February 2014 a issue

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Celeb Scoop

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Story on page 26

Connecting Global News & Views For The Community

UK & Europe Edition

February 2014

Volume 5 - Number 3

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200 INMATES BOLT YOLANDA-DAMAGED LEYTE JAIL, PROTESTING LACK OF FOOD AND SHELTER

PALO, Leyte - Almost 200 inmates of a Philippine jail damaged

by Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) bolted the prison on Thursday, the second mass jailbreak since the storm, the jail warden said.

Police soon rounded up 147 of the 185 who escaped the jail in the storm-ravaged island of Leyte but 38 remain at large, said jail warden Merly Vertulfo.

The inmates had used a sharpened iron bar to force a guard to let them out around 4:51 a.m., said Vertulfo.

He also told InterAksyon.com

that some of the inmates used their wives and children as shields to escape.

“4:51 ng umaga ng magkaroon ng jailbreak dito. Tinutukan ‘yung guard namin at ginawang human shield yung mga asawa at anak nila para makalabas. Parang nagmartsa lang sila palabas ng gate, hindi pinuwersa yung gate (It was 4:51 a.m. when the jailbreak happened.

They threatened our guard and used their wives and children as human shields to get out. They just marched out of the gate, they didn’t force the gate),” Vertulfo said.

He said the recaptured inmates justified their escape, saying they were not getting enough food or shelter after Haiyan struck in November and ripped off much of the jail’s roof.

“They are also insisting their cases are over because the hall of judicial records was washed out,” he added.

The inmates confirmed Vertulfo’s account when they managed to relay their grievances to journalists later in the day.

“Gusto lang naming maliwanagan kung ano na ba ang

Inmates of the Leyte provincial jail air their complaints to media after a mass jailbreak on Thursday, January 30, 2014.

Photo by Lottie Salarda, ©InterAksyon.com.

status ng mga kaso namin, kasi na wash out na ‘yung (Regional Trial Court) Branch 6 at 8, lahat ng mga (case) records namin nawala na.

‘Yung hinihingi namin ay temporary dismissal lang naman para matulungan namin ‘yung pamilya namin na mapatayo kahit isang poste man lang (We just want to be clarified about the status of our cases, because Branches 6 and 8 were washed out, all our records are gone. All we are asking is temporary dismissal so we can help our families erect even just one house post)” inmate Edwin Cornejo, 33, said. “’Yung iba sa amin dito eh 10 years na. Pa’no ‘yan eh wala na kaming mga records? Pa’no kung may dumating na namang bagyo?

Maghihintay na naman ba kami ng 10 years para malaman ang estado ng kaso namin? Para na kaming sinentensyahan nu’n. ‘Yung iba nga sa amin hindi pa nagkaka-hearing eh. Pinapaasa lang kami ni warden na may pupunta dito na ‘justice on wheels.’ May pumunta nga, hindi naman pinakausap sa amin (Some of us have been here for 10 years already. What happens now since we have no more records? What if another typhoon strikes? Do we wait another 10 years to know the status of our cases? It’s like sentencing us. Some of us haven’t even had one hearing yet. The warden just

keeps promising us that a ‘justiceon-wheels’ [mobile court] will come.

One did but no one talked to us),” another inmate said.

When Yolanda struck, 588 inmates bolted the jail, which was damaged by the storm. Of these, only 393 voluntarily returned after checking on their families. The rest are still being hunted.

The detainees who returned

underwent stress debriefing and their families have also been allowed to stay nights.

Yolanda left about 8,000 dead or missing, although bodies continue to be recovered, and flattened whole towns in Leyte and nearby islands, isolating communities and leaving them short of supplies. ■ Lottie Salarda

/ InterAksyon.com / Agence France-Presse / January 30, 2014 / 7:28 PM

NBI arrests alleged ‘one-man rice cartel’ Bangayan after visit to DOJ chief

MANILA - The National Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday arrested Davidson Bangayan, who authorities claim is a “one-man rice cartel,” a few hours after he visited Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to deny the charges and offer to cooperate with the investigation into the massive rice smuggling in the country for which he is blamed.

Even De Lima professed surprise at Bangayan’s arrest, ironically for a case totally unreported to rice smuggling.

Bangayan had submitted himself to the NBI for questioning, which De Lima had suggested he do when he visited her Tuesday morning.

He had gone to De Lima to deny her statement a day before that he and David Tan, whose name cropped up during the Senate’s investigation into rice smuggling,

are one and the same person.

The Senate referred the case to the DOJ and NBI for investigation and prosecution.

However, after Bangayan was questioned, he was served a warrant of arrest issued on October 11, 2010

by Caloocan Regional Trial Court Branch 126 on a charge of violating Republic Act 7832 or the AntiElectricity and Electric Transmission Lines/Material Pilferage Act of 1994.

The law pertains to the theft of power cables or of electricity through illegal connections.

De Lima said she was informed by the NBI of the development after Bangyan was arrested.

When asked earlier whether Bangayan could be arrested the alleged rice smuggling, De Lima had said there was no basis to do Continue to page 4

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BUSINESS & FINANCE

BSP tries to calm markets as PH stocks, peso dive after Fed cuts stimulus again MANILA - The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) moved to assuage markets after Philippine share prices dove following the US Federal Reserve’s decision last night to further taper its economic stimulus.

At the Philippine Stock Exchange, the benchmark index dove at the start of trading, and ended the day 28.65 points or 0.47 percent lower at 6,041.19. Except for the marginal gain of the property counter, most counters were in the red with the mining and oil suffering the biggest losses at 1.28 percent.

There were two advancers for every decliner, while 42 issues were unchanged.

Value turnover improved to P8.85 billion as 1.44 billion stocks changed hands. Most actively traded stocks were SM Prime, PLDT, Metrobank, Del Monte Pacific and BPI. The biggest gainers were Paxys, Millennium Global and Prime Orion, while the top losers were Chemphil, Roxas & Co and Megaworld warrants.

The Fed on Wednesday decided to trim its bond purchases by another $10 billion as it stuck to a plan to wind down its economic

stimulus despite recent turmoil in emerging markets. The action was widely expected, although some investors had speculated that the U.S. central bank might put its plans on hold given the jitters overseas.

The Fed put in place its most aggressive quantitative easing (QE) program in 2008 when the US economy was suffering from the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. The stimulus has pushed global asset prices, particularly stock markets to record levels in recent years.

Keep eyes on fundamental story. “The Fed’s move, which was widely expected, helps to take out one element of uncertainty in the markets,” BSP Governor Amando M. Tetangco Jr. said.

“When the dust settles, we hope the markets would distinguish among emerging market economies which have weak current accounts, and those that have strong fundamentals such as the Philippines,” he said.

Tetangco said domestic market participants would be well-served if they continue to keep their eyes on the

fundamental story of the country.

The BSP chief’s statement came several minutes ahead of the release of the Philippines’ fourth-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) data.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said today the country’s GDP grew 7.2 percent last year, above the government’s 6-7 percent target range. GDP is the amount of final goods and services produced in the country, and as such measures economic performance.

The PSEi dropped by as much as 1.4 percent before cutting losses after the release of the fourth-quarter GDP data that showed above-target growth despite the devastation caused by Typhoon Yolanda.

Overestimated typhoon effect. “From its low, the market came up a bit because the GDP figures were good,” said Eagle Equities president Joseph Roxas.

“The market overestimated the effect of Typhoon Yolanda because most of the estimates were at 6 percent growth in the fourth quarter. We came in at 6.5 percent.

Going forward, there will be reconstruction

and it will only improve GDP some more,” Roxas said.

First Metro Investment Corp president Roberto Juanchito Dispo said last year’s expansion “clearly displayed the country’s economic resiliency despite uncertainty.”

“The Philippines is poised for higher growth this year of 7.5 percent to even 8 percent,” he added.

COL Financial Group Inc head of research April Lee-Tan said the fourth-quarter growth was “better-than-expected,” adding that consumer spending drove expansion.

“Maybe ‘yung mga dumating na remittances ng fourth quarter, ginastos ‘yun so may offsetting effect. Also, exports continue to rebound,” she said.

Having said that, Lee-Tan admitted that the Fed taper and the resulting global selloff is still affecting the Philippine markets.

“We just reacted to what happened in Wall Street. Even though we have good [economic] numbers, we can’t help that were associated with other emerging markets,” she said.

Emerging market currencies also

February 2014 – No. 3 • UK & Europe Edition

have been taking a beating since the Fed announced the tapering of its bond-buying program, but this has its benefits, Roxas said.

“The depreciation of the peso increases consumption. A lot of the Filipinos, mga pensionado ‘yan. With the increase in its peso equivalent, there will be more domestic consumption,” he said.

At the Philippine Dealing System, the peso weakened to P45.320 against the US dollar from yesterday’s close at P45.205.

The exchange rate climbed to as high as P45.420 and dipped to P45.275 within the day. Trading volume increased to P846.700 million from Wednesday’s P719.400 million. ■ Maricel E. Burgonio and Krista Angela M. Montealegre / InterAksyon.com / January 30, 2014 / 9:38 AM

Businessmen to PNoy gov’t: Economic resilience good, but growth far from ‘inclusive’ MANILA - Businessmen today welcomed the Philippine economy’s resilience last year, but said the Aquino administration has to make this growth more inclusive.

“The final GDP figure is solid and more efforts are needed to sustain and make it more inclusive,” John D. Forbes, senior adviser of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines told InterAksyon.com.

“Manufacturing had its best year in a long time, agriculture continues to disappoint, and mining is severely underperforming,” he said, adding that poor infrastructure is holding back the economy.

Earlier today, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that the country’s gross domestic product grew by 6.5 percent in the fourth quarter, allowing the economy to expand by 7.2 percent for the entire 2013, above the government target and among Asia’s fastest.

“We can attribute this to continuing business confidence in the Aquino administration’s commitment to facilitate the ease of doing business, especially in

eliminating corruption as well as decisively dealing with obstacles that crop up,” Melito S. Salazar, outgoing president of the Management Association of the Philippines, told InterAksyon.com.

He said the Aquino administration’s transparency — which sometimes leads to problems as in the case of the Executive and legislature’s pork barrel funds — is

reassuring to the public after the stonewalling of the previous regime.

“We welcome this expected strong finish by the Philippines and encourage government to prioritize PPP rollout and postYolanda reconstruction that can contribute significantly towards sustaining this growth momentum in 2014,” Peter Angelo V. Perfecto, Makati Business Club executive

the economic provisions of the Constitution may help sustain the country’s growth trajectory.

“However government and the private sector must work together to achieve inclusive growth — a growth that will be felt by and shared with more and more Filipinos,” he added. ■ Darwin G. Amojelar / InterAksyon.com /

January 30, 2014 5:49 PM

Glencore-Xstrata pulling out of Tampakan copper-gold mining project

Photo by Bernard Testa

Japan’s Calbee ties up with Universal Robina in PH snack foods venture

MANILA - The Gokongwei family has partnered with Japan’s largest snack food company in a move that will boost Universal Robina Corp’s (URC) branded consumer food business in the Philippines.

“URC and Calbee Inc are currently pursuing talks to put up a joint venture company in the Philippines. At this point, details of the JV and other specific agreements are still under discussion,” Mike Liwanag, URC vice president for corporate planning, told InterAksyon.com in a text message.

Both parties will come out with a definitive agreement in the second quarter of the year, Liwanag added.

In a statement, Calbee said it plans to establish Calbee-URC Inc, a 50-50 joint venture company that will manufacture and sell snack foods, by April. It will have a capital of P600 million.

director, said.

Before a last-minute effort to revive the program last year, the government’s PublicPrivate Partnership projects had stalled.

The government is banking on the PPP Program to unclog the country’s perennial infrastructure bottleneck.

Perfecto said resolving the mining revenue sharing issue and amendments to

Universal Robina is the manufacturer of C2 ready-to-drink tea

“In line with our global strategy, we have decided to establish a joint venture company with URC which has strong sales and brands in the Philippine market. The joint venture aims to grow sales of Calbee products and expand market share in the Philippines, one of the promising snack foods markets,” Calbee said.

Calbee is the largest snack food company in Japan, with sales of over 179.4 billion yen and a dominant 52.3 percent share of

the snack food market in the world’s third biggest economy. Calbee manufactures and sells snack confectionary, bakery food and cereal food.

“We aim to achieve 4 billion yen of annual net sales within six years of business commencement. We believe the joint venture will contribute to Calbee’s medium to long term business performance,” the Japanese company said.

URC is the market leader in salty snacks, candies, chocolates, and ready-to-drink tea categories in the Philippines, and is the number two player in the coffer market.

The maker of C2 tea drink and Jack ‘N Jill snack food’s net income rose 23.6 percent to P10.12 billion in its 2013 fiscal year ending September from P8.19 billion the year before on the strength of its branded food business.

■ Krista Angela M. Montealegre / InterAksyon.com /

January 30, 2014 / 6:47 PM

MANILA - The world’s biggest mining company is pulling out of the Philippines’ largest copper-gold project to date.

Indophil Resources NL today told the Australian Stock Exchange that it got word from Glencore-Xstrata of its planned divestment of a majority interest in the $5.9-billion Tampakan project in Mindanao.

London-listed Glencore-Xstrata owns 62.5 percent of Sagittarius Mines Inc (SMI), which is the government’s contractor for the Tampakan project. Indophil holds the remaining 37.5 percent interest.

The divestment “is consistent with Glencore’s preference to not develop greenfield projects, and its publicly announced plan to sell its interests in the Las Bambas copper project in Peru and the Frieda River copper-gold project in [Papua New Guineau],” Indophil managing director Richard Lauffman said.

He said Indophil has been holding discussions with Glencore-Xstrata on the matter.

The divestment has been looming after

the Chinese government conditioned any approval of Glencore’s merger with Xstrata on the sale of assets such as Tampakan.

Glencore merged with Xstrata in May last year.

Given Glencore-Xstrata’s pullout, Indophil said it would soley fund the work program at the Tampakan.

“We will work with Glencore-Xstrata to assist in meeting objectives for the project, and Indophil remains focused on doing what it can to ensure the project license conditions are not compromised in this process,” Lauffman said.

The start of the Tampakan project has been delayed since a local government that hosts the mine outlawed the use of open-pit mining. SMI has since reduced its workforce at the projecdt by 85 percent The Tampakan is a 2.9-billion metric ton deposit, containing 15 million tons of copper and 18 million ounces of gold at a 0.2 percent cut-off grade. Discovered in 1992, the mine is expected to have a mine project of 17 years. ■ Orti Despuez / InterAksyon.

com / January 30, 2014 / 4:30 PM

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NEWS

February 2014 – No. 3 • UK & Europe Edition

NBI arrests alleged ‘one-man rice cartel’ Bangayan after visit to DOJ chief Continuation from page 1 so as the case was still under investigation.

She said the NBI obtained a certified true copy of the warrant only on January 7 and “since nagpakita sa kanila kanina (since he presented himself to them earlier), they decided to serve the warrant of arrest.”

In fact, she said, she still did not know the title of the case or the nature of the offense of which Bangayan is accused.

But De Lima confirmed that the court had set bail in the case for P40,000 and that the NBI would immediately present Bangayan to the court.

Discussing Bangayan’s visit earlier in the day, De Lima had said: “Pumunta siya dito sa DOJ. Pagdating ko kanina nandito na siya

(He came here to the DOJ. When I arrived he was already here). There’s this guy ... a young looking guy who introduced himself as David Bangayan … accompanied by his lawyer saying that he decided to surface because he saw the news report last night and saw his photos on TV last night.”

“Sabi niya hindi daw siya si (He said he is not) David Tan ... siya daw si (he said he is) Davidson Bangayan pero (but) he does not use the name David Tan … so he is denying that he is engaged in rice smuggling,” De Lima added. “So when I asked, ‘What are your businesses?’ sabi niya (he said) he is engaged in scrap metal, also fertilizer… and he admits meron din daw siyang (he also has a) rice business, hindi daw gano’n

File photo of Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. Credit: Jamin Verde ©InterAksyon.com.

Ombudsman rejects Revil a’s plea to suspend probe on pork plunder raps

MANILA - The Office of the Ombudsman has rejected Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.’s plea to suspend the preliminary investigation into the plunder charges filed against him and other lawmakers in connection with the alleged multibillionpeso pork barrel scam.

In a 13-page order signed by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales last January 28, the Ombudsman’s office dismissed the January 15 motion filed by Revilla.

The said motion is asking the office to wait for the Bacoor City Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Cavite to resolve the case filed

by Revilla before it starts its preliminary investigation into the plunder charges filed against the senator by the Department of Justice and pork scam whistle-blowers led

by Benhur Luy. The senator’s camp had filed a civil complaint asking the Bacoor RTC to declare as null and void the documents used by the whistle-blowers as basis to charge Revilla with plunder.

In the complaint against the whistleblowers, Revilla told the Bacoor RTC that his signatures in the documents needed for the release of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) were forged.

But the Ombudsman’s office said in its order that the case pending at Bacoor RTC “has no bearing in the outcome of the criminal cases filed with the OMB.” “(T)he issues in the criminal and civil cases are neither similar nor intimately related to one another, considering that ‘forgery or falsification, which is the gist of [the civil case], is not a necessary element of the [mentioned crimes]’,” it added.

Morales dismissed Revilla’s suit against the whistle-blowers as “an afterthought and ploy to delay the criminal proceedings” related to the plunder charges against the senator.

According to the Ombudsman, “Revilla already knew about the PDAF documents and the issue of authenticity or genuineness of his signature on the documents as early as 2011.”

Morales said that in 2011, upon the Commission on Audit’s request for confirmation, Revilla “confirmed that the signatures appearing in the PDAF documents belonged to him and (his staffer Richard) Cambe.”

Moreover, Morales explained that the PDAF documents “are not the sole or exclusive determinant of the existence of probable cause for plunder, malversation, or violation of the anti-graft law.”

In September 2013, Revilla, along with fellow senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Jinggoy Estrada, was slapped with plunder charges before the Office of the Ombudsman.

According to the National Bureau of Investigation, Revilla accumulated 30 percent or P224.512 million of the P745.63 million worth of pork kickbacks allegedly amassed by five lawmakers in their purported dealings with Janet Lim-Napoles through the businesswoman’s allegedly dubious non-government organizations.

More than two years earlier, Revilla acknowledged in his July 8, 2011 letter to Commission on Audit (COA) Assistant Commissioner Arcadio B. Cuenco that the signatures for the release of his PDAF to certain foundations were his own handwriting. The foundations allegedly controlled by Napoles would later be declared by the COA as dubious.

In the letter, Revilla told Cuenco that, “After going through these documents and initial examination, it appears that the signatures and/or my initials on these documents are my signatures or that of my authorized representatives.” ■ Jaime Sinapit, InterAksyon.com / January 30, 2014 2:59 PM

kalaki (it isn’t that big) and therefore hindi daw siya ang bigtime smuggler na ‘yan (he is not the bigtime smuggler).”

When Bangayan offered to coooperate with the investigation into the rice smuggling, De Lima said she told him: “If you’re willing to cooperate, can you please proceed now to NBI and make a statement or submit a statement?”

She then called up NBI deputy director Virgilio Mendez to give him “a heads up, so let’s see kung mapapatunayan niya (Bangayan) mga sinasabi nya, let’s see kung ano ang totoo (if he can prove what he said, let’s see what the truth is) …”

On Monday De Lima said Bangayan is a Chinese-Filipino from Davao linked to rice

smuggling in the country with connections with officials at the Bureau of Customs and other government agencies.

MANILA – The government peace panel negotiating with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front is inviting members and leaders of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), an MILF splinter group, to take part in the peace process even as the peace talks were concluded last Saturday.

In a statement, Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, head of the government peace panel, said: “We call on the members and the leaders of the BIFF to put down their arms and be part of the process. We ask them to listen to the plea of their own brothers and sisters to give peace a chance.”

Encounters between military and BIFF forces escalated as soon as news of the conclusion of the peace talks in Kuala Lumpur reached the Philippines.

How could BIFF forces join in the peace process?“Local government officials are ready to receive those who would like to silence their guns and participate in the different programs we will be undertaking as part of the implementation of the peace agreements,” Ferrer said.

“We know that BIFF members can also contact supporters or local ground commanders of the MILF who could facilitate their return to normal lives. These and other avenues are open for those among the BIFF who are ready to join us in our peace efforts,” she said.

Ferrer explained that the ongoing military operations “are geared at degrading the BIFF’s capability to continue to cause harm to the government forces, civilians, and the peace process.”

In an interview with reporters Tuesday night, she said that the escalation of hostilities was expected.

“Prior to the conduct of the operations, the ceasefire mechanisms of the GPH and the MILF have ensured the safety of civilians in surrounding areas. Relief provisions have been on standby to meet the basic needs of those who have been temporarily displaced,” she said in the statement issued Thursday.

“Government and the MILF have taken the necessary steps to ensure that the

David Bangayan, described by Justice Secretary as a ‘one-man rice cartel,’ arrives at the NBI headquarters in Manila to clear his name. He was arrested after that on a charge of electricity pilferage. Photo by Gel Francisco, ©InterAksyon.com.

“The initial report from NBI last Friday says this guy actually exists. He seems to be a one-man cartel,” De Lima said.

Although the NBI initially had difficulty ascertaining who David Tan was, De Lima said the agency subsequently obtained documents about his identity, including his addresses and businesses and came to the conclusion that he and Bangayan are the same person.

But Bangayan, she said, “claims he does not have a middle name, he does not use Tan ... he’s using the surname of his mother ... he claims to be illegitimate.”

De Lima also clarified that the NBI still has no basis to place Bangayan under arrest. ■ Marlene Alcaide / News5 / January 14, 2014 / 11:24 AM

‘Put down your arms’: BIFF rebels invited to join peace process

Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, government peace panel chair, 26 January 2014. File photo by Eric Apolonio.

operations will not spill over to involve MILF combatants or cause unnecessary or prolonged hardship to civilians,” she said.

Moreover, Ferrer said, “the MILF is assisting in the operations by helping the government contain the movements of the BIFF.” The conclusion of the peace talks is hoped to bring peace in Mindanao, which has been the site of centuries’ old battles between Moros, who have been fighting for self-determination, and the Philippine government, which has sovereignty over the island. ■ InterAksyon.com / January 30, 2014 / 5:23 PM

NFA doubles rice allocation for retail outlets MANILA – The National Food Authority (NFA) has increased the volume of rice allocated to accredited retail outlets in the cities of Manila, Quezon and San Juan.

“From 25 bags, the grains agency will increase the allocation to 50 bags per day to boost the presence of affordable government rice, particularly in Kamuning, Frisco and Munoz markets,” NFA chief Orlan Calayag said in a statement.

NFA will also increase the allocation from 10 bags to 20 in rice outlets located outside markets.

“This is being done to augment the presence of cheap rice in the market so consumers will have access to the cheaper staple,” Calayag said.

The state grains agency’s move comes amid reports of an increase in prices of commercial rice. NFA rice is being sold at P27-32 per kilo, whereas commercial varieties are sold for nearly double that price.

To date, the country’s rice inventory stood at 7.5 million bags. ■ Orti Despuez / InterAksyon.com / February 1, 2014 / 3:49 PM

Manila dislodges Mumbai as world’s second-best outsourcing destination

MANILA – The Philippine capital has dislodged Mumbai as the second best outsourcing destination in the world.

