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JOEY DE LEON ENJOYS SITCOM

RETURN WITH ‘ONE OF THE BOYS’

Joey de Leon talks to media during the ‘One of the Boys’ press launch. Photo by Connie Tungul ©InterAksyon.

IT had been quite a long time since Joey de Leon starred on a sitcom that it took a while for the iconic comedian and TV host to recall the last time he did one. “I think it was ‘Kiss Muna’ for GMA. More than 10 years ago pa yun,” he told the entertainment media during the press launch of “One of the Boys” last Tuesday. On TV5’s newest weekend primetime sitcom, Joey plays Daddy Jerry or simply DJ, a former London-based OFW who has decided to return home and run an automotive shop. A single dad to three children, including only daughter Gabriella or “Gabi” (Eula Caballero), he is also regarded as a father figure by his small group of workers (Juan Direction, Benjo Leoncio, Empoy Marquez) dubbed as the “talyer boys”. Asked why it took him this long to do a sitcom again, Joey replied: “Honestly, ayoko na sanang gumawa ng sitcom dahil mahabang oras ang kinakain. Kung napansin nyo, puro mga gag shows na lang ang ginagawa ko.” However, he admitted that he did miss doing sitcoms along with the camaraderie that goes with the family atmosphere of cast and crew during tapings. Joey was convinced to accept “One of the Boys” and the veteran funnyman confessed that

he was having a blast. “Medyo nanganay nung simula pero nung tumagal na, bumibilis na ang pacing namin. Enjoy ako dito. May outlet ako,” he said. TV5 production unit head JoAnn Bañaga attributed to Joey the undeniable chemistry between the mixed cast of veterans and newcomers on the show. “You will see that the whole cast really clicks, and this is mainly because of Joey de Leon. For these younger actors, every taping is like a priceless crash course to acting and comedy with Joey, and they really do enjoy and cherish it. Ultimately, Joey is the anchor of ‘One of the Boys’, and you can really tell that in more ways than one, he is the father of this whole cast,” Bañaga pointed out. Eula Caballero recalled that everyone in the cast was nervous on their first day of taping. “We were reading the script and trying to memorize our lines and internalize our characters. Pero nung dumating si Tito Joey, ang sabi niya sa amin, ‘Ibaba nyo yang script niyo. Laruin lang natin ito. Let’s just enjoy doing this’,” she shared. Joey also noted that “One of the Boys” is only the third time that he’s playing a father in a sitcom. Back in the ’80s, he played dad to a very young Ian Veneracion in “Joey and

Joey de Leon (fourth from right) with the other cast members of the new TV5 sitcom ‘One of the Boys’.

Son” then in “Kiss Muna”, he had another TV son in Rayver Cruz. “First time kong magkaanak ng babae dito sa ‘One of the Boys’. Wala nga lang balbas si Eula gaya ni Ian at abs na gaya ni Rayver,” Joey cracked. Asked how he would rank Eula as a comedienne on a scale of 1 to 10. Joey was quick to say that the TV Princess would merit an 8 in his book as far as making people laugh is concerned. “Puwede na sa 8. Magaling, magaling talagang magpatawa ang batang yan,” he declared. Aside from the father and daughter relationship between Joey and Eula, another highlight of the show is the chemistry between Joey and Empoy which some members of the press have already compared to Joey’s winning tandem with the late Rene Requiestas. “Magkaiba naman sina Empoy

at Rene. Si Rene kasi, hindi naman talaga komedyante, nagsimula sa pagiging stage actor kaya napakagaling mag-deliver ng linya. Pero after the shooting, seryosong tao na yan. Hindi nagbibiro at tahimik lang sa isang tabi. Si Empoy naman, mas natural na komedyante. Yan kahit off the set, nagpapatawa at palabiro pa rin,” he stressed. Asked about the secret of his own longevity in the business, Joey sums it up in four letters T-I-T-E. “Ibig sabihin po niyan, trabaho, ipon, travel, enjoy, TITE,” Joey cracked while referring to his inclination to travel around the world whenever his schedule permits. Directed by Robert Quebral and also starring Nadine Samonte, BJ Forbes and Jayson, “One of the Boys” premieres this Saturday, May 3 at 9PM on TV5. ■ Edwin P. Sallan / InterAksyon.com / May 1, 2014 / 10:56 AM

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NEWS

May 2014 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

Vice President Binay pays tribute to Filam Doctor slain in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Vice President Jejomar C. Binay today paid tribute to a Filipino-American doctor who was among three Americans killed in Afghanistan last week, the Philippine Embassy said. The Vice President conveyed his sympathy to the family of Dr. Jerry Umanos in a telephone conversation with the slain pediatrician’s 88-yearold father, shortly after he arrived in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday. “On behalf of our kababayans back home in the Philippines and here in the United States, I would like to extend my profound condolences to your family over

the loss of your son,” the Vice President told Romeo Umanos. “Please comfort yourself with the thought that Dr. Umanos died doing what he loved best—to help improve the lives of the less fortunate,” the Vice President said. Mr. Umanos expressed his deep appreciation to both the Vice President and Ambassador to the United States Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. for reaching out to the family. “I am deeply touched and honored especially since our family has always been proud of our Filipino heritage,” said Umanos, a Florida resident who was originally from Agoo, La Union.

Mr. Umanos said the remains of the 58-year-old doctor, who was shot and killed after a security guard opened fire on him and two other Americans at a hospital run by a Christian charity in Afghanistan, will arrive in Chicago on Thursday. Vice President Binay is in the US capital to keynote the Banyan Tree Leadership Forum at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a prestigious Washington-based think-tank. His visit comes in the wake of the successful trip to the Philippines early this week of US President Barack Obama. “In addition to Philippine-US relations,

Vice President Binay is also expected to share the good news about the Philippines, particularly its economic transformation under the leadership of President Benigno S. Aquino III, as well as share his views on a number of issues,” according to Ambassador Cuisia. Aside from his CSIS engagement, the Vice President will also be meeting with business leaders and executives from top American corporations and will participate in roundtable discussions with the US-Philippines Society and the US-ASEAN Business Council. ■ Philippine

