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Volume 5, Number 1 • January 2012
Philippines’ Typhoon Sendong Unites the Filipino Community in Fund Raising Campaign
Alberta
Pinoys Meet & Greet with Premier Alison Redford.
Publications Mail Agreement 40032612
Traveled to the Philippines and loved it!
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It’s More Fun In The Philippines
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Calgary Pinoys meet and greet with Premier Alison Redford with a very warm welcome.
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0118 The Altar of Sto. Nino Church in Cebu City
Photo by: Nikki Yap Alinas-Richter
Prime Minister Stephen Harper Jenny @ forty eats lunch with Chief Weasel Head of the Blood Tribe during the 1st First Nation Summit ► Page 16
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Jenny Bungay, owner of the successful Canadawide business, The Philippine Financial Services celebrated her 40th birthday with a big bang at their family residence in Lipa City, Batangas.
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Interaction making the difference in communities If you were losing your sight, would you delay seeing a doctor, especially if there was free treatment just 20 km away? Not likely. But many people in developing countries accept low vision and blindness as a given, even when medical help is available. Parvathy is a middle-aged weaver who lives in a village in India. She started developing cataracts in both eyes in her 40s, and since weaving required good eyesight, it would mean the end of her income. A wretched life of begging was all that awaited her if she lost her eyesight. Nearby Garnett Memorial Eye Hospital in Mettupalayam, one of a number of hospitals supported by Operation Eyesight Universal, offers free treatment for those who can’t pay. But Parvathy did not go. The hospital was far away, and she was fearful. Parvathy is not the only one who is afraid or for whom cost or distance are obstacles. For these reasons, many do not seek the treatment that could save their sight. But because of support from Operation Eyesight’s Canadian donors, hospitals like Garnett Memorial Eye Hospital are able to launch community outreach programs that dramatically increase the numbers of patients receiving treatment. Local citizens are trained in eye health
Super Visa sham
and able to refer people for Would you like to learn treatment. They travel by bicycle more about Calgary-based and motorbike to surrounding Operation Eyesight and the communities, some so remote that impact it is having? Go to they don’t even have roads. In this www.operationeyesight.com/ way, people receive one successstories, on one interaction. or contact us for A weaver That interaction more information. like Parvathy made the difference for Together, with the needs good vision Parvathy, who was able support of thousands to make a living. to travel to the hospital of Canadians and Thanks to for the surgery – free individuals around of charge, including the world, we are Operation transportation and winning the fight Eyesight, post-operative against avoidable this became a treatment. Parvathy’s blindness – for all the reality. life was changed. world to see. Such community outreach exists because Operation Photo Credit: Courtesy Operation Eyesight Eyesight’s donors fund training Natalie Dawes for community workers and Donor Communications Project Manager Phone: 403-283-6323 purchase bicycles and motorbikes. Email: dawesn@operationeyesight.com Outreach continues to impact lives Website: www.operationeyesight.com and save sight in communities Facebook: OperationEyesightUniversal Twitter: @OpEyesight around the world.
There has been a lot of discussion about the Conservative government’s new “Super Visa” in the community recently, but unfortunately it has turned out to be an insult to families desperate to bring their parents here. The Super Visa was supposed to bring families closer together by allowing parents and grandparents to visit their children in Canada for up to two years at a time over a decade. But the reality is that most families won't be able to afford the high-costs involved with the Visa, including meeting minimum salary levels and paying thousands for private health insurance. All of this is assuming the application is even approved, and we all know how difficult that has become under the Conservatives. Worse, the Super Visa controversy is distracting attention from the Conservatives’ decision to freeze parental sponsorship applications for two years - breaking a promise to new Canadians. For some, having the right to sponsor their parents is the reason why they chose to come to Canada. What the Conservatives have done - no matter what their excuse - is not right. With a majority, the Conservatives have begun their Reform Party agenda, known for its anti-immigrant policies. They have chosen to ignore all the hard-working new Canadians who elected them based on empty promises. In contrast, the Liberal Party of Canada believes in reuniting families. In government, Liberals worked closely with immigrant communities leading to a fair and flexible immigration system. Indeed, more immigrants have been welcomed in by Liberals than by any other Party in Canada. Only with a Liberal government in Ottawa will Canada have an immigration policy that puts the concerns and needs of immigrants first. Sincerely, Kevin Lamoureux Critic for Immigration for the Liberal Party of Canada
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Corona’s ‘day in court’
PEREZCOPE by Perry
Diaz
PerryDiaz@gmail.com
F
inally, Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona had his day in court. Accused of betrayal of public trust, and graft and corruption, and culpable violation of the Constitution, Corona was impeached by the House of Representatives and is now facing his accusers – eleven representatives of the people – before a Senate impeachment trial with the 23 senators sitting as judges. Corona and his wife Cristina attended the first day of the trial to prove -- as his chief defense counsel retired Supreme Court Justice Serafin Cuevas pronounced -- that he is not hiding anything. But as it turned out, Corona’s defense attorneys demanded that the list of 45 properties allegedly owned by the Coronas not be accepted in the trial. If he was not really hiding anything, why would he object to the introduction of public information as evidence? Collective voice The impeachment trial is all about Corona’s character. It’s all laid out in the prosecution team’s opening statement, which was read by Congressman-prosecutor Niel C. Tupas Jr. “As public servants,” Tupas began, “we took an oath to uphold the people’s will at all times. All who hold positions in the government of our Republic are accountable for their actions. For the power of the sovereign Filipino people is a power that is higher than the Executive, the Legislative or even the Judiciary. And therefore, no matter how high and mighty one’s position may be, one can never, ever be beyond public
accountability. Today, we lay down before this impeachment tribunal the product of the collective voice of the people.” Having said that, Tupas then crystallized the prosecution’s objective: “We are not here to indict the Supreme Court as an institution, or to do battle with the judicial branch of government. We are here to search for the truth so as to restore the strength and independence of the judiciary. We are here because one man -- Chief Justice Renato Corona -- has bartered away for a pot of porridge the effectiveness, the independence, and the honor of the Supreme Court. Mr. Senate President, your honors, one very important question before this honorable impeachment tribunal is, by what standards should Renato Corona be judged?” After he briefly extolled two Supreme Court icons, Cayetano Arellano, the first Chief Justice and Jose Abad Santos, who preferred to die at the hands of the Japanese rather than betray his country, Tupas said: “The Code of Judicial Conduct demands that a judge must be like Caesar’s wife -- someone who must not only be pure but must be beyond suspicion at all times. Therefore, a Justice must be judged according to the highest standards. Against such standards, we then ask: Who is Chief Justice Corona? What kind of a man is he?” Tupas described Corona as a “loyal servant” to former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo from the time she became Vice-President in 1998 until she became President in 2001. Then Arroyo appointed Corona’s wife Cristina to plum positions in the Camp John Hay Management Corporation and then appointed Corona himself as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, and the “best reward” of all, Corona took a “midnight oath” as Chief Justice. Tupas said that Corona’s appointment as Chief Justice also served an “immoral” purpose: to shield Arroyo from prosecution for her misdeeds during her presidency. Tupas then outlined the eight articles of impeachment against
Corona. He mentioned Article 2 last, saying: “And finally, we come to Article 2 where the prosecution will prove that Chief Justice Renato Corona amassed ill-gotten wealth after he was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2002. To give you an idea of this article, let me present to you some of the prized pieces of the Corona crown jewels,” and named several multi-million properties. And in a stinging indictment of Corona, Tupas said, “The governing principle of our laws is clear: unexplained discrepancy between an official’s income and his assets, declared or undeclared, is prima facie evidence of ill-gotten wealth, and therefore, is an impeachable crime of graft and corruption.” “In closing,” he said, “the message of the House, as the representatives of the people, is the same as that given by Oliver Cromwell when he dismissed England’s Long Parliament on April 20 of 1653. Before God and country, we say: ‘It is high time for us to put an end to your sitting in that place, which you have dishonored by your contempt of all virtue, and defiled by your practice of every vice, you are an enemy to good government, as you have sold your country for a mess of pottage, and like Judas Escariot betrayed your God for a few pieces of gold. Depart I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!’ ”
But it must be remembered that for several days prior to his “day in court,” Corona staged press conferences and public rallies and attacked several people of conspiracy to bring him down. First, he accused the Land Registration Authority (LRA) Administrator of producing a fake list of 45 properties that were allegedly owned by Corona, his wife and children, and in-laws. He branded the list as a “hoax.” And just hours before the impeachment trial started, Corona told his supporters who gathered in front of the Supreme Court that three persons were conspiring to remove him from office. He said that the first wanted to stop the distribution of Hacienda Luisita to farmerbeneficiaries, the second lost in his bid to become vice president, and the third “desperately” wants to become Chief Justice.
days of the Arroyo administration, several other justices were nominated including then-Associate Justice and now-Ombudsman Conchita CarpioMorales and Associate Justice Antonio Carpio. Carpio-Morales and Carpio declined the nomination noting that there was a ban on “midnight appointments.” But Corona accepted the nomination saying that it was the dream of every lawyer to be appointed to the highest position in the Judiciary. However, many warned him that accepting a “midnight appointment” could be problematic in the future. It was a self-fulfilling prophecy and look where he is right now – fighting to keep the position that he dreamed about all his life. It’s too early to see how the political weather vane would turn. But if Corona were acquitted, would history give him a place to occupy next to Cayetano Arellano and Jose Abad Santos? Or would an Midnight appointment Corona shouldn’t blame unforgiving people consign him to anybody but himself for the the dustbin of history when he steps problems he’s having now. It must down in 2018? be remembered that when he was nominated for the soon-to-be-vacant He had his “day in court.” Quo vadis, Chief Justice position in the waning Corona?
