December 2013 B issue

UK & Europe Edition

December 2013 / Fortnightly

Volume 4 - Number 24

page 25

Connecting Global News & Views For The Community

FORTNIGHTLY

Celeb Scoop

E E FR

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29 REFUGEES’ 3 ROOMS’ 1 WISH: YOLANDA REFUGEES IN A GOOD SAMARITAN’S PARANAQUE PLACE PRAY FOR WAY HOME MANILA - “By Christmas, my child, things will get better.”

Rogelio Rendeza, 51, has mightily given this reply each time his son would ask him when he can go back to school in their hometown in Tacloban.

The boy, 10, has asked the question not just once the past two weeks since Rendeza’s clan— all 29 of them, including15 other children—escaped Tacloban, all out of fear, two days after Typhoon Yolanda brought the city surrounded by the sea down to

its knees on November 8. The city had been wiped out, and there was nothing to eat.

More than 5,700 people have been reported killed, and the number rises as more of the nearly 2,000 missing are found.

Residents speak with their eyes about their unspoken dread: the missing are no more, they just have to be found.

Until then, leaving Tacloban was the best option for the Rendezas and some thousand others who survived. By noon of December 4,

Roger Rendeza, 51, prepares gatas gatas, a local brewed herbal tea to fortify his children and relatives against dengue fever. He complains of mosquito bites in their temporary shelter.

the Department of Social Welfare and Development had recorded at least 20,000 people who had fled to Manila from Tacloban and several other towns in Eastern Visayas devastated by the monster typhoon.

The storm refugees—or internally displaced persons (IDPs)—came by ship and by military cargo planes: from Tacloban, from Tanauan, from Guiuan, even from Ormoc City.

Only a few of them came of their own free will, for they were mostly driven by fear and desperation, or urgently wishing to escape the sight of so many dead bodies. They were desperate for food, clothes, medicines, and shelters; all of them bewitched and bewildered, and until then unmindful of the strong uncertainty, if not the possibility of rejection, at their destination.

“Bahala na,” Rendeza recalled telling himself then. “We left it up to God.” Today, a month later, Rendeza tries to look back and ponders his family’s future. He has no regrets, he said, in leading his family out of Tacloban, but acknowledges

The 29-member Rendeza clan

that their fears then were no match to their naivete. By this time, Rendeza’s son is no longer alone in pestering his parents about going back home.

In his heart of hearts, Rendeza himself was unsure and uneasy with his reply to his son, except that he had to put up a brave

front, especially since, in their 29-member family, he is the second oldest, next to his 69-yearold mother. He himself wants to go home as soon as possible and keeps his fingers crossed that things would indeed normalize before or just a little after Christmas.

“Our life here (in Manila), after Yolanda, is permanently temporary,” he said. Or temporarily permanent.

With Rendeza are his mother, who has a lung ailment; his brothers and sisters and in-laws and their children, the oldest being Continue to page 2

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NEWS

29 REFUGEES’ 3 ROOMS’ 1 WISH...

16 and the youngest eight months. In all, there are 13 adults and 16 children.

They are housed in three different rooms on the third floor of Matheus Building owned by businesswoman Maty Ramos in Moonwalk, Parañaque. When they stepped into the building last month, they had virtually nothing; they were cold and hungry. They were immediately served steamed rice and fish and given dry clothes. The rooms have adequate supply of electricity and water, but they have no television set, they have no idea what has happened to the rest of their relatives and neighbors. They sleep on mats; there is no electric fan, but they have enough supply of toiletries. They have nothing else, but they have each other.

A miracle to survive. “It was a miracle how we all, especially the kids, survived,” an in-law said.

It is a miracle how they have fared the past 30 days. All these weeks Good Samaritans kept flowing a daily donation of rice and canned sardines, most of them coming from lawyer Levy Villegas and his son Lawrence. What comes “by the grace of God,” Rendeza’s sister Lea said, the Rendezas divide among themselves. She estimates that their supply was always good for the next morning most of the time.

(To keep supply coming, father and son have begun to accept donations at Unit 402 La Maison Rada Condominium, on 115 Rada St., Legaspi Village).

The Rendezas have no idea how the others—their relatives, neighbors and friends who also fled to Metro Manila—live.

The thousands of others are spread across Jose Fabella Center and Nayon ng Kabataan in Mandaluyong, and in what is now called Tent City provided by Pasay City Hall. Supply is on ration, courtesy of government and private donors; they have to take turns using the toilets, and some feel their action is always being monitored—an understandable sensation,

as officials in charge of their sanctuaries have been strictly told to guard against human traffickers and other predators. Still, the refugees feel they need more space, if not freedom.

Elsewhere, an observer hears the same story being told by survivors. And it is not one story after another, but the same damn story over and over again.

No place like home. By any account, Rendeza’s family is far better off than all the thousands of other Yolanda refugees.

Though not complaining, Rendeza wished for something better: Which means going home, going back to a place they can call their own, no matter how humble. Which means having a job and making do with his earnings. Which means the children waking up for school. All of which means having to go back to their normal lives. To them, that is something better—but only, he added, if only things were that easy.

To be sure, Rendeza and family are very, very grateful to their donors, especially the Ramoses and the Villegases. But no one wants to abuse their kindness.

“Everyone needs a home base, a fixed point in life’s movement,” he said. “The children are getting bored, restless.”

The case of the Rendezas came as a big surprise to the DSWD center at the Villamor Air Base where all refugees are received, de-stressed, and supplied with basic daily requirements. “How did they come here to Metro Manila?” asked Mary Jane Abello, DSWD-NCR information officer. “We have to see them, they have to undergo de-stressing.” But Abello and colleague Mark Garcia, and all other faceless social workers based at Villamor have their hands full. Still, Abello said she had to attend to the big family soonest.

Rehab czar Lacson’s priorities. Much as he wants to, the tragedy’s rehabilitation czar, former Sen. Panfilo Lacson, could provide neither immediate answer nor immediate relief to the survivors’ immediate

December 2013 / Fortnightly – No. 24 • UK & Europe Edition

Continuation from page 1

plea to resume normal lives as they know it.

“The priority now is to really clean up the place,” Lacson said in an interview at a reception hosted by the Chinese embassy in Manila last week. “Clear the debris, everything. That’s the first order of the day.

How can you reconstruct when everything in there seems like piles of garbage?”

Lacson is upbeat, but he he knows he is racing against time, against the restlessness of survivors that has the potential of becoming a social volcano.

“I’m relying more on the private sector as much as possible,” he said. “The pledges are overwhelming—foreign, domestic, they’re all willing to help, very enthusiastic.”

He said the 41-billion rehabilitation budget was not enough, and as much as possible he wouldn’t want to touch it. “I want to rely more on the private sector.

They will fund it, initiate it.”

He has hardly warmed his seat, and it is probably unfair to expect him to come up with a detailed, formal blueprint of his rehabilitation plan at once, but what makes his task enormous is that he doesn’t want just another rehabilitation plan.

“To rehabilitate the whole place—but my goal is, it should be one level up. It’s just not restoring; if you restore to the original, and then another typhoon hit the area, it will be the same story, he said.

“Not just relocation, the building code, we will fix; structural design, rezoning, yes, because most of the houses there are

John Emmanuel, 9 months old and the youngest in the clan, here photographed on his mother’s lap.

The clan shares 3 bedrooms at the 4th floor of a building provided as sanctuary by kind strangers, whose friends keep providing their meals.

along the coastline. Lalabas doon, twostorey ‘yung bahay, or whatever structure is that, and then vacant ‘yung silong mo. Para iyong tubig mo sa ilalim.”

“Another challenge there are the land titles, all these are washed out; we need to cordinate with land authorities.”

Lacson said he knew he had to work fast.“I think if we use government funds, we will encounter bureaucratic red tape. So how fast can I respond to the destruction?”

In his plan, he wants to make provisions for livelihood, education, even religious, government facilities, bridges, ports.

To all those who came rushing to Manila, the DSWD has one rule to follow: Once you’re in, you can’t get out. On a recent afternoon, when News5 came to the agency’s makeshift office in Villamor, a young mother approached the personnel inquiring if she could go back to Tacloban at once. No way, she was told. “Finally, somebody saw my son, he is alive,” she said. “Please allow me to go home, he wouldn’t talk to anyone, he is in shock.”

The conversation ran in circles for at least 30 minutes, until she was advised to go military officials in Camp Aguinaldo to find out if they could accommodate her there. “We can’t let go of anybody, our counterpart in Tacloban will take care of

her son,” Abello said. It’s a cruel twist, to be sure: not to be reunited with a son who has been found and who needs her.

By all indications, Abello and her workforce all looked harassed. Some had forgotten to take their meal. Outside, a Christmas carol played on the air, but Garcia said he had no Christmas plans yet.

“We may stay here until after Christmas,” he said.

Until then, their life won’t return to normal. But they know that’s too small a price compared to those whose lives Yolanda had destroyed.

An embalmer, Rendeza has begun looking for a job in the neighborhood funeral parlors in Parañaque. A neighbor once asked his sisters if they were willing to do the laundry for a fee. A 20-year old nephew is willing to work in a construction firm.

Life goes on, it should go on, he said; and for Rendeza, going on is to have that pipe dream realized as soon as possible: To return to normal in that good old Tacloban, the only place they all call home.

“By God’s grace,” he said, “we will all go back. I promise.” It’s a wish he recites like a mantra each day, especially in the run-up to Christmas, as if he were rushing back to a lowly stable to redeem that vow. ■ Gerry Lirio / News5 / December 8, 2013 / 12:47 PM

Aquino, Binay, Senate hail Mandela as rights icon on International Human Rights Day MANILA - President Benigno S. Aquino III led Philippine officials in separate events Tuesday—the International Human Rights Day—in hailing the life and legacy of former South Africa President Nelson Mandela, universally hailed as an icon of human rights for leading the fight against apartheid.

Mr. Aquino signed the book of condolence for the Nobel Peace Prize winner and his nation’s first black president

at the South Africa Embassy at the Yuchengco Tower, RCBC Plaza Makati City Tuesday morning.

President Aquino later conversed with South Africa’s Ambassador NyamandePitso after signing the book of condolence.

Binay: Mandela fits celebration on Vienna Declaration. Meanwhile, in a statement e-mailed to media offices from South Africa where he was assigned

President Benigno Aquino III signs the Book of Condolence at the South African Embassy at the RCBC Plaza in Makati City Tuesday. Photo by Robert Viñas, ©Malacañang Photo Bureau

to represent Mr. Aquino at Mandela’s funeral, Vice President Jejomar Binay noted the “strange twist of fate that as we commemorate the Vienna Declaration and Plan of Action that set the standards for human rights protection, we also mourn the passing of Nelson Mandela, a great leader who himself fought for the equal rights of all human beings in his own country.”

Binay said Filipinos inspired by the work of Mandela, “who tirelessly fought to eliminate apartheid and institute equal rights among all South Africans. . . . must ensure” that everyone is free to enjoy human rights “in an environment that supports their aspirations instead of represses it.”

Binay, who was a human rights lawyer during the martial-law regime of Ferdinand Marcos, said “government must enforce its laws against human rights violations” and the people “must be more vigilant against encroachment on their individual liberties.”

Senate adopts resolution on Mandela.

As the world mourns, the Philippine Senate on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution expressing sympathies on the death of Mandela, who succumbed last

Dec.5 to repeated bouts with lung infections, sparking worldwide mourning for the man once described as “the prisoner who set the world free”---a reference to his 27 years in jail for defying the apartheid regime. His achievement on being freed drew even greater admiration, as he refused to show any bitterness or vindictiveness even when he was elected president, and steered his country through the difficult transition in a post-apartheid era.

Senate Resolution No. 20 was authored jointly by Senate President Franklin M. Drilon and Senator Loren Legarda. “The life of the first black President of South Africa and iconic anti-apartheid advocate inspired billions of people all over the world, from state leaders to ordinary individuals, and has sparked collective movements towards genuine socio-political equality across countries regardless of cultural peculiarities,” said the resolution.

“Mandela’s life will eternally be remembered as a testament that one’s love for country and its people can bring about unifying change in the world . . . The Senate of the Philippines expresses its condolence and sympathies on the death of Nelson

Mandela, with sincere gratitude for his sterling contributions to the promotion of peace and equality in the world,” it added.

“On behalf of the Senate of the Philippines, we extend our deepest sympathy and utmost support to his beloved wife, Graça Machel, and to his children. We join the entire world and the people of South Africa in mourning for the loss of this truly extraordinary man,” said Drilon.

Visitor to Manila. Following his presidency, Mandela continued to serve as an elder statesman. In March 1997, then President Mandela visited the Philippines and praised the restoration of democracy in the country. Mandela also paid tribute to the late President Corazon Aquino for leading the struggle against authoritarianism.

During his visit, President Mandela was also conferred an honorary doctorate degree by the University of the Philippines.

The Philippines and South Africa established diplomatic relations in November 1993 and the Philippines opened an embassy in Pretoria, South Africa in June 1994 shortly after President Mandela’s inauguration. ■ Ernie Reyes /

InterAksyon.com / December 10, 2013 / 7:13 PM

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BUSINESS AND FINANCE

December 2013 / Fortnightly – No. 24 • UK & Europe Edition

Business community puts up clearing house for disaster relief, rehab efforts MANILA – The Philippines’ biggest companies, business groups and nongovernment organizations (NGOs) have consolidated their efforts in preparing for and responding to disasters in the wake of a string of natural calamities that struck the country in recent months.

The Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation (PDRF) aims to be a permanent and sustainable structure that will facilitate the large, coordinated and unified effort of the business community to handle the whole spectrum of disaster management, PDRF president Rene S. Meily said in a briefing on Monday.

The PDRF will act as a major point of contact of the private sector with the government, international aid agencies and the NGOs. Its scope of work covers preparedness, relief, recovery and reconstruction.

“It became clear in the discussions that there is a need for the private sector to actually invest in an institution like the PDRF and invest in a big way,” said Rafael C. Lopa, executive director of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP).

In the aftermath of Typhoon ‘Yolanda’, PDRF has identified five key sectors for early recovery efforts: shelter, livelihood,

education, environment and water, infrastructure, sanitation and health.

The group will focus its activities in eight areas: Northern Cebu, Northern Negros, Northern Panay, Leyte, Samar, Palawan, Bohol and Zamboanga City.

“Recent events have highlighted the fact that the Philippines is one of the most disasterprone countries in the world. We must become much more adept at dealing with calamities—both natural and man-made.

The private sector has an important role to play in making our country more resilient,” PDRF co-chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said in a statement. He also chairs Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co (PLDT) and Metro Pacific Investments Corp.

PDRF is also co-chaired by Ayala Corp chairman and chief executive officer Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala and Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle.

The first order of business for the PDRF is to help re-boot the economy in the affected areas and accelerate recovery through investments in commercial operations and corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects, said Guillermo Luz, co-chair for the private sector of the National Competitiveness Council.

“The whole structure is to have flexibility

to move on your own so we know who’s doing what and where. We are trying to identify which areas are underserved and where are the gaps,” Luz said.

PDRF is in creating a Crisis Response Mapping facility to map out the ongoing commercial and CSR activities in the disaster areas. This will provide visibility on what has been accomplished and what still needs to be done and help determine how resources can be efficiently and effectively allocated. It will also help in monitoring and auditing projects on the ground.

Long-term reconstruction plans would include developing an urban planning strategy together with better climate change risk assessments to help rebuild the typhoon-hit areas.

So far, the PDRF has raised 26 million for the survivors of ‘Yolanda’ and another 9 million from pledges and donations for those affected by the earthquake in Bohol and Cebu, as well as the fighting in Zamboanga.

The PDRF has funded medical missions, set up temporary tents, donated sacks of rice and satellite phones. It is also working to help in the construction of fishing boats and temporary classrooms in the disaster areas.

Initially formed in the aftermath of typhoons Frank, Ondoy and Pepeng, the PDRF is composed of leading private corporations, foundations and NGOs working together to support the government and international aid agencies in post-disaster recovery efforts.

Other members of the PDRF board are Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc CEO Erramon I. Aboitiz, Energy Development Corp chairman Federico Lopez, Shell country chairman Edgar Chua, Magsaysay

Maritime Corp president Doris Magsaysay-Ho and Phinma Inc president Ramon del Rosario Jr. PDRF also counts business groups such as the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bankers Association of the Philippines, Management Association of the Philippines, Makati Business Club, Employers Confederation of the Philippines and Philippine Exporters Confederation among its members. ■ Krista Angela M. Montealegre / InterAksyon.com / December 9, 2013 / 6:03 PM

Bangko Sentral tightens capital rules on foreign banks

Gov’t rice inventory dips below minimum required amid post-disaster relief MANILA - The government today reported that its rice inventory dropped below its minimum buffer stock requirement last month.

The disclosure comes after the National Food Authority (NFA) began distributing for free rice in areas hardest hit by Typhoon ‘Yolanda’.

In a report, the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) said the country’s rice inventory at the start of November fell 12.4 percent to 2.44 million metric tons from last year’s 2.78 million, but was 38 percent more than last October’s 1.77 million. At last month’s level, the country’s inventory is enough to last two months.

Nearly 60 percent of the country’s rice inventory was stored in households, enough to last for the next 43 days. Another fourth of the country’s stock—which could last 19 days—was held by commercial warehouse operators.

The NFA’s share of the country’s inventory stood at 14.5 percent and could meet requirements for the next 10 days—or well below the 15-day requirement—after

dropping nine percent from the October level.

Since news of Yolanda’s devastation came to light, the NFA has begun distributing rice as relief, giving up its role as a price stabilizer in the market for the grain and causing spikes in some typhoon-hit areas.

Agriculture Assistant Secretary Dante Delima blamed the drop in NFA’s share of the country’s rice inventory on “abnormal consumption” in typhoon-hit areas.

“At any given day, the NFA should have a 15-day buffer. But the abnormal consumption, since the people and those who are conducting relief operations are buying from the government warehouses, have pulled down security buffer,” Delima, who is also coordinator of the National Rice Program, said.

The NFA Council recently approved the importation of another 500,000 metric tons of rice. Vietnam has since won the tender, with the initial 200,000 up for delivery this month to replenish the grains agency’s inventory. ■ Orti Despuez / InterAksyon.com /

December 9, 2013 / 5:31 PM

THE policy-setting Monetary Board told foreign banks operating in the Philippines to change the composition of their capital by January 2015 in line with new rules aimed at strengthening the financial system.

In a statement Monday, Bangko Sentral said 14 foreign banks operating here must set up capital that is permanently assigned for their operations in the Philippines.

The “new initiative strengthens foreign bank branches in the Philippines because they will have their capital onshore when they take on onshore risks,” Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said in the statement.

This means that a foreign bank with Philippine operations must exclude

advances it receives from its parent firm overseas in computing Tier 1 capital, which is defined as the safest or highest quality capital that can absorb shocks, the statement noted.

This is the “prudent policy direction since it will reduce unwarranted reliance of foreign bank branches on their parent entity for capital support when operating domestically,” Tetangco said.

The reforms are also meant to level the playing field between foreign banks and domestic, according to the statement.

Local banks are facing fullimplementation of Basel III, the latest international capital standard for banks, in January 2014.

Moreover, foreign banks are also told to observe a buffer of 2.5 percent

common equity tier 1 (CET1) to its risk.

CET 1 is largely composed of investors’ share in a bank’s capital.

The conservation buffer is on top of the required 6.0 percent CET1 and a 7.5 percent additional Tier 1 that banks are required to keep.

Falling below the ratios will compel the central bank to force the bank’s management to retain half of its yearly profits and convert this into capital.

Foreign banks were told to submit a capital build-up plan by April next year, in line with full implementation by January 1, 2015, Bangko Sentral noted.

Central bankers worldwide have agreed to adopt Basel III rules following the 2008 financial crisis. ■ Siegfrid Alegado / VS, GMA News / December 9, 2013 / 7:41 PM

LRT, MRT fare hike looms next month MANILA - A fare hike may greet MRT and LRT commuters at the start of the new year, as the government holds public hearings on the planned increase on December 12.

Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Undersecretary Eduardp Oban Jr. said the agency will conduct a public consultation with concerned sectors regarding the proposed fare adjustment in the LRT Lines 1 and 2, as well as the MRT 3 on December 12.

“Anybody whose interest is at stake or who wishes to convey/express his views on the matter is most welcome,” Oban said.

The public hearing will be held at LRT Line 2 Depot Cafeteria in Santolan, Pasig City from 2-5 p.m.

Michael Arthur Sagcal, DOTC spokesperson, said the agency will hold only one public hearing, after which the government will decide on the planned increase.

Transport Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the fare increae would “depend on the results of the public consultation.”

