January 2012 issue

HELLO PHILIPPINES Connecting Global News & Views For The Community

Philippine flood toll rises Page 10

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Aquino vs Corona: The battle continues in 2012 Page 18

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Filipinos refuse to flee strife-torn Syria: FM Olympics, diamond jubilee will boost UK in 2012: Cameron

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ONDON (AFP) – British Prime Minister David Cameron pledged on Monday (January 2) to use the Olympics and celebrations marking 60 years of the queen’s reign in 2012 to return Britain to strength despite continuing economic gloom.

“This will be the year Britain sees the world and the world sees Britain. It must be the year we go for it,” he said in an upbeat New Year’s message.

“The coming months will bring the global drama of the Olympics and the glory of the Diamond Jubilee. Cameras and TV channels around the planet will be recording these magnificent events.

“It gives us an extraordinary incentive to look outward, look onwards and to look our best: to feel pride in who we are and what – even in these trying times – we can achieve.”

He acknowledged that many people were still struggling amid fears of a return to recession, rising prices and unemployment at a 17-year high, but insisted his

©AFP/Getty Images

government had a plan to get the economy back on track.

“I know how difficult it will be to get through this. But I also know that we will,” said the Conservative leader.

He added: “We’ve got clear and strong plans to bring down our deficit, which gives us some protection from the worst of the debt storms now battering the eurozone.

“We have gained security for now – and because of that, we must be bold, confident and decisive about building the future.” Olympics Full Story in Page 4

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ANILA (AFP) – Most of the 10,000 Filipinos working in strife-torn Syria have refused to leave despite mounting violence in the country, the Philippine foreign minister said Wednesday (January 4).

Albert del Rosario said he tried to convince more Filipinos to leave during a recent visit to Syria, but “I did not see too many people who were enthusiastic about being repatriated.”

“I did not talk to anyone who wanted to be repatriated,” he told a press briefing.

“The reason being there are no economic opportunities in the Philippines.”

Del Rosario added that Filipinos were even entering Syria illegally to find work although he did not provide a figure.

The minister said many Filipinos – most working as domestic helpers – did not think they were in danger.

“They feel that if they have a good employer, he will protect them. They don’t particularly feel threatened,” he said.

UN humanitarian officials estimate that at least 5,000 Syrians have been killed in the nine months since a popular uprising erupted against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, most of them killed by security forces.

However some Filipinos have accepted a government offer to fly them home with about one thousand likely to return over the next several weeks, del Rosario said. ■

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Manila promises help for ‘Jason Bourne’

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ANILA (AFP) – Even movie super-spy Jason Bourne needs help against the nightmarish traffic in the Philippine capital Manila, the city’s administrator said on Wednesday (January 4).

Metro Manila chairman Francis Tolentino is taking steps to avoid chaos on the roads when the latest instalment in the blockbuster series, “The Bourne Legacy”, starts filming in the country later this month.

Some of the major roads in the traffic-clogged city will be used for car chases and action sequences, Tolentino said.

Motorists will be advised about alternative routes during shooting days, he said, adding that teams will be deployed for crowd control and to re-direct traffic.

“The movie will be shown worldwide. Its best that we clean the area first before filming,” Tolentino told reporters.

“We will advise the neighbourhoods concerned to be

more sensitive to the once-in-alifetime shooting opportunity.”

The character of Jason Bourne, a CIA agent suffering from memory loss, was originally created in a series of books

by Robert Ludlum which in turn have been turned into hugely-successful movies: “The Bourne Identity,” “The Bourne Supremacy” and “The Bourne Ultimatum,” all starring Matt Damon in the title role. ■ ©AFP/Getty Images/Kevin Winter

Matt Damon stars as amnesiac spy Jason Bourne in the blockbuster series.

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If a Sender chooses Account Deposit and sends money to three different Receivers, does each Receiver have to be registered?

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Cover Story

UK prepares for 2012 Olympics Lorela U. Sandoval

B

esting eight other countries that had submitted applications to host the Summer Olympics Games in 2012, officially known as Games of the XXX Olympiad, Great Britain won the final decision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) members during its 117th session in Singapore on July 6, 2005. The said Games will commence on July 27 and conclude on August 12, 2012, featuring 26 sports and 39 disciplines for Olympics, and 20 sports and 21 disciplines for Paralympics.

It will be staged across London and out of London venues. Among the many venues to be used are the Olympic Park, Wimbledon, Earls Court, ExCeL, Hyde Park, Greenwich Park, Brands Hatch, City of Coventry Stadium, Hampden Park, Wembley Stadium and Millennium Stadium.

To ensure safety and security, the British government announced its deployment of 13, 500 members of the armed forces, 10,000 police, as well as naval and air forces – considered to be the biggest security operation enforced by the country in decades.

History The Olympics has an interesting history. Some would attribute the games to a Greek god named Zeus to commemorate his battle with Kronos.

Others would refer to the demigod Heracles as its founder, paying tribute to Zeus for his successful expedition against King Augias of Elis. But the exact reasons for the origin of the Games remained unclear till this day.

Research reveals that the Olympic Games began around 3,000 years ago at the Peloponnese in Greece. Olympia saw the very first Olympics in 776 BC. The Games occurred every four years – hence the reference of “Olympiad” – always in the same venue.

Whatever the reasons, Pierre de Coubertin later restored the Olympic Games in 1894. Two years after, Athens saw the first modern Olympic Games.

Types of Olympics and Sports Olympics Games vary, namely, Ancient Olympic Games, Summer Olympic Games, Winter Olympic Games, Paralympic Games and Youth Olympic Games. But the program is composed of 35 sports, 30 disciplines, and about 400 events.

A sport, however, only becomes an Olympic sport if it’s governed by an International Federation that’s also recognized by the IOC. Discipline refers to a branch of an Olympic sport that

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has one or more events, while event refers to a competition in any Olympic sport or in any one of its disciplines.

Summer sports being played include Aquatics, Canoe/Kayak, Triathlon, Cycling, Equestrian, Gymnastics, Volleyball, Tennis, Hockey, Fencing, Taekwondo, Archery, Sailing, Boxing, Golf, and Wrestling, among many others. Winter sports are Bobsleigh, Skating, Ice Hockey, Biathlon, Curling, Luge, and Skiing.

Under all these sports are several disciplines or events.

Different Ceremonies The 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp had started most of the rituals being followed by the Games at present. Touted to be the most special part of the program is the opening ceremony, usually beginning with the lifting of the flag of the host country and the performance of its national anthem, followed by artistic presentations in song, dance and theatre representing their culture. The march of athletes grouped by nation follows suit, as well as the infamous Olympic torchlight also comes next.

The closing ceremony begins with flag-bearers of each participating country entering the stadium, and the athletes coming together without any form of grouping. To conclude, the Olympic flame is put out.

An Antwerp ceremony also is

January / February 2012 – Monthly Issue • UK & Europe Edition observed, wherein the special Olympic flag is transferred by the mayor of the city that organized the present Games to the IOC president who, in turn, passes it on to the mayor of the host city of the next Games. The next host country introduces itself briefly with artistic presentations.

After concluding the Games, victory ceremonies are held.

Champions and Medalists Medals are awarded to teams or athletes who placed first, second, or third in events. Previously, the medals of winners were solid gold, then became gilded silver, and at present gold-plated silver. Others runners-up and placers are given silver and bronze medals.

Controversies, Commercialization, Citizenship Controversies, citizenship, commercialization talks placed the Games in the hot seat a number of times then and now, according to further research.

Earlier, the IOC had refused corporate funding, but not until the retirement of its 1972 president Avery Brundage that it started to look at the lucrative potentials of television and advertising markets. After Brundage’s retirement, the IOC’s assets swelled because of its ideological shift – turning to corporate sponsorship and selling of television rights.

The Olympic brand itself became controversial: argument had it that

the Games became indistinguishable from other commercialized sporting events. Blame over-marketing, with the attempted selling of Olympic-related items during the 1996 Atlanta Games and 2000 Sydney Games.

There had been accusations and allegations of usage of performance enhancing drugs as well, one even led to death of an athlete during the 1960 Games in Rome. With the formation of the World Anti-Doping Agency and a drug-testing regimen for Olympics, however, many athletes were barred and medalists were stripped off of their awards.

The general rule of the Games is that an athlete must be a national of the country they represent. But dual nationals may be allowed to compete for any of the two countries, so long that from the time the athlete represented his former country, a three-year duration period have already passed before competing again for the new country. It happens and becomes a growing trend, though, that some athletes become citizens of another country simply because of the idea of competing in the Olympics. And such trend has caused disputes and changes in the nationality of some athletes over the years.

Some countries also boycotted the Games in the past years for varied reasons. There had been issues on gender discrimination, funding, terrorism, and violence as well, among other things. But with all this, the Olympics event goes on to be the most prestigious sporting event worldwide. ■

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HP News / Events Diary 2012

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New Year’s parties rock around the world

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EW YORK, January 1, 2012 (AFP) – Extravagant firework displays lit up the skies from Sydney to New York in a global New Year’s party as revelers set aside economic gloom, divisions and other worries to usher in 2012 in style.

Turning the page on a year of financial turmoil in Europe and the United States, uprisings across the Arab world, devastation in Japan, and the dramatic killing of AlQaeda chief Osama bin Laden in his Pakistani hideout, partygoers danced to pop stars, drank champagne, and cheered out the final seconds of 2011.

In New York, pop diva Lady Gaga and Mayor Michael Bloomberg hit the switch sending the city’s famous crystal ball on its countdown drop.

Confetti poured out over Times

Square as fireworks erupted over the Manhattan skyscrapers.

But the atmosphere was tense in Los Angeles, which celebrated the New Year under the cloud of a string of 40 deliberately set fires, mostly targeting cars either outside homes or in garages under buildings.

Seven new fires were reported overnight, including one in an underground parking lot in the heart of Tinseltown near Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, where tourists flock to see celebrity handprints and the Walk of Fame stars.

Remote Pacific islands were the first places to welcome 2012, including Samoa, which wiped Friday off its calendar by jumping west across the international dateline. Sydney and Hong Kong set the standard for partying in Asia with glittering extravaganzas.

Japanese celebrations were rocked

Philippine rebels join hunt for kidnapped Australian

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ANILA, January 2, 2012 (AFP) – Muslim rebels engaged in peace talks with the Philippine government said Monday they had joined the search for an Australian man kidnapped by an armed group in the troubled south of the country.

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has formed a tracking unit to help authorities recover Warren Rodwell, 53, who was seized from his home by gunmen believed to be Islamic militants last month, rebel spokesman Vol Al-Haq said.

“We are working on it and all (the information) we gather, we will feed to the ad hoc joint action group,” al-Haq told AFP.

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He said the MILF was working to check unverified reports that Rodwell was in the hands of the smaller Al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group in their southern island territory of Basilan.

Rodwell, who is married to a Filipina, had been living in the southern coastal town of Ipil for eight months prior to his abduction on December 5.

Authorities had imposed a news blackout on the search, although various sources had said his abductors likely took him across to Basilan, a stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf.

Local press, citing police sources, have reported that Rodwell’s abductors sent his wife photographs to prove he was alive and demanded an initial ransom of one million pesos (about $23,000).

Philippine police declined to

when a powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake swayed tall buildings in the capital of a nation still traumatized and rebuilding after last March’s quaketsunami disaster.

Dubai led the way in the Middle East and, despite the financial crisis, Europe spared no expense on the pyrotechnics.

London hosts the 2012 Olympics and its firework display kicked off with a recording of the moment the capital learned it would host the Games.

An estimated 250,000 people lined the banks of the River Thames, watching rings of fireworks in the Olympic colours flash in the sky, while the famous clock tower in the parliament building lit up with fireworks at every chime of the Big Ben bell.

There was no avoiding the eurozone crisis in other European capitals with German Chancellor Angela Merkel warning in her New Year’s message comment on the reports when contacted by AFP in Manila, as did the Australian foreign ministry.

“It would be unhelpful to comment in detail on developments in the investigation,” a spokeswoman at Australia’s foreign office in Canberra said. “(Foreign officials and police) are in close contact with Mr Rodwell’s family and are keeping them informed of developments throughout this difficult ordeal,” she added.

The Abu Sayyaf is a small band of Islamic militants which was formed with seed money from Al-Qaeda in the 1990s.

It has carried out numerous kidnappings for ransom, often targeting foreigners and Christians and a spate of high profile bombings over the past two decades.

It is not included in the peace talks between Manila and the 12,000-strong MILF, which had agreed to help government forces go after criminal gangs and terrorists in areas where it operates. ■

January / February 2012 – Monthly Issue • UK & Europe Edition that “the path to overcome it remains long and will not be without setbacks.”

Italian President Giorgio Napolitano delivered a stark message calling on the nation to make sacrifices to “prevent the financial collapse of Italy.”

In Berlin, another spectacular display lit up the night sky with partying at the Brandenburg Gate, while in Paris, some 360,000 people flocked to the Champs-Elysees.

In the heart of Vienna, 2012 was rung in by the great bell of Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, followed by the strains of the Blue Danube Waltz.

In Amsterdam, revelers watched the first “kiss” between two giant inflatable puppets representing a Dutch boy and girl, which “walked” towards each other as the seconds ticked down to 2012.

Some 10,000 hardy swimmers took a bracing plunge into icy North Sea waters off the Netherlands coast for the traditional New Year’s dip.

“Not a bad way to start the year, don’t you think?” said 38-year-old Tjerk

Philippines flood victims, children want schools

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AGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines, January 4, 2011 (AFP) – Flood evacuees and pupils competed for space in southern Philippine schools Wednesday, with both wanting to use the buildings following the Christmas break, officials said.

In some cases, survivors of last month’s floods from Tropical Storm Washi were moved to alternative shelters as children returned to schoolhouses that had been used as evacuation centres.

But in other instances, hundreds of the evacuees refused to leave, forcing school officials to find novel ways of conducting classes.

In one school in Cagayan de Oro, it was the students who had to move to tents because the storm victims refused to vacate their classrooms,

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said district school official Shirley Merida.

“We will have to hold these sessions inside the tents since all of our classrooms still have evacuees living in them. We cannot just drive them away,” she said.

Merida, who is in charge of five schools, said the situation was worse in other locations.

“I still do not know how to open two schools since these are still full of waist-deep mud,” she said.

The government, international and local charities have been working to provide new shelters for the displaced but it will take months before permanent shelters are finished.

Thousands of people can no longer return home as the government has said the sites of their old communities were too vulnerable to flooding. ■

2012 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

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Drouen, his cheeks reddened by the cold.

Thousands of Egyptians packed Cairo’s Tahrir Square under a blaze of fireworks to ring in the New Year, capping a roller-coaster year of political upheaval and deadly clashes, but also the first steps towards democratic rule.

“We’re here to welcome the New Year together, Christians and Muslims,” said one woman holding an Egyptian flag.

In Pakistan, three people were killed and at least 60 wounded by stray bullets in the port city of Karachi as revelers fired guns into the air.

Five Kenyans were killed on New Year’s Eve in a blast in a bar in the eastern town of Garissa, close to the border with Somalia.

Across the Atlantic in Rio de Janeiro, huge crowds of white-clad party-goers – Brazilians and foreign tourists – brought in the New Year on Copacabana beach, watching a spectacular “green” fireworks extravaganza. ■

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January / February 2012 – Monthly Issue • UK & Europe Edition

Philippine flood toll rises to 1,249

C

agayan De Oro, Philippines, December 27, 2011 (AFP) – The death toll from killer floods in the Philippines rose to 1,249 on Tuesday, more than a week after the disaster struck, with officials expecting more corpses to be found.

The civil defence office initially said the confirmed number of fatalities had surged by more than 200 to 1,453, before revising the figure downwards due to double-counting.

Civil defence chief Benito Ramos said his National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council would no longer count the missing as no-one could give reliable figures on how many people are unaccounted for.

But Ramos told AFP he was sure the death toll would continue rising as more bodies were still being retrieved from the sea off the southern island of Mindanao or found trapped beneath fallen logs and mud.

The stench of death pervaded the region, a sign that many corpses still remained unrecovered on land, Ana Caneda, the regional civil defence chief said.

Tropical Storm “Sendong” (international name: Washi) brought heavy rains, overflowing rivers and flash floods to the southern Philippines from December 16 to 18, sweeping away whole villages built on sandbars and riverbanks.

“There are still a lot of areas we have examined that are stinking of dead bodies. We don’t know how many people are buried under that mud,” Caneda told AFP, adding the toll could reach 2,000.

“There are so many bodies being found, floating in the bays. If not for the small islands in the bays, they would be in the Pacific already,” she said.

Recovering the bodies has been hampered by the fatigue of rescue workers who have been labouring nonstop since the storm hit, Caneda added.

“Even the (corpse) sniffing dogs are tired,” she said.

Survivors at a sandbar in Cagayan de Oro city, trying to salvage belongings from the mud, instead dug up the bodies of three of their neighbours, the city government said.

The southern port cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan bore the brunt of the disaster, and suffered most of the fatalities.

More than 376,000 people were displaced by the storm and almost 55,000 are still huddled in crowded makeshift evacuation centres, the disaster council said.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said that a series of “core shelters” would be constructed in a 10-hectare (25-acre) lot in Iligan City for over 3,500 families displaced by the flood.

Social welfare officials will visit Cagayan de Oro soon to prepare a similar project, he said, but it was unclear when people in the evacuation centres could actually move in.

The government has said it will set up tent cities in safe areas to temporarily house the evacuees — perhaps for as long as three months — until more permanent shelters can be erected.

©AFP/Ted Aljibe

Nearly half a million people require immediate assistance, the UN says.

Health Secretary Enrique Ona said the government was also preparing a scheme to pay households unaffected by the flood to host families who had lost their homes.

Ona said there had been no major disease outbreaks at the evacuation centres but potable water remained in short supply for thousands of people.

Around 50 people left one centre on their own initiative, pitching tents at a nearby car park.

“I decided to leave because of the bad odour and because it is just too crowded in there, especially when we sleep,” said Alan Labiano, 43, who was sheltering with his wife and three children.

At night, he said, some people were sleeping on plastic chairs because there was nowhere to lie down.

The government has barred many of the disaster victims from returning to their homes, saying they should not have been allowed to live on such unstable, low-lying land in the first place.

A low pressure area brought new floods to the central and southern Philippines on Monday, forcing thousands more to flee their homes, the disaster council said.

©AFP/Ted Aljibe

Philippines authorities have warned that many people may never be found.

In Valencia City, just 118 kilometres (73 miles) southeast of Cagayan de Oro, some 300 families were forced to take refuge on their rooftops due to the floods and had to be rescued by helicopters, a military report said.

The disaster council said an infant was missing after floods hit the port city of Surigao, 120 kilometres east of Cagayan de Oro, but there were no confirmed fatalities from the latest rains. ■

AFP

Residents queue up to receive relief good at a mosque in a remote area in Iligan City, southern Philippines on December 26, 2011. Tens of thousands of flash flood survivors in the Philippines face life in tent cities for months while safe areas to resettle them are sought, a top relief official said.

AFP

©AFP/Graphics /Al/Gal

Flood-hit southern Philippines.

AFP

NO LULLABY – A baby is placed on a donated used clothes at an evacuation center in Iligan City on December 23, 2011. More than 1,000 people are missing in Mindanao after deadly floods, doubling the feared death toll as relief groups rushed in aid for desperate survivors.

