13 Bagoong 15 Unlapi 16 Vasco da _______ 17 Simangutan 19 Isinalin ng paabot 20 Pinagsasama

PABABA 24 Ipabitag 25 Kung 26 Rubdob 30 Angkin 31 Makina 33 Salitang paturol 35 Lagumin 36 As Soon As Posible 37 Pambunot ng balbas

1

Singaw sa tinapay

18 Ang sabi ni

2

Shovel: Tagalog

19 Ihilera

3 Insulto

20 Sulatan sa iskul

4 Salita

21 Iwangki

5

22 Natunghayan

Ulo ng pamilya

6 Binabaliti

23 Nalig

7

26 Daing ng nasaktan

Silver: sagisag

8 Palo

27 Langis ng niyog

9 Ipahintay

28 Panghalip

10 Masdan

29 Palayaw ng lalaki

14 Salukan ng tubig-

32 Kawawa

NAWASA

34 Operational Poster

Volunteer Photographers Wanted

Volunteer photographers needed. Build your portfolio or use your expertise to aid the Filipino Journal by photographing special events and concerts. Must have own equipment and transportation. Photo editing skills would be helpful but not required.

The Filipino communities are growing in Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer & Fort McMurray. More & more events being passed along our way, we are looking to complement our team with volunteer photographers to cover all those events.

As with any community newspaper, we focus on local events such as community gatherings, picnics, sporting events, press conferences, dinners. Some gigs can be as quick as 15-20 minutes and other can be long, painful & boring. Our goal is to find photographers that we can assign work to on any given story. The majority of the events are during the evenings and weekend.

As far as compensation is concerned, we’re offering several options and considerations: 1. promotional compensation with photo credits on all photography used in our print and online editions.

3. advertising compensation with supporting photography services ad in our print edition.

4. royalties on any photographs sold through our website (in development).

Interested photographers can submit their name and portfolio to info@FilipinoJournal.com

All photos & articles available online!

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.

Here is the puzzle. Good luck!

7 2

1

3 3 6 1

3 7 2 8 8 4 1 7 2 1 7 9 4 6 5 9 3 5 4 8 Daily Sudoku: Fri 25-Oct-2013

(c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2013. All rights reserved.

Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer & Fort McMurray

very hard

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

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http://www.dailysudoku.com/

February 2014

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19

Falling in love with Winter Olympics

A maple-coated Filipino heart

by Erlinda

Dolly Tan

erlindatan@yahoo.com

I’m not sports minded, but I’m a huge Olympics fan. They’re two different things to me. Sports can mean hockey, basketball, football, swimming, track and field. Olympics is more than just a game.

It’s the biggest peaceful gathering of different countries from all continents, in one venue, for the longest time. Let’s put that perspective into numbers. In this year’s Olympics, 88 countries gather in Sochi and will meet everyday for 17 days. (The Olympics is on-going as I write this.) The parade of delegates at the Opening Ceremony, is the best definition of peace we can give our children. Here, we can tell them, is the world. This is the world – a united human race, involved and patriotic.

Olympics is a symbol of peace, above many others.

It is that one gathering when North Korea, Afghanistan and the United States, among other countries, can share the spirit of solidarity in one venue. It is that one gathering when the flag of other nations are raised and looked up with respect and admiration.

It is that one gathering when power is not defined by economy or the strongest army.

Of course, there’s the game per se. And the athletes. To be an Olympian is not just to be a basketball star. It’s more than that. Olympics is a gathering of the world’s best. I mean, the world’s best. It’s a gathering of human beings who can fly, who can run faster than an automobile and where judging is measured by a difference of one-hundredth-of-a-second.

The best part is that moment when an Olympian wins Gold. From a flying robot, he is transformed back to being human. He cries, he weeps.

The expression on his face says everything about being human. The joy, the disbelief, the reward, the many years of training - they are all written in the face of an Olympics champion.

Then the family - parents hugging, brothers and sisters crying and a town celebrating. As the flag is being raised and the national anthem being played, the whole nation celebrates. This is something we only see in Olympics.