Embassy USA / April 30, 2014

Vice President Jejomar C. Binay ©InterAksyon

Number of poor Filipinos declines amid brisk economic growth, gov’t social spending MANILA – The number of poor Filipinos dropped amid the scorching economic growth in the first half of last year, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said today. Citing a Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) report, NEDA said poverty incidence slipped to 24.9 percent in the first six months of 2013 from 27.9 percent in the same period of 2012. Viewed in terms of the number of

households, the poverty rate also fell to 19.1 percent from 22.3 percent over the same period. “The remarkable improvement in the poverty incidence in the first half of 2013 is evidence that the Philippine’s development strategies are heading in the direction of inclusive growth,” Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said in a statement. “Sustaining rapid economic

growth while maintaining a sound macroeconomic environment has proven to be effective in reducing poverty,” he said, adding that the first-half improvement may mark “the beginning of an appreciable downward trend in poverty incidence.” The poverty figures were based on the Annual Poverty Indicator Survey (APIS), a departure from the previous practice of using the results of the Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES), which was done every three years. Besides the reduction in the poverty figures, the subsistence incidence – this measure the number of extremely poor Filipino families or individuals who cannot afford to meet their basic food requirements – likewise declined to 7.7 percent last year from 10.7 percent in 2012. “This is the first time that subsistence incidence was reduced to single-digit levels,” said Balisacan, who is also NEDA director-general.

The same PSA report also shows that per capita family incomes for the three lowest income groups increased yearon-year by 12.3 percent, 8.4 percent and 8.4 percent, respectively. “The faster growth of poor households’ income compared with the slower increase of basic commodity prices implies a robust increase in real incomes of the poor, which played a significant role in reducing poverty during the period,” Balisacan said. Apart from the country’s economic growth, NEDA also ascribed the improving poverty figures to the government’s social spending, including the expansion of the Pantawid Pamily Program, which is the Philippine version of the World Bank-supported conditional cash transfer (CCT) scheme. Starting 2012, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, which implements the CCT, tied in that program with two others – the KALAHI-CIDSS and the Sustainable Livelihood Program –

such that these three interventions now have the same family-beneficiaries. “These three major programs provide support and capacity-building at the levels of both families and communities, and therefore address the major constraints faced by the poor, such as inadequate community infrastructure, lack of finance capital and low quality of human capital,” said Balisacan. “The government should continue to undertake the necessary measures to sustain high economic growth and efficiently implement spatially and sectorfocused economic and social programs as laid out in the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) Midterm Update. There is also the urgency of speeding up recovery and reconstruction efforts in disaster-affected areas to ensure that the gains in poverty reduction are sustained,” said Balisacan. Under the updated PDP, the government aims to bring down poverty incidence to between 18-20 percent by 2016. ■ InterAksyon.com / April 29, 2014 9:24 AM

White House report embraces ‘big data,’ privacy rules

A study ordered by US President Barack Obama and released Thursday concludes that analysis of “big data” can help society in many ways, from improving health care to spurring economic growth. But the report also said the vast expansion of computer analytics of large data banks creates new threats to privacy, and recommended updated rules and laws to protect stored information. “The big data revolution presents incredible opportunities in virtually every sector of the economy and every corner of society,” said John Podesta, a former White House chief of staff who led the Big Data

and Privacy Working Group. Podesta, in a blog post accompanying the report, said “big data is saving lives” by helping analyze trends in disease, infection and caring for babies born prematurely, among other things. He added that “big data is making the economy work better,” for example, by using data from sensors to determine when maintenance is needed for planes and trucks, to manage peak utility demand and avert outages. The same analytics are being used to make government more efficient and help crack down on fraud in health care.

The report said big data can help the military as well, and cited a project that allowed researchers to more easily locate and destroy improvised explosive devices in Afghanistan. But Podesta said privacy can be a victim of big data and the task force said a range of regulations need to be revisited. The task force urged passage of a socalled “consumer privacy bill of rights,” and also said privacy protections should be extended to non-US nationals because of the ability to sweep up data globally. The report said the privacy protections of electronic communications should be “consistent with that afforded in the

physical world,” making it more difficult for government to snoop on email. Civil liberties and digital rights groups immediately hailed the privacy recommendations in the report. “The most important takeaway is that our privacy really does matter when it comes to big data,” said Nuala O’Connor, president of the Center for Democracy and Technology. O’Connor said that while big data offers the potential for innovative services, “the government should have to get a warrant to access our email and other personal information stored digitally.”

Christopher Calabrese at the American Civil Liberties Union, said: “Everyone who cares about their privacy should be glad that the president’s review group recommends updating (privacy law) to protect Americans’ communications.” John Simpson at the activist group Consumer Watchdog said he was pleasantly surprised by the recommendations. “I expected the White House team to focus on the benefits of big data and gloss over the very real threats to privacy and liberty it poses,” said Simpson. “Instead they clearly spelled out the dangers.” ■ Rob Lever / AFP News / May 02, 2014

PH stock market gains a third day ahead of key US jobs report MANILA – Philippine share prices on Friday rolled to their third straight day of gains, ignoring Wall Street’s rut ahead of the release of the key US monthly jobs report. At the Philippine Stock Exchange, the benchmark index rose 35.06 points, or 0.52 percent, to finish at 6,742.97. Today’s advance extended the local barometer’s weekly gain to 0.87 percent. All counters finished in the green with the mining and oil index leading the charge with a gain of 2.27 percent. Advancers led decliners, 112 to 64, while 37 issues were unchanged. Value turnover weakened to P6.54 billion from

P10.31 billion last Wednesday, as 1.64 billion shares changed hands. Most actively traded stocks were SM Prime, BDO, Alliance Global, SM Investments and Ayala Land. Top gainers were Dizon Copper, Globalport 900 and Manila Mining, while the biggest losers were ATN Holdings, Millennium Global and First Gen. Overnight, US stocks barely moved as data showed the number of Americans applying for jobless benefits unexpectedly rose to a nine-week high before the government’s monthly labor report. Consumer spending surged in March

by the most in almost five years, while the Institute for Supply Management’s factory index improved to 54.9 in April from 53.7 in the prior month. Readings above 50 indicate an expansion. The S&P 500 index dipped less than a point to 1,883.68, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 21.97 points to 16,558.87. The Federal Reserve cut its monthly asset purchases by another $10 billion to $45 billion as the world’s largest economy showed signs of recovery from a weather-induced weakness in the first quarter. ■ Krista Angela M. Montealegre /

InterAksyon.com / May 2, 2014 / 4:01 PM

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BUSINESS & FINANCE

May 2014 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

Absence of one-time gain pulls down Philex’s 1Q net income

MANILA – First-quarter profit at Philex Mining Corp dipped by nearly a third in the absence of one-time gains registered a year ago.