Abaya had said the government is eyeing a 10 increase for the whole stretch that would be implemented in two tranches over two years, or 5 for every year.

In his fourth State-of-the-Nation Address last July, President Benigno Aquino III said it was “reasonable for us to move the fares of the MRT and LRT closer to the fares of air-conditioned buses, so that the government subsidy for the MRT and LRT can be used for other social services.”

The government subsidizes a passenger of LRT and MRT at a rate of 25 and 45, respectively. Over the past decade, the government has shelled out 75 billion in subsidy.

The maximum fare for an MRT 3 ride —which runs from North Edsa in Quezon City to Taft Avenue in Pasay City—is 15,

whereas a bus ride covering the same distance costs at least 20. Fares for LRT 1—which runs from Roosevelt in Quezon City to Baclaran in Pasay—range from 12 to 20 depending on the distance covered.

The average daily ridership at MRT 3 stands at 500,000, breaching the service’s capacity of 350,000 a day as early as 2006. For LRT 1 and LRT 2, the average daily ridership reaches at least 400,000 and 200,000, respectively. ■ Darwin G. Amojelar / InterAksyon.com / December 5, 2013 / 3:49 PM

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EVENTS DIARY UK & EUROPE

www.hello-philippines.com DATE / TIME

EVENT

18 December Wednesday 7:00pm 21 December Saturday 6:00pm

Ima Castro in Concert – Full Circle

21 December Saturday 5:00pm

Annual Christmas Party

22 December Sunday 5:00pm

Christmas Party

BRITFIL Christmas Party

VENUE

The Cockpit, Gateforth Street, London NW8 8EH Chasewell Community Social Club, Avoce Way, Cherwell Height, Banbury, Oxon OX16 9YA Bournbrook and Selly Oak Social Club, 13A Hubert Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham B29 6DX Crown Moran Hotel, 142 – 152 Cricklewood Broadway, London NW2 3ED Gibson Hall, 13 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 3BA Chelsea Theatre, 7 World’s End Place, King’s Road, London SW10 0DR

ORGANISER

December 2013 / Fortnightly – No. 24 • UK & Europe Edition CONTACTS / REMARKS

DitseProductions

Call to Book Tickets: 020 3286 4883 Ticket: £12.00

British & Filipino Community (BRITFIL)

Nilda Dean – denil123@hotmail.com

Filipino Association of Birmingham (FAB)

Contact any FAB Officers

UK Candelaria Quezon Association (UKCQA)

Jennifer Arguelles (President) – arguelles_cpa@yahoo.com.ph

22 December New Dreams for The Rebecca Grant 07762 551 448 / Sunday Philippines info@rebeccagrant.co.uk 7:00pm 22 to 26 January From Heaven With Love Philippine Theatre UK For Information and Tickets: 020 2014 – A Theatrical Comedy 7352 1967 / Evening 7:30pm Written and Directed www.chealseatheatre.org.uk Sat & Sun Matinee by: Ramon Castillanes 3:00pm Tenoso FREE LISTING of your events on the HELLO PHILIPPINES newspaper and if you know of any Events please contact us and submit your event via email to the following at INFO@HELLO-PHILIPPINES.COM DISCLAIMER: The Events Diary Listing does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favouring by Hello Philippines newspaper. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of Hello Philippines newspaper. This is merely an Events Diary Listing of what is happening within the Filipino Communities in Europe. This is for general information only.

MONTHLY FILIPINO COMMUNITY MASSES IN GREATER LONDON 2:00pm Five Precious Wounds Parish, Brentfield Road, Stonebridge Park, London NW10 8ER 1st Sunday Mervic Monocillo – 07894 636 140 5:00pm Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church, Friary Road, Peckham, London SE15 1RH 1st Sunday Allen Abeleda – 07713 625 888 nd 2 Saturday 4:00pm St Peter the Apostle Catholic Church, 103 Woolwich New Road, London SE18 6EF Moises Espanola – 07894 648 639 nd Sunday 2:00pm English Martyrs Church, Chalkhill Road, Wembley Park, Wembley HA9 9EW 2 Becky Sarinas – 07949 857 699 / 07425 761 519 / Lina B – 07579 418 510 2nd Sunday 2:00pm St Dominic Catholic Church, 243 Violet Lane, Waddon, Croydon CR0 4HN Merlie Mirto – 07722 216 462 4:00pm St. Anselm and St. Cecilia, 70 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3JA 2nd Sunday Feliciano Ramirez – 07733 680 748 rd Sunday 3:00pm Sacred Heart of Jesus, New Priory, Quex Road, Kilburn, London NW6 4PS 3 Sheidrick de Leon – 07738 210 202 3rd Sunday 3:00pm Blessed Sacrament Parish, 157 Copenhagen Street, Islington N1 0SR Christy Sangalang – 07709 119 969 Last Saturday 6:00pm Our Lady of Dolours, Servite Parish Church, 264 Fulham Road, London SW10 4EL Fr Allan Satur – 020 7352 6965 / fulhamroad@rcdow.org.uk Roland Adap – r_adap@hotmail.com Last Sunday 2:00pm St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 218 Roehampton Lane, London SW15 4LE Rafael Santiago – 07795 254 451 Every Sunday 5:00pm Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, 20 Brixton Road, Oval, London SW9 6BU Ben Ortiz – 07723 318 486 First Wednesdays 6:30pm Filipino Mass and Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help, Farm Street Church of the Immaculate Conception (Jesuit House Chapel), access on 114 Mount Street, London W1K 3AY Josie Ramos – 07723 024 591

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EVENTS DIARY UK & EUROPE

Simbang Gabi 2013 - Schedule of Masses

DATE / TIME 14 December Saturday, 3:30pm 15 December Sunday, 3:00pm

SPONSORING ORGANIZATION/S 27th Filipino Simbang Gabi Sa East Ham

15 December Sunday, 3:00pm 15 December Sunday, 3:30pm 15 December Sunday, 6:00pm 15 December Sunday, 7:00pm 15 December Sunday, 7:00pm 16 December Monday, 7:00pm 16 December Monday, 7:00pm 17 December Tuesday, 7:00pm 18 December Wednesday, 7:00pm

Filchamp Kilburn

Filipino Community of Blessed Sacrament Parish

Friends of Our Lady of Peñafrancia / Sto Nino Group / Our Lady of Victories Church El Shaddai DWXI-PPFI - London Chapter St. Dominic Filipino Community of Waddon Filipino Club at Westminster Cathedral Filipino Community in Wembley Couples for Christ – Maidenhead Couples for Christ – Maidenhead Batangas Association UK / Farm Street Filipino Community / Order of the Knights of Rizal and Kababaihang Rizalista, London Chapter

19 December Thursday, 7:00pm

CFC-Singles For Christ, London, UK / The Community Prayer Crusade-West London`

19 December Thursday, 7:30pm 20 December Friday, 6:00pm 20 December Friday, 6:00pm (Carols + Posadas) 7:00pm (Mass) 20 December Friday, 6:30pm 21 December Saturday, 1:00pm 21 December Saturday, 4:00pm 21 December Saturday, 5:00pm 21 December Saturday, 7:00pm 21 December Saturday, 7:30pm 22 December Sunday, 2:00pm

Filipino Community in Acton

22 December Sunday, 2:00pm 22 December Sunday, 5:00pm

December 2013 / Fortnightly – No. 24 • UK & Europe Edition

CFC-Singles For Christ, London, UK Magnificat Choir

Couples for Christ – Frimley, Surrey Filipino Community in East London St. Pius X Filipino Association Couples for Christ – Guildford Kapa-Mill Hill Oval Filipino Community Bicol Association UK / Carmelite Church Filipino Choir / Filipino Women’s Association (FWA) / Aguman Kapampangan UK Share Hope Outreach – English Martyrs Filipino Community Couples for Christ / Divine Mercy Group of Kensal Filipino Community / Filipino Catholic Community in Our Lady of the Holy Souls Couples for Christ – Reading

VENUE St Michael’s Church, Tilbury Road, London E6 6ED reception at St Michael’s School Hall Blessed Sacrament Parish Church, 157 Copenhagen Street, Islington, London N1 0SR

Sacred Heart Church, New Priory, Quex Road, Kilburn, London NW6 4PS Church of Our Lady of Victories, 235A Kensington High Street, London W8 6SA Our Lady of Mt. Carmel & St. Joseph Church, 8A Battersea Park Road, London SW8 4BH St. Dominic’s Catholic Church, Violet Lane, Waddon, Croydon, Surrey CR0 4HN Westminster Cathedral, Victoria Street, London SW1 Roman Catholic Church of St. Joseph’s, 339 High Road, Wembley, Middlesex HA9 6AG St. Edmund Campion Roman Catholic Parish, 40A Altwood Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 4PY St. Joseph Church, The Presbytery. 36 Cookham Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 7EG Jesuit Church of the Immaculate Conception (Farm Street), 114 Mount Street, London W1K 3AH The Holy Cross Chapel, Charing Cross Hospital, Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith, London W6 9NT Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Acton High Street, London W3 8AA St Augustine’s Church, 55 Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith, London W6 8AU St. James Catholic Church, Forbury Road, Reading RG1 3HW Our Lady Queen of Heaven Church, 111 Portsmouth Road, Frimley, Surrey, GU16 7AA St. Antony of Padua, St. Antony Road, Forest Gate, London E7 9QB Roman Catholic Church of St. Pius X, 79 St. Charles Square, Ladbroke Grove, London W10 6EB St. Joseph’s Church, 12 Eastgate Gardens, Guildford, Surrey GU1 4AZ Sacred Heart and Mary Immaculate Church, 2 Flower Lane, Mill Hill, London NW7 2JB Church of the Holy Redeemer, 20 Brixton Road, London SW9 6BU Carmelite Priory, 41 Kensington Church Street, London W8 4BB English Martyrs Church, Chalkhill Road, Wembley Park HA9 9EW Our Lady of the Holy Souls, 68 Hazelwood Crescent, Kensal Road, London W10 5DJ

PRESIDER / CO-CELEBRANT

Fr. Allan Satur

Fr. Irvin Morastil, O.M.I. Fr. Voltaire Dimol Fr. Cirino Potrido,C.M. Fr. Jake Dicto, C.S. Fr. Voltaire Dimol / Canon Christopher Tuckwell Fr. Agustin Paunon Fr. Jose Claveria Msgr. Tom McGrath Fr. Voltaire Dimol

Fr. Giles Pinnock Catholic Chaplain Fr. Voltaire Dimol Fr. Gianni Notarianni OSA (Parish Priest) Fr. Claro Conde

Fr. Voltaire Dimol Fr. Voltaire Dimol Fr. Cirino Potrido, C.M. Fr. Aaron Espenelli Fr. Cirino Potrido,C.M. Fr. Jake Dicto, C.S. Fr. Cirino Potrido,C.M. Choir: Carmelite Church Filipino Choir Fr. Voltaire Dimol

Fr. Cirino Potrido

22 December Christ the King, 408 Northumberland Avenue, Fr. Pat Madden Sunday, 6:00pm Reading RG2 8NR 23 December Stonebridge Filipino Community Church of the Five Precious Wounds, Brentfield Fr. Cirino Potrido,C.M. Monday, 6:00pm Road, Stonebridge, London NW10 8ER 23 December Couples for Christ Our Lady of Peace Church, 338 Wokingham Road, Fr. Emmanuel Monday, 6:00pm Reading RG6 7DA 23 December Filipino Community in Servites Our Lady of Dolours, Service Parish Church, 264 Fr. Allan Satur Monday, 8:00pm Fulham Road, London SW10 4EL NOTE: The Oval Filipino Community of the Holy Redeemer Church (RC), Scalabrini Centre and the Filipino Community of Roehampton, both under the Archidiocese of Southwark and entrusted to the Scalabrini Fathers, are hosting a novena of masses for the whole nine (9) days, from 15 – 23 December 2013. The Filipino Community in Servites are also hosting a traditional Tagalog Mass, dubbed Simbang Gabi sa Chelsea. Following are details of their Simbang Gabi Masses: DATE / TIME SPONSORING VENUE PRESIDER / ORGANIZATION/S CO-CELEBRANT Oval Filipino Community Church of the Holy Redeemer, 20 Brixton Road, Presider: Fr. Jake Dicto, 15 - 23 December Oval, London SW9 6BU C.S./Scalabrini Fathers Sunday – Monday 7:30pm, except 15 December 2:00pm and 22 December 5:00pm Filipino Community of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 218 Roehampton Presider: Fr. Jake Dicto, 15 - 23 December Roehampton Lane, London SW15 4LE C.S./Scalabrini Fathers Sunday - Monday 8:00pm, except 15 and 22 December 6:00pm Filipino Community in Servites Our Lady of Dolours, Service Parish Church, 264 Presider: Fr. Allan Satur 15 - 23 December Fulham Road, London SW10 4EL Sunday - Monday 8:00pm

December 2013 / Fortnightly – No. 24 • UK & Europe Edition

EVENTS DIARY UK & EUROPE

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Panalangin para sa Simbang Gabi Mapagpala at mahabaging Ama, taus puso po kaming nagpupuri at nagpapasalamat sa kagandahang loob na ipinakita Mo sa amin sa katauhan ng Iyong bugtong na Anak, ang Panginoong Hesus, na nagkatawang tao upang kami ay mailigtas at ganap na makapamuhay na may kalayaan at may pusong pakikipagkapwa tao.

Kaming mga Pilipino sa UK ay isang-loob na nagtitipon sa ‘misa de gallo’ kung saan sama-sama naming pinananabikan ang paghahanda sa pagsalubong at sa pagdiriwang ng Pasko.

Kami rin po ay nagpapasalamat dahil pinagkalooban Mo kami ng isang matatag na pananampalataya na syang nagbubuklod at nagtataguyod sa amin bilang isang sambayanang Pilipino saan mang dako ng mundo kami maparoon.

Mula sa aming mga ninuno, ang minanang pananampalatayang ito ang syang aming naging haligi, liwanag, sandigan at kalasag sa pagharap sa ano mang unos, daluyong at pagsubok ng buhay.

Pagpalain po Ninyo ang bawat desisyon at aksyon na aming ginagawa at gagawin, tungo sa pagtaguyod ng aming kinabukasan, sa Iyong kagustuhan na kami ay magtagumpay sa lahat ng aming mga plano. Patatagin po Ninyo ang aming pananampalatay sa Inyong salita, kapangyarihan at pag-ibig.

Panatilihin po Ninyo kaming naka-ugat sa aming pananampalataya at gayun din sa aming yamang-diwang Pilipino habang ginagampanan ang diwa ng Pasko sa araw araw naming pagdamay at pagmalasakit sa kapwa, sa serbisyo namin sa aming inang bayan at kalikasan, sa paglingap namin sa mga taong nasa abang-kalagayan, sa pakikibaka namin laban sa kahirapan, at higit sa lahat sa pagsulong sa ganap na katarungan at pagbabagong lipunan.

Mapangatawanan po nawa namin sa aming buhay ang tunay na diwa ng pagkakatawang-tao at pagpapakatao ng Emmanuel.

Lubos po ang aming pagsusumamo at panananalig sa dakila Mong pag-ibig sa aming sambayanan, kaisa ng mahal na Ina, gayun din ng mga Santo na sina Santo San Lorenzo, Santo San Pedro Calungsod, at ni Santo Jose Maria De Manila, Mga hinirang at huwaran sa kababaang-loob, sa kabanalan at sa pananampalataya ng aming lipi at sambayanan.

Sa matamis na pangalan ng aming Panginoong Hesukristo, na syang buhay at pagkabuhay ng sangkatauhan, Amen.

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IMMIGRATION / OFNEWS

December 2013 / Fortnightly – No. 24 • UK & Europe Edition

CBCP exec: US should respect PHL law regarding same-sex marriage FOR Cecilia Gahuman, it was a wish come true. For the first time in almost 10 years, she can now meet her same-sex fiancé, Hawaii-based Filipino-American Maria Carla Antonio, face to face.

“Ang hirap kausapin yung taong wala sa harapan mo. I mean, dumaan kami dun sa point na nag-aaway kami, nagku-cool off,” a teary-eyed Gahuman said in an interview on GMA News TV’s “News To Go” on Monday.

Gahuman was among the two Filipinos who were granted fiancé visas by the US Embassy in Manila following a new US State policy allowing US citizens to petition their same-sex partners.

For Antonio, a member of the US Navy, the granting of the visa was the high point of their relationship. “All these years I didn’t lose hope,” she said in the same interview.

This, however, did not sit well with the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), with an official saying it could be regarded as a sign of the US’ disrespect to the country’s laws.

“Dapat igalang nila ang batas ng ibang bansa. Tulad sa Pilipinas, hindi naman legal ang same-sex union so dapat irespeto nila ‘yun,” said Fr. Melvin Castro, executive director of CBCP’s Family and Life Commission, in an interview on “News-To-Go.” Gay marriage is still illegal in the

Philippines, a highly Catholic country. The CBCP, which has condemned pastors who presided over same-sex marriages, said gay marriage violates the Family Code of the Philippines, which defines marriage as “a special contract of permanent union between a man and a woman.”

President Benigno Aquino III said last December 3 that he has reservations about changing this law. Since the next possible step of gay marriages is adoption by these couples, he said the reaction of these children need to be considered, pointing out that growing up in such an environment may “induce more confusion” to the adopted child.

Requirements.

Even the US Immigration’s website has a notice regarding the same-sex rulings, along with requirements in filing for the visas.

Couples, same-sex or opposite sex, need the following in applying for a visa: • The US resident half of the couple need to file these for their future spouse: Petition for Alien Relative or Form I-130.

• Once the US Citizenship and Immigration Services approves the petition, it is sent to the National Visa Center (NVC). The NVC will assign a case number to the petition, ask the petitioner to complete Form DS261, Choice of Address and Agent, and

submit other necessary documents and appropriate fees.

• Medical examinations and vaccinations need to be accomplished before the visa interview. If approved, the consular officer handling the case will hand the immigrant partner their visa and a sealed packet containing their submitted documents.

The sealed packet MUST NOT BE OPENED. Only the US immigration official should open the packet once the partner enters the US. Required documents in the second step include: • Passports • Affidavit of Support • DS-260, Online Immigrant Visa Application • Two (2) 2x2 photographs • Civil Documents • Completed Medical Examination Forms For further information, interested parties could go to the US Department of State’s FAQ site. ■ Rie Takumi / KBK, GMA News /

December 9, 2013 / 1:40 PM

Hungary eyes reopening of embassy in PHL

Over 1,000 illegal OFWs endorsed for issuance of exit visas in Saudi

THE Philippine government has endorsed 1,481 undocumented overseas Filipino workers to the Saudi government for issuance of exit visas to enable them to return home before Christmas.

“Our POLOs (Philippine Overseas Labor Offices) continue in their earnest effort to assist OFWs in legalizing their residency status in the Kingdom, or in their desire to be repatriated back to the Philippines,” said Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz in a statement Friday.

Baldoz added that 21 other OFWs have been assisted to the Saudi Social Welfare Agency for processing and issuance of exit visas.

“Barring any hitches, or delay on the part of Saudi immigration officials, we expect that the first batch of 644 Filipinos will have their final exit documents released in the next few days,” she said.

Since the amnesty expired on November 3, Saudi authorities have been rounding up foreigners who have stayed behind illegally and are holding them in special centers until their deportation papers are sorted.

Under the new Saudi deportation procedures, foreign workers who have not availed of the amnesty program and who wishes to be repatriated will have to apply for exit visa and turn themselves in to the New General Service (Deportation) Center at Al Shumaysi.

The workers will be checked for any pending criminal case. If cleared, the workers will deposit their belongings in a special box, undergo finger printing, and will be required to secure or present their travel documents and flight bookings.

Those found with criminal records, on the other hand, will be treated separately in accordance with the Saudi criminal procedure.

Baldoz expressed confidence that OFWs who have been staying in Saudi Arabia illegally can soon return home to the Philippines this Christmas and be reunited with their families.

“If our illegal OFWs prefer to leave, I expect that more of them can return home to the Philippines soon,” she said. — KBK, GMA News / December 6, 2013 / 4:48 PM

HUNGARY’S top diplomat, Foreign Minister János Martonyi, said his country might reopen its embassy in the Philippines if their economy continues to improve.

In an interview with reporters at the Department of Foreign Affairs headquarters in Pasay City on Saturday, Martonyi said the embassy was closed down in 1995 due to budgetary constraints.

Martonyi said the Philippines is on top of the list of countries being considered for the reopening of Hungarian embassies “but this depends on the budget situation of my country, which is now improving so let’s hope for the best.”

