December 2014 'A' issue

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December 2014

Volume 5 - Number 23

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NO OFW INFECTED WITH EBOLA SO FAR, SAYS DOH

HEALTH authorities have not yet monitored any overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who has been infected with the deadly Ebola virus, which has killed over

5,000 in West Africa.

“As of this time, no Filipino has been infected by Ebola,” said Dr. Lyndon See Suy, spokesperson for the Department 3517

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December 2014 – No. 23 • UK & Europe Edition

‘Protect the Pope,’ CBCP urges faithful expected to turn out for Francis MANILA – The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines urged the millions of Filipinos expected to turn out for Pope Francis’ January 15 to 19 visit to the country to help government security forces protect the church leader.

At the second weekly press briefing on the papal visit, at the Knights of Columbus compound in Manila Thursday, CBCP Episcopal Commission on Social Communications and Mass Media executive secretary Fr. Francis Lucas said it is the entire Filipino people’s responsibility to watch out for the Pope during his pastoral and state visit to Manila and Leyte.

Some four to six million faithful are expected to attend the pontiff’s public events, Lucas said.

“See to it that every action that we do, you don’t only think of yourself but you also think of the safety of the pope,” Lucas said.

While acknowledging the visit by the pontiff, who has built a populist reputation and often shuns protocol to be near with people, could be an emotional experience for Filipino Catholics, Lucas nevertheless urged people to show Pope Francis their “kindness and hospitality” by

controlling their feelings and not crowding or surging towards him during public appearances.

The CBCP official also asked people to maintain the solemnity of Pope Francis’ “pastoral journey.”

“To partake of a prayer visit like this one involves emotion and your spirit.

So what we are trying to push for and to tell the people is, ‘How do you conduct yourself? How do you behave in respect for our Pope’?” he said.

Lucas also said the government is doing its part to keep the Pope and the public secure.

“The President many months ago promised, and he said, ‘We will take care of the Pope.’ He even said something like, ‘They will take care of him better than they take care of me.’

If that is not enough assurance, then what else is there?” Lucas said.

Although he declined to divulge details of the Pope’s accommodations for security reasons, he said the planning committee for the papal visit has already ensured that the pontiff would be staying in a simple accommodation, in accordance with his wishes for no “fanfare and extravagance.” ■ Tricia Aquino / InterAksyon.

com / November 27, 2014 / 1:35 PM

NO OFW INFECTED WITH EBOLA SO FAR, SAYS DOH Continue to page 2

the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), is sending a rapid assessment team to Ebola-hit nations in West Africa where some OFWs work as health professionals.

Lee Suy said Filipino heath workers in areas with recorded Ebola cases are not working on the frontline against the infectious disease, but are instead hired by private companies to supervise the health of its workers in a specific area.

Nevertheless, Filipino health workers from West Africa will still have to undergo a 21-day quarantine period once they arrive in the Philippines.

In the same press briefing, Dr. Mari Rose Delos Reyes of the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Disease (PSMID) said that Filipinos with low exposure to the virus may be exempted from the quarantine.

“We don’t need to quarantine everybody coming in from these areas,” she said, referring to Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Mali, the countries with high number of Ebola cases.

She said people with low risk of getting Ebola are those who had no direct contact with body fluids from an Ebola patient and those who had

Pinoy wiz kid makes charger from scrap, wins gold in world competition MANILA – A Filipino high school student won the gold medal in a recent international competition in Indonesia after he managed to harness wattage from garbage through his charger.

Edlie Joshua Vargas, 16 years old from Navotas High School, invented an electrical charger through discarded parts of his computer. The device stores energy from a laptop and a battery dry cell. In addition to being a smartphone charger, it can also be used as a computer cooling pad.

Vargas said that his invention, which he dubbed “X-Scrap,” is his way of helping alleviate the power shortage in the country. Production cost for the

device, according to Vargas, is only P90.

Vargas’s trainor Russel Samson said the charger is also environment friendly

as it recycles garbage. ■ Jose Bimbo F. Santos / InterAksyon.com, with video interview by Grace Lee / News5 / November 26, 2014 / 10:00 PM

Government to overhaul New Bilibid Prison MANILA – The Palace on Thursday warned that the government will not tolerate illegal activities inside the New National Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City, saying that the prison will undergo an overhaul once the Department of Justice (DOJ) completes its investigation.

It was reported that illegal activities are rampant inside the national prison, especially the trafficking of prohibited drugs.

“Patuloy na tinututukan ng DOJ ang mga kaganapan sa National Bilibid Prison. Ayon kay (Justice) Secretary de

Lima, nagsasagawa na ang kagawaran ng kinakailangang imbestigasyon na siyang magiging basehan sa pagsasampa ng kaukulang kaso kung nararapat (The DOJ continues to monitor the activities inside the National Bilibid Prison. According to Justice Secretary de Lima, the agency is conducting an investigation which will serve as basis for the filing of appropriate charges),” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a press briefing in Malacañang.

“Hindi tinotolera at hindi

Rouchelle Dinglasan / KBK, GMA News/ November 27,

pinapahintulutan ito, at ito ay sinasabat at pinipigil dahil hindi naman dapat umiral ang mga iligal na aktibidad sa loob ng ating pambansang bilangguan (Illegal activities will not be tolerated and are to be prevented because these should not exist inside a national penitentiary).”

Asked if the Palace is willing to consider adjusting the salaries of jail guards to discourage them from accepting bribes from drug lords, Coloma said a thorough study must be done by the DOJ. A jail guard receives a monthly entry level pay of P12,000.

He said the DOJ would look into all aspects pertaining to order in the prison and the safety of its inmates.

“Makakaasa tayo na ang mga repormang ito ay ipapatupad kapag ganap na ang pag-aaral at paghahanda (Rest assured that reforms will be implemented after thorough studies and preparations are done),” Coloma said. ■ Philippine News Agency / November 27, 2014

2014 / 2:13 PM

/ 11:33 PM

traveled on an aircraft with a person manifesting Ebola symptoms.

Still, Lee Suy said the DOH has made quarantine mandatory for all OFWs returning from West Africa because they cannot immediately determine if an OFW is a low risk or high risk case.

For his part, Ludovico Jurao Jr., PSMID’s president, reminded OFWs that it is their “social responsibility” to call DOH if they are showing symptoms of the infectious disease.

“Meron kang responsiblidad sa pamilya mo at sa community mo, if ever meron kang sintomas,” he said. ■

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BUSINESS & FINANCE

www.hello-philippines.com

December 2014 – No. 23 • UK & Europe Edition

Bangko Sentral forecasts lower inflation in November MANILA - Inflation likely slowed for a third straight month in November.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Amando M. Tetangco Jr. said price increases this month likely averaged between 3.5-4.3 percent, lower than October’s forecast range of 3.7-4.6 percent.

This is the third straight month that the BSP cut its forecast after inflation peaked at 4.9 percent in July and August.

Last month, inflation settled at 4.3 percent, down from September’s 4.4 percent. This brought the year-to-date average to 4.3 percent, still above the mid-point of the BSP’s full-year target

range of 3-5 percent.

“Stable food prices, continued decine in international oil prices and lower electricity rates for the month are seen to dampen inflation pressures,” Tetangco said.

“As I’ve been saying, if, among others, inflation continues on this decelerating trend and if there continue to be no signs of secondround effects, then there is room for BSP to pause and keep its current stance of monetary policy,” he said.

“That said, BSP will continue to keep a watchful eye on evolving price and demand trends to ensure price stability,” he added.

Under the law, the BSP is tasked with ensuring price stability and has an armory of policy tools to ensure it meets its annual inflation target.

When costlier food and fuel pushed up inflation near three-year highs in July, the BSP ended its three-year easy money policy, raising key interest rates from record lows.

It followed this up with another rate hike—it’s most aggressive to date— last September.

With inflation easing that month, the BSP during its last policy meeting decided to take a pause from its monetary tightening cycle. ■ Scarlet Venilia / InterAksyon.com / November 26, 2014 / 1:04 PM

BSP chief Amando M. Tetangco Jr.

With Pandacan oil depot booted out, expect costlier fuel, more traffic MANILA - The government warned that the transfer of the oil depot of the country’s three biggest retailers from Pandacan, Manila may push up fuel prices and exacerbate traffic in and around the Philippine capital.

The Department of Energy (DOE)

issued this warning after the Supreme Court ruled that the Pandacan oil depot should be closed down.

Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho L. Petilla today said relocating to a new site would entail additional costs on the part of Petron Corp, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp and Chevron

Philippines Inc—collectively called the “Big Three” since they account for about eight out of every 10 liters of fuel sold in the Philippines.

The Pandacan facility supplies 1,800 fuel stations in Metro Manila and nearby provinces, 70 percent of the shipping industry’s fuel requirements, Photo from upibalonbicol.blogspot.com

90 percent of lubricants nationwide, and 75 percent of the country’s aviation fuel requirements.

“How mahal? I don’t know. But it’s also a free market. Ibig sabihin pag minahal mo ng husto, walang bibili sayo. Basically, it will simply be a challenge for them because there is a logistic problem of transporting. That’s all it is for now,” Petilla said.

“It’s their prerogative. They may maintain [prices] to be competitive, they may increase it to survive; but it’s an open competition,” he added.

Besides the potential impact on fuel prices, the oil firms had warned that moving their operations outside Pandacan would force them to use an additional 10,500 trucks per month to deliver to areas in and around Metro Manila, creating more traffic.

Moving the Big Three’s storage operations to Bataan or Batangas, where they maintain depots, could result in heavy traffic to and from the

province and Metro Manila.

“Now kung manggagaling sila sa Bataan, sa Batangas, ang problema truck ban,” Petilla said.

This is especially critical for aviation fuel since supply of such to carriers is practically on a daily basis.

Of the Big Three, however, Petron as early as three years ago already laid down plans to transfer its Pandacan operations in different sites outside Metro Manila.

Chevron also stopped its Pandacan operations starting June this year.

“Si Shell, they have the same plans pero I don’t know if they’re going to implement it now. Pero lahat sila when I asked them, meron naman silang contigency plans na umalis doon kung talagang paaalisin na sila. Anong magagawa nila?”

Petilla said. ■ Euan Paulo C. Añonuevo /

InterAksyon.com / November 26, 2014 / 1:31 PM

A dozen power projects to benefit from President’s emergency authority to waive permits MANILA - The Ayala, Aboitiz and Consunji groups are among the companies that stand to benefit from the emergency powers that Congress has granted the Executive to address a looming power supply shortfall next summer.

Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho L. Petilla said the government will waive the requisite permits to expedite projects in the pipeline.

“Wala ng permits, to follow na ang permits,” Petilla said during the launch of MLQ University’s solar rooftop installation.

He said projects that stand to benefit from the waiver are those supposed to come on stream before summer next year, when the Department of Energy (DOE) forecasts a 700-megawatt (MW) deficiency to hit Luzon.

Petilla said the following power plants, or a generating unit thereof, are slated for completion next year: Northwind and Northern Luzon UPC are subsidiaries of the Ayala Group, through the latter’s power generation arm AC Energy Holdings Inc. The latter also has a 50 percent stake in SLTEC, which is a joint venture with Trans-Asia Oil and Energy Development Corp.

The above list of projects in the pipeline includes renewables as well as fossil-fuel plants. They can generate a combined 941.7MW of electricity, or more than enough to plug the estiamted 700-MW shortfall next summer.

Petilla said new generating capacity that would come on stream for the entire 2015 would reach 1,041 MW, of which 259-592

Northwind Bangui wind farm

MW would be online between March and July next year.

Mylene C. Capongcol, director of the DOE Electric Power Industry Management Bureau, told InterAksyon.com that the most common cause of delay for power projects are “usually permitting and environmental matters.”

Petilla said the emergency powers would

also allow the government to shoulder payments to Interruptible Load Program (ILP) participants, instead of consumers footing the bill.

“Sa consumer naman wag ka magalala hindi ka tsa-charge-an kasi gobyerno magbabayad nito but only when there is imminent brownouts,” he said.

Petilla did not disclose how much

Source of data: DOE

government will allocate for the ILP payments.

The DOE has been encouraging participation in the program, which grants compensation to industries and establishments willing to be cut off from the grid, to help ease the projected power supply shortfall next year. ■ Euan Paulo C.

Añonuevo / InterAksyon.com / November 19, 2014 / 3:39 PM

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December 2014 – No. 23 • UK & Europe Edition

Businessmen call for decongestion of ports, higher gov’t spending to arrest economic slide unexpected and disappointing. All cylinders of growth are not running and the engine needs turning and better fuel,” John D. Forbes, senior adviser of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, told InterAksyon.com

Photo by Bernard Testa

Maybank’s Philippine operation grows Jan-Sep income by almost a third MANILA - The Philippine unit of Malaysia’s Maybank saw its profit rise by nearly a third in the first nine months of the year.

In a statement, Maybank Philippines said its pre-tax profit climbed 31 percent year-on-year to P636.4 million in the January to September period. This was on the back of a 19 percent year-on-year increase in revenue to P2.95 billion.

The Malaysian bank grew its lending

business by nearly 30 percent to P8.3 billion, which it ascribed to an increase in term loans.

Its Philippines operations alone grew faster than the Maybank Group, pre-tax profit for which inched up 1.7 percent year-on-year in the first nine months of 2014.

After tax, the group’s profitability was flat from a year ago. ■ InterAksyon.com / November 27, 2014 / 2:36 PM

The Philippine Statistics Authority earlier today reported that the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth slowed to 5.3 percent in the third quarter from 7 percent last year, weighed down by a contraction in government spending and agriculture, as well as a slowdown in services.

This brought the nine-month average GDP growth to 5.8 percent, also below the 7.6 percent a year ago.

GDP is the amount of final goods and services produced in the country, and so measures economic performance.

Forbes said public sector spending should increase and the award of projects, especially those under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Program, would have to pick up pace.

In addition, “more attention is needed to increasing rural productivity and income,” he said, amid the weakness of the farm sector, where poverty remains highest.

Gregorio Navarro, president of the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP), said the unresolved congestion at Manila’s ports is partly to blame for the third-quarter economic slowdown.

“The industry and consumption could have been better, but I

suppose the port congestion had a dampening impact in the third quarter performance,” he said.

Businessmen had warned that gridlock at Manila’s ports would return if no long-term measures were put in place to complement the city government’s lifting of a truck ban. To date, several proposals they had tabled have yet to be addressed.

Peter Angelo Perfecto, Makati Business Club president, said government must address this downward trend aggressively with support from private sector.

“Transport infrastructure, which includes port congestion issue, must be top on the list for action. It may be too late to make a difference for the yearend rates but further delay

in addressing ports congestion for example may extend the downward trend into 2015,” he said.

In this regard, businessmen are pressing legislators to expedite the approval of the national budget. The Senate yesterday approved on final reading the 2015 national budget, with the House poised to adopt this version, possibly doing away with a bicameral conference committee.

As for this year’s proposed P23billion supplemental budget, both chambers have yet to come to terms.

“The speedy enactment of the 2015 budget and approval of the supplemental budget could help get us back on the 7-7.5 percent growth path,” Navarro said. ■ Darwin G. Amojelar / InterAksyon. com / November 27, 2014 / 4:08 PM

ORIGINAL CREATION & COPYRIGHT RESERVED BY © HELLO PHILIPPINES 2014

MANILA - Businessmen are calling on the Aquino administration to resolve the congestion at Manila’s ports and reverse the slump in government spending so it can address flagging economic growth.

“The latest growth figure is

8

BUSINESS & FINANCE

www.hello-philippines.com

December 2014 – No. 23 • UK & Europe Edition

SA PASKONG (HINDI) DARATING

‘Balikbayan box’ deliveries to be delayed, cargo forwarders warn MANILA - For families of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), the congestion at the country’s main ports of entry may mean no Christmas goodies, as cargo forwarders warned of delayed delivery ofbalikbayan boxes.

“Definitely there would be delays because of the port congestion. We expect one to two months of delays,” Ramon C. Ungco, vice president for public relations and director of Doorto-Door Consolidators Association of the Philippines (DDCAP) told Interaksyon.com today.

“For those cargoes na pinadala last

September, we can deliver it before Christmas,” Ungco said.

He said most of the balikbayan boxes come from the United State, Middle East, Europe and Asia.

“We urge our customers to be patient because it’s beyond our control,” Ungco said, adding that customers can file a complaint if their boxes remain undelivered for 4-5 months.

Transport Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the terminal operators are working double time to reduce the number of ships to at least half in the next couple of weeks as Manila’s

ports slowly take in the held-up cargo at foreign ports as well as the peak season cargo leading to the Christmas season.

Since the Manila City government lifted its truck ban last September, daily cargo volume arriving at the Manila port continues to hover around the 5,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU)s, but gate outs increased to between 6,500 and 7,000.

Yard utilization remains at 85 to 90 percent, which means about 69,000 to 73,000 TEUs are still at the port.

“We still need to clear about 10 percent more of the said volume or

about 6,900 to 7,300 TEUs to reach the 80 percent yard utilization. Vessel dwell time at the ports, on the other hand, remains at 20 hours while waiting time at anchorage is still relatively high at 7 to 9 days,” Abaya said.

Abaya also cited the following permanent solutions to resolve port congestion: • Importers are urged to withdraw their cargo the soonest time possible

including withdrawing during weekends and holidays; • Warehouses should be operational during weekends, whereas shipping lines should have enough depots for their empty containers; and • Businesses are encouraged to make use of the Subic and Batangas ports to relieve demand on Manila’s ports. ■ Darwin G. Amojelar / InterAksyon.com / November 17, 2014 / 7:14 PM

PLDT to tap customer base to increase TV5 following MANILA – TV5 expects 2015 to be a better year, as businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan renewed his commitment to support the third-ranked broadcast company amid intense competition.

During the network’s trade launch last night, Pangilinan, the chairman of TV5 Network Inc, said 2015 will be the year for TV5 “to move further up.”

“I think all around, it will be better next year. Morale is high and that’s good,” Pangilinan said on the sidelines of the event.

“The PLDT group, the entire group of companies within our fold, will continue to support TV5 in all the tough challenges that lie ahead of us,” he said.