In a report, Philex said its net income for the January to March period dropped by 34 percent to P267.4 million from P403.3 million in the same three months of 2013.

Last year, the company received insurance claims amounting to P1 billion for the Padcal copper-gold mine tailings spill. Removing one-off items, Philex more than doubled its core net income to P278.4 million from P132.4 million last year. Located in Benguet, operations at the Padcal were suspended in 2012 due to an accidental spill of tailings at the height of torrential rains. The company was able to operate the Padcal for the entire first quarter this year compared with only a month in the same period last year, resulting in improvements in its top line. Revenues surged 328 percent to P2.9 billion this year from P889.3 million in 2013. Total tons milled reached 2,396,077, equivalent to an average daily throughput of 26,623 tons, which is four percent better than the 25,492 daily average in 2013

when milling yielded 611,801 tons. The company’s gold production rose almost two-and-a-half times to 26,442 ounces from a year ago. Gold revenue surged 227 percent to P1.6 billion, despite realized prices for gold falling to $1,371 per ounce from last year’s $1,595. Similarly, copper produced almost quadrupled to 9,468,009 pounds, corresponding to a 246-percent increase in revenue to P1.2 billion, even as realized prices for copper dropped to $2.85 per pound from last year’s $3.42. Combined revenues from the company’s silver, coal, and petroleum production more than doubled to P124.4 million from last year’s P55.3 million, with the petroleum volume increase mainly due to the higher production at the Galoc oil field. “We are glad to be starting the year on a positive note, and looking forward

to operate finally the Padcal mine for the full 12 months in 2014, after two successive years of partial operations. Our rehabilitation initiatives at Padcal affirm our strong commitment to ensure the maximum safety of all our people, and facilities and full compliance with all the applicable laws governing our operations,” said Philex president Eulalio B. Austin Jr. “Furthermore, we believe the company has completed all the remedial measures and investments required to improve the water management system at Padcal and last year, these new facilities were commissioned. The construction of the third and final chute is also currently underway and will be completed by July 1,” he said. InterAksyon.com is the online news portal of TV5, which like Philex is chaired by Manuel V. Pangilinan. ■ Euan Paulo C.

The survey also noted a net tightening of overall credit standards was noted for commercial real estate loans for the seventh consecutive quarter in the first quarter. This was attributed to stricter oversight of banks’ real estate exposure along with banks’ reduced tolerance for risk. Respondent banks reported wider loan margins, reduced credit line sizes, stricter collateral requirements and loan covenants, and lower loan-to-value ratios for commercial real estate loans. A number of banks, however, indicated

increased demand for the said type of loan on the back of improved economic outlook of borrowers, more attractive financing terms of banks, and lower interest rates. For the next quarter, most of the respondent banks expect to maintain their credit standards for commercial real estate loans. A number of banks are of the view that demand for commercial real estate loans will continue to increase in the next quarter.

Añonuevo / InterAksyon.com / May 1, 2014 / 8:35 PM

Banks tighten loan standards for households

MANILA – Banks are getting stingier when it comes to lending to households, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). Based on its latest Senior Bank Loan Officers’ Survey, the BSP said the diffusion index for lending to households climbed to 10 percent, indicating a net tightening of credit. In contrast, the index for corporate lending registered a -3.7 percent, pointing to a net easing in credit standards. “Lending obviously is growing quite at a heavy pace, at quite a fast clip although we characterize lending as financial deepening. Something that is really meant to lubricate the growth needs of the economy. So by no means, this is something that is feeding, say speculative pressures or non-productive activities,” BSP Assistant Governor Cyd Tuano-Amador said. “But at the same time when you’re seeing the level of lending or credit growing at a fast clip then also you would re-asses your credit standards. And by the way this is only a small net, that’s why I said a small, a slight net tightening,” she said. The BSP has been conducting the survey since first quarter of 2009 to enhance its

understanding of banks’ lending behavior, which is an important indicator of the strength of credit activity in the country. The survey also helps the BSP assess the robustness of demand conditions, potential risks in the asset markets, and possible strains in bank lending as a transmission channel of its monetary policy. Banks that indicated an easing of overall credit standards pointed to a more favorable outlook on the domestic economy and certain industries, which include manufacturing, real estate, renting and business services, and wholesale and retail trade. Respondent banks also cited the improved profitability of their asset portfolios and increased tolerance for risk as key reasons for easing their credit standards. Their responses indicated increased credit line sizes, longer loan maturities, and reduced use of interest rate floors – that is except for microenterprises. By borrower firm size, overall credit standards for top corporations were unchanged for the third consecutive quarter. Overall credit standards for large middlemarket enterprises and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) showed a net tightening

for the third consecutive quarter, while credit standards for microenterprises appeared to have eased after six consecutive quarters of net tightening. For the next quarter, most of the respondent banks still expect credit standards for loans to enterprises to remain unchanged.. Meanwhile, a net tightening of overall credit standards showed for household loans owing to banks’ reduced tolerance for risk and stricter financial system regulations. Survey responses indicated stricter collateral requirements for housing loans and reduced credit line sizes for auto loans. Looking ahead, most of the respondent banks expect unchanged loan demand for loans to firms and households over the next quarter. The net increase in demand for enterprise loans was attributed to higher inventory and accounts receivable financing needs, increased working capital needs of borrower firms, and lower interest rates. For loans to households, banks’ more attractive financing terms and higher household consumption were cited as key factors behind the expected increase in loan demand.

■ Maricel E. Burgonio / InterAksyon.com / April 28, 2014

/ 11:55 PM

DOTC to change bid terms for Metro Manila south transport hub

MANILA – Prospective bidders for the land transportation hub in the south of Metro Manila have raised several issues about the project that would require sending it back to President Benigno Aquino III for approval, according to an official of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC). “In view of the commercial and technical matters raised by the prospective bidders during the second round meetings, the DOTC has proposed certain changes to be made on the terms of the project,” Transport Undersecretary Jose Perpetuo M. Lotilla, who chairs the Special Bids and Awards Committee (SBAC), said in a bid bulletin. These changes, however, will have to be approved by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) board, which the President chairs, Lotilla said.