Aside from Manila, three next wave cities in the Philippines that are outside Metro Manila also improved their rankings in the 2014 Tholons Top 100 Outsourcing Destinations. Davao and Bacolod each went up one place to 69thand 93rd, respectively, while Santa Rosa, Laguna moved up two notches to 82nd.

Cebu and Baguio stayed at their existing places at eighth and 99th, respectively.

Iloilo, which was ravaged by Typhoon Yolanda last year, slid two places to 95th.

Overall, seven Philippine cities made it to the Top 100 ranking. India remains the

dominant country with six cities in the top 10 and 13 overall.

Undersecretary Louis Casambre of the Information and Communications Technology Office of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-ICT) said the goal for 2016 is to add three more cities from the Philippines in the top 100.

“The goal of the Next Wave Cities Program of the DOST-ICT and the IT-Business Process Association of the Philippines (iBPAP) has always been to develop globally preferred outsourcing destinations outside Metro Manila,” Casambre said.

Revenues of the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector last year are estimated to have increased by 15 percent

to $13.34 billion. The industry reportedly employs over a million and is seen to add over a hundred thousand this year.

“We have been getting a lot of support for the Next Wave Cities Program… and we intend to maintain our efforts in bringing inclusive growth to the countryside,” Emmy Lou Delfin, Next Wave Cities Program manager, said. ■ Jose Bimbo F. Santos / InterAksyon.com / February 1, 2014 / 4:14 PM

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INTERNATIONAL / GLOBAL NEWS

February 2014 – No. 3 • UK & Europe Edition

Gay daughter of HK tycoon makes heartfelt plea to dad Her plea came after property developer Chao, 77, who refuses to recognise that she is a lesbian, was reported last week to have doubled the “marriage bounty” on his daughter to HK$1 billion ($130 million), after an initial offer of HK$500 million two years ago.

The first sum attracted 20,000 candidates, with the bizarre dowry attempt making international headlines.

In her letter, 33-year-old Gigi said that she forgave her father because he was acting in her best interests.

And she took responsibility for “misleading” him into thinking there might be other options for her.

“I’m sorry to mislead you to think I was only in a lesbian relationship because there was a

shortage of good, suitable men in Hong Kong.

There are plenty of good men. They are just not for me.”

In a plaintive message to her dad she told him of her sadness that he was unable to share in the life she had made for herself.

“My regret is that you have no idea how happy I am with my life, and there are aspects of my life that you don’t share.”

Chao, who owns publicly listed property developer Cheuk Nang, is a fixture of Hong Kong high society and regularly appears at public events with his latest young girlfriend.

He reportedly once claimed to have slept with 10,000 women.

British movie maker Sacha Baron Cohen is reportedly working on a film based on the story. ■ AFP

White House rebukes China on press freedoms

A newspaper vendor (R) talks to a customer at her booth on a street in Shanghai on January 8, 2013, ©AFP.

The lesbian daughter of a Hong Kong tycoon, who offered more than $100 million to find her a male suitor, has issued a heartfelt open letter urging him to accept her sexuality. Photo by Philippe Lopez, ©AFP.

WASHINGTON - The United States on Thursday rebuked China over its treatment of foreign media following the departure of a New York Times reporter after authorities did not renew his visa.

A White House statement said the United States was “very disappointed” that reporter Austin Ramzy was obliged to leave China and that Beijing’s actions “stand in stark contrast with US treatment of Chinese and other foreign journalists.”

“The United States is deeply concerned that foreign journalists in China continue to face restrictions that impede their ability to do their jobs, including extended delays in processing journalist visas, restrictions on travel to certain locations deemed ‘sensitive’ by Chinese authorities and, in

some cases, violence at the hands of local authorities,” it said.

“We urge China to commit to timely visa and credentialing decisions for foreign journalists, unblock US media websites and eliminate other restrictions that impede the ability of journalists to practice their profession,” it said.

US Vice President Joe Biden had personally raised the issue of China’s treatment of foreign journalists during a visit to Beijing last month.

China has blocked the websites of both The New York Times and Bloomberg News after they published investigations in 2012 into the family wealth of former premier Wen Jiabao and President Xi Jinping, respectively. ■ AFP

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HONG KONG - The lesbian daughter of a Hong Kong tycoon, who offered more than $100 million to find her a male suitor, has issued a heartfelt open letter urging him to accept her sexuality.

In the letter, which starts “Dear Daddy”, socialite Gigi Chao asked her father Cecil to treat her partner Sean Eav as “a normal, dignified human being” — the pair have been together for nine years and are reported to have married in 2012 in France.

“I know it’s difficult for you to understand how I could feel romantically attracted to a woman; I suppose I can’t really explain it either. It just happens, peacefully and gently,” she wrote in the letter, which was published in the South China Morning Post on Wednesday and circulated to other Hong Kong media.

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INTERNATIONAL / GLOBAL NEWS

February 2014 – No. 3 • UK & Europe Edition

Johansson quits Oxfam over Israeli settlement trade spat

JERUSALEM - US actress Scarlett Johansson has ended her role as Oxfam ambassador following a dispute over her ad campaign for a firm operating in an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank.

Johansson’s departure, announced overnight by her publicist, was welcomed by Palestinian activists on Thursday, although some criticised Oxfam for not acting itself to sever ties with the Hollywood star they branded the “new poster girl for Israeli occupation.”

In a statement, Oxfam confirmed accepting Johansson’s decision to step down, saying her promotion of Israeli drinks firm SodaStream, which has a factory in a settlement east of Jerusalem, was “incompatible” with her role at the international aid agency.

“Oxfam believes that businesses, such as SodaStream, that operate in settlements, further the ongoing poverty and denial of rights of the Palestinian communities that we work to support,” it said.

“Oxfam is opposed to all trade from Israeli settlements, which are illegal under international law.”

And Human Rights Watch’s Middle East director Sarah Leah Whitson said: “It is impossible to ignore the Israeli system of unlawful discrimination, land confiscation, natural resource theft, and forced displacement of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, where SodaStream is located.”

The incident shines a spotlight on the creeping success of a campaign to boycott trade linked to Israeli settlements that are built on Palestinian land seized during the Six-Day War of 1967, and viewed by the international community as illegal.

The 29-year-old actress, who has worked with Oxfam since 2005 and was recently crowned the “sexiest woman alive”

by Esquire magazine, came under scrutiny earlier this month after she was named global brand ambassador for SodaStream.

The firm, which is based near Tel Aviv and manufactures a device for making carbonated drinks at home, has 25 factories around the world, including one in Mishor Adumim industrial park, near Maaleh Adumim settlement east of Jerusalem.

It employs 800 Palestinians alongside 500 Israelis, a company spokesman told AFP. Johansson quickly came under fire from boycott activists, who posted a series of provocative images online showing the actress promoting the drinks machine in front of destroyed Palestinian homes and Israel’s towering West Bank barrier.

And Oxfam itself weighed in with a statement expressing its opposition “to all trade from Israeli settlements.”

In response, Johansson insisted SodaStream was committed to “building a bridge to peace between Israel and Palestine, supporting neighbours working alongside each other, receiving equal pay, equal benefits and equal rights”.

“That is what is happening in their Maaleh Adumim factory every working day,” she said in a statement to The Huffington Post.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) praised Johansson’s statement and commended her “principled opposition” to the “anti-Israel BDS (boycott, divestment and sanctions) movement”.

“BDS and anti-Israel activists have long engaged in a smear campaign against SodaStream,” the US-based anti-Semitism

watchdog said.

‘Poster girl for occupation’. Johansson’s remarks sparked a firestorm of criticism, with the Palestinian BDS movement demanding Oxfam immediately sever ties with the Hollywood star over her “vocal support for illegal Israeli settlements.”

Following Johansson’s announcement that she was leaving Oxfam, the movement accused her of abandoning her principles to become “the new face of Israeli apartheid.”

“Scarlett Johansson has consciously decided to be the new poster girl for Israeli occupation and apartheid,” co-founder Omar Barghouti told AFP. The BDS movement has chalked up a growing list of achievements in recent years in its attempt to convince governments, businesses and celebrities to cut all ties with Israel over its activities in the occupied territories, in a bid to repeat the success of the boycott which ended apartheid in South Africa.

Separately, the European Union recently moved to block all grants and funding to any Israeli entity operating beyond the 1967 lines, sparking growing alarm in Israel.

On Thursday, Norway’s sovereign wealth fund blacklisted two Israeli companies involved in construction of settlements in annexed east Jerusalem.

Born in New York to a Jewish mother and a Danish father, Johansson has been nominated four times for Golden Globes, including for her role in “Lost in Translation”.

As well as her stellar acting career she is known for her political activism, and appeared on stage at the Democratic National Convention to call for the reelection of President Barack Obama in 2012. ■ AFP

US actress Scarlett Johansson arrives for the premiere of the film “Her’’ during the 8th International Film Festival in Rome on November 10, 2013, ©AFP/File, Tiziana Fabi.

US actress Scarlett Johansson poses for photographers as she arrives for the premiere of the film “Her’’ during the 8th Rome International Film Festival on November 10, 2013, in Rome, ©AFP/File, Tiziana Fabi.

A Palestinian worker at a SodaStream factory at the Mishor Adumim industrial park, next to the West Bank settlement of Maale Adumim, on January 30, 2014, ©AFP, Menahem Kahana.

SodaStream has 25 factories around the world, including one in Mishor Adumim industrial park, near the Maaleh Adumim settlement, in east of Jerusalem, ©AFP, Menahem Kahana.

Neutral government sworn in to get Tunisia back on track

Tunisia’s new prime minister Mehdi Jomaa at a handover ceremony in Tunis on January 29, 2014, ©AFP, Fethi Belaid.

Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki (C) and new PM Mehdi Jomaa(2nd L) with the ministers of the new government at the Carthage presidential palace on January 29, 2014, ©AFP, Fethi Belaid.

Tunis (AFP) - A government of independents, tasked with steering Tunisia to fresh elections, took the oath on Wednesday, replacing an Islamist-led administration under a hard-won deal to end months of political turmoil.

The swearing-in of Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa’s government comes three days after the national assembly finally adopted a new constitution three years after the Arab Spring revolution.

Foreign leaders have welcomed the quickening moves to get the political transition back on track in Tunisia, which, despite its own problems, is seen as a beacon of hope compared with other Arab Spring nations like Libya and Egypt which remain mired in instability and political turmoil.

The formal transfer of power took place at the presidential palace after a marathon overnight parliamentary session in which Jomaa’s line-up was finally approved by 149 votes to 20 with 24 abstentions.

The new ministers took the oath of office in front of secular President Moncef Marzouki who described the ceremony as a “historic moment” for the North African country.

“The new government will know how to assume its responsibilities, and will certainly meet with success” in its mission to oversee the runup to fresh elections later this year,” Marzouki said in comments reported by

national news agency TAP. Outgoing Islamist premier Ali Larayedh and Jomaa met earlier in the day to discuss government policies and pressing issues facing Tunisia three years after the overthrow of long-time dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Larayedh and Jomaa, who served as industry minister in the outgoing government, highlighted “the difficulties to overcome in achieving fair and transparent elections” due later this year, the government said in a statement.

The formation of a new government comes after weeks of horse-trading and is the cornerstone of a roadmap to end a political crisis that has plagued Tunisia since the assassination of two opposition MPs by suspected jihadists in 2013.

Under the hard-won deal reached late last year, the Islamist-led government agreed to relinquish power in return for the mainly secular opposition ending its boycott of work on drawing up the new constitution.

The moderate Islamist Ennahda won the country’s first free elections in October 2011, nine months after Ben Ali’s ouster.

But in power it was accused by the opposition of pursuing an Islamist agenda and of failing to address persistent social unrest or rein in jihadists blamed for a spate of deadly attacks.

The constitution was forged during two years of acrimonious debate, including on

the role of Islam and women’s rights, but the text finally approved is regarded as the most modern in the Arab world.

Speaking on Sunday when he presented his cabinet line-up to lawmakers, Jomaa said his top priority would be to create the right conditions for parliamentary and presidential elections, that Ennahda has said are likely to take place in October.

The final decision on the election dates will be taken by the newly appointed electoral body ISIE. Western leaders have called on Jomaa’s government to do all it can to organise transparent elections to end the polarisation in Tunisian politics that has stoked persistent social unrest.

European Union foreign police chief Catherine Ashton urged it to deploy “all the means of the state” to hold credible elections as swiftly as possible.

The election run-up will also be closely watched by foreign investors eager for a return to political stability.

International credit rating agency Fitch called the approval of Tunisia’s new constitution an “important step”, but warned of the challenges in confronting violence and social discontent.

“The elections will test the extent to which social polarisation has permanently reduced political stability, and are no guarantee against further social and political fragmentation,” it warned. ■ AFP

IMMIGRATION / OFNEWS

February 2014 – No. 3 • UK & Europe Edition

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Fil-Am player to see action in Super Bowl

1,000 stranded OFWs in Saudi Arabia to be repatriated soon–embassy ABOUT 1,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who remain stranded in Saudi Arabia will be repatriated soon after a successful negotiation between the Philippine embassy and Saudi government.

In a press statement Tuesday, the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah reported that Saudi Immigration and Deportation already agreed for the Consulate to send 100 Filipinos daily to the Philippine embassy’s General Services Center (GSC) facility in Al-Shumaisy, about 60 kilometers outside Jeddah, for their repatriation.

the boy but said he was 14 years old.

It added the boy was killed instantly.

The Gulf News report also quoted a spokesman at Buhariah police station as saying they were notified a boy was lying on the ground near Abdul Aziz Al Majid building in Al Nahda.

Police and ambulance teams rushed to the scene but it was too late to save the boy.

or so stranded OFWs through a special arrangement of bringing in 100 OFWs daily to GSC. The Consulate General provides buses and provisions such as food and water in the transport of the Filipinos,” the statement said.

The Philippine embassy said Consulate representatives proceed daily to the GSC “to monitor and report on the progress of the exit visa processing and the final departure of the OFWs.” Most of the stranded OFWs are still staying in the “tent city” in Jeddah after the Saudi government’s full implementation last year of the “Saudization” policy or the stricter law against undocumented migrant workers.

“Most of them are staying in makeshift tents. The Consulate General maintains a shelter open to displaced OFWs but most opt to stay at the ‘tent city’,” the statement said.

The Philippine embassy reported that as of Jan. 24, 2014, the Consulate was able to repatriate a total of 7,177 OFWs from Saudi Arabia. ■ Elizabeth Marcelo / KBK, GMA News /

■ ELR, GMA / January 24, 2014 / 2:03 AM

January 28, 2014 / 7:15 PM

On Sunday, January 26, some 100 male OFWs from Jeddah were brought to the GSC and were endorsed for repatriation after their exit visas were issued by the Saudi authority. The next day, the Philippine Consulate started the processing of the exit visas of 94 females and 53 children who are staying at the GSC facility.

According to the Philippine embassy, there are up to 1,000 overstaying OFWs who expressed desire to be repatriated.

“The Consulate General and Saudi authorities are working together to finally repatriate the remaining 1,000

Filipino teen dies after 13-story fall in UAE A Filipino teenager was killed Wednesday after falling 13 floors from the balcony of his apartment in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, a UAE news site reported Thursday.

Gulf News quoted a Sharjah police official as saying the boy fell from the Abdul Aziz Al Majid building in Al Nahda on Wednesday afternoon.

The report did not immediately name

DUBBED as the Seattle Seahawk’s “Unsung X-Factor” by sports website Bleacher Report, Filipino-American Doug Baldwin Jr. is set to see action in the championship game of the National Footbal League (NFL) and, perhaps, lead his team to victory.

Baldwin pinged on Filipino’s radar when he carried an upside-down Philippine flag during a game last November after Typhoon Yolanda hit central Philippines. The act was not a fluke; rather, it was to show the team’s support to the country, which was “at war” with the damage wrought by Typhoon Yolanda.

“Too many to count,” Baldwin told the Seattle Times of the number of relatives he has in Tacloban, including his grandmother.

He said the majority of his family had to stay in a grandaunt’s house since their homes were destroyed by the super typhoon. Food and water, weeks before aid properly entered the region, was hard to come by.

Though he has never visited his relatives, Baldwin said he wants to make a trip home in the coming off-season to see his family.

“I’m seriously considering taking time out this off-season to make sure I get out there.

Because that’s my family,” he Baldwin.

Seahawks owner Paul G. Allen matched all the donations their fans made for Yolanda victims to their Red Cross account.

Journey to the finals. The Seahawks defeated the San Francisco 49ers last January 19, pitting them against the Denver Broncos at the Super Bowl XLVIII on February 2.

During the match against the 49ers, Baldwin made clutch plays that set up scores by his teammates, particularly the squad’s kicker Steven Hauschka.

In the second quarter, he caught a 51yard pass from quarterback Russell Wilson, which moved the Seahawks to the 49ers’ 11-yard line. A few plays later, Hauschka nailed a 32-yarder for the Seahawks first score of the game, 10-3.

Later on, Baldwin returned a kickoff for 69 yards in the third period that got the CenturyLink Field rocking and set up a second field goal for Hauschka, that cut their deficit to 17-13.

With a record of 15-3 this season, this is the first time the Seahawks made the Super Bowl since their loss to Pittsburgh after the 2005 season. The Super Bowl is the NFL’s championship game, and is considered by many in the United States to be a national holiday. ■ Rie Takumi / KBK, GMA News / January 27, 2014 / 3:25 PM

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Pinay soprano Kay Habana making waves in US IN so short a time, Tata Kay Habana has captured the ears and won the hearts of her audiences because she is an adept singer with a kind and friendly heart.

In 2013 alone, this versatile soprano performed in a number of events in the Filipino communities in the tri-state area, including in the introduction of 2013 Miss World Megan Young to the Filipino community.

Due to her singing prowess, she was the recipient of two outstanding Performing Arts awards from two respected organizations in New York and New Jersey last year.

In her first successful solo concert on Dec. 20, 2013 at the Philippine Center in New York City, Habana received a standing ovation in the jampacked auditorium where she entertained her adoring audiences with English and Filipino classics and Christmas carols, Broadway music, opera tunes and kundiman.

Her first CD sampler titled “Songs From My Heart...To Yours” was released that evening.

The morning after, as she thanked her

US-based Pinay soprano Kay Habana during performance. Photo by Manny Caballero, ©Filipino Reporter.

supporters on her Facebook page, she received more than 130 “likes” and praises, mostly from those who were present in the concert the night before.

On Jan. 18, Habana was one of the

musical artists who performed in the US Philippines Relief Concert at First Baptist Church in Broadway and West 79th Street, New York City for the benefit of Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) victims in the native country.

In that concert, Habana flawlessly sang Jose Corazon de Jesus’ immortal and historic “Bayan Ko” and “O mio babbino caro (Oh My Beloved Father),” a soprano aria from the opera Gianni Schicchi (1918)

by Giacomo Puccini.

What’s amazing with this singer is that she has no formal education in singing.

She belongs to the old school of practice, motivation and passion.

“I sing not to be popular, but to express my passion for music,” Habana told this writer in an interview.

Asked why she was using the Ilongga endearment word “Tata” in her name, she answered, “Because I want my audience to know I am a Pinay.”

The singer has a fan page on Facebook.

■

February 2014 – No. 3 • UK & Europe Edition

HK to cancel visa-free arrangement for PHL officials – report

HONG KONG will cancel its visa-free arrangement for Philippine official and diplomatic passport holders starting February as part of its sanctions against the Philippines in connection with the 2010 Manila hostage crisis.

Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying announced the pushing through of the sanctions during a press conference on Wednesday, according to a report from South China Morning Post.

At present, Filipino holders of official and diplomatic passports enjoy a 14-day visa free status when visiting Hong Kong.

The report said the first wave of economic sanctions against the Philippines will start on February 5.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) was still verifying the report as of posting time.

The report said negotiations between the two countries broke down on Tuesday after the Philippine government gave a “negative message” to Hong Kong.

It said the Philippine government did not grant the request of the families of the victims in the hostage-taking incident for a formal apology.

In August 2010, dismissed police officer Rolando Mendoza seized a tourist bus and held hostage 25 Hong Kong nationals at the Quirino Grandstand. Eight of the hostages, as well as Mendoza, were killed during the rescue attempt by Manila police. ■ Andrei Medina / KBK, GMA News / January 29, 2014 / 7:22 PM

Manny Caballero / Filipino ReporterJanuary 29,

2014 / 2:46 PM

PHL envoy: Pinoys in US have enough numbers to influence policy WITH more than 3.5 million Filipinos residing in the United States – more than the population of some countries – they have the numbers to create an impact on US policies, the Philippines’ top diplomat there said.

“Filipinos here in America must be made to realize that they have the numbers to not only help influence US policy towards the Philippines but also the ability to affect the outcome of national elections back home,” said Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Cuisia in an email to GMA News Online.

“It has been my mission since taking over as ambassador to help our kababayans realize this by encouraging them to participate actively by exercising their right to vote here in the US and in the Philippines,” he added.

Filipinos make up the second largest immigrant population in the US, next only to the Chinese, Cuisia said.

“The Philippine diaspora is also the fastest growing. Unfortunately, unlike other Asian-Americans and other immigrant communities, we have not really realized the windfall of opportunities that could come if we all get together and unite behind our common aspirations,” he noted.

One of the issues affecting FilipinoAmericans is illegal immigration. According to the Migration Information website, as of early 2011, Filipinos accounted for about two percent of some 12 million unauthorized immigrants in the US. “Based on 2011 estimates of the US Citizenship and Immigration Service, approximately 270,000 of the 3.45 million Filipinos here in the US are undocumented,” Cuisia said.

“We continue to work closely with members of the Filipino community and other advocacy groups that have been pushing for comprehensive immigration reforms,” he added.

DACA. One of the immigration reforms being pushed in the US is the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said those who may seek a legalization of their statuses include undocumented immigrants who: (1) Were below 31 years old as of June 15, 2012; (2) came to the US before reaching their 16th birthday; (3) continuously resided in the US since June 15, 2007, up to the present; (4) are currently in school, have graduated or obtained a certificate of completion from high school, have obtained a general education development (GED) certificate, or are an honorably discharged veteran of the US Coast Guard or Armed Forces; and (5) have not been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor, three or more other misdemeanors, and do not otherwise pose a threat to national security or public safety.

Cuisia said the Philippine Embassy in the US has “supported groups pushing for temporary immigration relief measures that could benefit some of our undocumented kababayans, particularly the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA.” TPS. “Only recently, we supported the clamor of the Filipino-American Community by formally requesting the US Government to place the Philippines under Temporary Protected Status (TPS) as part of its efforts to help the country recover from the devastating effects of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda),” he said.

In a note verbale to the US Department of State in December last year, the Philippine Embassy asked the US for additional immigration relief measures for US-based Filipinos affected by Yolanda, which left over 6,000 people dead and caused billions of pesos in damage to infrastructure and agriculture.

Based on the policy of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, during a designated period, TPS beneficiaries or those eligible for TPS upon initial review of

their cases (prima facie eligible) cannot be deported from the US. They can also obtain an employment authorization document (EAD) and may be granted travel authorization.

Cuisia earlier said the Philippines’ request will have to be evaluated by US authorities.