Too, the failures and frustrations as part of the Olympics story. Four years of preparation and carrying the nation’s expectations on his shoulder.

And on the day he was going to make it, he made unexpected errors. He jumped for Gold but stumbled to get nothing. Then the face of dismay, the tears and the apology. This too, is part of the Olympics story.

My first winter Olympics I moved to Canada from Singapore few months before the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

My destination in Canada: Vancouver!

What a good timing. I was there as

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it happened. It was the first time I had watched a winter Olympics nonstop. Prior, I had no idea that luge, skeleton, curling and mogul are names of sports. I was born and raised in a tropical country, that’s why, my sports are scuba diving and tennis.

It was also in Vancouver I had witnessed Canada’s love for hockey.

Or is it obsession? I remember on the last day of the Olympics, Canada and the US battled for the hockey Gold in a nail-biting three-period thriller. Right after the emotional win by Canada, by a goal that broke the 2-2 tie, a celebration of national pride erupted.

There was ‘people power’ in big cities. Downtowns Vancouver and Toronto were flooded with people, all proud to be Canadians. They honked for victory. Canadian flags were raised from the east coast down to the west, like a war had just ended. People sang the national anthem inside the bus, train, malls, just everywhere.

Unbelievable. But as they say, Canadians skate before they can walk, they learn hockey prior to arithmetic.

Truth was, I also joined the jubilation.

With borrowed patriotism, I screamed when Canada scored for Gold.

Following day, all newspapers in the country carried the hockey victory as their banner photo. I kept a copy and I still have it today. Was my patriotism for Canada born that day? Maybe. Via a sport that I don’t even understand.

Fast forward to Sochi Vancouver Winter Olympics was my first love. But Sochi is better because I already know what to expect.

I do not only know the names of the sports now, I also know the names of Canada’s Olympians. Some names

are really hard to pronounce, pardon my French ignorance, but at least I can remember the spelling. In fact, I was watching as-it-happened when we got our first Gold and first Silver via the Dufour-Lapointe sisters. I saw the interview right after the victory when emotion was still raw, when Justine the Gold medalist said, “I gave it all, I gave my heart, I gave all the energy I had inside.” I also saw how she cried at the podium when Canada’s flag was raised. I’m not Canadian (not yet) but I felt goosebumps.

Likewise, I was there when Patrick Chan skated for Gold but ended up with Silver. I watched when he fell on the ice. I stopped breathing for a moment. Although Canadians tweeted that it’s okay and there’s nothing to apologize for, I know deep inside they wanted nothing less than Gold. I know because I feel it. The pressure on Patrick was just too much. No Canadian in history has won Gold in Men’s Figure Skating. And until that time, Patrick-et-al will go through the same pressure every four years. The drought for Gold must end.

The Sochi Winter Olympics is not over as I write this. But already, one of the memorable things on my “reporter’s notebook” is… actually it’s not about sports – it’s the substandard hotel rooms in Sochi. Pardon me for including this tidbit here, it’s just the engineering side of me. The international press had feasted on this online. They tweeted hilarious pictures of Sochi’s hotel accommodations. I was as surprised.

I always think Russia is superior in science and engineering. But the pictures of Fire Hose Cabinets found inside the hotel rooms, stunned me to say the least. I can accept doorknobs

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falling off or rooms without light bulbs, but… two water closets, a.k.a. toilet bowls, installed two feet apart in one washroom, without partition, is… I may call, a design malfunction.

Okay. Forget it. Olympics is not about engineering, pardon my musing.

Go Canada go In this year’s Olympics, I now know that alpine is a sport and not a can of milk from the Philippines. I now know that skeleton is a sport and not a scary hanging-object inside the closet. I’m still trying to absorb though why curling is called as such, I thought at first it’s something a hairdresser does in a salon. And I’m still trying to figure out why luge and skeleton are different sports when the only difference is, the direction the athlete is facing. Did I tell you I grew up in a tropical country?