“The SBAC shall issue another bid bulletin as soon as such approval is obtained from the NEDA Board,” Lotilla said. Sought for comment, DOTC spokesperson Michael Arthur Sagcal said

the project’s bid parameter is among the proposed changes. “We hope to get approval from NEDA Board within the month of May, in time to revise the concession agreement so as not

The Metro Manila south terminal will be within walking distance of Cavitex shown here. Photo from cavitedailyphotos.blogspot.com

to affect the bid submission deadline on June 16,” Sagcal said. The DOTC earlier identified the following companies as interested in the project: Ayala Corp, Filinvest Land Inc, Megawide Corp, Ayala Land Inc, D.M. Wenceslao & Associates Inc, Egis Projects Philippines, Metro Pacific Tollways Corp, Robinsons Land Corp, San Miguel Corp, Vicente T. Lao Construction, Washington Sycip-led State Properties Corp and Expedition Construction Corp. The P2.5 billion Integrated Transport System (ITS) – Southwest Terminal Project involves the finance, design, construction, operation and maintenance of a central transport terminal for 35 years. The terminal, which should accommodate all modes of land transport, will be located at the southwestern part of Metro Manila, near the Manila-Cavite Expressway (Cavitex).

To be built on a 2.9-hectare area, the ITS-Southwest Terminal will connect passengers coming from Cavite to other urban transport systems, such as city buses, taxis and other public utility vehicles that serve the inner Metro Manila, as well as the future Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT 1) South Extension. The ITS-Southwest project will include a passenger terminal building, arrival and departure bays, public information systems, ticketing and baggage handling facilities and park-ride facilities. The DOTC said it will use a single-stage process for soliciting bids, as provided in the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) The ITS-Southwest Terminal is one of the Aquino administration’s publicprivate partnership (PPP) projects. ■

Darwin G. Amojelar / InterAksyon.com / May 1, 2014 / 11:25 PM

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BUSINESS & FINANCE

May 2014 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

DoubleDragon building maiden Metro Manila mall in Divisoria

DoubleDragon’s Tony Tan Caktiong (left) and Ed Sia (2nd from left) during IPO.

MANILA – The real estate joint venture between the founders of Jollibee and Mang Inasal is building a shopping mall in Divisoria, Manila that will open in time for the Christmas holiday shopping rush. In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, DoubleDragon Properties Corp said the company entered into a memorandum of agreement to purchase a 5,972 square meter property located at C.M. Recto corner Dagupan streets from Equitable Development Corp and Menlo Capital Group. The real estate firm plans to begin the construction of the project next month and complete the shopping mall that will be named Dragon Shopping Center by September. Envisioned to be the gateway to

Divisoria, Dragon Shopping Center will be one of the most moderntiangge shopping malls in the area, housing several retail shops, a food court, 1,099 tiangge stalls and almost 500 parking slots. “Through this project, the company will take advantage of the shortage of supply of tiangge malls in the vicinity due to the suspended operations of a major tiangge shopping mall in the area brought about by a fire incident last year,” DoubleDragon said. The company is beefing up its portfolio of developmental and recurring income-generating projects to generate a net income of P1 billion by 2016 and P4.8 billion by 2020, making it one of the largest property developers in the country.

DoubleDragon is building a hundred community malls under the brand CityMalls, mostly in the Visayas and Mindanao. Last month, the real estate firm partnered with the Lim family to construct two CityMalls in Zamboanga. The company raised P1.16 billion from an initial public offering at the start of the year to finance the development of the first five CityMalls, acquisition of land and predevelopment work for near-term projects and general working capital purposes. DoubleDragon is a 50-50 joint venture between Injap Investments Inc and Honeystar Holdings Corp. Jollibee founder Tony Tan Caktiong owns Honeystar, while Mang Inasal founder Edgar “Injap” Sia II owns Injap Investments. ■ Krista Angela M. Montealegre / InterAksyon.com / May 2, 2014 / 2:08 PM

Infographic: PH to remain robust until 2015 as Asia remains most dynamic region MANILA - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said the Philippines would continue to enjoy robust growth until next year, albeit at a slower pace than in 2013, as Asia remains the most dynamic region in the world. In its latest regional outlook, the IMF said the Philippine economy would expand by 6.5 percent this year until 2015, which is slower than last year’s 7.2 percent. The Philippines and Malaysia are the two countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) with rosy prospects for the two-year period. The Philippines, which suffered from the devastation of Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ in the fourth quarter last year, was able to keep its economy intact. “But food price pressures have created risks to monetary policy, and the

peso depreciation could also impact core inflation, especially if domestic demand stays strong. Official goals of rapid and inclusive growth will likely provide a boost to growth as infrastructure spending is ramped up in a context where the near-term fiscal deficit target remains manageable,” IMF said. As for the rest of the region, growth would remain uneven given the higher real interest rates plaguing Indonesia and the political tensions in Thailand dragging their respective economies. “Policy developments in Asean-5 have been partly responsible for the divergent growth dynamics, and other cyclical factors will continue to play an important role going forward,” IMF said. Asean-5 refers to Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

For the entire Asia, the Washingtonbased lender sees the region would still enjoy steady economic expansion at 5.5 percent with the help of stronger growth in the more advanced economies, healthy labor markets and robust credit growth. “Asia is also facing various risks originating from within the region. These include a sharper-than-envisaged slowdown and financial sector vulnerabilities in China, less effective Abenomics, and political tensions and uncertainty,” IMF said. Abenomics pertain to the package of reforms put in place by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to lift the world’s third largest economy out of its rut. ■ Likha Cuevas-Miel / InterAksyon.com / April 29, 2014 / 9:35 AM

Son of Asia’s richest man brings insurance business to the Philippines

MANILA - The insurance arm of Hong Kong-based Pacific Century Group has ventured into the Philippines. FWD Life Insurance Corp is the first foreign company granted a license by the Insurance Commission in the last 10 years. The permit comes after the insurer put up the P1 billion capital that the government requires. On top of that, FWD is spending P300 million for its operational expenses, having hired 40 so far for its Philippine venture. Pacific Century Group is the private investment firm of Richard Li, son of Asia’s richest man, Li Ka-Shing. “We are honored to be announcing FWD’s entry into the Philippines as we continue to forge ahead with our regional expansion plans,” FWD chairman Ronald Arculli said during a press briefing today.