Conspiracy theory It was a lacerating rebuke to Corona who was at that time sitting at the VIP section with his wife. Makes one wonder how he felt? It must have taken him a lot of courage to make an appearance at the opening day of the impeachment trial, knowing that the prosecution team would certainly attack him. Could it be that his appearance was calculated to evoke public sympathy and make him a martyr in the public eye?
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2012 Assessment Notices Mailed
Homeowners urged to check notice for accuracy
T
January 2012
Canada Supports Flood Victims in the Philippines
January 03, 2012
he 2012 property assessment notices are being mailed to 326,600 property owners in Edmonton. On average the value for most houses in Edmonton remained the same, or was slightly lower. Edmonton’s single-family residential properties decreased in value by an average of 1.7% from 2010. The provincially-legislated date used for the 2012 assessment is July 1, 2011. These notices are not the tax bill (distributed annually in May). Provincial law mandates that an assessment of property value be used to determine each property owner’s share of the total municipal tax levy – which funds the City’s annual budget for civic services – as well as the provincial education tax requirement. “We encourage homeowners to review their property’s assessed value, compare it with similar properties in their area using our online tool, and make sure the value reflects what the house could have sold for on the open market on July 1 last year,” said Rod Risling, Manager of the Assessment and Taxation Branch. “If people have a concern, they should call our assessors at 780496-6388 to review it and in most cases errors can be corrected right away.” If concerns remain unresolved after talking to an assessor, the homeowner may file a written complaint with the Assessment Review Board by March 12, using the form provided with the notice of assessment. Property owners can appeal their assessment, but tax bills cannot be appealed. General assessment and neighbourhood information is available at www.edmonton. ca/assessment. More detailed assessment data regarding your home and sales within your neighbourhood can be found at
https://assessmentinfo.edmonton. ca/ using a password provided on the front of each assessment notice. The City uses the records for all property sales to assess the value for all properties. Assessors look at other factors such as property age, location, features, size and condition. Provincial law requires the City to use this market value method to determine assessments of all properties as if they sold on July 1, and to use these valuations as the basis for levying both municipal taxes and provincial education taxes. The City’s budget, passed in December, requires a 5.39% increase (includes 1.5% for neighbourhood renewal) in municipal taxes to cover the increase in costs to service an expanding city and additional costs related to staff for new recreation facilities, LRT expansion, and enhanced services such as snow removal, mosquito control and road maintenance. A tax estimate is provided on the assessment notice, showing the owner approximately how much the taxes will change based on the change in assessed value. However, the estimate does not include the amount required for the 2012 municipal budget increase or for the provincial education tax, both finalized later this spring. To assist property owners with budgeting for their 2012 tax bill, a more detailed estimate can be obtained by using the City’s online Tax Estimator. If the property’s value changed at the same rate as the average for the entire residential property class, which includes apartments, the homeowner will see the 5.39% municipal tax increase. Homeowners whose property value decreased less than the average, or increased in value, will see their taxes increase more than the budget-required 5.39%.
Homeowners whose property value decreased more than the average will see their taxes decrease or increase by less than the budget-required tax increase. Changes in property values The median assessed value of the typical single-family detached house is $357,000. The average decline was about 1.7% or approximately $6,000 less than last year. Assessed value of condominium units, townhouses and manufactured homes was down an average 1.9%. Apartments rose an average 0.5%. Commercial properties saw a 2.4% decrease in average assessed value. Total assessment values are $100 billion for residential classes and $34 billion for the non-residential class. Exceptions to the average Not all properties and neighbourhoods reflect the average change in assessed value. Over a five-year period, all neighbourhoods change in value by roughly the same amount, but from year to year different neighbourhoods change at different rates. The five communities in which the average assessment for single family homes fell the most were: Canora - 10.3% Boyle Street - 9.3% Glengarry - 8.2% Ogilvie Ridge - 7.2% Athlone - 7.2% The five communities in which the average assessment for single family homes increased the most were: Secord - 10.2% Windsor Park - 9.7% Walker - 9.7% Brookside - 9.7% Westmount - 8.6%
City Rolls Out Late Night Bus Pilot January 04, 2012
Night Ride – a late night bus service on Whyte Avenue – is rolling ahead starting January 6, 2012. The three-month pilot will run until April 14, 2012 on Friday and Saturday nights from 1:30am to approximately 3:30am. Bus service will be available every 12 minutes along Whyte Avenue (westbound only) to the University and Southgate Transit Centre with additional stops along 51 Avenue to Gateway Boulevard before the buses head back to Whyte Avenue. “The pilot is intended to provide a quick and safe late night transportation option for employees and patrons of the Whyte Avenue area,” says Angela Turner, Program Manager for Responsible Hospitality Edmonton. The service is also intended to help alleviate
congestion on Whyte Avenue at closing time. Passengers can disembark anywhere along the route and can use the stop-on-request service. Survey results from September’s public consultation with area residents and businesses suggest the majority of passengers will get off along the route. Remaining passengers will then be able to take advantage of a taxi stand at Southgate Transit Centre to get to their final destination or arrange pick-up by a friend or family member. The use of the Night Ride bus by residents from Edmonton’s south side also means more taxis will be available on Whyte Avenue for residents going in other directions. Turner says last September’s research found 65% of
respondents either strongly supported or supported the pilot. “We also discovered that 77% of respondents support late night transit in the city and that a majority indicate if a service was available, they were likely to use it.” During the pilot development, communities around the Whyte Avenue area, Southgate Transit Centre, and the Old Strathcona Business Association were consulted. The Night Ride pilot will be evaluated with preliminary findings included in a report going to City Council in the spring. Additional information on the pilot is available at www. edmonton.ca/nightride. Citizens can also call 311 or email nightride@edmonton.ca with questions or comments.
Ottawa, Ontario ― the Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of International Cooperation, announced that Canada is providing immediate humanitarian assistance, such as food, clean water, shelter and nonfood relief items, to the hundreds of thousands of people affected by Tropical Storm Washi in the Philippines. "Canada extends its condolences to those who have lost friends and family with the onset of the storm and sudden floods in the Philippines," said Minister Oda. "We commend the local communities, nongovernmental organizations, and the Government of the Philippines for their rapid response. Today, Canada is responding to calls for needed supplies and further assistance to help those affected restore their strength and livelihoods." Recent reports indicate the storm displaced more than 500,000 people in 13 provinces of the country. The Government of
the Philippines undertook a major emergency rescue, evacuation and relief response operation in southern Philippines. Canada's response, through the Canadian International Development Agency, will support the efforts of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the UN World Food Programme (WFP), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and Oxfam Canada in the affected area. The IFRC will provide safe water, food and non-food relief items to 5,000 families currently in emergency evacuation centres. WFP will provide immediate lifesaving food assistance to approximately 220,000 people and targeted distribution of highenergy food to 15,000 children under five. IOM will provide emergency shelter repair kits, which include items such as tarps, lumber and ropes, for as many as 23,550 families and non-food relief items, including essential household items, for 47,000 affected families. Oxfam Canada will improve access to safe water for approximately 8,000 families, as well as set up latrines and shower blocks in evacuation centres and in communities hosting evacuees. Canada will provide up to $1.25 million to carry out this work. Canada will also continue to monitor the situation closely and will respond to further humanitarian needs as appropriate.
Increased EI parental benefit flexibility now available for adoptive parents Toronto, Ontario, January 4, 2012—The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, today announced that parents who commit to adopt children in their care will be able to get Employment Insurance (EI) parental benefits. “Our government is helping Canadian families by supporting parents who have committed to adopting a child,” said Minister Finley. “By increasing the flexibility of EI parental benefits that reflect evolving adoption programs, we are putting the best interest of the child first, ensuring he or she is placed in a stable family environment as early as possible.” In recognition that adoption programs vary by province and territory, the Government of Canada will now allow parents to be eligible for EI parental benefits as soon as they have taken the necessary steps to adopt the child in their care. This change brings
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the EI program in line with current adoption procedures. "Given everything we know about children and attachment, the best model of service we can currently provide is fosterto-adopt," said Rod Potgieter, Executive Director, Family and Children's Services, St. Thomas and Eglin. “It is wonderful to see the model supported and encouraged by the federal government through parental leave benefits." Parental benefits under the EI program are provided to parents who qualify to take time away from work to bond with their newborn or newly adopted child or children. A maximum of 35 weeks of parental benefits is available to biological or adoptive parents. For more information on EI parental benefits, please visit the Service Canada site at: http://www.servicecanada. gc.ca/eng/sc/ei/benefits/ maternityparental.shtml
January 2012
The Pulse of the Filipino Community
2012 Ford Focus - Redesigned for Fun
by Ron
Cantiveros
ron@filipinojournal.com
I
n 2012, I expect to drive more vehicles from a wider range of manufacturers and across different classes of vehicles. The local Ford PR contact has been pretty willing to throw me the keys to almost all Ford vehicles that roll through Manitoba. It's been fun driving around in a new vehicle with all the newest gadgets and driver conveniences. In December, I drove the 2012 Ford Focus for a week during our mild start to winter. I was definitely impressed with the overall new re-design of the Ford Focus. Having read up on the Ford Focus prior to driving the car, photos of previous years models were rather underwhelming. The 2012 Focus is sporty looking especially the 16" painted aluminum wheels. I definitely have to give two thumbs up to Ford and any manufacturer for that matter that step up the look of factory rims.