Eight dead in outbreak in Philippine flood area

C Two boys cross a bridge at Kapay River in a remote area in Philippines’ Iligan City on December 26. ©AFP/Noel Celis

Thousands of people have been left homeless by the storm.

Residents affected by the devastating flash flood sleep in a gymnasium in Iligan City.

AGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines, January 3, 2012 (AFP) – An outbreak of a deadly water-borne disease has claimed at least eight lives in the flood-stricken areas of the southern Philippines, officials said Tuesday.

The health department said that there were almost 300 cases of leptospirosis recorded so far in areas that were inundated by floods brought by tropical storm Washi last month.

“These people had a history of wading in flooded areas. Now government hospitals are full, they are overloaded already,” said regional health department director, Joselina Llacuna.

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease often spread by infected

rat urine mixing in fresh water in tropical environments.

Five people died from the illness in the southern port city of Cagayan de Oro, the department said while three others died in nearby Iligan City, said the city government spokesman Melvin Anggot.

“Two of them drank flood water while the other one was helping,” in relief operations, said Anggot.

The government had previously warned of a possible leptospirosis outbreak, especially in Iligan and Cagayan de Oro which were the hardest-hit by floods brought by storm Washi.

Regional epidemiology chief Dr. David Mendoza said that enough medicines were provided to ward off the disease but not enough people took the proper precautions. ■

12

HELLO PHILIPPINES

www.hello-philippines.com

Social Issues

January / February 2012 – Monthly Issue • UK & Europe Edition

Hope for the coming year Vittorio Hernandez

D

espite a year of political bickerings and natural calamities, the positive attitude of Filipinos towards life is reflected in the general positive outlook of majority of Pinoys for the coming year.

The latest survey of Pulse Asia said that 88 per cent of 1,200 adult Filipinos surveyed said they are full of hope for 2012, although slightly lower than the 89 per cent in 2011. Only 6 per cent were apprehensive for the next 12 months ahead and another 6 per cent have neutral expectations.

Filipinos actually have some reasons not to be optimistic about the entry of 2012.

By the middle of the first month, the country will be divided by the rift between the executive and judicial branches of government as the impeachment trial of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona starts.

Also expected to divide the nation is the forthcoming trial of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

People from the south also have a reason not to feel optimistic for 2012 because just days before Christmas typhoon Sendong battered Cagayan de Oro, Iligan and nearby areas and caused about 1,000 deaths, destruction of homes and infrastructure and damage to farmlands.

Hope, however, is the weapon of Pinoys in difficult times.

“They’re hopeful for the coming year, because if you’re not, talo ka agad. If they’re not even hoping, how can they put up a fight?” explained Ana Maria Tabunda, the chief research fellow of Pulse Asia.

Another possible reason behind the brighter outlook of Filipinos is that we have witnessed how the more prosperous countries such as the United States, Britain and members of the European Union are mired in debt and suffering from recession, while the Philippines, like many other Asian nations, is even registering growth rates.

Even the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is upbeat about its yearend assessment for the Philippines and forecast a 5 per cent economic expansion for 2011 and 2012, and have even factored in the potential impact of favourable and unfavourable scenarios.

However, compared to the rest of the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the IMF’s projection for the Philippines is slightly lower compared to its average growth forecast for the ASEAN at 5.5 per cent for 2011 and 5.75 per cent for 2012.

Similarly, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) forecast a 5 per cent expansion for 2011, up from its 4.6 per cent forecast in September 2010. The ADB explained the higher growth forecast to investments and consumption which will drive the anticipated economic expansion.

Meanwhile, ratings agency Standard & Poor’s which had been downgrading nations and banks the past few months,

raised its outlook for the Philippines to positive from stable based on the country’s strong external liquidity and improving fiscal position.

S&P also affirmed the Philippines’ foreign currency rating of BB/B and local currency rating of BB+/B which are just two notches below investment grade.

“The ratings could be raised on material progress in achieving a sustainable structural revenue improvement or further strengthening of the public balance sheet, yielding reduced fiscal vulnerability,” explained S&P credit analyst Agost Benard.

Filipinos, however, don’t need confirmation from international organisations to highlight the overall optimistic outlook of Pinoys, known for smiling and cracking jokes even during coup attempts and natural catastrophes.

Randy Gil Ferrer, a 28-year-old call centre agent, is one of the Filipinos who is still optimistic, particularly for an improvement in the financial situation for Pinoy families. Looking back to 2011, he considers it a disaster for him personally because of the pressure of becoming the family’s main breadwinner after an aunt in Germany who helps them retired this year. “If I only would have known that she will retire this year, I should not have bought a car and I would never have to deal with this financial difficulty,” Randy explained.

Like Randy, 22-year-old office worker Raoneal Sanchez opted to have a bright outlook for the new year. Raoneal has

A safer New Year

E

very December, toward the end of the year, various government agencies such as the Department of Health (DOH) and some local government units launch campaigns for a safer New Year celebration.

Statistics, however, showed that from the early part of the decade, the numbers of injured due to yearend revelry continued to rise. This indicates that the government is losing the battle insofar as cutting the number of injuries is concerned, although there had been no deaths since 2006 to 2010.

Year

2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002

No. of Injured

454* 1,022 1,036 733 869 1,267 610 585 590 502

No. of Death

1

4 35

*Based on preliminary report

Unfortunately for 2011, during the week between Christmas and New Year, at least one death was recorded when a man from Nueva Ecija purchased P30,000 worth of firecrackers from Bulacan and attempted to transport it back using a tricycle. With him on the return journey was his young son, who died

when the firecrackers exploded. The man suffered burns.

In another attempt to reduce firework-related injuries, the DOH launched in late November its latest campaign titled Aksyon Paputok Injury Reduction or APIR. Health Secretary Enrique Ona explained that the department altered its campaign this year by being positive and using the image of five complete fingers.

In the previous years, the DOH had photos of blown off fingers and other New Year-related injuries to scare revelers, but apparently the tactic did not work since the injury incidents generally was on an uptrend.

Besides the insistence of many Filipinos in lighting up firecrackers to ward off bad luck, another reason behind the rise in injuries is the manufacture of more powerful fireworks. In the past years, what were considered the most powerful were the pla-pla and sinturon ni Hudas. For 2011, producers have rolled out Goodbye, Philippines which for some unfortunate victims would also mean Goodbye, fingers or even Goodbye, future.

Part of APIR’s campaign was to release a free CD which features New Year noise, minus the danger and smoke. However, it remains to be seen if Pinoys would leave the age-old tradition of lighting up and creating noise to say goodbye to the outgoing year and welcome the new one.

Despite the difficult year that Pinoys experienced in 2011, many Filipinos are still optimistic that 2012 would be a good year for them, provided they work hard.

a personal reason to be optimistic because he got employed in the third quarter of 2011.

Daniel Avellano, 26, is hopeful that when the entry of a new year, he would have the same fortune as Raoneal – that is he would find a job. While finding employment is more difficult for Daniel because of his lack of a college degree, he is hoping his fortunes would change in the coming months.

“I am going to fight for this and the family’s future,” Daniel vowed.

Jon Ebardolaza, a 33-year-old human resources practitioner, agreed with Daniel that despite the personal setbacks a person experiences, how we face life’s trials is what is more important.

“A year is always better depending on the action of a person. For me, positive vibes can only be produced by yourself. No matter how unlucky a year may be its how you actually take it that matters,” Jon explained.

Thus, Randy believes it is right that the Philippines is starting 2012 with improving the justice system and

removing misfits in the government.

However, Raoneal prefers not to focus too much on the country’s political problems or global ones such as the European crisis. He would rather work hard and dedicate his time to things he wants to achieve.

All four agreed that the key to making 2012 a better year lie with them working harder and doing everything within their capability to change their future.

Other Filipinos, besides toiling hard to overcome life’s difficulties, believe carrying the burden of day-to-day living would be easier if they seek God’s help.

Being a prayerful nation, many Filipinos also include invoking God’s assistance in their lives to help them not only endure life’s trials but also triumph over problems.

With such a sunny disposition, coupled with belief in Divine Providence, although 2012 has the warning signs of being a difficult year for the Philippines, chances are most Filipinos would be able to weather the storms that loom ahead and wake up the next morning with the sun shining brightly on the days ahead. ■ Candy pointed out that the garbage generated by the firecrackers adds to the huge waste management problem of urban centres.

The two women proposed more stringent laws against firecracker production and sales, particularly among children.

The EcoWaste Coalition supported such measures and proposed law enforcers to impose a blanket ban on the sale of all types of firecrackers to children.

However, Filipinos who are known for being creative in going around the law, will likely only heed the call when their fingers, arms, legs, other limbs and other vital body organs are blown away, along with their chances of a better future. ■

Remedios Rosete, a 52-year-old teacher said Filipinos need not give up part of the tradition without placing their life in danger. She cited the practice in Philippine provinces where wooden pipes are used to produce loud sounds using kalburo.

While she lauds the move by the local government of Davao City to ban all kinds of firecrackers, she laments that in many parts of the Philippines a lot of Pinoys are lighting up even before New Year’s Eve which Remedios said reflect the lack of responsibility of parents and guardians since most of the early victims are young children.

Candy Santos, a 45-year-old office worker, urged Filipinos to use horns and music to celebrate New Year instead. Besides the danger to limbs and lives posed by the firecrackers,

When 2011 ended, Filipinos still celebrated New Year with fireworks display and blasts of explosives which resulted in smog the following day.

A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL 9A GERRARD STREET, CHINATOWN, LONDON W1D 5PN T: 020 7734 3887 W: www.newloonmoon.com

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Business & Finance

January / February 2012 – Monthly Issue • UK & Europe Edition

P

Investment expansion for P&G on the works

rocter and Gamble (P&G) expressed that the Philippines continues to be a key market for their products in spite of a stiff competition, hence investments for expansion are on the

In an Inquirer report, P&G Philippines president and general manager Siddik Tetik said that the country has a very big potential, which the government should continue to pursue and explore to attract more foreign investors.

works for long-term sustainability of the business.

Fact is, to push its full potential in the production of famous diaper brand Pampers, P&G already allocated ₱2.5 billion for its Cabuyao plant expansion.

Dutch intends to put up Asia’s largest ethanol plant in PH

U

ndersecretary Jay Layug of the Department of Energy (DoE) revealed during a conference that the North Sea Group of Netherlands had shown interest in building Asia’s largest ethanol manufacturing facility, with a 400 million litre

capacity, in the Philippines, reports said.

Layug explained the reason for this: the imminent increase in the required minimum blend of ethanol in gasoline products. In fact, oil companies have been required to include a 10 percent blend of ethanol in all gasoline products starting February 2012,

LBC and RCBC easy remittance through Send and Swipe Card

T

o make remittances way easier for Filipinos around the globe, LBC Express, Inc. partnered with Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) through a Send and Swipe Card program, a debit/remit all-purpose card supported by RCBC MyWallet

and VISA, a Manila Bulletin report revealed.

Features of the card include realtime remittance crediting, 24/7 money withdrawal in any VISA ATMs worldwide, and cashless payment in 30 million stores worldwide. The said card doesn’t require any annual fee and is available in any LBC branches around the globe. ■

http://mintscreen.com

according to a Manila Times report.

Considered Western Europe’s biggest independent energy and oil company, North Sea Group is mostly into distribution and storage, supply and transportation of bio fuels and mineral oils. They’re currently working on feasibility studies of said ethanol plant. ■

$110M factory expansion of Epson launched

E

pson Precision (Philippines) Inc., a manufacturing subsidiary of Seiko Epson Corporation in the country, held an inauguration for its $110-million factory expansion at Lima Technology Center in Lipa City, Batangas, a Manila Bulletin report said.

Said factory is considered the biggest EPPI expansion in its history, hoping to largely increase the 3LCD projector and inkjet printer manufacturing capacity of Epson.

Guest of honour and speaker was President Benigno Aquino III. ■

www.hello-philippines.com

A

slack in demand from locals travelling from Manila to New Delhi prompted Philippine Airlines (PAL) to stop its direct flights to said destination route, said PAL President Jaime Bautista to reporters. Said flights to India began late last March 2011, with six flights a week, of which three are direct flights from Manila and three are from Bangkok, Thailand.

Reassuring that New Delhi remains in their list of destinations, Bautista disclosed that flights from Bangkok to the Indian capital will remain.

Similarly, flights to other destinations like Brisbane and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia were also stopped in October 2010 and April 2011, respectively.

Flight reduction was enforced to make way for a smoother transition from in-house to outsourced services, reports told. ■

T

he Philippines expressed interest in expanding trade ties with the United Kingdom (UK), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said in a press statement. It aims to bring about new investments, particularly in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry.

In fact, the National Outsourcing Association in the UK already recognized the BPO capacity of the Philippines after it had awarded the

PHILIPPINES

15

16 Public Private Partnership projects for bidding in 2012

A

s part of the Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016 of the Aquino administration, the Public-Private Partnership Center (PPP) program has 16 projects for bidding in the second or third quarter of 2012, an Inquirer report said.

Said projects, according to project development service director Ronaldo F. Corpus of the PPP Center, have undergone pre-investment studies, and 10 of which have been supported by the Project Development and Monitoring Facility (PDMF) of the government worth ₱550 million. ■

Century Properties ranks third in competition

C

entury Properties Group, Inc. revealed in a press statement that it is now Manila’s third largest developer in the residential condominium development sector, based on Colliers International Data, after its market share had climbed from 6 percent in 2010 to 10 percent in the first nine months of 2011.

All thanks to Acqua Residences

in Mandaluyong, Azure Urban Residences in Paranaque, and three Century City towers, which have been accepted by the market, according to Jose Carlo Antonio, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Century Properties.

Century boasts of 26 years of experience in real estate. In the works are project collaborations with international brands such as Paris Hilton, Versace Home, Trump Organization, and GE Healthcare, which they said is part of the mission to promote the country as a premiere real estate destination, as well as support the country in positioning as an international destination. ■

Massive tax evasion hampers economic growth in PH

T

he World Bank had expected about $23 billion worth of remittances, which largely support Philippine economy ever since, from Overseas Filipino Workers for 2011, however, this was said to be “substantially undermined by the illegal and illicit export of close to $15 billion a year” by the richest corporate leaders

PH expresses interest in No more direct flights from expanding trade ties with UK Manila to New Delhi—PAL

HELLO

Offshoring Destination of the Year Award in 2007, 2009, and 2010.

Not only that, the UK also recently recognized the Philippines as a “key emerging power in East Asia” and “one of the largest and a key player in ASEAN,” a Philippine Star report disclosed.

DTI also mentioned that the Philippines offers limitless opportunities for investments in many sectors, such as in tourism, infrastructure, IT and and BPO, renewable energy, and mining. ■

of said country, The Vancouver Sun reported.

Bad enough that it, in fact, affects the capacity of the Philippines to grow its economy and support infrastructures.

Blame private individuals and corporations who continue to smuggle money overseas by modifying the prices of exported and imported goods, just to avoid hefty taxes, or in short tax evasion cases by corporate leaders, the report said.

Since the Philippines is incapacitated to solve tax evasion on its own, “new transparency measures” are needed and have to be supported by the international community, according to the Global Financial Integrity (GFI), a research and advocacy organization based in Washington.

The Philippines could have been far greater than this, considering that the country has been known as one of the most literate and highly educated citizenries in Asia. But because of a crooked political system and the almostunbreakable string of administrations based on the Spanish colonial period’s “quasi-feudal culture,” equality, growth and sustainability remain a pipe dream for many Filipinos. ■

16

HELLO PHILIPPINES

www.hello-philippines.com

Politics

January / February 2012 – Monthly Issue • UK & Europe Edition

Philippines files second case against ex-president

©AFP/File/Noel Celis

M Philippine police have arrested a suspect in the murder of an Italian priest who worked with tribespeople in Mindanao.

Arrest made in killing of Italian priest in Philippines

M

ANILA, December 29, 2011 (AFP) – Philippine police arrested Thursday a suspect in the murder of an Italian priest who had spent decades working with tribal communities in the violence-torn southern island of Mindanao.

The Philippine man in custody, Jimmy Ato, was arrested in Kulaman Valley in Mindanao province, regional police director Felicisimo Khu said.

Father Fausto Tentorio, 59, was shot dead in October in Mindanao, where government forces have long been battling Islamist and communist insurgencies.

“The arrested person was allegedly involved in the killing of

Father Tentorio,” Khu said, adding that his arrest came from a witness tip-off, but declining to give further details.

Tentorio was shot eight times by a lone attacker inside his parish compound, according to police.

Tentorio’s colleagues and supporters believe the motive for the killing could have been the priest’s work in helping disadvantaged local tribespeople in his parish to fight for their ancestral lands and basic human rights.

The missionary was the third member of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions to have been killed since 1985 on Mindanao, a vast island home to Muslim separatists, political warlords and other armed groups. ■

Philippine rebels earn millions from extortion

M

anila, December 28, 2011 (AFP) – Philippine communist rebels waging one of Asia’s longest running insurgencies earned millions of extortion dollars from businesses this year, the military said Wednesday.

Reports compiled by the armed forces from its various field units estimate that New People’s Army (NPA) got at least 300 million pesos ($6.9 million) from “revolutionary taxes” imposed on establishments in areas where they operate.

Those who failed to fork out money were typically targeted with attacks that destroyed their businesses, the military said in a statement.

The most significant attack this year took place on the southern island of Mindanao in October, when NPA rebels raided three mine sites, destroying property and forcing the temporary closure of the country’s

biggest nickel producer.

The rebels had also kidnapped a town mayor, two soldiers and four jail guards in separate instances, who they later freed after weeks in captivity.

“We are concerned with the direction (in which) they are heading now. Resorting to criminal activities for funding and attacking civilians to command obedience are signs of desperation,” military chief Lieutenant General Jessie Dellosa said.

“The NPA is losing mass base support, thus they have resorted to force and intimidation to coerce people.”

The NPA is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, which has been waging a rebellion since 1969.

Peace talks with the communists have reached an impasse after Manila in November rejected rebel demands to free 18 jailed guerrillas the NPA said were consultants to its negotiating team. ■

ANILA, December 29, 2011 (AFP) – Philippine prosecutors have filed a second criminal case against ex-president Gloria Arroyo over alleged corruption involving a telecom deal with a Chinese firm, officials said Thursday.

The case stemmed from a $330 million deal with China’s ZTE Corp. to set up a nationwide broadband network across the Philippines, in which Arroyo’s husband and a close political ally allegedly received huge kickbacks.

Arroyo, who is under arrest for a separate charge of vote rigging, had earlier denied the corruption charges, but public pressure over the allegations in 2008 had forced her to scrap the deal.

President Benigno Aquino’s office quickly welcomed the news, and said it was proof that he was serious in his battle to crush endemic corruption which he blames for worsening massive poverty in the archipelago nation.

“It is a chance to put to rest the spectre of the NBN (national broadband network) ZTE anomaly and to finally put closure for many Filipinos, who until this day, harbour many questions about it,” Aquino spokeswoman Abigail Valte told AFP. Aquino’s husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo and ex-elections commissioner Benjamin Abalos,

©AFP/POOL/File/Francis R. Malasig

Gloria Arroyo, who says she is suffering from a rare spinal illness, is expected to be tried as early as next month.

as well as a former transportation minister were also implicated in the case, which ignited public anger and perceptions of highlevel corruption in Arroyo’s administration from 2001 to 2010.