At present, Hungary has a consulate at the Pacific Star Building along Gil Puyat Avenue in Makati and the Honorary Consul General of Hungary in Manila is Alfonso Yuchengco III. Priority country. In a separate interview with GMA News Online also on Saturday, Assistant Secretary for European Affairs Maria Zeneida Angara-Collinson confirmed that the Philippines is a priority country for the reopening of Hungarian embassies.

“They are encouraged by the high growth, the promising fundamentals so they want to catch a piece of the action so to speak. They want to promote trade, they’re actively promoting their meat exports,” Angara-Collinson said.

According to data provided by the DFA, the total trade between the Philippines and Hungary in 2012 was at US$156.5 million.

The products traded between the two countries included food, beverage, components, devices (semiconductors), electronic data processing, pharmaceuticals, metal automotive parts, petrochemicals, intermediate and fabricated products.

An estimated 180 Filipinos live in Hungary based on the 2012 Stock Estimate of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas.

Stronger ties. Martonyi said Hungary

intends to develop stronger ties with the Philippines as part of his country’s East opening policy or “strategy of opening up towards Asia.”

“The Philippines has a very important role to play because it’s a democratic country and it’s a country with which we have the same values. For us, it’s very important that this [the Philippines] is a Christian nation,” he said.

Martonyi was in the Philippines from December 5 to 7 at the invitation of his counterpart, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario. The two officials had previously met in the multilateral forum of Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM).

During his visit, Martonyi discussed with Vice President Jejomar Binay and Commissioner Patricia Licuanan issues such as Hungary’s cooperation in the implementation of the post-Yolanda recovery and rehabilitation program.

Help for Yolanda victims. The DFA said Hungary was one of the first countries to offer humanitarian assistance to the Philippines after Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) hit the country in November, killing nearly 6,000 people and causing damage over 35.5 billion.

The DFA noted that Hungary immediately sent a medical mission after Yolanda struck the Philippines on November 8.

Last Saturday, Hungary, an expert in water technology, donated a mobile water purification plant capable of producing 100,000 liters daily.

Martonyi said the purification plant was a symbolic gesture of Hungary’s sympathy and solidarity with the victims of Yolanda as well as their intention to develop relations between Hungary and the Philippines.

“I believe that there is now much room for the development of our relationship be it trade, be it tourism, be it investments,” he said.

On the issue of education, Martonyi said Hungary is offering 35 scholarships for Filipino students who want to specialize in engineering or other fields.

Visiting Hungarian Foreign Minister János Martonyi said the Philippines is on top of the list of countries being considered for the reopening of Hungarian embassies.

Photo by Riz Pulumbarit.

Human trafficking. Meanwhile, on the problem about the human trafficking of Filipinos in Europe, Martonyi said Hungary participates “in every international effort to fight human trafficking.”

“We promote all possible initiatives on a global or an international level to fight human trafficking which is one of the evils mankind has to fight against,” he added.

Angara-Collinson supported this statement, saying “Europe is at the forefront of the fight against human trafficking.”

The year 2013 marks the 40th year of the Philippines’ official relations with Hungary, a former communist country.

A BBC report cited Hungary’s key role in “accelerating the collapse of communism across Eastern Europe when it opened its border with Austria in 1989, allowing thousands of East Germans to escape to the West.” East Germany was at that time a communism stronghold while West Germany was a free country.

By 1993, only four years after the collapse of communism in Hungary, nearly half of the country’s economic enterprises had been turned over to the private sector.

By 1998, “Hungary was attracting nearly half of all foreign direct investment in Central Europe,” BBC said.

The year 2013 marks the 40th year of the Philippines’ official relations with Hungary, a former communist country. ■ Veronica Pulumbarit / KBK, GMA News / December 9, 2013 / 5:19 PM

IMMIGRATION / OFNEWS

December 2013 / Fortnightly – No. 24 • UK & Europe Edition

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USSC’s resumption of Western Union services in Tacloban provides normality amid the debris of Typhoon Haiyan First to reopen and offer international money transfer services in Tacloban, facilitating much needed remittances to loved ones

PHILIPPINES, Manila – As makeshift markets pop up in the Leyte province in a bid for normality after Typhoon Haiyan, Universal Storefront Services Corporation (USSC) – anchor Agent of The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) – has successfully reopened two key locations in Tacloban to offer international money transfer services. USSC is the first to enable the transfer of much needed cash from overseas for embattled residents in this worst hit area.

Despite the operating challenges, USSC stores along Rizal Avenue and MH del Pilar Street in Tacloban are coping by running on power generators with cash being flown in from Cebu to replenish the cash stocks badly needed by the beneficiaries in Tacloban. In addition, 14 other USSC stores throughout Leyte and Samar have also resumed operations as soon as cellular signals became available.

“Just like much of the province, we are making do with what little we have. A power generator is not ideal but it is getting the job done and as of this moment, the stores are able to pay out all money transfers,” said Gabriel Paredes, President & CEO, Universal Storefront Services Corp.

He added, “Just days earlier, USSC officers from the Visayas Region boarded the military C130 cargo plane to search for employees possibly hurt or missing from their washed out premises in the province.

They also distributed 5,000 packs of relief

goods to the needy. We do our best to always be there for our customers, employees, and the community; and this gets affirmed every time there is a national disaster.”

“The opening of the two USSC locations will provide much needed cash injections to those that need it most; sent by loved ones and well-wishers from overseas,” said Patricia Riingen, Senior Vice President, East & South Asia, Western Union.

“Western Union and USSC have been providing services to our loyal customers

in the Philippines for 18 years out of our 22 year tenure in the Philippines. It is times like these it becomes ever more of a priority to continue servicing them,” said Patricia Riingen.

To enable more consumers around the world to support the relief efforts in response to Typhoon Haiyan’s aftermath, Western Union announced no-fees on inward transfers from 43 countries into the Philippines until November 30, 2013.

About USSC. Universal Storefront Services Corporation (USSC) operates a national network of close to 700 companyoperated stores and about 800 sub-agent locations throughout the country. The company has been a Western Union agent since 1995 and over the years has been named as Western Union’s Agent of the Year for the Asia Pacific region four (4) times.

About Western Union. The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is a leader in global payment services. Together with its Vigo, Orlandi Valuta, Pago Facil and Western Union Business Solutions branded payment services, Western Union provides consumers and businesses with fast, reliable and convenient ways to send and receive money around the world, to send payments and to purchase money orders. As of September 30, 2013, the Western Union, Vigo and Orlandi Valuta branded services were offered through a combined network of approximately

515,000 agent locations in 200 countries and territories and approximately 115,000 ATMs. In 2012, The Western Union Company completed 231 million consumer-to-consumer transactions

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worldwide, moving $79 billion of principal between consumers, and 432 million business payments. For more information, visit www.WesternUnion.com. ■ November 26, 2013

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December 2013 / Fortnightly – No. 24 • UK & Europe Edition

VP Binay fears January execution of Joselito Zapanta if blood money is not paid JOSELITO Zapanta, the overseas Filipino workers (OFW) on death row in Saudi Arabia, may be executed in January if his family will not be able to raise the blood money needed to save him.

This was according to Vice President Jejomar Binay, who renewed his appeal to Filipinos to contribute to the amount raised by the Philippine government, which currently stands at SR520,831 ( 6,133,722).

“I would like to take this opportunity to

appeal to our kababayans as the victim’s family is now becoming insistent,” said Binay, the presidential adviser on OFW concerns, in a statement Tuesday.

“We fear that the execution may happen in January if the blood money is not paid,” he added.

Zapanta was sentenced to death in 2009 for killing his Sudanese landlord allegedly out of self-defense. He was given reprieve several times in the past, once in November of last year, and another in March of this year.

The deadline for the blood money lapsed in November, with the Philippine government only raising SR520,831 ( 6 million) out of the needed SAR4 million ( 45 million).

“We are appealing to everyone to help us in increasing the amount we have raised as the original amount was deemed too small by the victim’s family.

They may agree to accept the blood money and pardon Mr. Zapanta if we increase the amount we are offering them,” Binay said.

US Embassy Manila issues first fiancé visas for same-sex couples ONE legal form of gay equality has finally reached Philippine shores, by way of the US Embassy in Manila.

Noel “Aeinghel” Amaro received this week his fiancé visa so he can marry his American boyfriend, Robert Cotterman, a US soldier who is ending his stint in Afghanistan.

It is the US Embassy in Manila’s first same-sex fiancé visa under a new US State Department policy world-wide that treats same-sex fiancé couples just as it does straight couples.

According to the US embassy’s website, Amaro and Cotterman met online and are scheduled to marry in the United States in January 2014.

Gay marriage is still not recognized under Philippine law. When asked about it this week,President Aquino said it still needs to be studied, specially in light of the possible negative effects on the adopted children of gay couples.

Lesbian couple. The US embassy also said in the same announcement that Maria Cecilia Limson Gahuman, a Filipina, and Maria Carla Antonio, an American, received a fiancé(e) visa as well. “With their fiancé visa, the couple will transition their ten-year relationship from long-distance to marriage in California on December 30, 2013,” it said.

It added that while same-sex marriage is not yet legal in the Philippines, gay Americans can now “petition for familybased visas on behalf of their Filipino spouses, fiancés, and their children.”

Same-sex couple Robert Cotterman (left) and Noel “Aeinghel” Amaro. Photo by Robert Cotterman ©Outragemag.com

The embassy said this stemmed from a landmark decision by the US Supreme Court that struck down the portion of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) defining marriage as a union between one man and one woman.

“Overturning DOMA signifies that the US federal government must extend all federal rights and privileges of marriage to any married couple, regardless of sexual orientation. Currently, gay couples can marry in 16 of 50 American states, and the nation’s capital,” the embassy said.

Such an extension of rights includes immigration benefits, it added.

The embassy said one of President Barack Obama’s priorities has been to advance gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender equality.

Transgender woman. Aeinghel Noel Amaro is identified in Outrage magazine (“the only LGBTzine in the Philippines”) as a “transgender woman.” But under US law, she is still officially a he. She has also

appeared in “ladyboy” beauty contests.

In an interview in Outrage magazine earlier this year, her boyfriend Robert Cotterman professed his love for Amaro and claims to have married her in Baguio in 2012. Some churches in the Philippines marry gay couples, but the union is not recognized legally. The US soldier also said the two already have an adopted son.

Cotterman revealed their plan to get married in America in 2014, “after my unit gets back from deployment. And from then on, we will be living our lives to the fullest that we can.” They met through a “random friend request” on Facebook.

“Equality of people”. US Secretary of State John Kerry had announced the samesex visas in London earlier this year, and said one of the “most important exports by far is America’s belief in the equality of all people.”

Kerry added “the State Department, which has always been at the forefront of equality in the federal government... is tearing down an unjust and an unfair barrier that for too long stood in the way of samesex families being able to travel as a family to the United States.”

Because of this, the embassy said it wants to educate gay Filipinos about new visa opportunities.

“Filipinos in same-sex relationships with Americans are encouraged to view the Visas section of the Embassy website for more information,” it said. ■ Howie Severino /JDS/AGM/

LBG, GMA News / December 6, 2013 / 8:32 PM

Pinoys in Malaysia light parols for Yolanda victims, thank Malaysians for aid FILIPINOS in Malaysia on Monday lighted Christmas lanterns (parol) for the victims of Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), which flattened cities and towns in central Philippines last Nov. 8.

A statement from the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur said the Filipinos also thanked the Malaysian government for the assistance it extended to the thousands of families affected by the super typhoon.

“We have been overwhelmed and moved by the outpouring of solidarity for those affected by the typhoon, and this commemoration of Christmas, a season of faith and sharing, provides a fine opportunity to say ‘salamat’ (terima kasih) to all those who stood steadfast with the Filipino people,” Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya said.

Close to 6,000 people perished from Yolanda, while millions of others were displaced, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

To aid the displaced and injured, Malaysia pledged 44,040,000 in cash to the Department of Social and Welfare Development. It also sent non-cash aid such as medics, search and rescue teams, and various co-relief items.

Present during the parol-lighting ceremony were members of Malaysian government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and other partners who sent aid to Yolanda victims are invited to the ceremony.

The guests of honor included Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur Tan Sri Most

Reverend Murphy Nicholas Xavier Pakiam and Ministry of International Trade and Industry Datuk Dr. Rebecca Fatima Sta. Maria.

Through carols and other performances, these officials were given the chance to experience “how the Philippines celebrates the Christmas holidays” and were lauded for their relief efforts.

“While we continue to pray for and help out those who were affected by the typhoon, the Philippine Government has launched major programs for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of affected areas. Let the lights of the parol lanterns be the symbol of hope and resilience for those affected by the storm,” Malaya said. ■ Rie Takumi / KBK, GMA News /

December 10, 2013 / 2:36 PM

Donations for Zapanta’s blood money may be made out to the Riyadh Philippine Embassy’s sub-account in the Saudi Hollandi Bank: Account Number 037040-790-022 International Bank Account Number (IBAN): SA 61-5000-00000370-4079-0022 Swift Code: AAALSARI. ■ Rie Takumi / KBK, GMA News / December 10,

2013 / 3:12 PM

Kin of Pinoy fatalities in Yemen to receive govt assistance DESPITE being repatriated in 2011 after the Philippine government imposed a travel ban to Yemen due to security issues there, Filipino health worker Hezel Pueblos-Abalos decided to return in June this year to provide for her child.

Now, her mother-in-law and husband are left to break the news of her death to her daughter.

“Hindi pa niya alam na ang mommy niya ay wala na,” said Andrea Pueblos, Abalos’ mother-in-law, in an exclusive interview aired on GMA News’ “24 Oras” on Tuesday.

Abalos was among the seven Filipinos killed last week in a terrorist attack on Yemen’s Defense Ministry. Aside from the seven fatalities, 11 other Filipinos were injured in that attack that claimed over 50 lives.

Meanwhile, another Filipino fatality, Edward de Guzman, was planning to marry his girlfriend after his contract in Yemen expires in 2015.

“Lagi niyang sinasabi, ‘Mommy, kaya natin ito.’ Kaya siguro kahit alam niyang

delikado doon umalis siya para matulungan niya kami kasi nag-aaral pa po ‘yung anak ko,” said Angelita de Guzman, his mother, in the same report.

While they will never be replaced, their families will receive livelihood support and scholarships from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) for their loss, the “24 Oras” report said.

The Foreign Ministry of Yemen will pay to have the bodies of Filipino fatalities repatriated, while OWWA will pay for their funeral. The bodies of the seven will return to the country within the week.

To prevent further incidents like these, the Department of Labor and Employment has banned deployment to Yemen, while the Department of Foreign Affairs raised Alert Level 3 there. Under Alert Level 3, Filipinos who wish to return to the Philippines will be repatriated at government expense.

The Philippine government has described the attack on Yemen’s Defense Ministry as “senseless and barbaric.” ■ Rie Takumi / KBK, GMA News / December 10, 2013 / 7:51 PM

New visa center promises streamlined service to Pinoys bound for UK, 3 other countries

FILIPINO applicants for visas in Canada, Spain, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom can now expect a less complicated process with the establishment of a new visa application center in Makati City.

The center, located at the second floor of the EcoPlaza building along Don Chino Roces Extention, is established with the partnership of VFS Global, an international outsourcing company which deals with governments and diplomatic missions.

“It’s a great facility for our customers to get the best and they sort of see that on their trip to the UK,” said Steven Thompson, an official from the UK Embassy in the Philippines.

The center has different rooms for each country, and a waiting area for those who cannot be accommodated in these rooms.

Senora Pilar Villanueva Romero, consul general of the Spanish embassy, said the center complements a special ruling regarding Filipinos with resident visas.

“A couple of months ago, a new law was approved that encourages Filipino investors, artists, researchers to

go work in Spain. It facilitates resident visas for those kinds of activities, so that’s really a big change,” said Romero.

She added that before the law was passed, immigration relationship between Spain and the Philippines was already good, since Filipinos could avail of dual citizenship within a year of residency.

Neil Reeder, the newly appointed Canadian ambassador, said the new facility would give various countries the opportunity for a “streamlined and efficient service” for Filipinos who want to work or study in Canada, or even join family members who are already there.

“We have a long history of keeping ties between the Philippines and Canada, and this will provide us the opportunity to have a pre-screening of candidates, to vet their documents, and do all the administrative work for the applicant before the embassy gets involved,” he said.

Australia is set to join the member countries in a few months’ time. ■ Rie Takumi / KBK, GMA News / December 9, 2013 / 9:33 PM

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Mandela funeral: The ‘world is coming’ JOHANNESBURG – South Africa struggled Monday to meet the unprecedented logistical challenge of hosting close to 100 world leaders flying in from every corner of the globe for the state funeral of freedom icon Nelson Mandela.

“The world literally is coming to South Africa,” said the government’s head of public diplomacy, Clayson Monyela.

“I don’t think it has ever happened before,” Monyela said of the wave of 91 leaders, including US President Barack Obama, bearing down on the country.

Many will join the 80,000 people expected to cram Tuesday into the FNB stadium in Soweto to take part in a grand memorial service for their inspirational first black president.

Reflecting the depth and breadth of Mandela’s popularity, the event will see political foes Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro share the same stage in paying tribute to one of the towering political figures of the 20th century.

South African President Jacob Zuma will make the keynote address, and other speakers will include UN Secretary Ban Ki-Moon and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff.

Four of Mandela’s adored grandchildren will speak for his family, while neither his widow, Graca Machel, nor his ex-wife

Winne Madikizela-Mandela are listed on the programme.

The memorial service, in the venue where Mandela made his last major public appearance for the 2010 World Cup final, is seen as a final chance for grieving South Africans to unite in a mass celebration of his life ahead of the more formal state funeral.

Some 120,000 people will be able to watch the event on giant screens set up in three overflow stadiums in Johannesburg.

‘You are never prepared enough’ Although Mandela had been critically ill for months, the announcement of his death on Thursday night still rocked a country that had looked to his unassailable moral authority as a comforting constant in a time of uncertain social and economic change.

“I don’t think you are ever prepared enough,” said Zelda la Grange, who was Mandela’s long-time personal assistant both during and after his presidency.

“We had prepared ourselves emotionally but still we are overcome by this feeling of loss and sadness,” La Grange said.

A single candle was lit in Mandela’s tiny prison cell on Robben Island, where he spent the harshest of his 27 years in apartheid jails, before emerging to lead his country out of the shadow of apartheid into a multi-racial democracy.

The week-long observances will

culminate Sunday in Mandela’s burial at a family plot in his boyhood home of Qunu in the Eastern Cape.

The government has sought to dissuade A-list dignitaries from attending, citing Qunu’s rural location, the lack of amenities and limited space.

Ahead of the burial, Mandela’s body will lie in state for three days from Wednesday in the amphitheatre of the Union Buildings in Pretoria where he was sworn in as president in 1994.

Each morning, his coffin will be borne through the streets of the capital in a funeral cortege, to give as many people as possible the chance to pay their final respects.

11,000 troops mobilised. Around 11,000 troops have been mobilised to ensure security and help with crowd control.

Despite the sudden influx of international dignitaries and the compressed preparation time, National Police spokesman Solomon Makgale insisted that the security apparatus could cope.

“Having so many heads of state is not a security headache for us. We’ve learned over the years,” Makgale said, adding that they would be “working closely” with the foreign leaders’ own security details.

As well as Obama and three previous occupants of the White House, British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President

December 2013 / Fortnightly – No. 24 • UK & Europe Edition

TV crew set up their cameras on December 9, 2013 at Soccer City stadium, also known as FNB Stadium, in Soweto, Johannesburg

Francois Hollande and Afghan President Hamid Karzai were all on the guest list.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who was among the first to arrive, visited the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg where he paid handsome tribute to a “giant for justice” whose “mighty life” touched millions.

Parliament met in special session Monday, with MPs carrying single red roses as they entered the assembly building that was flanked by giant portraits of Mandela in tribal dress and as an elder statesman.

Opposition leader Helen Zille said every politician had a duty to carry forward Mandela’s ideals of justice and equality for all.

“He has handed the baton to us and we dare not drop it,” Zille said.

Africa will be represented at the funeral

by Nigeria’s Goodluck Jonathan and more than a dozen other heads of state and government.

Singapore charges 24 Indian workers for rioting

SINGAPORE - Singapore on Tuesday filed charges against 24 Indian nationals who allegedly took part in its first riot for over 40 years, as officials and activists warned against inciting racial hatred over the incident.

The men face up to seven years in jail plus caning for the hour-long fracas on Sunday night, triggered when an Indian construction worker was struck and killed by a private bus in a district known as Little India.

They were among an estimated 400 South Asian migrant workers involved in the rampage that left 39 police and civil defence staff injured and 25 vehicles—including 16 police cars—damaged or burnt.

The charge sheet said the men threw pieces of concrete and were “members of an unlawful assembly whose common object was to overawe, by a show of criminal force, police officers in the exercise of their lawful power to maintain law and order at the scene”.