TV5 president Emmanuel C. Lorenzana said the broadcast network is now a “very healthy company” and is well on the way to profitability in 2-3 years as revenues grow and costs drop.

“We’re good. We’re better. Things are improving. Brick by brick, if we do

the right things, if we put our focus on making ourselves more efficient, at the same time, pushing revenue, we’re on the way,” Lorenzana said.

TV5’s capital expenditure budget is expected to be lower next year compared to this year, he said, without providing specifics.

“We’re putting our capex where it matters the most: to improve our reach, improve the clarity of our feeds, to fix the Phase 2 of [the state-of-the-art media center in] Reliance so we’re spending but it’s going to be very efficient,” Lorenzana said.

Next year will see TV5 make an aggressive push into the digital space, leveraging on the strength and capabilities

of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. “We believe the market will move away from traditional television to digital media. The trend is already happening in our telco space. In fact, we’re encouraging the advertisers to count not just TV eyeballs but eyeballs on laptops, PCs and most importantly mobile phones. Content will all be converted to digital format whether full-length movies or video clips.

Content will be pushed multi-screen, anytime, anywhere,” Pangilinan said.

He said the challenge for PLDT now is to convert its large customer base in mobile, fixed and payTV, as well as Metro Pacific Investments Corp’s (MPIC) customers in power, water utility, tollways and even light rail into viewers.

“The PLDT group, the entire group of companies within our fold, will continue to support TV5 in all the tough challenges that lie ahead of us.”

— Manuel V. Pangilinan

Pangilinan, who is also chairman of MPIC, said TV5 has expanded its reach beyond television since taking over the company five years ago.

“Radyo Singko now dominates news on radio. InterAksyon.com has given all news sites a run for their money and News5Everywhere continues to grow. Our Entertainment Group demonstrates how we will continue to build on value we place on engagement and community-building

and happiness,” he said.

“From content to engagement, we have proof that we can synergize all platforms not just of TV5 but the entire PLDT Group to create game-changing programs that we alone can deliver,” he added.

InterAksyon.com is the online news portal of TV5, which is part of the PLDT Group. ■ Krista Angela M. Montealegre / InterAksyon.com / November 27, 2014 / 12:21 PM

These are the stocks to own in the next 12 months, says BPI Securities

MANILA – The Philippine Stock Exchange index may power its way through the 7,800-mark in the next 12 months, but sustaining the uptrend past that level may be a challenge.

Photo by Bernard Testa

In a briefing on Friday, BPI Securities Corp managing director Michaelangelo Oyson said the benchmark index may hit 7,886 based on a projected 12-13 percent

growth in corporate earnings led by consumer, gaming and power companies.

“We’re in the mid- to late-cycle.

It’s 11 p.m. with 12 midnight being the curfew. The easy money has been made and you have to be selective on stock selection,” Oyson said.

Challenges in the banking sector, intense competition in the telecom space and tighter rules from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas that may affect the property sector may temper the benchmark index’s ascent to the 8,000 level, he added.

The Philippines is feeling the pinch of tightening liquidity as a result of the conclusion of the US Federal Reserve’s quantitative easing program, but one thing that bodes well is a similar economic stimulus that the Bank of Japan has begun.

“Back in 1990s when Japan had quantitative easing, it was very positive for Asian markets, that’s why we had a bull market back then.

On one hand, the positive source of inflow is Japan and the negative side is the US. It’s a matter of what will be the offsetting factor,” Oyson said.

“We’re seeing a very strong US economy, but very tentative growth in Europe and weakness in Japan.

It’s a mixed bag, growing but still not strong,” he added.

While election spending may be a boost next year, it may also be a drag since it may negatively affect government spending.

“In the Philippines, we will continue to grow by 6 percent although a 7 percent growth will be quite challenging in the absence of significant government

expenditures,” Oyson said.

Oyson has issued BPI Securities’ stock picks in the next 12 months under various classifications, with Universal Robina, DNL and Bloomberry some of the stocks he will continue to own down the road.

Megastar blue chips: PLDT, Globe, Ayala Land, Ayala Corp, Jollibee, SM Investments, URC, DMCI, ICTSI and JG Summit. (Like Globe, ALI and AC, BPI is Ayala-owned).

Rising stars: URC, Megaworld, Robinsons Retail, ICTSI, DNL, Puregold and Vista Land.

Cameo punts: Nickel Asia, Bloomberry and Melco Crown.

Mainstay dividends: Globe, PLDT, AboitizPower, Aboitiz Equity, Semirara Mining and DMCI. ■ Krista

Angela M. Montealegre / InterAksyon.com / November 16, 2014 / 10:38 PM

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9

ICTSI expands Manila port facility to address congestion MANILA - The Philippines’ largest port operator has expanded its yard capacity at Manila International Container Terminal (MICT).

In a statement, International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI) said it completed the first phase of its Berth 7 yard development by deploying four hectares of new yard space. Intended to be an empty container depot, the area can store up to 4,300 containers in moderate wind conditions.

The company said another two hectares will be completed by yearend.

Once completed, the entire area of Phase 1 will store 6,500 TEUs (20-foot equivalent units).

The new yard is part of the port operator’s P1.6 billion expansion of the MICT aimed at immediately addressing growing volumes at the Port of Manila. The full development, slated for completion in 20 months, will add about 500,000 TEUs of yard capacity to the MICT. Complementing the new yard is the development of a 21-hectare inland container depot in Laguna for which P1.4 billion has been earmarked. On

MANILA – Integrated MicroElectronics Inc (IMI) will use proceeds from an ongoing follow-on offering to fund acquisitions, expand to other markets and boost capacity.

IMI president Arthur Tan on Tuesday said signs point to “very good” demand for its shares “because we priced it very low.”

The Ayala-led semiconductor company is selling 215 million shares at P7.50 apiece until Friday. The firm will sell an additional 85 million shares in case of strong demand, raising gross proceeds from the share sale up to P2.2 billion.

“On an ongoing basis, our capex ranges somewhere around $20 -$30 million annually. Although we have our own cash

order are six new rubber tired gantries, which may be deployed at either the MICT or ICTSI’s Subic operations as demand dictates.

Owned by billionaire Enrique Razon, ICTSI earned $105.8 million in the first nine months of the year, up 4 percent from last year’s $101.4 million.

In the third quarter alone, profit however dropped to $35.5 million from $41.4 million last year, as the port operator took a hit from the congestion of the country’s main ports of entry. ■

Darwin G. Amojelar / InterAksyon.com / November 27, 2014 / 5:18 PM

Integrated Micro-Electronics to expand medical devices business position, on top of that we want to expand our capability into specific verticals and look at some merger and acquisition for technology,” Tan said.

IMI has yet to train its sight on a particular company.

“We plan inside our strategic planning session which are the target markets and what capacity we need and if there’s a company that’s already available, we start focusing on that,” Tan said.

IMI has a diversified revenue base covering the automotive, telecom, industrial, consumer, computer peripherals and medical segments. It has manufacturing sites in the Philippines, China, Singapore, the United States,

Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Mexico, enabling the company to assist original electronic equipment makers serving regional or international markets.

“We’re already embedded in the right markets that we want. We can start focusing and expanding into other markets like medical,” Tan said. At endJuly, the medical industry only accounted for 3 percent of revenue.

Citing various reports in its final prospectus, IMI said the medical electronics market is projected to hit $372.4 billion while medical imaging is expected to be the fastest growing application with a compounded annual growth rate of 16.9 percent by 2018.

While the company’s overall capacity utilization stands at roughly 70 percent, some of IMI’s plants are nearing full capacity such as those in Bulgaria, which mainly caters to the automotive industry, Tan said.

IMI rode on the recovery of the US economy and other overseas markets to quadruple its net income to $21 million through the nine months ending September from $5.26 million last year.

“We’re still going to be on with that but not necessarily are we going to see the same jump that we’ve seen from 2013 to 2014 but I anticipate we will still be better than industry average [for 2015],” Tan said. ■ Krista Angela M. Montealegre / InterAksyon.

com / November 26, 2014 / 9:04 AM

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December 2014 – No. 23 • UK & Europe Edition

Pinoys among awarded foreign workers in NY FOR their achievements in medicine, education, and other fields, 13 foreign workers — including Filipinos — were recently awarded in New York.

The 13 were recognized for their contribution in nation-building both in the United States and their countries of origin by the Team United Maharlika Foundation during its third anniversary celebration last November 16 at Astoria World Manor in Queens.

Leading the list of awardees was Sen. Gustavo Rivera, the Puerto Rican-born state senator of New York who helped introduce the Bronx CAN Health Initiative in 2011, giving school children free health screenings in various health centers.

Monsignor Oscar Aquino, a Pangasinense, was also recognized for aiding numerous Filipino-Americans bond through informal breakfast gatherings.

Other awardees include: • Dr. Richard Holsman; • Engineer Levi Tejada; • Teacher Ronnie Mataquel, president of the United Filipino Teachers of America; • Nurse Maritess Pabalan; • Chef Rosalie Palma, who served former President Bill Clinton and President Barrack Obama at the White House; • Retired Nurse Carmen Marquez; • Esther Faith Batino, recipient of Ambassador for Peace from Universal Peace Federation; • Joseph and Maricel Cheng, entrepreneurs; • Miguel Braganza, stage actor and director; • Elton Lugay, reporter for The FilAm and Philippine Daily Inquirer; and • Dr. Ben Sales, late president of the

Philippine Medical Association in the US Team United president Rene Ballenas said more foreign workers will be honored in the future.

“This event is very important since we celebrate the excellence of Filipino and our capacity to lead beyond our own community,” said Consul General Mario de Leon during the event.

“We are now the 2nd largest Asia ethnic group in the US, and with our visibility comes our responsibility to the greater community,” he added. ■ Rie

FILIPINO students bolstered anew their solidarity with counterparts from other member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations through this year’s ASEAN Student Exchange Program.

The Department of Education said this year’s ASEP focused on education’s role in pursuing a strong and progressive ASEAN community.

“It’s always heartening to meet the youth of the region who are keen on discovering their neighbors and sharing a bit of themselves to others as a way of fostering friendship and camaraderie within ASEAN,” said DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro in a statement.

Under the program, students

from ASEAN member countries got a chance to experience different learning environments to broaden their perspectives.

For this year, the theme “One ASEAN: Sharing Dreams, Building our Future” promoted camaraderie among the ASEP delegates.

Delegates visited Makati Science High School and Angono Regional Lead School for the Arts, interacting with Filipino students and sharing experiences from their respective countries.

Each member country sent three students with one accompanying teacher for the program that ran from November 9 to 14.

“This is a good opportunity for all the countries in ASEAN to voice out our opinions on social issues and our plans for the 2015 goals. It is a great experience for each one of the delegates for they influence other youth in their countries as we work hand in hand towards the 2015 integration,” Philippine delegate Julieane Fernandez said.

“I gained so many friends from other ASEAN countries,” added Min Thant, a delegate from Myanmar.

Meanwhile, the Philippines will also host the 6th ASEAN Schools Games on November 30 at Marikina Sports Complex. ■ Joel Locsin / KBK, GMA News

Takumi / KBK, GMA News / November 27, 2014 / 4:16 PM

Pinoy students take part in ASEAN student exchange program

Upgraded contracts seen to end exploitation of PHL maids in MidEast LABOR Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz on Thursday hailed the decision of labor ministers in the Gulf to improve the contracts of foreign domestic workers, saying this could “end soon the days of abuse” of Filipino maids in the Middle East.

“This is a boost to our efforts to ensure increased protection for the well-being, safety, and welfare for our Filipino domestic workers,” she said in a statement.

“It will, I hope, end soon the days of abuse and exploitation suffered by many domestic workers who, because of the nature of their work, are extremely vulnerable.”

Baldoz said the new minimum terms on contracts to be imposed by the sixmember Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will help the Philippines with its efforts to protect its domestic helpers.

Among the improvements in the contracts are the provision of annual leaves, eight-hour work shifts, weekly dayoffs, and a right to live outside the employer’s house.

Employers will also be barred from confiscating their employee’s passports, and ordered to pay the domestic helper’s

end-of-service indemnity and overtime pay.

The GCC is composed of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.

Baldoz said these provisions were in line with the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) Convention 189, ratified by the Philippine Senate in 2012 for its goal of providing decent work to domestic workers.

“These principles became universal after ILO Convention 189 had entered into force, and I am very happy that the GCC has stepped-in with the times and with the rest of the world in affording decent and productive work for domestic workers,” she said.

Baldoz also said the Philippines,

as a leading voice in the promotion of domestic workers’ welfare and protection, should take advantage of this new agreement to ensure that its strong regulatory regime in the deployment of domestic workers will result to the drastic reduction, if not elimination, of abuse and exploitation.

“Uncaring recruiters, opportunistic middlemen, and abusive employers who do not treat our HSWs with respect and dignity as workers and as human beings with universal right should be penalized and banned from participating in overseas employment,” she said. ■ Rie

Takumi / KBK, GMA News / November 27, 2014 / 3:48 PM

/ November 24, 2014 / 4:08 PM

Gulf countries to upgrade contracts for domestic workers FOREIGN domestic helpers, including Filipinos, in the Middle East can now expect improved working conditions soon to include annual leaves and eight-hour workdays.

This was after labor ministers from the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) agreed on minimum terms in the contracts of domestic staff, reports said Wednesday.

Aside from annual leave and eighthour work shifts, foreign domestic workers will be entitled to weekly dayoff and the right to live outside their employer’s house, according to a report on Khaleej Times.

Employers have also been barred from confiscating their employee’s passports, the report added. Under the contract, domestic helpers are also entitled to end-of-service indemnity and overtime pay for extra work for a maximum of two hours daily, A separate report on Arab News said the contracts for foreign domestic workers were upgraded to “improve the widely criticized working conditions of over 2.4 million foreign maids” in the Middle East.

It quoted Director-general Jamal Al

Dossari of Kuwait’s Public Manpower Authority as saying that some countries insist that “they have laws that are better for workers,” but the labor ministers agreed that minimum terms must be granted to workers.

The Khaleej Times report said the new terms will take effect after approval by GCC labor ministers.

The GCC is composed of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.

The Philippines is considered one of the biggest suppliers of domestic helpers in the Middle East, most of them in Saudi Arabia. ■ Rie Takumi / KBK, GMA News / November 26, 2014 / 1:47 PM

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December 2014 – No. 23 • UK & Europe Edition

PCIJ founder, ‘Let It Go’ composer among nominees for 2014 Presidential Awards EIGHT outstanding overseas Filipinos have been nominated for the 2014 President Awards following deliberations by the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), the Philippine Consulate General in New York said Thursday.

The nominees included an artist, a musician, a composer, an entrepreneur, doctors, and a noted journalist, all of whom nominated for “exemplifying the talent and industry of the Filipino,” the consulate general said in a news release.

The nominees are: Sheila Coronel, a Magsaysay awardee and one of the founders of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism; Robert Lopez, a songwriter known for penning the songs featured in the Disney Animation feature film Frozen.

Katherine Luzuriaga, a FilipinoAmerican pediatric immunologist who led a team that cured HIV in an infant in Mississippi, USA. Sheila Lirio-Marcelo, a FilipinoAmerican entrepreneur and founder and CEO of Care.com; Lolita Savage, a noted Filipino– American artist who lives in New York City and Florence, Italy; Paolo Antonio Silva, a Filipino ophthalmologist who was among

the recipients of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines award in 2013; Cecile Licad, a world-renowned Filipina classical pianist; Lea Carmen Salonga, a Filipina singer and actress who starred in the lead role of Kim in the musical Miss Saigon; and “The Presidential awardees from the US Northeast successfully asserted their leadership roles in the community and the greater US society,” said Consul General Mario L. de Leon, Jr. of the US. “They inspire all of us to achieve excellence in whatever field or profession we are in.”

The eight will receive the Pamana ng Pilipino Award on December 5 at the Malacañang Palace

The award is conferred to Filipinos overseas “who, in exemplifying the talent and industry of the Filipino, have brought the country honor and recognition through excellence and distinction in the pursuit of their work and profession,” the consulate general said.

Nominees from the US Northeast comprised 17 percent of the 157 total nominations from 29 countries endorsed by 40 Philippine foreign services posts.

The eight awardees were picked out of 23 individuals and four organizations endorsed by the Philippine Consulate General. They will be among the 33 total Presidential awardees this year.

■ Rie Takumi / KBK, GMA News / November 27, 2014 /

12:54 PM

Starbucks US releases limited edition mug with image of Fil-Am toddler A Fil-Am Starbucks employee has immortalized the likeness of her son in the most recent release of limited edition mugs by the coffee giant.

The mug, which features a drawing of a little boy holding on to a big, green Starbucks balloon, was designed by Esther Asuncion, a visual communications designer for the Seattle-based company.

“When I showed the mug to my son he knew instantly ‘that’s me, that’s Flynn,’” said Asuncion in a release from the company. “It means so much to me that I was able to contribute to this collection.”

The design was included in the Starbucks Dot Collection, in which “designers used a modern

interpretation of the company’s iconic Siren logo as their inspiration.”

Asuncion, who was raised in Guam before transferring to mainland US to pursue fine arts and studio arts education, worked her way up in the company, starting as a barista in 2001.

Six years later, she was hired to be part of the company’s visual representation team, helping the “marketing and merchandise groups communicate to partners [employees] how coffee and seasonal products should be displayed in stores throughout the US and Canada.”

“She sketched a green balloon to represent the Starbucks logo and then explored people jumping in the air with the balloon or holding its string being pulled or lifted in the air,” the release

Fil-Am Esther Asuncion poses with a mug bearing her drawing of her son Flynn.

Photo courtesy of Starbucks.com

added. “It made the most sense to her to have a child with the balloon. The child who inspires Asuncion the most has dark hair, a huge smile, and sparkling

Asuncion and son Flynn. Photo courtesy of Starbucks.com

eyes – her son Flynn. The three-year-old in perpetual motion became a natural model for her design.”

The mugs, tumblers and cups were

released as part of Starbucks’ holiday edition, and are being sold under $20.

■ Renee Fopalan / BM, GMA News / November

22, 2014 / 11:30 AM

Alleged notorious illegal recruiter Isidro Rodriguez gets 11 years

A Manila court has sentenced an illegal recruiter to 11 years in jail after finding him guilty of duping a Filipina he promised a teaching job in the United States, the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC said Tuesday.