Her successor, Aquino, won landslide elections last year over a campaign promise to root out corruption.

Since assuming office, he has fired former Arroyo appointees in government-owned corporations, had the former leader arrested and engineered the impeachment in Congress of the Supreme Court’s chief justice, who was allegedly sympathetic to his predecessor.

The ex-elections commissioner, Abalos, was arrested earlier this month for his alleged cooperation with Arroyo to rig elections in 2007 to favour her senatorial candidates.

The 64-year-old Arroyo, who says she is suffering from a rare spinal illness, is expected to be tried as early as next month on the vote-rigging charges.

It was not clear whether an arrest warrant was being prepared for Arroyo’s husband over the botched broadband deal, and officials at the anti-graft court where the case was filed were not immediately available to comment. ■

©AFP/File/Jay Directo

Philippine President Benigno Aquino III at Camp Aguinaldo military headquarters in Manila.

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18

HELLO PHILIPPINES

www.hello-philippines.com

Politics

January / February 2012 – Monthly Issue • UK & Europe Edition

Aquino vs Corona: The General battle continues in 2012 Palparan: Man on the run Lorela U. Sandoval

D

uring the 1st National Criminal Justice Summit last December 5, President Noynoy Aquino III apparently could no longer contain his government’s annoyance and disappointment towards the Supreme Court, especially on Chief Justice Renato Corona, resulting to said president’s “lashing out” on the high tribunal in his summit speech.

Reports said the current administration had lost 19 cases against Arroyo before the SC. In fact, reports said that Senator Franklin Drilon revealed that Corona’s ‘190 judicial record’ shows the latter’s consistent votes in favour of Arroyo.

But according to gathered news stories, the SC remains firm: it will continue performing its responsibilities stated under the Constitution amidst all the controversies and criticisms

Lorela U. Sandoval

F from the Aquino government, and even with civil society groups filing separate motions before the SC asking Corona to inhibit in cases filed against the Arroyos.

Weeks later, however, 188 congressmen signed an impeachment complaint against Corona. In an ABS-CBN report,

Corona called the impeachment complaint a “handiwork of the Liberal Party” spearheaded by President Aquino, and submitted a motion to dismiss complaints filed against him.

Proceedings and sessions for the impeachment case will resume in the second week of January 2012. ■

CGMA in hospital arrest for electoral sabotage charges

F

ormer President and now Pampanga Congresswoman Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has been spending all her time in hospital arrest at the Veteran’s Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) on charges of electoral sabotage, a non-bailable case.

And it seems not even the Christmas season could hamper the Pasay Regional Trial Court from keeping its decision sealed – that is, no house arrest for Arroyo, not even on Christmas and New Year. According to several reports, Judge Jesus Mupas instead granted Arroyo’s families and relatives the privilege to visit her during said days, among other basic privileges.

Acquired from several media sources is a timeline of events that paved the way to her hospital arrest at VMMC. 2010 September: • First plunder complaint was filed against Arroyo by whistleblower Danilo Lihay-Lihay, with regards to the old Iloilo airport sale to Megaworld Corporation worth P1 billion in 2007.

• President Noynoy Aquino III issued an executive order creating a Truth Commission and appointing retired Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. for the investigation of all possible irregularities during the Arroyo administration.

October: • Arroyo submitted her counter-affidavit before the Department of Justice (DOJ) on the aforementioned plunder complaint against her.

December: • The Supreme Court (SC) declared the formation of Truth Commission as unconstitutional.

2011 April: • Another plunder complaint was filed by former Solicitor General Frank Chavez, for the suspected misuse of Overseas Workers Welfare Administration fund worth P536 million.

July: • Another investigation on the alleged involvement of Arroyo in 2004 in the P728 million fertilizer fund scam – suspected used to finance her presidential campaign – was ordered by the Ombudsman.

• Lintang Bedol, former Maguindanao election supervisor, revealed there was massive electoral fraud in the 2004 presidential elections, with Arroyo as main beneficiary.

• The third round of plunder complaint was filed by Akbayan spokesperson Risa Hontiveros, activist Jimmy Regalario, and former Army general Danilo Lim, with regards to the alleged misappropriation of P325

million intelligence fund of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. A panel was created by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to investigate electoral fraud in 2007 midterm polls.

• Arroyo had her first cervical spine surgery at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City.

August: • Arroyo was placed on the Bureau of Immigration’s watch list order, in relation to plunder cases filed against her.

• Arroyo had second surgery when the titanium implants that had supported her spine and neck were displaced.

• The “Hello, Garci” case was re-opened by COMELEC, investigating generals for their supposed involvement in manipulating votes in the 2004 presidential elections.

September: • A fourth plunder complaint was filed by Bayan Muna Representative Teodoro Casiño against Arroyo on the $329 million national broadband network deal with the ZTE telecommunications firm in China.

• Former elections chief Benjamin Abalos was dragged into the electoral fraud complaint against Arroyo, through sworn statements submitted by North and South Cotabato’s former election

ormer Army General Jovito Palparan Jr has since gone MIA, reports said, after his failed flight attempt to Singapore last December 19 via Seair at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Pampanga. He was offloaded by immigration officials, because of a watch list order issued by the Department of Justice.

Palparan is facing charges of kidnapping and serious illegal detention for the disappearances of Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan, both students of the University of the Philippines, in June 2006 in Hagonoy, Bulacan. These students, who had been suspected as sympathizers or members of the New People’s Army, were said to have been taken by suspected military personnel.

Many witnesses testified in court, including Raymond Manalo who had escaped from said detention, recalling

they were under the detention of Palparan’s army officers. Palparan, however, filed an eight-page motion and denied his alleged involvement.

With half a million pesos on his head, Philippine National Police Director General Nicanor Bartolome expressed high hopes that this will provoke Palparan to surrender or for individuals interested in the reward money to feed information on Palparan’s whereabouts, according to a Sun Star report.

Other military officials involved and served with arrest warrants are retired Major Sergeant Rizal Hilario of the 24th Infantry Battallion, Staff Sergeant Edgardo Osorio, and Lieutenant Colonel Felipe Anotado of the 25th IB. But like Palparan, Hilario remains nowhere to be found. ■

supervisors Yogies Martirizar and Lilian Radam, respectively, particularly on the senatorial elections.

October: • Senator Koko Pimentel III filed criminal charges against Arroyo and her husband and several others for the alleged rigging of 2007 senatorial elections.

November: • A temporary restraining order (TRO) was issued by SC on DOJ’s watch list order against the Arroyos. In an attempt to leave the country, immigration officials barred the couple from leaving upon orders of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.

• Arroyo was cleared of her first plunder case filed by whistleblower Lihay-Lihay.

• On November 18, COMELEC filed

before the Pasay City Regional Trial Court election sabotage charges against Arroyo, ordering her arrest and others involved, after a shared recommendation by the DOJ-COMELEC panel.

At 6:30pm on that day, the arrest warrant of Arroyo was served at St. Luke’s. Hospital arrest for Arroyo was granted by Judge Mupas on “humanitarian reasons.”

• When doctors testified that Arroyo is already fit enough to leave St. Luke’s, Comelec’s lead prosecutor in the case, Atty.

Maria Juan Valesa, took a move to immediately transfer Arroyo to jail.

December: • Arroyo was finally transferred to VMMC for hospital arrest on December 9. ■

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22

HELLO PHILIPPINES

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OFW News

January / February 2012 – Monthly Issue • UK & Europe Edition

DFA Encourages Overseas Secretary Del Rosario at IOM’s 60th Filipinos to Participate in Anniversary—Migration Must Put People First ecember 12, 2011 developing migrant-centered migration particularly destination countries, do Registration for Overseas Voting (DFA) – The Philippine policies and institutions. not also do their part.”

D

ecember 12, 2011 (DFA) – The registration period for overseas absentee voting (OAV) has commenced at all Philippine Embassies, Consulates and Manila Economic and Cultural Offices (MECOs) starting November 2.

This year-long exercise will enable Filipinos overseas, as well as seafarers, to vote in the upcoming National Elections in May 2013. The registration period will end on 31 October 2012.

“Our Embassies and Consulates are prepared and organized to facilitate the overseas absentee voting (OAV) process. Their personnel have undergone trainings to further equip the people in our Foreign Service Posts of the knowledge and skills for this electoral exercise,”

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Spokesperson Raul S. Hernandez said.

The DFA reminds potential registrants to bring their passports or other personal identification documents when they register at the chanceries to facilitate the verification of their identity.

As of December 8, Philippine Foreign Service Posts have 7,171 registrants and the number of registrants is increasing each week.

Topping the list of the most number of registrants is the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles, followed by Milan and Dubai. In fifth place is the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv, followed by the Philippine Posts in London, Riyadh, Macau, Vancouver, Chicago, and Beirut. ■

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Permanent Mission in Geneva reported that, upon the invitation of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Director-General William Lacy Swing, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario addressed the High-Level Segment of the 100th session of the IOM Council in Geneva, Switzerland last December 6.

The special occasion marked IOM’s 60th anniversary.

Secretary del Rosario expressed support for the establishment of a new IOM Emergency Funding Mechanism that would further enhance the Organization’s capacity to assist governments in their efforts to rescue migrants in crisis situations. He also shared the Philippines’ experience in

He stated that while the Philippines continues to exert all efforts to protect its citizens choosing to migrate abroad, responding to the worldwide demand for migrant labor and expertise, “such efforts would come to naught if other countries,

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario (center) with IOM Director General William Lacy Swing (left) and IOM Deputy Director General Laura Thompson.

Secretary del Rosario called on the international community to “acknowledge and respect the human dignity and contribution of migrants to their host and destination societies.”

“We have to remember that in a global era - people, in fact, are the best transmitters of knowledge and information. Migration can be an engine of growth in the current economic downtrend...We need more international dialogue and cooperation aimed at securing the protection and welfare of migrants, as well as on harnessing the positive benefits of migration for human development.

Ultimately, migration must put people first,” said Secretary del Rosario.

At the meeting, the Philippines was also re-elected to the IOM Executive Committee. ■

Secretary del Rosario to Fly to Syria Tonight to Help with OFW Repatriation

D OFWs, Families, celebrate Family Day, break Guinness World Record

D

ecember 19, 2011 (OWWA) – Thousands of OFWs and families from Metro Manila and nearby towns and cities trooped to the Rizal Memorial Stadium on 18 December 2011 to participate in the celebration of `OFW Family Day,’ a festive activity under “Pamaskong Handog sa OFWs,” an annual program of the Department of Labor and Employment.

Major prizes in cash and in kind were raffled off to lucky OFWs and family members during the whole-day fun-filled celebration.

A major highlight of the “Family Day” was an exchange gift or Kris Kringle among the participants which posted a new world record of the Guinness Book surpassing the ITV, a UK based television network with a total of 1,562 Santas. The event was made possible through OWWA’s partnership with GLOBE Telecom.

The new feat of the OFWs was reported

by OWWA Chief Carmelita S. Dimzon reported to Labor Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz. Dimzon reported that the celebration was spearheaded by the OWWA National Capital Region Office.

The partial and unofficial count of 4,385 for the new Guinness World Record was certified by Guinness adjudicator, Jack

ecember 31, 2011 (DFA) – Upon the instruction of President Benigno S. Aquino III for the full implementation of crisis alert level 4 (mandatory repatriation) in Syria, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario will leave for Damascus tonight to ensure that the conditions of Filipinos affected by the increasing tensions can be made as secure as possible and to take the lead in the Philippine government’s efforts to bring them out of harm’s way from the said country.

“During this visit to Syria, we will seek the cooperation and assistance of Syrian officials in ensuring the safety of our people there, as well as to seek their assistance for the successful implementation of our repatriation program. Furthermore, we will ensure that all systems are in place in the Embassy to implement crisis alert level 4; we will also meet with Filipino community leaders to effect the widest dissemination of

the mandatory repatriation, visit exit points and assess the security situation and contingency plans,” Secretary del Rosario said.

Secretary del Rosario, who will be accompanied by Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Esteban B. Conejos, Jr., will leave on board a Qatar Airways flight bound for Damascus.

“We are fully committed to ensuring the safety and welfare of our beloved Filipinos in Syria. Therefore, it is our objective to undertake the repatriation of our kababayans there as quickly as possible,” Secretary del Rosario added.

This is the second visit of Secretary del Rosario to Syria. The Secretary was in Syria in April 2011 to assess the political situation and to ascertain the conditions of Filipinos there.

Earlier, Secretary del Rosario personally issued the appeal for Filipinos to have themselves repatriated to Manila at government’s expense as he expressed concern over their safety in the wake of the

reported escalating violence in Syria. The Philippine Embassy in Damascus reported that the capital remains on high alert and reported violence continues.

The DFA raised the crisis alert level in Syria from alert level 3 to alert level 4 last December 22. Under crisis alert level 4, mandatory repatriation at Philippine government’s expense will be implemented.

Some 56 Filipinos were repatriated earlier today by the Embassy. They will arrive in Manila in two batches later this afternoon via Etihad Airways and via Qatar Airways. This brings the total number of Filipinos repatriated from Syria to 490 since the start of the political crisis there in March.

The Embassy’s hotline number is 00-963-116-132626. Families may also e-mail their requests and concerns through the Embassy’s e-mail address pe.damascus@gmail.com.

In Manila, the DFA also activated hotline numbers for families of Filipinos based in Syria, at 834-3245 and 834-3240. ■

President Benigno S. Aquino lll Awards Prizes for 3 lucky OFWs

Brockbank, who witnessed personally the exchange of gifts. Aside from the Rizal Memorial Stadium, other venues were in Manila, Pampanga, Cebu and Davao and Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan where equally excited and happy groups of migrant workers assembled to participate and simultaneously opened their gifts.

“Actually, setting a new world record was just a bonus because we stage the “OFW Family Day” yearly and participants usually came with gifts for Kris Kringle,” Dimzon said. “The annual “Family Day” is our way of celebrating the Christmas season with the OFWs and their family members. OWWA would like to bring joy to them during the season which is reunion time and bonding time,” Dimzon added. ■

D

ecember 26, 2011 (OWWA) – President Benigno S. Aquino lll yesterday welcomed arriving overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from three separate flights from Bahrain, Singapore and Etihad.

Vacationing OFWs had the chance to meet the President, shake hand and had `photo-ops’ with him. Labor Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz, OWWA Administrator Carmelita S. Dimzon and OWWA Deputy Administrator Josefino I. Torres, and MIAA General Manager Angel Honrado assisted the President Aquino in welcoming the migrant workers.

The arriving migrant workers were accorded

and treated with ambiance of merrymaking and festivities as they were serenaded by the Children’s Joy Rondalla, served the Filipino-made ice cream “sorbetes” and were given gifts courtesy of DOLE-OWWA institutional partners.

Yesterday, Secretary Baldoz said that three (3) Lucky OFWs were announced namely: CAROL B. PANGASIAN, 42 years old from Lopez Jaena, Misamis Occidental.

Carol is a household service worker in Kuwait; EDWARD A. TEZON, 44 years old, a native of Jaro, Leyte.

Edward is a quality control supervisor in Abu Dhabi; and MENCHIE L. ELISEO. The three (3) lucky winners were surprised and elated as they received their gifts. Moreover, the trio said they had a time of their life as they come face-to-face with the President and other government officials who greeted them yesterday. visibly happy and excited.

President Aquino handed over to the three lucky OFW winners the following prizes: P200,000.00 cash; gift certificates worth $1,500.00; gift certificates worth P25,000.00; and one (1) cellular phone.

OWWA Administrator Dimzon said that yesterday’s activity is part of the DOLE-OWWA’s “Pamaskong Handog for OFWs” which is now running on its 18th year. ■

24

HELLO PHILIPPINES

www.hello-philippines.com

OFW News

January / February 2012 – Monthly Issue • UK & Europe Edition

Victory for domestic helpers in Hong Kong Vittorio Hernandez

L

ack of high-paying jobs has led millions of Filipinos to seek employment overseas.

As of latest count, about 10 per cent of the country’s population either lives or works abroad, spread in about 200 countries.

Having tasted the good life, most of these expatriates eventually change their residency status from holders of workers’ visa to a permanent resident or citizen depending on the laws of the receiving country.

It is the case for thousands of Pinoys in the U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand which are considered popular migrant destinations not only because of the large number of employment opportunities (that was until the global financial crisis hit the world in 2008) but also because of immigration rules that allow conversion of status and the fact that these countries are English speaking.

Besides the given immigration quotas, these nations attracts mostly professionals such as those in the IT field or medical practitioners. This left a significant chunk of Filipinos who lack college degrees or are not in these two fields, especially women, to try their luck as domestic helpers (DH) in the Middle East or Hong Kong.

Hong Kong is the preferred choice of Filipinos not only because of its close proximity to the Philippines, but also due to the worse conditions of DH in Arab nations.

Currently, there are about 300,000 foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong, half of whom are Filipinas.

Hong Kong opened as a labour market for Filipinas after the People’s Republic of China initiated economic reforms in the late 1970s which cause the movement of Hong Kong workers to the mainland while high-profit service industries such as design, marketing and finance expanded in Hong Kong which led to the tapping of women in the labour force.

This, in turn, paved the way for the entry of foreign DH as Hong Kong women stopped being plain housewives and became employees. Thus, the number of

Filipinas who worked as DH in Hong Kong increased dramatically in the 1980s and 1990s when Indonesia and Thailand followed the Philippines’ example and started to allow their citizens to work as DH in Hong Kong.

However, due to the laws of the Special Autonomous Region, they were barred from applying to become permanent residents even if they have worked in the country for seven straight years.

Other foreign nationals are allowed to apply for residency in Hong Kong after seven years of working. Human rights group criticised the policy as a form of discrimination.

In the middle of 2011, Hong Kong High Court, in a landmark decision, ruled that foreign DH could apply for residency. It was the result of a legal challenge filed by Evangeline Banao Vallejos, a Filipina DH who has been working as a maid in the Crown Colony since 1986.

The decision could pave the way for over 100,000 other Filipino domestic helpers to seek the same privilege. Judge Johnson Lam, who issued the decision, said the policy is not consistent with Hong Kong’s Basic Law. The Hong Kong government said it would appeal the High Court’s decision. It said the government will respect the decision, but was disappointed. Hong Kong Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee said the government would not process or approve right-of-abode applications for domestic workers while the case is on appeal.

The limit is because of fears that allowing over 300,000 foreign maids to become residents would strain the government’s health care, education and public housing budgets since Hong Kong itself has more than one million underprivileged families who are considered living below the poverty line.

Children of Filipino expatriates all agree that the only apparent path to financial freedom is to work abroad.

However, some said Hong Kong is low on the list of their priorities not only because of the question on securing permanent residency but also due to its Chinese culture versus the western culture that many children of OFWs grew up with.

“Hong Kong is a great place,

but I don’t know anyone there and people don’t usually use English. It is difficult to start a new life out there and adjust. I would rather choose to stay in Australia where people speak English and it is not yet crowded,” said 19-year-old student Mary Ann Cruz, whose parents are migrant workers in Canada.