The suspects, aged between 22 to 40, looked sombre as the charges were read in

Tamil in court by an interpreter.

They were remanded at a police complex for one week for further investigations.

Police earlier said the suspects could be charged with a more serious offence punishable by up to 10 years in jail, but they faced a lesser charge on Tuesday.

Singapore’s foreign ministry said it was working closely with the Indian High Commissioner (ambassador) “to facilitate consular access and support for their nationals, including legal representation”.

Two Bangladeshis, another Indian national and a Malaysian also arrested after the riot were released because investigations showed they were not involved.

The 55-year-old Singaporean bus driver who knocked down and killed Indian construction worker Sakthivel Kumaravelu, 33, has been released on bail after being charged with causing death by a negligent act.

The wealthy but tiny Southeast Asian nation of 5.4 million depends heavily on guest workers, with labourers from South

Policemen from the Special Command Operation patrol the streets of Singapore’s Little India on December 9, 2013, following the worst riots in 40 years

Police officers stand guard next to a damaged bus after a riot broke out in Singapore

Asia dominating sectors like construction.

Sunday’s riot was the second incident involving a large group of foreign workers in the past year.

In November 2012 171 Chinese bus drivers stopped work to demand better wages and living conditions—the first industrial strike in Singapore since 1986.

Five of the drivers served jail terms after it was declared an illegal strike, while 29 others were deported without trial.

Officials have called for calm after the Little India riot, which triggered a wave of foreigner-bashing in social media.

On the Facebook page of Yahoo!

Singapore, reader Tan Beng Ming wrote: “Jail them, cane them and send them packing! For good measure, send their compatriots back too!”

“Only foreigners will start a riot, it is their norm,” wrote another reader, Koh Koh. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong urged Singaporeans Monday not to let the “isolated incident” tarnish their views of foreign workers, who number more than a million.

Lee also ordered the formation of a special committee to review the factors that led to the riot, as well as measures to manage areas where foreign workers congregate.

Israel to allow building supplies back in to Gaza JERUSALEM - Israel is to allow construction materials for UN projects back into the Gaza Strip after reaching an agreement with the world body, officials said on Monday.

The ban on building materials was put in place on October 13 after troops discovered a sophisticated tunnel running under the Israel-Gaza border, built with the alleged aim of perpetrating anti-Israeli attacks.

“An agreement over the means of controlling and checking the import of these materials—which will be used solely for UN projects in the Gaza Strip—was reached on Monday and will go into force on Tuesday,” said a spokesman for COGAT, the defence ministry unit responsible for civilian affairs in

the Palestinian territories.

He said the deal, which was agreed by UN peace envoy Robert Serry and COGAT head Major General Eitan Dangot, would ensure the materials only reached UN bodies and did not find their way to Gaza’s ruling Hamas movement or militants allied with it.

But the agreement did not apply to the import of steel and cement for private use, which Israel had permitted in September for the first time since 2007 for fear such materials would be used to build tunnels and fortify Hamas positions.

The move was confirmed by Serry’s office, which said it would allow the implementation of “critical construction

projects” such as schools, social housing and water and sanitation facilities, worth some $500 million (364 million euros).

“The situation in Gaza remains concerning and the United Nations is engaged with relevant parties in trying to address the most urgent issues such as energy, water and private sector construction,” said a UN statement which also addressed the enclave’s ongoing energy crisis.

“The United Nations hopes that a solution will be found quickly to the particularly pressing energy situation,” it said, calling for potential contributors to step forward “urgently and decisively”.

Gaza has been living through the worst

A Palestinian man works at a carpentry workshop in the Khan Yunis refugee camp, in southern Gaza Strip, on December 9, 2013. Photos by Said Khatib ©AFP.

fuel crisis in its history, causing power cuts of up to 16 hours per day, and creating major problems for hospitals, water and sanitation plants.

The territory has been languishing under an Israeli blockade since 2006 after Gaza militants snatched an Israeli soldier who

People leave flowers, candles and messages for Nelson Mandela outside Mandela’s home in Houghton, Johannesburg, on December 8, 2013

Police officers are briefed near Soccer City stadium, also known as FNB Stadium, in Soweto, outside Johannesburg on December 9, 2013 ahead of Tuesday’s memorial service for former South African former president Nelson Mandela

Notable absentees include Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who cited high travel and security costs, and Mandela’s fellow Nobel peace laureate, the Dalai Lama, who since 2009 has twice been denied a visa for South Africa.

Talk show queen Oprah Winfrey and singer-activist Bono, as well as British billionaire Richard Branson and musician Peter Gabriel were expected to be among the celebrity mourners. ■ AFP There will be a ban this weekend on the sale and consumption of alcohol in the area where the riot broke out following eyewitness accounts that many attackers were drunk.

Activists have urged authorities to investigate whether the violence on Sunday was an indication of wider discontent among poorly paid migrant workers.

“If these factors go unaddressed, the threshold for escalation remains low. The smallest incident gets to a tipping point quite easily,” socio-political blogger Alex Au wrote.

Russel Heng, president of welfare group Transient Workers Count Too, said in a commentary in the Straits Times on Tuesday that “I find the on-line xenophobic comments targeting foreign workers offensive”.

“If a majority of Singaporeans are reasonable fair-minded people, then I would urge every single one of us to rebuke, rebut or ignore the nasty xenophobes among us,” he added. ■ AFP

A Palestinian boys rides a bicycle near building materials on the street outside new houses, part of a project funded by the UNRWA in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah on November 21, 2013.

was released in a prisoner swap deal in 2011.

It was tightened in 2007 after Hamas seized control, but eased considerably in recent years, following successive waves of international pressure. ■ AFP

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Kenya killings dampen 50th independence celebrations MOYALE, Kenya - Three long wounds where the machete struck run along the skull of 20-year old Abdi Isse, one of scores wounded in a week of ethnic violence in Kenya’s remote north.

“They attacked at dawn, shooting anyone and everyone, women and children too, cutting others with machetes,” said a relative Adan Hassan, as a nurse in the basic clinic swatted away flies from the sweating patient.

Next door, two men lie with gunshot wounds, one in the leg, the other wounded in the shoulder, with a fist of flesh torn from his back where the bullet exited.

Months of tensions erupted last week between long-time rival ethnic groups the Gabra and Borana, in the frontier district of Moyale, on the northern border with Ethiopia.

Dozens have been reported shot or hacked to death in the northern region, shops have been looted, houses torched and thousands forced to flee for their lives.

As Kenya readies for jubilee celebrations this week for 50 years of independence from former colonial masters Britain, the killings are a stark reminder of the challenges

that remain to reconcile deep ethnic and political divisions.

Many say age-old tribal tensions have been exacerbated by politicians, and in a region awash with guns—with war-torn Somalia not far away—clashes here can swiftly escalate.

Bitter memories remain of the carnage that broke out after Kenya’s contested elections in 2007 during which over 1,000 were killed.

President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto are now facing international trial for crimes against humanity for allegedly masterminding that violence, charges they fiercely deny.

Moyale town has a Borana MP, but the wider county district has been dominated by the Gabra since elections in March. With a national devolution project bringing in extra powers and budgets for local government, competition for positions has become even more fierce.

“There have been fights with the Borana before, but this is something different,” said Hassan, an elder in the Gabra group.

The Borana on the other side of the divided town of Moyale have similar views.

“These guys mean business, they attack us with machine guns, grenades,” said Adan Mohammed, who recently graduated in business from a Nairobi university, before returning to his home town some 600 kilometres (360 miles) north.

“They are being encouraged by the politicians, so that tribe takes power,” he said.

Escape to Ethiopia. Outside on the rutted and dusty street, an army truck rumbles past, crowded with troops in full combat gear and with a machine gunner posted on top. A military helicopter flies low over the suburbs where smoke still smoulders from torched houses.

On Sunday, two days after the government ordered the army to restore order, residents say gunners from helicopters opened fire on a militia force based in a school perched in a hilltop position inside the town.

But Moyale town straddles the border with Ethiopia, and gunmen are reported to have escaped there.

In Moyale, both sides say dozens have been killed, but no one can give exact figures.

A man with machete wounds recuperating at a private hospital.

The restive town of Moyale. Photo by Peter Martell ©AFP.

A suspected clan militia fighter arrested by Kenyan forces during a security operation.

A picture taken on December 8, 2013 shows Kenyan security forces patrolling in the restive town of Moyale in Marsabit county on the frontier with Ethiopia, where clashes erupted between longtime rival ethnic groups Gabra and Borana. Photos by Boniface Mwangi ©AFP.

“Access to the battlefield has been limited,” said local Red Cross chief Stephen Bonaya, saying that thousands have fled the town.

“Many have run to Ethiopia, others to the bush to places where they feel safe,” Bonaya said, adding that the main road south to Nairobi was cut.

Patrolling on foot in body armour and helmets, the army had appeared by Sunday to have restored calm to the town centre, but the situation outside the town was still volatile.

At Moyale’s main hospital, a policeman is carried in by comrades, shot in the thigh and shoulder in an ambush just outside town.

“We entered a village searching for guns and they ambushed us,” said George Odur, grimacing in pain as soldiers laid him onto a trolley for surgery, his military fatigues dark with blood.

In the back of the police truck also lies a

man arrested after the shooting.

“We know him, he’s a Gabra, I know him from school,” said one onlooker, as the thin and sweating man shakes his head with his eyes to the ground, telling those who listened he was innocent and that he had not shot any soldiers.

At the hospital, the people are all Borana, since they control this section of town, but the building is almost empty.

“We do what we can,” said clinical officer Anthony Muror, one of the few medical staff who dared to stay, as he comes from neither of the warring communities.

The army may have ended the fighting, but the long-standing divisions between the communities will be hard to reconcile.

“Yes, we are all Muslim, yes our language is similar... but these are bad people,” said camel herder Ali Mohamed. “I am not fighting, but that is only because I don’t have a gun.” ■ AFP

French troops start disarming fighters in Central Africa FRENCH troops on Monday began disarming fighters in the Central African Republic to try to restore security after a swell in sectarian violence that claimed hundreds of lives.

Bangui was relatively calm after days of fighting involving former Seleka rebels in which nearly 400 people were killed, although the stench of dead bodies still permeated some areas of the capital.

The armed men who spread terror on the streets of Bangui had all but disappeared, and French military spokesman Colonel Gilles Jaron said some had already given up their weapons.

“Things are going fairly well,” Jaron told AFP in Paris. “In some cases, the armed groups have withdrawn and gone back to their barracks, in others they have given up their arms,” he said.

France has deployed 1,600 soldiers to the notoriously unstable majority-Christian country, which was plunged into chaos when the mainly Muslim Seleka rebels seized power in a March coup.

What started as rebel looting of villages and towns has degenerated into attacks between Muslim and Christian militias with some UN officials warning of a possible genocide.

The French troops, part of a UNmandated effort to quell the violence, have

encountered little opposition since they began deploying last week.

On Monday they briefly exchanged gunfire with armed men near Bangui’s airport, but no casualties were reported.

French soldiers seized a number of weapons and disarmed and briefly detained at least 13 men. But many more weapons are believed to have been stashed away.

“We have started to go out because the French are here,” said Arlette Papaye, a local tradeswoman.

“We had remained holed up in our homes and cellars. We are hungry. The French must chase out the Seleka.”

The country’s interim president Michel Djotodia, a former Seleka rebel leader, on Monday urged his countrymen to cooperate with the French forces, who have come to reinforce a 2,500-strong African Union peacekeeping mission.

But French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius warned that the disarmament process would not be easy.

“The problem is that many of the former Seleka (rebels) have traded their uniforms for civilian clothes... and it is difficult to identify individuals,” he said on France Inter radio.

Fabius said Djotodia had also appealed to his former fighters to give up arms, but while some remain loyal to him, many have

gone rogue and imposed a reign of terror in the countryside.

“We have explained to everyone by radio and through other available media that they should bring back weapons,” Fabius said.

“If this does not yield sufficient results, force will be employed.”

French President Francois Hollande, who sent troops into the west African country of Mali earlier this year to stop Islamists and Tuareg rebels from advancing on the capital Bamako, said Paris cannot turn a blind eye to the massacres perpetrated in the Central African Republic.

But the military intervention has prompted criticism at home in France at a difficult time for the French economy.

France says deployment costs ‘minimal’. Fabius said the cost of the deployment was “minimal” as the French

troops were drawn from bases in other African countries.

“If we did not intervene quickly it would have cost much more,” he said.

“If in place of a few hundred killed, there had been tens of thousands of deaths we would have had in any case to intervene in a country that was totally destroyed.”

France has also been anxious to avoid charges of meddling in its former African colony for political or economic reasons.

It has repeatedly emphasised that it is ultimately Africa’s responsibility to tackle the various crises on the continent.

The Pentagon said on Monday the United States would provide C-17 Globemasters, a large military transport aircraft, to take African troop reinforcements to CAR following a French request.

France has more than 5,300 troops

A French soldier arrests an alleged former Seleka rebel in Combattant neighborhood near Bangui’s airport, on December 9, 2013

Soldiers provide first aid to a wounded man during a disarmament operation in Bangui on December 9, 2013

stationed in a string of bases across western and central Africa, according to defence ministry figures.

The UN children’s agency UNICEF told AFP in Bangui that nearly 480,000 people—mostly women and children— had been displaced since the March coup.

There have been reports of security forces and militia gangs raping with impunity, carrying out public killings and razing entire villages.

Local Christians responded by forming vigilante groups and the government was never able to assert its authority over the Christian-majority country.

Djotodia has accused forces loyal to the exiled former president Francois Bozize, whom he toppled, of being behind the vigilante groups.

London-based rights group Amnesty International has said that many involved in the latest violence are child fighters recruited by the former rebels. It said some were reportedly armed with axes and iron bars. ■ AFP

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Tears, dancing as South Africa MPs remember Mandela

A woman wrapped in a flag watches the joint sitting of the South African Parliament on December 9, 2013, in Cape Town, to commemorate South Africa’s first democratically elected president

CAPE TOWN – South Africa’s parliament rang with handsome, heartfelt tributes to Nelson Mandela on Monday, but also warnings against failing to live up to his legacy.

“Lovable revolutionary”. “Most revered person of our age”. “A man of truth”: speaker after speaker vied to find something new to say about the political giant who has been eulogised across the globe since his death on Thursday.

Parliament was recalled for a special session to honour the nation’s first democratically elected president, who was

last seen in the assembly in February 2010 —the 20th anniversary of his release from prison.

Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe told the house, in which Mandela’s grandson Ndaba was present, that the antiapartheid icon’s dream had not ended with his victory in the all-race election of 1994 nor with his death.

“The litmus test ... is whether inheritors of his dream, heirs to his vision and adherents of his philosophy, will be able to make the dream for which he lived come to pass in the fullness of time,” Mothlante said.

“After the outpouring of grief, the celebration of and reflection on Nelson Mandela’s life, we will have to answer the question as to how we advance towards that dream,” he added.

By the end of the session in the same chamber where the white minority once passed apartheid’s racist laws, many of the MPs had tears in their eyes.

As they filed out of the parliament building—its main entrance flanked by giant portraits of Mandela—they burst into song and began dancing in celebration of his life.

Mandela’s famous speeches played on

a giant screen outside the main chamber.

In a nod to Mandela’s role as a unifier, opposition leaders also addressed the sitting.

Western Cape premier Helen Zille, leader of the main opposition Democratic Alliance, said every politician had a duty to carry forward Mandela’s ideals of justice and equality for all.

“He has handed the baton to us and we dare not drop it,” Zille said.

Leader of the Inkatha Freedom Party, Mangosuthu Buthelezi, spoke of Mandela’s “old-style honesty” and described him as “a man of truth”. ■ AFP

World unites for Mandela memorial

SOWETO, South Africa - Tens of thousands of South Africans united in proud, noisy celebration Tuesday at a rain-soaked emotional memorial service to global freedom icon Nelson Mandela, attended by presidents and princes and watched by millions around the world.

Songs of praise and revolution, many harking back to the apartheid era that Mandela helped condemn to history, echoed around the giant stadium in Soweto where close to 100 world leaders had come to pay tribute to a man whose life story earned uncommon universal respect.

The event began at midday (1000 GMT) with a stirring rendition of the national anthem, Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika (God Bless Africa), led by a mass choir and picked up with enthusiasm by the rest of the stadium.

Some 80,000 had been expected, but the venue was two-thirds full as the ceremony got underway under a curtain of rain that had been falling since the early morning.

Despite the profound sense of national sorrow triggered by Mandela’s death last Thursday, the mood was upbeat, with people determined to celebrate the memory of one of the 20th century’s towering political figures.

“His long walk is over, he can finally rest,” African National Congress (ANC) Vice President Cyril Ramaphosa said in an opening address.

In his tribute, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon noted that Mandela had managed to unite people in death, much as he had in life.

“Look around this stage... we see leaders representing many points of view... all here, all united,” he said.

US President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro were both listed to deliver personal tributes, pausing a diplomatic rivalry dating back to the Cold War. Crowds had begun gathering before daybreak and, as the gates opened, they swarmed into the stadium, where Mandela made his last major public appearance at the 2010 World Cup final.

Wrapped in the South African flag or yellow-green coloured shawls printed with the slogan “Mandela Forever,” they danced and sang—oblivious to the constant drizzle.

“He’s God given, he’s God taken. We will never stop to cherish him,” said Shahim Ismail, who took a day off from the sports academy he runs in Johannesburg to attend the event.

“This is once in your life. This is history,” said Noma Kova, 36. “I didn’t want to watch this on TV.” Mandela’s widow, Graca Machel, received a huge ovation as she took her seat on the main stage constructed at one end of the pitch, while the entrance of President Jacob Zuma was roundly booed by a portion of the crowd.

Global rivalries put on pause.

Mandela’s ex-wife Winnie MadikizelaMandela was also present.

Obama missed the first hour of the ceremony, as his motorcade struggled through the rain-deluged route to the stadium, but was loudly cheered on his arrival.

News of Mandela’s death at his home in Johannesburg resonated around the world, triggering a wave of loving admiration from political and religious leaders, some of

whom agree on little else.

The Indian and Brazilian presidents were also selected to deliver eulogies, reflecting Mandela’s extraordinary global reach, popularity and influence.

Obama and his wife Michelle flew in on Air Force One early in the morning, together with former president George W. Bush and his wife Laura.

Two other ex-presidents, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, were arriving separately.

The memorial event was part of an extended state funeral that will culminate in Mandela’s burial on Sunday in the rural village of Qunu where he spent his early childhood.

Although Mandela had been critically ill for months, the announcement of his death was a body blow for this recently reborn nation.

He had been out of public life for more than a decade, but South Africans looked to his unassailable moral authority as a comforting constant in a time of uncertain social and economic change.

On the eve of the memorial, Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu described Mandela as a “magician” who conjured a united nation out of a country teetering on the brink of civil war.

And his eldest daughter, Makaziwe Mandela, told how her father spent a “wonderful” week surrounded by family before he died.

“The children were there, the grandchildren were there... so we are always around him, even at the last moment,” she told the BBC. Ahead of the burial in Qunu, Mandela’s body will lie in state for three days from

More than 100 heads of state and government - current and past - as well as scores of celebrities and heads of international organisations are expected to attend the memorial service commemorating the life of former South African president Nelson Mandela at the 95,000-capacity Soccer City in Johannesburg. Photo by Alexander Joe ©AFP.

Wednesday in the amphitheatre of the Union Buildings in Pretoria where he was sworn in as president in 1994.

Each morning, his coffin will be borne through the streets of the capital in a funeral cortege, to give as many people as possible the chance to pay their final respects.

Celebrating a life and a legacy. British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Francois Hollande and Afghan President Hamid Karzai were among the leaders attending the memorial ceremony.

“We were told it was appropriate to wear a black tie,” Cameron said after arriving at the stadium in Soweto.

“But when you come and your hear this great noise and this great atmosphere of

A woman celebrates before the memorial service for Nelson Mandela at Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg.

Graphic presenting details of the commemoration and funeral ceremonies for Nelson Mandela

A statue of the late former South African president, Nelson Mandela is seen outside the Victor Verster prison in Paarl, Western Cape, on December 9th 2013

A man wearing a traditional garment with the portrait of South Africa’s former president Nelson Mandela.

celebration, it is clear that people here in South Africa want to, yes, say goodbye to this great man, yes commemorate what he did, but also celebrate his life and celebrate his legacy,” he said.

Africa was represented by Nigeria’s Goodluck Jonathan and more than a dozen other heads of state and government.

Singer-activist Bono and South African actress Charlize Theron were among the celebrity mourners.

One radiant celebrant in the crowd, Musa Mbele, his clothes drenched by the rain, declined the offer of an umbrella.