The embassy welcomed the conviction of Isidro Rodriguez by the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 25 for illegal recruitment and estafa.

It likewise ordered Rodriguez to indemnify a teacher with P250,000 in damages.

The embassy said Rodriguez tops the Philippine list of illegal recruiters and traffickers and is a subject of a manhunt. He also faces 20 other cases involving 73 complainants pending before various courts and the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Victimized 1k teachers. Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Cuisia Jr. had pushed for Rodriguez’s arrest, for allegedly victimizing almost 1,000 Filipino teachers he promised nonexistent jobs in the US. The embassy said it has been working with non-government organizations led by Migrant Heritage Commission since 2006 to give

assistance to Rodriguez’s victims.

Last October, the embassy assured Filipino teachers there they are going after Rodriguez.

Militant group Gabriela USA described Rodriguez as a recruitment agency owner and suspected human trafficker. It claimed Rodriguez had “illegally recruited and trafficked” to the US several batches of teachers since 2003.

It said case complaints have been reported to Philippine embassy officials in the past as well as to the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA).

“However, the response from the Philippine government has been inadequate and unsatisfactory,” it said.

Released last May. Gabriela USA said it received information that Rodriguez was released last May 8 “due to the settlement of some teachers from the first batch, but this disregards a significantly larger number of teachers pursuing cases against him.”

Meanwhile, Cuisia urged other Filipino trafficking victims in the US to step forward as he assured them of embassy assistance. ■ Joel Locsin / KBK, GMA News / November 25, 2014 / 3:29 PM

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December 2014 – No. 23 • UK & Europe Edition

China says in talks with Russia over 2015 military drills CHINA’S defence ministry said Thursday that it was in talks with Russian counterparts about joint military exercises next year, after Moscow announced drills were planned for the Mediterranean Sea and Pacific Ocean.

Chinese defence ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng told reporters at a monthly briefing that China and Russia were “conducting consultation” over next year’s joint military exercises.

But after Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu visited Beijing last week, Moscow’s defence ministry said in a statement: “New joint naval exercises are planned next spring in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. “Joint exercises are also planned in the Pacific Ocean.”

The prospect of joint exercises by the two military powers in the Mediterranean is likely to raise eyebrows in Europe given what is seen there as increased muscleflexing by Russia after it annexed

People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy sailors stand on the deck of China’s Task Force 525 flagship missile frigate Ma’Anshan..

Crimea and supported rebels in eastern Ukraine.

US General Philip Breedlove, NATO’s top military commander, said Wednesday he was “very concerned” that Russia’s military build-up in the annexed Crimean region could be used as a launchpad for attacks across the whole Black Sea region.

Geng, who was asked about Moscow’s announcement, noted that China and Russia have conducted “numerous joint exercise” both bilaterally and under the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, which groups the two countries along with several Central Asian states formerly part of the Soviet Union.

“These joint exercises have become institutionalised and a routine occurrence,” he said.

“For the two countries to conduct joint military exercises will help to improve both countries’ capability to deal with security challenges and maintain regional peace and stability,” he said. ■ AFP / November 27, 2014

Turkey jails professor for ‘denying headscarved student entry’

A prominent Turkish professor on Thursday began a jail sentence after being convicted of preventing a female student wearing a Muslim headscarf from entering the university where he worked, his lawyer said.

Rennan Pekunlu, a former professor of astrophysics at Ege University, was sentenced to two years in prison in 2012 for violating a headscarfwearing student’s “constitutional right to education” by barring her from entering the faculty.

Pekunlu began his sentence in a prison in the western city of Izmir, becoming the first individual in Turkey to be jailed for such an offence, his lawyer Murat Fatih Ulku told AFP. Before heading to prison, the 64-year-old professor gave a public lecture on the “universe and evolution” to an audience including his former students, colleagues as well as

members of several labour unions.

“This is not our last lecture. We have a lot more to do. This is not the end,” Pekunlu said before bursting into tears, as gasps and sobbing erupted inside the packed hall.

“Professor Rennan is not alone,” the crowd chanted, according to the website of Hurriyet newspaper.

“AKP dictatorship is doomed to collapse,” they shouted, referring to the Islamic-rooted Justice and Development Party.

Pekunlu denies the charges, saying he did not prevent any student from entering the university or attending his classes, insisting that he would just “report them to university authorities”, to which he is entitled under Turkish laws.

“I would have done the same in similar circumstances. I have done my duty,” he told CNN-Turk television by phone.

His lawyer said they took the decision to the European Court of Human Rights. “It’s an unfortunate decision in a secular, constitutional state,” Ulku said.

Pekunlu is on trial in two other cases on the same charges and if found guilty he could face up to 12 years in prison.

He also received a suspended sentence for beating a veiled student at his university -- charges he insists were fabricated.

The Higher Education Board (YOK) lifted a ban on the wearing of the Muslim headscarf on university campuses in 2010.

However, some universities maintained the notorious ban, contesting the legality of the decree.

The highly charged headscarf debate lies at the heart of Turkey’s divisions between religious conservatives, who

The highly charged headscarf debate lies at the heart of Turkey’s divisions between religious conservatives, who form the bulk of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s supporters, and more secular members of society.

form the bulk of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s supporters, and more secular members of society.

The government is already under fire for what critics say are creeping efforts to force Islamic values on the

predominantly Muslim country.

Last year, the parliament lifted a decades-old ban on headscarves in the civil service and in September, it allowed girls in high schools to wear the headscarf. ■ AFP / November 27, 2014

One dead in Indonesian protest against fuel price hike

Indonesian students along with residents throw rocks at police and city administration guards at a protest against fuel price hikes in Makassar.

MAKASSAR – A protester died on Thursday (Nov 27) as a stone-throwing crowd clashed with police in central Indonesia during a demonstration against a dramatic increase in fuel prices, police said.

The 27-year-old man was found in the street after police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse about 200 demonstrators trying to force their way into the local governor’s office in Makassar, on Sulawesi island.

The city has been the site of small demonstrations since last week’s decision by new President Joko Widodo to increase the price of subsidised petrol and diesel by over 30 per cent.

Economists have welcomed the move to reduce subsidies that gobble up a huge chunk of the budget in Southeast Asia’s top economy, but it risks hitting the poor hardest as higher transportation costs will push up the price of food.

Local police spokesman Endi Sutendi told AFP the crowd of students and local residents began throwing rocks at police, who responded by hurling more rocks back. “The crowd then broke the gate of the governor’s office and the police pushed them back,” he said.

After the protesters were forced back, a man was found lying in the road with wounds to the back of his head, Sutendi said. The police said authorities were

investigating the cause of death, but a preliminary report suggested the man fell and hit his head while trying to leave the demonstration.

The situation remained tense late on Thursday, with protesters still on the streets and several motorbikes set on fire, an AFP reporter said.

Makassar has seen the worst protests over the increase in fuel prices. Some demonstrations have been staged in other cities across the archipelago, but most have remained peaceful and much smaller than the mass protests that accompanied previous increases in the fuel price. ■ AFP / November 27, 2014

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Selfie sticks could bring jail time in South Korea SEOUL – That selfie stick in your hand - a harmless memory-maker?

Or a potentially chaos-inducing electromagnetic radiation emitter?

In South Korea, it seems, it could be both and anyone selling an unregistered version could face a US$27,000 fine or up to three years in prison, the Science Ministry announced last week.

Regulating the sale of these small, articulated monopods designed for cell phone-wielding photographers won’t be easy, given their numbers. South

Koreans have embraced the technology with a passion, turning scenic spots into undulating fields of waving selfie sticks and grinning, upturned faces.

The focus of the ministerial crackdown are those models that come with bluetooth technology, allowing the user to release the smartphone shutter remotely, rather than using a timer.

The problem, the ministry says, is that such units are designated as communications equipment given their

use of radio waves to provide a wireless link between separate devices. As such they have to be tested and certified to ensure they don’t pose a disruption to other devices using the same radio frequency.

Ministry officials admit the crackdown is basically motivated by a technicality, given that the weak, shortrange signals emitted by bluetooth devices are hardly likely to bring down a plane or interfere with police frequencies.

Women use a selfie stick to take photos of themselves in Seoul, South Korea..

‘Obligated to crack down.’ “It’s not going to affect anything in any meaningful way, but it is nonetheless a telecommunication device subject to regulation, and that means we are obligated to crack down on uncertified ones,” an official at the ministry’s Central Radio Management Office told AFP. Despite the harsh penalty on offer, the “crackdown” appears to have been relatively low-key, with no mass police raids on unsuspecting selfie stick vendors.

“The announcement last Friday was really just to let people know that they need to be careful about what they sell,” said the official, who declined to be identified. “We’ve had a lot of calls from vendors who think they might have been unknowingly selling uncertified products.”

Vendors unfazed. Selfie stick vendors in Seoul appeared to be taking the ministry’s order in their stride.

“I was told about the new regulation, but the ones I sell are all certified, so I haven’t had any problems with the police or anything,” said the owner of a small kiosk selling smartphone cases and selfie sticks near a subway station in Seoul’s Myeongdong tourist district.

“But I know some of the bigger sellers

had to get rid of some of their stock which hadn’t been registered,” said the owner who identified himself by his surname, Lee. Vendors in a busy area of Myeongdong say they can shift scores of selfie sticks on a good day, but Lee said his normal turnover was rarely more than a dozen.

“They’re not that profitable really.

There’re so many around now that you have to sell them cheap,” he said. A basic model sells for as little as US$5 and the bluetooth-enabled versions go for US$25 and up.

“Selfie” was chosen as the Oxford Dictionaries’ word of the year in 2013, and the term is believed to have been coined on an Australian online forum in 2002.

South Koreans, however, claim a much earlier coinage, with the equivalent Korean term “selca” - a combination of self and camera having been in wide use since the 1990s.

It was heavily popularised with the rise of the K-pop scene whose stars were taking and sharing snaps of themselves long before Ellen DeGeneres engineered the ultimate celebrity-studded selfie at the 2014 Oscars. ■ AFP / November 27, 2014

‘Black widow’ with seven dead partners arrested in Japan TOKYO – A 67-year-old millionairess was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of poisoning her husband with cyanide as it emerged six former partners had already died, in Japan’s latest apparent “black widow” case.

Chisako Kakehi has been the beneficiary of a combined 800 million yen ($6.8 million) over the last two decades, Jiji Press said -- insurance money and other assets she received after the seven men’s deaths.

Husband number four Isao Kakehi fell sick suddenly at home and was confirmed dead at a hospital in December last year, less than two months after the couple married.

An autopsy found highly toxic cyanide compounds in his blood.

That came after the September death of a 75-year-old boyfriend, who fell suddenly ill after the couple ate together at a restaurant, Jiji said.

Kakehi’s dalliance with death began in 1994 when her first husband passed away at the age of 54.

In 2006 her second husband, whom she had met through a dating agency, died of a stroke aged 69, while the third marriage ended in 2008 with the death of her 75-year-old partner, Jiji said.

A boyfriend, believed to have been suffering from some form of cancer, died a year later, and in 2012 her thenfiance met his fate after collapsing while riding a motorbike.

Traces of cyanide were detected in his body, media reports said.

Kakehi was arrested Wednesday by police in Kyoto on suspicion of

murdering her latest husband. She has denied any involvement in his death.

“We suspect she did it for money,” a police investigator on the latest death said without giving details of the amount involved.

‘Doomed by fate’. Police are now working on the theory that she could have been behind the deaths of at least some of the other six.

“We can’t say how many now...

Given their advanced age, we have to proceed carefully to judge whether their deaths were actually the result of foul play or not,” the investigator told AFP by phone.

Questioned by reporters earlier this year, former bank worker Kakehi protested her innocence.

“If people suspect murder, I’d find it easier to bite my tongue off and die,” she told reporters in March.

Jiji Press quoted her as saying in an earlier interview that she was “doomed by fate” to suffer a series of deaths among those close to her, and protesting that she had no access to poison.

A 67-year-old woman in Kyoto, Japan, has been arrested on suspicion of poisoning her husband with cyanide, as it emerged six former partners had already died, in Japan’s latest apparent “black widow” case.

If she is found to have been involved in the deaths of numerous partners, Kakehi will become the latest example in Japan of a “black widow”, named for the female spider that devours its mate after coupling.

In 2012 Kanae Kijima was sentenced to hang for the murders of three men, aged 41, 53 and 80, whom she met through Internet dating sites.

Kijima, who was at one time a paidfor mistress, poisoned her victims with carbon monoxide by burning charcoal briquettes after drugging them with sleeping tablets.

She is in jail awaiting the outcome of an appeal to the supreme court.

Another woman, former bar hostess Miyuki Ueta, is also waiting on the outcome of a supreme court appeal against a death sentence for the killing of two men. ■ AFP / November 19, 2014

Japanese woman Chisako Kakehi, 67, is arrested in Kyoto on November 19 on suspicion of poisoning her husband with cyanide in the latest “Black Widow” case .

Pre-emptive evacuation of people in areas prone to floods and landslides helped keep the casualties low.

Two dead, seven missing as storm hits Philippines TWO people were killed and seven others missing in the Philippines after a tropical depression spawned huge waves and flash floods, forcing hundreds to flee their homes, authorities said Thursday.

Pre-emptive evacuation of people in areas prone to floods and landslides helped keep the casualties low, but others along the coast were hit hard by the storm, locally code-named “Queenie”.

One woman was swept away by floodwaters on the central island of Cebu while a man was fatally injured when his boat was battered by huge waves off the island of Bohol on

Wednesday, said regional disaster monitoring chief Olive Luces.

“Even before Queenie hit, we were already experiencing bad weather,” she told AFP. Four people went missing while at sea while three others were carried away by huge waves, Luces added.

The storm, with maximum winds of 55 kilometres (34 miles) per hour, hit the eastern coast of the southern island of Mindanao late Wednesday, then moved westward, across the central islands before heading to Palawan island.

It is expected to continue moving west towards the South China Sea. ■ AFP / November 27, 2014

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December 2014 – No. 23 • UK & Europe Edition

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Please email info@hello-philippines.com to include your event.

D I S C L A I M E R : The Events Diary ry r listing does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation or fa f vouring by HELLO PHILIPPINES newspaper. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of Hello Philippines newspaper and/o / r the Publisher. What’s On is a Filipino Events Diary /o ry r listing fo f r UK and Europe.

2014 CALENDAR OF EVENTS – UK & EUROPE DATE / TIME Sunday 7th December 2014

Saturday 13th December 2014 6pm until 1am Saturday 13th December 2014 6pm to 12pm December 15th -23rd, 18:30 every evening except on December 23 at 18:00 h d -23rd , December 15th 19:30 daily, 17:00 on Sundays Wednesday 17th December, 19:00

EVENT The Finals Kampi Super League 2014 Grand Championship Day Fil Mo Christmas Party

VENUE Copper Box Arena, Olympic Park, London E20 3HB

ORGANISER Kampi Basketball UK

CONTACTS / REMARKS More details to fo f llow…

Mazenod Community Centre, Quex Rd, kilburn NW6 4PS.Off Kilburn High Road

FILMO

Vannz Bio 07947160826 07445975098

Philippine Centre Dinner and Dance

Park Inn Hotel Heathrow Bath Road, Middlesex, UB7 0DU Our Lady of Dolours Servite Church, 264 Fulham Road, London SW10 9EL The Holy Redeemer Church, 20 Brixton Road, London, SW9 6BU Immaculate Conception Farm Street Church, 114 Mount Street, Mayfa f ir, fa London, W1K 3AH

Philippine Centre

CynthiaCanias 07941 335 557

The Filipino Community of Servite Parish Church

Presider: Fr. Allan Satur (07785758478) Evelyn Jerere 07476637441

Filipino Community (OVAL)

Mr. Ben Ortiz 07723318486 Presider: Fr. Jake Dicto

Farm Street Filipino Community, Batangas Association UK, Knights of Rizal and Ladies of Rizal (KRINC) London Chapter UK

Presider: Father Voltaire Dimol Contact- F a r m S t r e e t F i l i p i n o Community Tina Fletcher 07956386041, Florencia Kingscote 07875867739, Josie Ramos 07723024591. B a t a n g a s A s s o c i a t i o n U K Gloria Diaz – 07572795321. K n i g h t s o f R i z a l a n d Ladies of Rizal (KRINC) London C h a p t e r U K Lady Aurea Taguiang – 020 7724 7332 Presider: Fr. Giles Minnock, Catholic Chaplain Co-celebrant: Fr. Johnny Go, Simon 07795324859, Mario 07818021874 Presider: Father Voltaire Dimol Contact:Bro. Jeck / Sis. Lill Paler – 07869293397, palerblue@yahoo.com

Simbang Gabi 2014

Simbang Gabi 2014 Simbang Gabi 2014

Wednesday 17th December, 19:00

Simbang Gabi 2014

The Holy Cross Chapel, Charing Cross Hospital, Fulham Palace Road, London

The Filipino Community – West London and Couples fo f r Christ

Friday 19th December, 17:30

Simbang Gabi 2014

Couples For Christ – Frimley

Saturday 20th December, 18:00

Simbang Gabi 2014

Saturday 20th December, 13:00

Simbang Gabi 2014

Our Lady Queen of Heaven Parish, 111 Portsmouth Road, Frimley, Camberley, GU16 7AA A AA Sacred Heart Church Holloway, 62 Eden Grove, Holloway, N7 8EN St. Richard Catholic Church, Cawley Road, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 1XB

Saturday 20th December, 17:00

Simbang Gabi 2014

h Saturday 20th December, 17:0018:00, salo - salo f om 19:00-22:00 in fr Cathedral Hall h Saturday 20th December 2014

Simbang Gabi 2014

Sunday y 21st December, 15:00

Simbang Gabi 2014

Saturday, 20th December 2014

Christmas Hollyw y ood yw Style!