The 2012 Ford Focus comes in several trim levels and configurations: S, SE, SEL and Titanium; Sedan or Hatchback models. Starting price for a Ford Focus is $15,499 and tops out at $23,999 for the Ford Focus Titanium edition. One of the pros of the Ford Focus is it's fuel economy - 7.8l/100km on the highway and 5.5l/100kms in the city. The Focus engine is 2.0 liter 4-cylinder, 160 hp at 6,500rpm, 146 lb.-ft. torque at 4,450rpm. Available transmission is a five-speed manual and 6-speed PowerShift Automatic. Also included is the Microsoft SYNC
controls that easily allowed me to add my Blackberry, iPad and handsfree calling control. Standard safety equipment with the Ford Focus include AdvanceTrac with ESC (electronic stability control), dual-stage first-row airbags, sideimpact and side-curtain airbags, four-wheel anti-lock brakes and an anti-theft engine immobilizer. The Ford Focus is in a pretty tight bunch of vehicles. Amongst this group of vehicles are the Chevy Cruz, Honda Civic, Kia Forte, Mazda 3, Hyandai Elantra, Volkswagen Jetta and the Toyota Corolla.
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Conservative Government focused on Jobs, Growth, and Prosperity OTTAWA - As Parliament resumes, the Conservative Government will continue to be focused on creating jobs, economic growth and prosperity announced Government House Leader Peter Van Loan. “While the NDP is focused on killing jobs and the Liberals have no plan to create jobs, our Conservative Government is focused on implementing our low-tax plan for jobs and growth,” said Minister Van Loan. “As Parliament returns, we will continue to be focused on the priorities of Canadians - creating jobs, growth and prosperity - as we prepare for Economic Action Plan 2012.” Over the past few months, the Prime Minister, Ministers and MPs have held hundreds of consultations with Canadians on the economy to listen to the best ways to create jobs and growth in Canada. While the Conservative Government was focused on jobs and growth, the NDP continued to oppose major job-creating projects such as Keystone XL, which would create highly skilled, well paying, unionized jobs in Canada. For example, just a few weeks ago, the NDP Environment critic, Megan Leslie, said the American decision regarding the Keystone XL pipeline was, “a
good decision for a number of reasons.” Even Buzz Hargrove, former President of the Canadian Auto Workers and a die-hard union activist, said “if we can get approval for [the Keystone XL] pipeline, I think that will be a big boost.” (CFMJ-AM, November 16, 2011). Private sector unions are worried about the NDP’s antijobs agenda. AFL-CIO advisor Christopher Smillie said “The NDP would be very bad for workers and the entire Canadian economy.” (Calgary Herald, October 1, 2011). “The NDP is a threat to the Canadian economy,” said Minister Van Loan. “The NDP’s anti-jobs agenda shows their true face and the danger they pose to job creation and economic growth.” On the other hand, the Liberals have no plan to create jobs and strengthen the financial security of families. The Liberal focus over the past weeks has been on discussing legalizing pot, opening the constitution and internal leadership selection processes. The contrast could not be more clear. The Harper Government continues to focus on its low-tax plan for jobs and growth while the Opposition either seeks to kill jobs or has no plan to create jobs.
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January 2012
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Mayweather looks forward to Pacquiao as his May 5 Arum wants Pacquiao’s farewell opponent legacy fight in Manila
I
n reference to a statement last week by Team Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr. declared Wednesday in his Twitter account that he has already secured a guarantee for his purse and is now ready to fight Manny Pacquiao on May 5. Mayweather added that all Top Rank chief Bob Arum has to do to make the fight happen is get in touch with Golden Boy Promotions Chief Executive Officer Richard Schaefer. But Pacquiao’s top adviser Mike Koncz said that it would be better not to be drawn into making a comment saying that while a Mayweather fight is still on the table, he would rather wait a few more days before saying anything. A few days ago, the unbeaten Arum spent five days in the Mayweather twitted that he is not country and discussed Pacquiao’s interested in fighting anybody plans for 2012. else but Pacquiao. Mayweather still tops the list
A
lthough it’s still too early to even predict whom Manny Pacquiao will face in his final fight prior to retirement, Top Rank chairman Bob Arum said he will advise the Filipino boxing icon to end his celebrated career with a farewell “legacy” fight in Manila late next year. Arum initially disclosed his plan to writer Ed Graney in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He said the final fight to be held in the Philippines will be a sort of a victory lap for Pacquiao. The celebrated promoter who was in Manila for five days last week to discuss options with Pacquiao, is currently finalizing Pacquiao’s next fight in May or June with Floyd Mayweather of priorities, way ahead of prime the Plan A opponent and four candidates Miguel Cotto, Tim candidates lined up for Plan B. If it’s Mayweather, the fight Bradley, Juan Manuel Marquez, and Lamont Peterson.
SMC signs MOA with housing groups to builds homes for 'Sendong' victims in Mindanao
W
ith Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman witnessing the event, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOA) was recently signed between San Miguel Corporation (SMC), housing groups Gawad Kalinga and Habitat for Humanity to build the houses, and local government units to help identify relocation sites for thousands of families stricken by typhoon “Sendong” who remain homeless in parts of Visayas and Mindanao. SMC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. expressed confidence that his company’s commitment to build 5,000 homes initially in the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Iligan and Dumaguete, will give the affected families renewed hope. SMC President and Chief Operating Officer Ramon S. Ang added that this is not just providing houses, but more importantly,
giving them homes, as SMC is also committing half a billion pesos to provide the victims the means to start all over again though livelihood opportunities. SMC has already donated an
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Phl, US to strengthen military cooperation
P
resident Aquino met with estimated P12 million worth of Senators John McCain, products and cash for the victims Joe Lieberman, Sheldon of typhoon Sendong through Whitehouse and Kelly Ayotte at its San Miguel Foundation and Malacañang on Tuesday as the Petron Foundation. Philippines and the United States agreed to strengthen military cooperation. McCain, Lieberman and Ayotte who are all members of the US Senate armed services committee, said they are increasing their presence in the Asia-Pacific region and have already have established bases in Australia and Singapore. Quoting Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin who was with the President in the meeting with the US senators, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a press briefing that there will be increased military exercises in Asia-Pacific region and that would also include the Philippines, Lacierda clarified, however, that the US was not establishing any bases in the Philippines. He said the Philippines also
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would be staged in a makeshift outdoor arena on the Strip in Las Vegas to accommodate 45,000 paying customers on June 9. If it’s not Mayweather, Arum will try to book Miguel Cotto, Timothy Bradley, Lamont Peterson or Juan Manuel Marquez. Pacquiao will perform in four more fights before hanging up his gloves in late 2013. Arum said retiring in late 2013 would be good timing because Manny has a bright future ahead as a politician. Arum said legacy is less important for Pacquiao because boxing for him is just a step in the road to much bigger things, to president of the Philippines and then maybe, world leader. Arum added that Pacquiao’s plans are about the greater good of his people and he doesn’t need to fight Mayweather to make that happen.
asked for a second Hamiltonclass cutter, a request that the US senators vowed to support. The first Hamilton-class cutter arrived in the Philippines last August. It is now commissioned by the Philippine Navy to protect the country’s waters. Lacierda said the Philippines welcomed the wider military cooperation between the two countries, and the Philippines is ready to engage itself in more military exercises with the US. Some of the Filipino officials who attended the meeting included Gazmin, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. Department of National Defense (DND) Undersecretary for Finance, Munitions, Installations and Materiel Fernando Manalo, Assistant Secretary for Acquisition, Installations and Logistics Patrick Velez and Assistant Secretary for Strategic Assessment Raymund Quilop were also present.
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January 2012
The Pulse of the Filipino Community
Filipino Journal
Alberta
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Pinoys Meet & Greet with Premier Alison Redford. Traveled to the Philippines and loved it!
Premier Alison Redford delivers her personal message to the Filipino community via "TV PILIPINO ON SHAW 89" ; "PINOY ALBERTA TV ON OMNI 4" and "TELUS CHANNEL 5". Jose "Pepito" Magpayo, Executive Producer hosted the interview with Jose Daniel "Lucky" Magpayo on camera.