“If he was able to stay behind bars for 27 years for us, what is one day, just one raindrenched day?” he said. ■ AFP

A young girl looks at flowers and tribute messages outside Nelson Mandela’s home in Johannesburg.

People holding umbrellas attend the memorial service for South African former president Nelson Mandela.

December 2013 / Fortnightly – No. 24 • UK & Europe Edition

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Australian Foreign Minister Pledges Support for Philippines’ Post-Yolanda Reconstruction Efforts FOREIGN Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario met yesterday, December 8, with Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop, who pledged the Australian Government’s long-term commitment to the Philippines’ rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts following the devastation of super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). The Foreign Minister had earlier visited Leyte to personally survey the scale of the destruction as well as the ongoing post-disaster response on the ground.

In her meeting with Secretary Del Rosario, Minister Bishop was briefed

by Secretary for Public Works and Highways Rogelio L Singson; Secretary for Socioeconomic Planning and DirectorGeneral of the National Economic and Develoment Authority Arsenio M Balisacan; and Department of Energy Undersecretary Raul B Aguilos on the Philippine Government’s recovery and reconstruction efforts and long-term plans as well as areas in which Australia can provide its support and assistance.

Secretary Del Rosario reiterated the Philippines’ deep appreciation for the prompt and generous assistance of

Australia in the aftermath of Yolanda (Haiyan), including the A$30 million ( 1.2 billion) in disaster aid, the deployment of two 37-member medical assistance teams and a Disaster Victim Management Team, and the use of military aircraft and the Royal Australian Navy Ship, HMAS Tobruk, to help in humanitarian efforts. Minister Bishop informed the Secretary that the Australian Government would provide an additional A$10 million in assistance which would be coursed through UNICEF, the UN Population Fund, WHO, and local NGOs. In addition, Secretary Del Rosario thanked Australia for its substantial development assistance in the areas of education, and disaster response and disaster risk reduction as well as the promotion of peace and stability in Mindanao. Australia has also consistently provided assistance in response to previous disasters such as the earthquake in Central Visayas in October and the humanitarian crisis in Zamboanga and Basilan. The two foreign ministers also discussed bilateral matters as well as issues of regional concern. ■ Philippine Embassy, Philippines /

December 9, 2013

Philippine Embassy Gives Christmas Lanterns to the Editors-In-Chief of Poland’s Two Largest Newspapers THE Philippine Embassy conveyed the message of thanks from President Benigno C. Aquino III and from the Filipino people to the editors-in-chief of Poland’s two largest daily newspapers by giving each of them a “parol” or star-shaped Christmas lantern made from San Fernando, Pampanga.

In her separate meetings with the editorin-chief of Rzeczpospolita Mr. Boguslaw Chrabota and with the editor-in-chief of Gazeta Wyborcza Mr. Adam Michnik today, Philippine envoy to Poland Ambassador Patricia Ann V.

Paez expressed her profound appreciation to the editors’ huge support for having published full page last November 12, the Embassy’s appeal for assistance for the victims of typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) and request for donations to the Philippine Red Cross.

Through Poland’s former Deputy Prime Minister Atty. Roman Giertych, Mr. Chrabota requested Ambassador Paez to write an open letter of appeal to the people of Poland. Mr. Chrabota said that it was his “moral duty as a human being” to support

Ambassador Paez with Rzeczpospolita’s Editor-in-Chief Mr. Boguslaw Chrabota

the Philippines during its time of need. The same letter of appeal was published by Mr. Michnik who told the Philippine envoy that his support was his “moral obligation as a journalist and as a human being.”

Ambassador Paez informed Mr. Michnik

that the Filipinos’ tradition of hanging the parol on the windows of their homes began many years ago, when there was no electricity yet. In the olden times, the parol was lit with candles to light their paths during the ritual dawn masses

called “simbang gabi.” The design of the “parol” evokes the Star of Bethlehem that guided the Three Kings to the manger. Mr. Michnik said that he will hang the “parol” in the office of Gazeta Wyborzca. ■ Philippine

Ambassador Paez with Gazeta Wyborcza’s Editor-in-CHief Mr. Adam Michnik

Philippine Embassy’s appeal for assistance published by Poland’s newsdaily Rzeczpospolita

Philippine Embassy’s appeal for assistance published by Poland’s newsdaily Wyborcza

Embassy, Philippines / December 10, 2013

Opening Statement of the DFA Spokesperson Pre-Departure Press Briefing for the Philippine Media Delegation ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit, December 12 to 14, 2013 Press Briefing Room, New Executive Building, Malacañang Palace, Manila December 9, 2013 Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen of the press. I would like to brief you on the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit which will be held from December 12 to 14 in Tokyo, Japan which will be attended by the President.

While the President and his delegation will arrive in Tokyo on December 12 for a number of bilateral (Philippine-Japan) events and meetings, activities related to the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit are actually scheduled on December 13 and 14. The ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit will be the culminating event to a full year of activities commemorating 40 years of ASEAN-Japan relations.

Activities Related to the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit. Allow me to

outline for you the activities related to the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit: • On Friday, December 13, the President and other ASEAN Leaders (with their spouses) will attend an afternoon tea ceremony to be hosted by Their Majesties, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. This will not be the traditional Japanese tea ceremony, more of a meet-and-greet high tea that would last for only 30 minutes.

• In the evening of the same day, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Madame Akie Abe will host a dinner for the ASEAN Leaders and their spouses.

• On Saturday, December 14, is the actual day of the Commemorative Summit.

Session 1 will be held in the morning and will be devoted to substantive discussions among the Leaders of ASEAN and Japan.

This will be followed by a lunch to be hosted by the Nippon Keidanren (Japanese

Business Federation). The Leaders will then reconvene after lunch for the Closing Session, for the consideration and formal adoption of the Vision Statement on ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation, including its annexed Implementation Plan.

Finally, the day will be capped by a Gala Dinner in celebration of 40 years of ASEANJapan relations.

With respect to the substantive aspect of the Commemorative Summit, the Leaders of ASEAN and Japan, while looking back on the accomplishment of the past 40 years, will primarily set the future (longterm) direction of ASEAN-Japan relations, to cover politico-security, economic and socio-cultural cooperation.

They will also exchange views on regional and international issues.

There will be two outcome documents from the Summit: (1) the Vision Statement

of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation and its Implementation Plan; and (2) the Joint Statement of the ASEANJapan Summit.

The Vision Statement and its Implementation Plan will focus mainly on medium- to long-term cooperation between ASEAN and Japan, while the Joint Statement will address regional and international issues beyond the dialogue partnership.

Meeting of President Aquino and Prime Minister Abe at the sidelines of the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit. At the sidelines of the ASEANJapan Commemorative Summit in Tokyo, the President will also have a working lunch meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on December 13.

During the meeting, the two leaders will discuss cooperation on disaster

management and reconstruction in the wake of Typhoon Yolanda, economic concerns, maritime cooperation, peopleto-people exchanges and the Mindanao peace process. The two leaders will also exchange views on prevailing regional issues of mutual concern.

The President and the Prime Minister will also witness the signing of three (3) Exchanges of Notes on: • a Post Disaster Stand-by Loan worth JP¥ 10 Billion (≈ US$ 100 Million); • a Loan for Multi-Role Response Vessels for the Philippine Coast Guard worth JP¥ 18.732 Billion (≈ US$ 187 Million); and • the revised route schedule for the Philippines-Japan Air Services Agreement At this point, I would be glad to answer your questions. Maraming Salamat at Magandang Hapon sa inyong lahat. ■ Philippine Embassy, Philippines / December 12, 2013

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FROM HELLO PHILIPPINES FAMILY TO YOURS

MALIGAYANG PASKO AT MANIGONG

BAGONG TAON 2014!

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A BLESSED PROSPEROUS

NEW YEAR 2014!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT! MABUHAY!

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HEALTH and Lifestyle

December 2013 / Fortnightly – No. 24 • UK & Europe Edition

How to prevent germs from spreading GERMS can be passed from person to person or indirectly by touching unclean equipment or surfaces.

Cleanliness experts say hygienic cleaning will help prevent germs spreading in the home.

Hygienic cleaning involves focusing your efforts on areas in the house where germs are more likely to spread from and cause infection.

Use either soap and hot water (rinsing the germs away) or a disinfectant to kill the germs. Thoroughly dry surfaces after cleaning. Dampness helps any remaining germs to survive and, if there’s enough water, multiply.

“Good hygiene is not a once-weekly, deep-down clean,” says Professor Sally Bloomfield, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. “Hygienic cleaning needs to be an ongoing part of our daily lives, where hygiene measures are targeted where and when necessary.”

She says that cleaning aids, such as cloths or mops, must be germ-free or they’ll spread germs to other surfaces. Germs can multiply easily. Within eight hours, one bacterium on a damp cloth can multiply to six million.

Germs stick to cloths and are difficult to remove by rinsing, so all cleaning materials should be disinfected and then dried after use.

Below are some general hygiene tips to minimise the spread of germs in the home: Cloths and sponges • Use disposable cloths or paper towels when possible.

• Re-usable cloths should be disinfected after each use.

Washing-up brushes • Wash brushes in a dishwasher regularly or clean with detergent and warm water after each use.

Mops and buckets • Use two buckets for mopping – one for detergent and the other for rinsing.

• Mops and buckets should be cleaned, disinfected and dried after each use.

Lavatories • Keep the U-bend and lavatory bowl clean by flushing after each use.

• Use a lavatory cleaner and brush every few days.

• Limescale should be regularly removed using a descaling product.

• Keep the lavatory seat, handle and rim clean by using a disinfectant.

Baths and sinks • Hygienically clean baths and sinks frequently.

• Use disinfectant if they’ve been used by someone who is ill.

Showers • Clean shower trays as above for baths and sinks.

• If a shower hasn’t been used for a long period, let it run with hot water before using it.

Tiles and shower curtains • Keep tiles and grout in good condition and clean them often.

• Hygienically clean or launder the shower curtain frequently, depending on how often it’s used.

Kitchen • Ensure food preparation surfaces are hygienically clean.

• Use separate chopping boards for meat (including fish and poultry) and vegetables.

• Wash and dry your hands after handling high-risk foods such as raw meat.

• Hygienically clean surfaces immediately after use.

Floors • Clean floors regularly to remove visible dirt with warm water and detergent.

• If soiled with vomit or excreta, the floor should be cleaned using a disposable cloth and warm water and then disinfected. Ensure the floor is dry before allowing children on it.

Carpet and soft furnishings • Periodically clean carpets and soft furnishings using a suitable product.

• Carpets and furnishings can be hygienically cleaned by steam cleaning.

• Curtains can be cleaned by laundering

or disinfected by steam cleaning.

Pets and other animals • Keep pet food separate from human food.

• Always wash your hands after touching animals, their food, toys, cages and litter trays.

• Dishes, utensils and tin openers used for pet food should be stored separately.

Toys • Clean hard or plastic toys by washing them and storing them once they’re clean and dry.

• Some soft toys can be cleaned in the washing machine.

• All toys and equipment should be added to a regular cleaning rota.

Laundry • Wash your hands after handling dirty laundry.

• To prevent the spread of germs, all

“During a cold, the lining of your nose is the battlefront,” says Professor Eccles.

When your nose feels blocked it isn’t because it’s full of mucus, but because the blood vessels in your nose are inflamed.

The nasal lining is made from erectile tissue (similar to the tissue in the sexual organs). When you have a cold, the blood vessels swell up as infection-fighting white blood cells flood to the area. This narrows the air passage in your nose and restricts the airflow as you breathe.

A decongestant spray can reduce the swelling and allow you to breathe more easily.

3. You can catch a cold through your eyes When an infected person coughs or sneezes, they release droplets of mucus into the air, or into their hand if they use their hand to cover their mouth. If you

get these droplets on your hand (for example, by shaking hands or touching contaminated objects such as doorknobs), you can pass them into your eyes or nose when you touch them.

Most of us touch our eyes and nose more often than we realise. A duct links

the eyes and the nasal cavity, and the virus travels easily from the eye to the nose and throat, where it can cause infection.

You can help to avoid being infected by washing your hands thoroughly.

4. Women get more colds than men “Women have more colds than men,

pneumonia and bronchitis. People over 65 are more at risk of complications. People under 65, including children, are more at risk of complications if they have: • serious heart or chest complaints, including asthma • serious kidney disease or liver disease • diabetes • lowered immunity due to disease or medical treatment • had a stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA) Everyone in an at-risk group is eligible

for a free flu vaccination. This is the best protection against the virus. Find out who is offered the flu jab, including all pregnant women.

Symptoms. There are around 200 viruses that cause colds and three that cause flu.

There are many strains of these flu viruses, and the vaccine changes every year to protect against the most common ones.

Colds. Symptoms of a cold include: • runny nose, beginning with clear mucus that develops into thicker, green mucus as the cold progresses • blocked nose • sore throat • sneezing • cough People with a cold may also suffer with a mild fever, earache, tiredness and headache. Symptoms develop over one or two days and gradually get better after

a few days. Some colds can last for up to two weeks.

According to the Common Cold Centre in Cardiff, a cold is most contagious during the early stages when the person has a runny nose and sore throat.

Flu. Flu usually comes on much more quickly than a cold, and symptoms include: • sudden fever of 38-40°C (100-104°F) • muscle aches and pains • sweating • feeling exhausted and needing to lie down • dry, chesty cough • sneezing Flu symptoms appear one to three days after infection and most people recover within a week, although you may feel tired for longer. A severe cold can also cause muscle aches and fever, so it can be hard to tell the difference.

Whether it’s a cold or flu, get medical help if: • you have a chronic condition (such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease), or • you have a very high fever as well as an unusually severe headache or abdominal or chest pain Stop the viruses spreading. Cold and flu viruses are spread by droplets that are sneezed or coughed out by an infected person. Other people can breathe in these droplets or transfer the droplets to their eyes or nose on their fingers.

Protect yourself and others against colds and flu by: • coughing or sneezing into a tissue • throwing a used tissue away as soon as possible • washing your hands as soon as possible • having a flu jab every year if you’re in an at-risk group. ■ NHS Choices

Cold or flu?

ONE-THIRD of Britons think flu is just a bad cold, but each year thousands of people die of complications following flu.

Find out how colds and flu differ.

Colds and flu share some of the same symptoms (sneezing, coughing, sore throat), but are caused by different viruses.

Flu can be much more serious than a cold.

If you’re generally fit and healthy, you can usually manage the symptoms of a cold or flu yourself without seeing a doctor.

Look after yourself by resting, drinking nonalcoholic fluids to avoid dehydration and avoiding strenuous activity. Painkillers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol can relieve aches and pains.

People more at risk. Some people need to take extra care as they’re more at risk of serious chest complications, such as

Choices

and this is probably due to increased interaction with children,” says Professor Eccles. Children get around seven to ten colds a year, compared with two to three for adults. So people who spend a lot of time with children, such as childminders, nursery teachers or school teachers, are more likely to pick up the viruses.

5. Yellow mucus is caused by white blood cells When your immune system is fighting a cold virus, one of the first symptoms is clear, runny mucus from the nose. As the cold develops, mucus usually becomes thicker and yellow, then green. White blood cells cause this change in colour and texture as they flood to the nasal area and increase in number as the cold progresses.

“Many people think that yellow or green mucus is caused by bacteria, but this isn’t the case,” says Professor Eccles. “It’s because there are billions of white blood cells in the mucus.” ■ NHS Choices

Five facts about colds SOME surprising facts about colds, including what causes symptoms such as a blocked nose, and why mucus turns thick and yellow.

1. Cold viruses don’t make us feel ill “It’s your own immune response that makes you feel ill,” says Professor Ron Eccles of the Common Cold Centre in Cardiff, where experts have researched the common cold for more than 20 years.

When you get a cold, the virus attacks the nose and the back of the throat, and it doesn’t take long for the body’s natural defences to start to work.

“The immune system detects the virus and floods the area with white blood cells and chemical messengers, and these trigger various symptoms such as headaches and a blocked nose.”

2. A blocked nose is due to swollen erectile tissue

underwear, towels and household linen should be washed at 60°C (140°F) or at 40°C (104°F) with a bleach-based laundry product.

• Run the washing machine on empty once a week, either at a high temperature or with a chemical disinfectant to prevent the growth of germs.

• Don’t leave laundry in the washing machine as any remaining germs can multiply rapidly.

Waste disposal • Foot-operated bins are better for hygiene because they reduce the risk of hands picking up germs when they touch the bin lid.

• Always wash your hands after handling waste material.

• Throw rubbish away carefully to avoid attracting vermin and insects. ■ NHS

Original Creation and Copyright Reserved By: Hello Philippines 2013

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HEALTH and Lifestyle food

December 2013 / Fortnightly – No. 24 • UK & Europe Edition

Green tea: the elixir of life or just hype?

GREEN tea has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries to treat everything from headaches to depression.

The leaves are supposedly richer in antioxidants than other types of tea because of the way they are processed.

All types of tea (green, black and oolong) are produced from the Camellia sinensis plant using different methods.

Fresh leaves from the plant are steamed to produce green tea, while the leaves of black tea and oolong involve fermentation.

Green tea is alleged to boost weight loss, reduce cholesterol, combat cardiovascular disease, and prevent cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.

We’ve teamed up with the British Dietetic Association (BDA) to examine whether the myriad health claims about green tea are supported by the evidence.

Cancer. There is no evidence that drinking green tea protects against different types of cancer. A good quality study from 2009 reviewed 51 studies involving more

than 1.6 million participants. The studies looked for an association between drinking green tea and cancers of the bowel, prostate, breasts, mouth and lungs. The authors of the review concluded that the evidence of a link between green tea and cancer was weak and “highly contradictory”.

Weight loss. It is thought that the antioxidants catechins and caffeine in green tea may have a role in helping the body burn more calories – sometimes referred to as speeding up the metabolism – which can help weight loss. Green tea preparations used for losing weight are extracts of green tea that contain a higher concentration of catechins and caffeine than the typical green tea beverage prepared from a tea bag and boiling water. A well-conducted review from 2012 of 18 studies involving 1,945 people found no significant effect of drinking green tea on weight loss.

Cholesterol. There is increasing evidence that both green and black tea are beneficial for cardiovascular disease

prevention. A good quality review from 2013 of 11 studies involving 821 people found that daily consumption of green and black tea (as a drink or a capsule) could help lower cholesterol and blood pressure thanks to tea and its catechins. The authors of the review caution that most of the trials were short term and more good quality long-term trials are needed to back up their findings.

Another good quality review from 2011 found that drinking green tea enriched with catechins led to a small reduction in cholesterol, a main cause of heart disease and stroke. However, it’s still not clear from the evidence how much green tea we’d need to drink to see a positive effect on our health, or what the long-term effects of green tea consumption are on our overall health.

Alzheimer’s disease. Evidence of a positive link between drinking green tea and Alzheimer’s disease is weak. A 2010 laboratory study using animal cells found that a green tea preparation rich in

antioxidants protected against the nerve cell death associated with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Whether these lab results can be reproduced in human trials remains to be seen. As such, the findings do not conclusively show that green tea combats Alzheimer’s disease.

The dietitian’s verdict. Alison Hornby, a dietitian and BDA spokesperson, says the evidence about green tea’s health benefits are inconclusive.

She says: “In the Far East, green tea has been used as a treatment for a variety of conditions ranging from arthritis to weight loss, as well as a preventative measure for diseases such as cancer, although the evidence for the majority of these conditions is weak or lacking.

“However, as a social drink, it appears to be safe in moderate amounts, so lovers of green tea can continue to enjoy it.” ■ NHS Choices

Is garlic an everyday superfood?

Are chocolate’s health claims for real

RECENT interest in the health benefits of chocolate was sparked by studies on the cocoa-drinking peoples of Central America.

Researchers observed that the Kuna Indians of Panama, who drank cocoa as their main beverage, had very low blood pressure, a leading cause of heart disease and stroke.

Chocolate is the processed and sweetened food produced from cocoa.

Brand experts have sought to associate chocolate, and in particular dark chocolate, with the supposed health benefits of cocoa, which include protection against cancer and stress relief.

We’ve teamed up with the British Dietetic Association (BDA) to examine whether the health claims made about chocolate are supported by the evidence.

Blood pressure. A well-conducted 2012 review of the best available evidence on the effects of chocolate on blood pressure concluded that cocoa products – including dark chocolate – may help to slightly lower blood pressure. However, most of the studies were of short duration (between two and eight weeks) and there were some weaknesses in the available research. The authors of the review say longer term trials are needed to further our understanding of cocoa’s effect on blood pressure and cardiovascular health.