Saturday December 20th 2014

Simbang Gabi

Simbang Gabi sa Cricklewood

St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, 12 Eastgate Gardens Guildfo f rd, Surrey GU1 4AZ fo 42 Francis St., London SW1P 1QW

Saint Anges Catholic Church, No 35 Cricklewood Lane, NW2 1HR R Blessed Sacrament Parish, 157 Copenhagen St, London N1 OSR Filwood Community y Centre, Barnstaple Road, Bristol BS4, 1JP, UK K SS Michael & Martin Church

Sacred Heart Church Filipino Community

Presider: Rev. Fr.Gideon Wagay Mr. Robert Picache, 0755456564

Chichester Filipino Community

Presider: Fr. Claro Conde Alvi and Genevieve Baldomero – 07949208329 or email a_baldomero@yahoo.com bibe_ _4u@yahoo.com Presider: Fr. Aaron Espenilli Sr. Oneng Mendoza 07806824642

PSALM 3:33 Choir Band with local Filipino Community Filipino Club at Westminster Cathedral

Presider: Canon Christopher Tuckw k ell kw and Fr. Jake Dicto Eleanor Dayawon – 07877027667, Jean Hawkins – 07521715951

FCBN-UK

07947347067 Gina - 07786652450

Filipino Community of Blessed Sacrament Parish

Presider: Fr. Alan Satur 07743369977

FILCOM BRISTOL

0117-9414672 admin@fil f combristol.co.uk fil

Philippine Centre

FREE LISTING of your events in HELLO PHILIPPINES newspaper. If you know of any events please contact us via info@hello-philippines.com to submit your event.

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.

1st Saturday

2014 MONTHLY FILIPINO COMMUNITY MASSES IN GREATER LONDON 5:00pm

1st Sunday

2:00pm

1st Sunday

5:00pm

2

nd

Saturday

4:00pm

2nd Sunday

2:00pm

Sunday

2:00pm

2

nd

2nd Sunday

4:00pm

3rd Sunday

3:00pm

3rd Sunday

3:00pm

Last Saturday

6:00pm

Last Sunday

12:00pm

Last Sunday

2:00pm

Every Sunday

5:00pm

First Wednesdays

6:30pm

Devotion in Honour of Our Lady of Fatima (Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament / Rosary / Benediction / Mass) St Pius X Catholic Church, 108 Orme Road, Kingston Upon Thames KT1 3SB – Oliver Abasolo – 07782 661 922 Five Precious Wounds Parish, Brentfield Road, Stonebridge Park, London NW10 8ER Mervic Monocillo – 07894 636 140 Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church, Friary Road, Peckham, London SE15 1RH Allen Abeleda – 07713 625 888 St Peter the Apostle Catholic Church, 103 Woolwich New Road, London SE18 6EF Moises Espanola – 07894 648 639 English Martyrs Church, Chalkhill Road, Wembley Park, Wembley HA9 9EW Becky Sarinas – 07949 857 699 / 07425 761 519 / Lina B – 07579 418 510 St Dominic Catholic Church, 243 Violet Lane, Waddon, Croydon CR0 4HN Merlie Mirto – 07722 216 462 St. Anselm and St. Cecilia, 70 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3JA Feliciano Ramirez – 07733 680 748 Sacred Heart of Jesus, New Priory, Quex Road, Kilburn, London NW6 4PS Sheidrick de Leon – 07738 210 202 Blessed Sacrament Parish, 157 Copenhagen Street, Islington N1 0SR Christy Sangalang – 07709 119 969 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 St Pius X Catholic Church, 108 Orme Road, Kingston Upon Thames KT1 3SB Oliver Abasolo – 07782 661 922 St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 218 Roehampton Lane, London SW15 4LE Rafael Santiago – 07795 254 451 Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, 20 Brixton Road, Oval, London SW9 6BU Ben Ortiz – 07723 318 486 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

Talk Home Hello Philippines 289 x 380 xmas.pdf 1 18/11/2014 15:26:38

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PILIPINAS AT UK

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i-collect na ang LIBRENG SIM online: talkhomemobile.com Top Ups are available at: Customers of TALK HOME Mobile may not bre able to use Electronic Top-Up at all locations where green top-up logo appears.

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HEALTH and Lifestyle

December 2014 – No. 23 • UK & Europe Edition

Prevent Christmas injuries A cocktail of excitement, stress, tiredness and alcohol can create unexpected hazards in the home at Christmas.

More than 80,000 people a year need hospital treatment for injuries such as falls, cuts and burns during the festive period.

During Christmas, your home is likely to be full of people and, in the excitement, accidents can easily happen.

“We want to help people prevent their festivities being cut short by a trip to A&E,” says Sheila Merrill, home safety manager at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).

“Our message is that the home should be as safe as necessary, rather than as safe as possible. With a little more care and forward planning, most accidents could be avoided.”

Kitchen. Hot fat, boiling water and sharp knives make the kitchen one of the most dangerous places during the holiday.

“The Christmas meal is probably the biggest meal most families cook all year. It needs careful planning to avoid injuries,” says Merrill.

Try to keep other people (especially children) out of the kitchen. Avoid alcohol until you’ve finished cooking, and wipe up spills as soon as they happen, so that people don’t slip.

Stairs. Clutter, alcohol and tiredness make the stairs an accident hotspot during Christmas, says Merrill. It’s common to fall down steps or stairs after drinking.

“Keep the stairs well lit and free from

obstacles, especially if you have guests who could be going up to the bathroom during the night,” she says.

Presents. Typical Christmas Day accidents include parents accidentally stabbing themselves with scissors, which they’ve used to assemble toys, instead of using a screwdriver. People often cut themselves with knives when they’re opening presents too quickly.

People also trip over toys and electric cables while rushing to try their new computers and other appliances.

“Don’t rush,” says Merrill. “Take time to enjoy the moment. Have a screwdriver ready for toys that are screwed into packaging. Clear up the packaging and wrapping paper as you go along, and remember to recycle.”

Christmas trees. Beware of your Christmas tree. That Norwegian spruce is not as innocent as it looks. Every year, about 1,000 people are injured by their tree, usually while fixing stars, lights or other decorations to the higher branches, reports the RoSPA. “Always use a step ladder to put up the decorations and don’t over-reach yourself,” says Merrill. Buy the correct size tree so you don’t have to saw the top off and risk cutting yourself.

Fairy lights. Around 350 people a year are hurt by Christmas tree lights, according to RoSPA. Injuries include people falling while they’re putting them up, children swallowing the bulbs, and people getting electric shocks and burns from faulty lights.

“Test your lights and the wiring before you put them up, as they can deteriorate over the years. If you have old lights, buy new ones that meet higher safety standards,” says Merrill.

“Don’t overload sockets, as that’s a fire risk.

Decorations. About 1,000 people a year are hurt when decorating their homes, says RoSPA. Children bite into glass baubles and adults fall while using unstable chairs instead of ladders to put up streamers, or fall out of lofts while looking for the decorations.

“Glass decorations should be placed out of the reach of toddlers and pets,” says Merrill. Novelty decorations, such as stuffed Santas, reindeer and snowmen, which look like toys, may not comply with strict toy safety regulations.

Therefore, they should not be within the reach of children.

Candles. People are 50% more likely to die in a house fire over Christmas than at any other time of year. Taking care with candles and oil burners is one way to help you and your family and friends avoid a Christmas house fire.

“Never put candles on or near a Christmas tree,” says Merrill. “Never leave an open flame unattended.”

Always place tea lights inside an appropriate container. “They have

been known to burn through baths and television sets,” she says.

Christmas plants. Mistletoe is poisonous. Its berries contain toxic proteins that slow the heart rate and can cause hallucinations. The orange berries of the Christmas cherry can cause stomach pains. The Christmas rose is so effective at causing diarrhoea that it was used as a chemical weapon by the ancient Greeks. “Check with the garden centre whether the plants you’re buying are toxic,” says Merrill. “If they are, keep them out of the reach of children.”

Stress. Christmas is one of the most stressful times of the year. The combination of drink, relatives, lack of sleep and the stress of Christmas shopping can be too much for some people.

Try to find some time alone, even if it’s only to have a relaxing bath.

Learn to say no to the demands of relatives. It’s important not to suppress your emotions. Try to talk to someone you trust or a third party, such as the

Hangover cures SPLITTING headaches, sickness, dizziness, dehydration: anyone who’s ever drunk too much knows the consequences of it.

Alcohol is a diuretic (meaning it removes fluids from the body), so drinking excessively can lead to dehydration. Dehydration is what causes many of the symptoms of a hangover.

Alcohol can upset your stomach and give you a bad night’s sleep. You may still have some alcohol in your system the next morning.

Cure myth. Hangover cures are generally a myth. There are no cures for a hangover. There are tips for avoiding hangovers and for easing the symptoms if you have one.

The best way to avoid a hangover is not to drink. If you decide to drink, do it sensibly and within the recommended limits.

To minimise the risk of future serious health problems, men shouldn’t regularly drink more than three to four units a day. Women shouldn’t regularly drink more than two to three units a day.

To avoid a hangover, don’t drink more than you know your body can cope with. If you’re not sure how

much that is, be careful.

Know your units. You can keep track of how many units you’re consuming using the desktop alcohol tracker, which is also available as an iPhone app.

A large glass of wine, for instance, contains around three units. In one evening, that can quickly add up to a lot more than you intended to drink. Here are some examples: • a can of standard lager, beer or bitter – 1.8 units • a pint of standard lager, beer or bitter – 2.3 units • a small glass of wine (125ml) – 1.5 units • a large glass of wine (250ml) – 3 units • a measure of spirits (25ml) – 1 unit Follow these tips to keep hangovers away: • Don’t drink on an empty stomach.

Before you go out, have a meal that includes carbohydrates (such as pasta or rice) or fats. The food will help slow down the body’s absorption of alcohol.

• Don’t drink dark-coloured drinks if you’ve found that you’re sensitive to them. They contain natural chemicals called congeners (impurities), which

Samaritans.

Indigestion and food poisoning.

Food poisoning is always a worry at Christmas. Read the instructions on the turkey well. It takes hours to cook a turkey properly. If you don’t, you could contract salmonella poisoning, which can be life-threatening for vulnerable people.

Studies by the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) reveal that, on average, we gain 2kg (5lbs) in weight during the Christmas period, so restrict the amount of chocolate, cakes and nuts you eat.

Alcohol. Apart from the risks to your own health, alcohol can be the chief mischief maker when it comes to accidents. “It reduces your risk awareness,” says Merrill. “Alcohol can make people relax so much that they don’t think about everyday risks.”

After a party, empty any alcohol out of glasses. Children are likely to drink the remains if they get up early to play with their toys. Never drink and drive.

■ NHS Choices

The NHS recommends: • Men should not regularly drink more than 3-4 units of alcohol a day • Women should not regularly drink more than 2-3 units a day • If you’ve had a heavy drinking session, avoid alcohol for 48 hours “Regularly” means drinking this amount everyday or most days of the week.

irritate blood vessels and tissue in the brain and can make a hangover worse.

• Drink water or non-fizzy soft drinks in between each alcoholic drink.

Carbonated (fizzy) drinks speed up the absorption of alcohol into your system.

• Drink a pint or so of water before you go to sleep. Keep a glass of water by the bed to sip if you wake up during the night.

The morning after. If you wake up the next morning feeling terrible, you probably didn’t follow this advice.

Although there are no real cures for hangovers, there are ways to ease the symptoms.

Treatment involves rehydrating the

body so it can deal with the painful symptoms (though the best time to rehydrate is before going to sleep).

Over-the-counter painkillers can help with headaches and muscle cramps. Paracetamol-based remedies are usually preferable, as aspirin may further irritate the stomach and increase nausea and sickness.

Sugary foods may help you feel less trembly. In some cases, an antacid may be needed to settle your stomach first.

Bouillon soup, a thin vegetablebased broth, is a good source of vitamins and minerals, which can top-up depleted resources. Its main advantage is that it’s easy for a fragile

stomach to digest.

You can replace lost fluids by drinking bland liquids that are easy on the digestive system, such as water, soda water and isotonic drinks (available in most shops).

“Hair of the dog” (drinking more alcohol) does not help. Drinking in the morning is a risky habit, and you may simply be delaying the appearance of symptoms until the alcohol wears off again.

If you’ve had a heavy drinking session, hangover or not, doctors advise that you wait 48 hours before drinking any more alcohol, in order to give your body tissues time to recover. Sometimes, of course, a hangover makes that advice easier to follow. ■ NHS Choices

22

HEALTH and Lifestyle food

www.hello-philippines.com

December 2014 – No. 23 • UK & Europe Edition

Healthy Christmas dinner FIND out how you can cut 500kcal from your traditional Christmas dinner without sacrificing the taste.

Turkey. Turkey is a good source of protein and, without the skin, is low in fat. It provides B vitamins, which you need for energy production.

The skin on a turkey, or any other roasted poultry, is where most of the fat is. If you remove the skin you can save around 40kcal per portion. Light meat also has slightly fewer calories than dark meat, so choose breast instead of leg or thigh.

Before you cook your bird, prick the skin to allow the fat to drain out. Cook it on a trivet or upturned ovenproof plate so it’s not sitting in the fat.

Stop: 100g of butter-basted turkey, with the skin on, has 146kcal, 4.9g fat (2g saturates).

Swap: 100g of skinless turkey has 104kcal, 2g fat (0.2g saturates).

Save: 42kcal.

Stuffing. Chestnuts are low in fat and a good source of potassium, which we need for healthy kidneys.

Choose a chestnut or fruit-based stuffing instead of sausage meat.

Stop: 100g of sausage meat stuffing has 252kcal, 16g fat (7g saturates).

Swap: 100g of cranberry, orange and roast chestnut stuffing has 162kcal, 0.8g fat (0.1g saturates).

Calorie saving: 90kcal.

Roast potatoes. Potatoes are a good source of carbohydrate and are almost fat free (before they’re roasted in oil or fat). Baked potatoes are just as tasty but much better for you.

Stop: 100g of potatoes roasted in oil have 149kcal, 4.5g fat (0.5g saturates).

Swap: 100g of baked potato has 109kcal, 0.1g fat (0g saturates).

Calorie saving: 40kcal.

Gravy. To make low-fat gravy, pour the turkey juices into a jug and wait for the fat to rise to the surface. Then carefully pour or spoon off the fat before using the juices to make gravy.

Gravy can be high in salt. Too much salt may increase blood pressure. If

you have gravy, try not to add salt to your meal.

Bread sauce. Use semi-skimmed milk to make your sauce, and add a clove of garlic to the milk to add flavour.

Stop: 100g of luxury bread sauce mix has 355kcal, 6.4g fat (3.3g saturates).

Swap: 100g of bread sauce made with semi-skimmed milk has 93kcal, 3.1g fat (1.4g saturates).

Calorie saving: 262kcal.

Vegetables. Brussels sprouts are a good source of folate (a B vitamin) and vitamin C, which may help to protect against heart disease and cancer. They contain fibre, which helps to keep the digestive system healthy.

Serve plenty of vegetables as they’re low in calories and fat, but don’t smother them in butter.

Stop: one teaspoon (5g) of butter adds 37kcal, 4.1g fat (2.8g saturates).

Swap: use chopped fresh herbs or lemon zest to add flavour. They have almost no calories.

Calorie saving: 37kcal.

Christmas pudding. Christmas pudding is fairly low in fat and high in carbohydrate. It provides some fibre, B vitamins, potassium, iron and calcium.

But have just one small portion after lunch as it’s high in sugar.

You can boost your calcium intake by eating it with low-fat custard, made from semi-skimmed milk. Or have fatfree Greek yoghurt instead of brandy butter or double cream.

Stop: 1tbsp (15g) of brandy butter

• at room temperature (about 20ºC, 68ºF) allow approximately two hours per kg When your turkey is fully defrosted, put it in the fridge until you’re ready to cook it.

If this isn’t possible, make sure you cook it immediately.

Preparing the turkey. Keep the uncooked turkey away from food that’s ready to eat. If raw poultry, or other raw meat, touches or drips onto these foods, bacteria will spread and may cause food poisoning.

Bacteria can spread from raw meat and poultry to worktops, chopping boards, dishes and utensils. To keep your Christmas food safe, remember the following things: • After touching raw poultry or other raw meat, always wash your hands with warm water and soap, and dry them thoroughly.

• There’s no need to wash your turkey before your cook it. If you do, bacteria from raw poultry can splash onto worktops, dishes and other foods. Proper cooking will kill any bacteria.

• Always clean worktops, chopping boards, dishes and utensils thoroughly after they have touched raw poultry or meat.

• Never use the same chopping board for raw poultry or meat and ready-to-eat food without washing it thoroughly in warm soapy water first. If possible, use a separate chopping board just for raw meat and poultry.

Cooking your Turkey. Plan your cooking time in advance to make sure you get the bird in the oven early enough to cook it thoroughly. A large turkey can take several hours to cook properly. Eating undercooked turkey (or other poultry) could cause food poisoning.

Three ways you can tell a turkey is cooked: • the meat should be steaming hot all the way through • none of the meat should be pink when you cut into the thickest part of the bird • the juices should run clear when you pierce the turkey or press the thigh If you’re using a temperature probe or food thermometer, ensure that the thickest part of the bird (between the breast and the thigh) reaches at least 70°C for two minutes.

Turkey cooking times. The cooking times below are based on an unstuffed bird. It’s better to cook your stuffing in a separate roasting tin, rather than inside the bird, so that it will cook more easily and the cooking guidelines will be more accurate.

If you cook your bird with the stuffing inside, you need to allow extra time for the stuffing and for the fact that it cooks more slowly.

Some ovens, such as fan-assisted ovens, might cook the bird more quickly – check the guidance on the packaging and the manufacturer’s handbook for your oven if you can.

As a general guide, in an oven preheated to 180ºC (350ºF, Gas Mark 4): • allow 45 minutes per kg plus 20 minutes for a turkey under 4.5kg

Cooking turkey COOK the perfect turkey with our tips on defrosting and cooking poultry safely, and how to store leftovers.

Defrosting your turkey. If you buy a frozen turkey, make sure that the turkey is properly defrosted before cooking it. If it’s still partially frozen, it may not cook evenly, which means that harmful bacteria could survive the cooking process.

Defrosting should be done in the fridge if possible (or somewhere cool) and separated from touching other foods, with a container large enough to catch the defrosted juices. This is important to stop cross-contamination.