However, 23-year-old student Peter Castral – whose mother works in Taiwan and whose father works in the Middle East – is willing to give Hong Kong a try. He explained that since his mother knows how to speak Mandarin he could ask her to teach him the language.

“Working abroad is the best way to have higher income. If you depend here on your salary, you earn just enough for you to eat and survive until the next payday,” Peter added.

Given the choice, besides Hong Kong, Peter would also want to try his luck in China, South Korea or Japan.

Even many DHs who used to work in Hong Kong would prefer to try their luck in other countries.

One of them, 45-year-old Benita Gebaya, said she wants to move to Canada, although she agreed the favourable court ruling would be good for fellow DH. “If the government would push though this right to abode, it’s good for us. We could have freedom and we could work not only as a domestic worker,” Benita told The Wall Street Journal.

Another Pinay DH, 46-year-old Juliet, lamented that Hong Kong looks down on domestic workers.

“Without us, most of our employers couldn’t work,” she pointed out.

Human rights group said the court’s decision is a major move to dismantle Hong Kong’s system that considers DH as second-class residents.

Such an attitude led Danilo Brolado, a pastor at the New Beginnings Christian Fellowship, to issue a reminder to the Hong Kong government. “Basically, the work that domestic helpers are doing – looking after the children, looking after the elderly, doing the cooking and cleaning, allowing the Hong Kong people to be able to work full-time is a very significant contribution to Hong Kong’s economy,” The Wall Street Journal quoted the pastor. ■

Phl Lowers Alert Level for Libya

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ecember 20, 2011 (DFA) – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said today that President Benigno S. Aquino III has approved its recommendation to lower the alert level in Libya from alert level 4 (evacuation/mandatory repatriation) to alert level 2 (restriction phase), to reflect the current situation in the country.

“This lowering of the alert level means the redeployment of returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Libya, as well as allowing Filipinos who chose to stay behind to return to the

country and allow them to return to Libya,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario said.

However, the lowering of the alert level will not cover the deployment to Libya of newly-hired OFWs. In a letter to Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, Secretary del Rosario has requested the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) Governing Board to immediately issue a resolution to allow the gradual redeployment of returning Filipino workers, starting with those working in the medical and oil sectors, subject to proof of existing employment, such as return to

work letter from their employers and appropriate visas, as determined by the POEA. “In the same vein and in view of the Christmas season, the Department further requests the POEA to allow those Filipino workers who had previously chosen to remain in Libya and who now wish to spend their Christmas break in the Philippines to return to Libya after their vacation,” the letter added.

The DFA raised alert level 4 in March this year, and asked Filipinos in the country to leave the country due to the politico-security situation in the country. ■

Manila extends ban on workers to restive Nigeria

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anila, December 29, 2011 (AFP) – The Philippines said Thursday it would extend a ban on sending workers to Nigeria after Christmas Day bombings in the oil-rich African country left 40 people dead.

The two-year-old ban was to have been lifted by January 1 to allow the movement of thousands of Filipinos seeking to work in Nigeria’s booming energy sector.

But the wave of bombings has raised fresh security fears, and the ban will now remain in place for at least three more months, the foreign department said in a statement.

The Philippine government imposed the ban after a series of Filipino workers were kidnapped in the oil-rich Niger Delta between 2006 and 2009.

The labour ministry had recommended the ban be lifted days before the bombings occurred in Nigeria’s mainly Christian south. The

attacks were blamed on the Islamist group Boko Haram.

The mainly Catholic Philippines is a major labour-exporting country, with about 10 percent of its 94 million population working abroad, many as maids, seamen, construction workers and labourers.

Many job applicants see overseas work as the only means to achieve financial success.

However, a large number prefer not to work in the Middle East or Hong Kong because of the poor protection given by these areas to foreign migrant workers.

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT

Overseas Workers Welfare Administration

M

MENSAHE

ula sa Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), isang makabuluhang Pasko at masaganang Bagong Taon ang ipinaaabot namin sa mga migranteng manggagawang Filipino saan mang dako ng daigdig. Hatid ng pagbating ito ang aming pakikiisa sa inyo at sa inyong pamilya sa pagdiriwang sa kapanganakan ng ating Poong Maykapal.

Batid namin na hindi man kayo nakauwi sa inyong pamilya ngayong Kapaskuhan, ang diwa ng kasiyahan at kagalakan ay dala ninyo sa inyong puso. Dala dala ninyo ang tradisyong Pilipino na tunay nating pinagmamalaki.

Kasama na diyan ang “exchange gift” na ating hinihintay pagsapit ng Pasko. Nakagagaan ng pakiramdam ang pagpapalitan ng regalo ng ating mga kababayan, maging sa ibayong dagat na tatak ng Pinoy. Kaugnay dito, ikinararangal natin na naitala ng OFWs ang pinakamaraming taong nakibahagi sa ‘Kris Kringle’ sa ginanap na ‘OFW Family Day’ ng OWWA. Ang aktibidad na ito ay naitala sa Guinness World Book of Records.

Anumang panahon ang dumaan, makaaasa kayo na palaging nasa inyong tabi ang OWWA, nakahandang tumulong sa inyong pangangailangan. Walang sawa kaming magbibigay ng serbisyo at magpapatupad ng mga programa para sa inyo at mga myembro ng inyong pamilya.

Sa darating na taong 2012, kaisa ninyo kami sa inyong hangarin na magkaroon ng tahimik, payapa at masaganang Bagong Taon para sa ating lahat.

SOURCE: OWWA

CARMELITA S. DIMZON, DPA Administrador December 26, 2011

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January / February 2012 – Monthly Issue • UK & Europe Edition

Embassy official meets British Royal

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ecember 20, 2011 (DFA) – The Philippine Embassy in London reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission Reynaldo Catapang exchanges pleasantries with His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent GCVO during the global awards dinner of the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (ICB) in London recently.

Prince Michael is the Royal Patron of ICB, which counts the Philippines among its members.

Phl Ambassador Joins ASEAN London

Ambassador Enrique Manalo (second from right) and the other members of the ASEAN London Committee with Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson MLA.

Phl Ambassador Joins ASEAN London Committee in Official Visit to Northern Ireland

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ecember 19, 2011 (DFA) – The Philippine Embassy in London reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) London Committee (ALC) made an official visit to Northern Ireland on October 17 to 18, and met with local government officials, business groups and

the academe.

It was an opportunity to build better understanding between ASEAN and Northern Ireland, and enhance further the existing links in commerce, tourism, education and political cooperation.

The ALC is composed of all heads of mission of ASEAN member countries in the UK. Only Laos does not have a resident mission in the UK. ■

More Aid for ‘Sendong’ Victims Arrive

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ecember 29, 2011 (DFA) – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said today that as of December 28, it has received US$12,613,473.87 worth of foreign donations/pledges for the victims of tropical storm Sendong (Washi), which hit parts of Visayas and Mindanao last December 16.

The amount includes those received from Filipino communities, Philippine Embassies and Consulates General around the world and private individuals/groups. It also does not include donations/pledges without equivalent monetary value.

The total donations/pledges consist of US$4,780,656.15 in cash, US$2,122,255.14 in kind and US$5,710,563 worth of pledges.

Top donors include the United States (US$100,000 in cash and US$5.4 million in pledges), Australia (US$1,015,246.92 in cash and US$304,600.82 in kind), China (US$1.01 million in cash), Czech Republic (US$894,000 in cash), Republic of Korea (US$500,000 in kind and US$110,000 in pledges), Indonesia (US$310,000 in cash and US$200,000 in kind) and New Zealand (US$500,000 in cash).

Other foreign donors include Japan (US$320,163.09 in kind), Spain (US$261,470.66 in cash), Ireland (US$130,807.66 in kind), Malaysia (US$100,000 in cash), Singapore

(US$38,714.37 in cash and US21,533.57 in kind), Chile (US$25,000 in cash), Thailand (US$100,000 in cash), Denmark (US 52,783.82 in cash), Belgium (US$130,562.58 worth of pledges), Italy (US$645,150 in kind), Switzerland (US$320,714.98 in cash) and Oman (US$2,909.65 in cash).

Filipino communities around the world have also sent in their assistance. The Filipino community in the U.S. Northeast has sent in US$11,170 in cash coursed through the Philippine Consulate General in New York, while other members of the Filipino in the U.S. collected US$8,287.80 in cash. The Filipino community in Guam donated US$3,956 in cash, while the Laguna Association of Guam gave US$500 in cash.

Other donations from the Filipino community include US$1,000 in cash from the Filipino community in Malaysia, US$3,921.45 in cash from the Filipino community in France, US$1,094.25 in cash from the Filipino community in Myanmar, US$2,275.30 in cash from the Filipino community in Xiamen and US$195.95 in cash from the Philippine Consulate General in Barcelona.

Private individuals and businesses have also donated to the cause. Russian businessmen gave US$20,000 in pledges, and the Dalai Lama Trust also provided US$50,000 in pledges. The Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Guam provided US$14,420 in cash, and the Philippine

Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Reynaldo Catapang with HRH Prince Michael of Kent.

Committee in Official Visit to Northern Ireland 19 December 2011- The Philippine Embassy in London reported to the

Department of Foreign Affairs that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) London Committee (ALC) made an official visit to Northern Ireland on October 17 to 18, and met with local government officials, business groups and the academe.

It was an opportunity to build better understanding between ASEAN and Northern Ireland, and enhance further the existing links in commerce, tourism, education and political cooperation.

The ALC is composed of all heads of mission of ASEAN member countries in the UK. Only Laos does not have a resident mission in the UK. ■

Phl Embassy issues advisory for prospective Filipino students to the UK

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aware that their board and lodging are not covered by the exorbitant fees they have paid to agents and immigration consultants who processed their documents.

The cost of tuition for an academic year is between £6,000 to £15,000 (PhP420,000 to PhP1,050,000), while a monthly expense of £750 (PhP52,500) would be reasonable to cover board and lodging, exclusive of personal expenses like mobile phone and internet fees, daily transportation fare, and medical health necessities, among others.

It is noted that only reputable UK institutions of higher learning recruit students from the Philippines to enrol with them without inappropriately enticing them that they can work while studying or that they are assured of employment in the UK upon completion of their academic studies.

Any UK academic institution which does such enticement should be avoided.

Prospective students are encouraged to visit the website of the UKBA to check the updated list of Register of Sponsors for Tier 4 (student) visas. ■

ecember 9, 2011 (DFA) – The Philippine Embassy in London encourages all Filipino students wishing to pursue graduate and post-graduate academic degrees in the United Kingdom (UK) to transact directly with academic institutions of higher learning whose reputation is at least equal to that of leading Philippine universities. It is not necessary to deal with travel agencies, immigration consultants or third-party agents as reputable academic institutions would be able to provide the necessary guidance and assistance at minimal or no extra cost.

Before pursuing a graduate or postgraduate degree in the UK, it is important that the prospective Filipino student must have the minimum financial support to meet the required tuition and other fees, and board and lodging expenses.

It is suggested that students should concentrate on their studies and refrain from seeking part-time or full-time employment. If there would be limited

entitlement to work on a part-time basis as part of the school’s training, income from this part-time job would not be sufficient to provide for daily subsistence in the UK. If the primary intention of the Filipino student is to seek part-time or full-time employment, it is necessary to wait for an announcement by the British Government should they start again to issue work visas for particular job positions to non-European Union (EU) nationals. This information will be known through the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and may be viewed from the website of the POEA. The Embassy does not recommend applying for a student visa when the primary intention is to seek part-time or fulltime employment in the UK. In recent months, Filipinos have arrived in the United Kingdom primarily to seek part-time or full-time employment under a student visa. Many have discovered that the “schools” in which they are supposed to be “studying” are not accredited to grant academic degrees. Further, many are not

Consulate General in Guam collected money from various individuals, which totaled US$2,895.

International organizations have also stepped in to help. Last December 22, the United Nations launched a consolidated flash appeal for humanitarian assistance with the humanitarian community and the Philippine Government for Sendong victims amounting to US$28,576,819. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has an initial appeal of US$50,000, and that their Philippine office has a team who conducted needs assessment in Mindanao and is providing relief support.

Currently, a four-member delegation from the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) is now in the Sendong-stricken areas to assess the devastation wreaked by the storm, and also to look into how memberstates could extend assistance to the affected communities.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the fatalities Sendong rose to 1,257, while the estimated damage to property went up to P1.382 billion. ■

(From left) Defense Attaché Col. Inocencio Mayangao, Honorary Consul Hugo Van Reijen, Ambassador Enrique Manalo and Deputy Chief of Mission Reynaldo Catapang.

Phl Honorary Consul in Guernsey calls on Ambassador Manalo

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ecember 20, 2011 (DFA) – The Philippine Embassy in London reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that Philippine Honorary Consul Hugo Van Reijen, based in Guerney, Channel Islands, United Kingdom, recently made an

introductory call on Ambassador Enrique Manalo at the Embassy on November 29.

There are some 200 Filipinos living and working in the Channel Islands, mostly as nurses and caregivers.

Honorary Consul Van Reijen emphasized that Filipinos continue to make a positive impact on the lives of Guernsey residents. ■

28

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Philippine Embassy Around the World

Ambassador Ortega Presents Credentials to French President

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ecember 31, 2011 (DFA) – The Philippine Embassy in Paris reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that Ambassador Cristina G. Ortega presented her credentials to French President Nicolas Sarkozy on December 22 at the Elysée Palace in Paris.

Ambassador Ortega conveyed the greetings of President Benigno S. Aquino to President Sarkozy, as well and his invitation to the French President to visit the Philippines in the near future. She proposed that the visit could be timed when the French President would be in the region to attend the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM).

Summit in Vientiane in November 2012.

President Sarkozy replied that he would look into the possibility of a visit to the Philippines.

On a lighter note, President Sarkozy paid Ambassador Ortega a

compliment in the middle of her presentation by remarking that she “brought elegance to the Elysée”, as she stood out in a yellow terno in a sea of black suits. Ambassador Ortega was one of the very few who went to the Elysée Palace in a national dress.

Ambassador Ortega joined 20 other Ambassadors in presenting their credentials to President Sarkozy.

During the ceremonies, President

Sarkozy told the Ambassadors that he recognized the importance of their work in fostering bilateral relations, and their role in promoting the necessary reforms in the international community. He also assured them that the President’s Office and the French Foreign Ministry stood ready to assist the Ambassadors in their work.

The ceremonies concluded with a champagne reception.

France is one of the main pillars and drivers of growth in the European Union, which is a major economic and development partner of the Philippines. It is the 17th largest Philippine trading partner, and is the third biggest source of tourist arrivals from Europe, after the United Kingdom and Germany.

In the recent years, France has also become a second home for many Filipinos, now estimated at around 40,000 in the country. ■

Multi-Awarded Filipina-Italian actress receives prestigious “2011 Pugliesinel Mondo” Award

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ecember 21, 2011 (DFA) – The Philippine Embassy in Rome reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that Filipina-Italian actress Alessandra de Rossi (real name Alessandra Schiavone) was one of the recipients of the “Pugliesinel

Mondo” 2011 Edition in ceremonies held last December 17 at Bari, the capital of Puglia region.

Pugliesinel Mondo is an award given to outstanding citizens born in or originated from the Italian region of Puglia, organized by the Associazione InternazionalePugliesinel Mondo.

Ms. De Rossi’s Filipina mother, Nenita Tiotangco, is married to Italian Luigi Schiavone from Martano in Puglia.

Twenty-three out of the 32 Pugliesi, who won the prestigious award, attended this year’s ceremonies to personally receive the award. The ceremonies (From left) Vice Mayor of Martano Stefano Gallo, Italian were hosted by Italian Journalist Donatella Azzone, Actress Alessandra de Rossi, journalist Donatella Philippine Embassy in Rome’s Cultural Officer Charisma Azzone and Italian Coros-Pineda, and Italian Actor Beppe Convertini.

actor Beppe Convertini.

Martano Vice Mayor Stefano Gallo, together with Embassy’s Cultural Officer Charisma Coros-Pineda, were invited to present the award to Ms. de Rossi. Her family also attended the ceremonies.

Ambassador Virgilio A. Reyes, Jr., through Ms. Coros-Pineda, expressed his sincerest appreciation to the AssociazioneInternazionale Pugliesinel Mondo for honoring the renowned and multi-awarded Filipina actress as an outstanding offspring of Puglia.

The Ambassador also extended its congratulations to Ms. De Rossi for bringing recognition to the Philippines.

At the age of 16, Ms. De Rossi won the FAMAS Awards’ Best Supporting Actress for her role in the movie Azucena. ■

Phl Christmas décor and parols light up Fifth Avenue

D

ecember 21, 2011 (DFA) – The Philippine Consulate General in New York reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that a new holiday attraction can be seen along busy Fifth Avenue in Manhattan with the installation of a Philippine Christmas display at the Philippine Center in New York from December 2011 through January 2012.

The two-window display features Philippine-made Christmas décor from the Christmas Décor Exporters Association of the Philippines (CDEAP) and traditional capiz parols (Christmas lanterns) from San Fernando, Pampanga.

The CDEAP provided the Consulate, the Philippine Trade and Investment Center-NY (PTIC-NY), and the Philippine Center with different holiday pieces made from natural materials including coconut, abaca, raffia, and shells.

Philippine-made Christmas décor along Fifth Avenue

Similar items were likewise promoted at the last Manila F.A.M.E. 2011 show organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM).

The Consulate has already received a number of queries from potential buyers and interested members of the public about the availability of the décor in the U.S. market.

The CDEAP will be working closely

The Philippine Center Christmas display attracts passersby in New York.

with the Consulate and the PTICNY for a possible annual Christmas installation at the Philippine Center and for a selling mission in 2012.

The holiday display has been attracting a good amount of attention among members of the public who walk through Fifth Avenue, which is the busiest part of Manhattan particularly during the holiday season. ■

January / February 2012 – Monthly Issue • UK & Europe Edition

UN commends Phl Government efforts to assist Typhoon Sendong victims, reiterates offer to provide further assistance

D

ecember 22, 2011 (DFA) – The Department of Foreign Affairs announced that, in her letter addressed to Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Libran N. Cabactulan, UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos has conveyed her condolences to the people of the Philippines for the loss of life and destruction caused by Typhoon Sendong.

UndersecretaryFurthermore, General Amos stated that she wrote to “commend the continued efforts undertaken by your Government to assist those affected by this disaster” and also reiterated the assurance that “the United Nations stands ready to provide further assistance” to the Philippine Government.

In his reply to UndersecretaryGeneral Amos, Ambassador Cabactulan conveyed the Philippine Government’s formal acceptance of the United Nations’ offer of assistance, and expressed the “deepest appreciation of the Filipino

people for this profound gesture of sympathy and solidarity from the international community.”

UN emergency relief assistance to the Philippines is mobilized through the coordinative efforts of the UN’s Philippine Humanitarian Country Team stationed in the Philippines and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Last November, UN Assistant Secretary-General Catherine Bragg led a special team in visiting the Philippines in order to meet with Philippine officials regarding the current humanitarian assistance being undertaken by the UN in the Philippines, including in emergencies such as the current natural calamity.