Cancer. Some limited animal and laboratory research suggests a cocoarich diet could offer protection against

bowel cancer. However, it’s impossible to conclude from research carried out in a laboratory that cocoa can protect people against bowel cancer.

Stress. In a small study from 2009, 30 healthy people who were given 40g of dark chocolate a day for 14 days experienced a reduction in stress hormones. However, the study, which was funded by a major chocolate manufacturer, had several limitations, including its short study period, and does not provide any evidence that chocolate has any benefits or effects on stress.

The dietitian’s verdict. Alison Hornby, a dietitian and BDA spokesperson, says it’s important to remember that the studies on the health benefits of chocolate have focused on cocoa extracts, not chocolate.

She says: “A range of health benefits from the consumption of cocoa products have been investigated, particularly in relation to cardiovascular disease, with early results showing promise.

“However, the potential health benefit of some compounds in the chocolate have to be weighed against the fact that to make chocolate, cocoa is combined with sugar and fat.

“This means chocolate is an energydense food that could contribute to weight gain and a higher risk of disease. As an occasional treat, chocolate can be part of a healthy diet. Eaten too frequently, it is an unhealthy choice.” ■ NHS Choices

APHRODISIAC, money, food, medicine, vampire repellent – garlic has had many uses throughout the ages.

More recent evidence-based research suggests garlic may be effective against high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, cholesterol, colds and some cancers.

We’ve teamed up with the British Dietetic Association (BDA) to see if the health claims about garlic stand up to closer scrutiny.

High blood pressure. An authoritative review from 2012of the best available evidence on the use of garlic to treat high blood pressure identified one good quality study that suggested that 200mg of garlic powder three times daily reduced blood pressure. However, the review concluded that there was insufficient evidence to say if garlic was an effective means for treating high blood pressure and reducing death rates.

Cholesterol.

A well-conducted review from 2009 of 29 good quality studies (involving a combined total of 1,794 participants) concluded that garlic

(mainly garlic powder) produced “modest reductions” in total cholesterol levels.

Common cold. A good quality review from 2012 of the best available evidence concluded there was insufficient evidence regarding the effects of garlic supplements in treating or preventing colds. Most studies that claimed this were of poor quality. The review said one reasonably good study suggested that garlic may prevent colds, but that more research was needed to back up the finding.

Cancer. The evidence is mixed. A 2007 World Cancer Research Fund review concluded that garlic “probably protects against” bowel and stomach cancers. A more recent review from 2009 of the best available research on humans concluded that there was “no credible evidence” with stomach, breast, lung and womb cancers, but that there was “very limited evidence” that eating garlic may lower the risk of colon, prostate, oral, ovary or renal cell cancers.

The dietitian’s verdict. Alison Hornby, a dietitian and BDA spokesperson, says: “Garlic is a delicious flavour used widely in

Mediterranean and Asian cooking.

“Studies using high concentrations of garlic extracts have been associated with improved blood circulation, healthier cholesterol levels and lower blood pressure, all of which reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, current evidence does not support the use of garlic supplements to improve health.

“Garlic is particularly useful in cooking as it provides an alternative to salt in adding flavour to meals, along with lemon juice, chilli, herbs and spices. Eating less salt is important for avoiding high blood pressure.”

More on superfoods. Check out the evidence behind the health claims about these other so-called superfoods: • goji berries • chocolate • oily fish • wheatgrass • pomegranate juice • green tea • broccoli • blueberries • beetroot ■ NHS Choices

December 2013 / Fortnightly – No. 24 • UK & Europe Edition

CELEBRITY, SHOWBIZ & ENTERTAINMENT SCOOP

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A knockout success: Amir Khan helps raise £83,000 for typhoon Haiyan appeal ON Sunday, 1st December 2013 at the Hilton Hotel in Bradford, Amir Khan hosted a sell-out fundraising dinner for Islamic Relief’s Typhoon Haiyan Appeal, which caused huge devastation in the Philippines last month.

Over 500 people from all across the country attended the black tie event and a staggering £83,400 was raised to help victims of the disaster by the end of the night.

The fantastic total was raised through ticket sales and an impressive charity auction, which featured rare items including a signed Mohamed Ali boxing glove, Filipino boxer, Manny Pacquiao’s boxing shorts, one of Usain Bolt’s famous running shoes and a special meet and greet with Amir Khan at his own gym, Gloves Community Centre.

(Left to right) Rizwan Malik, Amir Khan and Jhangir Malik - UK Director of Islamic Relief

Amir explained: “When I heard about the devastation in the Philippines I wanted to do anything I could to help – so I got in touch with Rizwan Malik and Islamic Relief to organise this fundraiser.

“The evening was an astounding success and the amount raised has exceeded all our expectations and I can’t thank everyone enough for their generosity.

I’d also like to thank Rizwan, who helped me organise the whole event in just two weeks – his support really was invaluable.”

Rizwan said: “I’m extremely proud of what we’ve achieved and now we hope the money raised will really help the Islamic Relief Foundation’s Philippines Appeal.

It was great to see Amir so passionate about giving back and helping others – we couldn’t have asked for a better host for the evening.” ■

Jessica Sanchez wraps up charity mission in PH, will return for Manila New Year show

ON the penultimate day of her 11-day charity mission in the country that began when she arrived last November 30, Jessica Sanchez appeared in a press conference Monday at the Sofitel Hotel to promote her latest single, “Lead Me Home”.

Although the “American Idol” sensation is slated to fly to the US this Tuesday, December 10, she promised that she will be back before the end of the month to welcome 2014 with a New Year’s show at Eastwood City in Libis, Quezon City.

Excited about her upcoming gig, Jessica said she will perform the “upbeat songs” in her debut album, “Me, You and the Music”, released last March by MCA Music. These include “Tonight”, her hit duet with Ne-Yo, “No One Compares” which features LatinoAmerican singer-songwriter Prince Royce, and “Don’t Come Around”, which contains an interpolation of the 1985 rock single of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, “Don’t Come Around Here No More”.

Asked about her charity mission with the Starkey Hearing Foundation to assist Filipinos with hearing loss who have no resources to acquire hearing aids, Jessica

said giving deaf people the gift of hearing at places like General Santos City, Lipa City and Batangas City had been such a wonderful experience for her.

She said even when she was just starting out as a singer and trying to make a name for herself, she already made a vow to her mother that she would use her fame to be part of a charity to help the less fortunate.

“I would be happy to do anything that I can to give back to my people,” she said in reference to her efforts not only to help the hearing-impaired but also the victims of typhoon Yolanda with the proceeds of her recent online concert and sales of “Lead Me Home”.

The soaring ballad is one of the 39 tracks of the all-star compilation album, “Songs for the Philippines”, the sales of which will also go to the Philippine Red Cross as part of its efforts to helped rehabilitate the survivors of the devastating typhoon.

Jessica was likewise equally thrilled to learn that her rendition of the Philippine National Anthem at the recent PacquiaoRios fight in Macau brought a lot of joy to her fellow Filipinos, including the typhoon

survivors in Tacloban City who saw the fight live for free.

“It was crazy actually because Manny asked me to sing it on Twitter from out of nowhere. And I felt so honored. I probably had about two to three days to learn the song. It was hard but I didn’t want to disappoint. But I’m happy that everybody is okay with the way I sang it, and I’m glad I made you guys proud,” she exclaimed.

Given that “Lead Me Home” is also a part of the original cast recording of the

music and dance spectacular “Heartbeat of Home”, the 18-year-old singer was also asked if she would love to perform in theater musicals since she had already guested in two episodes of the hit musical-comedy TV series, “Glee”.

“I would really love to. I don’t think acting is my passion but it is so much fun,” she quipped.

When told that Manila has been known

to stage a good number of theater musicals every year, Jessica’s face lit up as she expressed her desire to be a part of one soon.

“Yeah! Invite me!” she emphatically said.

A few hours after the press conference, Jessica took the time to tweet her appreciation to her Filipino fans for making her feel welcome during her lengthy stay in the country. ■ Edwin P. Sallan / InterAksyon.com /

December 10, 2013 / 6:21 AM

Jessica Sanchez promotes her latest single, ‘Lead Me Home’. Photo by Teddy Pelaez ©InterAksyon

‘Metro Manila’ wins Best Film, Best Director at British Independent Film Awards SET in the Philippines and featuring a Tagalog-speaking all-Filipino cast, the British-produced crime drama “Metro Manila” was the surprise big winner of the Moët British Independent Film Awards held Sunday at the Old Billingsgate Market in London.

The UK’s official entry to the Oscars Best Foreign Language Film category, “Metro Manila” pocketed three major awards — Best Film, Best Director and Best Achievement in Production.

Filipino actors John Arcilla and Jake Macapagal were also nominated for Best

Jake Macapagal and Althea Vega play a provincial couple who moves to the big city with their two children in ‘Metro Manila’.

Supporting Actor and Most Promising Newcomer.

The film premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival last January where it bagged the Audience Choice Award. Last May, Fox International Productions acquired the rights to remake the film about a hardluck farmer who moves his family to the big city where they find even bigger challenges to hurdle.

During the film’s Manila premiere in October that preceded its Philippine theatrical run, Ellis said it was quest for authenticity that convinced him to shoot the film in the actors’ native tongue, even though he himself neither spoke nor understood Tagalog.

“I just couldn’t imagine going to the Philippines and making a film there where the actors spoke English. Great films always transcend their subtitles. I had to at least aim in the same direction or otherwise risk the film’s authenticity,” he pointed out.

For co-producer Mathilde Charpienter, filming “Metro Manila”, which took place between December, 2010 and January,

2011, was not without its share of challenges. Thanks to the cooperation of the film’s Filipino cast and crew, the experience ultimately proved to be rewarding.

“Filming ‘Metro Manila’ was a compelling and tremendous experience. I still remember leaving Heathrow airport on a cold and rainy day, to land on a boiling hot Filipino afternoon, jet lagged, thinking ‘Are we really going to make this?’. We gave ourselves 3 weeks to find a production team, a Filipino cast and all our locations and props,” Charpentier recalled.

Never in a million years we could have made it this fast in the UK with such a small budget but the Filipino people love to help, don’t mind the challenge, and even though they don’t forget the business part, they offer what they have with an open heart.”

Following is the complete list of winners at Moët British Independent Film Awards: Best British Independent Film: “Metro Manila” Best Director: Sean Ellis – “Metro Manila” Best Actress: Lindsay Duncan – “Le WeekEnd”

The Douglas Hickox Award [Best Debut Director]: Paul Wright – “For Those In Peril” Best Screenplay: Steven Knight – “Locke” Best Actor: James McAvoy – “Filth” Best Documentary: “Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer” Best Achievement in Production: “Metro Manila” Best Supporting Actress: Imogen Poots – “The Look Of Love” Best Technical Achievement: Amy Hubbard – Casting – “The Selfish Giant” Special Jury Prize: Sixteen Films & Friends (aka Team Loach) Best Supporting Actor: Ben Mendelsohn – “Starred Up” Best British Short: “Z1” Most Promising Newcomer: Chloe Pirrie – “Shell” The Raindance Award: “The Machine” Best International Independent Film: “Blue Is The Warmest Color” Variety Award: Paul Greengrass Richard Harris Award: Julie Walters ■ Edwin P. Sallan / InterAksyon.com / December 9, 2013 / 10:53 AM

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CELEBRITY, SHOWBIZ & ENTERTAINMENT SCOOP

December 2013 / Fortnightly – No. 24 • UK & Europe Edition

The bayanihan spirit lives on in the Kapuso community abroad despite Yolanda tragedy

IN the wake of super typhoon Yolanda, Filipinos abroad fervently monitored the developments in the rescue and relief operations hoping to gain news of their kababayans in the Visayas Region.

As a way of helping these Filipinos outside the country, some of GMA Pinoy TV, GMA News TV International, and GMA Life TV carriers agreed to broadcast a free preview of the said channels.

“We support the efforts of the international community in helping the victims of Yolanda,” says Joseph T. Francia, GMA Network Vice-President and Head of International Operations. “Through our international channels, we hope to bring our Kapuso viewers closer to home by providing them with up-to-date information on the developments since the tragedy and details on how they could help in the relief operations.”

Filipinos worldwide, despite being separated by land and sea, are once again united with a sense of bayanihan as they endeavor to rebuild their home country together. Motivated by a common purpose, our fellow Filipinos overseas have made significant contributions to the relief efforts for the victims of the recent typhoon.

In the US, a variety of fundraising events were organized for the benefit of those affected by Yolanda. Among them, a benefit concert called “Malama” (which means “care” in Hawaii) by the University of Hawaii and the Philippine Consulate in Honolulu, Hawaii; clothing sales such as the “Philippines Fashion Relief” by the Filipino American Legal Defense and Education Fund and the Philippine Consulate General of New York; a lunch fundraiser at the Sunda New Asian Restaurant in Chicago organized by the Philippine Consulate General where Sunda co-owner and Fil-Am Bill Dec, Consul General Leo Herrera-Lim, and other

Dubai

Chicago

members of the Filipino community in Chicago discussed the current state of the Philippines; and, gatherings like “Friends of FilCom: Giving Together to Rebuild Lives”

by The Filipino American Communities of Northeast US. Special masses and prayers are also being offered for the victims.

Along with the outpouring of aid from different institutions and foreign governments, there is no shortage of support from various Filipino communities around the world. Filipinos in Contra Costa County and Vallejo, California are continuously raising funds and donations.

In Europe, the Samahang Pilipina Bern held a cake sale which garnered thousands of dollars with passersby donating money even without buying pastries. Meanwhile, in Singapore, officials and staff of Pinoy Star Magazine, Filipino Association of Singapore, Kultura Performing Arts, and Afreight Cargo, in collaboration with the Philippine Embassy in Singapore, came together to gather donations for the survivors.

The support from the international community continues as more initiatives have been planned by various groups in an effort to hasten the rehabilitation. Benefit concerts, auctions, a film festival, and a benefit dance by Power ng Pinoy and the Cheryl Burke Dance Studio were scheduled for the latter part of November until the first week of December.

The Philippine Consulate General in Dubai, UAE will organize “Brunch for a Cause and Relief Operations” while Xpress Money, in association with UAExchange, has waived fees among UAE exchange branches in the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Bahrain until December 8, 2013.

For details on how you can help, you may visit GMA Kapuso Foundation’s website, www. gmanetwork.com/kapusofoundation. ■

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December 2013 / Fortnightly – No. 24 • UK & Europe Edition

Indie actor Kiko Matos stars opposite Solenn Heussaff in Bollywood-inspired ‘Mumbai Love’ AFTER an auspicious screen debut as Alex Vincent Medina’s alter ego in “Babagwa (The Spider’s Lair)” at Cinemalaya last July, Kiko Matos is now the new leading man of sought-after sexy actress Solenn Heussaff in Benito Bautista’s Bollywood-inspired romantic comedy, “Mumbai Love”.

“I play Nandi, an Indian guy who was born and raised in Manila but also goes back to Mumbai from time to time as my family lives there. Although he’s Indian, Nandi is the type of guy who contradicts tradition and follows his heart. He doesn’t want to be in an arranged marriage that his father and mother want for him,” Kiko told InterAksyon during the last shooting day of the film.

Kiko added that Nandi’s defiance of his family and cultural tradition is put to a test when he meets Ella played by Solenn, a liberal and free-spirited Filipina. The rest of the film will then chronicle how Nandi and Ella will figure out how to end up with each other in the face of all the odds stacked up against them.

Director Benito Bautista, who previously helmed the acclaimed documentary “Harana”, describes his follow-up feature film as “a cross-cultural romantic comedy that is not only a love story but is also a story about how two cultures can come together as one, setting aside all racial stereotypes and social class barriers in the name of love and friendship”.

Asked what it’s like to meet and work with Solenn whom he himself describes as “one of the biggest names in the industry,” Kiko said the experience was overwhelming for him.

“The first time I met her, I was immediately mesmerized, I wouldn’t know what to tell her.

During our scenes, I would stutter at times,” he confessed. “But eventually, I realized I needed to level up because I was given the chance to become the lead guy. I have been given that trust and I have to deliver what is expected of me. So far, I’m really satisfied with the progress I’ve made.”

It’s not only Solenn that overwhelmed Kiko but the rest of the film’s impressive cast, including Ronnie Lazaro, Raymond Bagatsing, Jayson Gainza, Martin Escudero, Angelina Kanapi, Jun Sabayton and Romy Daryani, an Indian actor who is introduced in the film.

“It was my first time to meet all of them so the experience was really more of a challenge for me as I needed to keep up with all these good actors,” he admitted.

Kiko seems to have a done a good job in the film as co-star Ronnie Lazaro has already

Kiko Matos with Solenn Heussaff in a scene from ‘Mumbai Love’.

Lea Salonga sings ‘Sana Maulit Muli’ beside her favorite leading man Aga Muhlach during the second night of her ‘Playlist’ concert at the PICC Plenary Hall. Photo by Bingle Picache-Chuidian ©InterAksyon.

Aga Muhlach announces new movie with Lea Salonga during herWhen ‘Playlist’ concert they were asked by reporters on BOTH Lea Salonga and Aga Muhlach have been asked when they’re going to do a new movie together. The two were romantically linked with each other when they did a couple of movies that did very well in the box office back in the early 1990s: “Bakit Labis Kitang Mahal” and “Sana Maulit Muli”.

Remaining good friends over the years, Aga and Lea continue to speak well of one another, with Lea even appearing in an episode of Aga’s “Pinoy Explorer” after it recently returned on the air with a new season.

cast him in his film directorial debut, the production of which will immediately start after “Mumbai Love” wraps up.

Asked if he was familiar with Indian culture prior to doing the film, Kiko, who seemed to be still in character as he spoke with an Indian accent during the interview, said he has several Indian friends and watches Bollywood films from time to time.

“But I was never immersed in Indian culture as I was immersed now,” he said. Kiko became more fascinated with India after the cast and crew flew to Mumbai to shoot parts of the film there.

“Mumbai is amazing, it’s a very beautiful city, the culture there is very different from the Philippines and the people are literally very colorful especially with how they dress up. Sa lahat ng anggulo, ang ganda ng makikita mo doon.”

separate occasions about that long-awaited third team-up, both said there are two things that could finally make this a reality. One is for both of them to be in good shape before returning to the big screen and two, a good script must be presented to them.

Both Aga and Lea acknowledged that they’ve already made progress working on the first one and even went as far as admitting that they go to the same gym. As for the second one, Aga Muhlach happily announced that something is already in the works.

“May istorya na!” a bearded Aga exclaimed to Lea during the latter’s “Playlist” concert at the PICC Plenary Hall last Sunday. The actor who came to watch the concert with wife Charlene Gonzalez provided a goosebumps moment in the show when he came up onstage to present Lea with a bouquet of flowers during the encore portion of the concert.

Aga and Lea kept teasing each other and even touched on their respective network affiliations. “You know, the composer of the theme from ‘Pinoy Explorer’ is here,” Lea said before pointing to brother Gerard who was conducting the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra that accompanied her that night.

Aga, who also hosts “Let’s Ask Pilipinas” for TV5, countered by asking Gerard, “Ano ka ba talaga, ABS-CBN or TV5?” The audience roared with laughter.

Then Aga, finally revealed the good news. “I spoke to Malou Santos of Star Cinema and the director of ‘Kailangan Kita’ and ‘Dubai’ (Rory B. Quintos) and they told me, may istorya na,” Aga said in reference to their reunion movie project as everyone applauded in approval.

Lea, who initially told Aga to leave the stage in jest, eventually asked him to stay as she performed an acoustic rendition of “Sana Maulit Muli” to the delight of the full house crowd that included Charlene, their respective children and Gerard Salonga who could not resist recording the special moment on his mobile phone. ■ Edwin P. Sallan / InterAksyon.com / December 8, 2013 / 1:36 PM

The food ain’t so bad either. “I’m not a Bicolano but I think I have a Bicolano tongue. I love spicy food. When we went to Mumbai, I felt like I was home. Hindi ako tinablan ng anghang ng pagkain nila dun, We were warned not to eat too much though because our stomach is not used to the so many spices they put in their food.

But I would love to go back there again,” he further enthused.

True to its Bollywood inspiration, “Mumbai Love”, which will open in January, will have song and dance numbers. Direk Benito Bautista has already confirmed that Solenn will be singing in the film. What about Kiko?

“I wanted to sing but unfortunately, the singing doesn’t want me in return,” the actor joked. ■ Edwin P. Sallan / InterAksyon.com / December 7, 2013 / 2:19 PM

Kiko Matis as Nandi, an Indian who bucks tradition in ‘Mumbai Love’.

Solenn and Kiko in one of the scenes shot on location in Mumbai.