MLA & Minister Manmeet Bhullar delivers an inspirational greetings to the Filipino community.
Marichu Antonio, Executive Director of ECCC (Ethno Cultural Council MLA Teresa Woo-Paw expresses the cabinet’s appreciation of Calgary), summarizes the success of the event. for the huge attendance by the Filipino community leaders and community members.
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President Porfirio Quiloy of the Filipino Calgarians Senior Club greets our kababayans. Photos by: Nikki Yap Alinas-Richter (nikkirichterphotography@gmail.com)
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The Pulse of the Filipino Community
Bill C-35: It is now illegal for Employment and Educational Agents to represent clients, process their LMOs, Work Permits, Study Permits or handle immigration related matters.
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.
Bill C-35 an Act to Amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (formerly called the Cracking Down on Crooked Consultants Act) came into force effective June 30, 2011. As per Bill C-35 the new Federal law, it is now illegal for Employment/Recruiting and Educational Agents for a fee - to represent clients (ie. employers, employees or students), handle and process their Labour Market Opinion (LMOs), Work Permits, Study Permits or process immigration related matters (eg. PR applications)
unless they have a license as: an Immigration Consultant (ie. registered member of ICCRC), a Lawyer (ie. registered member of the Law Society of Alberta or any other provincial Law Society) or a Paralegal who is a registered member of the Law Society of Ontario.
(www1.lsuc.on.ca/ LawyerParalegalDirectory/ index.jsp) admits paralegals as members.
Important Notice from Service Alberta Last month, letters were sent out by Service Alberta to Employment Agencies in Alberta Under Alberta’s Fair regarding the impact of Bill C-35. Trading Act, the Employment Agency or Recruiters license Listed below are excerpts from from Service Alberta allows the Notice sent out by Service agencies to do recruiting work but Alberta in Dec. 2011: it does not authorize recruiters “As a result of the to do immigration or any amendments to the Immigration immigration related work (eg. and Refugee Protection Act LMOs, AEOs, etc.) (IRPA), the policies related to the preparation of the labour market Stiff penalties of up to two (2) opinion (LMO) and arranged years imprisonment and/or up employment opinion (AEO) to $100,000 in fines are stipulated processed by Service Canada for persons convicted of offences have changed.” covered by Bill C-35. “The amendments to IRPA change the regulatory regime Who are considered authorized for who can represent employers, representatives? TFWs, immigrants or any other Under Bill C-35 only person in matters related to members in good standing of immigration processes, including the following organizations are LMOs and AEOs.” recognized by the Canadian “Only lawyers and government as authorized paralegals in good standing with representatives to do immigration a provincial or territorial law or immigration related work : society, notaries in good standing 1. Members of Immigration with the Chambre des notaries Consultants of Canada du Quebec and immigration Regulatory Council (ICCRC). consultants in good standing 2. Licensed Canadian lawyers with the Immigration Consultants and members of the Chambre des of Canada Regulatory Council notaires du Québec. will be able to charge fees for 3. Ontario Paralegals who are immigration processes, including members in good standing of the LMO and AEO applications.” Ontario Law Society. “Employment Agencies that NOTE: At this time, only the provide any of the following Province of Ontario’s Law services are impacted: Society, the Law Society of Upper 1. Representing an Employer in Canada,
HRSDC Form EMP 5520- Annex to the Appointment of Representative
NOTE TO EMPLOYERS and FOREIGN WORKERS: If the Employment Agent or Consultant with whom you are dealing with and paid fees to - refuses or does not fill out and sign the last 2 pages of the LMO forms and the Annex to Appointment of Representative Form to indicate that they are a paid representative, chances are they are not an authorized representative and should be reported to Service Canada and the ICCRC for investigation of possible illegal activities.
an LMO or AEO application 2. Communicating with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) or Human resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC)/ Service Canada on behalf of the client. 3. Explaining and providing immigration advice 4. Providing guidance on how to select the best immigration stream and completing the appropriate forms 5. Representing the client in an immigration application or process 6. Advertising that they can provide immigration advice”
NOTE: “Authorized under IRPA” means the person doing the work must be an authorized representative as defined by Bill C-35 (ie. a licensed Immigration Consultant who is a member in good standing with ICCRC, a licensed lawyer or registered member of the Chambre des notaires du Québec or a Paralegal in Ontario who is a member in good standing of the Law Society of Ontario).
Only the Employer and authorized representatives can sign the last 2 pages of the LMO application forms. (eg. HRSDC Form EMP 5512 (Low Skill jobs) and HRSDC Form EMP 5517 (High Skill jobs) and HRSDC Form EMP 5520 – Annex to Appointment of Representative “Any employment agency that Form). provides any of the above services to an employer or to a person Due to Bill C-35, employment seeking employment and collects agencies – who plan to legally fees from the client, regardless continue to perform immigration of whether the fees are for that related work need an authorized immigration related service must representative in their staff. The other option is to outsource the be authorized under IRPA” immigration related services to an authorized representative. See the samples of the LMO form pages as shown below: HRSDC Form EMP 5512 SIGNATURE OF EMPLOYER I have read and I understand the Personal Information Collection Statement found at the beginning of this application. I declare that the information provided in this application is true and accurate. Printed Name of Employer
Signature of Employer
Title of Employer
Date (YYYY-MM-DD)
SIGNATURE OF THIRD PARTY (if applicable) I declare that the information provided in this application is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge. Signature of Third Party Representative
Printed Name of Third Party Representative
Date (YYYY-MM-DD)
INFORMATION FOR EMPLOYERS Please forward this application to the Service Canada Centre responsible for processing foreign worker applications. For the list of appropriate centres, please consult our website at: hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/workplaceskills/foreign_workers/listhrcc.shtml Once the application is assessed, the employer will be notified of the decision.
HRSDC EMP 5512 - APPOINTMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE form
APPOINTMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE To Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC)/Service Canada FOR THE PURPOSE OF A TEMPORARY FOREIGN WORKER APPLICATION (Labour Market Opinion).
I,
, residing at
(name of employer)
(full address)
You can report suspected illegal activities to ICCRC at: 5500 North Service Road, Suite 1002 Burlington, Ontario, L7L 6W6 Tel: 1-877-836-7543 (toll free) Fax: 1-877-315-9868 (toll free) Email: info@iccrc-crcic.ca
Telephone Number:
Fax Number:
hereby appoint
(name of representative and business name) of
HRSDC EMP5512 (2011-09-003) E
(full address) Telephone Number:
Fax Number:
as my representative to act on my behalf in order to obtain from HRSDC/Service Canada a labour market opinion relating to
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.
(name of individual to whom employment has been offered)
I, hereby, agree to ratify and confirm all that my representative shall do or cause to be done by virtue of this appointment. This appointment shall remain in full force and effect only for the processing of this application, unless due notice in writing of its revocation has been given to HRSDC/Service Canada.
(signature of employer)
(print name of employer)
(date) (YYYY-MM-DD)
(signature of witness)
(print name of witness)
Personal Information is administered in accordance with the Privacy Act. It will be retained in Personal Information Bank HRDC PPU 440. Individuals have the right to access their personal information. For instructions, please consult the government publication Info Source found in Service Canada Centres and available at the following address: infosource.gc.ca.
HRSDC EMP5512 (2011-09-003) E
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January 2012
The Pulse of the Filipino Community
Filipino Journal
Alberta
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Philippines’ Typhoon Sendong Unites the Filipino Community in Fund Raising Campaign
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yphoon Sendong that devastated the region of Iligan City in Cagayan de Oro, Mindanao on December 15, 2011 with ravaging floods that wiped out an entire village and killed over a thousand of residents brought the best out of the Filipinos in Alberta in donating relief goods and money to help the region get back to its feet and rebuild a village that was wrecked by Typhoon Sendong. All across Alberta, Filipinos started to do fund rasing events to help the victims of the typhoon. Filipino Bands will hold a concert on Saturday February 11th, 2012 at Aldergrove Community Hall, supported by Filipino Radio Enthusiasts of Edmonton (FREEDX) and Alberta Regional Songfest Society. The Friends of Edmonton Millwoods Association (FEMMA) raised thousands of funds by Christmas caroling during the Christmas season .The Pinoy Singing Sensation through the help of Crosstown Motors and Sunfreight Cargo will staged free concerts at Milbourne Town Center and West Edmonton Mall on January 28 and February 8, 2012 respectively. The Tsada of Edmonton Association whose members are from Cagayan de Oro started to collect money shortly
after typhoon and sent some relief goods through the effort of one of the members Francis Roa. It will take months and even years to rebuild a region that was unfortunately destroyed by
this catastrophic act of nature. The Philippine Consulate in in Vancouver has sent a letter all across Canada and appeal to the generosity of the Filipinos and Canadian. And as expected once
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again the Filipino communities in Alberta and across Canada started to open up their hearts and wallets to aid the thousands of victims that survived the calamity. Francis Roa of Tsada
Edmonton Association visits the area devastated by the Typhoon Sendong. He will start to distribute relief goods once the good arrived in Iligan.