That explains.

But that doesn’t hinder me from supporting our athletes. I’m a big fan of Olympics mittens. I have a collection from the 2010, 2012 and 2014 Olympics. I give them out as gifts too. I’m aware one-third of the sales go to the Canadian Olympic Foundation.

The Sochi Winter Olympics will be over in a few days. Some say, the medal standing is not important – the hockey Gold is. They say, if we don’t get Gold in hockey, we didn’t win regardless.

I want to be there when it happens. I want to be part of the nation when they scream for the hockey Gold.

I’ve been struggling to love hockey over the years but maybe this time, is the right time. Go Canada! Go Crosby go! Go Luongo go! Who says I don’t know the hockey stars?

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Lesson-Driven Reflections Lito Mendoza Velasco Lito Velasco, Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy A homoviator, a catalyst of change. He moves in the light of his Philosophical, Political and Theological backgrounds. He loves challenges and believes he learns and improves his critical thinking from those challenges.

Attacking the Heart

F

ebruary is the month symbolizing love. This is the season when Safeway, Save On, Superstore, and other flower shops have gained a lot of profits from the chocolates and flowers' sales. Lovers are attacking the hearts of their loved ones by sending or bringing a bunch of

The pulse of the Filipino Community in Alberta, Canada

flowers. While some are brokenhearted, others are stricken with heart-attack or cardiac arrest for the reason that they believe, nobody loves them.

The heart has its own reason that the reason does not have. Lovers have always been associating heart with emotion. Broken-hearted individuals oftentimes blame their hearts for committing mistakes by loving the wrong partners. Most of the times, lovers frequently became illogical. They have the tendency to jump into the conclusion without going through syllogism. But, sometimes, you can also find types of lovers who firmly believe that the greatest measure of love is to love without measure. These are the kinds of lovers who have always been abused. Filipino heart is one of these kinds. They pay too much value on the sanctity of matrimony despite all the miseries either of the couple has been encountering.

The Filipino orientation has always have the reason to keep the family intact while realizing that the house is no longer a home. Some may have even stood up and say that the children are the ones suffering the effect of a broken-family. So they have to stay. But, what benefit can a child get from the parents who keep on fighting inside their houses or where domestic violence reign?

Isn't it more traumatic? Isn't it true

that the mind should rule over the heart? Ah, in this case, they both are quarrelsome as one has the tendency to be domineering.

I am not an advocate of legal separation and divorce, but rather, promoting pragmatism.

Marriage is an institution, is true.

It is legal, is true. Courtship is an unfinished business that can be continued through and within marriage. Marriage is an endless time for discovering each other's flaws and good qualities alike.

Congratulations to those who have been blessed with the perfect partners (though nobody's perfect), whom you can always rely on and make you feel good. Lucky are those who have sought the meaning of their lives in their wives or husbands; for you will surely find a lasting and meaningful life. You are gifted indeed! Life, precisely is so good for you. But, what about those who haven't been as fortunate as you are. Are they worth blaming for because they live contrary to the kind of life you are enjoying right now? In your eyes, they are sinners and contributory to social problems, but how do you call the kind of society that puts them in this situation? Practically, we need to realize that a real family is not always located under one and the same roof. This reality should not be taken as the reason to be sad and

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lonely. One author said: "loneliness is not the absence of presence, but the absence of direction." It is imperative to exert effort and spend quality time during our visits, implant in them the seeds of good manners and right direction, and never turn away from the basic responsibilities as father or mother to our kids then it is sound and healthy. Look around, you will see different perspectives that arose from experiences. Just pick whatever pleases your heart and let your mind finalize the decision.

February 2014 Whichever situation is best suited to our own experiences based on the cases above, we still have to face the challenges of life with equanimity. There is always the other side of the coin. One side may make you win and the other side favors the other.

Happy Heart's month!

Happy Family Day! (For comments and suggestions, please feel free to email me at litovelasco@yahoo.ca)

Karilagan Dance Society Aids the Town of Sara in Iloilo The Karilagan Dance Society distributed boxes of relief goods to the affected areas in Sara, Iloilo.