Pinoys in US. The Migration Information website said 45 percent of legal Filipino immigrants resided in California.

Citing data from the US Census Bureau’s 2011 American Community Survey (ACS), the 2000 Decennial Census, and the DHS Office of Immigration Statistics (OIS), the site noted that one-third of all Philippineborn immigrants resided in three major metropolitan areas: greater Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York.

It added that almost 17 percent of employed Philippine-born men worked in service and personal care occupations, while more than 18 percent of Filipino women worked as registered nurses.

Other issues affecting Fil-Ams. Meanwhile, aside from immigration issues, Cuisia said another major concern of the Filipino-American community is the fate of Filipino veterans of the Second World War. “Our veterans continue to face challenges in filing their claims, which result in delayed grant of benefits or denial,” he said.

“We have been working with veterans groups as well as our friends in the US Congress in rallying support behind veterans-related bills that will address certification issues of Filipino veterans as well as family reunification legislations,” he said. “There are at least three pending bills in the US Senate aimed at addressing the certification issues.”

Victims of crimes. Cuisia said Filipinos involved in crime incidents in the US are also a major concern of the Philippine Embassy.

“We have handled numerous cases relative to providing assistance to families of Filipino victims of crime,” he said.

Among the recent cases the Cuisia cited were: (1) the fatal shooting of Mylene Scott by police deputies in Sterling, Virginia in May last year; (2) the tragic death of Erano Santos, a male nurse from Pampanga who was shot dead last July in Memphis, Tennessee; (3) the repatriation of the remains of Karen Santillan-Tait, a Filipina immigrant who disappeared in West Virginia more than 10 years ago and who was later found to have been murdered by her American husband.

On human trafficking, Cuisia said, “We remain in close coordination with the US Department of State, the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security for the purpose of prosecuting and eventually convicting offenders.”

In its 2013 Trafficking in Persons Report, the US said despite the Philippines’ efforts to fight human trafficking, the country still does not quite meet the standard, and thus retains its Tier 2 ranking.

Countries whose governments do not fully comply with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act’s (TVPA) minimum standards but are “making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with those standards” belong to Tier 2, the US Department of State says.

Cuisia said the Philippine Embassy signed a “collaborative agreement with the Polaris Project aimed to combat all forms of human trafficking and to enable us to better protect Filipino victims and prosecute the offenders even in the Philippines.”

He cited the agreements signed by the Philippine government with the US Department of Labor and its two agencies, the Wage and Hour Division and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

These agreements aim to empower Filipino workers in the US “through knowledge of their rights to fair compensation and a safe working environment and assisting

them in seeking compensation and justice, if necessary,” Cuisia said.

“We also provide assistance to Filipinos who were arrested and detained, victims of human trafficking, child custody cases, those involved in immigration and labor cases. We also assist in the repatriation of distressed Filipinos,” he added.

Ex-BSP governor. Most Filipinos have long been familiar with Cuisia’s name as he has been in public service for some time.

He was governor of the Central Bank of the Philippines (now the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) and chairman of its Monetary Board as well as President and CEO of the Philippine Social Security System in the 1980s and 1990s.

As BSP governor, Cuisia oversaw the liberalization of foreign exchange controls.

Cuisia has over 32 years experience in financial services. Most recently, he was the President and CEO of the largest and most profitable non-bank financial institution in the Philippines, Philamlife Insurance Company.

Cuisia, who will turn 70 on July 16 this year, holds a Commerce degree from De La Salle University in Manila (Batch 1967; Magna Cum Laude).

He also took up Master in Business Administration – Finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in the US. Cuisia was appointed Philippine Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the US by President Benigno Aquino III on November 30, 2010. He formally assumed his post at the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. on April 2, 2011. ■ Veronica Pulumbarit / KBK, GMA News / January 27, 2014 / 9:08 PM

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February 2014 – No. 3 • UK & Europe Edition

PHL envoy: Pinoys’ worries over food, jobs also a WTO concern PHILIPPINE Ambassador Esteban Conejos Jr., the country’s Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organization (WTO), said the worries of ordinary Filipinos over food or livelihood security are also the concerns of the WTO. In an email to GMA News Online, Conejos said “the prevailing perception about WTO is that the WTO works only for the benefit of big multinational corporations and is not concerned with the man on the street.”

“This is a wrong perception,” Conejos said. “As evidenced by the recentlyconcluded agreement on food security in Bali (Indonesia), WTO rules and disciplines provide governments with a wide flexibility in addressing the core concerns of developing countries such as food security, livelihood security and rural development.”

The WTO is an international organization dealing with the global rules of trade between nations, ensuring that trade flows as smoothly and freely as possible.

In December last year, the WTO reached its first ever trade reform deal that would lower trade barriers and speed up the passage of goods through customs.

According to a Reuters report last December, analysts estimate that the agreement “could boost the world economy by hundreds of billions of dollars and create more than 20 million jobs, mostly in developing countries.”

The agreement still needs to be approved by each member government.

The Washington, D.C.-based Peterson Institute of International Economics said the agreement would cut red tape at customs around the world, and would inject $960 billion into the global economy and create 18 million jobs in developing nations alone.

The deal gives improved trade terms to the poorest countries and allows developing countries to skirt the normal rules on farm subsidies if they are trying to feed the poor, the Reuters report noted.

In his first speech of the year on Tuesday, WTO chief Roberto Azevedo said “Bali is just the start.”

Expressing gratitude to those who supported the trade reform deal in Bali, Azevedo said, “We now need to build new negotiations and multilateral outcomes on the foundations which we have just jointly signed up to in Bali.”

Esteban said he considers the successful conclusion of the WTO Ministerial Conference in Bali in December 2013 as a “big accomplishment of the Philippine Mission to WTO in Geneva.”

“The Philippines played a significant role in the negotiation of the Bali package.

In particular, the Philippines assumed a leadership role among developing countries in negotiating the agreement on public stockholding for food security purposes,” he explained.

More tasks. Conejos, a lawyer who was once a consultant for the Asian Development Bank (1989) and a Special Assistant of the Board of Governors of the Development Bank of the Philippines (19831986), said more tasks lie ahead for the Philippine Mission to the WTO. For one, he believes there should be more policies to promote the welfare of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

He noted that 99 percent of businesses in the Philippines are SMEs. “Therefore, the challenge ahead of us is how to integrate Philippine SMEs into the multilateral trading system and how to increase the value-added to be provided by the SMEs in the global value chain,” Conejos said.

Aside from SMEs, Conejos also noted the need for agricultural trade reform.

“Here, we have to strike the proper balance between protecting the sensitive sectors of our agriculture and promoting efficiency and global competitiveness,” he said.

“In this regard, the Philippines will continue to work closely with other developing countries towards the full elimination of export subsidies, the most pernicious form of trade-distorting support provided by developed countries,” he added.

Philippines and the WTO. The Philippines is one of the 159 member-

countries of the WTO, having joined the international body on January 1, 1995.

Conejos said the Philippine Mission to the WTO “continues to be actively and constructively engaged in every aspect of WTO work i.e. multilateral trade negotiations, implementation of WTO agreements, dispute settlement, and monitoring of trade policies and trends.”

“Under our trade and investment policy, the Philippines is engaged in global trade not just for the sake of trade but to maximize the contribution of trade to development,” he said.

“Hence, there is a development dimension to all our trade activities in the WTO. With more trade and more investments, both local and foreign, we hope to generate more employment for our people,” he added.

The Philippine section on the WTO website details the country’s trade profile as well as the international cases it is involved in.

Order of Lakandula awardee. Conejos is the recipient of the prestigious “Order of Lakandula” award in 2013.

Asked if he felt it was a vindication after some groups questioned his appointment to the Philippine Mission to the WTO, Conejos said, “The Order of Lakandula conferred by the President on me last December was in recognition of outstanding performance in all aspects of diplomacy under the three pillars of Philippine foreign policy.”

“I consider this award not as any sort of vindication but as a source of inspiration and a challenge, and paraphrasing the citation in the award, ‘to promote Philippine interest within the country and in the international community of nations,’” he added.

Born in Ormoc City on August 8, 1950, Conejos is a Bachelor of Arts graduate of the San Carlos Major Seminary in 1970.

He also graduated with a degree of Bachelor of Laws from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1974 and Master of Laws from Georgetown University in Washington D.C. in the US in 1980.

He also took up graduate courses in International Trade Law and Regulation, East-West Trade Law. Conejos was once chief legal counsel of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (1987) and chief litigation counsel of the Philippine Ports Authority (1976 to 1978).

He was also an associate counsel of the Salonga, Ordoñez, and Yap law offices (1975 to 1977).

Aside from being the Ambassador of the Philippine Mission to the WTO, Conejos is also Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

In 2006, he received a Presidential Citation for helping bring home safely to the Philippines some 6,000 Filipino migrants from the war in Lebanon. ■ Veronica Pulumbarit

/ KBK, GMA News / January 23, 2014 / 12:35 PM

PHL asks Malaysia to look into case of maltreated OFW

THE Philippines has requested Malaysia to investigate the case of a legallyemployed Filipino architect who was detained and reportedly maltreated by Malaysian authorities during an ongoing crackdown on undocumented foreigners in the Southeast Asian state last week.

On the first day of the crackdown on Jan. 21, Architect Resty Rosales, project manager in a Malaysian construction company based in Kota Kinabalu, was among the more than 300 foreign workers who were rounded up by Malaysian police despite a valid work permit and visa in his possession. He was released the day after when his company showed proof of his employment.

“The embassy brought this incident to the attention of the Federal Task Force in Kota Kinabalu on January 27 so that they can look into the case and that steps may be taken to prevent a recurrence of this incident,” Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez told a press briefing.

Upon learning of the incident, Hernandez said the embassy sent a representative to talk to Rosales personally and to immediately provide direct assistance, and also to determine the condition of other detained Filipinos.

“During their conversation, the Filipino worker expressed gratitude to the embassy for sending someone to help him. He has decided not to pursue any legal case

Pinay, 10 others arrested in Malaysia for working as GROs

A Filipina was among the 11 women arrested in Malaysia Wednesday night for working illegally as guest relations officers, a Malaysian news site reported Thursday.

Malaysian police also arrested a local man believed to be the girls’ pimp, Malaysia’s The Star Online reported.

The arrests occurred less than a week after Malaysia started a nationwide crackdown on illegal migrant workers.

The report said nine of the women were working using tourist visas while two were working using student visas.

It said those arrested included five Thais, four Vietnamese, one Iranian and one Filipina. They were aged between 22 and 40, the report said.

Investigation showed the 11 women worked at an entertainment outlet in Sunway Mentari, and were arrested in a raid at 11:45 p.m. Wednesday.

Petaling Jaya police said the foreign

women would be investigated under Section 39(b) of the Immigration Rules 1963 for violation of their permit or pass.

Should they be found guilty, they face up to six months in jail or a maximum fine of RM1,000 or both.

On the other hand, the premise owners and caretakers face a charge under Section 56(1)(d) of the Immigration Act 1959/1963 for employing foreigners without a valid permit. ■ KBK, GMA News / January 23, 2014 / 8:53 PM

regarding his arrest and treatment,” Hernandez said.

Amid the crackdown, Manila urged undocumented Filipinos to voluntarily return to the Philippines, warning that those who will be caught will be kept in detention while undergoing deportation proceedings.

Arrested individuals will also be subjected to biometric fingerprint registration to ensure that they would not be able to return to Malaysia under a different name.

Malaysia is home to thousands of Filipinos. Many of them are undocumented and reside in Malaysian-controlled Sabah, a resource-rich territory also being claimed by the Philippines.

Every year, hundreds of Filipinos enter Sabah through Mindanao in search of a better life. Most of the undocumented Filipinos in Sabah hail from Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, and other far-flung provinces in the south that are among the Philippines’ poorest and constantly plagued by war.

Hernandez said the Philippine embassy in Kuala Lumpur continues to extend the necessary assistance to Filipinos who are affected by the nationwide crackdown.

From January 1 to 21, he said a total of 1,988 Filipinos were able to leave Malaysia. This number includes those who applications were endorsed to Malaysian Immigration Department on November and December last year.

He added that from January 21 to 27, the embassy escorted 188 illegally-staying Filipinos to the immigration department to process their exit passes.

Prior to January 21, the embassy brought 240 more Filipinos to the immigration department to apply for an exit pass so they could return to the Philippines, Hernandez said. ■ Michaela Del Callar / KBK, GMA News / January 28, 2014 / 6:15 PM

More PHL execs in Kuwait may be involved in human trafficking – prosecutor

MORE ranking embassy officials in Kuwait may be involved in an illegal recruitment and human trafficking scheme of Filipinos there, a state prosecutor told a congressional hearing Wednesday.

Assistant city prosecutor Darlene Pajarito, however, clarified during the hearing of the House committee on overseas workers affairs that a preliminary investigation undertaken by the Kuwait Anti-Trafficking Task Force only points to administrative violations.

But Pajarito did say that the task force is looking at possible criminal charges. “We are still trying to see if they are responsible even for conspiring,” she said.

The task force, created last September, has already identified an erring government official—Ibrahim Daligdig Tanandato, assistant to the Nationals Unit head at the Consular Office of the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait—in the alleged abuse of Filipinos in Kuwait.

The group has also recommended charges against Muamar Mamosion and

Omar Khalil, who were hired by the embassy as Arabic translators, and lawyers Khaled Almas and Ayied Al-Subaie, who were hired to represent the embassy.

During Wednesday’s hearing, Pajarito said subpoenaes sent to the ranking embassy officials in Kuwait were either ignored or sent back to them.

“The investigation did send someone,” Pajarito said. “But they didn’t reply to the subpoena or the subpoena was sent back to us.”

Akbayan party-list Rep. Walden Bello, meanwhile, welcomed the development, saying he noticed that only lower staff members were charged in the past.

“I think we just want to make sure that this is not the case here. And that if higher level officials were complicit or in [or responsible for] criminal actions, then the investigation will also include them,” he said.

The complainants said a government official hired them to work as domestic

helpers—with a monthly salary of 50 Kuwaiti dinars or around P7,900—without proper documentation from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

The government official then supposedly “took advantage of one of the victims by deceiving her that her back wages have not been paid yet by her previous lawyers.”

The task force said the suspects, including the embassy-hired lawyers and translators, demanded money from the complainants as attorney’s fees.

Two of the complainants narrated they were also recruited to handle bomb-sniffing dogs with salaries from P30,000 to P35,000.

One of the complainants allegedly paid one of the suspects P10,000 as a training fee, and an Immigration officer an additional P23,000.

When they arrived in Kuwait, the victims were made to sign a document stating their salary was only 110 Kuwaiti dinars or around P17,500. ■ Patricia Denise Chiu / KBK, GMA News /

January 29, 2014 / 8:03 PM

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Infographic: New PHL passport goes hi-tech

OLD Philippine passports — or the green- and maroon-colored ones — are set to be phased out by 2015, to be replaced by e-Passports.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, only e-Passports will be recognized by October 31, 2015.

Here is what an e-Passport looks like and its features. ■ GMANews / January 28, 2014 / 8:50 PM

IMMIGRATION / OFNEWS

February 2014 – No. 3 • UK & Europe Edition

Pinoys in HK reminded of best practices vs avian flu

FILIPINOS in Hong Kong were reminded of best practices against avian flu during a forum at the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong last weekend.

The Consulate General said Dr. Taron Loh, Senior Medical and Health Officer (Health Promotion) of the Center for Health Protection of Hong Kong, was the speaker at the forum.

“Dr. Loh emphasized that good hygiene such as avoiding contact with live poultry, covering the mouth when sneezing, frequent hand washing, and using hand sanitizers and unexpired rubbing alcohol as the best way to prevent avian and seasonal influenza,” the Consulate General said.

But Loh also warned the influenza virus can survive for about 24 hours in the environment.

He said it is best to wash hands immediately after handling poultry and cook the meat in a temperature not lower than 70 degrees Celsius, “as there is no way of knowing if the dressed poultry has been infected.”

The forum was held at the Consulate General premises last Jan. 26.

Earlier, the consulate general reminded Filipinos in Hong Kong to take precautions against the avian flu after Hong Kong authorities confirmed the third case of avian flu strain H7N9 there.

On its Facebook account, the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong reissued its public advisory on avian flu to help Filipinos avoid getting the disease.

The Consulate General reiterated its advice dated Dec. 3, where it urged Filipinos in Hong Kong to:

• Regularly wash hands especially if coming from the bathroom, hospital or the house of one’s wards, especially before eating or after coughing • Wash hands with liquid soap, for 20 seconds, then wipe dry with a clean towel or use a hand dryer • also use 70- to 80-percent alcohol in washing hands • Avoid holding one’s mouth, nose and eyes • Cover nose and mouth with a clean handkerchief when sneezing or coughing • not to spit • Wear a surgical mask when in crowded or poorly ventilated areas, or when visiting hospitals or clinics • not go to work or school if you have influenza-like symptoms ■ LBG, GMA News / January 29, 2014 / 8:52 AM

POEA bans deployment of OFWs in four areas in Thailand THE governing board of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has banned the deployment of newly-hired OFWs in four specific areas in troubled Thailand.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz announced on Monday that the POEA board has approved a resolution on the ban in a meeting following consultation with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

Under the resolution, the ban is effective in Bangkok, Nonthaburi Province, Lad Lum Kaew District (Pathumthani Province), and Bang Phli District (Samutprakan Province).

The ban was issued after the Thai government declared a 60-day state of emergency in Bangkok and other surrounding areas stemming from the series of protests calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Ying Luck Shinawatra.

“In view of this, the Governing Board

decided to impose a temporary suspension on the processing and deployment of newly-hired OFWs bound for these areas in the Kingdom of Thailand,” said Baldoz, who chairs the POEA governing board.

The DFA has already raised crisis Alert Level 2 (Restriction Phase) in Thailand. This allows only the processing and deployment of returning OFWs with existing employment contracts.

“We strongly advise our OFWs in Thailand to be vigilant and avoid going out as much as possible, especially if they have nothing important to do outside. They should also stay alert and monitor the events in those areas. If they feel that their security and safety is compromised, they can always go to the Philippine Embassy,” Baldoz said.

POEA records show the annual deployment of OFWs to Thailand has

declined from 9,204 in 2012 to 6,021 in 2013. Of the 6,021 OFWs deployed to Thailand last year, only 252 were new hires, while 5,769 were re-hires.

Republic Act 10022 authorizes the POEA Governing Board, after consultation with the DFA, to impose a ban on the deployment of Filipino migrant workers in pursuit of national interest or when public welfare so requires. ■ KBK, GMA News / January 27, 2014 / 12:41 PM

Protesters occupy Thailand auditing house; Pinoys advised to be cautious

PROTESTERS in Bangkok overran the Cooperative Auditing House controlled by the government on Saturday and drove away the employees working there.

Other government offices stopped their operations due to the widespread protest against Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s administration, according to a

Bangladeshi faces UAE court for molesting, injuring Pinay waitress A Bangladeshi man faced a court in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday for allegedly molesting and injuring a Filipina waitress last September.

But the Bangladeshi, 25, denied the charges when he faced the Dubai Court of First Instance, according to a report on Gulf News on Wednesday. He had been accused of kissing and hugging the Filipina waitress on Sept. 28.

Presiding judge Mohammad Jamal will hand out a ruling on February 16.

According to the Filipina, she returned home after work at around 4 a.m. last Sept.

28 when the defendant molested her.

“I entered the villa and was heading towards my room when the suspect suddenly jumped from behind a tree. He hugged and kissed me... he also bit my upper lip and caused it to bleed. When I scolded him and cried for help, he absconded. I went to the hospital to treat my injury… then I was told to report the matter to the police. I lodged a police complaint at Bur Dubai police station,” Gulf News quoted her as saying.

The Gulf News report said medical findings showed the Filipina sustained injuries to her lips when the Bangladeshi bit her while he was kissing her.

A policeman testified that the suspect was detained following his involvement in another crime.

“When I questioned him he confessed that he molested the Filipina. He alleged that he followed the woman into the villa and molested her… he said he took advantage of the place being empty,” he said.

On October 7, police summoned the Filipina to identify the defendant at the police line-up.

A separate report on Khaleej Times said the Filipina, 29, had to be treated at a hospital after the attack. ■ KBK, GMA News / January 29, 2014 / 9:05 PM

report on “News TV Live.”

Protesters want no less than the resignation of Shinawatra, whom they accuse of being politically influenced by her brother, exiled former leader Thaksin Shinawatra.

In a bid to quell the brewing social unrest, the Thai government declared last Monday a 60-day state of emergency in the capital and surrounding provinces.

Shinawatra also announced the government will hold a snap election on February 2, but protesters have opposed the idea.

The constitutional court had ruled that the Election Comission and the government should decide on a proper date for the snap poll.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) had raised an alert level 2 for Filipinos in Bangkok and other affected areas.

The DFA also reminded Filipinos in Thailand to exercise extreme caution, avoid political gatherings and prepare for a possible evacuation if the situation worsens.

■ Andrei Medina / LBG, GMA News / January 25, 2014

/ 3:37 PM

Pinoys in HK join march for abused Indonesian domestic helper FILIPINO workers in Hong Kong joined other foreign workers in a rally to voice support for the Indonesian domestic helper who was allegedly abused by her employer.

A report on GMA News TV’s “QRT” Wednesday said foreign migrant workers in Hong Kong, including Filipinos, marched around the Hong Kong Police Headquarters as a sign of unity with Erwiana Sulistyaningsh.

Aside from physical abuse, Sulistyaningsih, 22, was barred from contacting her family and leaving her employer’s apartment for six months, according to a report by South China Morning Post.

Other domestic workers have accused Sulistyaningsih’s employer, Wan-tung, of forcing them to work long hours, subjecting them to isolation, as well as emotional and physical abuse.

Eman Villanueva of the Filipino Migrant Workers’ Union of Hong Kong said in an earlier report that it was not a matter of nationality that Sulistyaningsh brought up, but of domestic workers being migrant workers and human beings.