Defrosting checklist. • Work out defrosting time in advance, so you know how much time to allow – it can take at least a couple of days for a large turkey to thaw.

• When you start defrosting, take the turkey out of its packaging, put it on a large dish and cover. The dish will hold the liquid that comes out of the thawing turkey.

• Remove the giblets and the neck as soon as possible to speed up the thawing process. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw turkey, giblets or any other raw meat.

• Before cooking, make sure there aren’t any ice crystals in the cavity. Test the thicker parts of the turkey with a fork to tell whether the meat feels frozen.

• Turkey (and any other poultry) is best defrosted in a covered dish at the bottom of the fridge so that it can’t drip onto other foods.

• Pour away the liquid that comes

out of the defrosting turkey regularly to stop it overflowing and spreading bacteria.

Be careful not to splash the liquid onto worktops, dishes, cloths or other food.

• Bear in mind what else is you have stored in the fridge. Cooked meats need to be covered and stored higher up.

• If the bird is too big for the fridge, put it somewhere out of reach from animals and children where it won’t touch other foods. A cool room, shed or garage are all good places.

• If you’re not using the fridge, watch out for sudden changes in room temperature, as they could prevent the turkey from thawing evenly.

Defrosting times. To work out the defrosting time for your turkey, check the packaging for any guidance first. If there aren’t any defrosting instructions, use the following times to work out roughly how long it will take to thaw your turkey.

• in a fridge at 4ºC (39ºF), allow about 10 to 12 hours per kg, but remember that not all fridges will be this temperature • in a cool room (below 17.5ºC, 64ºF), allow approximately three to four hours per kg, or longer if the room is particularly cold

has 81kcal, 5.8g fat (3.9g saturates).

2tbsp (30g) of double cream has 133kcal, 14.2g fat (8.9g saturates).

Swap: 3tbsp (45g) of low-fat custard has 27kcal, 0.6g fat (0.54g saturates). 2tbsp (30g) of 0% fat Greek yoghurt has 16kcal, 0g fat.

Calorie saving: 117kcal.

If you make all these food swaps, you can save more than 500kcal and cut down your fat intake, which will help to stop the festive weight gain. ■ NHS Choices

• allow 40 minutes per kg for a turkey that’s between 4.5kg and 6.5kg • allow 35 minutes per kg for a turkey of more than 6.5kg Cover your turkey with foil during cooking and uncover for the last 30 minutes to brown the skin. To stop the meat drying out, baste it every hour during cooking.

Cooking times for other birds.

Other birds, such as goose and duck, need different cooking times and temperatures. The oven should always be hotter for duck and goose in order to melt the fat under the skin.

• goose should be cooked in a preheated oven at 200ºC/425ºF/gas mark 7 for 35 minutes per kg • duck should be cooked in a preheated oven for 45 minutes per kg at 200ºC/400ºF/gas mark 6 • chicken should be cooked in a preheated oven at 180ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4 for 45 minutes per kg plus 20 minutes Storing leftovers. Keep cooked meat and poultry in the fridge. If they are left out atroom temperature, bacteria that causes food poisoning can grow and multiply.

After you’ve feasted on the turkey, cool any leftovers as quickly as possible (within one or two hours), cover them and put them in the fridge. Ideally, try to use up leftovers within 48 hours.

When you’re serving cold turkey, take out only as much as you’re going to use and put the rest back in the fridge. Don’t leave a plate of turkey or cold meats out all day, for example, on a buffet.

If you’re reheating leftover turkey or other food, always make sure it’s steaming hot all the way through before you eat it. Don’t reheat more than once.

Ideally, use leftovers within 48 hours. ■ NHS Choices

24

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Scoop

ENTERTAINMENT CELEBRITY

December 2014 – No. 23 • UK & Europe Edition

Kris Tiffany Janson ready to make history as PH’s first ever Miss Intercontinental UNLIKE her fellow Binibining Pilipinas winners Mary Anne Bianca Guidotti and Yvethe Marie Santiago, Bb. Pilipinas Intercontinental 2014 Kris Tiffany Janson is not following a reigning international beauty queen.

As a matter of fact, the 24-year old finance analyst from Cebu is hoping to make history by becoming the first ever Filipina to win the elusive Miss Intercontinental crown.

Whether that eases or adds more pressure for her is something that she doesn’t dwell on too much. The way Kris sees it, there will always be pressure for any Philippine representative to compete well in the international arena.

“I guess the pressure is always there not just for me but for all of us representing the country in international pageants. I remember hearing someone say that there will come a time when Miss Philippines cannot come home without a crown in her head or at least achieve a runner-up finish,” Kris recently told InterAksyon prior to leaving for Germany.

Miss Intercontinental is a

particularly tough pageant for Filipinas, let alone Asians. Not counting Russia, which is technically part of both Europe and Asia, and Middle East countries like Lebanon, Iran and Turkey that have all won in the past, only two from South Asia, and both from India, have been crowned Miss Intercontinental in the pageant’s 43-year history.

Even with all these odds against her, Kris believes that her chances of winning are just as good as the pageant’s 71 other official candidates.

“I know I have the courage and strength deep within to represent the Philippines in Miss Intercontinental. I have my own personality to showcase and the unique characteristics of the Filipina to allow me to stand out in the competition,” Kris declared.

She said also takes inspiration from the one man who had always believed in her from the day she was born: her late father.

“I pull strength from my dad who was the first person to encourage me to join beauty pageants. I want to realize his dreams for me and make him proud.”

Like her fellow Bb. Pilipinas winners, Kris had been training for months in preparation for Miss Intercontinental, particularly in the areas of personality development, Q&A, social graces, pasarela, and hair and makeup. She also immersed herself in the history culture of host country Germany by reading up on its history and customs.

She said she also benefitted from having accomplished beauty queens Shamcey Supsup, Venus Raj, Bea Santiago and Johanna Datul as her mentors. Their expertise and actual pageant experiences gave her inspiration as well as real-life advice on the competition.

One thing Kris opted not to do is survey the competition or listen to fearless forecasts as she believes that will only break her focus and distract her from her goal of winning.

“I don’t spend so much time looking at the competition because it might play with my mind. Some pageant fanatics have showed me pictures of the other candidates so I had a glimpse of some of them. But I don’t really like

Kris Tiffany Janson

to study them and everything. What I do instead is to review all my activities.

I review everything I do, everything that I need to do and see where I can improve on,” she pointed out.

“With regards to fearless forecasts, I fear those forecasts too. While I do appreciate it if my name is in any of those lists, I’m not comfortable thinking about them so I don’t really read whatever predictions about the pageant is already out there.”

Regardless of what happens in Miss Intercontinental, Kris intends to

pursue a master’s degree in business administration or go to law school.

Although not too keen on joining showbiz, Kris had also tried her hands on hosting events in the past and enjoyed the experience.

“So yes, hosting is something I’d like to continue doing in the future if I’m given the chance,” she admitted.

The Miss Intercontinental 2014 beauty pageant is scheduled to take place on December 5 at Magdeburg, Germany. ■ Edwin P. Sallan / InterAksyon.com / November 27, 2014 / 12:02 AM

Save the Children names Mikael Daez and Kylie Padilla as official Filipino ambassadors GMA Artist Center stars Mikael Daez and Kylie Padilla are the first Filipino representatives of Save the Children.

They join international ambassadors Hollywood A-listersJennifer Garner and Julianne Moore, football star Cristiano Ronaldo and distinguished stylist/editor/fashion designer Rachel Zoe in promoting the advocacy that aims to provide both emergency and long-term support to improve the quality of life for children.

Mikael shares that being chosen as

one of the first Pinoy ambassadors of Save the Children is such an honor and fulfils his dream to help an advocacy close to his heart.”I’ve always wanted to help children.

All children should be able to dream about what they want to be when they grow up. Save the Children’s work means that more children can have those dreams. I am excited about the opportunity to work alongside this amazing charity and am privileged to be able to use my work for this excellent cause.”

Meanwhile, Kylie is eager to take on her new role as ambassador of a children’s organization. “It is a privilege to be a

representative of Save the Children and be given the opportunity to help children in need, especially typhoon Yolanda survivors. I want to do whatever I can to help provide them everything they need so they can recover from their experiences and reach their full potential.”

In the coming days, Mikael and Kylie together with some of the staff of Save the Children will visit Yolanda-affected communities in Tacloban to meet some of the survivors of the typhoon. Save the Children has already reached nearly 800,000 people in some of the ‘Yolanda’ hit areas providing them with emergency

life-saving aid and long-term support for livelihood programs that will sustain their everyday living.

Save the Children’s Country Director, Ned Olney, shares that they are happy to be working with passionate Kapuso stars. “Save the Children is delighted to have such passionate engaged young people working with us as we strive to give every child in the Philippines the best start in life. We hope that our relationship with Kylie and Mikael will give us the opportunity to reach many more children and save even more lives.” ■

UP filmmaker’s low-budget thesis wins second prize in Japan fest WITH a thesis film made for a miniscule budget of P15,000, University of the Philippines film graduate Neica Dela Cruz bagged second prize in the International Students Creative Award 2014 in Japan over the weekend.

Her thesis “Lunod” was tied with entries from France and the United Kingdom for second place. Entries from Hungary, Taiwan and the United States shared the first prize.

Dela Cruz hopes that her feat would pave the way for more opportunities for her fellow filmmakers who, like her, have outstanding works but are limited by budget constraints.

“Madaming artists at Pinoy filmmakers ang ginagawa ang best nila with limited budget. Feeling ko sobrang galing ng mga Pinoy sa ganun.

‘Yung maliit yung budget pero OK yung output,” she said.

“Pero sana hindi makuntento sa ganun. Gawin lang stepping stone para makagawa ng mas malalaking bagay.

Kasi ‘yung small budget, kahit anong improvise siyempre may limit pa rin yung mapupuntahan mo.”

She added that if more amateur filmmakers would be given financial support, more would be able to join international festivals.

Dela Cruz, who graduated with a film degree from the UP Film Institute last March, was selected as one of the six finalists from 418 works all over the country in the annual event which aims to give exposure to the creative films of students from Japanese and foreign universities.

A scholar of Senator Antonio Trillanes, Dela Cruz had saved her allowance every month to have a thesis budget of P15,000 — way smaller than

the cost of other student films that could even reach up to P500,000.

While in Japan, Dela Cruz was amazed by what student filmmakers from other countries could do given their more vast resources. “’Yun yung na-realize ko sa pagkakapanood ng mga pelikula gaya ng galing Hungary at France. Makikita mo talaga kung gaano ka-professional ng pelikula kahit student film lang,” she said. “’Yung ganung level mahirap maachieve sa budget ng tulad sakin.”

While the art of filmmaking isn’t on top of government’s priorities, Dela Cruz believes that it is still a vital part of the society which the state shouldn’t just ignore.

“Kung ang goal natin bilang isang bansa ay makipagsabayan sa ibang countries talagang dapat mag-invest sa

A scene from Neica Dela Cruz’s award-winning thesis film ‘Lunod’.

education at equipment,” she said.

“Pero parang ang hirap naman din kasi mag-demand sa government na ‘yung art part ng society sa Philippines pero maraming Pinoy ang nagugutom.”

According to its synopsis, the film “will attempt to metaphorically convey the sufferings and travails that the filmmaker has gone (and continues

to go through) after having been abandoned by her mother.”

Dela Cruz said her stint in Japan sparked her drive to make more films and join other international film festivals. She is also planning to apply for a master’s degree in film in South Korea next year. ■ Karl Decena / InterAksyon. com / November 26, 2014 / 4:16 PM

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ENTERTAINMENT CELEBRITY

December 2014 – No. 23 • UK & Europe Edition

GMA Network posts 66 percent increase in Q3 2014 net income MANILA – Leading broadcast company GMA Network (GMA) reported a net income of P422 million in Q3 2014, up 66% versus the previous quarter.

Consolidated revenues for Q3 2014 stood at P3.141 billion, representing an 8% improvement over the P2.915 billion generated in Q2. Both airtime revenues and gross earnings from other businesses posted positive results and contributed to the increase in the topline.

Ratings leader GMA Channel 7 grew its sales by 7%, while GMA News TV, the country’s number one news channel, hiked up its earnings by 12%. GMA Radio likewise registered a 15% increase in sales on account of its stronger listenership.

Meanwhile, revenues from other businesses led by GMA International, the business unit that manages the operations and distribution of the Network’s three international channels, rose 12% compared to Q2 2014.

Total operating expenses slightly increased by 2% to P2.590 billion, as both production cost and General Administrative Expenses (GAEX) climbed 2% and 1%, respectively, in between quarters. Personnel cost was higher mostly from salary adjustments and the amortization of signing and appreciation bonuses in September as part of the Network’s Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The Network ended the third quarter with an EBITDA (Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization) of P972 million, surpassing the previous quarter’s figure by 31%.

“The third quarter was a promising period for GMA with both our revenues and ratings on the uptrend.

We are hoping to sustain this performance until the end of the year as we remain committed to offering superior programs across all genres and platforms,” said GMA Network Chairman and CEO Felipe L. Gozon.

Business Developments. GMA International recorded higher subscriber figures in Q3 2014 compared to the previous quarter as it continues to reach out to more Filipino households abroad. Subscribers for GMA’s international channels GMA Pinoy TV, GMA Life TV and GMA News TV International grew by 2%, 1% and 8%, respectively.

GMA Worldwide, a wholly owned subsidiary that acquires foreign programs for GMA and syndicates Kapuso programs to the international market, sold 718 worth of program hours from 17 titles in the third quarter for telecast in Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Cambodia and Nigeria.

GMA New Media, Inc. (NMI) substantially grew its revenues from online advertising by 10% quarter-onquarter as readership and audience reach of the GMA Network Portal (www.GMANetwork.com) soared in the covered period.

GMA News Online, the official news website of GMA News and Public Affairs, performed exceptionally well in the third quarter as it showed a significant increase in both pageviews and unique browsers, according to data from Effective Measure. The website surpassed the 86.4 million total pageviews generated in Q2 as

(From left) GMA EVP and CFO Felipe S. Yalong, GMA President and COO Gilberto R. Duavit, Jr, GMA Chairman and CEO Felipe L. Gozon, and GMA Marketing and Productions, Inc. President and COO Lizelle G. Maralag at the GMA Network Q3 Performance Briefing on November 14 at the GMA Network headquarters in Quezon City.

figures jumped to 153.1 million in Q3. Monthly average unique browsers also increased from 5.6 million to 11.6 million in between quarters.

The growth can be attributed in large part to better, more aggressive social media initiatives, which ultimately boosted sales from online advertising.

Furthermore, Digify, a subsidiary of NMI, remained at the forefront of new media initiatives as it engineered groundbreaking techno-based solutions for major brands, with some even gaining recognition from local and international award-giving bodies.

GMA artist Julie Anne San Jose’s album, Deeper, under GMA Records, debut strongly with over 11,000 digital and physical units sold (according to sales from June 1, 2014 to September 20, 2014), earning it a Gold Record Award.

On the regional front, the Network continued to improve and expand its regional coverage with several transmitter upgrades. The signal outcome of the completed restoration

and upgrade of the TV relay facilities of TV-8 Coron, which was damaged by Supertyphoon Yolanda in November last year, showed remarkable increases from the signal levels recorded in 2010. Its estimated coverage grew by 45% brought about by the increase in transmitter power (from 100W to 500W) and the installation of a new antenna system.

The site relocation of TV-11 Iligan in September 2014 not only expanded the station’s coverage in the provinces of Lanao del Norte and Misamis Occidental, but also resulted in improved signal strength and quality and more importantly enabled the carriage of the Northern Mindanao programs originating from GMA Cagayan de Oro. Ratings. The third quarter saw GMA grabbing the nationwide lead in TV ratings from its closest competitor, according to data from Nielsen TV Audience Measurement.

During the covered period, GMA registered a 34.2% total day household audience share in NUTAM,

higher than ABS-CBN’s 34.1% and TV5’s 9.9%.

GMA also kept its lead in its stronghold areas of Urban Luzon and Mega Manila, where it was ahead of competition by substantial margins. Urban Luzon and Mega Manila account for 77% and 60%, respectively, of the total urban TV households in the entire country.

In Urban Luzon, GMA scored 37.8% in total day household audience shares versus ABS-CBN’s 30% and TV5’s 9.2%; while in Mega Manila, GMA posted 38.8%, ahead of ABSCBN’s 27.7% and TV5’s 9.8%.

Meanwhile, GMA’s flagship AM station DZBB became number one in Mega Manila based on Nielsen data from June to September, driven by its aggressive programming efforts.

Beyond the numbers, GMA continued to reap awards and recognition from prominent local and international institutions as a testament to its unwavering commitment to merit and excellence.

■ November 14, 2014

Dennis Trillo leads GMA contingent to Kapusong Pinoy sa Singapore GMA Pinoy TV brings its highly anticipated Kapusong Pinoy Concert series to Singapore with Kapuso artists Dennis Trillo, Jonalyn Viray and Betong Sumaya gearing up to delight Pinoy fans in the country on November 30.

On the heels of its highly successful previous installments in Los Angeles last September and Dubai this November, the concert titled Kapusong Pinoy sa Singapore will be held at the Kallang Theater, 1 Stadium Walk in Singapore.

The much-awaited concert is headlined by Drama King Dennis Trillo, Fearless Diva Jonalyn Viray and features actor-comedian Betong Sumaya as his beloved character Antonietta from the Philippine’s longest running comedy program Bubble Gang.

Dennis, whose “TomDen” album with fellow Kapuso actor and My Husband’s Lover star Tom Rodriguez has garnered a Platinum Record Award, will delight the audience with his vocal prowess and charm.

Cementing the international

success of his groundbreaking role in the critically-acclaimed series My Husband’s Lover, the Kapuso leading man has also gained recognition in the region with his nomination for the Best Actor category in the upcoming Asian Television Awards.

The awarding ceremony will take place this December in Singapore.

Following a successful concert titled Fearless: The Repeat, Kapuso singer Jonalyn Viray will take the stage once

Dennis Trillo

Jonalyn Viray

more in a powerful display of her vocal talents that have earned her the title, Fearless Diva. The crowd can look forward to highly entertaining numbers that will showcase her wide vocal range and exceptional talent.