Pacific Century Group owner Richard Li is the son of Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-Shing, who is Asia’s richest man. Photo from nytimes.com

“The Philippines is an attractive market for insurance with a rising middle class and increasing disposable incomes. In this steadily growing economy with improved governance, insurance has low penetration, and we see vast opportunities to contribute to

the country’s growth, providing financial security to the people,” he said. Arculli said FWD has set an “ambitious target” of joining the country’s top five insurers in three years, adding that its products would be launched later this year. “FWD is investing heavily in technology to support the delivery of our products and customer servicing, including continuing the rollout of the innovative paperless sales platform that FWD Indonesia pioneered earlier this year,” FWD chief executive Huynh Thanh Phong said. ¨FWD chief partnership distribution officer Peter Grimes said the Philippine unit has a staff of 40.” ”By the end of the year, we plan to have approximately 100 staff on board,” he said. ■ Rain Castro / InterAksyon.com / April 29,

2014 / 10:56 PM

MRT announces express train service, then takes it back

MANILA - A day after announcing it was fielding an express train to address congestion, the management of Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT 3) recalled its decision. “Experimental implementation of express train schedule is on hold. Please wait for further notice,” MRT 3 management said in its official twitter account. Sought for comment, MRT 3 general manager Al Vitangcol said the agency

suspended the implementation because it is still refining the details. “We also received some good suggestions from some passengers and we are studying if we can incorporate them,” Vitangcol said. Train stops for code 1 of the express service are Taft, Magallanes, Cubao, Kamuning, Quezon Avenue and North Avenue stations. For code N2, the train stops are the

Taft, Ayala, Cubao, Kamuning, Quezon Ave and North Avenue stations. For code N3, the train stops are Taft, Buendia, Cubao, Kamuning, Quezon Avenue and North Avenue stations. In an advisory yesterday, the MRT-3 management said the express train would be dispatched during peak hours from Monday to Friday. However there would be no express train during holidays. Ridership at the MRT 3 has exceeded its

300,000 capacity. The government already bid out the contract to add new trains, awarding the same to a Chinese company. Dellivery of the new trains is expected by next year. Complicating the planned expansion of the service is a corruption complaint lodged by the Czech Embassy at the instance of a company that earlier expressed interest to bid for the project. ■ Darwin G. Amojelar /

InterAksyon.com / April 28, 2014 / 8:03 PM

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IMMIGRATION / OFNEWS

May 2014 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

Embassy labor officer accused of sex-for-flight in Kuwait rehired ACCUSED of misconduct, including sexual harassment, three Philippine contractual labor officers based in Kuwait have had their contracts renewed by the government, keeping them in close contact with OFWs needing government services. One of them has been accused of pressuring an OFW to accept a “sex-forflight” deal, or offering to facilitate a return flight to the Philippines for a female OFW in exchange for sexual favors. Their superiors, however, have stressed that the three, all Filipino citizens but longterm “local hires” in Kuwait, no longer have access to female OFWs. The three men have been identified by the government’s Kuwait Anti-Trafficking Task Force as Case Officers Joselito Atienza, Omar Khalil, and Saleh “Casley” Watamama. All of them are staff members under the Philippine Overseas Labor Office/ Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (POLO/OWWA) of the Department of Overseas Labor and Employment (DOLE). Watamama has been accused of making a “sex-for-flight offer” to one of the complainants. In addition to asking her out on a date in exchange for a plane ticket back to the Philippines, one of the complainants alleged that Watamama placed her hands on her hips, pinched her hips, and tried to pull her closer to him. He is also accused of taking a Filipino “ward” – an OFW who ran away from her

employer – out of an embassy shelter and facilitating her illegal employment in a household in Kuwait, where she was made to sexually service a Filipino employer. Atienza was accused of misconduct and failure to assist an abused OFW in Kuwait, while Khalil was charged with graft and misconduct because he tried to convince a victim to settle her case out of court as he allegedly pointed out to her, “no OFW wins a case in Kuwait.” Blatant disregard of OFW rights. The “sex-for-flight” scheme first erupted in Philippine media as part of revelations by Rep. Walden Bello in June of 2013 that involved Philippine officials in other embassies in the Middle East. Assistant Secretary Lila Ramos Shahani of the Human Development and Poverty Reduction Cabinet Cluster, under the Office of the President, told GMA News Online that she had earlier informed her superiors there is ample evidence to suggest such activities had been taking place since the mid-1990s. Despite her report, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has concluded that Watamama’s actions merely constitute the light and bailable offense of “unjust vexation.” “The blatant disregard of OFW rights by several national government agencies has become a source of increasing alarm and concern for this office,” added Shahani, who was the first government official to

bring the issue of abuses in Kuwait to her superiors. Easier to investigate them? Watamama, Atienza, and Khalil were among the alleged abusers identified in an initial fact-finding report from the DOJ’s Kuwait Anti-Trafficking Task Force, created in September last year. Several other embassy-based personnel who have been accused were recalled to the home office to face charges, but the three men remained in Kuwait. They have even retained the same positions despite a January 17, 2014 memorandum from Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz ordering the non-renewal of all POLO-OWWA local hires in Kuwait. In March, or two months after the order from Baldoz, labor attaché Cesar Chavez issued a memo retaining the three men. He told GMA News Online in a phone interview from Kuwait that doing so would make it easier to investigate them. “It was the collective decision of the Department of Foreign Affairs and the DOLE to hold on to those implicated in the sex-for-flight controversy, because we are expecting the Department of Justice to conduct a preliminary investigation on the matter,” Chavez explained in a memo justifying the contract renewal. In an interview, Chavez warned that the Philippine government would lose jurisdiction over the three staff members if their contracts were not extended. “Mawawalan na tayo ng authority over them and authority to require them to submit documents,” he said. Chavez gave assurances, however, that the three local hires are no longer allowed to interact with female OFWs under the embassy’s custody. “Female officers take care of female wards and gender sensitive programs are now in place,” he said, citing examples of new measures put in place to protect OFWs in Kuwait. He added that the three local hires may be subpoenaed for the investigation in Manila. “Since they are still hired, it will be very easy for us to let them appear in the investigation and for them to submit their pleadings,” Chavez said. He added: “If they refuse to appear in the