In the words of Ambassador Cabactulan, “the current UNPhilippine collaboration in national disaster response is considered by the UN as a model for such cooperation and the Philippine Government will continue to work closely with the UN in the alleviation of suffering of those most in need of humanitarian assistance in these emergency situations.” ■

Photo by Bo Mercado

Ambassador and Mrs. Manalo arrive at Buckingham Palace followed by other senior Philippine Embassy Officials.

Ambassador Manalo presents credentials to Queen Elizabeth II

D

ecember 21, 2011 (DFA) – Philippine Ambassador to the United Kingdom Enrique A. Manalo formally presented his credentials to British monarch Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace last December 13.

Ambassador Manalo, who arrived in London in early October, was accompanied at the ceremony by his spouse and members of his diplomatic staff.

The group, adorned in traditional Barong Tagalog and Filipiniana Ternos, were ferried between the Embassy building in Trafalgar Square and the Palace on horse-drawn state landaus.

Ambassador Manalo conveyed to the Queen the best wishes of President Benigno S. Aquino III and his government’s keen desire to promote the very strong bonds of friendship and cooperation that exist between the Philippines and the UK. They also discussed matters related to the Ambassador’s assignment in the country.

Following the ceremony, Ambassador Manalo hosted a reception at the Embassy that was attended by Her Majesty’s

Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps Charles Gray, British Ambassador to the Philippines Stephen Lillie, UK Trade and Investment Deputy Chief Executive Susan Haird, other British government officials, and heads of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) missions and other diplomatic colleagues.

In his remarks, Ambassador Manalo highlighted the strength of Philippine-UK ties, which “through the years has been firmly rooted in the shared values of democracy, human rights and respect for the rule of law.”

The Ambassador identified his three priorities for the bilateral relations as increasing further the robust bilateral economic ties, particularly on investment and trade; promoting stronger political cooperation and highlevel interaction; and deepening the people-to-people engagement between the two countries.

He also emphasized the positive contribution to the well-being of the British economy and society made by the 250,000-strong Filipino community in the UK, which he said “would be a critical factor in the strengthening of the bilateral relationship for the future.” ■

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ADVISORY

“TABANG SENDONG APPEAL”

T

he Philippine Embassy in London welcomes the outpouring of support and sympathy expressed for the victims of Typhoon Sendong (International Code Name: Washi) by the Filipino Community in the United Kingdom and their friends.

Inquiries on relatives and friends affected by the disaster may be made with the NDRRMC Operations Center through the following contact details:

NDRRMC Operations Center Tel. No. (+63 2) 911 1406/ 912 2665/ 912 5668 Email: dopcen@ndcc.gov.ph/ dopcenbackup@gmail.com Website: www.ndrrmc.gov.ph

Further to our Advisory of 18 December 2011, donations for the victims of Typhoon Sendong may be also sent to the following: National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Bank: Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), Camp Aguinaldo Branch Address: PVAO Compound, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City Account Name: NDRRMC Donated Funds Account Number: 0435-021927-130 Swift Code: DBPHPMM Account No. 36002016

January / February 2012 – Monthly Issue • UK & Europe Edition

The Ten-month Period Yielded 3.18 Million Visitors

P

DOT – Visitor arrivals to the Philippines continued to yield positive gains during the tenmonth period by generating 3,185,866 visitors and posting 11.96% growth rate compared to 2,845,573 arrivals for the same period in 2010. The month of July produced the biggest arrivals with 360,784 while the month of February posted the highest growth at 18.52%. Auguring well to the tourism industry is the consistent positive growths recorded on a month to month basis.

The East Asian region accounted for 47.44% of the total arrivals by recording 1,511,389 visitors. This figure is higher by 17.71% over the year-ago volume of 1,283,965 arrivals. China, Korea and

Japan which belonged under this region accounted for more than 83% of arrivals.

The North American region had an aggregate arrivals of 604,226 for 18.97% share of the total volume. This region registered a growth of 5.03% vis-à-vis its output of 575,295 arrivals in 2010.

The ASEAN region is the third biggest contributor producing 270,409 arrivals. It accounted for 8.49% of the total inbound traffic. The fourth biggest source by region was Australasia / Pacific with 179,874 arrivals for a share of 5.65% to total visitor volume. Arrivals from this region grew by 14.85% against its arrivals of 156,617 the previous year. It comprised 5.65% of the total visitor volume.

The fifth biggest contributor of arrivals was the Northern European region with

visitors aggregating to 129,346 and constituting 4.06% share to total arrivals.

It recorded an increase of 10.38% versus its output of 117,182 arrivals the previous year.

The Korean market continued to be the top tourist market for the Philippines.

It shared 23.76% of the total or 756,863 arrivals. It registered a double-digit growth of 27.85%. ■

The following remittance centers have offered to join GEM Remittance (info@ gemremittance.com) and iRemit Global Remittance Ltd. (iremit.uk@myiremitfo.com) in waiving their remittance charges for cash donations by the public to Xavier University, Cagayan de Oro City; La Salle Academy, Iligan City; Philippine Red Cross; and NDRRMC, namely: 1. TFC myRemit/ABS-CBN Europe Limited 2. Metro Remittance (UK) Limited 117 Earls Court Road 12 Kensington Church Street London SW5 9RL London W8 4EP Tel. No. 0788 964 2038 Tel. No. 020 7368 4490 It is suggested that donors, whether individuals or organizations, should send their donations only to bona fide government or charitable organizations. For collation purposes, please inform the Embassy (embassy@philemb.co.uk) of the name of the recipient and amount of your donation.

Embassy of the Philippines, London 20 December 2011

BBDO Guerrero wins Branding Campaign Account of the Philippine Department of Tourism

Nayon Pilipino features exotic lagoon show

D

ecember 23, 2011 (PDOT) – The lagoon show of the Nayong Pilipino (or Philippine Village) commenced recently its limited run at the country’s only cultural theme park located beside the NAIA 2 Centennial Airport in Pasay City.

The lagoon show features exotic cultural dances of the ethnic groups in the Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi provinces of Mindanao. The performers were shown dancing on colorful vintas, native Muslim sailboats, installed at the Nayon’s lagoon.

Their repertoire consists of the Yakan’s Pangalay courtship dance, the Badjao’s Janggay, Tausug’s Burung-Talo martial arts, the Maranao’s male Malong and female Apirs dances as well as the Asik and Singkil royal dances.

“I believe this is the only lagoon show on top of native sailboats in the world based on my foreign travels. One thing unique about Nayon’s lagoon show is that the wind around the area is calm and seldom create waves; thus making

it safe for the dancers to perform on the boats without any impediments. Unlike in other areas with lagoons where the winds are strong and the waves are high. Any performance on top of sailboats cannot be done in these areas,” said Executive Director Apolonio Anota, Jr. of Nayong Pilipino.

“Nayon’s lagoon shows were regularly performed in the 1990s consisting of three suites based on the Philippines’ geographical and cultural groupings of highlanders, lowlanders and islanders. In fact, the performances on New Year’s Day in 1991 had more than 65,000 people in the audience, who were delighted with the cultural presentation and witnessed the peaceful and traditional side of these ethnic groups of Filipinos,” Atty.

Anota added. For the succeeding shows, the members of the diplomatic corps including the commercial attaches have been invited. The lagoon show’s remaining performances are open free to the general public. There will only be two more lagoon shows on Christmas Day 2011 and New Year’s Day 2012 both at 4pm. ■

D

ecember 20, 2011 (PDOT) – BBDO Guerrero/ Proximity Philippines has been selected and appointed as Agency of Record for the Philippine Department of Tourism after making the winning pitch and bid for the country’s tourism branding campaign. They are tasked with creating an idea that will shape all forms of communication for the country’s domestic and international tourism promotions.

The selection and appointment comes after a rigorous pitch which involved seven other agencies – Aspac, DDB, Dentsu, J.Romero, JWT, Lowe and Y&R. Further development of BBDO Guerrero’s concept is underway and the first iterations of the new campaign will emerge in the course of the first half of 2012. The work will however, cover all major media, both in the Philippines and overseas with special emphasis on digital communications like social media.

Last September, the DOT opted to hold a second bidding process after only one advertising agency qualified – coincidentally also BBDO Guerrero.

The Department of Tourism decided to rethink the terms of reference of the project with the assumption to office of the new Tourism Secretary, Ramon Jimenez, Jr. The pitch review was personally

headed by the Secretary, who was keen to encourage agencies to expand their thinking and explore all areas of the marketing offering in order to make the nation as appealing as some of its neighbors who are much higher ranked for consideration by potential visitors.

Secretary Jimenez said, “Because of the requirements of the bid process I had to brief my agencies through a series of public speeches and interviews. In these, I talked about the warmth and the vitality of our people as being what makes our country special.

In their campaign, BBDO Guerrero was able to capture and encapsulate this complex problem into a motivating and exciting campaign. They were the last of the eight agencies presenting. And they were the exclamation point at the end of a long sentence.”

David Guerrero, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of BBDO Guerrero | Proximity Philippines, stated, “Our competition is global. And our responsibility is very local. There could be no better cause or more exciting prospect than communicating one of the world’s most enjoyable travel experiences. We - and our worldwide network – are looking forward to making this a truly memorable and effective campaign that will benefit all of us who live here.”

He continued, “It’s been a pretty good 12 months for us, winning Agency of the Year locally – and Network of

the Year globally – but this is the best Christmas present we could have hoped to receive.”

The selection of BBDO comes at an opportune time especially as DOT reports more good news for the yearend. Foreign arrivals from January to October reached 3.1 million, registering an 11.96% increase over the same period last year. All months have chalked up double digit growth rates except for March and May. Positive gains have likewise been reflected by the country’s core markets.

“We are optimistic to reach our 3.7 million target considering that November and December are historical peak periods. We are excited launching the new brand early next year which we believe, will stimulate great interest and conversion. Our hopes are high to reach an unprecedented 4.1 million visitor arrival target. More than the numbers, we hope that we draw in longer-staying tourists who will spend more and stimulate brisker business,” Secretary Jimenez said.

The tourism chief has called for greater participation by Filipinos, here and abroad, to be part of the game change. “Every Filipino is a tourism stakeholder. If we expect tourism to work for us, each must do his part. We can start by sharing our pride of place and create a buzz through social media or through other ways you can,” the former advertising executive added. ■

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January / February 2012 – Monthly Issue • UK & Europe Edition

Davao teams up with Marco Polo Parkside Hotel Beijing

F “

Book Launch of “Enchanting Philippines” by Nigel Hicks

R

enowned UK travel author, Nigel Hicks, along with publisher John Beaufoy, held the international launch of his latest book, “Enchanting Philippines” at the Philippine Embassy in London last 9 December organized by PDOT. He spent the early part of 2011 in the Philippines visiting the new attractions of Boracay, Iloilo, Cebu, Bohol, Camiguin, Banaue and El Nido which PDOT assisted in organizing.

The book explores the UNESCO world heritage sites of the country, its numerous festivals particularly Dinagyang in Iloilo, adventure activities like birdwatching and of course the culture of its people.

“Enchanting Philippines” is Nigel’s seventh book on the country after visiting it many times since 1985.

The book will go a long way in promoting the best of the Philippines to enthusiastic travellers wishing to experience adventure, diversity and various cultures. ■

PH Travel and Tourism in 2012: Glory or Gore?

Lorela U. Sandoval

P

alawan’s Underground River as New7Wonders, heightening bad rap of domestic and international airports, controversies and weakening of flag carrier, and burgeoning of budget carriers in the Philippines are just among the many issues surrounding a complicated travel scenario, hence making it another interesting year for the Philippines.

But will 2012 bring glory or gore to the country’s travel and tourism industry?

Thanks to the people who rallied behind the Underground River of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, to win a much-coveted slot in the New7Wonders of Nature competition, because of this, and among other contributing factors of course, expect the country, especially the province, to hit a new benchmark in tourist arrivals this year.

Also with the help of organizations such as the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), the Philippines is given opportunity to showcase its capacity and expertise in hosting foremost international events and to

introduce developments in tourism facilities and infrastructure, as it gears up as a host of the PATA Travel Mart 2012 on September 25-28, 2012, at the SMX Convention Center, as reported in their official website www. pata.org. Such move, according to Undersecretary Daniel Corpuz of the Department of Tourism in the Philippines, is, in fact, a strong signal that the region has confidence in doing business in the country.

Besides private sector and current government’s efforts in tourism promotion, the media is also at the helm of things. One may observe how print and online media – local and international – have continuously contributed to the promotion of Philippine tourism over the years, with several of them keeping local destinations the core of their stories.

More and more local travel sites are emerging here and there these days and being powered by strong media companies, too.

The rise of travel bloggers online, aggressively being tapped by travel agents, local tourism offices, and corporate companies, have become a new breed of wide-reaching virtual promoters of local tourism, too, tapping potential investors and visitors from all parts of the world.

rom Islands to Highlands” was the theme of the recent Davao Cultural Festival held at the Marco Polo Parkside Beijing Hotel as part of the Philippine marketing campaign in the People’s Republic of China.

Organized by the Department of Tourism-Southern Mindanao, the festival introduced Beijing residents to the distinct cultural heritage and tourism attractions of the Davao Region.

“Through this festival, we presented the colors and rhythms of our ethnic dances and music, the exciting and refreshing flavors of our cuisine, the quality of our eco-friendly local handicrafts, the enchanting flora and fauna, and the multi-ethnicity and natural warmth of the Davaeños.

All these make up the extraordinary tourism offerings of Davao which we shared with our Chinese friends in this capital city of more than 19 million people,” said Regional Director Arturo

Boncato, Jr., who was formerly the Executive Assistant Manager of Marco Polo Davao Hotel.

The Marco Polo Parkside is a 315-suite spa hotel located in the nerve-center of Beijing and near the China International Convention Center, North Star Shopping Mall, the ‘Bird’s Nest’ Stadium – host to the 2008 Olympic Games. Its present general manager, Stanley Lau, managed the Marco Polo Davao Hotel, Mindanao’s first and only international de luxe hotel, for six years before being assigned to Beijing.

Filipino Celebrity Chef Gene Gonzalez and his crew at the Center for Asian Culinary Studies featured authentic Davao cuisine including durian ice cream and Davao cheeses as well as other Philippine dishes during the three week-long food festival.

The Kalumon Performing Ensemble presented ethnic Davao music and dances during lunch and dinner shows. The ensemble was a special

guest performer during celebrations at the Philippine Embassy for the diplomatic corps and the Filipino community.

In cooperation with the Davao Tourism Regional Council, Davao Eco-Crafts and the Center for Asian Culinary Studies-Davao (CACS), the Davao Cultural Festival was cosponsored by Cebu-Pacific Air. The Department of Tourism office in Beijing led by Tourism Attaché Jasmin Esguerra assisted during travel presentations to the Chinese media and travel trade.

This well-received Davao activity in Beijing resulted in coverage by Chinese broadcast media and a cover feature story in a Chinese MICE Magazine. A familiarization trip to Davao for selected Beijing tour operators and media personnel follows in 2012 which is being organized by DOT Beijing in cooperation with DOT Davao, the Davao Tourism Regional Council and Cebu-Pacific Air. ■

Philippines Scores Tourism Publicity on December/ January Issues of Various Travel Magazine

P

ositive tourism features on the Philippines appeared on many prestigious trade and consumer magazines in the UK and Spain this month.

The Philippines was chosen as the top destination for volcanoes in ABTA Magazine by Chris Beanland. The country is identified for its 37 volcanoes spread across its islands, with 18 still active. Mt. Pinatubo and Mt. Mayon were specifically highlighted. ABTA Magazine is one of the foremost publications used by the travel industry in the UK with a readership of over 55,000 professionals.

Meanwhile, multiple Philippine packages by leading Spanish dive

operators Ultima Frontera and Abando Dive Travel were showcased on Buceadores Magazine. In addition, a report on the successful participation of the PDOT London at the recent Dive Birmingham Show last October was also presented on the magazine.

The lengthiest feature appeared on DIVE magazine in the UK, displaying no-less than 10 pages on the destination. An impressive article on Malapascua by John Nightingale entitled, “Island of Plenty” details all the pelagic and macro offerings of the destination including the enigmatic Thresher Shark.

Altogether, an impressive amount of media mileage was generated to round up 2011. ■

With all this, the travel and tourism sector in the Philippines may remain a lucrative industry in 2012, boosting the economy of the country and producing more jobs for Filipinos.

But possible growth in tourism and travel sector, especially on air travel, is still at risk because of the country’s inefficient infrastructure, leading to congested airports and runways, delayed and cancelled flights. Not to mention the retrenchment and considerable changes in operations of the Philippine Airlines, leading to protests among its employees and inconveniences of its clients.

With the future expansion plans by budget carriers such as Cebu Pacific, AirPhils, and ZestAir, it is seen that the added traffic may not be sufficiently supported by the already overextended airports like the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), for lack of space. In fact, at present, longer waiting time for flights to take off has been one of the major

problems in air travels, particularly in NAIA where it serves about 90% of air traffic. Therefore, this may create an even worse vibe for potential local and international tourists who may not have enough patience to understand the existing problematic scenario.

Unless, of course, the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Clark, Pampanga, is truly developed to serve the growing travelling public, which the Department of Transportation and Communications has already expressed plans on. And if the government keeps its promise, DMIA may soon be another international gateway, initially for budget carriers, easing air traffic in NAIA. So, ahead of us may be more flights and more convenience for tourists and travellers.

But if not, expect rowdy travel operations, disappointed passengers, and a downfall in tourist statistics and satisfied clients.

And if in 2012 the Philippines

face new travel bans, or safety and security issues for visitors like kidnapping, again expect a decrease in tourist arrivals in the country, lest we truly have learned our lessons from the hostage-taking in 2010 involving foreign tourists. If and when such crisis interferes, the government should take appropriate measures to alleviate the negative impact in the industry and reassure the safety of our aviation facilities and security of potential visitors around the country.