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The Pulse of the Filipino Community
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Filipino Journal SOCIAL MEDIA SERVICES
Social media marketing brings your company to the fastest growing networking hubs on the Internet. We can help you reach out to, collaborate with, and market effectively to targeted audiences in their on-line haunts. Social Media Marketing services include: Social Media Strategy - finding your potential clients on-line and figuring out how to reach them. Corporate Facebook Pages – building and managing effective Facebook presences; Twitter Services – using Twitter the right way. Our social media marketing services can: * * * * * * *
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Carl Benito, MLA Edmonton Mill Woods
As the MLA for Edmonton Mill Woods. I am always available to assist constituents. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the 2012 Cabinet Tour, the opening of the Stollery Emergency Pediatric Department expansion, the Multicultural Heart Health Awareness Program, Family Literacy Day 2012 or any other matter, I can be reached in my constituency office at (780) 414-1000 or in my Legislature office at (780) 422-9299. Also, please subscribe to my e newsletter at http://benito.mypcmla.ca/.
Premier and Ministers meet with Albertans January 23-26
Premier Alison Redford and Alberta’s Cabinet are travelling across the province to talk with Albertans about their priorities for the future. The Premier and ministers have already met with Albertans and attended events in all regions of the province and will do so again on Thursday, Jan. 26. “It’s so important for us to continue meeting face-to-face with Albertans in their own communities” said Premier Redford. “It gives us the opportunity to hear from those closest to their local issues and to learn about the community’s hopes
Alberta
The Pulse of the Filipino Community
for the future. This is the kind of listening and regular interaction Albertans can expect from this government.” Ministers are visiting more than 25 communities stretching from Medicine Hat and Lethbridge to Fort McMurray and Lac La Biche. The open meetings are held with seniors, students, health care professionals, business groups, and community leaders among others. For example, ministers are scheduled for various events in Edmonton and Calgary as well as meeting with students in Red Deer, talking with seniors in Cold Lake, visiting an after school program in Lethbridge, and meeting with community foundations in Medicine Hat. While in communities, ministers are also talking with Albertans about current work, including the upcoming budget as well as ongoing issues like health care, education and infrastructure.
area and registration area. A new family consultation room, enhanced work space for the pediatric emergency physicians and a trauma room will open later this year. About 1,240 square metres – 13,350 square feet – of newly constructed space were added to the existing ED. Nearly 28,000 pediatric emergency department visits were made to the Stollery last year – more than double the 12,000 visits recorded when the ED opened 12 years ago. The newly expanded ED is built to accommodate up to 35,000 visits per year based on appropriate staffing capacity. The Stollery and UAH EDs will continue to share certain resources, such as diagnostic imaging and a cast room.
Stollery opens expanded pediatric emergency department
Edmonton’s South Asian community will benefit from better knowledge of heart disease as the CK Hui Heart Centre at the Royal Alexandra Hospital expands its Multicultural Heart Health Awareness Program this year. First launched for Edmonton’s Chinese community in 2009, this Alberta Health Services (AHS) program — then the first of its kind in Canada — reached out to young and old alike through community events, health fairs, public lectures, school visits and contests, and radio and print promotion with information that raised awareness of heart health and how to prevent heart disease. Currently estimated at 50,000 people, Edmonton’s growing South Asian community is now believed to be the city’s largest ethnic group, slightly larger than the Chinese community. People of South Asian heritage — from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka) — develop severe heart disease 10
Alberta Premier Alison Redford opened Edmonton’s first emergency department dedicated to pediatric and family-centred care on Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. A $26.3-million renovation at Stollery Children’s Hospital expanded and separated the Stollery’s emergency department from the University of Alberta Hospital. The Government of Alberta contributed $21.2 million to the project; the other $5.1 million came from the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation. The renovated space will be officially open to patients next month. It provides a separate ambulatory entrance for patients and their families, along with a separate child-friendly waiting room, triage
Heart health campaign to benefit South Asian community
years earlier, on average, than the Caucasian population, for reasons that remain under investigation. Dr. Sudheer Sharma will play a leadership role in the South Asian Heart Health Initiative as it enlists the support of cardiologists across Edmonton Zone. Health professionals will work alongside South Asian community leaders and organizations to get the word out on the importance of exercise, a hearthealthy diet and not smoking. The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Alberta, NWT and Nunavut is also a partner in this initiative. The sharing of information to prevent and manage chronic diseases, such as heart disease, with programs such as the Multicultural Heart Health Awareness Program, is among the goals outlined in the 5-Year Health Action Plan, jointly developed by the Government of Alberta and AHS, and supported by the province’s stable, 5-year funding.
Alberta marks Family Literacy Day – Jan. 27
•Provide official Legislature commemora tive certificates for special occasions such as significant wedding anniversaries, birthdays and facility openings. •Help you resolve issues with any government Department, or help you access assistance regarding social services, student loans, etc. •Provide you information or material on provincial issues, including copies of Hansard, Bills, Motions, News Releases, etc. •Have petitions presented to the Legislature Assembly on provincial issues that are important to you. •Meet with you, your family, your co-workers your organization, or your Community League to listen to and act on your concerns or ideas. •Assist organizations with provincial grant applications, such as the Community Facility Enhancement Program (CFEP), Community Initiatives Program (CIP), etc. •Arrange for you to attend Question Period session or any Legislature debates, or tour of the Legislature for you, your out-oftown guests, your service club, or school.
Albertans are invited to recognize literacy as a lifelong journey where families can learn through everyday activities during Family Literacy Day. On Jan. 27, Albertans are encouraged to “Take the Learning Journey” by downloading the Family Literacy Passport. This passport will inspire families to look beyond literacy as reading and writing and to learn through everyday activities. Learning happens everywhere, at school, at home, and even on a trip to the grocery store. It’s easy to incorporate learning activities in your daily life. At home you can draw a family tree, then locate on a map where each family member lives or grew up. On a trip to the shopping centre, you can count stop signs, compare the prices of grocery items and then estimate the total cost of your grocery bill. For more information on Family Literacy Day 2012 and a list of events happening around Alberta, visit the Alberta Advanced Education and Technology website at www.aet.alberta.ca and click on “Community Learning.”
Calgary Mayor Nenshi's 40th and the Man Van
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ext week, Mayor Nenshi will be celebrating his 40th birthday. After such a milestone, Canadian prostate cancer experts suggest men start regularly monitoring their PSA levels as an indication of prostate health. So, forget the cake and balloons, Mayor Nenshi has invited the Prostate Cancer Centre’s “Man Van” (http://www. prostatecancercentre.ca/what-we-
As your MLA, I can: •Commission legal documents, free of charge as a Notary Public or Commissioner of Oaths.
January 2012
Constituency Office #218, 4128 A - 97 Street Edmonton, AB T6E 5Y6 Tel (780) 414-1000 Fax (780) 414-1278 E-Mail: edmonton.millwoods@assembly.ab.ca
Legislature Office #723 Legislature Annex 9718 - 107 Street Edmonton, AB T5K 1E4 Tel (780) 422-9299 Fax (780) 422-1671
•Visit your school or organization to explain how the Government works and answer your questions.
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offer/in-the-community/the-manvan) to visit City Hall. With the Man Van, the nurses of the Prostate Cancer Centre will provide free PSA baseline blood tests for Mayor Nenshi and 40 other men who work at The City of Calgary. Media are invited to this photo/ video opportunity. A spokesperson from the Prostate Cancer Centre will also be on hand to answer technical questions.
January 2012
The Pulse of the Filipino Community
Filipino Journal
Alberta
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Jenny @ 40
The Bungay-Briones Family taken at their family residence in Lipa City during Jenny@40 birthday celebration. Inay Aida Briones is surrounded by her big loving family.
Celebrant Jenny with dashing husband Joe and guwapito only son Trevor.
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by Dr.