For the members, the experience of seeing the path of Typhoon Yolanda's fury was heartbreaking. Seeing the houses

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and schools without roofs, big trees uprooted, mountains scraped of greens were such unbelievable scenes, For the group handing in the relief goods was heart warming seeing the smiles of the people that received the help.

The pulse of the Filipino Community in Alberta, Canada

February 2014

by Gem & Lita Anis

Jamaica, the "land of rivers and springs"

O

riginally "Xayamaca" meaning "land of rivers and springs" in Arawak Indian language, the island Country of Jamaica is the fifth largest in the Caribbean with an area of 10,990 sq. kms. 4,240 sq. mi) populated

by English-speaking 2.8 million people. Its capital and largest city is Kingston. A member of the British Commonwealth of Nations with Queen Elizabeth as its monarch and titular head represented by a governorgeneral with a prime minister as the actual head of the government, Jamaica is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy with a bicameral law-making body, the Parliament,consisting of an appointed Senate and elected House of Representatives.

Although a small nation Jamaica is rich in culture and history.

Actually, Christopher Columbus claimed Jamaica for Spain after landing there in 1494. Ian Fleming must have realized how historical the island is when Jamaica was used for location footage of the first

James Bond film "Dr. No" in 1962.

Later in 1988 Jamaica was used for a location shoot for the Tom Cruise movie "Cocktail".

In the late 1960s a music genre popularly known as "reggae" first culturally originated and developed in Jamaica particularly in Kingston.

In the modern day pop culture scene the name Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley, a three-time Grammy award winning Jamaican reggae artist, is a household name.

While in Jamaica it may be hard to choose between the arresting landscapes and the blue waters.

Try to indulge in both as we did.

Without question, we think that Jamaica's most celebrated sight is the famous Dunn's River Falls in Ochos Rios, "not only a sight to see but to tacke, as well". A mustdo activity when visiting the island, climbing the cascading waterfalls terraced like giant natural stairs and bordered by lush green vegetation is a memorable get-wet experience that calls for swimsuits/shorts and old sneakers or scuba boots or water

shoes (not flips flops). You won't be able to ascend for one and a half hours with your bare feet! The climb, led by guides wearing blue shirts, is negotiated as a hand-holding human chain for safety through the slippery rocks and boulders. Park guides also hold your cameras and take pictures in the placid pools under the falls.

Fed by spring water the falls empty into the Caribbean Sea with its bluegreen waters fringed by white sands.

Don't miss a drive through one of Jamaica's natural wonders, the Fern Gully, a scenic 3-mile stretch of highway under a natural canopy of lush greenery that winds through a rocky gorge filled with different varieties of ferns (Jamaica has the world's largest number of fern species - more than 570).Along the road through the gully are many craft stalls of vendors selling wooden carvings and sculptures.

Jamaica's theme park in Ochos Rios is the first of its kind in the country with its two-level interactive museum highlighting the "ReggaeXplosion". There's also an outdoor amphitheatre and stage, a 230-seat theatre, and a village square where street performers entertain and artisans sell craft products.

Worth a visit is the Shaw Park Gardens, a beautiful botanical garden situated well above the town for a sweeping view of the island.

The park boasts a majestic waterfall and a 25-acre garden featuring around 600 species of flowers along with many ferns and shrubs.

Before you leave the island don't forget to bring home one of the most expensive and sought-after coffee in the world, the Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. In Jamaica, you can buy them for about $15 a pound.

Jamaican coffee is grown on the fertile slopes of the Blue Mountains of the island where the climate is cool and misty with high rainfall at the legally required elevations between 3,600 and 5,000 feet. The coffee cherries are handpicked to insure optimal ripeness.

You'll want to go back once you experience Jamaica!