“We from the Philippines are also migrant workers. We know the feeling, being away from home and suffering,” said Villanueva. ■ Rie Takumi / KBK, GMA News / January 22, 2014 / 8:16 PM

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Our Special Fares to the Philippines

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Celestial Travel Call us on 020 7828 3311 1 Lower Grosvenor Place, Victoria, London, SW1W 0EJ www.celestialtravel.co.uk sales@celestialtravel.co.uk

DATE / TIME EVENT From Heaven With Love – A Theatrical 22 2014 18to 26 Januarywww.hello-philippines.com Comedy Written and Directed by: Evening 7:30pm Ramon Castillanes Tenoso Sat & Sun Matinee 3:00pm 14 February 2014 Valentines Charity Ball Friday 6:00pm till late

DATE / TIME 22 to 26 January 2014 Evening 7:30pm SatFebruary & Sun Matinee 14 2014 3:00pm Friday 6:00pm 14 February 2014 15 February 2014 Saturday Friday 4:00pm onwards 6:00pm till late 15 February 2014 Saturday 6:00pm to 11:00pm

EVENT From Heaven With Love – A Theatrical Comedy Written and Directed by: RamonAttack Castillanes Tenoso Heart – A Night of Music and Love Valentines Charity Ball Valentine’s Party – Search for Mr & Miss

Valentine and Mr & Mrs Valentine A Valentines Party

VENUE Chelsea Theatre, 7 World’s End Place, King’s Road, London SW10 0DR French Ballroom, Midland Hotel, Forster Square, Cheapside, Bradford

VENUE Chelsea Theatre, 7 World’s End Place, King’s Road, London SW10 0DR King's Centre Auditorium, The Norwich NR1 1PH French Ballroom, Midland Hotel, St Augustine’s CE High School, Oxford Road, London NW6 5SN Forster Square, Cheapside, Bradford Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1 4RL

14 February 2014 15 February 2014 Saturday Friday 6:00pm 15 February 2014 15 February 2014 Saturday Saturday 4:00pm to 11:00pm 4:00pm onwards

Heart Attack – A Night of Music and Fil LGBT Valentine Masquerade Party Love Valentine’s Party – Search for Mr & Miss Happy Valentine’s Day! – Party and Valentine and Mr & Mrs Valentine Fundraising Event

16 February 2014 Sunday 4:00pm onwards

Come Join Have Fun and Let’s Get Loud

A Valentines Party

The Dome at The Boston Arms, 178 Junction Road, London N14 5QQ

My Funny ValentACE

FM Bar, Shepherd’s Bush, London

15 February 2014 Saturday 16 February 2014 6:00pm to 11:00pm Sunday 6:00pm till late

15 February 2014 Saturday

Fil LGBT Valentine Masquerade Party

22 February 2014 Saturday 6:00pm to 11:00pm

Valentine’s Party

23 February 2014 Sunday 10:00am to 3:00pm

(ENFID-UK) – General Assembly 2014

ORGANISER

Philippine Theatre UK EVENTS DIARY UK & EUROPE

The King's Centre Auditorium, Norwich NR1 1PH St Augustine’s CE High School, East Ham Conservative Club, 1 Oxford Road, London NW6 5SN Vicarage Lane, East Ham,

Kensington Roof Top Garden, 99 Kensington High Street, London W8 5SA

London E5 6AD

ORGANISER Philippine Theatre UK

A Joint Charity Project of Filipino Nurses In Bradford and Philippine Nurses Association of UK (Registered UK Charity) Sinigang Republic

ACamarines Joint Charity Project of Filipino Sur Filipino Community UK (Anand Affiliation of Nurses In Bradford Philippine Bicol Association UK Limited) Nurses Association of UK Narvacanian-UK (An Affiliate member of Philippine (Registered UK Charity)Centre) Sinigang Republic The Filipino LGBT UK is a social and informal support group for Filipino LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender)

Camarines Sur Filipino Community UK (An Affiliation of Bicol Association UK Limited)

LK Dance Company and DJ Ryan

Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, Narvacanian-UK (An Affiliate London WC1 4RL member of Philippine Centre)

Kensington Roof Top Garden, 99 Kensington High Street, London W8 5SA

The Filipino LGBT UK is a social and informal support group for Filipino LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, European Network of Filipino Bisexual and Transgender) Diaspora -

Sacred Heart & Mary Immaculate Roman Catholic Church, 2 Flower Lane, Mill Hill, London NW7 2JB TBC

KAPA-Mill Hill

United Kingdom (ENFID-UK)

15 February 2014 Saturday 2 March 2014 Sunday 4:00pm to 11:00pm 7:30pm

Happy Valentine’s Day! – Party and Fundraising You’ll Never Event Walk Alone – The West End

East Ham Conservative Club, 1 Vicarage Lane, East Ham, Queens Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 6BA London E5 6AD

16 February 2014 8 and 9 March 2014 Saturday and Sunday Sunday 9:00am to 5:00pm 4:00pm onwards 12 March 2014

Come Join Have Fun and Let’s Get Loud 2014 Leeds 2 Days Basketball League

LK Dance Company and DJ Ryan The Dome at The Boston Arms, Ramgarhia Sports Centre, 10 Filipino Leeds Associations Chapeltown LS7 3AP 178 Junction Road, Road, Leeds London N14 5QQ Jesuit Church of the Immaculate

Wednesday 6:30pm

16 February 2014 Sunday 15 March 2014 Saturday 6:00pm till late 6:00pm to 1:00am 22 February 2014 Saturday 4 April 2014 6:00pm to 11:00pm Friday 16 March 2014 Sunday 2:00pm

Unites for the Philippines

A Charity Recital for Tohoku Earthquake and Typhoon Haiyan Victims

Stage Art Productions / Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC) / Philippines Typhoon Appeal

For Information: sinigang@sinigangrepublic.com

/ www.sinigangrepublic.com Hermie Querubin 07876 687 878 / Arthur Nieva 07947 344 422 admin@pnauk.org.uk MJ Robles 07846 784 767

For Information: sinigang@sinigangrepublic.com / www.sinigangrepublic.com Arthur Nieva 07947 344 422

For Information and Tickets: FilipinoLGBTUK@pinoyworld.eu / 07834 780 490

Cleo 07956 856 007 / Andrea 020 8470 4363

Ticket: £10.00 includes food (£15.00 on the door) / 020 3286 4883 / tickets@lkdance.org.uk

MJ Robles 07846 784 767

For Tickets: 07427 675 638 / 07753 317 069

For Information and Tickets: FilipinoLGBTUK@pinoyworld.eu / 07834 780 490

£10.00

Carol Panday 07903 547 676 / gymcarol@yahoo.com Janette Vicera 07714 287 610 / janette_2906@yahoo.co.uk Mark Senior mark@markseniorpr.com / 07446 169 997 Box Office: 0844 482 5164 / www.delfonmackintosh.co.uk Freddie 07595 248 917 / Rodamin 07446 906 608

Cleo 07956 856 007 / Andrea 020 8470 4363

Ticket: £10.00 includes food (£15.00 on the door) / 020 3286 4883 / tickets@lkdance.org.uk

Ticket £10.00 for sale on the door on the night only from 6:30pm

Conception (entrance 114 Mount Street, London W1K 3AH

That’s My Pogi Pageant

Mazenod Community Centre, Quex Road, Kilburn, London NW6 4PS

FilMo

Vannz Bio 07947 160 826

Valentine’s Party

The Centre Conference Venue (Spirit), Farnham Road, Slough, Berkshire SL1 4UT

Sacred Heart & Mary Immaculate Roman Catholic Eventim Apollo, Queen Church, 2 Flower45Lane, Mill Hill, Caroline Street, Hammersmith, London 2JB London NW7 W6 9QH London / Norwich / Kent TBC

KAPA-Mill Hill

Robin Gaudiel 07428 677 870 / Lito Martinez £10.00

Finest Workers UK

For tickets and inquiries: 07784 881 850 / sales@finestworkers.com

Side Projects Productions European Network of Filipino Simply C PR & Events Diaspora Filipino Kingdom Community in Bristol United (ENFID-UK)

General Information: 07903 Carol Panday 07903 547 676547 / 676 gymcarol@yahoo.com Wil Manuel 07900 485 287 194 610 / Honeylyn 07783 343 Janette Vicera 07714 / 848 / Clarence 07500 896 239 / Hilda 07909 724 janette_2906@yahoo.co.uk 653 Lolita Boddy mark@markseniorpr.com 01765 535 015 / Tess Wills/07920 280 Mark Senior 549 07446 169 997 Roselle Collado 07577 Box Office: 0844 –482 5164813 / 104 Mike McCarthy – 07538 201 870 www.delfonmackintosh.co.uk Email: events@hello-philippines.com Tickets & General Enquiries: Freddie 07595 248 917 / Rodamin 07446 906 608 020 7998 0450

Pooh in Pooh tik

Eraserheads

FM Bar, Shepherd’s Bush, London

For Tickets: 07427 675 638 / 07753 317 069

4, 5February and 6 April 23 20142014 Friday, Saturday and Sunday Sunday 21 and 22toJune 2014 10:00am 3:00pm Saturday and Sunday

The 70's Superband The OPM 2014 (ENFID-UK) – General–Assembly Barrio Fiesta in Bristol 2014

Eastville Park, Bristol BS5 6XA

June 2014 228March 2014 Saturday Sunday 10:00am to 5:00pm 5 and 6 July 2014 7:30pm

7 Barrio Fiesta in Alone Yorkshire 2014 You’ll Never Walk – The West End Unites for the Philippines

The Racecourse, Boroughbridge Road, Ripon, North Yorkshire

HELLO PHILIPPINES proudly presents Hounslow Summer Festival 2014

Lampton Park, Lampton Road, Hounslow TW3 4DN

Ramgarhia Sports Centre, 10 Filipino Leeds Associations Apps Court Farm, Road, Chapeltown Road,Hurst Leeds LS7 3AP Philippine Centre and ABS-CBN

Hitmakers

10:00am to 5:00pm

th

8 and 9 March 2014 Saturday and Sunday 9:00am to 5:00pm

2014 Leeds 2 Days Basketball League

19 and 20 July 2014 Saturday and Sunday 10.00am to 6:00pm

30th Barrio Fiesta Sa London 2014

17 August 2014 12 March 2014 Sunday 10:00am to 5:00pm Wednesday 6:30pm

6 September 2014 Saturday

CONTACTS / REMARKS For Information and Tickets: 020 7352 1967 / www.chealseatheatre.org.uk

Hermie Querubin 07876 687 878 / admin@pnauk.org.uk

My Funny ValentACE

8:00pm

Saturday and Sunday 10:00am to 6:00pm

CONTACTS / REMARKS For Information and Tickets: 020 / Edition February 2014 – No. 3 •7352 UK &1967 Europe www.chealseatheatre.org.uk

Queens Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 6BA

Stage Art Productions / Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC) / HELLO PHILIPPINES Philippines Typhoon Appeal

Walton-on-Thames, Surrey KT12 2EG

The Filipino Channel

Scotland Barrio Fiesta 2014

A Charity Recital for Tohoku Earthquake and Typhoon Haiyan Victims

Hamilton Park Racecourse, Bothwell Road, Hamilton, South Lanarkshire ML3 0DW

Mr & Miss Philippines United Kingdom

TBC

In Association with FIL-GLAS, PSG (Pinoy Sa Glasgow), PHIL-SCOT FIFE, Lanark FILCOM & different Filipino communities in Scotland and surrounding areas Philippines-UK

Jesuit Church of the Immaculate Conception (entrance 114 Mount Street, London W1K 3AH

07882 709 234

General Information: 01932 244 822

Ticket £10.00 for sale on the door on the night only from 6:30pm Eva Macadangdang 07983 593 914 / Marlowe

15 March 2014 That’s My Pogi Pageant Mazenod Community Centre, FilMo Vannz Bio 07947 160 826944 520 / Myra Adap del Macadangdang 07956 2014 Cruz 07789 695 596 / MP_UK@yahoo.com Saturday Quex Road, Kilburn, London NW6 FREE LISTING of your events on the HELLO PHILIPPINES newspaper and if you know of any Events please contact us and submit your event via email to the following at INFO@HELLO -PHILIPPINES.COM 6:00pm to 1:00am 4PS 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 16 March 2014 Pooh in Pooh tik The Centre Conference Venue Robin Gaudiel 07428 677 870 / Lito Martinez Europe. This is for general information only.

MONTHLY FILIPINO COMMUNITY MASSES IN GREATER LONDON Sunday (Spirit), Farnham Road, Slough, 07882 709 234 1 Sunday 2:00pm Five Precious Wounds Parish, Brentfield Road, Stonebridge Park, London NW10 8ER 2:00pm Berkshire SL1 4UT Mervic Monocillo – 07894 636 140 st

1st Sunday

4 April 2014 2 Saturday Friday 2 Sunday 8:00pm nd

4:00pm

nd

2:00pm

4, 5Sunday and 6 April 2014 Friday, Saturday and 2 Sunday Sunday 2

5:00pm

Eraserheads

nd

nd

3rd Sunday

The 70's Superband – The OPM Hitmakers 4:00pm 2:00pm

3:00pm

21 and 22 June 2014 3 Sunday Saturday and Sunday Last Saturday to 5:00pm 10:00am

Barrio Fiesta in Bristol 2014 3:00pm

28 June 2014 Last Sunday Saturday Every Sunday 10:00am to 5:00pm

th 72:00pm Barrio Fiesta in Yorkshire 2014

rd

First Wednesdays

5 and 6 July 2014 Saturday and Sunday 10:00am to 6:00pm

6:00pm

5:00pm 6:30pm

HELLO PHILIPPINES proudly presents Hounslow Summer Festival 2014

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. 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

Eventim Apollo, 45 Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, London W6 9QH

Finest Workers UK

For tickets and inquiries: 07784 881 850 / sales@finestworkers.com

London / Norwich / Kent

Side Projects Productions Simply C PR & Events

General Information: 07903 547 676

Eastville Park, Bristol BS5 6XA

Filipino Community in Bristol

Wil Manuel 07900 485 194 / Honeylyn 07783 343 848 / Clarence 07500 896 239 / Hilda 07909 724 653

The Racecourse, Boroughbridge Road, Ripon, North Yorkshire Lampton Park, Lampton Road, Hounslow TW3 4DN

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February 2014 – No. 3 • UK & Europe Edition

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For US-based Filipina crooner Louise Marie Cornillez, life is always a song MUCH has been praised about the resiliency of the Filipino spirit. Whatever disaster–earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, floods, tsunamis or typhoons– it seems like we know how to weather the storm of life especially the recent devastations wrought by the strongest storm on record, Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) to many islands in the Philippines. Why? I think it’s how we look at a glass filled with water–half-full rather than half-empty.

When challenges strike, our mettle shines forth. It seems coincidental that, over a week before the violent fury of Typhoon Yolanda hit mainly the Visayas islands, I got a chance to interview an admirably resolute singer, creative and technical writer whose parents hail from Samar province, one of the islands that suffered heavily the brunt of the storm’s onslaught.

What is so interesting about her is that she neither sees the glass as half-full or as half-empty–she’s just grateful there is water in the glass in that moment, period. That’s it, Louise Marie Cornillez is always grateful in life.

People of all stripes will agree on this: anyone can sing–even so melodiously–but to walk through life with harmonious musical notes surrounding you is another thing.

For Louise, both of these are integral to her existence. It seems embracing the virtue of gratitude has always been her dictum for a richer and fuller life. I bet it’s set in stone in her consciousness that gratefulness equates to the renewal of the soul.

“Singing is my way of expressing myself,

my joy. I guess it’s probably the reason why I’ve never had sadness in life. Besides, there’s no room to wallow in that, so why bother,” she confides.

Louise even admonishes gratitude as the panacea to unhappy people and to those who are mired in grinding fear. “And if a person has a low self-esteem, blend with happy people instead of feeling miserable by gelling with toxic people” she suggests.

“It’s a good thing to spread happiness to people. If you are happy, others will be, too.

It’s contagious. Celebrate the goodness of life,” Louise further adds.

With a very bright attitude like that she always has time–despite her very busy schedule–to smell the flowers by the wayside; to relish the beautiful colors of the rainbow in the sky; to find joy in some little things that, for us, may be very trivial things; or to listen to all the love calls of birds in the trees. She finds the sakura or cherry blossoms very special. In a way this is actually breathing the veritable oxygen of life, so to speak.

“My parents are the ones who taught me how to be grateful. My mom was a teacher in the College of the Holy Spirit and my dad worked as an electrical engineer in Ricoh, a Japanese electronics giant. He had a profound impact on my singing career,” the grateful singer narrates.

Louise’s fondness with music is so natural–she started singing even before she learned how to speak. Yes, she sang before uttering words. At the age of two, while her dad played the guitar, they were able to do

several recordings of their brand of music.

Father and daughter both love the music of the Beatles, the Eagles, the Bee Gees, Simon & Garfunkel and others.

“I also love to sing theme songs of Filipino soap operas, ” she quips.

A classically trained soprano, Louise’s lyrical blend of Broadway and Opera never fails to touch the hearts of her audiences. It has also been mentioned that her crystalline tone, four-octave range and unique artistry will thrill, captivate, and connect with her listeners on an emotional level. Her rendering of the song, “I Dreamed a Dream,” on YouTube, speaks for itself.

Our lovely singer is not only gifted with beauty, she also has loads of grey matters.

Upon entering college, she was undecided which school to study in. With so many full scholarship grants being offered to her from top universities in the country, she decided to study in Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Considered as one of the world’s leading research universities, Louise was able to get her degree in classical voice, English creative writing and a minor in French literature in this prestigious learning institution. This incredible lady speaks fluent French, too. She could have been in Harvard, Stanford, etc., but it’s as if fate had it that she would be meeting somebody special in her life in Atlanta–her husband.

Her presence in the Filipino American community in Los Angeles is becoming more visible. In this year’s Festival of Filipino Arts and Culture in San Pedro, California, she wowed the audience with her distinctive

brand of flair, singing either in Italian, English or Pilipino. This December, here in L.A., she joined FASO or the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra together with its conductor, Robert Shroder, for its Christmas concert entitled “Handog ng FASO sa Pasko.”

It’s a welcome blessing to have Louise bring joy to so many of our kababayans here in Southern California especially in this coming year.

As Plato put it so eloquently, “Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.” It goes without saying that the philosopher echoed, too, the noteworthiness of a human existence brimming with songs–songs that

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Louise Marie Cornillez: ‘Singing is my way of expressing myself, my joy.’ Photo by Vics Magsaysay

ceaselessly set the cherry blossoms in perpetual bloom. ■ Vics Magsaysay / KBK, GMA News / January 23, 2014 / 1:41 PM

NYPD arrest suspect in attack on Fil-Am journalist “We welcome the arrest of the suspect A suspect in the assault on a FilipinoAmerican journalist near Times Square in New York earlier this month has been arrested, the Philippine Embassy in Washington said late Wednesday (Manila time).

The Embassy and the Philippine Consulate General in New York welcomed the arrest of Leighton Jennings, 24, of Jamaica in Queens. “(Philippine) Consul General Mario de Leon says Leighton Jennings, 24, of Jamaica, Queens, was arrested by police and charged for second-degree assault,” it said on its Twitter account.

Gener, 46, was on his way to his home from a play when he was assaulted at 53rd St and 7th Avein Manhattan on January 17.

in the Randy Gener assault case and thank the NYPD for a job well done,” said Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Cuisia Jr. The embassy cited a report by NBC News showing Jennings was charged with second-degree assault for punching Gener in the face while Gener was walking home from an after-party for a play.

Gener suffered head injuries and has been in and out of consciousness since the attack, the report quoted Gener’s relatives as saying.

“Doctors had to remove a portion of his skull to allow his brain to swell, and it could take more than six months for him to recover,” it added. ■ ELR, GMA News / January 30, 2014 / 4:20 AM

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NEWS

www.hello-philippines.com

February 2014 – No. 3 • UK & Europe Edition

UN warns of humanitarian ‘catastrophe’ in DR Congo’s Katanga KINSHASA A humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding in DR Congo’s Katanga province, where rebel violence has destroyed 600 homes over the past three months and displaced 400,000 people, the UN said Wednesday.

The head of the world body’s MONUSCO mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo admitted that the huge southeastern province had been neglected in recent months.

“It’s a humanitarian catastrophe,” Martin Kobler told reporters in Kinshasa, referring to the situation in Katanga, where violence has spiked recently.

“I feel an element of guilt when I think of Katanga because we have concentrated our military activity on the Kivus but it is important not to neglect Katanga,” he said.

Late last year, the UN’s peacekeeping mission in the restive country deployed an unprecedented intervention brigade to stamp out the M23 rebellion in the

northeastern province of North Kivu.

The focus on the M23 and subsequently on other armed groups operating in the same region created a security vacuum in Katanga, the country’s wealthiest province.

Katanga, which at almost half a million square kilometres (190,000 square miles) is about the size of Spain, is believed to hold around a third of the world’s cobalt and 10 percent of its copper reserves.

Its capital Lubumbashi is the country’s second largest city and the province has been plagued by secessionist violence since DR Congo’s independence from Belgium in 1960.

Over the past year, rebel groups fighting for Katanga’s independence—known as Mai Mai Bakata Katanga—have sown terror in the province’s northern regions.

“Most affected is the area between Manono, Mitwaba and Pweto where more than 600 houses in 11 villages have been

destroyed since October last year,” the UN said in a statement.

The area is known as the “triangle of death” and the UN said other armed groups were also active there.

“All armed groups must stop their activities and allow humanitarian access to the main victims of this tragedy, the civilian populations,” Kobler said.

MONUSCO said there were an estimated 400,000 internally displaced people in Katanga, a figure that marks a “dramatic increase” over two years.

Mai Mai Bakata Katanga launched brazen attacks that left dozens of people dead in Lubumbashi in March and November 2013.

Following attacks earlier this month on strategic buildings in the national capital Kinshasa—1,000 miles to the west—the Mai Mai rebels intensified their activity around Lubumbashi, forcing civilians to flee. ■ AFP

Army officer claims to have found photos of ‘child soldiers’ in overrun BIFF camp SHARIFF SAYDONA MUSTAPHA, Philippines —Photographs of child soldiers were among the items left behind as the military overran a camp of the Bangsamoro Islamic Liberation Fighters in Maguindanao province, a military commander claimed Saturday.

Colonel Edgardo Gonzales said he found the photos when he inspected the 7.5-hectare BIFF camp in Shariff Saydona Mustapha town.

“There were pictures of children carrying rifles. Some looked like they were 12 years old,” Gonzales told AFP as he searched through the abandoned camp.

“They were showing off their capability.

There were four kids posing with guns.

I believe it was not just for show. I believe those rifles were issued to them,” he said.

The military launched an offensive against the BIFF on Monday, just two days after the government successfully concluded peace talks with the main Muslim rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

The week’s fighting left one soldier and at least 53 BIFF members dead, including three child soldiers recruited by the rebels, the military said.

Gonzales said the military would eventually release the pictures, which have not been seen by AFP. The colonel said he had not personally seen child soldiers but his men had reported

A young BIFF fighter ©InterAksyon file photo.

encountering them in battles with the BIFF. “My men have said they have seen kids. Some of them have no guns. They just follow a comrade from the BIFF and when the comrade is shot, they pick up his gun and start fighting,” he said.

The BIFF is a small group of militants, opposed to the peace effort with the MILF, which has carried out many deadly attacks in recent years in a bid to derail the peace process.

On Saturday, the rebels set off two improvised explosive devices near the camp that wounded six soldiers and six civilians, including two crewmen of a major TV broadcaster.

Deputy Malacanang spokesperson Abigail Valte said “the news that they used three child soldiers is shocking, beyond the fact that it violates so many laws, not just ours but international laws.”

She condemned the use of minors in combat and said government child support services would address the problem.

She also called on parents not to allow their children to be recruited.

But BIFF spokesman Abu Misry told AFP his group did not use child soldiers and charged the military of planting evidence against them.

“Those kids who died were not used as soldiers. They were civilians, killed by (military) airstrikes or by their 105 mm howitzers,” he said angrily.

Armed Forces spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Ramon Zagala denied the claim, saying the three slain youths, aged 15-17, were uniformed BIFF fighters.

He also said there were previous videos and photographs of the BIFF conducting military-style training of children.

Zagala stressed that it was difficult to recognize child soldiers during combat.

“It is very hard to distinguish especially in the heat of battle when they are carrying firearms and shooting at you,” he said.

The military has already reported the incident to the government’s Commission on Human Rights and is awaiting further action, he added.