Eusebio Koh
January 2012
The Pulse of the Filipino Community
The New Roman Missal is Here
n November 17, 2011, the first Sunday of Advent, the new Roman Missal was used at the Holy Mass in Catholic churches in the English world from the U.K., Australia, the Philippines, North America, and to wherever the English liturgy is used.The new missal is sometimes referred to as “a reform of the reform.” I understand that the Vatican wanted the English translation to be linguistically faithful to the original Latin Mass. First, what was the reform that
needed to be changed?Clearly, this is in reference to Vatican Council II which made, among other things, a revision of the liturgy granting permission to celebrate most of the Holy Mass in the vernacular.The idea was to increase lay understanding and participation.Thus we have Mass in Filipino, Bisaya, Ilocano, Vietnamese, Croatian (if you have been to Medjugorje), French,and especially in English which is the most prevalent. Vatican II did not abolish Latin Mass altogether,
and traditionalists can still hear it if available anywhere…in the Vatican, for example. It was the Blessed Pope John XXIII who convened the Vatican Council II on October 11, 1962, with the purpose of bringing the Catholic Church closer to the modern world.Unfortunately, the Blessed Pope John XXIII passed away in June1963, which would have terminated the Council.But, the new Pope Paul VI immediately reconvened the Council with the
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advice to renew and restore the Church in his opening address. And so the Council continued its reform to completion of its encyclical on December 8, 1965. Vatican II is a liberalization of the staid and ancient Catholic rites. Traditionalists and ultraconservatives have never reconciled themselves to the changes. Besides the Holy Massbeing celebrated in the vernacular language, present day Catholics can thank Vatican II for having the altar turned around so the priest faces the congregation, for receiving the holy communion standing up and in their hands (instead of kneeling and in their mouths), and for having female presence in the altar area (female altar servers, lectors, and Eucharistic Ministers).So Vatican II is not being changed but only the English translation of the liturgy. With due respect to our Church and its hierarchy, I’d like to express some reservations. As a cradle Catholic, I would like to voice my uneasiness at rephrasing many of the liturgy and Eucharistic prayers that have become second nature to me.I know virtually all the responses during Holy Mass.I can recite The Lord’s Prayer, Hail Mary, and other prayers in my sleep.Now I have to be careful and say the right words. For example, when the priest says “Peace be with you,” I should reply “And with your spirit” not “And also with you.”For the Mystery of Faith, I am used to saying, “Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.” But now I have to learn some other responses. Now I say, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof…” instead of “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you…” Also, I used to kneel down and pray as soon as I receive the communion. Now I have to remain standing until all have received theirs.Old habits are hard to break. But if I am having a hard time making the proper responses at Holy Mass, you should see and listen to the Mass celebrant stumble through the Mass. Gratefully, they have the new sacramental book to read with the new Roman Missal. The young clerics seem to enjoy reading the new translation but the older priests with failing eyesight pause a lot and often mumble. I am certain that many of the priests who have memorized the unchangeable parts of the liturgy through constant use will continue to recite what is long ingrained in their brain. The congregation would not know the difference. After Mass one day, I asked Father Pat Murphy what he thought of the new Missal. With some caution and diplomacy, he said, “There are a few new wordings that we have to learn. But the prayers seem to be more powerful and I like them.” One wording that jumps to my mind is “consubstantial with the Father” in the Nicene Creed which means what? Having the same substance as the Father? Anyway, the Mass now lasts a little longer. I hope and pray that we learn the new Roman Missal and get used to it. For now, let me wish you a “Happy New Year!” and “Peace be with your spirit.”
January 2012
The Pulse of the Filipino Community
by Lolo Jose
A senior remembers when a $1.00 actually went somewhere
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Prime Minister Stephen Harper eats lunch with Chief Weasel Head of the Blood Tribe during the 1st First Nation Summit OTTAWA – Prime Minister Stephen Harper is joined by His Excellency David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, and Shawn A-in-chut Atleo, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, as he walks to the opening ceremony of the Crown-First Nations Gathering.
L-R: Shawn A-N.Chut Atleo, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations; Chief Weasel and Prime Minister Harper
Photo by Deb Ransom
January 2012
New location for Police Information Check Unit
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he central location for Calgarians to apply for Police Information Checks is on the move. Effective Friday, Jan. 27, 2012 the Calgary Police Service’s Police Information Check Unit (PICU) is moving from their downtown location at 316 7 Ave. S.E. to the new Westwinds Campus, East Building, located at 5111 47 St. N.E. To allow for this move, PICU will close at 12 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 27 and re-open to the public in the new location at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012. The new location offers ample free parking for citizens who need to apply for a Police Information Check (PIC). Calgarians can also visit any one of these district offices to complete an application for a PIC:
To apply for a PIC, citizens must bring two pieces of government-issued identification. One must have a photo (i.e. driver's licence, passport, citizenship card). The other can be a social insurance card, healthcare card or birth certificate. The cost is $30 and $15 for volunteers/unpaid practicums (with a letter from the organization). Payment can be made by AMEX, Visa, MasterCard or Interac. Cash is currently accepted at the Westwinds location only. Applications received at all locations will receive the same priority. The Service also hopes to offer applications online in the future. Citizens who require Vulnerable Sector fingerprinting, pardon applicants, security guard/ locksmith applicants or any outof-city/country applicants are required to attend the Westwinds District 1 Ramsay location only. 1010 26 Ave. S.E. If members of the public have Victoria Park Station questions about the process, they 334 11 Ave S.E. may contact the Police Information District 5 Check Unit at, the new number 800 Saddletowne Circle N.E. effective Jan. 31, 2012 403-428District 7 11955 Country Village Link N.E. 2052. The CPS Westwinds Campus District 8 is now home to many areas of the 450 Midpark Way S.E. CPS, including public services CPS Traffic Section such as crime and collision 6528 11 St. N.E. Hours of each location are reporting and the Alarm/Bylaw, and Ticket available on the CPS website at Correspondence Control Units. www.calgarypolice.ca
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Calgary Food Committee Launches Food Assessment
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he Calgary Food Committee launched the Food System Assessment and Action Plan and will be engaging Calgarians through the winter and spring before taking a report back to the Standing Policy Committee on Community and Protective Services in April 2012. The Food Assessment will give Calgarians a clear understanding of the connections between the different components of the city’s food system (a network connecting food production, processing, distributing, consuming and recovering food waste), identify
gaps and make recommendations for an action plan. “The Food Assessment is about gathering all of the information and work being done in the city so that we can prioritize actions in order to strengthen the local economy, improve access to healthy and affordable food, and reduce our impact on the environment,” said Alderman Gian-Carlo Carra. The Food System Assessment and Action Plan will evaluate the current food system, examine a range of food issues and provide key baseline information. This assessment will include research
in the form of a baseline report and a land inventory, which will identify existing assets as well as gaps in Calgary’s food system. An Action Plan will be submitted to Calgarians that will identify priorities and make recommendations on moving forward. Led by the Office of Sustainability at the City of Calgary, Members of the Calgary Food Committee include: City of Calgary staff, farmers, local businesses, chefs, educators, industry experts, and members from Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, Alberta
Drugs + Teens = A ‘Dead End Street’
Released on behalf of YouthLink Calgary - The Calgary Police Interpretive Centre Calgary, AB - While the recent attention around ecstasy and other street drugs use among young people is incredibly troubling, it doesn’t come as a surprise to Janet Pieschel, executive director of YouthLink Calgary – The Calgary Police Interpretive Centre. “A recent report by the Canadian Centre for Substance Abuse has 6.7 per cent of Alberta students in grades 7,9,10 and 12 using ecstasy. This far surpasses inhalants, steroids or cocaine use.” Pieschel goes on to say that the report recommends that “appropriately tailored prevention efforts are critical – and that is exactly what YouthLink Calgary is about.” For more than 15 years, YouthLink Calgary - The Calgary Police Interpretive Centre has been engaging and empowering Calgary’s youth to make confident and positive choices surrounding some of the greatest challenges they shall ever face – namely substance abuse, online safety, domestic violence, bullying and gangs. YouthLink imparts tools, strategies and resources through experiential learning exhibits at the Centre, interactive and engaging online resources, and curriculumbased programming. YouthLink’s programs meet the learning objectives of the grade six Alberta Education curriculum, and their mandate parallels the Calgary Police Service – Crime Prevention and Reduction Continuum. “We reach approximately 50 per cent of Calgary’s grade six population. Our KIDO (Knowing the Issues / Discussing the Options) program addresses these critical topics - such as drugs - when our children are just starting to encounter them at school,” Pieschel states.
One exhibit at the Centre, Dead End Street, confronts drugs – and ecstasy – in a very powerful way. “Children who visit the Dead End Street exhibit will follow the lives of four young people who give familiar and compelling reasons for starting to take drugs: one is lonely, one is bored, one is in pain and the other is mentally ill. Each persona explores and shares their experience interactively with the visitor, as they spiral downwards into addiction.” The results have been remarkable. “The ‘dead end street’ was incredible, amazing, scary, creepy and it was a surefire way to keep people off drugs, (certainly me anyway). I liked the whole experience a lot. I will DEFINITELY bring my family back here.”(Grade six student). Pieschel continues, “KIDO – and Dead End Street – elicits a reaction. It starts a conversation and a dialogue so that students can recognize their vulnerabilities, talk about them and make positive informed choices. This is the first year of KIDO and the results so far have been incredible. We are fortunate to have generous supporters such as RBC Foundation, Canadian Oil Sands Limited and ConocoPhillips Canada.” For more information on YouthLink Calgary - or its programs – please visit www.youthlinkcalgary.com. Media Inquiries and for more information: Janet Pieschel Executive Director YouthLink Calgary – The Calgary Police Interpretive Centre 403-206-4565 403-660-4168 jpieschel@calgarypolice.ca
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Health Services and other key players in the local food system. Their purpose is to provide information and guidance in completion of a Food System Assessment and Action Plan for Calgary with consultancy support from Serecon Management Consulting and Altus Group. “Our vision is to create a sustainable and resilient food system within the Calgary region,” said Carolyn Bowen, Manager of the Office of Sustainability. “This is about every Calgarian having access to more local, healthy and environmentally friendly food.” The Calgary Food Committee is holding a public event on
Saturday January 28th at the Ant Hill Building in Kensington. This event will showcase the many businesses, organizations and individuals who are working in, or connected to, the food system in the Calgary region. This will provide an incredible opportunity for the public and key stakeholders to connect with one another and share in the opportunities and actions that people are taking to build a more resilient and sustainable food system for our city. To find out more about the Food System Assessment please visit www.yycfood.com.