Touching reunions on ‘Let’s Ask Pilipinas’ 12 days of Christmas special

AGA Muhlach will be spreading the joy of Christmas to OFWs beginning on Tuesday, December 10, with the Twelve Days of Christmas special on his game show “Let’s Ask Pilipinas”.

The upcoming episodes are made more special as OFWs will be playing for the first time in the daily game show. The contestants will be playing from various parts of the world, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and United Kingdom, with each having their own touching stories to share.

In the Tuesday episode, Aga brings the audience close to tears as he reads a letter

from a contestant’s mom who is in prison for a crime they say she didn’t commit.

Another episode holds a a virtual date between contestants who were former college classmates, with Aga suddenly playing Cupid for the two.

“Let’s Ask Pilipinas” made way for the virtual reunion of the contestants with their families, who flew in from as far as Aklan, Bukidnon and Tuguegarao to be part of the studio audience. With the power of technology, emotional video reunions are made possible with their families.

One of the OFW contestants hasn’t seen her family for 13 years and happily thanks Aga for the opportunity. In another touching reunion, a mother who flew in from Ozamis is in tears upon seeing all her three daughters who are now working in Dubai.

Aside from the heartwarming virtual reunions and the game prizes offered by “Let’s Ask Pilipinas”, Aga will also be giving away 12 of his favorite things to the studio audience.

All these gifts will bear glimpses of Aga as a person as they range from his basic essentials to the classy items that he enjoys with friends and family.

Catch the 12 Days of Christmas special on” Let’s Ask Pilipinas” starting December 10, 7PM on TV5. ■ InterAksyon.com / December

Aga Muhlach on ‘Let’s Ask Pilipinas’.

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December 2013 / Fortnightly – No. 24 • UK & Europe Edition

One year after: Before Yolanda, there was Typhoon Pablo

More than 10,000 typhoon victims benefited from Japan’s ‘Operation Sangkay’

TACLOBAN CITY - More than 10,000 individuals displaced by super typhoon Yolanda (international code name: Haiyan) in Eastern Visayas and other regions have benefited from the Operation “Sangkay” of the Japanese Self Defense Force (JSDF) since the start of their relief operations last November 15.

In terms of medical treatment, approximately 2,300 persons were served in Tanauan, Leyte and Tacloban City as well as in two towns in Cebu. Around 11,300 persons availed of vaccination conducted in Leyte and Cebu.

Its various airlifting assets transported some 3,520 persons.

The Self-Defense Force also covered some 62,000 square meters with its fumigation activities.

Additional fumigation activities were conducted Tuesday at Tacloban City’s Balyuan Center and at the Leyte Sports Development Academy on Wednesday.

Similar activities are slated in Leyte’s Santa Fe town on Thursday.

Sangkay is a Waray term which means “friend”. ■ Philippine News Agency / December 11, 2013 / 2:57 AM

inland communities and left over one million people without homes, the UN recalled. Heavy rains and flooding affected more than 6.2 million people, claiming over a thousand lives and displacing at least 800,000 people.

After Pablo, the Philippine Government mobilized quickly and responded to needs, supported by the international humanitarian community. Hundreds of thousands of people received emergency medical, food and shelter assistance, as well as basic water, sanitation and hygiene services. Agricultural, livelihood and early recovery projects helped tens of thousands of people get back on their feet again.

“In less than the space of a year, we have been struck again by the forces of nature, this time in the form of Typhoon Yolanda. While we face even greater challenges today,” said Carvalho, “our

commitment to the people of Mindanao is steadfast as we continue to support the Government in rebuilding livelihoods.

“Once again, the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) has come together to respond to a large scale disaster in the Philippines,” she added. “Given the geographical span of the area affected, we faced logistical challenges but in a short space of time major national and international relief and early recovery support rapidly expanded”.

Only five days after Yolanda struck, the HCT issued an emergency appeal to meet immediate needs. In the coming days, the humanitarian community will launch a strategic response plan to cover remaining humanitarian needs and initiate early recovery activities. This plan is designed to dove-tail with the Government’s Yolanda Recovery and Rehabilitation Plan. ■ InterAksyon.com / December 5, 2013 / 7:55 AM

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A second batch of Japanese medics arrives at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on November 20, 2013 to replace an earlier group that treated victims of super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in Central Philippines.

MANILA – Before super typhoon Yolanda put the Philippines once more at the center of global attention, there was Typhoon Pablo (international name: Bopha) on Dec. 4, 2012, and the task of rebuilding those places in Mindanao that it devastated continues to this day, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the country said Wednesday.

Pablo claimed the lives of more than 1,000 people in the Philippines and flattened communities in Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley—places which are still recovering until now. In a poignant moment in the aftermath of super typhoon Yolanda, some of those who lost everything to typhoon Pablo donated some construction materials to the carpenter-soldiers who had helped rebuild their homes—because these same soldiers had embarked on a caravan to Eastern Visayas, to help Yolanda’s victims.

The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the country, Ms. Luiza Carvalho, called for continued support for people who lost their homes, loved ones and livelihoods in the tragic storm.

“As we continue to respond to the immense humanitarian needs of people affected by Typhoon Yolanda (known internationally as Haiyan), we remember the many whose lives were torn apart when Pablo tore through southern Mindanao one year ago and the partnerships we formed,” said Ms. Carvalho.

Typhoon Pablo flattened coastal and

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December 2013 / Fortnightly – No. 24 • UK & Europe Edition

The world comes together for victims of Typhoon Yolanda

THE Filipino people have always been regarded as a tight-knit race—not even seas, mountains, and time zones can prevent them from extending a helping hand to their motherland. After Typhoon Yolanda caused devastation in various parts of the Philippines, our Kapusos abroad wasted no time in organizing fundraisers just to be able to aid their kababayans who were greatly affected by the destructive storm.

In the US, a range of fundraising efforts were launched for the benefit of the Yolanda victims. They took the form of benefit concerts like “malama” (Hawaiian word for “care”) by the University of Hawaii and the Philippine Consulate in Honolulu, Hawaii; clothing sales such as the “Philippines Fashion Relief” by the Filipino American Legal Defense and Education

Fund and Philippine Consulate General of New York; and gatherings like “Friends of FilCom: Giving Together to Rebuild Lives”

by The Filipino American Communities of Northeast US. Across the nation, special masses are being held for the typhoon victims and prayers are being offered for their perpetual safety and peace.

One of the more notable relief efforts in the US is the lunch fundraiser at the Sunda New Asian Restaurant, organized by the Philippine Consulate General in Chicago.

Attendees got to enjoy Filipino food while Sunda co-owner and prominent Fil-Am Billy Dec, Consul General Leo Herrera-Lim, and other members of the Filipino community in Chicago discussed the Philippines’ current status. A condolence book signed

by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel and other dignitaries was also created, wherein

people expressed their utmost sympathies through words for the Filipinos affected by the brutal storm.

Filipino-Americans and even FilipinoEuropeans are spearheading their own campaigns to show their support to their brothers and sisters in the Philippines. For instance, the Fil-Am communities in Contra Costa County and Vallejo, California are continuously raising funds and donations for their less fortunate brethren. In Europe, the Samahang Pilipina Bern resorted to cake sale and was able to garner thousands of dollars from selfless passers-by without having to sell a pastry.

For the Philippines, the Canadian government allocated around five million Canadian dollars or more than 200 million pesos to support humanitarian organizations that aim to meet the needs of Yolanda victims. Aside from monetary assistance, Filipinos in Canada have begun supervising their own fundraising activities such as the “Alay Concert 2: Rise Up” in Toronto, where priests are the main performers.

Closer to home, the Filipino community in Singapore was quick to respond to the calls of the needy in the Philippines.

Officials and staff of Pinoy Star Magazine, Filipino Association of Singapore, Kultura Performing Arts, and Afreight Cargo joined forces to collect and send relief goods to the survivors in the worst affected areas of the typhoon-battered nation. This community service was in collaboration with the Philippine Embassy in Singapore.

PNoy has ₱143 billion in rehab funds after Senate approves ₱14.6-B supplemental budget MANILA - The Philippine Government now has a total of 143-billion funds for postdisaster rehabilitation and reconstruction programs for next year after the Senate approved in third and final reading the 14.6 billion supplemental budget, it was learned Wednesday night.

With 15 affirmative votes, zero negative votes and zero abstention, the Senate approved House Bill No. 3423, authorizing the creation of a 14.6-billion supplemental budget, which will be sourced from the savings realized as a result of the Supreme Court decision declaring the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) as unconstitutional.

Aside from the 14.6 billion supplemental budget, the government has 12-billion funds from the extension of the validity of the savings incurred in the 2013 national budget; 100 billion programmed and unprogrammed funds from the 2014 national budget and 16.9 billion calamity and quick response fund (QRF).

Senator Francis Escudero said the 14.6-billion supplemental budget will be used for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of areas hit by typhoon Yolanda and other calamities including the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck Bohol and Cebu, and the Zamboanga City siege.

Under the measure, the 14.6 billion supplemental budget will be given to government line agencies responsible for the review, repair and reconstruction of public infrastructures heavily damaged by recent calamities, particularly during the onslaught of super typhoon Yolanda (international code name: Haiyan).

From the 14.6 billion supplemental

budget, 11.2 billion will be used as calamity rehabilitation fund while 3.4 billion will be used as quick response fund by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Escudero said.

A total of 2.75 billion and 1.25 billion will be allotted for the Department of Education and state universities and colleges, respectively for the repair and rehabilitation of school and academic buildings.

3 billion will be given to the Department of Public Works and Highways to repair roads, bridges and other government infrastructure.

The restoration of declared historical sites which were damaged specifically by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake in the Visayas region will receive a total of 1.5 billion.

Expenses for the repair of hospitals amounting to 1 billion and purchase of hospital equipment amounting to 500 million will also be allotted through the Department of Health.

The amount of 1.5 billion will be given to the National Housing Authority for its purchase of relocation sites and construction of housing units.

The Department of Transportation and Communications, on the other hand, will receive 1 billion to repair airports and ports and 1 billion to the local government units to repair rural health centers and fund other rehabilitation programs.

“Given the magnitude of the damage caused by the past disasters, it is our obligation as your legislators to ensure that the government will have adequate funds to perk up its capacity to respond sufficiently to the immediate needs of the victims of recent disastrous events,” said Senate President

Franklin Drilon, who introduced the bill encouraging the passage of the supplemental budget.

“With such a significant amount of funding to be handed to its disposal, the government will be fully equipped to rebuild the provinces ravaged by the calamities especially in building the needed classrooms, power utilities and housing units,” he added.

Drilon further explained that the funds will be used “to accelerate recovery for our countrymen in the Visayas and other affected areas and to intensify efforts for rehabilitation, repair and reconstruction of severely damaged buildings and facilities as early as possible.”

“President Aquino himself views the issue of rehabilitation as ‘a vital priority’ when he certified this bill as urgent,” he added.

Escudero added that the Senate Finance Committee, the House Committee on Appropriations and the Commission on Audit will strictly require accountability of the expenditures through quarterly reports which will be reviewed by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), before being listed on their website for transparency purposes.

Meanwhile, Escudero said that the bicameral conference committee on the supplemental budget will be opened to the public in order to avoid doubts on the perceived realignment that will favor certain legislators particularly on congressional insertions.

“Our scheduled bicam is on December 10, at 9 a.m. It’s open, it’s public. In fact live streaming siya kamukha nang ginawa namin sa committee hearing, sa plenary debates.

Hopefully we can complete it in one or two days,” Escudero said. ■ Ernie Reyes / InterAksyon. com / Philippine News Agency / December 5, 2013 / 4:41 AM

In order to help Filipinos overseas who have family and loved ones in the Philippines, some of the GMA Pinoy TV, GMA News TV, and GMA Life TV carriers abroad agreed to allow free preview of the said channels. Through GMA’s international channels, our Kapusos outside their home country were able to receive updates about the current situation and other developments in the Philippines.

Currently, Filipinos and even those of foreign descent abroad are gearing up for more initiatives that will hopefully hasten the recovery of their ancestral land. In the US alone, more benefit concerts, auctions, a film festival, and a benefit dance by Power ng Pinoy and the Cheryl Burke Dance Studio are set to occur on the latter part of November to the first week of December.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai, UAE will organize “Brunch for a Cause and Relief Operations” while Xpress Money, in association with UAExchange, has waived fees among UAE exchange branches in the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Bahrain until December 8, 2013.

Indeed, it is heartening to see how the world is coming together for the sake of the Philippines. With many individuals sacrificing blood, sweat, and tears to save lives and restore livelihoods, Filipinos can remain optimistic that soon, they’ll be able to emerge from the debris left by one of the deadliest calamities to ever strike the country with renewed strength and zest for life. ■ GMA International / December 6, 2013 / 1:38 PM

Aquino admin still ‘very good’ despite drop in public satisfaction ratings: SWS MANILA, Philippines - Public satisfaction with the Aquino administration was still “very good” despite a drop in ratings compared to the last quarter, a recent survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) said.

The third quarter survey of the private polling firm SWS showed the administration getting an overall performance rating of +56 on specific issues in the country.

The recent rating was lower than the +66 it got in the June 2013 survey.

The respondents were asked to rate the Aquino administration on issues such as helping the victims of disasters; providing basic elementary and high school education; helping the poor; transparency in providing information about government activities.

The rating was also based on issues such as defending the country’s territorial rights; promoting welfare of overseas Filipino workers; foreign relations; providing jobs; fighting crimes; fighting terrorism; reconciliation with communist and Muslim

rebels; eradicating graft and corruption; ensuring that no family will be hungry; fighting inflation; and, ensuring that oil firms don’t take advantage of oil prices.

The survey was conducted from September 20-23, 2013 using face-toface interviews of 1,200 adults, and had sampling error margins of plus-or-minus 3 percentage points nationwide and plusor-minus 6 percentage points per area. ■ InterAksyon.com / December 10, 2013 / 9:08 AM

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CHARITY AT WORK

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December 2013 / Fortnightly – No. 24 • UK & Europe Edition

All Hands Volunteers – The work has begun Alex Manole I am writing this as I’m sitting in the Buzz Cafe, Tagbilaran with the electricity cutting out every now and then.

I have spent the past week in Antequera, Bohol, where our Earthquake relief project is based, working on site helping deconstruct damaged houses and I have been completely overwhelmed by the kindness and resilience of the Philippine people in the face of so much sorrow. I am amazed and in awe…

Last night I arrived late back from Manila (I had some meetings with potential sponsors) and the jeepney dropped me off at Abatan Bridge, some few km from our base. With darkness already having crept in, there were no motorcycles or taxis to take me, so I started walking in the dark and tried to hitch a ride with motorbikes passing me.

Two men on a motorbike stopped and gave me a ride, during which they told me that our volunteers helped them with their two family homes and refused my offering to pay them for taking me along...!

I am amazed and filled with love for this wonderful country and its people.

CURRENT PHILIPPINES PROJECTS Super Typhoon Haiyan “Yolanda” and Earthquake Response. On Friday, 8th November 2013, the strongest storm ever recorded to reach landfall tore through the Philippines. Super Typhoon Haiyan (known locally as Yolanda) decimated part of the country and the full scale of the damage, both to life and to property, is still unknown.

Over 1.1 million homes have been destroyed or damaged, 3.54 million people have been displaced, 1,613 people are missing and over 14.16 million people are affected.

Source: DSWD as at 18:00 Manila time (10:00 UTC), 26 November; NDRRMC as at

06:00 Manila time, 26 November (22:00 UTC, 25 November).

The official death toll now stands at over 6,000. Some areas and different islands have yet to even be reached by aid and government agencies. The scale of this disaster is enormous with more information to come.

All Hands Volunteers is on the ground to help the communities recover from this unprecedented disaster.

The number of displaced people we will be able to assist with our projects largely depends on how much funding we can secure quickly. Your donation will cover tools, materials, 3 daily meals, housing, water, transportation, on-site support, and other miscellaneous items for volunteers working to rebuild the Philippines. Our dedicated volunteers give up their time and together with them we will all help as many people as possible.

We are currently forecasting that the initial response will last approximately 6 months due to the widespread extent of the devastation. We will have anywhere from 100-150 volunteers on the ground on a daily basis, with an average of 125 volunteers over the course of the project, most of which stay with us for several weeks or months. As such, we will require at least £280,000 in funding to support this response. Please help us make this happen.

In addition to our current base in Bohol, we have launched Project Leyte from 2 bases: one base in Ormoc; the other is located approximately 20km south, in Albuera.

Our projected work will include: Home Safe-ing. Following the 7.2 magnitude earthquake in October 2013 and now the destruction from Super Typhoon Haiyan, All Hands Volunteers will

continue the work it began to dismantle unsafe structures such as houses, schools, businesses and more. The process involves securing support rigging around destroyed concrete, roofing, support walls and trees to safely lift the damaged articles to a safe area. The goal is to preserve as much of the building materials as possible so the homeowners can use them in future rebuilding.

Debris Removal. All Hands Volunteers will also embark upon the removal of debris from homes and businesses. This process involves cleaning out debris and breaking up and removing rubble so that property owners can safely begin the rebuild process. The work is labour intensive, very messy and often times too difficult for victims of a natural disaster to undertake, due to the expense involved and because of the physical and emotional challenges it carries. It is however a critical step in the recovery process and one of All Hands’ areas of expertise.

Potential housing rebuild (dependent upon securing additional funding). As we have seen in our project in Haiti, following the catastrophic earthquake, and after Typhoon Sendong in the Philippines, the devastation can be so great that homes and schools must be rebuilt in safe and secure areas.

All Hands Volunteers has demonstrated its ability to leverage the volunteer model, partnering with organisations such as Habitat for Humanity Philippines, the United Nations and Unicef, to build new and safe housing quickly and efficiently by harnessing the power of our volunteers.

In Haiti, All Hands Volunteers built 20 schools and in Cagayan de Oro, following Typhoon Sendong, we have built over 330 permanent homes for families to move forward on the path of recovery. With the

LEYTE

Cry for help

Ormoc City damage

This was his home.

Wrecked homes after the disaster.

Seeing the devastation for the first time.

What was once a bustling market place.

support of the Hello Philippines readers, we hope to exponentially increase our assistance and help more families in need.

YOU CAN HELP BY DONATING TO OUR PHILIPPINES APPEAL. All Hands Volunteers seeks £280,000 in funding to support our “Philippines Response”, now encompassing both the Bohol Earthquake and Typhoon Yolanda response projects.

Please support our relief efforts by donating as much as you can. Spread the word about the work we do. Organize a bake off in your workplace. Take on a running challenge or chose to make a donation instead of buying Christmas presents this year. 100% of the donations you make to the All Hands Volunteers (UK) Trust, will go to our projects in the Philippines!

Website http://www.justgiving.com/ allhandsvolunteerstrust / You can send cheque to: All Hands Volunteers (UK) Trust, Lyndean House, Farm Yard, Windsor SL4 1QL / UK Registered Charity Number: 1139938 ALL HANDS VOLUNTEERS – THE POWER OF VOLUNTEERS. All Hands Volunteers is a non-profit organisation that harnesses the power of volunteers to bring direct assistance to those in need around the world following natural disasters.

In 2005, our founder David Campbell flew to Thailand after seeing the devastating effects of the 2004 South East Asian tsunami.

He travelled there to see what he could do to help. After learning that spontaneous unaffiliated volunteers were being turned down by aid organisations, David and a few friends organised a group with the sole purpose of connecting those who wanted to help with those who needed it. After raising more than $100,000, they began rebuilding five villages. Recognising the power of true volunteerism, David co-founded All Hands Volunteers. It is with this history that we serve communities in need all across the globe, with an emphasis on flexibility, agility and open mindedness.

We respond to natural disasters with a flexible volunteer force. We come in after search and rescue have finished their work and help rebuild communities. Our dynamic energy, endearing quirkiness and unwavering compassion enable us to connect with communities that need help the most.

Since 2005, we have measured our success by the number of families we have helped (30,000+ families assisted), the number of volunteers we have empowered (7,000+ volunteers) and the number of hours of donated labour (590,000+ volunteer hours).

OUR HISTORY IN THE PHILIPPINES. All Hands Volunteers has a long history of working in the Philippines – our response to Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) represents our 5th project since we founded All Hands Volunteers 8 years ago. Recognizing the unfortunate reality that the Philippines is very prone to natural disasters, we formed a Philippines registered local charity in 2012 with our Asia Regional Office in Manila to ensure we have a permanent presence and the ability to quickly respond to disasters in the Philippines and throughout Southeast Asia.

To date, our work in the Philippines has been:

2006 – Project “Santo Domingo” – When Typhoon Reming struck the Philippines we launched our first response in the Philippines. Heavy rain caused mudslides and flooding claimed the lives of over 2,000 people and left hundreds more missing. All Hands Volunteers was there to provide help cleaning up, tarping roofs, planting trees, rebuilding schools and we even rebuilt a small village’s fishing fleet of 21 boats.