On a global note, the present economic crisis of several regions, particularly in the USA and Europe, may still affect the local industry of travel and tourism, possibly bringing about a slower growth in 2012 for the Philippines. Should we see a recovery of their economies soon, then, the Philippines may continue to look forward to a very lucrative year in travel and tourism as forecasted in the previous years. ■

January / February 2012 – Monthly Issue • UK & Europe Edition

ATBP - At Iba Pa

www.hello-philippines.com

Ang aking bakasyon Good luck charms Nepthali Paraiso Nakaligtaan ko na ang pagtula Kaya heto na naman si Pablong Makata Nagpipilit mag-isip kung anong ilalathala Upang ang mambabasa’y muling matuwa Siguro’y ikukuwento ang panahon ko sa trabaho Apat na buwang nagtrabaho, bakasyo’y dalawang lingo Ngunit laking pasasalamat, sa mababait kong amo Muli kong nasilayan ang mahal kong bayan

Kasi naman ang sasakyan, chartered airplane lamang Maliit na eroplano konti lang ang pasahero Di kayang dalhin sobrang bigat ng dalahin Hindi na namin nakita, bagahe naming sa Edinburgh* Mula sa pandaigdigang, paliparan ng Scotland Muli kaming maglalakbay, papunta sa Amsterdam At ng ang eroplano’y mag touch down, sa lugar ng Netherlands Sobrang laki ng airport, sala-salabat ang mga roads

Ang totoong kontrata’y dalawang buwan lamang Dagdag na dalawang buwan, kahilinga’y napagbigyan Nabagot na rin ako, nainip sa barko Ginawa kong dahilan, bakasyon ng nanay

Halos tatlumpong minuto, bago nakarating sa airport mismo Koneksyon ng susunod na eroplano, mukhang kami’y mapepeligro Kaya’t ako’y nag-alinlangan sa katabi’y nagtanong na lang Wala palang palugit na oras, pagkababa’y magtatakbuhan

Mahaba-habang kwentuhan aking isasalaysay Mula sa paglisan sa barkong sinasakyan Dumating ang karelyebo para sa dalawang lingo Kulang ang panahon, sa pagbibigay ng instruksyon

Sa aming pagtakbo, na halos dalawang kilometro Sobrang laki ng paliparan, grabeng pagod ang naranasan Ang ng makarating sa pintuan, ng gate na sasakyan Sobrang daming pinoy, nakahanda ng lumulan

Kung ako rin ang nasa kalagayan, at ako’y bago lamang Di man maintindihan at talagang mangangapa lamang Hindi naman masyadong, kumplikado ang trabaho Kaalaman sa computer at madali kang matututo

Kung hindi kami tumakbo, at parang holdaper sa kanto Malamang maiiwan, ng eroplanong sasakyan Sa madaling salita, nakarating ng Maynila Muli kong nasilayan ang aking magandang Bayan

Nagmamadaling lumisan, hindi na nga nakapagpaalam Ang taxi’y naghihintay, papunta sa hotel natutuluyan Napakagandang pagmasdan, nitong lsla ng Shetland Puro kabundukan, walang punong masisilungan

At sa aming paghihintay ng bagaheng naiwan Kami na lang ang natira ngunit ang bagahe’y wala pa Nagpunta sa complaint center, ng eroplanong KLM Maya-maya pa’y lumabas na lungkot ang dala-dala

Kaya’t malaking katanungan sa isip kong naglabasan Wala ni isang puno, ni isa’y walang matanaw Sa pagtatanong ay nalamang, kaya pala ganon na lamang Laging malakas ang hangin, sobrang lamig sa kapaligiran

Kasi naman andon, ang lahat ng mga pasalubong Mga damit, tsokolate, mga bag at kung ano-ano At sa aking pananghalian, na miss kong mga ulam Mangga at bagoong, at Pritong tilapia na sinawsaw sa suka

Kaya’t aking natatanaw, mga puti sa kabundukan Maraming naglipanang, mga tupang inaalagaan Nakarating sa tutuluyang hotel na paglalagakan Kay linis at kay ganda, isang gabi rin at aalis na

Panahon ng tag-ulan, mga araw na nagdaan Dalawang bagyong dumating aking nasaksihan Sa aking pagpunta ng isang araw sa opisina Inabutan ng pagbaha kailangang lumusong walang magagawa

At sa kinabukasan sa airport na pupuntahan Isang oras ding naglakbay, sa dami ng kabundukan Ako ay napatawa ng airport ay malapit na Nag cross ang sasakyan sa daanan ng paliparan

Inayos mga papeles nag renew ng mga gamit Kumuha ng UK visa, para sa panibagong kontrata Kulang na kulang nga, aking panahon sa Maynila Sa pamilya’t mga kaibigan, mga ka tropa’t kakilala

Kami lang ng kasama ko, ano’t walang katao-tao Maya maya pa’y nagdatingan mga pasaherong magsasakayan Kami ay sinabihan baka dalahin ay maiwan Dalawang kahon namin sa Maynila na kukuhanin

Kailangan ng bumalik, tapos na ang dalawalang linggong palugit Ang karelyebo kong ka opisina ay sa kabilang barko pupunta Muli ngang naglakbay ng halos dalawang araw At muli kong nasilayan ang barko kong minamahal ■

Vittorio Hernandez

A

lthough Filipinos are considered religious, many of them combine their Christian faith with folk beliefs such as good luck charms. This is evident in the sale of charms and other items which many Pinoys would purchase toward the end of a year to start a new year “on the right foot.”

Among those with Chinese blood, there are two popular charms that many Pinoys buy to begin the year.

One is the golden cat with swinging arms and the other one is the jade frog with a coin inside its mouth.

Outside these two animals,

believers in Chinese horoscope also buy the animal sign of the coming year, thus golden or jade statues of the dragon, ox, rabbit, rooster, monkey and rat are among the popular items for sale at the last week of December in many malls.

Others prefer bracelets and crystals to enjoy good luck for the new year.

Another popular Filipino belief to start the year right and could be considered good luck is filling the family container with rice and salt at New Year’s Eve as a symbol that enough provisions are in store for the next 12 months.

In a similar vein, different round fruits such as oranges, apples, grapes and the like are purchased for the New Year’s Eve media noche to also

HELLO PHILIPPINES

33

symbolise money and prosperity.

This is not far from the belief that wearing clothes with polka dots also symbolises wealth and the inflow of money.

Other symbols of allowing in the spirit of prosperity is opening all lights, windows and doors at the strike of 12 midnight and the throwing off coins under the bed.

One related belief is that besides welcoming in the spirit of prosperity, families must also cast away the bad spirits, which is the reason behind the widespread firecracker use among Pinoys during December 31.

However, in some cases, it is not only bad spirits that are lost, but also fingers, arms, legs and eyes during the New Year revelry. ■

At the end of each year, malls often have booths that sell Chinese good luck charms to start the new year right.

Among the more popular ones are the waving golden cat and three leg frog figurines.

2012: Myth or Real?

Lorela U. Sandoval

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race yourself – the world is again ending on December 21, 2012, according to a buzz going around the internet these days.

Further research points the most recent prediction to two things: the Mayan Calendar, said to be ending on aforementioned date; and the imaginary planets named Nibiru, said to be headed towards our planet in 2003 but moved nine years later, or Planet X or Eris moving towards our crib.

But guess what? It’s all the same.

“Nothing bad will happen,” the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) website reassured, dispelling rumours on doomsday in 2012 and stories on imaginary planets crushing the Earth into oblivion.

Universetoday.com also confirmed that doomsday prophecies were “purely based on a calendar which we believe hasn’t been designed to calculate dates beyond 2012.”

Meanwhile, on December212012.com website, scientist and best-selling author Gregg

Braden disclosed in an interview that a change in the alignment of the Earth with the Milky Way’s equator may happen on said date, and the result may be this: “…it changes the scenery of the night sky. It changes our orientation in space with respect to the center of our own Milky Way galaxy,” which is said to be a strong source of magnetic energy. He further explained that on said date, “We have a straight shot – a linear shot, unobstructed by any other planets or any other bodies in the solar system – where we have direct access to that field of energy.”

But neither the so-called alignment of the Earth and Sun with Milky Way could bring about a collapse of humanity, NASA reiterated. Referring to the alignment of Earth and Sun with Milky Way’s

near center as a natural occurrence every December, “That is an annual event of no consequence,” they clarified.

Not even planetary alignments are to be seen in the next few decades, and even if there are, effects are insignificant, NASA guaranteed. For over four billion years, we are getting along just fine, they reassured.

A Year of Many Things 2012 is also said to be a year of many attributions: a leap year in Gregorian calendar; International Year of Cooperatives according to the United Nations General Assembly; International Year of Sustainable Energy for All; and Alan Turling Year in honour of the late computer pioneer and mathematician. And interestingly, a Wikipedia article revealed that beliefs about the year may range from being spiritually transformative to being apocalyptic.

Apocalypse prediction, however, is nearly becoming a worn-out fascination to everyone, after similar rumours have gone haywire earlier, much to the chagrin of modern-day psychics and prophets. Nevertheless, the end to such apocalyptic speculations itself is nowhere near, either. ■ Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_phenomenon http://the-end.com/2008GodsFinalWitness/?gclid=CLyl1YL9iK0 CFSEhtAodAlFenQ http://www.universetoday.com/14094/no-doomsday-in-2012/ http://www.december212012.com/ http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/2012.html http://survive2012.com/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012

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Angel and Phil: Happily in love

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lmost a year after Phil Younghusband boldly asked Angel Locsin to be his Valentine’s date via Twitter, the acclaimed actress still can’t believe that their simple exchange on the social networking site would actually turn into a full-blown romance. “Sabi ko nga sa kanya ayoko siyang i-meet noon. Parang hindi pa ako ready mag-entertain, hindi pa ako ready pumasok sa isang relationship.

Pero sabi nga sa isang kanta, ‘we found love in a hopeless place,’” Angel exclaimed with a laugh.

It took a while before Angel got over a previous break-up so it’s good to see her head over heels in love this time with the Philippine Azkals striker. “Kung na-experience mo yung kilig ng high school, hindi siya nawawala. Huwag na kayo kumontra. Isa akong 26 years old na parang high school. Siyempre kapag merong humahanga sa’yo, may nagmamahal sa’yo, lahat naman tayo

ganon yung nararamdaman. Inspired ka lang, happy ka.”

Although both Angel and Phil are vocal about their feelings for each other, they’ve refrained from confirming the status of their relationship at this point in time. “Sa totoo lang nahihiya talaga ako na sagutin yung ganong question everytime tinatanong niyo ako, lalo na kapag magkasama kami kasi hindi namin napaguusapan. So humihingi na lang ako ng pasensya sa mga hindi naiintindihan yung ganito. Pero sa ngayon hindi pa importante sa amin [ang label], hindi pa namin masabi, so ok sa amin yung ganito.”

What matters to Angel is that her loved ones especially her dad approves of her relationship with Phil. “Nakita ko nga yung interview ni daddy.

Kagaya ng sinabi niya, kung saan ako masaya, masaya din siya. Nirerespeto niya kung ano yung desisyon ko. Basta happy lang siya.” ■

January / February 2012 – Monthly Issue • UK & Europe Edition

59th Annual FAMAS Awards 2011

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i-Ai Delas Alas and “Ang Tanging Ina Mo” were named Best Actress and Best Picture at the 2011 FAMAS (Film Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences) Awards held last December 10, 2011, while John Lloyd Cruz went home with the Best Actor for his role in the romantic film “Miss You Like Crazy”. Albert Martinez was awarded the Best Director for “Rosario”, which starred Jennilyn Mercado.

The Gabi ng Parangal, now on its 59th year, was held at the Tanghalang Leandro Locsin of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Auditorium in Intramuros, Manila.

The complete list of winners are: Best Picture: Ang Tanging Ina Mo Best Actress: Ai-Ai Delas Alas (Ang Tanging Ina Mo) Best Actor: John Lloyd Cruz (Miss You Like Crazy) Best Director: Albert Martinez (Rosario) Best Supporting Actress: Eugene Domingo (Here Comes The Bride) Best Supporting Actor: Allen Dizon (Sigwa) Best Child Actress: Xyriel Manabat (Ang Tanging Ina Mo) Best Child Actor: Maliksi Morales (Dalaw) Best Story: Bonifacio Ilagan and Joel Lamangan (Sigwa)

Best Screenplay: Bonifacio Ilagan (Sigwa) Best Cinematography: Carlo Mendoza (Rosario) Best Editing: Marya Ignacio (Miss You Like Crazy) Best Sound: Addiss Tabong and Albert Michael Idioma (Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote) Best Musical Score: Jessie Lasaten (Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote) Best Theme Song: Miss You Like Crazy Best Art Direction: Joey Luna (Rosario) Best Special Effects: Dekdek Torrente and Erick Torrente (Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote) Best Visual Effects: Jay Santiago, Kim Erik Samson and Melvyn M. Quimosing (Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote)

Lifetime Achievement Award: Nora Aunor German Moreno Youth Achievement Awards: Sarah Lahbati, Louise de los Reyes, Alden Richards, Kathryn Bernardo, Julia Montes and Sam Concepcion Special Awards: Dr. Jose Perez Jr. Memorial Award: Danny L. Dolor (Writer and Art Patron) Arturo M. Padua Memorial Award: Crispin M. Belen (Veteran Entertainment Columnist) Public Service Award: Persida Acosta (Lawyer) Grand Award: Ric Camaligan (Former Head of the National Cinema Association of the Philippines) Presidential Award: Paquito Ochoa (Executive Secretary) ■

Pinoy film to compete John Lloyd on reconciliation with Shaina: We’re not officially together in Berlin Film Fest

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he Filipino film industry comes into the spotlight once again as “Captive”, directed by Brillante Mendoza was chosen as one of the first five films for the competition of the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival which takes place in Germany from February 9 to 19, 2012.

The movie is based on a real-life event that occurred in 2001. It’s about a French foreign aid worker who works for a humanitarian organization on Palawan Island in the Philippines, Therese Bourgoin (Isabelle Huppert) who was kidnapped by mistake with a colleague while transporting equipment to Puerto Princesa by Muslim extremist group Abu Sayyaf, who are fighting for Mindanao independence. It stars Ronnie

Lazaro, Angel Aquino, Raymond Bagatsing, Sid Lucero, Maria Isabel Lopez, Rustica Carpio, Katherine Mulville, Marc Zanetta and French actress Isabelle Huppert.

According to Mendoza, this is the first time in 29 years that a Filipino film was chosen to compete. The last time a Filipino made it to the main category list was when Ishmael Bernal did “Himala” starring Nora Aunor.

Mendoza hopes that his film’s inclusion will boost Pinoy cinema and open more doors for Filipino filmmakers in the global market.

The esteemed director previously won the Best Director Award (Palme d’Or) at the 62nd Cannes International Film Festival in May 2009 for his movie, “Kinatay”. ■

Enchong Dee celebrated Christmas in Singapore

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s one of the current toast of ABS-CBN, Enchong Dee has been elevated to leading man status, providing him with a few perks and luxuries.

The actor recently treated his family to a trip to Singapore for Christmas. He says that treating them for the holidays has

become a tradition for him and looks at the vacation as bonding time.

Apart from family, Enchong also treated his personal assistants on the five-day trip.

His gift for himself, however, is his dream home, which he says is his goal for next year. ■

A

fter his public admission of his relationship troubles with Shaina Magdayao, John Lloyd Cruz tried his best to avoid further queries from the local press since he has always kept his love life low-profile.

But in a small press con for one of his endorsements, John Lloyd admitted that he’s trying to get back together with Shaina despite renewed intrigues involving his ex Ruffa Guttierrez.

“Maayos naman kami even shortly after what’s happened. And kung ano man yung mga naging problema, I had to attend to it, everything, especially kapag related sa family.

Yun lang ang inayos ko. For now that’s

really all I can tell. Maayos kami. Wala naman kaming problema. We’re ok.

We spend time together. [But we’re] not officially [back together].”

People close to the couple confirmed that John Lloyd and Shaina have kissed and made up, which explains constant sightings of the two in various events. To which John Lloyd replied, “Yeah, like watching concerts...hindi naman para ibulgar yung mga bagay na gusto naming gawin together or individually. Siguro we’re still trying to discover how to really take care of something like this. Yun ang pinakamasasagot ko. I’m still trying

to discover the best way how to take care of [a relationship].”

Asked if they’re in the process of reconciliation, John Lloyd explained why it would be wiser if he keep mum about his personal life. “Siguro it’s best if I keep my mouth shut muna. Since masyado siguro akong naging open sa media [at] sa public ng personal life ko. Parang naging out of control na yung mga ilang nangyari. Siguro masyadong naging susceptible sa kung anu-anong attacks. Right now, siguro the best way to protect it (relationship with Shaina) for now is to keep it to myself, and let it be as private as possible.” ■

Sarah and John Lloyd to re-unite in the big screen this 2012

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fter pursuing individual projects for the past two years, Sarah Geronimo is slated to do another movie with Box Office King John Lloyd Cruz following their box office hits You Change My Life and A Very Special Love. Sarah confirmed this when she renewed her contract with ABS-CBN mid-December of last year. “Sana matuloy kasi na-miss ko talagang katrabaho si John Lloyd.

Sana andun yung todo kilig parin and at the same time yung maturity sa roles namin and sana may konting drama din,” she said.

You would recall that Sarah has

refrained from working with John Lloyd to avoid being romantically linked to him. But since then she has grown wiser when it comes to matters of the heart, hence, her eagerness to be paired with the sought-after leading man once again.

As for John Lloyd, he’s also looking forward to his reunion with Sarah since many of their fans have been clamouring for it for a long time now.

I’m really excited hindi lang para sa aming dalawa. Para rin sa lahat ng sumuporta sa movies namin. And at one point it was the highest grossing

film of all time. So I can’t wait to give them an offering coming from me and Sarah again.”

John Lloyd added that he prefers to do a sequel of the kilig love story of their characters Miggy Montelibano and Laida Magtalas rather than a film with a different concept.

“Our director Cathy Garcia-Molina asked me, ‘Would you want to do a third instalment or an entirely new concept?’ Sabi ko, ‘Parang ok naman yung bagong story. Pero tingin ko we owe it to a lot of people to give them a third instalment. I think I want to go for a third instalment.” ■

January / February 2012 – Monthly Issue • UK & Europe Edition

Celebrity, Showbiz & Entertainment

Hollywood movie filming in the Philippines this January

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he Bourne Legacy”, the fourth movie in the “Bourne” franchise, is set to shoot for five weeks in the Philippines. The upcoming film, produced by Frank Marshall and directed by Tony Gilroy, will star Jeremy Renner and Rachel Weisz. Both actors are reportedly going to be in the country sometime in January.

The production notes that the Philippines will not be a substitute for another country. The latest “Bourne”

“

instalment really has the country in the script.

The movie is going to run in cinemas in the United States this summer. It also stars Edward Norton, Joan Allen, Albert Finney, Oscar Isaac and Stacy Keach.

The previous “Bourne” films all starred Matt Damon as Jason Bourne. But the academy-award winning actor begged off working on the fourth film. ■

Pacquiao surprised Christmas gift: ₱25M Yacht

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oxing champ turned congressman Manny Pacquiao surprised his family with a P25 million yacht for Christmas. Manny revealed that the Italian-furnished yacht, known as the “Ferrari” of luxury boats, is his treat for the family after winning against Mexico’s Juan Manuel Marquez last November 12.

The boat is named “Sarangani’s Pride”. The family had this blessed by a priest last December 21.

Featuring two luxury suites and two guest rooms that are equipped with its own bathroom, the yacht comes with state of the art facilities that include a satellite and three jetskis valued at a million each.

Jinkee Pacquaio, the boxer’s wife said that the whole family had been dreaming of owning a yacht. “Yung yate, iniisip lang namin dati na, ‘Kelan kaya kami magkakaroon ng ganyan?’ Tapos ngayon, eto na.” ■ ­—report from ABS-CBN News

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HELLO PHILIPPINES

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Christine Reyes’ 2012 Resolution

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hristine Reyes has one of the sexiest bodies in Philippine showbiz, but she admits that she has not been taking care of her body well. The actress was hospitalized middle of last year and was always getting sick. She says that while 2011 had given her so many blessings in terms of work with her last project, “No Other Woman”, becoming such a hit, her body took its toll as a result of working too hard.

For 2012, the ABS-CBN star promises to become more health conscious. Her New Year’s resolution is to avoid junk food and start going to the gym. She also said she will strive to strike a balance between doing good projects and making sure that her health is in check, saying, “Magpapakahealthy na ako this time.” ■

Isabella Angela Manjon represents Philippines in Tourism Pageant

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b. Pilipinas Tourism for 2011 Isabella Angela Manjon won the special award of Miss Charity when she competed at the 7th Miss Tourism Queen International 2011 pageant in Xian, China last December 27, 2011.