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Horoscope This month you can make great strides in your career with the help of others. However, under this influence you may use people or be manipulative.It may be difficult to balance work and personal commitments this month, and you’ll have to be organized.
You may make some rash moves related to your career.You’ll crave changes to your routine and have trouble keeping up with commitments. You may worry about your health, but this will be a waste of energy.
You’ll be focused and organized during the holiday season. There will be several chances to socialize with relatives, neighbors, and members of your community. This would be a good time to get involved with planning a party or event.
Month of December is indicating progress in your Career and Business. Expansion in name and fame is possible. You will have good connections with people of repute in this month.
Investments in long term deals should be more profitable. Difficulties in love affairs are indicated for you in this month. Going to be reasonably good month for educational pursuits.
You’ll be flirtatious and explore new opportunities for romance during the month. This will make you feel alive and vital, but it would be a good idea to think before you act. Life at the office will be intense and challenging, but you’ll benefit from being part of a team.
There may be a tendency to waste your money or resources during the next few weeks. Keep an eye on your finances and stick to a plan.
There are chances of enhancement in your immovable property. Those who are in business should get more benefits than who are in service.
Make an effort to communicate and cooperate with your partner, if you have one. Interpersonal relations in general will be strained, but they’ll improve if you’re able to keep an open mind, listen to others, and be honest.
Your attention will be on matters related to home and family during this holiday season.You may be easily distracted, though. Your love life will be intense and gratifying.You may begin to set new goals related to these areas, and you’ll have a positive outlook.
A relationship has an intense, make or break feel to it in December. There is the opportunity to get much closer to someone but you will both have to really want this for it to work.
This month of December indicates delay in rise and financial hurdles. You should control your expenses in this month. Those who are in service may experience deterioration in service conditions.
PAHALANG
PABABA
2 Kutob
28 “Mukha” sa salitang Espanyol
1 Gaway
19 European Stability
6 Electronic Knowledge Assess Team
30 Pang-abay
3 Kahabag-habag
Mechanism
10 University of Manila kontrabida
32 Intindi
4 Kalaban ng kontrabida
21 Sinuyo
12 Malagkit na kanin na niluluto sa
35 National Grains Authority
5 Sapantaha
24 _____ Engkantada
asukal na pula
36 Uri ng kasangkapang pang-inom
7 Uri ng punong kahoy
26 Mabahong amoy
13 Produkto
37 Extinct na hayop
8 Insektong kumakain ng
27 Kerida
14 Maruruming damit ng kahoy
39 Baluga
kahoy
29 Paggalwa ng sasakyan
16 Bulate
40 Taas
9 Sigurado
31 Makasarili/sakim
17 Rangya
41 Simbolo ng Titanium
11 Anak ni Ana
33 Metal na gingamit sa
18 Papuri sa Diyos
42 Panghalip
15 Lugar sa Tondo
larong tumbang preso
20 Munti
43 Palayaw ni Rhodora
16 Ireserba
34 Balantok
22 Mithi
40 Taas
23 Bayan sa Pangasinan
41 Simbolo ng titanium
25 Representasyon ng geograpiya
42 Panghalip
38 Band ___
43 Palayaw ni Rhodora
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!
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Calgary Poverty Reduction Initiative leadership announced Stewardship Committee will create the plan to fight poverty Calgary, AB – Mayor Naheed Nenshi and United Way are announcing the full membership of the Stewardship Committee for the Calgary Poverty Reduction Initiative. Starting immediately, this 18-member committee will create an inclusive, multi-sector plan for poverty reduction in Calgary. The Co-Chairs of the committee are well-known Calgarians Steve Allan and Cathy Williams. (A full list of committee members appears in the backgrounder.) “Poverty lessens our great city every day; we must take action rather than pass the buck between other levels of government, and now we have the team in place to do that,” said Mayor Nenshi. “This is a group
of very effective individuals who have demonstrated great integrity, compassion, and a commitment for getting things done. I’m confident they will do an excellent job of creating a poverty reduction plan that brings together all the organizations that fight poverty in every part of Calgary.” The Calgary Poverty Reduction Initiative is jointly funded by The City of Calgary and United Way of Calgary and Area with an investment of $200,000 by each party. The Stewardship Committee will work with poverty reduction experts throughout Calgary to prepare a comprehensive plan of action. Although modeled on Calgary’s successful 10 Year Plan to End
Homelessness, the resulting plan may not be a single big idea and instead involve a suite of actions from many organizations across many sectors. “This boils down to answering the question “how can we improve the quality of life for all citizens in Calgary?” said Heather MacDonald, Acting CEO of United Way of Calgary and Area. “Our collaboration with The City of Calgary and so many interested and dedicated partners shows how serious the entire community is about making positive and lasting change against poverty.” “We will ensure that this is a very collaborative process engaging all of Calgary's anti-poverty experts to find the best solutions,” said CoChair Steve Allan.
Live-Streaming of Bayanihan ng Bayan: Anong Taya Mo Para sa Bayan, 24-28 January 2012
T
he presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) through the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto wishes to invite all our fellow Filipinos in Canada to watch the live-streaming of Bayanihan ng Bayan: Anong Taya mo Para sa Bayan events from 24 to 28 January 2012 over the website www.ptv.ph. The Bayanihan ng Bayan: Anong Taya Mo Para sa Bayan events were organized by PCCO in partnership with the EDSA Peopple Power Commission (EPPC) as the Philippine governments collective response to the needs of our fellow
Filipinos in Northern Mindanao who suffered the damages caused by the tropical storm ‘Sendong” which hit the provinces of Cagayan de Oro, Iligan and Dumaguete on 17 December 2011. A total of 117,665 families have been severely affected in 57 towns and 8 cities in 13 provinces. In the spirit of bayanihan, various government agencies have also pledged to take part in this endeavor to address the needs of our kababayans affected by “Sendong” .. The government aims to gather communities all over the country to rebuild the devastated areas of Northern Mindanao through
initiatives such as, clean up and build, and other activities participated by volunteers to the five-day event. President Benigno S. Aguino III will grace the event by participating in the activities, highlighted by the Presidential Lunch and Caucus with Local Government Unit heads on 25 January 2012. The Filipino community is enjoined to tune in to the broadcast of the above event via live-streaming over www.ptv.ph on 24-28 January 2012. May we uplift our fellow citizens in Northern Mindanao in the spirit of genuine People Power.
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Selection of the participants on the Stewardship Committee balanced government, community, and business representatives. Group dynamics, strategic non-traditional thinking, diversity, and passion for the issue at hand were also important considerations. One of the first actions by the Co-Chairs was to work with the Office of the Mayor, United Way, and The City of Calgary to select the Executive Director of the Calgary Poverty Reduction Initiative. Derek Cook, currently a research social planner in The City of Calgary’s Community and Neighbourhood Services department, will take on the role of Executive Director immediately.
“We received over 30 stellar applications for a short term contract, and it was a unanimous decision to hire Derek Cook,” said Co-Chair Cathy Williams. “Both Steve and I are looking forward to working with Derek. He brings a strong background in collaborative leadership and the ability to work thoughtfully and effectively with corporate and community leaders and those living in poverty.” The first meeting of the committee will be in late January and an update on the committee’s progress will be shared with City Council in March 2012.
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The Pulse of the Filipino Community
January 2012
Dreaming Through the Noise
by Miya Villarena Miya Villarena is a native of Quezon City who currently lives in Edmonton, Alberta, with her parents and brother. She enjoys art, mathematics, chess, and a good book along with a cup of coffee on a winter day, as well as writing stories in her spare time. She is also fond of cats and surfing the internet. When asked who her muses are, Miya considers her greatest literary inspiration to be Mary Hoffman, and her favorite artist to be Brett Helquist.