Adding a fun element to the concert is Betong Sumaya as Antonietta. After entertaining a sold-out crowd in the Kapusong Pinoy sa L.A. concert, Betong will surely keep the audience laughing as

Betong

they witness his comedic character live on stage.

Kapusong Pinoy sa Singapore is sponsored by Camella, Pag Ibig Fund, Cebuana Lhuillier, Thunderbird, Debt Aid Consulting, The Generics Pharmacy, Jollibee Padala, Everest Aircondition, and Shakey’s.

Gates open at 1:30PM. Admission to the concert is FREE. Tickets are available on a first come, first serve basis with a no ticket,

no entry policy. For ticket reservations, please call +65 92778256 or email: kapusongpinoysg@gmail.com.

Kapuso fans abroad may join in the fun and excitement by sharing their photos, tweets and status messages with the hashtag #KapusongPinoySG. For more information on GMA’s international events and channels, visit the website www.gmanetwork.com/ international. ■

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ENTERTAINMENT CELEBRITY

December 2014 – No. 23 • UK & Europe Edition

Ian Veneracion on his third solo exhibit: ‘I love the freedom that painting gives me’

Ian Veneracion and ‘Self-Portrait #3’, one of the paintings in ‘Primordial’, his third solo exhibit opens starting November 29, 2014.

‘Reluctant Performer’, one of the 55 pieces in Ian Veneracion’s ‘Primordial’ collection.

BY the time his third solo exhibit “Primordial” opens at GT-Toyota Asian Cultural Center on Saturday, November 29, actor and painter Ian Veneracion will be less than three months shy of his 40th birthday, otherwise known as the real beginning of life for most people.

He is, thankfully, quite wellpreserved, the Pinoy mestizo looks blending perfectly with his no-nonsense approach to life, art, even love.

He describes his visual style as an abstractionist this way: “Parang mga bata. Di ba meron silang fear of loud sounds or fear of falling na hindi naman sa kanila tinuro pero nandu’n?

Or parang tribal art na merong mga similarities kahit na ba they were made by artists from different parts of the world. These visuals seem to be primordial at ‘yon ang hinahanap ko.”

The son of an art dealer-mom and UP Fine Arts graduate and abstractionist Roy Veneracion, Ian never studied to be a painter. He just became one, having been exposed to painting from when he was a child.

“I start somewhere, one color, which leads to somewhere. Ang works ko ay parang mga bata sa playpen na ibaiba ang ugali. Kapag tinabi mo si pink kay blue, they affect each other. ‘Pag si green kasama si orange, nag-iiba sila pareho somehow,” he muses.

The love affair with colors, lines, texture, and strokes has not waned.

Through time, it intensified, so much so that when he went to the Museum

of Modern Art in New York one early morning years ago, his son Draco Tristan and daughter Deirdre in tow, Ian shed tears at the sight of Vincent Van Gogh’s The Starry Night.

Ask Ian not to paint an apple but how an apple tastes to him, and you’ll pique his interest and enthusiasm.

“Sa abstract painting kasi, walang visual reference point,” he notes. “If you try to paint the taste of an apple, you end up with texture and colors— not necessarily red or green— of how it would taste in your mouth. So, yes, it is personal and subjective and that’s more interesting to me. What you see on my canvas is more emotion than information.”

He talks about some of the paintings in his 55-piece “Primordial” collection – Reluctant Performer and Jade – as eloquently as he would his work as an actor.

Notably in last year’s CineFilipino arthouse entry “Puti”, he played a painter who goes color blind, etching what could be the defining performance of his entire showbiz career.

“You can pretend, and maybe even fool people who don’t know art.

But real artists would know kung nandadaya ka lang or if it’s coming from a real place. Parang kaming mga artista, alam namin kung ‘uma-acting’ or ‘kinakargahan’ lang ng kasamahan namin. Yung tipong kung galit ang kailangan sa eksena ay ililisik lang ang mata or igagalaw lang ang panga para kunyari mukhang galit. But we know

hindi talaga siya galit. The only failure is in pretending,” he philosophizes.

In art as in real life, Ian shuns sugarcoating, preferring to call a spade a spade. He has always been lowprofile, and for an actor, not vain at all. “My wife would buy me a make-up remover, gagamitin ko sa umpisa. Tapos nu’n tatanungin na n’ya ako, parang hindi yata nababawasan.”

When he tied the knot with Pam Gallardo in the late ‘90s, he was never surer that he had had enough of his partying days as a bachelor. Bonding with his brood sometimes means taking them paragliding, which he discusses as a poet would, deriving delight from flying amongst birds in the blue vast expanse.

“I love the freedom that painting gives me kasi everything is on my own terms. Yung choice of colors, ‘yung theme, kung gusto ko bang i-frame, ‘yung size ng painting, and even kung gusto kong tapusin or not ang isang painting—or kung sa tingin ng tao ay ‘di pa tapos ang isang work ko pero para sa akin ay tapos na.”

Revel at the results of these flights of fancy and imagination from November 29 until December 11 at Primordial, the third solo exhibit of Ian Veneracion, actor, artist, family man, painting the world in hues that go beyond the surface and into the deeper recesses of what makes us and our experiences unique and different from the person next door. ■ Arnel Ramos / InterAksyon.com /

November 26, 2014 / 2:24 PM

GMA News TV launches ‘May Pag-asa Campaign’ GMA News TV’s “MAY PAG-ASA” campaign is a collection of stories of hope aimed to show the power of the human heart to see light in the midst of darkness.

It does this by revealing the little known tragedies and challenges behind the success of GMA News TV’s personalities. In this station and social media campaign, they share their personal struggles (#maypinagdadaanan) and how these became their source of hope (#maypagasa). They also share life stories of a few of their news and documentary subjects so that others can draw inspiration from them.

For seven years, Vicky Morales prayed to have a child. She tried everything—from medical intervention to dancing in Obando. Despite the long wait, she never lost hope. Vicky is now blessed with not just one, but three lovely children.

Jay Taruc was devastated when he learned that his only daughter Sophie has Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Sophie cannot walk and may be taken from

their family at any time. Jay now spends every possible moment with his daughter.

Cesar Apolinario used to sell cigarettes on the street while Susan Enriquez had to work in a carinderia. Their earnings helped put them through school. Now the two are award-winning journalists.

Solenn Heussaff was bullied at a young age for being overweight. She taught herself to be strong and eat healthy and transformed into an icon of fashion and beauty.

Mel Tiangco suffered from a heart attack while Winnie Monsod experienced a stroke while on the air. Surviving these life threatening conditions pushed them to passion.

Mike Enriquez has been married 37 years to his wife Baby. Early in their marriage, the two realized a baby was not in their destiny. Instead of focusing on what they lacked, they decided to work on maintaining a blissful marriage.

Beyond the experiences of its hosts, the channel honors the unwavering spirit of the Filipino and their indomitable courage to stand up and move forward through this campaign.

GMA News TV believes that we are all have our own story of hope. And as we help one another rise up, we help our nation rewrite its future.

The heartwarming MAY PAG-ASA campaign airs worldwide via GMA News TV International.

“Ano ang Kwento ng Pag-asa Mo?” is the campaign’s theme song performed by Johnoy Danao and co-written by Johnoy with GMA News TV program manager Nena Celle Dumol and executive producer Joni Mosatalla. The song was composed and arranged by Ronald Tomas.

The GMA News TV station ID was shot by director Adolf Alix Jr. and filmed using ARRI Amira cameras provided by CMB Film Services Inc., with the drone shots captured by anchor/reporter Raffy Tima. ■

Vicky Morales with daughter.

Jessica Soho

Chef Boy Logro

Rovilson Fernandez

Winnie Monsod

Mike Enriquez and wife Baby

Mel Tiangco

Raffy Tima and Mariz Umali

PILGRIMAGE TO PHILIPPINES Date: Saturday, 10 to Saturday, 24 January 2015

Experience the Papal visit in the Philippines and make a difference.

PLACES TO VISIT:

OUR LADY OF MANAOAG, PANGASINAN - visit one of the most venerated 17th-century ivory images of the Blessed Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus in the Philippines. In 1610 a middle-aged farmer walking home heard a mysterious female voice. He saw on a cloud-veiled treetop an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, holding a Rosary in her right hand with the Child Jesus on her left arm amidst a heavenly glow. Mary told the farmer where she wanted her church to be built. The shrine of Our Lady of Manaoag was built on the spot where Mary appeared to the man and the town quickly grew around it.

MONASTERIO DE TARLAC - is where the Relic of the Holy Cross can be found. The relic authenticated by a Papal seal is believed to be part of the cross discovered by Saint Helena in Jerusalem, the mother of Emperor Constantine the Great. It was believed that Saint Helena excavated three crosses in Jerusalem which were believed to be the crosses used during the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. She brought a woman who was about to die and asked her to touch the first two crosses but nothing happened. When the third cross was touched, the dying woman was healed.

NATIONAL SHRINE OF THE DIVINE MERCY - is a church dedicated to the Divine Mercy in Marilao, Bulacan, Philippines. It was elevated to the status of National Shrine by Cardinal Orlando Quevedo of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines. The first Mass was held at the site on February 2, 1992, the Feast of the Presentation.

OUR LADY, MARY MEDIATRIX OF ALL GRACE - The Marian apparition in 1948, shower of petals, other miraculous events associated with this church, and the over all feeling of serenity make anyone seeking spiritual refuge to visit Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Lipa, Batangas. According to accounts of the apparition, Mama Mary showed herself to Teresita Castillo, a nun, telling that she is the "Mediatrix of All Grace". "On September 12, 1948 in this Carmel of Lipa, Mary Mediatrix of All Grace appeared on top of a vine.

OUR LADY OF PEACE AND GOOD VOYAGE, ANTIPOLO - is a 17th-century brown wooden statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary venerated in the Philippines. The image was originally brought to the country from Mexico and the safe voyage across the Pacific Ocean was attributed to the image.

SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF ASSUMPTION, BOHOL - is an 18th-century church dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption. The image of the Blessed Virgin Mary is famed to be miraculous. Pilgrims from afar hike the distance from their city to the site to invoke special petitions or mainly to honor the Patroness. In addition, at the foot of the altar of the church is a well also believed to have healing power. The water tastes oddly fresh, despite the well's proximity to the seashore.

LOBOC RIVER CRUISE, BOHOL – Enjoy the river cruise along nipa-lined river on board a native catamaran while lunch is served on board. See historic BLOOD COMPACT SHRINE, a historical landmark commemorating the First Treaty of Friendship between the east and the west. Visit the centuries old Baclayon Church and Museum, built in 1595. Be amazed with the perfect landscape of the CHOCOLATE HILLS, BOHOL.Experience the lush of the MAHOGANY MAN MADE FOREST and the green farmlands in Bilar and Batuan. See the famous TARSIER, one of the worlds smallest primates with its gentle demeanor and large bulbous eyes. Visit the NIPA WEAVING AND KNIFE MAKING FACTORY, Bohol. Enjoy the ORGANIC GOURMET LUNCH at the Bee Farm Restaurant during the tour.

STO. NINO DE CEBU (Holy Child of Cebu) - is venerated by many Filipino Catholics who believe it to be miraculous. The statue was originally given in 1521 as a baptismal gift

by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, who physically handed it to Lady Humamay, the principal wife of Rajah Humabon. This event marks the beginning of Christianity in the Philippines. Enjoy the whole day SINULOG FESTIVAL SHOW (included in the price)!

CEBU CITY - the trading center of Southeast Asia in the 13th century. Discovered by Ferdinand Magellan on April 8,1521. Rich in pre-Hispanic relics, antiques, and artifacts that have been found in different parts of the island. It is the country's Second City after Manila and a favorite tourist destination. Catch the glimpse of rural life in livelihood activities like SHOEMAKING, DELICACY COOKING, WOODCARVING and BASKET WEAVING. Experience the CARABAO RIDE (water buffalo ride), a TRICYCLE SPIN to a colorful market, LEARN HOW TO WEAVE A BAMBOO BASKET, and get the thrill from DRINKING FRESH COCONUT WINE.

MANILA CITY TOUR - Immerse yourself in the Philippines' rich cultural past through Manila's diverse museums. From the Old Walled City of Intramuros to the Financial District of Makati, this tour is a well-rounded glimpse of the country.

Trace the past with a visit to the MALACANANG PALACE, the CULTURAL CENTER OF THE PHILIPPINES, the RIZAL PARK and SAN AGUSTIN CHURCH (UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993).

Get on board to a SUNSET DINNER CRUISE along MANILA BAY. Admire the MANILA CITY SKYLINE while FEASTING ON TRADITIONAL PHILIPPINE CUISINE. Enjoy the lights of Roxas Boulevard and Evening Live Performance on Board from the famous local band in the City of Manila.

BENEFICIARIES OF THE PILGRIMAGE:

PEDIATRIC CANCER PATIENTS OF NATIONAL CHILDRENS' HOSPITAL – Indigent children undergoing chemotherapy treatment.

BETHANY HOUSE STO NINO ORPHANAGE – founded in 1986 by Bishop Almario and entrusted to Dominican Sisters of St. Joseph.

BAHAY PAG IBIG – Home for Senior citizens forgotten by their families and their own children. Home of the abandoned, poor and the sick.

ERDA TECHNICAL VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL IN PANDACAN, MANILA - is a free school for deserving students. It is managed by Fr. Ari Dy,SJ.

EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS IN BOHOL CARMELITE SISTERS OF LIPA RETIRED JESUIT PRIESTS OF LOYOLA HOUSE OF STUDIES, ATENEO. RESERVATION AND PAYMENT: PRICE: £1900 includes return air ticket and tour package to Philippines. Entrances to some places included in the price. Pick up transport, ferry transfer and all coaching arrange in every destinations plus assistance from Tour Operator based in London and English speaking guide throughout our tour. Our group will stay in comfortable hotels with basic ensuite room facilities on a half board basis. Extra to your tour: Single room supplement and Travel insurance required per passenger.

PAYMENT: £500 required deposit. Baggage allowance is 30 kilos per passenger and flights can be extend prior to issuance of airline ticket per arrangment with our travel agency partner based in London. NB: Please note we reserve the right to alter the above itinerary if required for operational reasons. Deposits and Flights are non refundable.

The Community Prayer Crusade – West London is a nonprofit organization with no budget. Only reservation with deposit considered confirmed. Any friends, please contact Betilda on 07919380513 or Merla on 07939684558 or Mario on 07818021874.Thank you and God Bless.

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PHILIPPINE EMBASSY AROUND THE WORLD

December 2014 – No. 23 • UK & Europe Edition

Secretary Del Rosario is “Map Management Man of the Year 2014” THE Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) conferred on Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario the “MAP Management Man of the Year 2014” in an awarding ceremony held on November 24 at The Peninsula Manila.

MAP conferred the prestigious award on the Secretary for raising the standards of economic diplomacy; for enhancing the country’s bilateral partnerships; for transforming the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) into a strong, professional, and highly competent organization; for restoring morale in the DFA by limiting the number of political appointees and recognizing merit in the career advancement process for foreign service personnel; for rationalizing Philippine presence overseas; and for proactively ensuring the safety and security of overseas Filipinos around the world.

MAP likewise cited Secretary Del Rosario’s “contribution to re-shaping

national values by setting an example that Filipino professional managers can emulate through his track record of integrity, professional competence, and strong leadership in his management career in both public and private sectors.”

In his acceptance speech, Secretary Del Rosario said that he was truly honored to receive the award and that he was “particularly pleased with it because it has given the DFA the recognition that it warrants.”

The Secretary then expressed appreciation to the MAP, to the members of the diplomatic corps, and to Mr. Manuel V. Pangilinan, who nominated him for the award. Under MAP’s rules, only MAP members are eligible to submit nominations.

Secretary Del Rosario also conveyed his deep gratitude to President Benigno S. Aquino III “for his guidance, his trust and his confidence.”

By the end of his speech, Secretary Del Rosario noted that “The bottom

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario receives the “MAP Management Man of the Year 2014” award from MAP President Gregorio S. Navarro (2nd from left).

They are joined onstage by MAP Management Man of the Year Judging Committee Chair Edgar O. Chua (rightmost) and Vice-Chair Felino Palafox, Jr. (leftmost).

line is that our foreign policy will evolve. It will continue to evolve. It will be defined by our national government and, at the same time, by the everchanging environment internationally.”

“And how do we posture the DFA? At all times, we are trying to be smarter. We are trying to be leaner. We are trying to be more innovative,”the

Secretary del Rosario delivers his acceptance speech during the awarding ceremony on November 24, 2014 at The Peninsula Manila.

Secretary concluded.

The Management Association of the Philippines is the country’s premier management organization whose members represent a cross-section of CEOs, COOs and other top management practitioners from the largest local and multinational companies operating in the Philippines. MAP also counts

top management educators and some government officials as its members. It promotes management excellence and continues to serve as a dynamic partner of business, government and civil society. For 2014, its theme is “MAPping a Future of Inclusive Growth with Good Governance.” ■ Philippine Embassy Philippines / November 25, 2014

PHL Consul General Extols Filipino Youth Role in Italy

The Philippine Consul General Marichu Mauro and the Filipino youth from Brescia, Torino, Cueo and Milan gather for Youth Leadership and Development workshop held in Brescia in the Italian region of Veneto.

THE vital role of the Filipino youth in strengthening relations between the Philippines and Italy was cited by Philippine Consul General Marichu Mauro when she graced the graduation ceremony of the workshop organized by the Council of Youth Leadership and Development in Brescia in the Veneto Region of Italy on November 24.

In her inspirational talk, Consul General Mauro reminded the

Filipino youth of their culture and traditions and urged them to always look back and be proud of their origin and heritage while growing up and molding their lives in Italy.

“As future leaders of Philippine and Italian societies, you have a vital role in making an impact in your communities,” remarked Consul General Mauro. She also encouraged them to harness their talents and skills in order to improve their lives, and to

be responsible and independent while growing up in a foreign land.

Around 70 Filipino youth attended the seminar/workshop held at AC Hotel in Brescia. An open forum with Filipino community leaders was also conducted to address various concerns of the community. There are more than 3,000 Filipinos in the area.