2011 to 2013 – Project “Cagayan de Oro” – We returned to the country when it was hit by Typhoon Washi – locally known as “Sendong.” Heavy rains caused destructive flash flooding, which killed over 1,200 people and left hundreds more unaccounted for. Nearly 50,000 homes were damaged or destroyed. Our response lasted over a year and ranged in scope from debris removal to the construction of 585 temporary shelters and, in partnership with Habitat for Humanity Philippines, the construction of 284 permanent homes.

2013 – Project “Pagatpat” – We continued our partnership with Habitat for Humanity Philippines and were able to build an additional 88 new permanent homes over 5 months in the same community, providing further relief for families whose lives had been shattered by Typhoon Sendong.

2013 – Project “Bohol” – On 15th October, 2013, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the area around Bohol. Our assessment team was on the ground within 72 hours of the earthquake, which resulted in us launching our fourth Philippines project, project “Bohol”. By October 28th, once the search and rescue phases had concluded and it was deemed safe to proceed, we established a base in Antequera in the Barangay of Maribojoc. International volunteers arrived and we began our work.

We started clearing rubble and debris in addition to “safeing” homes.

We usually dispatch volunteers in teams of four to six to brace homes that have been deemed unlivable. After bracing, we bring the houses down safely and salvage all reusable materials so that the homeowners will be able to either rebuild their houses or relocate with the least cost possible.

Thanks to 46 volunteers who have donated 2,000 volunteer hours, to date we have successfully deconstructed 22 homes, 2 chapels and 1 school. As a result, 110 members of the community have been able to start rebuilding their lives.

We often work in partnership with other NGOs on the ground, such as Shelterbox Philippines, with whom we have partnered to construct 17 tents to-date for families in need of temporary housing. Thanks to Shelterbox and our amazing volunteers, these families will be able to remain in their communities and will be protected from the elements while they are waiting to rebuild their homes. ■ November 28, 2013

CHARITY AT WORK

December 2013 / Fortnightly – No. 24 • UK & Europe Edition

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BOHOL

Putting up Shelterbox tents for families without a home.

Local woman salvaging her few possessions in a safed house.

Our volunteers at work.

Locals and volunteers working side by side.

Our volunteers at work.

The damage a 7.2 magnitude earthquake can do.

Iga, one of our long term volunteers, sorting through the rubble.

CAGAYAN DE ORO

Volunteers working hard

Some of the houses we built team of local and international volunteers.

Volunteers and locals building houses together.

Some of the houses we built in Cagayan de Oro following Typhoon Sendong.

Moving in to their new homes

Building a home

December 2013 / Fortnightly – No. 24 • UK & Europe Edition

CHARITY AT WORK

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Feed Hungry Minds – Bohol Relief Operation OUTREACH mission for the earthquake victims and affected areas in Bohol (2 towns of San Isidro and 2 Baranggays one is Sagbayan; affected and never been visited by relief goods) organised by Mr. Arpie Patriarca of “Feed Hungry Minds” last November 16 to 19, 2013. A group of young volunteers spearheaded by Ms. Flordeliz Clemen also tirelessly helped pack, deliver and distribute bags and bags full of goodies.

One of our supporter and donor the Batangas Association UK (BAUK) sent a representative, Mr Jun Masilungan.

Feed Hungry Minds. A Voluntary non-stock non-profit Social Development Organization engage into initiatives aimed at improving the quality of life among poor youth and adult through education both in the urban and rural communities. Feed Hungry Minds works as active partner and service provider for under privilege students achieve their dreams and develop the love for reading, acquire knowledge and become better citizen of the community and of the nation. ■

Mr. Jun Masilungan, giving relief goods to people in Bohol.

Mr. Jun Masilungan, representative of Batangas Association UK (BAUK).

Mr. Jun Masilungan of Batangas Association UK (BAUK) attended Sing for Bohol and Visayas Fundraising Concert at Hard Rock Cafe, Makati on November 13, 2013.

Thank you Batangas Association UK (BAUK) from San Rafael, Busuanga, Palawan.

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SportS

December 2013 / Fortnightly – No. 24 • UK & Europe Edition

Manny Pacquiao top contender for Floyd Mayweather’s WBC welterweight title THE World Boxing Council has installed Manny Pacquiao as its top contender in the welterweight class held by Floyd Mayweather.

In a move aimed at boosting the chances of seeing the two slug it out, the Mexico Citybased WBC put the Filipino at No. 1, ahead of Argentine Luis Abregu and British Amir Khan.

Pacquiao’s stock rose following his masterful win over Brandon Rios in Macau

late last month.

In the event Mayweather and Pacquiao face each other, it would result into a cash windfall for the WBC, not to mention tons and tons of prestige.

Since Mayweather is going to defend the 147-lb. crown, it would require the promoter to shell out a hefty sanction fee and the appointment of judges affiliated with the governing body.

Mayweather has yet to name his foe

for May 3 next year, although leading the candidates is Khan.

Pacquiao is also booked to see action on April 12 against a foe yet to be named.

Promoter Bob Arum said the name of Pacquiao’s foe should be known before Christmas.

On the short list are Timothy Bradley, Juan Manuel Marquez and even Ruslan Provodnikov. ■ Lee Jimenez / InterAksyon.com / December 8, 2013 / 1:29 PM

After Cinderella run in UFL Cup, Air Force mulling leave from League competition AFTER making a Cinderella run to the semifinals of the United Football Cup, Philippine Air Force is mulling a leave of absence for the League competition next year.

Air Force coach Edzel Bracamonte said that his team would lack enough players for its Division Two campaign because many of them could undergo training required for new members of the military.

“So far, ‘di pa kami maka-commit sa UFL. Baka mag-training itong mga bagong Air Force players natin para sa basic military training,” Bracamonte said.

“Kapag mag-training, wala kaming players. Puro veterans na lang.”

After a dismal League campaign last season that saw the military squad relegated, Air Force toppled its more fancied opponents in the knockout stages of the Cup before losing to eventual runner-up Pachanga Diliman FC. What made the Air Force run more remarkable was that the players were in the midst of relief operations for super typhoon “Yolanda” last month.

“Kasagsagan noon, ang daming relief goods sa Villamor (Airbase). Lahat ng

Boxer Dennis Galvan opens Philippine team’s SEA Games campaign in style

personnel namin sa kanya-kanyang office pina-recall para mag-rotate ng tao sa pagpack, pagkarga,” Bracamonte said.

“Humingi rin kami ng time para makapag-extend dun sa relief operations.

Napagbigyan naman.”

Bracamonte said a final decision for the team’s League stint could be reached next month.

“Wala pa namang program of instruction sa amin. Tingnan natin sa December,” he said.

Air Force is one of the winningest teams in the UFL. But with its strict rule of hiring only local players, the squad failed to keep up with its import-laden opponents, which did not help in its fight against relegation last season. ■ Karl Decena / InterAksyon.com / December 6, 2013 · 3:53 PM

Loyola’s first UFL trophy worth the long wait for Phil and James Younghusband

WHEN the Loyola Meralco Sparks signed Philippine football stars Phil and James Younghusband two years ago, the club turned into an instant contender in the United Football League.

But hardware was elusive for Loyola, which suffered numerous heartbreaks to end its UFL campaigns emptyhanded after they crumbled during crucial matches every season.

Loyola finally ended its drought on Thursday night, winning the 2013 UFL Cup in a thrilling 3-2 triumph over Pachanga Diliman FC.

For Phil, all the wait made his first UFL crown sweeter.

“It was a journey, it does not happen overnight. It’s about building a team, it takes time,” Phil said.

“But to get it, it feels amazing.”

Phil credited team management for adding pieces that completed Loyola’s championship puzzle. Long known for their offense, the Sparks beefed up their backline this year after getting defenders Joaco Cañas and Samuel Bonney, as well as key players such as goalkeeper Baba Sampana and midfielder Lee Joo Young.

“You can’t just bring in one or two players then it’s gonna be sucessful,” Phil said. “The management has been brilliant building a team over the years.”

Phil and James said that after their Cup triumph, Loyola will set its sights to the League title next year and, hopefully, more championships in the future.

“After all the pressure and sacrifices, we’ll enjoy this title,” James said. “We wanna get a double in the League next year.”

“I hope it continues,” Phil said. “I believe we can dominate.” ■ Karl Decena / InterAksyon. com / December 6, 2013 / 4:16 PM

NAYPYIDAW — 2011 Palembang SEA Games gold medalist Dennis Galvan broke the ice for the PLDT-ABAP National Boxing Team in the 27th staging of this biennial tournament here with a resounding win Sunday over Ratha Svay of Cambodia.

The 22 year-old southpaw from Bago City used stinging right jabs to set up his left straights that invariably rocked the Cambodian all throughout the three rounds.

Svay tried to make a fight of it by mixing it up but Galvan just slipped away from trouble.

On Monday, 2013 China Open gold medalist Nesthy Petecio debuts for the distaff side in her 57-kg. Featherweight match against Tassamalee Thongjan of Thailand. The latter narrowly beat the Davaoeña in the Vietnam Indoor Games in 2010.

“Bata pa ako noon. Iba na ngayon, pagkakataon ko nang gumanti”, declared the 21 year old dusky Filipina on the eve of her encounter with Thongjan.

Earlier in the morning, at the Official Draw, 5 of the 10 Philippine boxers entered here drew byes and automatically barged into the semifinals of the competition. They are flyweight Rey Saludar, bantamweight Mario Fernandez and middleweight Wilfredo Lopez in the men’s dicvision.

In the women’s category, Maricris Igam

(51 kg, flyweight) and Irish Magno (54 kg, bantamweight) also earned free tickets to the semifinal round on Thursday. Light flyweight Josie Gabuco and Petecio will be fighting in the semis and are also assured of at least bronze medals.

That makes eight sure bronze medals for the Filipinos.

Mark Anthony Barriga will have to hurdle Vietnamese Hungh Ngoc Viet in the quarterfinals while lightweight Junel Cantancio also needs to get past Keochi Xayyasane of Laos to get into the medal fights.

“We had a good draw but it doesn’t mean it’s going to be smooth sailing all through out,” ABAP executive director Ed Picson said. “We’re aiming for golds and it’s not going to be easy pickings. We need to stay focused and not get lulled into complacency.”

Coaches for the team are Nolito Velasco, Ronald Chavez and Roel Velasco for the men while mentoring the women are Elias Recaido Jr and Mitchel Martinez.

The women’s team manager is AIBA International Technical Official Ma. Karina Picson while team Referee is AIBA 1-star R&J Fernie Lou Abing of Cagayan de Oro City. ■ InterAksyon.com / December 9, 2013 / 3:45 PM

SportS

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Phil Younghusband bags UFL Golden Ball trophy after Loyola’s Cup triumph AFTER hoisting the 2013 United Football Cup crown, the Loyola Meralco Sparks swept the individual awards of the competition.

Star striker Phil Younghusband, who scored 21 goals in the competition, bagged home the Golden Boot award and the Golden Ball trophy, the tournament’s equivalent to the Most Valuable Player plum.

Baba Sampana also won the Golden Glove award given to the tournament’s best goalkeeper.

The Sparks battled Pachanga Diliman FC to a tough 3-2 victory on Thursday to win the Cup – their first UFL title since building a powerhouse squad featuring the Younghusband brothers in 2011.

The triumph also erased the memory of Loyola’s Cup final loss to Philippine Air Force two years ago. ■ Karl Decena / InterAksyon.com / December 5, 2013 / 10:31 PM

Cycling legend Cornelio Padilla, Jr., 67 THE Philippines lost one of its greatest cyclists ever, Atty. Cornelio Padilla Jr., who succumbed to heart failure on Sunday afternoon at the St. Luke’s Medical Center at the Global City in Taguig.

Padi or Jun to friends was 67.

Padilla was one of the few back-toback champions of the fabled cycling Tour, having won in 1966 and 1967. But before he won the Tour, he was already an accomplished young cyclist when he donned the Philippine colors in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics while he was still in college at Far Eastern University.

Padilla is looked up to not only by his contemporaries, but almost all young cyclists and the entire cycling community.

He is considered as the most successful Tour champion and national rider who

have earned a post-graduate degree. He finished Law School also at FEU. Among his contemporaries were two-time Tour champion Jose Sumalde, Rodrigo Abaquita, Virgilio Delin and Elpidio Camat, all respected riders during what is called the Tour’s golden era.

Padilla was also one of the pillars of the Profesional Cycling Association of the Philippines, now the Philippine National Cycling Association, having served as its president and chairman.

He was race director of the Marlboro Tour when it was calendared in the International Cycling Union in 1977 and 1978. He is also one of those responsible for elevating Philippine cycling to the international level.

Padilla was also instrumental in the

revival of the Tour when Marlboro stopped its sponsorship because of anti-tobacco policies. He, along with former King of the Mountain Paquito Rivas, convinced Air 21 to revive the Tour, which to this day has since been a UCI race for the past four years now.

Padilla is survived by his wife Luzviminda and children Jennifer, Mae, Nathalie and Jan Eli. His remains lie in estate at Funeraria Paz on Araneta Avenue in Quezon City. His body will be cremated at 11 a.m. on Thursday, December 12.

Padilla was legal consultant of the National Bookstore at the time of his death. He was also the bookstore chain’s Employee and Industrial Relations manager for more than 20 years. ■ InterAksyon.com / December 9, 2013 / 6:41 PM

Philippines blows out Cambodia for second straight SEA Games win THE Philippine national men’s basketball team cruised to their second straight victory in the 27th Southeast Asian Games after blowing out Cambodia, 107-57, on Tuesday at the Zeya-thiri Stadium in Naypyidaw, Myanmar.

Mac Belo and Ronald Pascual led six Filipino players in double-figures in what was an easy assignment for the Philippines.

Belo had 17 points while Pascual had 16 to pace the Philippines while Garvo Lanete (12), Kiefer Ravena (12), Jericho Cruz (10) and Bobby Ray Parks (10) all chipped in for the cause.

After struggling to start their game against Singapore, the Filipinos had it much easier in this one, jumping out to a 25-16 first quarter lead after a 14-5 run to close the period.

In the second, Kevin Ferrer sparked another big run for the Philippines when he hit back-to-back three-pointers that kickstarted a 14-1 run.

They entered the halftime break with a 44-25 lead. Pascual scored 13 of his 16 in the first half and eight in the first period alone.

But the onslaught was far from over, The Filipinos scored the first 11 points in the third quarter to make it a 55-25 edge. After Cambodia their deficit down to 26, 57-31, the Philippines fired off another 8-0 blast.

At the end of three periods, the

Malditas bow to host Myanmar to open SEA Games women’s football campaign THE Philippine national women’s football team yielded a 2-nil result to host Myanmar to open its campaign in the 27th Southeast Asian Games Tuesday at the Mandalar Thiri Stadium in Mandalay.

The Malditas surrendered goals to forward Khin Malar Tun at the 29th minute and midfielder Than Than Htwe at the 58th minute to give Myanmar the women’s football opening day victory.

With the loss, the Malditas need to win their last match in Group A against

Vietnam on Friday to advance to the semifinals.

Only the top two teams in Group A will move on to the knockout stages to face the best two squads in Group B which features Thailand, Laos and Malaysia.

The tournament was supposed to feature eight teams, but it was reduced to six after the withdrawal of Indonesia and Timor Leste a few days before the competition. ■ Karl Decena / InterAksyon.com /

December 10, 2013 / 8:49 PM

UE’s Jenyrose Rosales breaks Lydia De Vega’s 32-year-old Philippine record in 400m event THE 32-year-old Philippine record of track legend Lydia De Vega in the 400 meters event fell over the weekend in the athletics competitions of UAAP Season 76 at the La Salle-Dasmarinas Track and Field Stadium.

University of the East’s Jenyrose Rosales set a new record of 54.65 seconds in the heats, topping De Vega’s previous mark 54.75 seconds established in the 1981 Southeast Asian Games in Manila, held at the historic Rizal Memorial Oval.

Rosales’ new mark, though, will need ratification by the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association for its inclusion in the record books.

The 19-year-old Rosales led a 1-2-3 podium finish by UE in the finals of the event, running a 56.03 ahead of teammates Neslee Angco (57.62) and Carmela Leonardo (58.14).

Rosales, coached by the equally-iconic Elma Muros Posadas and her husband Jojo, and her feat highlighted an exciting weekend of competition that saw FEU

continuing its reign in the men’s and women’s division.

The Tamaraws ruled for a fourth straight year on the men’s side while the Lady Tams notched a 10th consecutive women’s title behind Most Valuable Player Jennysmyl Mabunga, who won four golds and one silver medal in the four-day meet.

The Tamaraws totaled 378.5 points ahead of runner-up UST (319.5) and third place UP (211). The Lady Tamaraws had 451 points, leading UST (394) and UE (233).

FEU now has 23 championships in the women’s and men’s division combined. ■ InterAksyon.com / December 10, 2013 / 6:05 PM

Filipino teen Hermie Macaranas settles for bronze in SEA Games canoeing

Philippines led 76-39 after a 32-point offensive output in the quarter.

There was no letup in the fourth either as they outscored their foes 31-16 en route to the lopsided win.

Parks had a solid all-around performance, grabbing 11 rebounds and dishing out five assists to go with his doubledigit scoring.

Marcus Douthit played just 20 minutes and finished with six points and six rebounds.

The Filipinos take a break tomorrow and

will return to action on Thursday against host Myanmar.

The scores: Philippines (107) – Belo 17, R. Pascual 16, Lanete 12, Ravena 12, Cruz 10, Parks 10, Ganuelas 7, Sumang 7, Douthit 6, Ferrer 6, J. Pascual 4.

Cambodia (57) – Dar 27, Ratana 14, Boroth 6, Kim 4, Phatara 4, Sok 2, Ouch 0, Pheng 0, Sok 0, Sovann 0, Therro 0, Tait 0.

Quarterscores: 25-16, 44-25, 76-39, 107-57. ■ InterAksyon.com / December 10, 2013 / 3:21 PM

FILIPINO teen Hermie Macaranas came close to winning the gold but faltered under the pressure down the stretch as he settled for a bronze in the men’s C1 1000m canoeing competition of the 27th Southeast Asian Games at the Ngalike Dam. The 18-year-old Macaranas, participating in his first ever SEA Games, clocked in at four minutes and 30.78 seconds behind host Myanmar’s Win Htike with 4:15.95 and Indonesia’s Spens Stuber Mehue (4:21.43).

Macaranas, who dominated the Philippine National Games earlier this year, started off strong, forming a three-man lead pack with Htike and Thailand’s Thammarat Phaophandee until the final 800m mark.

But he struggled in the final stretch, where the bets from Myanmar and Indonesia left him behind.

“Na-outbalance sya sa final 200m,” said Macaranas’ coach, Christian Abejar. “Doon sya naiwan ng Myanmar at Indonesia.

Mabuti na lang at naiwan din ang Thailand kaya nasingitan natin sa medalya.”

Macaranas will have more chances to vie for medals when he competes in the men’s C1 200m and 500m on Thursday.

Alex Generalo will also see action in the men’s K1 200m set for Friday.

Despite the setback, Macaranas was satisfied with his performance in his first major international competition.

“Kinakabahan po ako pero pinilit ko pa din lumaban. Hindi ako nagpasindak,” he said.

“Binigay ko lahat ng aking makakaya.

Pumunta ako dito para lumaban ng lumaban hanggang sa huli.” ■ InterAksyon. com / December 10, 2013 / 5:20 PM

sport Manny Pacquiao top contender for Floyd Mayweather’s WBC welterweight title Story on page 38

Phil Younghusband bags UFL Golden Ball trophy after Loyola’s Cup triumph Story on page 39

Malditas bow to host Myanmar to open SEA Games women’s football campaign Story on page 39

MARCUS DOUTHIT’S PLEDGE FOR ‘YOLANDA’ RELIEF UP TO ₱12K AFTER PHILIPPINES WIN OVER SINGAPORE PHILIPPINE national men’s basketball center Marcus Douthit’s pledge for victims of super typhoon “Yolanda” is up to a total of P12,000 after the team’s win over Singapore in the 2013 Southeast Asian Games basketball tournament in Myanmar.

The naturalized big man promised to donate P500 for every point and rebound he registers in the competition.

Against Singapore, Douthit scored 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the Philippines’ 88-75 victory.

Douthit will have plenty more opportunity to build up his pledge with five more games on schedule for the Philippines.

The Filipinos will take on Cambodia on Tuesday, Myanmar on Thursday, Thailand on Friday, Indonesia on Saturday, and Malaysia on Sunday. ■ InterAksyon.com / December 9, 2013 / 7:00 PM