D
reams are the substance of reality that have not been brought forth into existence yet. Whether or not these dreams are ingrained into the subconscious half of the human brain, dreams are something considered to be intangible and dissociated from reality in general. On the other hand, dreams can also be things that we as human beings want to obtain and achieve in the near or distant future, goals, if you may, that motivate us to be who we are today and where we put ourselves in life. While browsing quotes on the Internet during my spare time, I happened to glimpse a quote by Paul Wellstone which stated that “sometimes, the only realists are the
dreamers.” To have a dream and to not be able to glimpse the tangible mist of reality beneath the latter is a tragic thing. As people, we have dreams of a better life, becoming what we want to become in the future, and so much more. Life is full of unspeakable wonders and achievements that have yet to be unlocked and obtained, sometimes through the hard way and not through the first easy route that comes by. As such, it can be argued that dreams are the foundation of the future in today’s day and age. Every day, I meet new people, see new faces, and listen to new voices. Sometimes, I wonder, what dreams did these people have, or what dreams do this people have? Are their dreams any different from mine? My dreams are varied at the moment. I remember being the same as a child, having that desire to become everything as an adult. Becoming a singer, a doctor, an artist, and various other things while ignoring with bliss all the possible and numerous obstacles that I would eventually encounter to pursue such dreams was the core of my childhood. Without the influence of my parents and my friends and family in the Philippines, I wouldn’t have gotten to achieve anything that I am right now. I remember the day I decided to become a singer. Nine years ago, I was in the front seat of the car, driving home from a late night seminar with my dad from the busy and well lit area of Makati City, with all its buildings, billboards, and hotels that seemed to give off a feeling of wonder and awe in the afterglow of their flashing
lights. My six year old self, restless and carefree, glanced occasionally at the speeding cars and traffic lights, ignoring completely everything else, smitten with the fast paced city life that I glimpsed through the misty glass of the car window. It was then that my father decided to pull out this cassette tape that we had gotten a couple of weeks earlier at a concert in our church by the daughter of one of my father’s colleagues. He inserted it into the player and it started playing, gently weaving its familiar sequence of songs into my mind. As a child, my parents had fed and raised me on a steady diet of classical music and musicians, such as Bach, Beethoven and Mozart. I also listened to singers like Steve Green, Don Moen, and all the Disney music from the animated films, but I never dreamed of becoming like these musicians at all, until I heard the woman on that tape that my father played. Her voice was as smooth as the keys of a piano reverberating against the backdrop of white noise, as clear as crystal, and as sharp as a blade in her diction. I knew I wanted to be like her. It was just a simple wish, but I didn’t know I would actually achieve what I had asked for. After all, it was only a wish of a young child – what good would it do to dream without purpose, without reason? What good would it do to dream only of a future that was near impossible to achieve? It did me good, I can tell you that. As if on cue, a few weeks later, there was an announcement at my school that a choir was visiting us to hold auditions for aspiring singers of
classical music. I thought to myself, “This has got to be a coincidence.”Just when I decide to become a singer, this perfect opportunity shows up in front of me, unknowingly, and unexpectedly. I had told no one of my desire to join the choir, and most of my friends thought I was not the type to engage in singing, let alone joining a choir. Back in elementary, I was not the most sociable person or the person who was most likely to engage in extracurricular activities that were related to music. I was the oddball, the honor student cooped up with tons of rigid work and academic achievements to maintain – I practically had no time for other things, or so they thought. They were wrong. In fact, they were immensely wrong. I remember going home and digging out the tape that my dad had played in the car previously, and listening over and over to it again. Somehow, there was only one song that captivated me so much that I decided to use it as my audition piece for the choir. Out of the more than thirty people in the whole elementary who auditioned, only two were chosen, and I was one of the two.It was my first choral experience, and I quite enjoyed it. I did not expect to be complimented on my voice at all, or to be chosen for the choir, for that matter. But I didn’t really care about the details – I was just happy I was in the choir. Out of all the songs on that tape recording, only that song still has its melody in my head, up until today. I eventually ended up joining a different choir sometime later and I stayed with them for the longest time I ever did, until I had to leave for Canada in early 2009. My whole
affair with choral music, however, wouldn’t have been possible if I hadn’t dreamed. I would’ve never auditioned for the choir, and I would’ve never found out of my musical capabilities. I would’ve never enjoyed singing so much, and I would’ve never enjoyed the full extent of my classical music upbringing. I most certainly would be a different person from who I am right now, if there was no music in my life. I am a dreamer, and I know there are more dreamers out there. Many of us Filipinos and Filipinas have come to Canada with hopes and dreams that we wish to fulfill in our lives. Sometimes, it is only through these dreams that we manage to get through this hard life and out of the endless mire of obstacles. However, we must learn that dreaming alone is not going to help. As a child, I had and still have a great faith in God. I believe strongly in prayer and I believe faith can work wonders in our life. Without my faith in God, none of my achievements, hopes, goals, and dreams would have been fulfilled at all today, and I most certainly wouldn’t be writing this article in the hopes of sharing my life with the people who are reading this now. My dreams are dust without my faith in my Creator. Are you a dreamer? Do you have dreams? If we dream and have faith in God, what can go wrong? That being said, in today’s society, we must act on our dreams, no matter how absurd or outlandish they may be, and utterly strive to fulfill them, focusing on the goals we have at the end.
toxic than MDMA, with a higher incidence of seizures and elevated body temperature. Also, the onset of action of PMMA is delayed and its initial effect may be milder. This is dangerous as it may result in users ingesting several tablets to achieve a desired effect, with potentially fatal consequences.” Police continue to investigate the source of the drugs taken in each of these deaths. The names of the deceased will not be released for privacy reasons. If parents believe their child is involved in drug use and/or have information to assist with an investigation targeting a drug trafficker, they are encouraged to call
the CPS Drug Tip Line at 403-2068100 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800222-8477. Find more information on ecstasy & youth at: http://www. calgarypolice.ca/kids-drugs_ecstasy. html If anyone who has used MDMA, PMMA, methamphetamine or any other street drug, becomes unconscious, stops breathing, experiences chest pain or has a seizure, call 911 immediately. Albertans can also call PADIS toll-free, 24/7, at 1-800-332-1414, for confidential discussion with staff trained in the assessment and management of exposures to drugs, including MDMA, PMMA, and methamphetamine.
Authorities renew warning about street drugs
N
ew information about several recent Calgaryarea overdose deaths has prompted the Calgary Police Service and Alberta Health Services to renew the warning about extreme dangers associated with street drug use. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has confirmed paramethoxymethamphetamine (PMMA) and methamphetamine not previously associated with street drugs sold in Calgary as "Ecstasy" - was present in toxicology results for each of five recent Calgaryarea street-drug deaths. This new chemical is thought to be a less expensive compound, used to make a drug similar in appearance to, and
sold on the street as, Ecstasy (or MDMA). MDMA was also found in the toxicology results. It was reported that each of the recent overdose victims thought they were ingesting Ecstasy (MDMA), not PMMA or methamphetamine. While the cause of each death is still under investigation, the presence of PMMA is a common link between each case and it is considered to be lethal. “This is a prime example of the gamble people take when they use illegal drugs,” says S/Sgt. Mike Bossley of the Calgary Police Service Drug Unit. “You never know what is in your drug: yesterday it was MDMA, today it’s PMMA, and
tomorrow it could be something else. There is no safe street drug, and no safe dose of a street drug.” There are absolutely no controls in any illegal drug production and drugs could be cut with various substances, unknown to the user, which may lead to injury or death. Each individual will also have an independent response to drugs, which may vary from another person’s reaction. “There are some important differences in the toxicity of PMMA compared to MDMA,” says Dr. Mark Yarema, Medical Director of the Poison and Drug Information Service (PADIS). “Although all have toxic effects, PMMA is considered more
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It’s More Fun In The Philippines by Jose Angeles
C
onsidered as the Pearl of the Orient Seas, Philippines will surely be a holiday destinations not only for the Angeles family but for the tourists seeking fun under the sun. With the new Philippine Tourism trying to woo tourists with a slogan "It's more fun in the Philippines" the Angeles family found out that it's not only fun but relaxing and stress free. This is also a great way of bonding with family going out together and spending time together whether its at Jollibee restaurant or at the bistros around Ermita.Walking on the streets of Navotas and spending a day celebrating the
Navotas Day is the Navotas Day is fun. This time we decided to go to Cebu and discovered what Cebu has to offer. We stayed at Costabella resort in Lapu-lapu City and stayed for four nights and five days. We did a side trip to Bohol a two hour boat ride from Cebu. It exhilarating and educational. It's fun as well if you travel with friends.This time we had Robert and Letty Tria with us and her sister Perla and her husband and son Benson joining us at resort all the way from Surigao bringing with them "tiklis" of lanzones and rambutan. Our journey has just started and the fun just begun.
Aylah handing out candies to the kid of Navotas.
The Altar of Sto. Nino Church in Cebu City.
Aylah Angeles with some the street boys of Navotas.
Hermie Angeles and Letty Tria tring to bargain dried fish for The Plaza For Sinulog Celebration in Cebu. “pasalubong.
Selling ballons infront of Sto. Nino Church in Cebu.
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Photos by Jose Angeles | Filipino Journal
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The Pulse of the Filipino Community
Gemmalyn Ends the Year with Birthday Bash Gemmalyn ends the year 2011 with a birthday celebration at Palabok House restaurant with family and friends last Wednesday, December 21, 2011. It's two in one birthday and Christmas celebration.
January 2012
Blessie Caraang celebrated her birthday at the Kitchen Bistro River Cree Casino Resort last Friday December 23, 2011 with family and friends.
Birthday cake for Gemmalyn
Gemmalyn with cousin, mother and brother.
Blessie with family and friends
Gemmalyn surrounded with gentlemen, l-r Jun Aller, Carmel Restauro, Phillip Aquino, Nonong Granado, Jess Bilo and Jun Angeles
Blessie Blowing her Candle Cake
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Alberta
The Pulse of the Filipino Community
January 2012
RJL 2011
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