investigation and just disappear, it would be an indication of guilt.” Baldoz turn-around? Contacted by GMA News Online, Baldoz supported the retention of the three accused, despite her earlier memo ordering the non-renewal of local hires’ contracts. “That would make the three readily available if ever they will be needed in the investigation,” Baldoz said in a separate phone interview. “Maganda na rin iyong ni-retain sila kasi if ever may mangyari sa kanila, pananagutan sila ng labor attaché doon. So responsibilidad sila ni Labor Attaché Chavez,” said. However, she acknowledged that the government would be helpless in case the three local hires resign from their jobs and decide to flee Kuwait altogether. “Wala na kaming magagawa doon kung gumawa sila ng mga ganoong personal na desisyon,” Baldoz said. But lawyer Ahmed Paglinawan argued that “the application of criminal laws in general are territorial.” He pointed out that the three men cannot be charged and tried in court if they are outside the Philippines. “And even if charged, the cases will have difficulty in prospering if the accused are not physically in the Philippines,” Paglinawan told GMA News Online. Bello: Cancel their passsports. Rep. Bello, who chairs the House committee on overseas workers affairs, is calling for stronger measures and wants the three sent back to the Philippines to face investigation. “Moreover, their passports should be cancelled by the DFA so they cannot flee to a third country,” the lawmaker told GMA News Online in an e-mail interview. “My sense is that the DOLE leadership wants to protect the accused Kuwait personnel from effective administrative and criminal prosecution by keeping them in Kuwait,” Bello added. In response, labor attaché Chavez said the three men will be sent home if they are summoned: “Of course, we will allow that.” When the DOJ Task Force released its findings last year, Chavez had issued a statement denying the allegations. “There are no sex-related activities at

Post perpetrated by POLO personnel or anyone else under my stewardship,” he said. “The Embassy and the POLO under a new team of officials are doing well in combating trafficking and abuses against OFWs.” Abuse of OFWs in Kuwait. The Philippine Embassy in Kuwait has long been seen as a hotbed of abuse of OFWs. Ibrahim Daligdig Tanandato, head of the Assistance to Nationals unit at the embassy, was recalled in March 2013. According to the DOJ task force, he violated the AntiTrafficking in Persons Act of 2003 and the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012 as well as the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees. Tanandato is the highest ranking official so far to be recommended for charges, despite repeated accusations by several complainants in their affidavits that some of his embassy superiors were also guilty of wrongdoing. In its initial report last year, the antitrafficking task force urged the DOJ to conduct a preliminary investigation of the embassy officials and staff in Kuwait. Complainants have told the task force that a government official hired them to work as domestic helpers—with a monthly salary of 50 Kuwaiti dinars or around P7,900—without proper documentation from OWWA. The government official then supposedly “took advantage of one of the victims by deceiving her that her back wages have not been paid yet by her previous lawyers,” the report said. The task force recommended charges against lawyers Khaled Almas and Ayied Al-Subaie – who were hired to represent the embassy – as well as translator Muamar Mamosion for demanding money from the complainants. The anti-trafficking panel said recruiters Mariam Macapudi and Dolores Suarez should also be charged for violating the Migrants Workers Act of 1995. To date, despite two official DOJ reports on alleged abuses in Kuwait, not a single charge has been filed against any of the accused. ■ Mark Merueñas / HS/YA, GMA News /

May 1, 2014 / 6:44 PM

All Pinoys infected with MERS in Saudi Arabia in stable condition –Ona Illegal immigrants in California may apply for driver’s license starting 2015 THE six Filipino medical personnel in Saudi Arabia who have contracted the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus are all in stable condition, Health Secretary Enrique Ona said Thursday. “Latest information—they are all fine,” Ona said in a text message sent to GMA News Online. According to the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health, three female nurses and one male nurse from the Philippines working at Prince Fahad bin Sultan Private Hospital in Tabuk tested positive for MERS coronavirus. All of them have been in contact with a confirmed case but have not developed any symptoms. The female nurses are aged 24, 26 and 46 while the male nurse is 37 years old. No other details about them were released. In Jeddah, a 42-year-old Filipino female nurse developed respiratory symptoms on April 20. She was admitted to the Military Hospital in Jeddah two days after.

Meanwhile, a 54-year-old Filipino female nurse working at King Fahad Hospital developed respiratory symptoms on April 24. The two are now in stable condition. Saudi health authorities announced Tuesday three new deaths from the MERS coronavirus, bringing to 105 the total deaths since the disease appeared in the kingdom in September 2012. Three men—aged 56, 61, and 79—died of MERS in Riyadh, the health ministry said. At the same time, the ministry said six new infections have raised the total number of cases diagnosed to 345. MERS-CoV is a communicable disease that may be passed on to others through close contact with a positive carrier. It has an incubation period of 10 to 14 days and symptoms may include fever, coughing, sneezing, and runny nose for two weeks after exposure. ■ Amita O. Legaspi / KG, GMA News / May 1, 2014 / 3:51 PM

STARTING next year, illegal immigrants in California may apply for a driver’s license. More than 1.4 million illegal immigrants in California are expected to head for the five Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) centers starting Jan. 1, 2015 to apply, according to a report on Orange County Register. While some undocumented immigrants have raised concerns that the documentation may be used to deport them, local authorities clarified that the information may be used only if court orders require it. Meanwhile, various authorities are launching test preparation classes to help the affected immigrants prepare for the exams that they have to pass. An Associated Press report said a local Mexican consulate organized monthly test preparation classes, while California’s DMV created audio materials in foreign languages to help administer the test.

DMV officers are also warning illegal residents to beware of scammers who may take advantage of their needs. Naples News reported a recent arrest of a man who sold fake IDs and stole money from undocumented immigrants desperate for a driver’s license. Before his arrest, the man was able to steal a total of $1,700 and seven passports, valued at $101 each.