Born in Manila, the candidate

stands at 5’7 and once appeared in the Robin Padilla-Angel Locsin comedy series “TodoMax” on ABSCBN. The 23-year old stunner is into gymnastics and volleyball.

The Miss Tourism Queen International 2011 was won by Thailand. ■

Apl.de.ap reaches out to Sendong victims

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nternational artist and rapper Apl. de.ap was in the country for his annual Christmas visit and helped with the relief efforts for the victims of Sendong in Cagayan de Oro City.

The Fil-Am hip hop star, who is a member of the Grammy Award winning group Black Eyed Peas, handed out relief goods as well as performed for the locals, especially the evacuees.

Apl.de.ap’s visit to Cagayan de Oro City was made possible by PLDTSmart Foundation. ■

37th MMFF

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he 37th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2011 kicked off last December 24, 2011 with the annual traditional grand parade of stars. Seven films were represented with colourful floats, which were seen from the Mall of Asia around midday, to EDSA then to Roxas Boulevard and to the Quirino Grandstand at the Rizal Park, Luneta.

“My Househusband, Ikaw Na!” starring real-life husband and wife, Ryan Agoncillo and Judy Ann Santos, drew the most cheers from the delighted crowd.

Despite being threatened by rain, the parade didn’t stop “Segunda Mano” stars Kris Aquino, Dingdong Dantes and Angelica Panganiban from joining their float and giving away posters to the crowd. Their float came with a giant designer handbag.

Dragons and other creatures were elaborately set up for the “Ang Panday 2” float featuring Senator Bong Revilla, Marian Rivera, Philip Salvador and Iza

Calzado. It won the award for Best Float.

“Enteng ng Ina Mo” presented a Disney-themed float complete with a castle. The movie stars Vic Sotto and Ai-Ai Delas Alas.

“Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” featured Maricel Soriano, in her bid for a movie comeback. Co-stars Jericho Rosales and Lovi Poe joined her on the float.

“Shake, Rattle & Roll 13”, the horror franchise that was decorated with a spooky lighthouse, was the most starstudded float with Eugene Domingo,

Sam Concepcion, Zanjoe Marudo, Maricar Reyes and Kathryn Bernardo.

It was a trip back to 1950’s with the float presented by “Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story” as its stars, John Regala, Dennis Padilla and Baron Geisler, wore that decade’s fashion and flare.

The Parade of Stars officially opened the film festival, which ran from December 25, 2011 until the first week of January 2012.

Soon after the parade, the 37th Annual Awards took place on December 28, 2011 at Resorts World Performing Arts Theater in Pasay City. The big winner of the night was “Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story”, winning 11 different awards including Best Picture. ■

DZMM celebrates Silver Anniversary with a concert

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n celebration of their 25th year on radio, DZMM staged a concert DZMM SilveRadyo at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last December 17, 2011. The event was well attended by fans of the station.

Anchors and reporters headed

by Noli De Castro, Ted Failon and Korina Sanchez sang classic favourites and pop hits or rocked the floor with engaging dance numbers.

Other artists like Gary Valenciano,

Jovit Baldivino, Angeline Quinto, Karylle, Rachel Alejandro, Christian Bautista, the UP Concert Chorus and other Kapamilya stars graced the event to give a rousing surprise numbers.

In between the singing, the dancing and the novelty acts, DZMM also gave away cash prizes, TV sets, cellphones, scholarship grants and a livelihood showcase care of Radyo Negosyo in a raffle draw for the audience. ■

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January / February 2012 – Monthly Issue • UK & Europe Edition

Marian Rivera & Dingdong Dantes: Kristine Hermosa wants to be a hands-on mom Team up for “My Beloved”

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ubbed as GMA-7’s Primetime Queen, Marian Rivera is teaming up anew with reallife boyfriend Dingdong Dantes in the upcoming series “My Beloved”. This latest project will be the fourth television pairing for the couple and the new show is anticipated to start airing in the first quarter of 2012.

The actress is looking forward to the New Year because of this series and several other projects in line, such as a new movie.

Feeling really blessed, Marian has gifted Dingdong with a Ducati motorcycle for Christmas, which is said to be worth one million pesos. ■

ctress Kristine Hermosa gave birth to a healthy baby girl named Ondrea Bliss via normal delivery last December 26.

“Ondrea Bliss was born through normal delivery at 11:49pm. Her weight is 2680gm. Tin is okay and still recovering,” stated Oyo a few days after his daughter was born. The couple have always wanted a baby girl since Oyo mostly has nephews on his side of the family. Ondrea means strong and courageous while bliss means unmeasurable joy.

In a previous interview, Kristine said that she plans to lay low in showbiz to be a hands-on mom.

“Siyempre kailangan ko naman tutukan yung baby for a while. Pero once in a while pwede naman ako mag-TV guesting or kapag may show na madadaan sa schedule. Huwag lang siguro yung full-length soap kasi parang one week kaming walang tulugan dun. Siyempre nami-miss ko naman ang pagarte kasi for how

many years yun ang ginagawa ko,” whose recent acting stint was in the teleserye Noah.

Oyo on the other hand has no objection to Kristine going back to work in due time. “Oo naman. Wala naman yun problema sa akin. Alam ko naman na nalulungkot siya sa bahay. I know how much she loves acting and working so ayoko tanggalin yun sa kanya. She knows her limitations and I totally trust her.” ■

Oyo Sotto shared the photo of their baby via instagram showing the baby’s feet and name tags bearing the name of the baby’s parents.

Anne Curtis to hold a concert KC Concepcion stays a at the Araneta Coliseum Kapamilya; Starts 2012

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fter releasing her debut album Annebisyosa, aspiring singer Anne Curtis is ecstatic when Viva Entertainment’s head honco Vic del Rosario decides to stage a major concert for her (Annebisyosa: No Other Concert) at the Araneta Coliseum on January 28. It all

started as a joke, but Anne is given this rare chance since she has gained a lot of public attention with her amateur singing voice all for the sake of fun and entertainment.

Although the choice of venue is a bit overwhelming for her, Anne is confident that she can handle a

big crowd with the help of guest performers including her good friend Vice Ganda and the Popstar Princess Sarah Geronimo. “It was after Side A and Martin Nievera’s concert, where Boss Vic saw how the audience applauded my production number. Naging open siya sa idea na magkaroon ako ng sariling concert. Na-shock lang po ako na Araneta ang venue. Pero siyempre hindi ako papayag ng walang birit,” said Anne who’s now dubbed as the ‘Princess of All Media’.

Asked about her preparations for her concert, Anne shared that she’s working on a few breathing techniques, but refused to take up voice lessons since she’s no popstarwannabe after all. “Tinanong ako ng manager ko kung gusto kong magvoice lessons. Sabi ko, ‘Ayoko kasi eto na ako.’ But I have to learn how to breathe properly kasi iba naman yung kanta-kanta, laru-laro, doon sa kakanta na may dancing nang kasama. And I’m also learning to play an instrument para may pasabog namang bongga.”

At this point in her career, Anne feels that she can’t ask for anything more with all the great projects coming her way, thanks to her good exposure as a host of Showtime plus her box-office movie No Other Woman. “Sa 14 years na I’ve been in the industry, I really feel that in all aspects of me sinubukan ko na talaga. Sobrang thankful lang talaga ako sa lahat ng blessings na dumating sa akin nitong 2011.

Happy na ako,” she beamed. ■

with a Clean Slate

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V host and actress KC Concepcion puts an end to her rumoured network transfer as she signed a one-year contract with ABS-CBN last December 21.

Although it seems like she won’t be part of The Buzz anymore, KC is excited with the new projects lined up for her this year. “Nandiyan yung teleserye na Alta kasama sina Gretchen Barretto at Angelica Panganiban. Yun talagang matagal na naming pinaghahandaan, ngayon nga official na official na. Nandun din ang bagong iho-host na show (The X Factor Philippines), talagang gusto kong ituloy ang hosting ko.

And makikita niyo ako on ASAP every Sunday. May mga pagbabago na malalaman niyo din very soon pero mostly positive talaga yung mga mangyayari.”

The actress-host, however, decided to transfer to Vic del Rosario’s Viva Management, thinking that it would be best to put space between her

KC Concepcion tweeted her new look.

and ex-boyfriend Piolo Pascual, a prime artist of Star Magic for a long time now. “Mahal ko ang Star Magic at alam na alam nila yan. May mga panahon lang na siguro para sa sarili mong peace of mind, para lang makahinga ng konti yung utak at puso mo. Parang every one was open about it at naging maganda yung pag-uusap namin nina Tita Mariole (Alberto), Mr M. (Mr. Johnny Manahan), nina Tita Charo (SantosConcio) and everyone here. And I’m in constant communication naman with my Star Magic family, and I always, always consider them my family.”

Many thought that she’d be transferring to TV5 just like her mom Sharon Cuneta, but KC maintained that she’d like to stay with ABSCBN where she started her showbiz career. Why? No, dito ako lumaki sa ABS-CBN, so siyempre nandito pa rin ako. And I’m so happy that I am still with ABS-CBN and that I have lined-up projects January pa lang.

Tumatalon talaga ako sa saya kasi punong-puno talaga yung schedule from Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday hanggang Sunday.

Ako naman workaholic din. I’m very excited for the shows.”

The actress, who has just gone over a break-up with Piolo Pascual, recently posted her photo with a new haircut on Twitter along with a Coco Chanel quote, “A woman who cuts her hair is about to change her life.” ■

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HELLO PHILIPPINES

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sang taon na naman ang nakalipas at sa pagpasok ng bagong taon, everyone is full of anticipation about what is in store for them this 2012. Will their career flourish? Will the single people finally find their true match? Will the tables finally turn on people who have had a challenging year last year?

Here are the predictions for the 12 signs of the zodiac that will serve as your guide for the entire year. Pero gaya ng mga sinasabi ng mga manghuhula, ang mga prediksyong ito ay nagsisilbi lamang gabay sa tao at ang kapalaran pa rin ay nakadepende sa inyo at ang Diyos pa rin ang mananatiling may nakakaalam ng lahat.

Aquarius – Does It In The Water

20 January to 18 February Magiging masuwerte pa rin sa iyo ang taong ito at inaasahang mabibigyang lunas ang mga suliranin mo bago magtapos ang taon. Ang mahusay mong pagtatrabaho ay mapapansin pagsapit ng Abril. Makulay ang love-life mo. Panahon din ito para mas maging maganda ang buhay mo. Kung magiging mahirap man ang daan, tandaan mo, mas masarap ang tagumpay ‘pag pinaghihirapan.

Pisces – The Partner For Life

19 February to 19 March Masosolusyunan na ang mga suliranin mo na inintindi mo since last year. Magiging masaya ka rin sa ikalawang bahagi ng taon. Asahan ang magandang balitang pagdating ng Abril. May choice ka rin kung gusto mong ayusin ang buhay mo hindi lang sa labas kundi pati na rin sa panloob.

Aries – The Aggressive

20 March to 19 April Magiging maganda ang taong ito para sa Aries lalo na sa kalagitnaan ng taon.

Inaasahang magiging maganda ang pasok ng pera pati na rin sa sa kalusugan puwera na lamang sa mga sakit sa balat. Malaki rin ang posibilidad na ikasal ang mga single ngayong taon. This also marks how much importance we have to put when it comes to your relationships. Asahang magiging maayos ang trabaho at buhay pag-ibig.

Also try not to be very proud because you will realize that you can depend on real friends.

Taurus – The Tramp 20 April to 20 May Karugtong ng taong ito ang nakaraang taon. Kailangan mo pa ring pangalagaan ang iyong kalusugan. You will realize that doing meditation for a few minutes everyday will cause positive effects to your life, especially in dealing with stress.

Pagdating sa trabaho, magkakaroon ng improvement at mabibigyang kasagutan ang mga suliranin mo sa trabaho. Asahan ang magandang future at ipagpatuloy lamang ang maayos na pagtatrabaho.

Mapagtatanto mo rin na your hard work will be rewarded.

Gemini – The Twin

Horoscope for 2012 sakit. Iwasan ang pagpupuyat at pagkain ng wala sa oras. Inaasahang lalago at magiging masagana ang negosyo at pera sa kalagitnaan ng taon. Kung single,ay maaari kang ikasal ngayong taon. At maaari ring maging turning point ng buhay mo ang taong ito pagdating sa sarili. Aalagaan ka ng mga bituin mo kung magkakaroon ka ng tapang sa pagharap sa mga hamon.

Cancer – The Beauty

21 June to 22 July An average year with the first half better than the second. This year indicates major changes in the work sphere and you may change your business or profession. You will be mentally tense throughout the year.

Eligible Cancer natives will get married this year. The whole year you’ll be dealing with family and professional problems at the same time. And being flexible you’ll succeed in combining both activities. Magiging average ang taong ito at inaasahang mas magiging maganda ang unang kalahati ng taon kesa sa ikalawan. Posibleng magkaroon ng malaking pagbabago ng propesyon o negosyo. Magiging maganda ang buhay pag-ibig para sa mga singles. Sa kabuuan, kinakailangan mong harapin ang mga suliraning may kinalaman sa pamilya at trabaho. Magtatagumpay ka kapag nagkaroon ng lakas ng loob na harapin ito pareho.

21 May to 20 June Inaasahang magiging abala ka ngayong taon. Sa taong ito, magkakaroon ka ng mga panibagong reyalisasyon at magiging mas responsible. Kailangang pangalagaan ang kalusugan upang maiwasan ang mga

Leo – The Lion 23 July to 22 August Taon ito para sa Leo. Magkakaroon ng mas dagdag na responsibilidad at may gagastusin para sa negosyo at para sa

Chinese Zodiac for 2012

masuwerte ka mula Agosto hanggang Setyembre. Ang lucky colors mo ay red at black.

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part from the 12 Horoscopes, another important guide for people is the Chinese Zodiac signs, an ancient practice which relates each year to an animal. China and several East Asian countries such as Korea and Japan has been practicing this method in helping them to maximize their opportunities and how to deal with challenges. The year 2012 is the Year of the Dragon which starts from January 23, 2011. Here are the 2012 predictions.

DRAGON—Magiging malakas ang

karisma mo sa mga tao ngayong 2012 at pakikinggan ka ng mga tao. Bibilib sa iyo ang mga tao at nais ka nilang laging kasama. Nagtatagumpay ang mga Dragon dahil sila ay nakakaisip ng mga makabagong ideya at mahilig makipagsapalaran. Gayunpaman, iwasan na gawin ang mga bagay-bagay nang sobra-sobra. Sa pagiging sobrang aktibo ay baka mapagod ka at makaranas ng sobrang kapaguran. Ang pagiging matulungin mo ay makatutulong sa marami at tatanawin nila ito. Sikaping mag-meditate ng madalas para maging maganda ang kalusugan. Masuwerte ang buwan ng Abril at Mayo para sa iyo. East at southeast ang lucky directions mo at itim at ginto ang iyong suwerteng kulay.

DOG—Overall, 2012 will be a good year

for the Dog. It has the tendency to be a lucky year for as long as you try not to be very criticizing. Mas maganda kung magiging optimistic ka dahil may mga hamon din para sa iyo. Asahan ang pagkakaroon ng mga bagong kaibigan. Magkakaroon din ng pera para sa iyo na maaaring galing sa mana. Advisable din na pag-aralan din ang mga dokumento bago pirmahan. Ang

mga buwan mula Mayo hanggang Agosto ay makulay para sa mga single. Magiging mahalaga ang panahon mula Oktubre hanggang Disyembre dahil panahon ito para magpokus pagdating sa career opportunities. Masuwerte ang dilaw ngayong taon.

HORSE—Magiging interesting ang 2012 para iyo. Pagdating sa career, magiging maayos ang larangang ito at maganda ang buwan ng Marso kung nag-iisip kang magbago ng trabaho.

Iminumungkahi na magkaroon ka ng wastong diet at sapat na pahinga dahil sa busy schedule mo sa buong taon.

Kung may makilalang gusto, huwag maging agresibo dahil baka ma-turn off siya. Maging maingat sa paggastos ng pera. Mahalaga na pag-aralang mabuti ang mga sitwasyon bago magdesisyon.

Huwag masyadong possessive o seloso para hindi malagay sa matensyong sitwasyon. Suwerte ang south, June ang lucky month mo at colour green ang maswerteng kulay.

MONKEY—Punum-puno

ka ng energy this 2012 subalit ang mga pagbabagong ito may maaaring magbago sa pagtatapos ng taon. Pinapaboran ka ng iyong mga bituin lalo na kapag mananatili kang alerto sa buong taon. Pagdating ng Hunyo, sikapin na magkaroon ka ng break dahil mararamdaman mona ang pressure ng iyong trabaho. Pagdating sa pag-ibig, masuwerte ang mga buwan mula Agosto hanggang October. Mula Hulyo hanggang November ang magandang panahon para magpalit ng trabaho. Makakaranas ang maraming suporta mula sa mga kaibigan at kapamilya. Huwag masyadong emosyunal at sikaping maging risk-taker para sa mga positibong pagbabago. Para sa overall luck sa love, career at pera,

OX—Ang pagtitiyaga mo at lakas ay

magiging strength mo sa 2012. Pipiliin ka para manguna sa mga mahahalagang proyekto. Aanihin mo ang magandang pagtatrabaho mo. Mas mainam na isipin ang mga desisyon bago isagawa lalo na sa relasyon at investments para di mapahamak, at gayundin sa mga kontrata. Iwasang babaan ang pride lalo na sa pag-ibig upang sa gayon ay makamit ang saya. Mahalaga ang mga buwan ng Enero, Marso at Disyembre para sa iyon. Ang masuwerteng kulay mo ay dilaw at blue habang ang northeast ang magbibigay sayo ng suwerte.

PIG—Ang mga taong born under the Pig sign ay minamahal dahil sa kanilang pagiging tapat at pagiging thoughtful.

Magiging aktibo ang 2012 para sa iyo at maraming hamon gaya ng nais mo.

Sumunod lang sa agos. Kahit anumang ibato sa iyo ay buhay ay haharapin mo lamang at kakayanin mo ito. Maaaring may mga hamon pagdating sa pera subalit mapagtatagumpayan mo ito sa pamamagitan ng pagpaplano. Maganda ang Nobyembre at Disyembre kung nais magpalit ng trabaho. Ingatan ang kalusugan at magkaroon ng proper diet dahil baka magkasakit kung hindi mo aayusin ang tamang pagkain. Ang lucky colour mo ay dark blue.

RABBIT—Mananatili kang focused

sa buong 2012 sa iyong karera at trabaho. Puwede kang ma-promote o kilalanin dahil sa trabaho mo sa taong ito. Posible rin ang biyahe sa mga buwan ng Hulyo at Agosto. Ang iba ay maaaring mahirapan sa hectic schedule ngayong taon kung kaya’t take it easy. Nasa isip mo ang pag-ibig subalit baka hindi mo pa rin nararamdamang nakita mo na ang taong karapat-dapat para sa iyo. Subalit huwag mag-alala, darating siya. Sikaping

January / February 2012 – Monthly Issue • UK & Europe Edition mga nais bilhin. Inaasahan ding magiging makulay ang buhay pag-ibig ngayong taon.