The website of the UN special representative on children and armed conflict said that it “continued to receive credible reports that the (BIFF) armed group was actively training and providing weapons to children.” ■ Agence France-Presse / February 1, 2014 / 8:16 PM

PAL, PALex waive rebooking fees for Basyangaffected passengers; 56 local flights grounded MANILA – Philippine Airlines (PAL) and its sister airline Philippine Airlines Express (PALex) on Saturday said it is waiving rebooking fees of its passengers whose flights were cancelled for the day due to the effects of Tropical Depression “Basyang”.

In an advisory, PAL/PALex said affected passengers must rebook their flights within 30 days from the original flight date. They are requested to call (02) 855-88-88 for rebooking details.

Tropical Depression “Basyang” has been affecting parts of the country whole day Saturday.

The Manila International Airport

Authority-Media Affairs Division (MIAAMAD) said a total of 56 domestic flights were grounded for the day with trips coming from Manila to Cagayan de Oro, Busuanga, Tagbilaran, Dumaguete, Ozamis, Tacloban, Roxas, Caticlan, and Kalibo.

Cancelled flights include:2P-201/202 Manila - Roxas - Manila2p-969/970 Manila Kalibo - Manila2P-039/040 Manila - Caticlan - Manila2P-051/052 Manila - Caticlan - Manila2P-045/046 Manila - Caticlan - Manila2P-055/056 Manila - Caticlan - Manila2P-259/258 Cebu - Caticlan Cebu2P-043/044 Manila - Cebu – Manila.

■ Agence France-Presse / February 1, 2014 / 9:45 PM

Democratic Republic of Congo troops fire a missile at ADF-Nalu rebels, a Ugandan Islamist group near Kokola, in the east of the country, January 18, 2014, Photo by Alain Wandimoyi ©AFP.

Philam Life to hire 6,000 licensed financial advisors MANILA – Philam Life aims to double its sales this year as it expands its business centers and bancassurance, as well as introduces new products on the back of the country’s economic growth.

Philam Life senior vice president Jessica Abaya projects sales to have grown by 50 percent in 2013 and to double this year.

“We did substantial growth in the value of new business (last year). The intent is to double it this year,” Abaya said in a press briefing early this week.

She said Philam Life’s main drivers of growth are a growing agency force and well-developed bancassurance force.

“We really have strong portfolio of products. Our crucial driver of our business is our financial advisors,” she said, adding that the company would hire 6,000 more licensed financial advisors to end this year with 15,000.

The additional staff is for the company’s bancassurance business, which is a joint venture with Ayala-led Bank of the Philippine Island (BPI) through the BPI-Philamlife

Assurance Corp. The bancassurance business is a big contributor to sales growth.

Philam Life also will expand its business centers by adding 23 more this year from the existing nine nationwide.

Abaya said Philam Life would introduce ‘Health Invest’ with unit linked riders or attachable riders, including critical illness, accidental protection and waiver premium.

Health Invest is a comprehensive health life insurance, accidental protection and savings fund in one.

Last year, the company’s unit linked products comprised 90 percent of its business.

Abaya said 97 percent of Filipinos prioritize health, but only 16 percent are capable of paying for hospitalization. While most employed Filipinos have HMOs, these have limits.

“Local consumption continues to drive the market. We have bullish forecast for Philippine growth. We really expect people to become more financial literate and our products provide excellent alternative for growing your money in the long term,” Abaya said.

The country is very low in insurance penetration rate, with only four percent of the about 92 million Filipinos having insurance coverage. Of the number of Filipinos covered, Philam Life claims to have cornered a fifth of those. ■ Maricel E. Burgonio /

InterAksyon.com / February 1, 2014 / 3:40 PM

Pinoy photographers earn praise at Jeddah Art Week FILIPINO photographers in Saudi Arabia caught the eye and earned the praise of their host country’s labor minister after he saw their exhibit in Jeddah.

Labor Minister Adel Fakeih lauded the photographers for their diverse artwork as he opened the weeklong Jeddah Art Week, Arab News reported Saturday.

“I was pleasantly surprised with the various artwork that was presented by the Filipino workers. I think it is one of the things that we should work on more. We want to encourage our guest workers to share their experiences living in Saudi cities and interact culturally with our society,” Fakeih told Arab News.

Philippine Consul General Uriel Garibay said the exhibit highlighted the talent of Filipinos, and hoped there would be more exhibitions in future in other areas.

“The work of the Filipino community is magical and provides a different perspective on photography and art in general,” he said.

Fakeih and Ministry of Culture and Information general manager of foreign information Saud Kateb attended the VIP tour of Jeddah Art Week.

Such an activity would enrich the lives of guest workers, Fakeih noted.

“This is a step in the right direction and the Ministry of Labor is going to further encourage various communities to participate in Saudi Arabia’s cultural activities,” he said.

For his part, Kateb said they need to see “more interaction between our community and guest workers.”

“The ministry appreciates this kind of art, exhibitions and interactions between different communities. I think it is useful.

What has been done at the JAW is more useful and valuable than most of the words we use daily in newspapers and opinion pieces,” he said.

JAW was started in 2013 to encourage the art scene in Jeddah and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Mohammed Jameel, chairman of the Abdul Latif Jameel Community Initiatives (ALJCI), said this year’s JAW offers a more ambitious program, “where the disparate, organically grown elements of Jeddah’s art scene can come together in an open, cohesive and transparent forum.” ■ JDS, GMA News / February 1, 2014 / 8:20 PM

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HEALTH and Lifestyle

February 2014 – No. 3 • UK & Europe Edition

Health claims about vitamin D examined “STEM cell researchers are heralding a ‘major scientific discovery’,” BBC News reports.

Japanese scientists have created pluripotent stem cells (stem cells than can form all parts of the body) essentially by dipping mouse blood cells in acid, and then growing the cells in the presence of specific chemicals. If this could work in humans then it could have a range of intriguing applications.

There are currently only four established ways to obtain stem cells which can form all parts of the body: • from embryos • from unfertilised eggs • from embryo stem cells which have undergone modification in the laboratory • from a mature cell such as a skin cell, by reprogramming it with genes using a virus in the laboratory These current techniques are lengthy and complex and using embryonic stem cells also raises ethical concerns.

This new technique may offer a much quicker, simpler and less ethically fraught method. The researchers found that after exposing blood cells from mice to a weak acid solution for 30 minutes, the cells were able to form different types of cells (they became pluripotent).

By growing these cells in the presence of specific chemicals, the researchers could also get the cells to ‘self-renew’ (divide and renew themselves for long periods). The ability to self-renew and to form different types of cells means that the cells had become stem cells.

It is not known why exposure to low pH should cause mature cells to gain the ability to form different types of cell under laboratory conditions. And so far the research has only been performed on cells from mice.

It should be noted that results were not as good when blood cells were taken from adult mice. This is exciting research but it is likely to be some time before the technique can be developed for use in humans.

Where did the story come from?

The study was carried out by researchers from the RIKEN centre for Developmental biology, Kobe, Japan; Tokyo Women’s Medical School; Harvard Medical School, Boston and Irwin Army Community Hospital, Kansas.

It was funded by the Intramural RIKEN Research Budget, a Scientific Research in Priority Areas, the Network Project for Realization of Regenerative Medicine, and the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

The study was published in the peerreviewed medical journal Nature.

Generally the media reporting of this study was accurate, although The Times incorrectly assumed that any weak acid would do – such as citric acid (lemon juice).

The researchers used a specific acid called “Hank’s balanced salt solution” (which was described as having a similar acidic (pH) level as Coca-Cola) in addition to numerous other chemicals under strict environmental conditions in the laboratory.

What kind of research was this? This was a laboratory study which aimed to see if a mature cell (such as a white blood cell, or lymphocyte) could acquire the ability to produce many different types of cell after being exposed to a stress factor. Cells with the ability to produce many different types of cell are called “pluripotent”. A similar process is known to occur in plants after they are exposed to drastic environmental changes.

As this was a laboratory study and carried out in mice, it is not known whether the findings would be directly reproducible in humans.

What did the research involve? The researchers took blood cells from the spleens of week old mice. They put them in a weak acid solution (pH 5.7) for 30 minutes at 37°C, and then put them into petri dishes and grew them at normal pH. The researchers repeated this process with blood cells from adult mice, and with cells from different parts of the body of week old mice (brain, skin, muscle, fat, bone marrow, lung and liver tissues).

The researchers called the cells they obtained from exposure to low pH “stimulustriggered acquisition of pluripotency” or STAP cells.

The researchers did a number of experiments to characterise the STAP cells.

They grew the cells in the laboratory and observed whether they had the ability to form different types of cell, and injected them into mice to see what would happen.

They injected STAP cells into mice

embryos and then implanted them back into female mice. These cells were labelled so that the researchers could find out if they produced any cells in the growing embryo.

What were the basic results? The researchers found that after the low pH treatment, blood cells lost features characteristic of blood cells and gained features characteristic of pluripotent cells.

These STAP cells could be obtained from adult blood cells (but fewer survived) and from other types of cell (collected from the brain, skin, muscle, fat, bone marrow, lung and liver tissues).

The STAP cells could form many types of tissue, both when grown in the laboratory and when injected into mice.

After being injected into early stage embryos, it was found that STAP cells could form all parts of baby mice, and could make the whole embryo. Mice made from a mixture of normal and STAP cells appeared to develop normally, and the STAP cells were also present in the offspring of these mice.

The researchers found that in addition to being able to make all the parts of the embryo, the STAP cells could also form the placenta.

The ability to form all parts of an embryo means that STAP cells are similar to embryonic stem cells. Embryonic stem cells make all cells in the body and can selfrenew, which means that when they divide they form another copy of themselves.

STAP cells were different to embryonic stem cells in two key respects: they could not divide that many times, but they could form the placenta (which could be useful), whilst embryonic stem cells cannot.

The researchers carried out further experiments and found that by growing the cells in the presence of different chemicals they could get the STAP cells to self-renew, or in other words become STAP stem-cells.

How did the researchers interpret the results? The researchers say, “This study has revealed that somatic cells latently possess a surprising plasticity. This dynamic plasticity – the ability to become pluripotent cells – emerges when cells are transiently exposed to strong stimuli that they would not normally experience in their living environments.”

They go on to say, “a remaining question is whether cellular reprogramming is initiated specifically by the low-pH treatment or also by some other types of sublethal stress such as physical damage, plasma membrane perforation, osmotic pressure shock, growth-factor deprivation, heat shock or high calcium exposure.”

Conclusion. This research has shown a new, simpler technique produced a type of stem cell from mature cells, though they have some differences from embryonic pluripotent stem cells.

The differences include that STAP cells are not able to self-renew unless

they are grown in the presence of specific chemicals, and they are able to form the placenta in addition to all the different cell types making up the body. The implication of both differences is as yet unclear.

It is possible that in the future, stem cells created using this technique could be used to treat a wide range of illnesses.

An example cited by BBC News is agerelated macular degeneration, an eye condition caused by damage to specialised cells inside the eyes. The technique could potentially be developed to generate cells to replace the damaged cells.

A limitation of the research, so far, seems to be the timing of when the cells can be collected. The results were best when blood cells were taken from one week old mice, but not very good when the samples were taken from adult mice. Hopefully this can be addressed through future research.

Longer studies will also need to be completed to find out if the cells act differently in the long run – for example, producing too many or too few cells and producing the right types of cells.

The researchers point out that they do not yet have the answer as to why the weak acid causes the cells to change but they are continuing their investigations.

Overall, this is an exciting piece of research that may have long-lasting implications on how stem cell research and therapy is carried out in the future. ■ NHS Choices

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HEALTH and Lifestyle food

February 2014 – No. 3 • UK & Europe Edition

Does the 5:2 intermittent fasting diet work?

THE 5:2 diet is an increasingly popular diet plan with a flurry of newspaper articles and books being published on it in the run up to Christmas 2012 and in January 2013.

The diet first reached the mainstream via a BBC Horizon documentary called Eat, Fast and Live Longer, broadcast in August 2012.

The 5:2 diet is based on a principle known as intermittent fasting (IF) – where you eat normally at certain times and then fast during other times.

The 5:2 diet is relatively straightforward – you eat normally five days a week, and fast on the other two days.

Champions of the 5:2 diet claim that other than helping people lose weight, 5:2 diet can bring other significant health benefits, including: • increased lifespan • improved cognitive function and protection against conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease • protection from disease However the body of evidence about 5:2 diet and intermittent fasting is limited when compared to other types of weight loss techniques.

What we don’t know about intermittent fasting. Despite its increasing popularity, there is a great deal of uncertainty about IF with significant gaps in the evidence.

For example, it is unclear: • what pattern of IF is the most effective in improving health outcomes – 5:2, alternative day fasting, or something else entirely different • what is the optimal calorie consumption during the fasting days – the 5:2 diet recommends 500 calories for women and 600 for men, but these recommendations seem arbitrary without clear evidence to support them • how sustainable is IF in the long-term – would most people be willing to stick with the plan for the rest of their lives?

Are there any side effects from intermittent fasting? Little is known about possible side effects as no systematic attempt has been made to study this issue.

Anecdotal reports of effects include: • difficulties sleeping • bad breath (a known problem with low carbohydrate diets) • irritability • anxiety • dehydration • daytime sleepiness However, more research would be needed to confirm these side effects and their severity.

If you are fasting, you may want to think about how fasting will impact on your life during your fasting days. You are likely to be very hungry and have less energy and this

could affect your ability to function (such as at work), in particular it may affect your ability to exercise which is an important part of maintaining a healthy weight.

Also, IF may not be suitable for pregnant women and people with specific health conditions, such as diabetes, or a history of eating disorders.

Because it is a fairly radical approach to weight loss, if you are considering trying IF for yourself, it is wise to speak to your GP first to see if it is safe to do so.

Evidence about the 5:2 diet. Despite its popularity evidence directly assessing the 5:2 model of intermittent fasting is limited.

But since this article was originally written in January 2013 we have been alerted to research, led by Dr Michelle Harvie, which did look at the 5:2 model.

In one study carried out in 2010 the researchers did find that women placed on a 5:2 diet achieved similar levels of weight loss as women placed on a caloriecontrolled diet.

They also experienced reductions in a number of biological indicators (biomarkers) that suggest a reduction in the risk of developing chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes.

A further study in 2012 suggested that the 5:2 model may help lower the risk of certain obesity-related cancers, such as breast cancer.

The increasing popularity of the 5:2 diet should lead to further research of this kind.

Evidence about other forms of IF There is some degree of evidence about the potential benefits of other forms of IF – albeit with some limitations.

It should be stressed that our assessment of the evidence was confined to entering a number of keywords into Google Scholar and then looking at a small number of studies which we felt would be useful to explore further.

We did not carry out a systematic review (though arguably, it would be useful for researchers to do so). So the information provided below should be taken in the spirit of us trying to provide an introduction to some of the evidence and science of IF – not an exhaustive “last word” on the topic.

Is there any evidence that intermittent fasting aids weight loss? One of the most recent pieces of research on intermittent fasting is a 2012 study that recruited 30 obese women known to have pre-existing risk factors for heart disease.

After an initial two-week period they were then given a combination diet of low-calorie liquid meals for six days of a week (similar to Slim Fast diet products) and then asked to fast for one day a week (consuming no more than 120 calories).

After eight weeks, on average, the women lost around 4kg (8.8lb) in weight and around 6cm (2.3 inches) off their waist circumference.

However, there are a number of limitations to consider when looking at this as evidence that it might be a generally beneficial thing to do for most ordinary people, including that: • These women may have had increased motivation to stick with the diet because they knew their weight would be monitored (this is a psychological effect that slimming clubs make use of).

• The women had been told that they were at risk of heart disease. It is uncertain how well most of us would cope with such an extreme diet.

• The follow-up period was short – just two months. It is not clear whether this diet would be sustainable in the long term or whether it could cause any side effects.

• 30 people is quite a small sample size.

A much larger sample – including men – is required to see if intermittent fasting would be effective in most overweight or obese people.

Is there any evidence intermittent fasting increases lifespan? There is quite a wide range of work on the effects of IF on combating the effects of ageing, but almost all of these studies involved either rats, mice or monkeys. One big problem with studies in animals – particularly rodents – is that they are only expected to live for a few years.

While this makes them ideal subjects for longevity studies, carrying out similar, more useful experiments in humans, requires decades-long research to gain credible results.

In an unsystematic look at the evidence, we find only one study involving humans: a 2006 review of an experiment actually

carried out in 1957 in Spain.

In this 1957 study, 120 residents of an old people’s home were split into two groups (it is unclear from the study whether this was done at random). The first group (the control group) ate a normal diet. The second group (the IF group) ate a normal diet one day and then a restricted diet (estimated to be around 900 calories) the next.

After three years there were 13 deaths in the control group and only six deaths in the IF group.

This study is again limited by the small sample size meaning that the differences in death are more likely to be the results of a statistical fluke. Also, many experts would feel uneasy about issuing dietary guidelines based on a study over half a century old with unclear methods. It is unlikely that this experiment could be repeated today – denying food to elderly people in residential care is unlikely to be looked at kindly by an ethics committee.

Is there any evidence intermittent fasting prevents cognitive decline?

It seems that all of the studies on the supposed protective effects of IF against conditions that can cause a decline in cognitive function (such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease) involve animals.

For example, a 2006 study involved mice that had been genetically engineered to develop changes in brain tissue similar to those seen in people with Alzheimer’s disease.

Mice on an IF diet appeared to experience a slower rate of cognitive decline than mice on a normal diet (cognitive function was assessed using a water maze test).

While the results of these animals tests are certainly intriguing, animal have inherent limitations. We can never be sure that the results will be applicable in humans.

Is there any evidence that intermittent fasting prevent diseases? Much of the published research into the potential preventative effects of IF involve measuring biological markers associated with chronic disease, such as insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) – known to be associated with cancer.

Using these kinds of biological surrogates is a legitimate way to carry out research, but they do not guarantee successful real-world outcomes.

For example, some medications that were found to lower blood pressure readings taken in laboratory conditions failed to prevent strokes once they had been introduced for use in the healthcare of patients in the world.

A 2007 clinical review looking at the effects of IF in humans in terms of realworld health outcomes concluded that IF (specifically, alternative day fasting) may have a protective effect against heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer.

However, it concluded “more research is required to establish definitively the consequences of ADF (alternative day fasting)”.

Conclusion. Compared to other types of weight loss programmes the evidence base of the safety and effectiveness of the 5:2 diet is limited.

If you are considering it then you should first talk to your GP to see if it is suitable for you. Not everyone can safely fast.

Other methods of weight loss include: • eating a healthy balanced diet with at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day • taking regular exercise • drinking alcohol in moderation ■ NHS Choices / Note – this article, originally written in January 2013, was updated in May 2013.

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CELEBRITY, SHOWBIZ & ENTERTAINMENT SCOOP

February 2014 – No. 3 • UK & Europe Edition

DJ Kat Alano clarifies posts about rape issue NAGBIGAY ng paglilinaw ang radio disc jockey na si Kat Alano kaugnay sa mga post niya tungkol sa usapin ng rape na nataon na mainit na pinag-uusapan ngayon ang nangyaring insidente kina Deniece Cornejo at komedyanteng si Vhong Navarro.

Ilang araw matapos ang sunod-sunod na post ni Kat sa kaniyang mga social media account tulad ng Twitter, may mga komentong natanggap ang radio DJ na nag-aakalang si Vhong ang kaniyang pinapatamaan May mga komento rin na nag-akalang kaibigan ni Kat sina Deniece at Cedric Lee, na inaakusahang namuno sa pambubogbog kay Vhong.

Kaagad namang nilinaw ni Kat na hindi

niya kilala ang dalawa. @qqrla @katalano Obviously she’s a friend of either Cedric or Deniece. :) @beanne_samarita @qqrla I don’t know either of them. Be careful what you say ‘obviously’ about.

Nitong Huwebes, may panibagong mensahe si Kat na inilagay sa Twiter at muling nagbigay ng paglilinaw na huwag mag-speculate sa mga nabanggit niya tungkol sa isyu ng rape. @katalano: “To set the record straight, my comments on rape are my personal opinion,please do not speculate or take my tweets out of context. Thank you.” May mga sumuporta at pumuna pa rin naman sa mga post ni Kat. ■ FRJ, GMA News January 30, 2014 / 5:12 PM

GMA Pinoy TV presents an exciting new tandem via Carmela: Ang Pinakamagandang Babae Sa Mundong Ibabaw BEGINNING January 28, primetime viewing will never be the same as GMA Network brings to light another timeless and original drama series that promises to steal the televiewers’ hearts via the soap opera – CARMELA: ANG PINAKAMAGANDANG BABAE SA MUNDONG IBABAW. CARMELA: ANG PINAKAMAGANDANG BABAE SA MUNDONG IBABAW premieres on January 28 on GMA Pinoy TV. This program validates every woman’s aspiration to be understood through a beautiful story of love that can never be.

All set to deliver a powerful and compelling portrayal of the complex character of Carmela is no less than Primetime Queen Marian Rivera. In the series, Carmela is a very beautiful woman who had gone through a lot in life. With her beauty, she is judged not only by other people but also by people close to her.

When Carmela falls in love with a man who despises her mother, she is forced to make heart-wrenching decisions.

The multifaceted actress is very excited with her latest TV endeavor which she says will be another unforgettable character that will surprise her fans and supporters.

“Kakaibang Marian Rivera ang mapapanood ng viewers bilang si Carmela.

Very excited ako sa role ko rito dahil masasabi ko na isa ito sa pinakamahirap na dramas na gagawin ko. Siguradong mapapamahal sa viewers si Carmela.

Kaya nagpapasalamat ako sa GMA dahil ipinagkaloob nila sa akin ang magandang proyektong ito,” says Marian.

Viewers should also look forward to another new and interesting tandem in Carmela as Marian shares the screen for the very first time with Ang Crush ng Bayan and Kapuso Network’s leading man

Agot Isidro

Laurice Guillen

GMA Kapuso Foundation receives $15, 000 donation from the City of Carson, California

GMA Kapuso Foundation (GMAKF) – the socio-civic arm of GMA Network – was presented with a check for $15, 000 by the City of Carson in California intended for the victims of typhoon Yolanda.

Present during the turnover are (from left): GMAKF Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer Mel C. Tiangco, the City of Carson’s Mayor Pro Tempore Elito Santarina, and his wife, Anita Santarina, an officer of the Filipino community in Carson.

In addition to the said amount, another $2, 500 was donated by the Philippine Independence Day Foundation. The

foundation organizes the yearly local celebration of Philippine Independence Day for the Filipino Community which is annually participated in by GMA International. The City of Carson has the highest number of Filipinos than any other community abroad.

Donations for the Yolanda calamity will be used to fund GMAKF’s ongoing rehabilitation efforts in Leyte. At present, construction has commenced for two Kapuso Villages, with 400 houses and 20 classrooms in Tacloban city and another 200 houses and 10 classrooms in the municipality of Palo. ■

Alden Richards. Alden plays the role of Yago, the handsome and smart grandson of Fernando (Roi Vinzon) and Fides (Ms Laurice Guillen). Yago’s only wish is to find someone who will love and accept him for who he is despite his flaws and insecurities in life. His perspective in life will completely change when he meets Carmela who will show him a different view about life and love.