Filipinos were encouraged to register for the 2016 national elections. ■ Philippine Embassy Philippines / November 26, 2014

PHL Joins Global Meeting on Nutrition THE Philippines expressed solidarity with the rest of the world to find sustainable solutions to malnutrition at the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2) held from November 19 to 21 in Rome, Italy.

Jointly organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), in cooperation with the High Level Task Force on the Global Food Security Crisis (HLTF), International Fund for Agricultural Development, International Food Policy Research Institute, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, United Nations Children’s Fund, World Bank, World Food Programme, and the World Trade Organization, ICN2 brought together national policymakers from agriculture, health and other relevant ministries and agencies from approximately 170 countries, including the Philippines.

Key messages were delivered by His Holiness Pope Francis, Queen Letizia of Spain, UN SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-Moon, Italian Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Paolo

Gentiloni, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan and FAO-UN DirectorGeneral José Graziano da Silva, among others. Also present at ICN2 were leaders of UN agencies, other inter-governmental organizations and members of civil society.

The Philippine delegation to ICN2 was headed by Department of Health (DOH) Assistant Secretary and National Nutrition Council (NCC) Executive Director Maria-Bernardita T. Flores and composed of Ms. Maria Lourdes A. Vega, NCC Nutrition Policy and Planning Chief; Dr. Anthony Calibo, DOH Medical Specialist; Director Carlos Magnaye of Department of Agriculture (DA) Planning Service; Philippine Permanent Mission to the UN and other International Organizations in Geneva Second Secretary Arnel Talisayon; and officials of the Philippine Embassy in Rome.

With the theme, “Better Nutrition, Better Lives,” the high-level intergovernmental conference took stock of the progress made since ICN1 in 1992.

Also discussed were ways to move the agenda forward of improving nutrition through a new policy framework in response to the complex challenges posed by changes in the global economy,

food systems and developments in science and technology.

The Philippines committed to live up to the 2014 Rome Declaration on Nutrition and adapt the appropriate recommendations of the Framework for Action, ICN2’s two (2) main outcome documents. Like other countries, the Philippines is experiencing the double burden of malnutrition and high maternal and child mortality.

There is greater challenge for the Philippines as it is among the countries vulnerable to the effects of disasters and climate change. A year since the country was hit by Super Typhoon Haiyan, the Philippine Government continues efforts to rehabilitate and build back better, faster and safer communities. With this experience, the health and nutrition of those affected by disasters remain a key goal as those affected by disasters are among the nutritionally vulnerable, specifically, women, infants and young children.

The Philippines thanked the international community as the country strengthens the engagement of international and national stakeholders on disaster risk reduction and management. ■ Philippine Embassy Philippines /

November 27, 2014

The head of the Philippine delegation, Department of Health (DOH) Assistant Secretary and National Nutrition Council (NCC) Executive Director Maria-Bernardita T. Flores, delivers the country statement.

Philippine delegation at the roundtable discussions.

Philippine delegation to the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2), including Chargé d’affaires Leila C. Lora-Santos (5th from left), and DOH Assistant Secretary Flores.

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PHILIPPINE EMBASSY AROUND THE WORLD

December 2014 – No. 23 • UK & Europe Edition

Secretary Del Rosario Lauds Japan’s 60 Years of Development Assistance, Pushes for Future Development Cooperation Agenda on Governance, Peace-Building, and Disaster Resilience for the Philippines FOREIGN Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario said on November 17 that the Philippines and Japan, as strategic partners and close friends, “should continue to pursue an inclusive growth agenda that effectively put our peoples at the center of development.”

Speaking at a Symposium commemorating the 60th anniversary of Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) programs in Tokyo, Secretary Del Rosario thanked Japan for six decades of steadfast support and contribution to the Philippines’ development efforts, as a “genuine development partner” of the Philippines.

The Secretary called for a re-focus of Japanese ODA on strengthening institutions and governance and building disaster resilient communities. For Japan’s ODA program to effectively craft a peoplecentered development response to emerging global challenges, grant programs should concentrate on innovation, science and technology, and human capital development to increase the skills, knowledge, and productivity of Filipinos. For the next 60 years, he urged Japan to continue its adherence towards “self-help” and “country ownership” and to keep up its efforts in fighting poverty, even in middle-income countries.

For countries such as the Philippines, Secretary Del Rosario stressed that ODA can be used to upgrade and modernize public institutions and the entire civil service through institutional capacity-building so as to make them attuned to 21st century governance. “Indeed, the program benefits become substantial when strong institutions exist to implement ODA projects. We therefore welcome more innovative program partnerships with the Japanese Government

that will ensure the irreversibility of our reform agenda,” the Secretary remarked during the Symposium attended by over 500 participants at the Lino Hall in Tokyo.

Secretary Del Rosario invited Japan to invest in innovation and human capital development because this strategy becomes an imperative as the Philippines enters its so-called demographic sweet spot in 2015, when majority of its population, with a median age of 22 years, enters the workforce. In this connection, he said that more grant programs that focus on Science and Technology education must be promoted.

On peacebuilding, particularly in Mindanao, Secretary Del Rosario said the Japan-Bangsamoro Initiative for Reconstruction and Development (J-BIRD) advanced the Mindanao peace process by directly addressing poverty challenges and development gaps in Southern Philippines.

“To ensure that we continue to generate peace dividends, we welcome Japan’s recent initiatives under the Comprehensive Capacity Development Project for the Bangsamoro,” he added.

At the panel discussion following his remarks, the Secretary pointed out that Japan has greatly contributed to peace and development and thus for the next decades the ODA “should concentrate on training new, young, and morally upright leaders for peace-building and development, particularly in Mindanao under the proposed Bangsamoro Political Entity.” He added that given the challenge of mega disasters as the new normal, the need to have a disaster resilient country must be acknowledged and “to this end, there is therefore the need to embed disaster resilient financing as an element in ODA.” Japan celebrates this year the 60th

anniversary of its ODA initiated by its accession to the Colombo Plan in 1954. Under the theme; “Growth and Poverty Reduction: The Role of Japan’s ODA,” the Symposium provided the opportunities to look back 60 years of Japan’s cooperation and examine its fruits and values, as well as to discuss the role of Japan’s international cooperation in the new era.

Japan is the Philippines’ foremost bilateral development partner. As of June 2014, Japan has provided US$3.63 billion worth of ODA representing the largest share (28.6 percent) of the Philippines’ total ODA portfolio. Japanese ODA has directly contributed to Philippines’ development efforts across a wide range of priority areas, including irrigation, flood control, education, health care, earthquake detection, rural road network construction and improvement, water supply, and livelihood programs. In the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda, Japan was among the first to provide emergency assistance to the Philippines, continues to play a major role in the reconstruction effort through the Yolanda Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Plan.

Secretary Del Rosario visited Tokyo from November 16 to 17 as guest of the Japanese Government for the 60th anniversary celebration of Japan’s ODA. He spoke on the subject “History of Development and Challenges of the Philippines: How Did Japan’s ODA Affect the Growth of the Philippines?”

The other invited speakers were Dr. Akihiko Tanaka, President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA); Mr. Michael Kamau, Cabinet Secretary of Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Kenya, and Dr. John Page, Senior Fellow, Global Economy and Development, the Brookings Institution.

Before attending the symposium the Secretary joined Philippine Ambassador to Japan and Madame Manuel M. Lopez and the entire Embassy personnel for the Monday flag-raising ceremony and informal meeting.

The Secretary’s remarks is quoted in full below: HON. ALBERT F. DEL ROSARIO SECRETARY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PANEL DISCUSSION: “60 YEARS OF JAPAN ODA AND ITS FUTURE” “HOW DID JAPAN’S ODA AFFECT THE GROWTH OF THE PHILIPPINES” 17 NOVEMBER 2014 (MONDAY), 2:00-2:55 P.M. IINO HALL, CHIYODA-KU TOKYO PHILIPPINES-JAPAN DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP: INVESTMENTS IN GOVERNANCE AND INNOVATION FOR INCLUSIVE GROWTH

Introduction. JICA President Akihiko Tanaka, Hon. Michael S. M. Kamau, Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, Kenya (Ministerial-level Representative for Africa), Mr. John Page, Brookings Institution as Senior Intellectual on Dev’t Cooperation, Our Ambassador to Japan Manuel Lopez and colleagues from the Philippines, Government, Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and JICA, Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for the kind invitation and wonderful introduction.

The partnership between the Philippines and Japan is at its best. It is comprehensive, modern and strategic.

A Strategic Partnership. This Strategic Partnership permeates all aspects of our strong bilateral relations. It is underpinned by our shared values of democracy, respect for human rights, liberal market principles, and adherence to the rule of law.

Our deep engagements in politicalsecurity matters and people-to-people exchanges are fully echoed in our economic ties, which are robust and dynamic. Japan is the Philippines’ only bilateral free trade partner through the Philippines-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement of 2006.

This has made Japan the Philippines’ top trading partner in the last four years, and the third largest source of both foreign direct investments and tourist arrivals.

ODA as Tool for Development.

This vibrant economic relationship is complemented by enduring development cooperation. Japan is consistently the Philippines’ number one bilateral ODA partner. I take this opportunity to convey that we are deeply grateful for Japan’s steadfast support for over six decades.

Japanese ODA has directly contributed to the Philippines’ development efforts across a wide range of priority areas, including maritime cooperation, peacebuilding, governance, education, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture, livelihood programs, and youth leadership training programs.

As the Philippine government continues to pursue inclusive growth, ODA has become instrumental in filling the financing gap for development and poverty reduction that has beset the Philippines and many other developing countries.

ODA, Japanese Style. Japan has always

played a significant role in the Philippines’ development story. It is the quality of Japan’s assistance to the Philippines that truly sets it apart from other development partners.

Our experience with Japan’s ODA program is that it genuinely takes into account domestic development priorities, tailor-fitting its development framework to the beneficiary’s capacity and potential.

This is consistent with Japan’s pragmatic philosophy and approach to development assistance, known as the twin principles of “self-help” and “country ownership” under Japan’s ODA Charter.

Japan’s adherence to these principles over the years and its continued commitment to supporting its beneficiaries’ own domestic development efforts cemented its reputation as a responsible ODA provider and a genuine development partner.

Sustaining Growth of Developing Countries. ODA programs, to be truly responsive and meaningful, must take into account relevant factors that profoundly impact not only on a country’s pace of growth and development, but also on the well-being of an individual or a community.

The harmful effects of climate change, for example, threaten to cause major disruptions in ongoing measures to raise productivity and enhance growth in typhoon-prone areas.

The Philippines deeply appreciates Japan’s assistance in combating the effects of natural disasters and climate change. Japan was among the first to provide emergency assistance to the Philippines in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda almost a year ago. Aside from its generous humanitarian assistance, Japan continues to provide support under the Yolanda Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Plan which aims to ‘build back better’ climate and disasterresilient communities. We are completing our study on the best practices on the Haiyan experience and we will be happy to share it during the forthcoming 3rd World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) in Sendai, Japan in March 2015.

Urban decay worsens urban poverty, and the lack of adequate infrastructure has a limiting effect on the opportunities that can free families from the shackles of poverty.

Most recently, Japan has assisted the Philippines in formulating a Transportation Roadmap for the Sustainable Development of Metro Manila. This comprehensive plan will benefit not only the general riding public but will also have positive “spill over effects” for economic sectors such as tourism, agriculture, trade and industry through more efficient transportation and the development of new townships.

Investing in Governance Reforms. For countries such as the Philippines, ODA can be used to upgrade and modernize public institutions and the entire civil service through institutional capacity building.

ODA can also be utilized to help the government rationalize and streamline its operations to make its processes more effective and efficient, attuned to 21st century governance. Indeed, the program benefits become substantial when strong institutions exist to implement ODA

Continue to page 36

MEDIA PARTNER

Lies Love THE award-winning New York production of David Byrne and Fatboy Slim’s musical HERE LIES LOVE will open the new Dorfman Theatre (formerly the Cottesloe), following its complete refurbishment as part of the NT Future project. HERE LIES LOVE plays from 30 September to 8 January, with a press night on 13 October. With concept and lyrics by David Byrne, music

by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, and additional music by Tom Gandey and J Pardo; it is directed by Alex Timbers, with choreography by Annie-B Parson, set design by David Korins, costume design by Clint Ramos, lighting by Justin Townsend, sound by M. L. Dogg and Cody Spencer, and projection design by Peter Nigrini. The music supervisor is Kimberly Grigsby; Justin Levine is the collaborating music producer, and the music editor is Matt Stine. The cast is Christine Allado, Gia Macuja Atchison, Mark Bautista (Ferdinand Marcos), Lauren Chia, Christopher Chung, Julius Ebreo, Jim Andrew Ferrer, Li-Tong Hsu, Dean John-Wilson (Ninoy Aquino), Maria Lawson, Kok-Hwa Lie, Frances Mayli McCann, Natalie Mendoza (Imelda Marcos), Aaron Jan Mercado, Martin Sarreal, Julie Yammanee and Sunny Yeo. The Public Theater’s production of HERE LIES LOVE, which premiered in New York in 2013 to critical and popular acclaim, traces the astonishing journey of Imelda Marcos, First Lady of

the Philippines, from her meteoric rise to power to descent into infamy and disgrace. The new Dorfman Theatre is transformed into a pulsating club for an immersive theatrical event which combines heart-pounding beats with adrenaline-fuelled choreography and 360-degree staging.

Audiences are advised to dress comfortably and those in the pit performance area will stand and dance with the actors. There will be seating in the galleries; the performance length is 90 minutes. In addition to places bookable in advance, 20 tickets at £20 in the pit will be made available every Friday at 12 midday for the week ahead for every performance, bookable online.

David Byrne is a founding member of the band Talking Heads and creator of the record label Luaka Pop. His works include Playing the Building, an interactive sound installation at the Battery Maritime Building, New York and the Roundhouse in London; contributions to the score of The Last Emperor, for which he won an Oscar; Everything That Happens Will Happen Today, a collaboration with Brian Eno; This Must be the Place, a collaboration with Will Oldham for the soundtrack to the Sean Penn film; and Love This Giant, his collaboration with musician St. Vincent. David Byrne’s books include Bicycle Diaries and How Music Works; he also publishes and exhibits visual art, including photography and filmmaking.

Dorfman Theatre playing until 8 January 2015.

Previews from 30 September 2014.

Fatboy Slim, also known as Norman Cook, is a Grammy Award-winning DJ, musician and record producer. He first rose to prominence in the 1980s as bassist of the indie rock band The Housemartins, and went on to form the band, Beats International. In 1996, as Fatboy Slim, he released Better Living Through Chemistry, and his followup successes include You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby and Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars. In 2008 he collaborated with David Byrne and Dizzee Rascal on The Brighton Port Authority.

Alex Timbers’ credits include Rocky, Peter and the Starcatcher (codirector, Obie Award Best Director, Tony nomination Best Director), Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (also book writer; Drama Desk Award Best Book, Tony nomination Best Book), and The Pee-wee Herman Show on Broadway.

He is the Artistic Director of the company Les Freres Corbusier. ■ HERE LIES LOVE is presented by special arrangement with Joey Parnes and EMURSIVE. The original cast recording of HERE LIES LOVE from Nonesuch records is now available to buy.

The Dorfman Partner: Neptune Investment Management The National Theatre’s Airline Partner: American Airlines Press night: Monday 13 October at 7pm Contact: Susie Newbery on 020 7452 3061/snewbery@nationaltheatre.org.uk

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PHILIPPINE EMBASSY AROUND THE WORLD

December 2014 – No. 23 • UK & Europe Edition

Secretary Del Rosario Lauds Japan’s 60 Years of Development Assistance...

Continuation from page 34 projects. We therefore welcome more innovative program partnerships with the Japanese Government that will ensure the irreversibility of our reform agenda.

Investing in Innovation and Human Capital Development. Human capital development through assistance in education and training, especially in science and technology, fosters the needed innovation and creativity to increase the skills, knowledge, and productivity of Filipino workers and the new labor entrants.

This strategy becomes an imperative as the Philippines enters its so-called demographic sweet spot in 2015, when majority of its population, with a median age of 22 years, enters the workforce.

Grant programs, therefore, that focus on Science and Technology education must be promoted.

Perhaps it is high time to consider a comprehensive agreement on Science and Technology that considers ODA as one of the funding mechanisms.

Separately, vocational-technical or VocTech training programs for new entrants and for skills upgrade should be further considered as part of our cooperative activities under our human capital development.

We hope to improve our competitiveness by building a more productive and creative workforce. For this purpose, we will request more cooperation with Japan in R&D investments.

For instance, one way to do this is to pursue an exponential increase in scholarship grants in science and technology and in engineering.

The Changing Face of Poverty. In addition to investing in human capital development, ODA must also respond to the changing face of poverty. We now find, fourteen years after the Millennium Development Goals were launched, that poverty has become almost an intractable development issue in the age of globalization.

I therefore commend Japan’s many contributions to MDGs, including its Global Health Diplomacy, which provides access to health care services to marginalized communities.

Despite tremendous economic gains that have been made in many countries due to globalization, it is evident that poverty remains an intractable problem.

The scourge of poverty afflicts millions, not only in poor countries, but also in middle income and higher growth economies.

On top of this, poverty is exacerbated by the increased severity of climate changeinduced disasters.

I believe, therefore, that ODA must continue to target poverty alleviation as an effective means for addressing social inequality and promoting sustainable development.

ODA and Peace-Building. Through vital initiatives such as the JapanBangsamoro Initiative for Reconstruction and Development or J-BIRD, Japan has

done its part in advancing the Mindanao peace process by directly addressing poverty challenges and development gaps in Southern Philippines To ensure that we continue to generate peace dividends, we welcome Japan’s recent initiatives under the Comprehensive Capacity Development Project for the Bangsamoro.

These initiatives support the Bangsamoro Development Plan, a six-year roadmap, from 2014 to 2019, that provides a short-, mediumand long-term vision and strategy for the development of the Bangsamoro region.

We thank Japan and our other development partners for strongly supporting this plan.

Conclusion. Ladies and Gentlemen,

Throughout its 60-year history, Japan’s official development assistance continues to help build and transform nations. Japanese ODA has contributed, in one way or another, to the development of nearly every Asian nation, including the Philippines.