Virgo – The One That Waits 23 August to 22 September Sa ikalawang bahagi ng taon inaasahang bubuti ang lagay ng buhay mo. Kung gugustuhin mo ay malaki ang ikagaganda ng estado mo. Magiging masaya ang love life mo at pati na rin ang negosyo mo. Sa paggawa ng desisyon, mas magiging matagumpay ka kung isasaalang-alang mo ang kapakanan ng mga kasama. Kasangga mo ang suwerte kung tutulungan mo ang iyong sarili.

Libra – The Lame One 23 September to 22 October If last year wasn’t really that good to you, expect that 2012 will be far better. Magkakaroon ka ng peace of mind at mabibigyang solusyon ang mga problemang iniisip mo. Ingatan mo lang ang kalusugan dahil posibleng magkaroon ng mga karamdaman at gagastos. Inaasahan ding makabubuti kung nagpaplano ka ng lumipat bago matapos ang taong ito at inaasahan kang magiging kuntento. May suwerte ka sa kamay at mainam na gamitin ito sa mabuti. Dahil suwerte ang iyong bituin, hindi ka dapat natatakot sa mga pagbabago at manatiling matatag sa iyong mga paninindigan.

Scorpio The Addict

23 October to 21 November Kung hindi man magiging ganun kasagana ang unang bahagi ng taon, lumabas ng mas madalas. Believe that you are attractive. Masuwerte ang buwan ng Marso at ang kulay pink at berde ay lucky colours mo.

RAT—Magiging abala ang Rat sa taong ito dahil sa mga bagong proyekto, mga relasyon at trabaho. Posibleng magkaroon ng magandang pagbabago kung kukunin ang mga pagkakataon lalo na sa buwan ng Marso. Pagdating sa emosyon, hahamunin ka ng mga pagkakataon para sa iyong growth. Papaboran ng tadhana ang mga naghahanap ng pag-ibig na siyang magsisilbing inspirasyon mo para kayanin ang mga hamong haharapin mo.

Masuwerte ang mga buwan ng Marso, Hulyo at Oktubre sa iyo. Ang east ang masuwerte mong direksyon samantalang ang puti, pula at itim ang lucky colours mo ngayong taon.

ROOSTER—Para sa Rooster, makakabuti sa kanya kung ipagpapatuloy niya ang pagiging matalino sa paggawa ng mga desisyon. Ang pagiging praktikal mo ang susi para magkaroon ng magagandang sitwasyon ngayong taon.

Ito rin ang panahon para mapagtanto mo na panahon na para mag-asawa.

Susuportahan ka ng mga kaibigan sa hirap at sa ginhawa. Magiging mahalaga ang mga buwan ng Hunyo at Agosto dahil ito ang mga panahon para ipagdiwang ang mahahalagang okasyon. Bago matapos ang taon ay maaaring mapromote lalo na sa mga taong nasa legal sector. Ang mga kulay berde at blue ang lucky colours mo ngayong 2012.

SHEEP—Mga magagandang pagkakataon ang darating sa iyo ngayong 2012 pagdating sa career at pera.

Iminumungkahi ang pagiging bukas mo sa mga pagbabago kung nais mong makasabay. Isang pagkakaibigan ang sisibol at pupunta sa mas mataas na antas.

Nasa palad mo ang pag-ibig at pupunuin ka nito ng kaligayahan. Pagdating ng kalagitnaan ng taon ay magiging hamon

asahang bubuti ito sa ikalawang bahagi.

Magkakaroon ng improvement pero kaagapay nito ay panibagong stress at tensyon. Magiging limitado rin ang iyong kalayaan. Para sa 2012, iminumungkahi sa Scorpio na magkaroon ng saglit na pahinga mula sa mga suliranin at pag-aralan ang sitwasyon subalit hindi mo kailangang gumawa ng agarang desisyon. Be patient.

Sagittarius – The Promiscuous One 22 November to 21 December Mas magiging maganda ang unang kalahati ng taon para sa iyo. Kailangan mong paghusayin ang trabaho upang umangat pagdating sa karera. Magiging maganda ang taong ito para tuparin ang mga pangarap pagdating sa karera.

Malaking parte rin ang gagampanan ng pagkakaroon ng magandang pakiramdam.

Capricorn – The Passionate Lover

22 December to 19 January Magiging maganda ang taong ito para sa iyo at magkakaroon ng magagandang pagbabago pagdating sa negosyo at career pagsapit ng ikalawang bahagi ng taon. For the first six months tension in the family is expected to erupt so it is advisable to have some diplomacy in order to avoid any confrontations.

Also by the second part of the year you are expected to find your match.

Magagawa mong magkaroon ng mas maayos na pamumuhay ngayong taon kung gugustuhin mo. Huwag matakot na sumubok ng mga panibagong bagay. ■

sa iyo pagdating sa kalusugan. Upang mapigilan ito ay kailangan mong ingatan ang iyong kalusugan. Huwag kang papaapekto pagdating sa pressure sa buhay. Magkaroon ng kumpiyansa at mapagtatagumpayan mo ito. Masuwerte ang hilaga. Magiging mahalaga ang buwan ng Hulyo para sa iyo. Masuwerte ang berde at dilaw.

SNAKE—Magkakaroon

ng mga pagbabagong hindi mo inaasahan ngayong 2012.

Maaaring may matinding kumpetisyon pagdating sa trabaho at kinakailangan mong magpursige kung nais mong mapromote. Maging maingat sa paggastos dahil baka may paglaanan ka nito pagdating ng Abril at Hunyo. Magiging hamon ang personal at social life dahil posibleng maging hectic ang schedule.

Sikapin mong bigyan ng balance ang trabaho at tahanan. Magiging kaakitakit ka para sa opposite sex. Maganda ang pera para sa iyo lalo na mula Abril hanggang Hulyo. Makinig sa kutob. Ang south at southeast ay maghahatid sa iyo ng suwerte, gayundin ang buwan ng Mayo at ang berde at pula ang lucky colours mo.

TIGER—Sa kabila ng trabaho ay

magkakaroon ka pa rin ng oras para mag-enjoy. Ang pinag-ibayo mong energy ay makatutulong sa mga susunod na buwan. Ang stressful mong buhay noong 2011 ay tapos na. Naging maganda rin ang iyong attitude. Magiging focus ka sa mga aspeto gaya ng pera, pag-ibig, career at tahanan. Sikaping magkaroon ng balanse. Magiging kaakit-akit ka sa opposite sex. Posibleng may makilalang espesyal. Ang Abril at Mayo ay buwan ng pag-ibig para sa iyo. Makakahinga ka ng malalim pagdating sa mga gastusin.

Ang mga buwan ng Pebrero, Marso at Abril ay magiging mahalaga para sa iyo.

Ang mga kulay berde at dilaw ay suwerte para sa iyo at ang east at northeast ay magdadala sa iyo ng suwerte. ■

Sports

January / February 2012 – Monthly Issue • UK & Europe Edition

www.hello-philippines.com

HELLO PHILIPPINES

39

CHEERDANCE: Phl Team Bags Bronze in 6th Cheerleading World Championships

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ecember 15, 2011 (DFA) – The Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that the Philippine Cheerleading Team won third place in the Cheer Mixed Category of the 6th Cheerleading World Championships, which was held at the Hong Kong Coliseum in Hung Hom on November 26 to 27.

Japan won its fifth Cheer Mixed gold medal in six editions of the event, while Thailand took home the silver.

Handling a group composed

of a selection from the University of the Philippines, Centro Escolar University, and Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Head Coach Lalaine Pereña was pleasantly surprised about the results.

“We were expecting to be more competitive in Cheer Dance, but we ended up winning the bronze in the Cheer Mixed category. This is a great start for our country considering that this is the first time the Philippines joined the World Championships,” Coach Pereña said.

Sixteen other members of

the International Federation of Cheerleading, which included China, Chinese Taipei, Ecuador, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Peru, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Slovenia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Venezuela, participated in Cheer Dance, Cheer All Female, Group Stunts All Female, Group Stunts Mixed, and Partner Stunts categories.

Singapore and Ecuador are bidding for the right to host the 7th Cheerleading World Championships to be held in 2013. ■

BASKETBALL: PBA: Making history and helping typhoon victims

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Members of the Philippine Cheerleading Team celebrate their bronze medal finish for the Cheer Mixed category during awarding ceremonies at the 6th Cheerleading World Championships.

BOXING: Pacquiao-Mayweather fight in a limbo

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he highly-anticipated bout between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. might not just happen next year as the latter was faced with domestic and harassment charges.

Mayweather Jr is facing one count of battery domestic violence and two harassment charges after pleading guilty of hitting his ex-girlfriend, Josie Harris, and threatening his two children. The 34-year old boxer can be jailed up to 18 months, and will pay $3,000 as a fine.

The boxer who uses the monicker

“Money” was also charged with misdemeanour battery, and will pay a $1,000 fine for punching a 21-yearold homeowner association security guard in the face while having an argument about vehicles’ parking tickets outside Mayweather Jr’s residence in Las Vegas. The boxer, who holds a record of 42-0 with 26 knockouts will have to face 34 years in state prison if he was convicted of all these charges. – with reports from AP. Pacquiao-Mayweather fight was eyed to be the biggest fight ever, and

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Under-17 singles crown in the yearly event that showcased the region’s leading and upcoming junior players.

With this win, Alcala assumed dominance in the week-long tournament and another opening season that saw her win two Open singles titles in the PBaRS (Philippine Badminton Ranking System) circuit.

Markie, the 16-year old ace player

straights games from Tuesday to Sunday.

The complete semi-final matches will feature Powerade vs. Rain or Shine and Talk ‘N Text vs Petron Blaze Boosters in a best-of-seven semi-final showdown.

Meanwhile, PBA had also extended a helping hand to the victims of typhoon Sendong in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan City, where thousands of people were killed and devastated by the disaster.

One million pesos was released by the PBA board for the relief operations in the worst-hit areas.

Earlier, the league had also released one hundred thousand pesos as a donation to Gawad Kalinga, a nongovernment organization that helps in building and repairing homes for the needy. ■

GOLF: Juvic Pagunsan emerged as Number 1

was projected to give each fighter a minimum of $50 million.

Manny Pacquiao, boxing’s only eight division titlist said that he is willing to give Mayweather the bigger share of earnings so the boxing fight will push through. ■

BADMINTON: Alcala’s reigned supreme in the Singapore Youth International Series iblings Malvinne Ann Alcala and Markie Alcala ruled out their respective divisions in the Li Ning Singapore Youth International Series 2011 at the Singapore Badminton Hall in Singapore.

Malvinne endured an exhausting first set battle to upset Indonesian Florensia Setyana Daniella, 22-20, 21-17, and keep hold of the girls’

he Philippine Basketball Association will welcome year 2012 by making a history.

Starting January 4 to 11, 2012, the league will hold eight consecutive games in the semi-final round of the Philippine Cup. PBA Commissioner Chito Salud in cooperation with AKTV, the broadcasting partner of the league, released the decision last December 20. Salud mentioned in an interview with Manila Bulletin that he wants to see if holding semifinal games everyday can hold the interest of basketball aficionados.

He added that he has confidence that the teams that will be playing in the semi-finals will draw hordes of fans because all the ball clubs are well-balanced in all aspects of the game.

Back in 2003, PBA held 6

outlasted Malaysian Sim Fong Hau in the opening set to finish a 21-11, 2117 dance for the gold in the boys’ U-13 category.

Philippine Badminton Association Chairperson Amelita “Ming” Ramos is planning to have a series of local and international tournaments in 2012 to ensure the continuous development of the sport. ■ with reports from Philippine Star

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uvic Pagunsan became the first Filipino to win the new Asian Tour Order of Merit at the seasonending Thailand Golf Championship.

Pagunsan topped the rankings with a generous haul of $788,298 with his second-place finish at the $6-million Barclays Singapore Open followed by top-10 finishes at the UBS Hong Kong Open, ISPS and a Singapore Classic and Taiwan Masters. ©Asian Tour

Asian Tour Order of Merit winner and Player’s Player of the of the Year-Juvic Pagunsan.

Despite his struggle earlier this year, his 2nd-place finish in Singapore after losing in the play-off, earned him $666,660, and pushed him to the peak of the money list from 64th position.

With his spectacular victory, Pagunsan’s name will be imprinted alongside past Asian Tour No. 1s including numerous winners with the likes of Thongchai Jaidee and Jeev Milkha Singh, 2010 champion Noh Seung-yul of South Korea, Arjun Atwal of India and Liang Wenchong of China.

The privilege of owning an Order of Merit champion will exempt Pagunsan in the British Open next year and the World Golf Championship-Cadillac Championship in the United States. ■ with reports from Philippine Daily Inquirer

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON SETTLEMENT VISA, SEND AN EMAIL TO asktheexpert@hello-philippines.com

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HELLO PHILIPPINES

Sports

www.hello-philippines.com

January / February 2012 – Monthly Issue • UK & Europe Edition

FOOTBALL: Azkals take on Powerhouse FOOTBALL: Football match for typhoon ‘Sendong’ victims Malaysians on a friendly match

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he Philippine Azkals will encounter another unyielding test as they face reigning Suzuki Cup champion Malaysia in a FIFA-sanctioned friendly match on February 29, 2012 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

The Philippine Azkals hope to get international players in the likes of Europebased standouts Stephan Schrock, Paul Mulders, Dennis Cagara, Jerry Lucena, Ray Jonsson and goalkeepers Neil Etheridge and Roland Muller.

International clubs are allowed to release players for national duty during international friendly dates, February 29 being one of them.

Since 2009, the Malaysian team boasts of winning every major title in Southeast Asian.

The exciting match against Malaysia will be the last test for the

©ADEK BERRY/AFP/Getty Images

The Philippines players Alexander Borromeo (#11), James Younghusband (#7), Ian Araneta (#23), goalkeeper Neil Etheridge (#1), Robert Gier (#2), Anton Del Rosario (#4), Roel Gener (#6), Philip Younghusband (#10), Christoper Greatwich (#18), Ray Jonsson (#27), Jason De Jong (#17).

Azkals before they battle in the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup in Kathmandu, Nepal. The Philippine Azkals was grouped alongside North Korea, Tajikistan and India.

In the FIFA rankings, Malaysians ranked 4 spots higher than the Azkals, with their No. 155 ranking. ■ with reports from Philippine Daily Inquirer

BOXING: Manny Pacquiao celebrated 33rd birthday with a bang

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oxing icon and Congressman Manny Pacquiao had a star-studded 33rd birthday celebration last December 17 at the KCC Mall Convention Center in General Santos City.

There are about two thousand guests that include celebrities, politicians, relatives and buddies in the trade who graced the event in their stunning attire.

Among the celebrities who flew to General Santos for the special event include Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, Manny’s coach Freddie Roach, Puerto Rican boxer Juan Manuel Lopez, retired boxer Gerry Peñalosa, Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis Chavit Singson,

San Juan Cong. JV Ejercito, and General Santos City Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio. Celebrities from show business who were also present are Long David, Bayani Agbayani, Giselle Sanchez and Cesar Montano.

An estimated 5 million pesos was spent for the spectacular event. A brand new car and 2 million pesos were also raffled for the guests.

There were ten lucky guests who won 100,000 pesos each while one lucky guest brought home a brand new car. However, there were some restrictions during the party.

The organizers designated specific entrance gates for the guests that include the VIPs, Pacquiao’s family

BOXING: Nonito Donaire goes for super bantamweight title

and relatives, government employees and media men.

Writers and photographers also had a designated area where they can stay; they were not allowed to roam around the convention center.

There was an area that was cordoned off, where, Pacquiao’s political allies and relatives cannot pass through.

The birthday celebrant also had a chance to sing “Beautiful Girl” with acclaimed singer-composer Jose Marie Chan. The major highlight of the event was when Aling Dionisia, Pacquiao’s mom dedicated a song for her son. ■ with reports from Philippine Daily Inquirer

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he Philippine football team had also joined in raising funds for the victims of Typhoon Sendong. Concerned organizers are finalizing the charity football match involving the Philippine Azkals and selected players of United Football League (UFL) against Spanish third division side CF Madrid on the 7th of January at the Rizal Memorial Stadium. All the proceeds of the football game will be donated to the typhoon victims in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan City. Relief goods from Spain will also be given by the CF Madrid team.

FOOTBALL: Etheridge makes Fulham debut, marks history

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zkals made another history as its goalkeeper Neil Etheridge played for Fulham in a 2-2 draw with Danish club Odense in a UEFA Europa League group stage game in London.

The 21-year-old native from Tarlac emerged as the first Filipino to play for a team in the English

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or the first time, Nonito Donaire Jr. will fight for the super bantamweight title against former champion Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. of Puerto Rico on February 4, 2012 in San Antonio, Texas.

The fight resulted after Jorge Arce of Mexico decided to compete in the bantamweight (118lb) division.

Wilfredo Vazquez took hold of the crown before Arce stole it from him via a 12th round TKO last May 2011.

Before his fight against Vazquez materialized, Donaire expressed his interest to fight Arce or Japanese Toshiaki Nishioka this year, which can possibly take place at the Mall of Asia Stadium, currently under construction.

Two months ago, Donaire defended his WBC and WBO bantamweight titles via a unanimous decision victory over Omar Narvaez of Argentina.

The “Filipino Flash” is looking forward to his four fights next year. ■ with reports from ESPN.com

Players from opposing teams have expressed their intentions to donate memorabilia for auction during the match. Chris Greatwich, United States based player made a proposal to stage the charity football match on Twitter.

Greatwich’s move attracted a huge support from the country’s football stakeholders particularly the UFL and its chair Santi Araneta of the Football Alliance.

For the time being, the Philippine team will end the year at No. 159 in the latest FIFA rankings – 10 spots lower from its year-end ranking last year. ■ with reports from Philippine Daily Inquirer

Premier League – he could also be the first Southeast Asian to achieve the elusive achievement.

Not a single player had achieved the feat that Etheridge bagged. The closest to the Azkals’ goalkeeper exploit was when 3 Thai players signed a trial contract with the Manchester City, but eventually, the deal did not progress.

In an interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Etheridge said that this is a dream come true for him, and had also lifted his confidence several notches higher.

Etheridge’s first game was not a pleasant one as the draw sent Fulham deafening out of the competition.

Azkals’ goalkeeper has a total of 28 appearances for the national team.

According to the BBC sports website, the Filipino-British Azkals ace player was able to get two outstanding saves, and had a steady performance. ■ with reports from Philippine Daily Inquirer

BOXING: Milan Melindo fights Mexican Juan Esquer

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ilan Melindo hopes to maintain his undefeated win-loss record as he goes up against Mexican Juan Esquer in the main bout of the Pinoy Pride 11 that is happening on January 28, 2012 at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Cebu.

A world title fight next year is awaiting the 23-year-old reigning WBO Intercontinental flyweight champion should he win the match against the Mexican boxer.

According to Milan’s trainer Edito

Villamor, the boxer from Cagayan de Oro is very determined to win.

Milan’s camp had also watched the games of Esquer and they were confident that it fits the style of the Pinoy Pride boxer.

With a 25-0 win-loss record with 9 knockouts, Melindo is looking forward to taking on WBA flyweight champion Hernan “Tyson” Marquez, WBC king Pongsaklek Wonjongkam and Filipino-Hawaiian Brian Viloria. ■ with reports from Philippine Daily Inquirer

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