GMA Network is proud to present a stellar cast of the country’s most respected artists in film and television: Agot Isidro asAmanda, the beautiful and strong willed mother of Carmela, Raymond Bagatsing as Dante, the brother of Fides who will fall in love with Carmela, Jennica Garcia as Alliyah, Carmela’s trusted friend, Rochelle Pangilinan as Yolly, Dante’s scheming girlfriend with Roi Vinzon as Fernando, Dante’s politically ambitious father who is a womanizer, Freddie Webb as Ramon, the chief of Police in Santa Maria and Fernando’s closest aide, Eva Darren as Lola Wagay, an old lady who will adopt and raise Carmela when she sets off to Manila, Krystal Reyes as Janine, Fides’ adopted daughter, Ana Feleo as Nida, Fernando’s cousin who will be the protector of Amanda and Carmela, RJ Padilla as JP, Yago’s close friend and Ms. Laurice Guillen asFides, the uptight and religious wife of Fernando.

And to helm this heart-wrenching and heavy drama is renowned TV director Dominic Zapata who is the man behind the trending primetime series of GMA Network, My Husband’s Lover.

Director Dominic says viewers will see something fresh and interesting in the new tandem of Marian and Alden since they will be playing characters that are so different to the various roles they’ve done in the past, “I like it that they are being paired together for the first time because as artists they are forced to bring something new to the table.

And being the consummate professionals that they are, I am sure they welcome both the opportunity to showcase their acting dexterity in the challenge to help create new characters na mamahalin ng viewers.”

In the series, viewers will witness how Carmela will fight back and seek revenge against the people who abuse, discriminate and hurt her family. She will learn how to take matters into her own hands, even sacrificing her love for Yago in order to seek justice.

In Carmela, viewers can identify with the journey of the different characters and

Marian Rivera and Alden Richards

their drama and the challenges they have to face. The programs’ relatable characters and intriguing plot make it even more appealing to the viewers, making them realize that everyone deserves equal rights for genuine and real love.

Carmela is created by the GMA Drama group under the supervision of Senior Vice President for Entertainment TV Lilybeth G. Rasonable; Vice President for Drama Redgie A. Magno; Assistant Vice President for Drama Cheryl Ching-Sy; Program Manager Helen Rose S. Sese, and Executive Producer Carol Galve.

The creative team is composed of Creative Director for Drama, Jun Lana;

Creative Head for Primetime Block, RJ Nuevas; Creative Consultant, Dode Cruz; and Suzette Doctolero as the concept creator and creative writer.

Get the latest updates about Carmela from its official facebook page www. facebook.com/CarmelaGMAOfficial , and twitter account @CarmelaGMA . For more details and program information, visit the GMA International websitewww. gmanetwork.com/international, Facebook pages www.facebook.com/GMAPinoyTV, www.facebook.com/gmalifetv, and,www. facebook.com/gmanewsinternational, and Twitter pages @GMAPinoyTV and @GMA_ LifeTV ■

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CELEBRITY, SHOWBIZ & ENTERTAINMENT SCOOP

February 2014 – No. 3 • UK & Europe Edition

Deniece Cornejo speaks: ‘I’m the victim and the innocent one’ DENIECE Cornejo, the 22-year-old student who had filed a complaint of attempted rape against Vhong Navarro, told GMA News TV on Monday noon that she is the victim and the innocent one in the incident that resulted in the mauling of the TV host and comedian last week.

“You want justice, I’ll give you the real justice. In the field of women’s rights, the right will always be right. Mataas ang paghanga ko sa mga lalaki na marunong rumespeto at ipagtanggol ang mga kababaihan. Kung may biktima at innocente dito, walang iba kundi ako,” Cornejo said in a text message aired on the GMA News TV program “Balitanghali”.

At this writing, she was reportedly on her way to file her complaint at the National Bureau of Investigation office in Manila.

Immediately after Navarro identified

Vhong Navarro cries during his interview on ‘Buzz ng Bayan’ on Sunday. Photo posted by Twitter user Queen Irah.

Cornejo on Sunday, netizens sympathetic to his plight wasted no time posting information and photos about her and one of the men who mauled him Wednesday night inside Cornejo’s condominium in Taguig City.

In no time, the names “Denise Millette Cornejo” and “Cedric Lee” became trending topics on Twitter as they became the

objects of scorn of the fans of the embattled comedian and TV host.

In several tweets, Twitter users identified the girl Navarro was referring to in his interview with ABS-CBN’s “Buzz ng Bayan” as actually Deniece Cornejo or Deniece Milinette Cornejo.

According to the information that can be viewed on the Facebook page of this Deniece Milinette Cornejo, she is from San Mateo, California and studies at De La Salle University. Her Facebook account’s cover photo shows her lying on a large couch wearing a black cocktail dress with the caption, “Dark Closet”.

Following Navarro’s revelation, Cornejo blocked people from posting and seeing her posts in her Facebook fan page. On her supposed real Twitter account (@ realdeniece), she said also deleted her

previous posts and left last two tweets.

Prior to blocking her Facebook page, an intriguing photo of her posing with GMA Network chairman and CEO Felipe L. Gozon and two other elderly individuals can be viewed by anybody. In the photo caption, she referred to Gozon as “lolo”, prompting GMA’s Corporate Communications Department to issue a statement to several media outlets clarifying that Gozon is not related to Cornejo.

On Monday, singer Wency Cornejo also declared he was not related to Deniece.

A 2013 magazine article about her entitled “Good girls can finish first” written by one Pio Granada revealed more about this mysterious young lady.

Granada’s article described her as “the spitting image of Leighton Meester AKA Blair Waldorf”.

“Notorious for being the mean girl in the TV hit series Gossip Girl, her Leighton Meester association gives people the opposite impression of her true character.

When you first meet Deniece you would think she has a diva attitude. However, once you start getting to know her, you will watch all your assumptions melt away as you spend more time with her,” Granada added.

The article also disclosed that Cornejo’s priority was finishing her Hotel and Restaurant Management course in La Salle. She has been tapped to endorse several brands and has even represented the Philippines in a hair and make-up competition in Indonesia.

As for showbiz association, Granada noted that Cornejo has also appeared in the ABS-CBN teleserye “Lovers in Paris” and in an episode of “Maalaala Mo Kaya”. ■ Edwin P. Sallan / InterAksyon.com / January 27, 2014 / 2:00 PM

Lea Salonga heads all-star line-up of acclaimed symphonic concert LEA Salonga believes there should be no let-up in the fundraising efforts for the survivors of typhoon Yolanda.

“There are lots of people there who were affected by the disaster so I think fundraising will be an ongoing thing for a very long time.

Even when we have the permission to smile, it will keep going,” she told InterAksyon and other entertainment media during the press conference for her well-received “Playlist” concerts in December.

After starting the year with a repeat of “Playlist”, Lea is now headlining the Manila staging of the acclaimed symphonic concert “Do You Hear the People Sing?”, which features the music of Alain Boublil and Claude Michel Schonberg, creators of “Miss Saigon” and “Les Miserables”.

The benefit concert will take place at the Newport Performing Arts Theater of Resorts World Manila on January 29 and 30. Lea will lead an all-star line-up of singers and seasoned theater performers, including guest soloists Rachelle-Ann Go, Jon Joven, Carla Guevara Laforteza, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, Jed Madela, Cocoy Laurel, Michael Williams and Leo Valdez.

Except for Jed Madela, all of the above performers have appeared at one time or another in several stagings of either “Les Miz” or “Miss Saigon” or both. Rachelle Ann

Go is London-bound for the coming West End revival of “Miss Saigon” where she will star as Gigi.

The show, which was a hit with both critics and audiences when it debuted in Indianapolis, was also successfully staged in Ottawa, Canada and Shanghai, China.

Each of the show had Lea as a featured performer along with four other soloists.

“This will be the first time we will stage this in Manila. For this particular show, we have additional soloists and additional material. It will feature more Kim stuff, more Eponine stuff. I get to sing a little more than some people,” Lea said during the recent press conference for the concert.

Lea said she’s particularly proud of the fact that composers Boublil and Schonberg initiated the staging of “Do You Hear the Voices Sing?” in Manila not just as a fundraising in support of the Yolanda rebuilding program through Habitat for Humanity Philippines.

“It’s also their way of saying thank you to the Philippines for everything this country has given to them as far as their shows are concerned. They found so many performers from this country to perform in their shows not only in London but also in other countries. There’s always a Filipino in every ‘Miss Saigon’ and more Kims

of Filipino descent than any other Asian group,” she exclaimed with her usual wideeyed enthusiasm.

Lea revealed that after Boublil and Schonberg initiated the project, it was just a matter of making phone calls to get everyone on board. “We contacted people one by one. And everybody wanted to be a part of it. ‘Okay, what do I need to do, what do you want me to do. Kahit anong anything, we just want to be part of it’,” she recalled most of the performers as saying.

Aside from the guest soloists, other veteran performers like Pinky Amador and Jake Macapagal did not at all mind being part of the ‘Miss Saigon’ Ensemble, along with Analin Bantug, Edward Bungalon, Tricia Canilao-Buser, Robbie Guevara, Natalie Everett, Lora Nicolas, Jun Ofrasio, Ivy Padilla, Aileen Payumo, Amparo Sietreales, Christine Sambeli Marquez, Arnold M Trinidad, Jojo Urquico, Gina Respall, Meliza Reyes and Christian Rey Marbella.

Accompanied by the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of maestro Gerard Salonga (who will also serves as musical director/conductor of the Asia-Pacific tour of the show, the star performers will be joined by an 80-member adult choir consisting of members from the Ateneo Chamber Singers, Mass Appeal,

Rachelle Ann Go joins Lea Salonga on stage during Lea’s ‘Playlist’ concert in December.

They will perform together again in ‘Do You Hear the People Sing?’

Aleron and the former members of the San Miguel Master Chorale. Twenty children from the International School Manila Middle School Honor Choir will also perform.

Choirmaster for this event is Jonathon Velasco.

“This is going to be a huge show in terms of the number of people participating. It’s going to be fun,” Lea beamed.

With Bouberg Productions, Enda Markey and the performers waiving their talent fees, the event hopes to raise funds with the goal of building 200 homes in areas ravaged

by Typhoon Yolanda through Habitat for Humanity Philippines.

Directed by Andrew Pole, “Do You Hear

Lea Salonga performs during her ‘Playlist’ concert last December. Photo byTeddy Pelaez, ©InterAksyon.

the People Sing?” is the latest effort of RWM in a series of fundraisers to help in the relief and rebuilding phase following the destruction brought about by the typhoon—the first being the “1tayo” relief operation in partnership with other players in the industry and the second being the “Kami Naman Ang Taya” benefit concert held at the NPAT last December 3.

Tickets are available at Ticketworld and Resorts World Box Office. ■ Edwin P. Sallan / InterAksyon.com / January 29, 2014 / 5:21 PM

Regine Velasquez salutes teachers with tribute song, continues to help disaster victims WHEN she was still a little girl, Regine Velasquez wanted to be teacher.

“I remember being inspired by my teachers, and I wanted to become one. In many ways, they helped me become who I am now,” the 43-year-old singer-actress dubbed as Asia’s Songbird revealed during the recent press conference of Gabay Guro.

Regine recalled it was two of her teachers who always encouraged her to join amateur singing contests from her

Regine Velasquez

elementary days all the way to high school in her hometown in Balagtas, Bulacan.

“Pati nga beauty contests, ako lang ang representative ng school namin so sali lang ng sali,” she confessed.

The exposure to such competitions not only honed Regine’s natural talents but also boosted her confidence. By the time she was 14, Regine was ready for the big leagues and got her career to an auspicious start when she joined the then popular TV talent search “Ang Bagong Kampeon” and won for eight straight weeks en route to becoming its third grand champion in 1984.

The rest, of course, is history.

In paying the teachers back and forward, Regine first performed “Believing in Me” during the Gabay Guro tribute concert to 30,000 teachers last year at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The song, written by sister Cacai and brother-in-law Raul Mitra, is now included as a bonus track for the special edition release

of her 2013 album, “Hulog Ka ng Langit”.

Regine, Cacai and Raul have all waived their talent fees for this special song.

With inspiring lyrics like “You’re always there to show the way/Telling me things I need to hear/A gentle hand but a firm command/You’ve taught me lessons to succeed,” Regine admits that she’s been wanting to sing the song again to the teachers who will watch her Valentine’s Day concert with Martin Nievera, again at the Mall of Asia Arena.

A joint program of the PLDT-Smart Foundation (PSF) and the PLDT Managers Club Inc. (MCI), Gabay Guro aims “to support and honor teachers through scholarship grants, teacher’s training, livelihood, teachers’ tribute, housing and other programs”. Right now, the priority project of this initiative is to help build and rehabilitate classrooms destroyed by supertyphoon Yolanda in the Visayas.

A strong supporter of not just the

teachers but also the survivors of last year’s catastrophic earthquake and typhoon that ravaged many parts of the Visayan region, Regine is one of the few celebrities who continue to share her blessings and lend her talents for those who are still struggling to get their life back on track.

“Wala naman dapat timetable or time limit para tumulong. Kung meron kang maitutulong, bakit kailangang tumugil sa pagtulong? In fairness sa aming mga taga-showbiz, pagdating naman sa mga kalamidad, kami naman ang laging nauuna,” she replied when asked about her ongoing charitable efforts.

“In my case, inaayos pa namin yung proceeds nung auction ko last November before we turn them over to the typhoon victims. But there are so many ways that people can help, even prayers and tweets can go a long way.”

Regine said that although she was not able to go to college, she is very pleased

that that her fame has allowed her to send her siblings to school, take care of her now ailing father and be a doting wife and mother to husband Ogie Alcasid and their son Nate.

“I do not regret making sacrifices to help my siblings. And I’ve learned so much from my husband. It was him who told me, ‘Ito na yung career mo. Ito na yun!’ whenever I talked to him about considering going back to school,” she enthused.

And what a career it turned out to be.

“Any time, any day, I’m always happy to be part of this business. More than the celebrity, the awards, what pleases me most is that it has allowed me to do these things, help people in ways big and small.

In the case of the teachers, return the big favor I owed them in my growing up years,” she concluded.

Watch the music video for Regine Velasquez’s “Believing In Me”: ■ Edwin P.

Sallan / InterAksyon.com / January 26, 2014 / 4:13 PM

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CELEBRITY, SHOWBIZ & ENTERTAINMENT SCOOP

February 2014 – No. 3 • UK & Europe Edition

Taguig police chief says Vhong Navarro crime scene may now be ‘contaminated’ SINCE it has been almost a week since Vhong Navarro was mauled by several men in the condominium unit of student and model Deniece Milinette Cornejo, TaguigPNP Chief Superintendent Arthur Felix Asis believes that the crime scene may now be contaminated.

This was what Asis told Raffy Tulfo and Niña Taduran during a telephone interview in their radio program “Wanted sa Radyo” at Radyo Singko 92.3 News FM last Monday.

Asked by Taduran if the unit of Cornejo at Forbeswood Heights condominium identified in recent reports as the alleged scene of the crime had already been cordoned off, Asis said they were still in the process of coordinating with the security and administration of the building.

“Pero malamang na-contaminate na yung crime scene kasi January 22 pa nangyari yun,” Asis opined.

When asked by Tulfo what happened when Navarro was brought to their police station, the Taguig police chief cited the report of a PO3 Lumiwan (identified in other

reports as PO3 Dalmacio Lumiwan, Jr.) narrated that the embattled comedian and TV host was brought by two men with his hands tied behind his back with duct tape.

Asis added that Lumiwan’s report stated that Navarro was brought into the station on the basis of a “citizen’s arrest” but did not identify the two men who brought him.

He also confirmed that Navarro signed a police blotter that said he attempted to rape Cornejo.

“According sa report ni PO3 Lumiwan, tinanong nila si Mr. Vhong Navarro kung meron siyang gustong sabihin o meron siyang gustong ibigay na statement, sabi niya, hindi na lang daw. Tapos tinanong nila kung puwede siyang madala sa hospital, ang sabi ni Mr. Vhong, ang gusto lang niya ay makauwi agad,” the police chief added.

As for Cornejo, Asis said Lumiwan’s report stated that she was also at the station at the time Navarro was brought by the two men.

“Umabot lang po yata sa pagba-blotter kasi eventually nagpa-settle na rin yung

complainant na babae,” Asis told Tulfo.

At this point, Tulfo observed that based on the report, it seems that Navarro was not fully informed of his rights, which includes having a lawyer present during the entire proceedings.

“Parang ang nangyari kasi, lahat ng bintang sa kanya, sinang-ayunan ni Vhong at pinirmahan niya sa blotter niya, yes, mukhang dun may problema. So may lapses po ang ating kapulisan kung

tutuusin, sir,” Tulfo observed.

“Yun siguro ang dapat tingnan po,” Asis conceded.

Asked how the investigation had progressed, Asis they still have to talk to Navarro, who underwent facial reconstructive surgery Monday night at an undisclosed hospital.

“In the meantime, continuous pa rin ang investigation namin. Ni-require po namin yung Forbeswood Residences, allegedly

dun po nangyari yung incident, na magsubmit ng CCTV footage, list ng mga guests and other evidences necessary para sa resolution nitong case,” Asis revealed.

It was reported earlier that the security personnel of the Megaforce Security Agency assigned at Forbeswood who were on duty at the time of the incident had already submitted the CCTV footage to the National Bureau of Investigation. However, they declined to cooperate with the TaguigPNP despite the latter’s request.

Despite his concern that the crime scene may have already been tampered with, Asis promised that the their police force is doing its best to shed light on the incident and provide a quick resolution to the case.

Listen to the full interview of TaguigPNP Chief Superintendent Arthur Felix in “Wanted sa Radyo” with hosts Raffy Tulfo and Niña Taduran at Radyo Singko 92.3 News FM as posted by News5 Everywhere.

■ Edwin P. Sallan / InterAksyon.com / January 28,

2014 / 12:32 PM

Vhong Navarro claims he and Deniece Cornejo had oral sex during first encounter

After stirring hornet’s nest, Kat Alano backs off on rape tirade AFTER setting social media in a tizzy with her series of posts about rape, radio and television host Kat Alano softened her stance on Thursday and claimed netizens had taken her messages “out of context”.

From Saturday through Wednesday, the 28-year-old former MTV Philippines video jock and “Wowowee” co-host let loose with strongly worded statements about rape on Facebook and Twitter just as the Vhong Navarro-Deniece Cornejo rape and mauling case was exploding in media.

Although she did not mention any names in her intriguing posts, netizens quickly assumed that she was taking up the cudgels for Cornejo even though she was well aware that such a position was an unpopular one.

But what really stirred the proverbial

hornet’s nest was her Facebook post on Saturday, which led many people to surmise that she had an ax to grind against Navarro: “Justice from the universe. Thank you. After 9 years. Karma people. Don’t ever underestimate it. Just be patient. The truth always comes out.”

When asked pointblank by Twitter user Kareillaira Sepulchre on Tuesday if Navarro had raped her nine years ago, she gave vague reply.

Alano’s claim that her tweets had been taken out of context came a day after the National Bureau of Investigation blasted Cornejo’s claim of rape based on the CCTV footage provided by the Taguig condominium where the incident took place on January 22. InterAksyon.com / January

30, 2014 / 4:36 PM

ACTOR-TV host Vhong Navarro alleged in the six-page affidavit he executed in his hospital bed on Tuesday that he and model Deniece Cornejo had oral sex during their first meeting prior to his January 22 mauling in the hands of businessman Cedric Lee and other men.

An Inquirer report late Tuesday quoted a line from the affidavit that said of Navarro and Cornejo: “After consuming one bottle of white wine, they made out and it led to oral sex.”

The affidavit does not provide the date of the encounter but both Navarro and Cornejo had said in media interviews that it happened on January 17, although Cornejo said nothing intimate transpired between them that night and he subsequently tried to rape her on January 22.

Navarro alleged in the affidavit that when he visited Cornejo for the first time at her unit at Forbeswood Condominium in Taguig City, they started to kiss after drinking

the wine, which led to the oral sex.

The affidavit did not specify who performed the sexual favor to whom, although the Inquirer report said Navarro was the recipient.

In his interview on “Buzz on Bayan” on Sunday, Navarro claimed that something short of sexual intercourse happened that night between him and Cornejo, and this prompted her to send him the text message “Bad ka” afterwards.

Navarro said he interpreted the text to mean that she was disappointed that the sex had not been fully consummated, so he replied, “Bawi ako next time.”

The affidavit stated that Cornejo invited him to have dinner at her condo on January 22. Navarrro said that after he was ushered inside the unit by Cornejo, two men stepped out of her bedroom and one of them pointed a gun at him.

They then tied him up and blindfolded him, and started mauling him. Moments

Vhong Navarro and Deniece Cornejo

later, other men arrived and joined in beating him up.

Navarro swore to his affidavit before agents of the National Bureau of Investigation who then proceeded to file multiple charges against Cornejo, Lee and others at the Department of Justice on Tuesday afternoon.

Cornejo and Lee have yet to give their statements to the NBI after she failed to appear at the NBI office on Friday, but Cornejo has told media that she will sue Navarro for attempted rape and libel. ■ InterAksyon.com / January 29, 2014 / 12:03 AM

Vina Morales hints at sentiment about ex-boyfriend Cedric Lee SINGER-ACTRESS Vina Morales cannot help having her name dragged into the Vhong Navarro-Deniece Cornejo controversy.

That is because businessman Cedric Lee — the man accused by Vhong of leading the men who tortured and blackmailed him last week — happens to be her ex-boyfriend and the father of her 4-year-old daughter Ceana.

Two posts on her Instagram account on Monday hinted at her sentiments about Cedric’s involvement in the case.

The most recent one, shown below, suggested that she was not inclined to give

any interviews to the media: The one before that, however, could be interpreted as revelatory of her true feelings about her daughter’s father: On Monday, Cedric told News5 and other media that he and a friend caught Vhong with his pants down in the act of trying to rape Deniece inside her bedroom in her condo in Taguig.

He said they held Vhong down and punched him because he resisted their efforts at effecting a citizens’ arrest. He also denied Vhong’s allegation of extortion, claiming instead that the P1 million Vhong had agreed to pay was compensation

for the damages to Deniece’s condo that resulted from the scuffle.

For the most part, Vina has chosen discretion over candor since her relationship with Cedric went sour. Last year, however, she hinted in an interview with “TV Patrol” reporter Mario Dumaual that she was a member of the “9262 Club”.

The numbers refer to Republic Act 9262, or the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act of 2004.

Vina admitted that she had a pending case against Cedric for alleged violation of that law but declined to provide details. ■ InterAksyon.com / January 28, 2014 / 8:57 AM

Vina Morales and Cedric Lee

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PHILIPPINE EMBASSY NEWS AROUND THE WORLD

February 2014 – No. 3 • UK & Europe Edition

Phl Embassy in Oslo, DOT London Promote Philippines at Denmark’s Tourism Fair FOR the second year in a row, the Philippines, through the joint effort of the Philippine Embassy in Oslo, the Philippine Department of Tourism Office in London and the Philippine Consulate General in Copenhagen, participated in the Ferie & Fritid i Bella Tourism Fair in Denmark from January 17 to 19, bringing the ”It’s More Fun in the Philippines” tourism campaign to thousands of prospective Danish travelers looking for exciting travel destinations to go to for their next annual vacation.