Lita holding maracas (rumba shakers)

Gem with reggae band

Ochos Rios

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The pulse of the Filipino Community in Alberta, Canada

February 2014

Edmonton’s Iglesia Ni Cristo joins historical “Worldwide Walk”

By Erlinda Dolly Tan

The -16 degree Celsius freezing temperature didn’t hinder more than 800 Edmontonian members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) to join the “Worldwide Walk” for typhoon Haiyan victims at the Rundle Park last February 15th.

The historical event was part of a huge charity relief operations by the INC church

that broke world records. It now holds as the Guinness World Records of “The largest charity walk in a single venue” and “The largest charity walk in 24 hours in multiple venues.”

In the Philippines, 175,000 participants filled the stretch of Roxas Boulevard in Manila.

Members of the INC church in Edmonton enjoyed the “Worldwide Walk” at Rundle Park despite the cold temperature.

29 other countries participated in 13 time zones with a total participant of 519,521.

Carrying the theme “We walk so they can stand,” the event was aimed at helping the typhoon ravaged areas of central Philippines. A typhoon with a wind speed of 300+ kph, recorded as the strongest in

More than 800 members of the INC church in Edmonton braved the -16 deg C frigid temperature to join the historical “Worldwide Walk” for typhoon Haiyan victims.

history, accompanied by a 5-7 meters storm surge, flattened Tacloban City and its neighbouring towns.

Official death toll is at 6,000 plus, but residents of Tacloban believe the count could double. Hundreds of thousands are left homeless.

Each participant in the Philippines donated P250 registration, in exchange of a white souvenir t-shirt. The funds of about 43 million pesos will go to typhoon survivors, members and non-members of the INC church.

In Edmonton, each participant donated $30 and walked 1.6 kilometres. Jerome Paz, a member of the Edmonton INC church whose family participated and braved the frigid weather, said: “It was worth it despite the cold weather because we are doing this for a very noble cause. This activity is part of our church outreach program ‘Kabayan Ko, Kapatid Ko’ (My Countrymen, My Brethren) that aims to extend brotherly love and care for all.”

This writer was one of the participants in Edmonton. Though I am not a member of the INC church, I willingly and gladly participated in the spirit of solidarity to help Tacloban, my hometown, rise up from the rubble. I was very impressed with the preparation and organizing efforts of their church leaders. From small details of registration logistics, to the actual walk, everything was well executed and delivered.

I was touched being a Taclobanon, those members of the church in Canada who have no connection at all to Tacloban, would do this in the name of charity and service.

Jerome Paz and family, members of the INC church in Edmonton.

Filipino Journal reporter Erlinda Dolly Tan with a member of the INC church, Grace Demera.

Media partners:

An independent non-INC member witnessed the official counting of wrist bands. All participants dropped their wrist bands in a box as they reached the Finish Line.

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February 2014

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*Subscription to corresponding channels required; HD not available with all channels. †Offer available until February 18, 2014, to residential customers who have not subscribed to Optik TV or Internet in the past 90 days. Minimum system requirements apply. Final eligibility for the services will be determined by a TELUS representative. TELUS reserves the right to modify channel lineups and packaging and regular pricing without notice. Cannot be combined with other offers. Offer not available with TELUS Internet 6. HDTV-input-equipped television required to watch HD. 42” LG Smart TV offer available while quantities last and cannot be combined with promotional prices. TELUS reserves the right to substitute an equivalent or better product without notice. Manufacturer’s suggested retail price of a 42” LG Smart TV is $899. Cancellation fee for early termination of a service agreement will be $24/mo. for the 42” LG Smart TV and $10/mo. for the HD PVR and digital boxes multiplied by the number of months remaining in the term. Current rental rates apply at the end of the term. Rental equipment must be returned in good condition upon cancellation of service, otherwise the replacement cost will be charged to the account. TELUS, the TELUS logo, Optik, Optik TV and the future is friendly are trademarks of TELUS Corporation, used under licence. © LG Electronics Canada, Inc. All rights reserved. “LG Life’s Good” is a registered trademark of LG Corp. © 2014 TELUS. C0.5 Free TV PHILLIPINO Journal FP AB.indd 1

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