As the most dynamic region, Asia’s dramatic reduction of poverty incidence in such a short span of time, and the growing prosperity of Japan’s many development partners such as the Philippines are proofpositive to Japan’s enduring commitment to Asia’s continued growth and development.

But Japan’s ODA must continually adapt to the changing needs of the times.

At this juncture, let me reiterate: that

the quality of Japan’s assistance to the Philippines truly sets it apart from other development partners.

As Strategic Partners and close friends, Japan and the Philippines should continue to pursue an inclusive growth agenda that effectively put our peoples at the center of development.

Ladies and Gentlemen, The future of the Philippines-Japan partnership, 60 years and beyond is full of infinite, promising possibilities. From these possibilities, let us prioritize what is best for our peoples and our shared future.

Thank you very much. ■ Philippine Embassy Philippines / November 18, 2014

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December 2014 – No. 23 • UK & Europe Edition

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37

PINOY DIASPORA 3RD OF THREE Filipinos at the forefront of transformation of global society enterprise. The Filipino owner, employees, and clientele “return home” every time they are within the confines of the Filipino business. The Filipino firm in other countries therefore functions more than the source of livelihood for the Filipino immigrant owners and more than just a source of products and services for the Filipino immigrant buyers.

Even as the Philippine economy sustains its stellar growth there will be Filipinos who will choose to continue living abroad. They will be “pulled”, meaning they choose the benefits of living overseas over the attractions of life in the Philippines. This is in contrast to the present mostly “push” factor where many Filipinos are forced to look for jobs abroad due to the still unproven sustainability of the country’s economic progress.

Finally, if the immigrant cannot or do not desire to return home physically then he/she sponsors other family members that will result in chain migration. After all, the essence really of home is family.

Over time, other relatives are sponsored and come over that builds up the family and the clan. The immigrant is “home.”

The age of hyphenated identities and hybridity. With the process of immigration, entire communities become deeply engaged, adapt, and gradually identify with their host society while also influencing its culture and

trajectory. The advent of globalization and large-scale immigration has accelerated the rise of multiculturalism and increasingly common hyphenated identities.

Filipinos immigrants identify themselves as Filipino-Australians, Filipino-Americans, and FilipinoCanadians which happens also to other immigrant groups. It’s an indicator of the diversity and size of the genetic pool of the Filipino diaspora that building up national sports teams such as the Azkals and Gilas can attract promising mixed-blood Filipino athletes from the Americas, Europe, Australia, and Africa.

Filipinos all over the world share a common cultural heritage, myths and memories of the homeland and become, in the term used by Benedict Anderson as an “imagined community”. For the most part, hyphenated identities reflect the choice of people in self-identification as they settle in the immigrant society.

Hyphenated identities can also be identities in transition from a very long term point of view. Thus, “BritishAmerican” eventually simply became “American.”

The diffusion of culture from the cultural hearths had been generally a very gradual process over centuries and millennia. The main distinguishing feature of the current era is the rapid convergence of cultures and consequent hybridity due to the compression of space

and time from technological advances and the hegemony of global capitalism.

Multicultural practices are becoming common in the Age of Globalization wearing western clothes, eating Chinese and Japanese food, watching Bollywood movies, listening to K Pop and increasing multi-lingual capabilities which are all trends of the last few decades. There is likewise a gradual shift from the US- and Euro-centric models of the production of knowledge that is spawning a plurality of perspectives. Other than activism it will be the widespread multicultural practices which will empower humanity to eradicate the vestiges of racial and gender discrimination.

Nations, whose essence is really the sense of oneness of a people will even more transcend political boundaries due to immigration and sustained modern linkages. Some regions progress faster on this road than others because of geographic and political factors. After

millennia of conflict, the geographic compactness of Europe and the formation of the EU are giving rise to a Pan European identity. Yet proponents of Europeanism and globalism are also confounded by the resurgence of nationalism.

So are hyphenated and more inclusive identities the wave of the future? There is no inevitability or a predetermined linear path to history. The Fall of the Berlin Wall does not mean the “end of history” as political scientist Francis Fukuyama once boldly predicted. The world is in a state of flux especially at this critical juncture. Economic integration and assertive nationalism are occurring simultaneously. What is certain is that we are in a new era of migration which will profoundly shape global society for generations to come and Filipinos are at the forefront of this transformation.

■ Cesar Polvorosa Jr. / InterAksyon.com / November 26,

2014 / 4:55 PM

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ORIGINAL CREATION & COPYRIGHT RESERVED BY © HELLO PHILIPPINES 2014

EDITOR’S note: Cesar Polvorosa Jr. is a business school professor of economics, world geography, and international business in Canada and a published writer in economics, business, and literature.

Some sections are revised excerpts from his chapter in the book “Filipinos in Canada” published by the University of Toronto Press (2012). This is the third of three installments. The first article came out 19 November 2014. The second part came out 23 November 2014.

Professor Yen Le Espiritu of UC San Diego in “Homebound: Filipino American Lives…” noted that the immigrant is forever “homebound”, which does not necessarily mean a physical return to the homeland but also as the lived experiences of imaginations of finding home. The business venture becomes a means to achieve this objective, despite issues about dynamism and potential for growth.

As the Philippine economy strengthens there will be Filipinos returning home for good that may reverse the brain drain, bring capital and management innovations, new ideas, rich cultural experiences and technologies that can potentially accelerate Philippine progress.

On the other hand, immigrants can and do “return home” not only literally but also in figurative senses.

The imagination of the homeland is expressed spatially in the Filipino

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December 2014 – No. 23 • UK & Europe Edition

BOXING

Pacquiao victory stokes anticipation for new biopic WITH his third consecutive win following two straight losses in 2011 and 2012, world boxing champ Manny Pacquiao is once again on top of the boxing world after thrashing Chris Algieri in Macau on Sunday.

Not only has he further boosted his legend as a world-class athlete, Pacquiao’s celebrity status is also back at an all-time high. Now that he is due for another hero’s welcome when he returns home, fans are anticipating a new big screen biopic on the fighter fondly referred to here as the “Pambansang Kamao”.

Unlike Joel Lamangan’s “Pacquiao The Movie” in 2006 which focused more on the boxer’s early career and family life, Paul Soriano’s “Kid Kulafu” is, according to the director, “a prequel to his championship career”.

“It starts out with Mommy Dionisia giving birth to Manny and then it shows the mountain life of Manny as a young boy and leads into Manny going into boxing,” Soriano revealed in a recent interview with InterAksyon.

“I want to show the Filipinos and the entire world how this world champion grew up and how he was faced with

FOOTBALL

every challenge in the book. He was homeless, came from a broken family, no food, no education. But because of his determination and his passion, he became the best boxer in the world.”

Soriano, who directed the awardwinning 2011 track and field drama “Thelma” and produced the celebrated 2013 Cinemalaya film “Transit”, became close to Pacquiao after directing him in several TV commercials. He first pitched the project to the boxer-congressman around four years ago.

“I said, ‘Manny, let’s do another film about your life’ and I remember him saying, ‘Na naman? Film na naman?’. I said, ‘Iba ito, it’s about your childhood’ and he became like a child right then and there. After that commercial shoot, I remember we ended up talking up to 4 in the morning about his childhood alone.

It was just cinematic,” the filmmaker recalled.

Soriano then spent the next three years going in and out of Pacquiao’s hometown in General Santos City as he researched and developed the script. He conducted interviews with Pacquiao, his now equally famous mother Dionisia, his

estranged father Rosalio, his brothers and sisters, and other people close to the boxer.

In casting the film, Soriano went with former child actor Buboy Villar to play the young Pacquiao. Villar, who was sensational in Derick Cabrido’s Cinemalaya feature “Children’s Show”, trained four to six weeks prior to filming to get into that boxing shape.

For the role of the young Mommy Dionisia, Soriano cast the gregarious indie favorite Alessandra de Rossi, whom he described as “a fantastic actress”.

“We also have Cesar Montano as Sardo, Dionisia’s cousin who was the first trainer of Manny in his career, Alex Medina as Rosalio, his father and Khalil Ramos and Joe Mari Angeles as his close friends,” the filmmaker added.

The film was shot in over 30 days during a three month period at the very places where the story happened, “in the mountains, Saranggani, General Santos City, his school there, all these places in Mindanao.”

Soriano also came up with the film’s title over the course of his work in the project. According to him, “Kid Kulafu”

Manny Pacquiao and director Paul Soriano hold a clapperboard for ‘Kid Kulafu’, a film about the childhood and early teenage years of the legendary boxing champion.

Clockwise from right: Buboy Villar as the teenage Manny Pacquiao in ‘Kid Kulafu’, Alessandra de Rossi as Dionisia Pacquiao, and Manny’s real-life, equally famous mother.

was in fact Pacquiao’s first name as an amateur boxer. Kulafu refers to Vino Kulafu, a brand of rice wine also known as “sioktong”.

“When he was a kid, Manny would collect empty bottles of Vino Kulafu and then return them to get the deposit. So that’s when everyone in his neighborhood started calling him Kid Kulafu,” he revealed.

Soriano said that’s only one of the untold stories about Pacquiao’s childhood that he wanted to depict in his film. But more than just a collection of anecdotes or trivia about the world champ, the director said his real intention in making the film is to inspire the youth with Manny’s example.

“I think the audience will get to know

Manny in a deeper level in this film. But my main objective is to encourage the youth who are so unmotivated and gives every excuse not to follow their dreams simply because they don’t have this, they don’t have that. I want to erase that ‘hanggang dito na lang ako’ mentality’.

Manny had nothing, he had beyond nothing, but because of his ‘I can do it’ attitude, his faith in God and his belief in himself, he did it, he succeeded.”

“Kid Kulafu” is currently in postproduction in Los Angeles with the help of celebrated Fil-Am Hollywood producer Dean Devlin, who struck a friendship with Soriano during the Oscar run of “Transit” last year. Soriano is hoping for an early 2015 release of the film. ■ Edwin P. Sallan / InterAksyon.com / November 24, 2014 / 11:01 AM

Azkals move up in latest FIFA World Rankings after impressive Suzuki Cup showing

©AFP

FOLLOWING its impressive start in the ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup, the Philippines climbed one spot in the latest FIFA World Rankings released on Thursday.

The Azkals rose to 128th from 127th to remain Southeast Asia’s bestranked team ahead of Vietnam (138th), Myanmar (140th), Thailand (144th), Malaysia (155th), Indonesia (157th), Singapore (158th) and Laos (159th).

The Azkals began their Suzuki Cup campaign on a high note, coming

FOOTBALL

Suzuki Cup: Vietnam coach expecting to win vs Azkals THE coach of the Vietnam national men’s football team expressed confidence about his squad’s chances against the Azkals as they renew their budding rivalry in the ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup on Friday.

“I expect a good game and to win the game,” Vietnam coach Toshiya Miura said as posted by the tournament’s official website.

Vietnam is raring to get back at the Filipinos whom beat them in the past two editions of the Suzuki Cup, including an upset in 2010 that catapulted the Azkals to popularity.

Currently in second place behind the Azkals with four points, Vietnam has a chance to take the top spot in Group A should it win over the Filipinos — a scenario which Miura prefers.

“I am not so interested about avoiding Thailand, but if we get first place we can play the second leg at home in Hanoi and that will be an advantage,” he said. “First we must

keep 100 percent concentration. There is some pressure on us but not so big pressure on Philippines.”

In order to secure the No.1 spot, Miura said he will be fielding his best squad against the Azkals, who are already assured of a seat in the

semifinals.

“First game and second game, in my opinion, I fielded the 11 best players. It is a big tournament so of course I want to bring the best player to make the semi-finals,” he said. ■ InterAksyon.com / November 28, 2014 / 1:03 AM

from behind to wallop Laos, 4-1, last Saturday. The Filipinos duplicated it with a 4-nil thrashing of Indonesia, a squad which they beat for the first time in history.

The victories assured the Azkals of a spot in the Suzuki Cup semifinals for the third straight time.

Also included in the calculation of rankings are the Azkals’ 3-nil win over Cambodia last November 14 and a victory of the same scoreline against Nepal last October 31.

The Azkals face host Vietnam on Friday to wrap up their campaign in the group stages before heading for the semifinals slated in December.

FIFA calculates every country’s ranking based on match results (a win, a loss or a draw), its importance (i.e. a friendly or a World Cup match), and the strength of the nation’s opponent ranking-wise. These points are then accumulated from the country’s past results in the previous four years. ■ InterAksyon.com / November 28, 2014 / 12:18 AM

BASKETBALL

San Miguel Beer, Alaska aim to strengthen hold of top two against Meralco, NLEX League leaders San Miguel Beermen and Alaska Aces aim to keep pace with each other as they take on separate foes in PBA Philippine Cup action Friday at SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

The Beermen face the Meralco Bolts at 7 p.m. while the Aces take on the NLEX Road Warriors at 4:15 p.m. Both matches will be aired live on TV5.

San Miguel Beer and Alaska are currently sharing first place with an identical 7-1 slate, and they are in a good position to clinch the top two spots which guarantee semifinal seats.

The Beermen are currently on a roll, winning their past four games with the latest coming at the expense of GlobalPort, 95-69, last Tuesday.

The Bolts (4-4) are seeking to climb up from seventh place to gain a twice-tobeat edge in the quarterfinals. They lost to Pureoods, 77-74, in their last outing.

Alaska is also shooting for its eighth

win as it clashes with NLEX. The Aces are looking to duplicate their 87-84 win over the GlobalPort Batang Pier last Saturday in Cagayan De Oro which helped them bounced back from suffering their first loss of the season against the Barako Bull Energy.

NLEX (3-5) is hoping to recover from its 95-93 defeat to the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters last Tuesday in a game where the Road Warriors blew a sixpoint lead in the closing seconds of the game. ■ InterAksyon.com / November 28, ©AFP

2014 /1:31 AM

Photo by Paul Ryan Tan, ©Sports5

SPORTS

December 2014 – No. 23 • UK & Europe Edition

www.hello-philippines.com

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MORE SPORTS

FIBA bans Japan from international play JAPAN have been suspended from international basketball competitions — including the Olympics — after failing to merge their two national leagues.

The International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the sport’s global governing body, issued the ban in Switzerland on Wednesday, saying the Japan Basketball Association (JBA), which oversees the game domestically, had not met its requirements.

FIBA said the JBA had failed to come up with a plan to merge the communitybased professional bj League and the National Basketball League comprising corporate-sponsored teams.

The ban from international competitions will be applied to both men’s and women’s national teams, and threatens to lock Japan out of next year’s qualifiers for the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Olympics.

“FIBA regrets that the situation has reached such a point of no return,” FIBA Secretary General Patrick Baumann said in a statement at the conclusion of a two-day executive committee meeting in Mies, near Geneva.

“However, we are convinced that after so many years of warning and struggle, and for the good of basketball in Japan, it is absolutely time to make important changes to the structures of the JBA,” he said.

FIBA had set an October 31 deadline for a reply to its requests, local media reported.

The JBA, the NBL and the bj League all issued statements separately, pledging to make efforts to address the issues raised by the FIBA. “JBA accepts the FIBA decision and will implement actions towards our organisational reform and lifting the sanctions in cooperation with FIBA,” the JBA said in a statement.

Talks over the integration of the two men’s leagues have faced difficulties because of a divide between the NBL Photo by Nuki Sabio ©FIBA Asia

which hopes to keep corporate team names and the bj League, which stresses ties with host communities, local media have reported.

The JBA had been urged by the Japanese Olympic Committee to avoid punishment at all costs, while Japan’s minister in charge of sports Hakubun Shimomura said this month the government would intervene in the issue as a mediator.

FIBA’s ban could be lifted in time for Olympic qualifiers if significant progress is made by next summer. ■ Agence France-Presse / November 27, 2014 / 12:31 PM

FOOTBALL

Photo by IBernard Testa, ©nterAksyon.com

Rizal Memorial or Philippine Stadium? Azkals manager asks fans preferred Suzuki Cup semis venue AFTER the Philippine national men’s football team booked its third straight semifinals trip in the ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup, Filipino fans are now eagerly anticipating the Azkals’ home match of the two-legged series.

But Azkals manager Dan Palami has one question: where should the team play?

The Rizal Memorial Football Stadium hosted the Azkals’ home match in the Suzuki Cup semifinals in 2012 when they battled eventual champion Singapore to a nil-nil draw.

It was the team’s first time in the tournament to play in front of home fans after being denied in 2010 due to lack of a suitable venue.

The Rizal Stadium has undergone

renovations over the years, and now sports an artificial pitch — an improvement from its natural grass field which drew flak for not always being in top condition.

The Philippine Sports Stadium is the newly constructed multi-purpose stadium owned by Iglesia Ni Cristo in Bulacan. It sits beside the sprawling Philippine Arena, and could sit up to 25,000 spectators.

The INC-built stadium hasn’t hosted a big match, and is reportedly still not yet 100 percent finished.

The Azkals won over Indonesia, 4-nil, on Tuesday to make it to the twolegged Suzuki Cup semifinals slated in December. ■ InterAksyon.com / November 25, 2014 / 9:46 PM

sport Pacquiao victory stokes anticipation for new biopic

Manny Pacquiao reprises famous line when asked about Mayweather fight BOXING

‘HE’S GOING TO FIGHT ME?’

Story on page 38

Azkals move up in latest FIFA World Rankings after impressive Suzuki Cup showing Story on page 38

Suzuki Cup-Vietnam coach expecting to win vs Azkals Story on page 38

San Miguel Beer, Alaska aim to strengthen hold of top two against Meralco, NLEX Story on page 38

FIBA bans Japan from international play Story on page 39

©AFP

AFTER his dominant victory over Chris Algieri on Sunday, Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao was again asked about the possibility of a mega-fight between him and Floyd Mayweather.

The eight-division world champion, who scored six knockdowns in the fight against Algieri, responded by reprising his famous line from a recent Foot Locker advertisement that went viral.

“He’s going to fight me?” Pacquiao said with a smile.

The Filipino fighter turned serious, though, saying that he was “ready” for the fight.

“I’m ready. I’m ready to fight next year.” ■ InterAksyon.com / November 23, 2014 / 2:27 PM