According to the Migration Policy Institute, Filipino immigrants account for five percent of the US immigrant population in 2012. Out of these, 811,900 or 45 percent were recorded in 2011 to reside in the state of California, with the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area playing host to 288,400 immigrants in the same year. ■ Rie Takumi / KBK, GMA News / May 2, 2014 / 1:34 PM

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INTERNATIONAL / GLOBAL NEWS

May 2014 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

Chinese MH370 relatives ‘forced to leave hotel’ RELATIVES of passengers aboard missing Malaysia Airlines flight 370 were leaving their Beijing hotel on Friday, a day after the airline said it would stop providing them with accommodation. “I’m very angry,” said Steven Wang, whose mother was on the flight, adding: “Malaysia Airlines have suddenly told us to leave.” “They should have at least given us an adjustment period for us to make preparations and collect our things,” said Wang, who himself lives in Beijing and has emerged as a spokesman for the relatives. There was a heavy police presence at the Lido Hotel in Beijing Friday, with dozens of uniformed officers inside, following previous chaotic clashes between angry family members and Malaysia Airlines staff. The airline has provided the service for relatives in Malaysia and China— where they have suffered an agonising wait for news since the flight mysteriously disappeared on March 8. The carrier announced late Thursday in a statement that it was ending all hotel accommodation for passenger relatives

by next Wednesday, but several staying in Beijing said they had been told to leave even sooner. In the statement, the airline said it was advising families “to receive information updates on the progress of the search and investigation and other support by Malaysia Airlines within the comfort of their own homes”. Malaysia’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Hamzah Zainuddin told reporters in Kuala Lumpur on Friday that the time had come for relatives to return home. The airline “has been supporting these family members in Beijing for the last 55 days”, he said. “That’s the reason I think it’s about time for us to actually accept the reality that the family members should go back and wait for the answer in their hometowns.” ‘I’m looking for a lawyer’. Relatives’ tempers have repeatedly flared throughout the ordeal of the missing plane, particularly at the Lido, where Chinese families have lashed out at officials from the Malaysian government and the airline over their inability to explain the disappearance.

Chinese passengers account for about two-thirds of the total on the flight. “I’ve left the hotel,” said Wen Wancheng, whose son was on MH370. “I’m already on the train going back home,” he told AFP by phone. “We were asked to leave too suddenly,” he said. “The impact on our family is big. Our family is in a bad state.” Steven Wang said that a protest or group action of any kind was unlikely, adding that families would leave one by one rather than as a group. Low level local government officials have gone to Beijing to persuade relatives to leave the hotel and return home, some relatives said. “They said if we went home they could help us,” a relative surnamed Wang, who had already returned home, told AFP. She added that three officials from her local neighbourhood committee, the lowest level of government administration in China, had accompanied her and other family members on a flight to her home in the eastern city of Nanjing. “I am looking for a lawyer and intend to sue Malaysia Airlines,” she said. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman

Chinese relatives of passengers on the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 rest during a meeting at the Metropark Lido Hotel in Beijing on April 23, 2014

Qin Gang said in a statement that China “was willing to work with the Malaysian side to make progress in comforting the families of passengers.” Chinese relatives posting in a group on China’s popular WeChat social networking service said that the airline notified them

it would offer initial $50,000 payments to families for each of the passengers to “meet their economic needs”. Relatives were to be notified of details about the payments two weeks after they return home, the relatives said, citing the notice. ■ Tom Hancock / AFP News / May 02, 2014

Philippines to offer renewed US military use of Subic

US destroyer USS Fitzgerald arrives at the former US naval base in Subic Bay, Olongapo City, north of Manila on June 27, 2013

THE Philippines said Friday it plans to give the United States access to five military bases under a deal that could see US forces return to their giant former facility at Subic Bay. An access deal signed last week would allow the US to rotate more aircraft, ships, equipment and troops over the next 10 years at unspecified bases in the territory of the Asian ally strategically facing the South China Sea. The two countries are now in followup talks to select the Filipino bases, said defence undersecretary Pio Batino, the chief Filipino negotiator. “Right now, the discussions would be ranging from three to five (Filipino military) bases,” he told reporters. “That’s not the final, but that is the starting discussion point.” The Philippines is offering Fort Magsaysay, a sprawling army base about 100 kilometres (62 miles) north of Manila

World Bank approves $1 bn loan to Pakistan THE World Bank said Friday it had approved a $1 billion loan for Pakistan and “envisages” another $11 billion package spanning five years. The loans are meant to support Pakistan’s struggling energy sector and bolster its efforts to increase growth and investment and arrest poverty. “The World Bank Group approved a package of assistance worth US$1 billion to support Pakistan’s economic reforms on Thursday,” the bank said in a statement. “The assistance package consists of two development policy credits (DPCs) to support the government of Pakistan’s efforts to improve the power sector, and reinvigorate growth and investment for reducing poverty and building shared prosperity,” it said.

The bank also said it was “envisaging” $11 billion worth of loans under a new country partnership strategy for Pakistan over the next five years, covering fiscal years 2015 to 2019. The government, however, said the World Bank had approved the $11 billion partnership strategy to tackle its four main challenges of energy, economy, education and fighting extremism. “The other landmark achievement of the day was the approval of country partnership strategy under which Pakistan will get US$11 billion in the shape of project loans and budgetary support,” it said. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has “congratulated the whole nation on this success and observed that the country partnership strategy is aligned fully with the vision of Pakistan’s development

challenges around the four Es ‘Energy, Economy, Extremism and Education’, based on the manifesto of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) and its commitment to the nation,” it said. Philippe Le Houerou, vice president for the Bank’s South Asia region, praised Pakistan for stabilising its economy and starting reforms in the power sector. “The government of Pakistan deserves appreciation for stabilising the economy, initiating reforms in the power sector as well as revenue mobilisation and drawing in the private sector for spurring growth”, Le Houerou said in a statement. Cash-strapped Pakistan, plagued by a bloody homegrown Taliban insurgency, is battling to get its shaky economy back on track and solve a chronic energy crisis that cripples its industry. ■

that regularly hosts annual large-scale US-Filipino military exercises, Batino said. He added “limited portions of Subic” would also be offered, but declined to identify the three other bases under consideration. The Philippines intends to conclude the discussions not later than September 30, Batino added. The deal for increased US access is part of Philippine efforts to boost its weak military capabilities at a time of deep tensions with China over competing claims to parts of the South China Sea. China claims most of the sea, even waters close to the Philippines and other countries in the region. Subic, facing the South China Sea, was the former repair yard of the Japanbased US Pacific fleet. American forces vacated it in 1992, along with nearby Clark Air Base, after

the Philippine Senate refused to extend a bases treaty, ending nearly a century of major US military presence. It is now a civilian free port, but maintains a US-era military runway and a deep harbour that is still used by American warships stopping over for military exercises or for regular provisioning. Bound by a mutual defence pact, the US and the Philippines engage in regular war games that see thousands of US troops and state-of-the-art American military hardware brought to the Philippines. The Philippines signed the bases access deal last week, hours ahead of a state visit to Manila by American President Barack Obama. The deal also allows the US to build structures inside the bases for use by its forces, as well as to store supplies and equipment. ■ AFP / May 02, 2014