This year’s edition of the fair, held annually for three days at the Bella Center in Copenhagen, Denmark, drew more than 42,000 visitors.

The Philippine tourism booth featured

information and video presentations on key travel destinations including Cebu, Bohol, Boracay, Banaue and Palawan, with visitors discovering the myriad reasons why it is still more fun to visit the Philippines.

The Philippines, which continues to receive prime reviews from prestigious tourism and other media outlets including Rough Guides, Lonely Planet, the UK Telegraph and the Huffington Post, is fast becoming the next travel destination of choice in Southeast Asia for Danes and other Nordic nationals.

Tourism figures show a steady doubledigit percentage increase in the number of Nordic tourists visiting the Philippines over the past four years. According to the latest

statistics from the Philippine Department of Tourism, a total of 10,011 Danish tourists visited the Philippines in the first three quarters of 2013, comprising 24% of the 41,519 total number of Nordic tourists who visited the country in the said period. ■ Philippine Embassy, Philippines / January 29, 2014

DFA Raises Alert Level for Bangkok from 1 to 2 THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has raised the Alert Level from 1 (Precautionary Phase) to 2 (Restriction Phase) for Bangkok and surrounding areas which have been placed under a 60-day state of emergency by the Thai Government.

Alert Level 2 is issued when there are real threats to the life, security, and property of Filipinos arising from internal disturbance or external threat. Under Alert Level 2, Filipinos in Bangkok and the surrounding areas are instructed to restrict non-essential movements, avoid public places and prepare for possible evacuation when necessary.

While there has been an effort to maintain a state of normalcy in the Thai capital, the situation remains fluid and volatile particularly in anti-government protest areas.

The Philippine Embassy in Bangkok continues to advise Filipinos with essential travel plans to, and those residing in Bangkok and other parts of Thailand to avoid the rally sites and large gatherings and to refrain from taking part in the protest or other political activities. Everyone is advised to continue exercising extreme caution and vigilance and to closely monitor developments.

The Philippine Embassy is ready to extend necessary assistance to all Filipino nationals in Thailand. ■ Philippine Embassy, Philippines / January 23, 2014

Palace to DFA: Check on alleged abuses vs. Pinoys in Malaysia crackdown MALACAÑANG will be calling on the attention of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to check on the alleged abuses being committed against Filipinos in Malaysia amid the ongoing crackdown there on illegal migrant workers, a Palace official said Thursday.

“Ang atensyon po, ang priority attention ng ating Department of Foreign Affairs ay tatawagin natin hinggil dito,” said Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr. at a press conference.

“We cannot tolerate violation of basic human rights that would be perpetrated upon our own citizens,” he added.

Malaysia on Tuesday began a nationwide crackdown on illegal migrant workers, rounding up more than 1,000 of them in Kuala Lumpur and Sepang on the first day. Workers from Indonesia, Philippines, Bangladesh and Thailand were reportedly required to show documentation.

Coloma, however, pointed out that the

DFA has yet to receive reports from the Philippine Embassy in Malaysia on Filipinos being maltreated by Malaysian authorities.

He said they will seek details about the alleged abuses, if any.

“Ipagbibigay alam po natin ito sa ating Department of Foreign Affairs at kay Ambassador Eduardo Malaya. Kung mayroong detalye... magkakaroon na ng concrete parameters for investigation,” he said.

He likewise said they will have to get more information before filing any case against Malaysian authorities.

“Seryoso itong mga alegasyon na ito at kinakailangan na maipakita natin na may sapat na batayan at makatwiran yung paglalahad ng pananakit at paggawa ng karahasan laban sa ating mga mamamayan,” he said.

The Palace official, however, assured that the Philippine government will protect the rights of Filipino workers.

“Tiyak na gagawin [ng DFA] ang lahat ng nararapat para mabigyan ng katarungan yung diumano’y pananakit o paggawa ng karahasan laban sa ating mga mamamayan dahil hindi naman ito talaga dapat na maganap,” he said.

“Ganoon din sa ating bansa, tinatrato natin nang may paggalang ang mga mamamayan ng ibang bansa, dapat lang na ganoon din ang kanilang pagtrato sa ating mga mamamayan. Tinitiyak po natin na gagawin ang lahat ng nararapat para magawaran ng katarungan ang inilahad ng ating kasama rito,” he added. ■ Kimberly Jane Tan / KBK, GMA News / January 23, 2014 / 2:54 PM

Treat arrested Pinoys humanely, PHL Embassy asks Malaysian authorities THE Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur on Friday appealed to Malaysian authorities to adhere to the rule of law and treat arrested undocumented Filipino migrants humanely .

“We respect the right of the Malaysian government to implement its immigration laws, and at the same time, we are hopeful that the authorities implementing the crackdown will adhere to the rule of law and observe proper and humane treatment of those arrested,” the Embassy said in press statement.

Also, the embassy said it will make representations and coordinate with relevant Malaysian authorities regarding reported cases of maltreatment and other possible cases of abuse against arrested Filipinos.

But, it said it is still in the process of validating reports on arrests of Filipinos after Malaysia began the crackdown on illegal migrants on January 21.

“We stand ready to provide help, including the provision of needed documents and other forms of assistance,” the Embassy said, adding it is sending one

of its personnel to Sabah to check on the conditions of nationals.

Moreover, it reiterated its call to Filipinos there to fully complete their immigration documents and always carry proper identification with them to avoid inconveniences in case of immigration checks.

Also, it asked employers and agents to hand over any passport and other identification document to their Filipino employees for the protection and safety of the workers.

The Embassy has been assisting undocumented foreigners since September, when the announcement of an initial crackdown was made.

“The Embassy coordinated with

Foreign Workers Support Group Honors Phl Ambassador to Singapore PHILIPPINE Ambassador to Singapore Minda Calaguian-Cruz was honored by the Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (HOME) during graduation rites at the HOME Academy last January 19 at the Singapore NTUC Auditorium where she was the guest of honor.

The honor was given to Ambassador Cruz for her wholehearted support for HOME’s advocacies to protect the rights of foreign workers in Singapore and in its thrust against trafficking in persons during her tenure in Singapore both as Philippine Ambassador and as Consul General that spans almost a decade.

In her remarks, HOME Founder and CEO Bridget Tan said that Ambassador Cruz’s consistent presence and support to HOME since it was founded in 2004 have been

constant sources of inspiration that help encourage the organization to strive even further in its efforts to assist foreign workers.

Ambassador Cruz, for her part, praised HOME’s noble thrust of not only helping foreign workers in distressing situations but also in empowering them with new knowledge and skills through the skills development programs offered at HOME Academy. She also commended HOME for its fund-raising activities for victims of typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).

Ambassador Cruz congratulated the 537 graduates of HOME Academy and challenged them to make use of their newlyacquired skills in pursuing self-improvement with the sense of responsibility towards family and society always in their minds. ■

Philippine Embassy, Philippines / January 29, 2014

Officials of Singapore-based Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (HOME) presented a trophy and a bouquet of flowers to Ambassador Minda Calaguian-Cruz to honor her wholehearted support to HOME’s advocacies in protecting foreign workers and in helping prevent cases of trafficking in persons.

Malaysian immigration authorities in facilitating the release of exit passes and in the decrease of penalties levied on overstaying foreigners. Embassy representatives have been on hand when these Filipinos apply for their exit passes and taking them by the busloads to the Immigration office,” it said.

Mobile consular missions and other forms of assistance, particularly in Sabah, is continuously being conducted since last year, it added.

“We deployed a consular mobile team of six to seven personnel for two-week stay in Sabah twice a month,” it said.

Also, it said the consular missions have visited Kota Kinabalu, Lahad Datu, Semporna, Tawau, Kudat, Keningau, Kota Marudu and Sandakan in Sabah

and Kuching, Labuan, Miri and Bintulu in Sarawak during its missions last year. It will undertake its first consular mission to Kota Kinabalu this month.

Malaysia is home to thousands of Filipinos. Many of them are undocumented and reside in Malaysian-controlled Sabah, a resource-rich territory that is also being claimed by the Philippines.

Every year, hundreds of Filipinos enter Sabah through Mindanao in search of a better life.

Most of the undocumented Filipinos there come from Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, and other far-flung provinces in the southern Philippines. They are among the country’s poorest and constantly plagued by armed conflicts. ■ Amita O. Legaspi / LBG, GMA News / January 24, 2014 / 11:11 AM

February 2014 – No. 3 • UK & Europe Edition

FASHION PHILIPPINES - MANILA WEAR

www.hello-philippines.com

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2nd Manila Wear Goes to the International Fashion Showcase (IFS) London 2014 FASHION Philippines will once again bring Manila Wear to the upcoming International Fashion Showcase (IFS) London from 13-23 February 2014. The Philippine exhibition is organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) and the Garments and Textile Industry Development Office (GTIDO) of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), in cooperation with the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC), the Philippine Embassy in London, and the British Fashion Council.

As the Philippines’ premier fashion brand, Manila Wear embodies the

country’s vibrant culture, fun and carefree lifestyle, translated into comfortably unstructured and richly embellished tropical and resort fashion pieces. The IFS, which runs as a complimentary event to the highly anticipated London Fashion Week, is an initiative of the British Council, the UK’s international organization for educational and cultural relations; and the British Fashion Council, an ad hoc group that aims to showcase upcoming designers from the participating countries and develop the UK’s fashion design industry. The British Fashion Council organizes London

Fashion Week, as well as the prestigious British Fashion Awards.

The International Fashion Showcase invites emerging designers to showcase the future of fashion from various countries.

International Fashion Showcase provides the public, including international press and buyers, the opportunity to discover new collections making it the best venue for the designers’ international exposure.

The second Manila Wear exhibition will feature tropical and resort wear, including bags, jewelry, and fashion accessories that evoke the Philippine

traditional and modern culture. The Philippine participation is composed of upcoming designers Jun Artajo, Tipay Caintic, Olivia d’Aboville, Joel Escober, Adante Leyesa, and Ken Samudio. The six designers were chosen for passionately evoking the Philippines’ relaxed yet vibrant culture. Their design blends the traditional and the modern, creating fresh, innovative designs that truly showcase the best of Philippine fashion.

“The strength of the Philippine fashion industry lies with the designers’ ingenious use of homegrown materials, creating truly innovative designs that have an

international appeal. The works of this year’s exhibitors perfectly encapsulates all that, producing distinctive tropical and resort wear.” With these words, CITEM Executive Director Rosvi C. Gaetos is positive that Manila Wear’s second foray into the International Fashion Showcase will be as successful as the previous year.

The exhibition will run from 13 – 23 February 2014 at the 180 Strand, London WC2R 1EA, from 10:00am to 6:00pm daily.

For more information, please visit the http://thecitemblog.wordpress.com/ or send an email to GTIDO@citem.gov.ph. ■

Manila Wear Design Talents Go to the International Fashion Showcase London (IFS) 2014 THE Philippine participation in the International Fashion Showcase London (IFS) 2014 which will be staged at 180 The Strand in London, UK is slated on 13 – 23 February, from 10am to 6pm daily. It is organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), in cooperation with the Garments and Textile Industry Development Office (GTIDO) of the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC), the Philippine Embassy in London, and the British Fashion Council. The exhibition is open to the general public.

Carrying the official country brand, Fashion Philippines, to this event is the private label of Manila Wear. Under the initiative of CITEM, Manila Wear features tropical wearables that are comfortably unstructured, vibrantly colored, and richly embellished. It integrates the essence of using home-grown materials and the fresh perspectives of young local designers, allowing them to express their artistic energies and produce high— quality craftsmanship that is truly Filipino.

After bringing two designers at the IFS 2013, the stage is set this year for six Manila Wear’s design talents, namely, Jun Artajo, Tipay Caintic, Olivia d’Aboville, Joel Escober, Adante Leyesa, and Ken Samudio. As brand ambassadors for Manila Wear, the designers and their collections represent the Philippine’s rich, tropical textures, as embodied in fashion design.

In focus at the International Fashion Showcase 2014 are creations by the following Manila Wear design talents:

JOEL EESCOBER Locally, Joel Escober is known for his romantic designs, particularly in bridal wear. His couture dresses and fashion accessories ooze with the same sensibility, achieved through his trademark application of heavy textures and bold embellishments.

TIPAY CAINTIC One of the youngest designers for this year’s IFS participation, Tipay Caintic is steadily making a name for herself in the world of fashion. Caintic’s imaginative use of fabric, particularly knit, has resulted in fashion pieces and accessories defined by its unexpected structures.

KEN SAMUDIO With no formal training in fashion and a background in biology, Ken Samudio started Matthew & Melka, a luxury brand of headpieces, hats, and accessories.

His street-style and quirky headpieces and accessories are quite popular with local celebrities. ■

OLIVIA D’ABOVILLE Growing up in the Philippines, FrenchFilipino designer Olivia d’Aboville creates jewelry pieces and accessories that are often inspired by the ocean. Taking ordinary objects such as monofilament fishing lines and stainless steel, d’Aboville transforms them into delicate fashion pieces that exude sensitivity to the water’s natural movement.

Fashion

Philippines� ADANTE LEYESA In the name of sustainability and social responsibility, Adante Leyesa’s accessories and bags are made in partrnership with local communities.

Leyesa uses locally sourced organic materials such as local weaves, woods, semi-precious stones, tiny beads, and metal chains to create delicate yet elaborate fashion pieces.

JUN ARTAJO Hailing from the southern city of Davao, Jun Artajo is known for his extensive use of local textiles in his pieces. Artajo brings local textures to his couture dresses and accessories by using materials such as t’nalak fabric, jute and abaca, and reimagining them for the contemporary audience.

Manila Wear

International Fashion Showcase 2014 (IFS) 13 - 23 February 2014 180 Strand, London WC2R 1EA, United Kingdom

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www.hello-philippines.com

PHILIPPINE EMBASSY NEWS AROUND THE WORLD

February 2014 – No. 3 • UK & Europe Edition

UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs William Hague to Visit Manila RIGHT Honorable William Hague MP, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom (UK), will visit the Philippines from January 29 to 30 upon the invitation of Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario. Secretary Hague is the highest incumbent British official to visit the country in the last 25 years.

Secretary Hague will call on President Benigno Aquino III and Vice President Jejomar Binay, to be followed by a bilateral meeting with Secretary del Rosario, who is hosting lunch in his honor. One of the topics

to be discussed is UK’s participation in the reconstruction program for the communities affected by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). The UK is among the biggest donors providing generous humanitarian aid and relief goods.

The UK Disasters Emergency Committee, a group of 14 leading aid charities appealed to the British public which raised a sizeable amount of assistance.

Other topics are UK’s role in the implementation of the Mindanao peace agreement, extradition and mutual legal assistance, combat against transnational crimes and expanding cooperation in trade,

investments and tourism.

The British Foreign Secretary will also meet prominent Filipino businessmen and CEOs to exchange views on how to further expand business partnerships between Philippine and British companies.

Secretary Hague has chosen Manila as the venue to deliver a speech on “United Kingdom and the Asian Century,” unveiling UK’s foreign policy directions in the region.

The choice of Manila is significant because it is the major foreign policy speech on Asia by the UK. Government officials including members of the Congress, diplomatic

corps, academe and civil society have been invited to attend this event, in tandem with the British Food Month organized by the British Embassy and its partners.

Philippines-UK relations were established on 04 July 1946. Total trade between the two countries amounted to US$ 928 million in 2012, of which US$ 657 million worth of products were exported by the Philippines to the UK. The Philippines enjoys favorable balance of trade with the UK. There are an estimated 200,000 Filipinos living and working in the UK, 70% are in health and care-giving professions, IT and engineering, about 20% are secondgeneration Filipinos, while 10% are in the domestic services. ■ Philippine Embassy, Philippines / January 29, 2014

Phl Consulate General in Los Angeles Welcomes Premium Phl Food Products Mission in Los Angeles

(Left and middle photos) Business matching at Crowne Plaza Hotel; (Right photo, seated from left) DTI representative Josie Dinsay, CITEM Executive Director Maria Lourdes Mediran, Consul General Ma. Hellen Barber De La Vega and Consul John Reyes with members of the Food Mission.

(Left photo) Consul General Ma. Hellen Barber De La Vega addresses the audience: (Right photo from left) Consul General Ma. Hellen Barber De La Vega, Malagos Agri-Venture Corp. Sales & Marketing Head Rex Victor Puentespina, JNRM Corporation President Nicolas Concepcion, Herbanext Laboratories, Inc. Marketing Director Ruby Tania Cruz, CITEM Executive Director Maria Lourdes Mediran and DTI represntative Josie Dinsay.

THE Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles, led by Consul General Ma. Hellen Barber De La Vega, welcomes the launch of premium Philippine Food Products with a press conference and reception held at the Rizal Hall of the Consulate General on January 22.

The premium food mission participated in the 2014 Winter Fancy Food exposition held in San Francisco and was organized by the Department of Trade and IndustryCenter for International Trade Expositions and Missions (DTI-CITEM), led by CITEM Deputy Executive Director Maria Lourdes Mediran, and joined by Philippine food manufacturers and exporters of specialty food identified under the DTI’s Design for Exports (DEFood) program. Participating companies are Herbanext Laboratories, Inc. JNRM Corporation, Malagos Agri-Venture Corporation and Raw Brown Sugar Milling Co. Inc. At the press conference, Philippine Trade

Representative in Los Angeles Jose Ma. S. Dinsay made a PowerPoint presentation on promoting Philippine Specialty Food in the United States. With an official food brand of Food Philippines, the DTI, through its international trade offices and CITEM, aims to promote Philippine food products that are natural, organic and strong in Filipino heritage. Ms. Mediran noted that their trip to California marks the return of Philippine food exports in Food Expositions and Markets, this time offering premium, high-quality products geared towards the mainstream market with discerning customer base.

The members of the Food Mission had a day of successful Business Matching with US based companies at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on January 24. This event provided opportunities for the Philippine companies and resulted in establishing new contacts and agreements in marketing their products for distribution and sale in the United States.

■ Philippine Embassy, Philippines / January 29, 2014

Statement of Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert F. Del Rosario on the Visit of The Right Honorable William Hague, United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs TODAY, I am pleased to welcome my good friend, the Right Honorable William Hague, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom, who cordially accepted our invitation. Secretary Hague is the highest incumbent British official to visit the Philippines in more than 15 years.

We affirmed our countries’ strong political partnership in both bilateral and multilateral fora and agreed to further strengthen such partnership founded on the mutual interests of peace, security, democracy, human rights and rule of law.

Secretary Hague and I reviewed our countries’ economic relations. British investments in the country increased by an impressive 293 % from PhP 1.72 Billion in 2011 to PhP 6.76 Billion in 2012, making UK a major source of foreign direct investments. Similarly, our bilateral trade performed positively, and increased by 35 % from US$ 687 Million in 2011 to US$ 927 Million in 2012. Among the European Union member states, UK ranks as the fourth top destination for Philippine exports.

I expressed the Philippine government’s appreciation for the UK’s humanitarian aid and support in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan. To date, the British government and public provided more than 232 million U.S. Dollars in various forms of assistance, not to mention the deployment of military resources, making the UK the biggest contributor of humanitarian assistance. The immense contribution by the British public

is a reflection of the deepening people-topeople relations between our countries.

Secretary Hague conveyed the UK government’s readiness to further participate in our reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts to build back better and safer climate-resilient communities.

This confirms the commitment earlier made

by Secretary of State Justine Greening during her visit in Manila last November.

I underscored that our reconstruction program presents numerous opportunities for cooperation and partnership, both on the part of Government and the private sector. I encouraged the United Kingdom to look into these opportunities.

We exchanged views on ways to further enhance cooperation in the fields of trade, investment and tourism and identified other primary areas, including PPP. Given the favorable economic climate in the Philippines, notably high GDP growth, investment rating upgrades and strong macro-economic fundamentals, on the one hand, and improving economic conditions in the UK, on the other, we agreed that there were immense opportunities for our business people.

We agreed that existing areas of cooperation will be strengthened and future areas explored. We will work on the robust implementation of signed agreements, such as the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty and the Extradition Treaty, and for the conclusion of proposed agreements in culture, education, science and sports. Secretary Hague also

informed me that the UK will study our proposal for the waiver of visa requirements for diplomatic and official passport holders.

Secretary Hague congratulated the Philippine Government on the completion of the Annexes to the FAB (Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro) with the signing of the Annex on Normalization on January 25th. He conveyed interest in continuing UK’s participation in promoting peace and development in Mindanao.

Secretary Hague expressed hope for the early conclusion of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro. In thanking the UK side, I stated that the Philippines looked forward to a more peaceful and

prosperous Mindanao with these positive developments.

I thanked Secretary Hague for hosting an estimated 250,000 Filipinos living and working in the UK. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs noted the positive role and contribution of our Filipinos to British society and the UK economy.

On the issue of the West Philippine Sea, I shared with Secretary Hague our efforts to seek a peaceful and rules-based solution to this maritime dispute. We agreed that countries should desist from taking actions that affect peace, security and stability in the region. We further agreed on the importance of maritime security, freedom

of navigation, non-use of force and the threat of the use of force, and the peaceful settlement of disputes to peace and prosperity in the region.

We thank Secretary Hague for their support in our pursuit of a rules-based solution to the maritime disputes in the South China Sea in accordance with international law and UNCLOS. Secretary Hague informed me that he will deliver a keynote speech this afternoon in Manila which represents the UK’s major foreign policy direction in Asia. The choice of the Philippines is significant as it underscores our solid bilateral partnership.

■ Philippine Embassy, Philippines

Statement Delivered by DFA Spokesperson Raul Hernandez Regarding the Hong Kong Visa Sanctions Against the Philippines THE Philippine Government regrets the Hong Kong SAR Government’s implementation of sanctions against the Philippines, particularly, the requirement of visas for Philippine official and diplomatic passport holders which is usually given to government officials on official travel to Hong Kong. The sanction is unfortunate because a substantive closure on the Quirino Grandstand Incident had already been arrived at three years ago with the previous Hong Kong SAR Government and the victims as well as their families.

A renewed appeal for compassion was directly made to our government last October 2013. We responded to this

appeal without equivocation and in a most generous manner. Additional tokens of solidarity have therefore been pledged by the Filipino people at the behest of the Philippine government. These amounts that are being offered are substantially more than those that have been previously accepted by the victims and their families.

We have been made to understand that the victims and their families have agreed to this offer.

In response to this generous offering, a total renegotiation has been opened by the Hong Kong SAR Government to seek a demand for an apology which the Philippines, as a sovereign nation, is

not prepared to consider. Our Nation has already expressed its deepest regret and condolences over the incident and we are preparing to reiterate this.

To bring the issue to its final conclusion, the Philippines remains committed to manifest compassion for the victims and their families and is ready to turn over the additional tokens of solidarity from the Filipino people. We hope that we will be able to do this as soon as possible.

We would like to assure the Filipino people that the Philippine Government has done its utmost best to address the Quirino Grandstand Issue. ■ Philippine Embassy, Philippines

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BUSINESS & FINANCE

February 2014 – No. 3 • UK & Europe Edition

PH economy shines despite calamity, ends 2013 among Asia’s fastest-growing MANILA - The Philippines’ gross domestic product (GDP) grew 6.5 percent in the fourth quarter to end the year with growth above the government’s target for 2013 and among the fastest in Asia.

In a report, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said the fourth-quarter GDP figure brings the full-year average to 7.2 percent, up from 6.8 percent in 2012. This is above the government’s target range of 6-7 percent for the entire 2013.

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

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Aresenio Balisacan said the Philippines’ fullyear growth was Asia’s second best next to China’s 7.7 percent.

Fueling the domestic economy’s expansion was the services sector, which grew 7.1 percent for the entire year, slower than the 7.6 percent in 2012. Industry expanded by 9.5 percent, faster than the previous year’s 6.8 percent, whereas agriculture slowed to 1.1 percent from 2.8 percent previously.

In the fourth quarter alone, services kept its growth pace at 6.5 percent from the same three-month period the previous year. Industry slowed to 8.4 percent from 8.9 percent in 2012.

As expected, agriculture fell sharply from 4.9 percent in the October to December of 2012 to 1.1 percent in the same threemonth period last year following the devastation caused by Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ last November.

Photo by Bernard Testa

Typhoon slows down household spending. Balisacan said the fourth-quarter GDP turnout was “remarkable” in light of the string of disasters that the Philippines endured last year.

“Without the typhoon, the fourth-quarter GDP growth could have been anywhere between 7-7.3 percent. The typhoon cut GDP by 0.1 percentage points in 2013,” he said during a press conference today.

On the demand side, the 5.6 percent growth in household spending in the fourth quarter was slower than the 6.2 percent growth recorded in the same period last year.

“This may be attributed to the increase in consumer prices in the fourth quarter of 2013 which was due to the supply shocks caused by the natural calamities that hit the country in the latter part of the year, in addition to the expected higher food prices

due to the holiday season,” Balisacan, who is also director-general of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), said.

Construction suffers biggest setback.

The NEDA chief said construction suffered the biggest setback in the fourth quarter, contracting 0.8 percent in the fourth quarter, a reversal of the 29.9 percent growth in 2012 due to stricter rules the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) imposed on real estate lending.

“The Board of Investments has also tightened mass housing incentives. The rule requiring developers to allot 20 percent of their total housing investment for low-cost mass housing units is now being closely monitored and enforced,” Balisacan said.

Government spending growth also slowed to 5.2 percent in the fourth quarter from the 9.5 percent the previous year,

due to lower disbursements in personnel services as well as maintenance and other operating expenditures.

“For the full year, however, government spending increased by 8.6 percent.

Expenditures may have been frontloaded, as government agencies adjusted to the one-year validity of the budget,” Balisacan said.

Sticking with 6.5-7.5 pct target. For this year, Balisacan is optimistic that the economy would remain strong, especially since the outlook for the global economy has turned favorable.

The International Monetary Fund earlier said global economic activity would grow by 3.7 percent in 2014 and 3.9 percent in 2015, while the World Bank projects growth at 3.2 percent this year and 3.4 percent next year.

Similarly, the Asian Development Bank sees the region growing at 6.2 percent in 2014.

“We are sticking with the 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent,” Balisacan said, adding that the construction of major infrastructure projects, particularly in the transport sector, is expected to add fuel to the growth this year and beyond.

“Agriculture and industry sectors are expected to be vibrant this year, as the government promotes linkages between the two sectors to increase value added as a key strategy identified in the Philippine Development Plan midterm update,” he said.

Fundamental strength intact.

Malacañang and the BSP also welcomed the domestic economy’s resilience amid a series of calamities and global financial turmoil.

BSP Governor Amando M. Tetangco Jr. said the above-target growth “reinforces our assessment that the fundamental strength of the economy is intact.”

“We will continue to monitor developments, including any ‘noise’ from temporary domestic financial market volatility, and act as appropriate to ensure inflation expectations remain wellanchored,” he said in a text message.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said, “A year of challenges did not deter us from impressive growth.”

“We remain confident in our country’s innate resilience: the resilience of an economy that defied expectations, and the resilience of thousands of Filipinos, including the survivors themselves, who came together in the wake of calamities, as well as our people’s characteristic dynamism,” he said.

“It is precisely because of these that we are confident that our countrymen will not only sustain, but accelerate the reform agenda that has led to these successes.

We will not only revive and bolster the communities affected by calamities, but together, we will hasten our task of achieving lasting, inclusive growth that leaves no one behind,” Lacierda added.

■ Darwin G. Amojelar, Maricel E. Burgonio and

Dexter San Pedro, InterAksyon.com / January 30, 2014 / 9:46 AM

Pinoys still among most optimistic consumers even as ‘Yolanda’ tempers outlook—Nielsen MANILA - Filipinos remain the second most optimistic consumers in Southeast Asia, but their outlook has been tempered by the devastation caused by Typhoon ‘Yolanda’, marketing research firm Nielsen said today.

According to its latest Global Survey of Consumer Confidence and Spending Intentions, Nielsen said the Philippines scored 114 in the Consumer Confidence Index in the fourth quarter, down four points from the third quarter but still second to Indonesia, which topped the survey with a score of 124.

A reading above 100 points to optimism, while one below that threshold indicates pessimism.

Chart 1: Nielsen Consumer Confidence Index, Southeast Asia, 4Q 2013. “As expected the sentiment of Filipino consumers went down as a result of the devastation of typhoon Yolanda. As a consequence, they are examining their personal finances closely and are becoming more cautiously optimistic and dynamic in their choices around spending and saving,” said Nielsen Philippines managing director Stuart Jamieson.

Nielsen said the survey -- which measures consumer confidence, major concerns and spending intentions among 30,000 respondents with Internet access in 60 countries --was conducted after Yolanda struck.

Alongside a drop in confidence, Filipinos’ perception of their personal finances over the next 12 months likewise soured a little, Nielsen said.

Despite this, 76 percent of respondents thought their finances were good or excellent, placing the Philippines next only to Indonesia.

Chart 2: Perceptions of state of personal finances over the next 12 months, Southeast Asia, Q4 2013.

Also, Nielsen described Filipinos as “avid savers,” since savings were the top use for excess funds after covering essential living expenses. Sixty-eight percent of Filipino respondents said they saved their spare cash, making them among the top 10 savers in the survey.

The top 10 savers were Vietnam at 74 percent; followed by Indonesia, 72 percent; Hong Kong, 71 percent; Philippines; Taiwan, 67 percent; Thailand, 66 percent; Singapore, 64 percent; Malaysia, 63 percent; India, 62 percent; and Japan, 62 percent.

“While tucking away a portion of their gains for tomorrow, there are consumers who remain open to experiencing and enjoying their hard earned cash,” Jamieson said, citing 28 percent of Filipino respondents who intend to spend their spare cash on holidays and vacations, three points higher than in the previous quarter.

Nielsen also noted that Filipinos have turned more diligent with regards their household spending, with 85 percent of respondents saying they have restricted spending on clothing, gas and electricity; put off technology upgrades; switched to cheaper varieties of grocery goods; and limited take-out meals and out-of-home entertainment.

Chart 1. Source: Nielsen Global Survey of Consumer Confidence and Spending Intentions, Q4 2013

Photo by Bernard Testa

“While consumers are optimistic about their future they remain cautious with their spending behaviour. What we are seeing is a propensity to adapt quickly and decisively shift spending when required,” Jamieson said. ■ InterAksyon.com / January 30, 2014 / 12:29 AM

Chart 2. Source: Nielsen Global Survey of Consumer Confidence and Spending Intentions, Q4 2013

BUSINESS & FINANCE

February 2014 – No. 3 • UK & Europe Edition

www.hello-philippines.com

37

Money supply growth eases from record, even as bank lending picks up MANILA - Money supply growth eased last month even as bank lending picked up pace, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said today.

In a report, the BSP said money supply or domestic liquidity (M3) grew 32.7 percent year-on-year last December, slowing down from the record 36.5 percent expansion in November.

Month-on-month, the increase also eased to 1.5 percent last month from November’s 4.4 percent.

BSP officials had said the record expansion in liquidity last November owed to the deadline for bank trust units to withdraw money they parked in the regulator’s special deposit accounts (SDAs).

Last month’s slowdown in liquidity growth is a sign that M3 expansion was normalizing after the end-November deadline for SDA placements, the BSP said.

Fueling the increase in liquidity last December was the 10.1 percent increase in net foreign assets, which the BSP ascribed to robust foreign exchange inflows in the form of remittances and business process outsourcing (BPO) receipts.

Also causing M3 growth last month was the11.6 percent increase in domestic claims, particularly claims on the private sector.

Separate data the BSP released today show bank lending growth accelerated to 16.4 percent last month from the 14.8 percent uptick in November.

Loans for production activities—which comprised at least four-fifths of banks’ loan portfolio—increased by 15.3 percent, faster than the 13.2 percent increment the previous month.

The BSP said the following sectors were the heaviest borrowers: real estate, renting and business services; electricity, gas and water; manufacturing; wholesale and retail trade; and construction.

Meanwhile, loans for household consumption grew at a slower pace of 8.3 percent last month from the nine percent in November.

The BSP said this reflected the slowdown in auto loans and personal loans. ■ Maricel E. Burgonio / InterAksyon.com / January 30, 2014 / 4:54 PM

Statement: MBC hails peace deal, calls for passage of Bangsamoro Law

THE Makati Business Club congratulates the Aquino administration and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) for the successful signing of the Annex on Normalization and Addendum on

Bangsamoro Waters—the last of the four annexes leading towards a Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro. We join our countrymen and the international community in recognizing this noteworthy

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move that will bring about genuine and lasting peace and development in Mindanao.

MBC commends the government’s peace panel led by Sec. Teresita Deles and chief negotiator Miriam Coronel Ferrer, and the MILF panel led by Chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim and head of the MILF peace panel Mohagher Iqbal, who, through their tireless leadership amidst all the challenges, have ensured that the negotiation process was fair, transparent, peaceful, and inclusive.

MBC also extends its deepest appreciation to the country’s international partners, whose valuable assistance made this historical breakthrough possible.

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The business community strongly believes that, besides other factors, economic neglect has been among the primary reasons for this conflict and that, in pursuit of our shared goal of sustainable and inclusive growth for all Filipinos, development in the Bangsamoro will be critical. Thus, the business sector will continue to fully support this final phase of the process. Likewise, the business sector stands ready to assist in harnessing the region’s potential as a vital part of the Philippine economy, with the ultimate aim of uplifting the lives of our brothers and sisters in Mindanao. ■

InterAksyon.com / January 30, 2014 / 1:07 AM

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subsequently, implementing its provisions, we call on our legislators and other stakeholders to pursue this path to peace with even greater vigor and dedication. It is our fervent hope that the Basic Law to be urgently enacted will indeed embody the aspirations of the Bangsamoro, paving the way to the region’s revival as a vibrant center of economic and cultural activity.

This landmark achievement proves that cooperation and open dialogue can indeed serve as an effective bridge between parties whose differences may, at first, seem irreconcilable. In the same breath, it may be high time for the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the MILF to come together and identify points of consensus between the 1996 Final Peace Agreement and

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NEWS

February 2014 – No. 3 • UK & Europe Edition

Yolanda survivors brace for Basyang

TACLOBAN - Hundreds of people who survived Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) are bracing for a new storm that is expected to hit the central Philippines late Friday, officials said.

Tropical storm Kajiki, packing maximum winds of 100 kilometers (62 miles) per hour, is expected to hit the central island of Leyte before midnight, cutting through the archipelago as it heads towards the South China Sea, the government weather station said.

Although Kajiki is far weaker than Haiyan—one of the strongest storms ever to hit land with winds reaching 315 kilometers (195 miles) per hour—authorities are still warning it could bring new flashfloods and landslides to communities living in already rudimentary shelters.

Leyte suffered the worst casualties when Super Typhoon Haiyan struck in November, flattening whole towns and leaving about 8,000 dead or missing.

In the island’s still-ruined capital of Tacloban City, about 150 families living near the coast evacuated ahead of time before the storm hit.

The residents, who are still housed in tents after Haiyan destroyed their homes, fled to higher ground or took refuge with friends or relatives, said city administrator Tecson Lim. Housewife Bising Alberta 55, said her family had decided to voluntarily flee “even before the government told us to evacuate,” as she and her loved ones packed up to find shelter in a crowded boarding house.

During Haiyan’s fury, her house was wiped out by large waves and she had to be hospitalised for her subsequent injuries.

“I am a survivor (of Haiyan). I am scared of water now. Even if it is just drizzling, I am already frightened,” she said.

Regional civil defence chief Rey Gozon said pre-emptive evacuation had been ordered in all areas expected to be affected by the new storm.

Stockpiles of food have also been prepared in case more people are forced to flee, he added.

The second level of a three-step storm alert has been raised over much of the central and southern Philippine islands with a lower alert hoisted over the surrounding areas. ■ Agence France-Presse / January 31, 2014 / 8:12 PM

The shadowy world of sex trafficking on US shores WASHINGTON - “Are you Shandra? Yes, I am.”

With those few words, a young Indonesian with big dreams of a better life found herself catapulted into the murky underground world of sex slavery and violence.

But Shandra Woworuntu, then 25, was not trapped in a sordid brothel servicing clients in some far-flung Asian tourist hotspot.

Instead the college graduate and young mother was whisked away from New York’s busy John F. Kennedy airport with a gun to her head by an organized gang working in the heart of the world’s economic superpower.

Nothing had prepared the slight, softly spoken, shy woman to become one of the thousands of men, women and children lured into the hidden world of sex trafficking and forced labor in the United States every year.

American dream gone wrong. After losing her job as a financial analyst in a bank in the chaos unleashed by Asia’s economic crisis, Shandra replied to a newspaper ad for temporary work in a hotel in Chicago.

In 2001, having passed a test, and armed with a visa from the US embassy, she left her young daughter, promising to return home soon.

“I was excited—I thought this was the American dream. I will earn some money and I will go back after six months,” she told AFP. But on her very first night on US soil, she was put to work in a New York brothel, before being passed from pimp to pimp—a Malaysian known as Johnnie Wong, a Taiwanese guy, a man who only spoke Cantonese, and even an American.

“They put a gun on my head, and I just think I have to save my life,” she said in somewhat broken English, her voice at times dropping to a whisper. “Maybe I have been kidnapped, I didn’t know exactly. What I need to do is life survival.”

Many of the girls and women she encountered working in the brothels had also been lured from abroad, some from her native Indonesia. She was the oldest of the group. Most were just teenagers.

One young girl, whose age she guessed at as between 10 to 12, did not speak any language Shandra recognized. “I never knew where she came from,” she said sadly.

She was forced to work through the night in casinos and hotels where clients would

pick from the girls lined up in front of them or would telephone for services.

“The phone was always ringing,” remembered Shandra, who said the women were often denied food, but were presented with tables laden with alcohol and drugs.

Moved many times in vans with tinted glass and held in rooms with shuttered windows, and barred by beefy bodyguards, Shandra lost all notion of time. And she was told that she had to work to repay a $30,000 “recruitment fee.”

To this day, she can’t say how long she endured captivity, knowing only she arrived in spring and it was turning cold that same year when she escaped.

“This is not the job that they promised,” she said, without a hint of irony.

Jumping to freedom. An open bathroom window, two floors up, gave her the chance.

Persuading one other girl to go with her, they jumped, and miraculously survived unscathed.

After weeks of living rough, with the police, church, and the FBI all refusing to believe her story—and even falling into the hands of another pimp—Shandra, whose passport and all documents had been stripped from her on day one, finally found help with a victim’s agency called Safe Horizon.

While her tale might sound incredible, agencies say it is very common.

And it doesn’t just concern foreigners— young American runaways all too often put themselves in dangerous situations wooed by tales of modeling careers and lucrative music contracts.

The Alliance To End Slavery and Trafficking estimates about 14,000 to 17,000 men, women and children are smuggled illegally into the US every year to work in the sex trade or in factories, farms and bars as forced labor.

“This is organized crime and they are very organized. And what we see is that they are increasingly more sophisticated in how they are committing this crime,” said the alliance’s director, Melysa Sperber.

The group is calling for greater government controls on the recruiters who lure vulnerable people to US shores every year.

In its 2013 global Trafficking in Persons report, the State Department recognized that the United States is “a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children—both US citizens and foreign

Shandra Woworuntu, human trafficking survivor and activist, is seen on a camera monitor during an interview at Humanity United in Washington, DC. Photo by Karen Bleier, ©AFP.

TV5 news staff hurt in Maguindanao blast airlifted to Manila

MANILA - TV5 reporter Jeff Caparas and cameraman Adrian Bulatao, who suffered multiple shrapnel wounds in an early morning blast in Maguindanao arrived at the Pacific Global One hangar in the NAIA General Aviation Area around 7:00 pm Saturday.

Accompanied by TV5 News Operations Head DJ Sta. Ana, the TV5 crew was received

by Pacific Global President Butch Meily and Operations Chief Capt. Quirino Tangonan, and turned over to the emergency team of the Makati Medical Center for immediate treatment.

Caparas and Bulatao were among

nationals—subjected to forced labor, debt bondage, involuntary servitude, and sex trafficking” with victims mainly coming from Mexico, Thailand, the Philippines, Honduras and Indonesia.

While prosecutions by federal agencies were on the rise due to greater awareness of the problem, the report recommended that funding should be increased to agencies providing victim services, and there should be greater oversight on contractors hiring foreign laborers.

‘We must act’. Legislation is now pending in the House of Representatives sponsored by congressman Ed Royce seeking to close such loopholes, such as requiring foreign hirers to be registered with the Labor Department.

It would also ensure foreign labor contractors would have to provide the names of the employers and recruiters and a signed contract.

The bill “provides the tools needed to avoid the scams of unscrupulous labor recruiters who force workers into slave labor or sexual slavery once they enter the US,” Royce said when he introduced the bill in October.

“The human cost of trafficking is painfully high—we must act.”

Although still emotionally scarred by her past, Shandra, who helped law enforcement agents bust at least one of the networks which brutalized her, is now proudly putting her experiences to use to try to fight human trafficking.

“If I don’t stand for them who live in the shadows, become a voice of the voiceless... the government, the community will not know that it’s happening,” she told AFP. “I hope I can do more to help them identify the victims ... because I believe with my connection, with all of us together, we will fight modern-day slavery.” ■ Jo Biddle / Agence France-Presse / February 1, 2014 / 2:54 PM

Photos by Tammy David

the 12 persons wounded in a roadside explosion in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town, Maguindanao Saturday morning. They had stopped to cover an earlier roadside explosion when another blast, from an IED placed in a tricycle, exploded near their vehicle, hitting the right side. The two men suffered multiple shrapnel injuries, but are in stable condition.

The roadside blasts are believed to have been caused by the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), which have engaged government troops in skirmishes since Jan. 27. ■ InterAksyon.com / February 1,

2014 / 8:29 PM

sport

MANNYPACQUIAOTOSETTLECONTROVERSIALDECISION WITHTIMOTHYBRADLEYINAPRIL12REMATCH MANNY Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley are going to settle once and for all who among them is the better man.

The date is April 12 and the venue will be the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, the same place where Bradley posted a controversial 12-round split decision win over the Filipino star in June 2012.

While a formal announcement has yet to be named by Top Rank, it is bound to happen sometime next week, sources in the US told InterAksyon.com yesterday.

In fact, a two-city press tour is being penciled for Los Angeles and New York early next month.

Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum himself bared the promotional tour stops two weeks ago.

Since winning over Pacquiao, Bradley has vastly improved as evidenced by his gutsy showing against Ruslan Provodnikov of Russia and his rousing victory over Juan Manuel Marquez, the Mexican counterpuncher who dealt Pacquiao a hellacious sixth-round knockout in late-2012.

But Pacquiao has since rebounded from the Marquez misfortune, scoring a sensational win over Brandon Rios last year in Macau. ■ Lee Jimenez / InterAksyon.com

/ January 24, 2014 /5:23 PM

New coach Thomas Dooley will take Azkals to Brazil, Finland, Greece, Turkey entered another level, says team manager Dan Palami as wildcards for FIBA World Cup

PHILIPPINE national men’s football team manager Dan Palami promises that new coach Thomas Dooley can bring the Azkals to greater heights.

“Very tough selection process, but quite confident that the selection of Thomas Dooley as Azkals coach will bring the team to another level,” Palami wrote on his Twitter account.

The Azkals management announced on Friday that Dooley will take over as the new national team coach, replacing Hans Michael Weiss who was booted out in January after a three-year stint.

However, Palami said that Dooley’s contract is still being negotiated. The American-German coach is expected to arrive in the Philippines next week.

“To be clear, final negotiations re terms of contract is still ongoing but will be finalized when he arrives next week and meet w/ PFF (Philippine Football Federation),” Palami added.

Dooley, 52, won many titles in Europe as a player and once served as a captain of

ONE South American squad and three teams from Europe have been entered as wildcards for the FIBA Basketball World Cup, joining the Philippines and 19 other teams in the biggest international hoops tournament.

Brazil, Finland, Greece, and Turkey have been given slots to the World Cup. The Gilas Pilipinas national team is one of three qualifiers from Asia, alongside FIBA Asia champion Iran and second runner-up South Korea.

Reigning Olympic champion United States and host Spain have been seeded automatically into the tournament.

Angola, Egypt, and Senegal have qualified from FIBA Africa, while Australia

the United States national team during the 1990s.

After retirement, he became an assistant coach of the US national team in 2011 before working as part of the US Under-20 national team staff last year.

Dooley will lead the Azkals in their quest to win the Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup in May, where the tournament champion earns a ticket to the prestigious 2015 Asian Cup. ■ Karl Decena / InterAksyon.com / February 1, 2014 / 12:31 AM

UFL: Team Socceroo books first Division One win over Pasargad NEWLY-PROMOTED Team Socceroo scored a late goal to down Pasargad, 1-nil, for its first victory in the first division of the United Football League on Thursday at Emperador Stadium.

With the match looked on its way to a scoreless draw, Lee Jeong Woo found the back of the net in added time to save the day for Team Socceroo, which nailed its first triumph since earning promotion this season.

After sweeping its matches in Division Two last year, Team Socceroo has struggled in its top flight debut, dropping three matches and drawing one before the victory over Pasargad.

Team Socceroo moved up in the table to sixth place with four points, while Pasargad suffered its third loss along with a draw in its record to fall to the bottom with one point.

In the night’s other match, Philippine

Army-General Trias International FC blanked Pachanga PLDT Home Fibr FC with a 2-nil victory.

Army-GTI relied on goals by John Cain at the eighth minute and Kang Dae Han at the 87th minute for the squad’s second victory.

Army-GTI improved to a 2-1-1 win-drawloss record for second place with seven points, while Pachanga had its second loss along with two victories in its card for a share of third place. ■

and New Zealand will represent FIBA Oceania.

Mexico, Puerto Rico, Argentina, and the Dominican Republic join the fray from FIBA Americas, while France, Lithuania, Croatia, Slovenia, the Ukraine, and Serbia joined the fray through the FIBA EuroBasket tournament.

Gilas coach Chot Reyes is already in Spain for the draw on Monday, which will determine the groupings and host city of the Philippine team for the World Cup, which begins in August. The Philippines will be making its return to the world basketball stage for the first time in four decades. ■ InterAksyon.com / February 1, 2014

/8:03 PM