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www.hello-philippines.com

NEWS

May 2014 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

Filipino Stores in UK give free gadgets to loyal customers WHILE it is typical for any Filipino Store in UK to offer authentic Filipino goods to its customer, it is quite rare to see these stores offer free gadgets to its loyal customers. This unique setup became a reality with the support from one of the most reliable telecommunications services in UK exclusively made for Filipinos, PLDT UK’s SMART Pinoy. Last March, SMART Pinoy launched a new program called, Suking Tindahan: Sagot ko, Gadget Mo! Suking Tinadahan, the colloquial Filipino term for ‘loyal store customer’ is a

fresh promo that aims to not only reward the regular store customer but loyal SMART Pinoy subscribers as well. To join, SMART Pinoy subscribers simply need to purchase SMART Pinoy recharge vouchers (2 pieces of RV10 or 1 piece of RV20), fill out the raffle form and drop it in designated Filipino stores in London. There are seven (7) participating stores in four (4) key areas: North London (Nayong Pilipino Kilburn), South East London (Nayong Pilipino Tooting), East London (Pinoy Oriental), and West London (Tindahang Pinoy,

Manila Supermarket, WOW Pinoy, Pinoy Supermarket). Exciting prizes await the winner of the Sagot ko, Gadget mo! promo ranging from free Top Up card vouchers to a brand new laptop, Android tablet and a digital camera. This April marked the first raffle draw held in the PLDT UK-SPUK office in Fulham. Ms. Violeta Barco from Pinoy Oriental store in East London won a brand new digital camera. £30 load were given as consolation prizes to Mr. Samuel Tila, John Pajarillo, Eduardo San Miguel and Ms. Rogena Cabrales.

“I was shocked to find out that I won. I guess it really pays to be a loyal customer especially when it comes to ‘Pinoy’ products. SMART Pinoy is no exception.” said Ms. Violeta, winner of this month’s raffle draw. “I highly encourage everyone to join this program! Sulit na sulit maging suki ng SMART Pinoy!”, Violeta added. Suking Tindahan: Sagot ko , Gadget Mo! promo will run until May 31, 2014. The next draw date will be on April 30 and May 31. Visit and Like www.facebook.com/ smartpinoyukofficial for more details. ■

SAY cheese! Ms. Violet Barco loyal SMART Pinoy Subscriber and Pinoy Oriental Customer wins a brand new Panasonic Digital Camera

Obama speak: Remarks by US President that sent analysts scurrying to find the unspoken vow

MANILA – In his last major address before he flew back from his four-nation Asian tour on Tuesday, April 29, visiting US President Barack Obama told Filipino and American soldiers at Fort Bonifacio that America’s commitment to protect the Philippines is “ironclad” but stopped short of specifically discussing its maritime row with China. His speech has been variously described as long on rhetoric but short on real commitment; but also, by some, a clear enough signal of where Manila stands visà-vis Washington and its tangled web of geopolitical ties in Asia.

Here’s the full text of his remarks, provided by the Philippines News Agency: “Kumusta kayo. It is great to be here at Fort Bonifacio. Vice President Binay, distinguished guests: It’s an honor to be here with our outstanding allies—the leaders and members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. And we’re joined by men and women who stand tall and proud to wear the uniform of the United States of America. And let me also welcome all our Filipino friends. Now, I’m not going to give a long speech, because it’s hot and people are in uniform. I hope you don’t mind me not wearing my

US President Obama addresses Philippine and American troops at an Army gymnasium in Fort Bonifacio on Tuesday, April 29.

Africa and Middle East report highest number of trafficked Pinoys in 2013 FOREIGN Service Posts (FSPs) in the Middle East and Africa reported the highest number of trafficked and smuggled Filipinos in 2013, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Wednesday. In a statement, the DFA said it held a regional workshop for FSPs on the issue in Ankara, Turkey in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Each Embassy and Consulate General presented their host country’s problems with human trafficking during the fiveday event, which tackled the basics of Philippine and international anti-human trafficking laws. Psychosocial counseling, gender sensitivity, and case management training were also part of the workshop, which was spearheaded by the DFA’s Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs. On the sidelines of the workshop, Philippine officials also discussed the FSPs’ response to the threat posed by the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus and other viruses. Though nothing permanent has been

discussed, an earlier article reported the possibility of a bilateral labor agreement between Morocco and the Philippines, which may “provide a legal framework for the deployment and hiring of Filipino workers in Morocco” to curb illegal employment and trafficking in persons. While no figures were provided by the DFA, the Philippines has a Tier 2 ranking in the US Department of State’s 2013 Trafficking in Persons report. According to the State Department, a Tier 2 ranking is for “countries whose governments do not fully comply with the US Trafficking Victims Protection Act’s minimum standards but are making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with those standards.” The report itself wrote that the Philippines continues to be a source of forced labor and a site of commercial sexual exploitation. Though there is an increase in the conviction of both labor and sex trafficking offenders, the report noted that “inefficiencies in the judicial system” significantly bogged down the persecution of offenders. ■ Rie Takumi / BM, GMA News / May

1, 2014 / 1:49 PM

jacket. And I also want to make sure that I have some time to shake some hands. But I’m here in the Philippines to reaffirm the enduring alliance between our two countries. I thank President Aquino for his partnership and the deeper ties that we forged yesterday. I’m especially proud to be here as we remember one of the defining moments of our shared history—the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Leyte during World War II and the beginning of the liberation of the Philippines. Right after this, I’ll pay my respects at the American cemetery here in Manila—the final resting place of so many Americans and Filipinos who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom of this country in that war. These Americans and Filipinos rest in peace as they stood in war—side-byside, shoulder-to-shoulder—balikatan. Together, Filipinos and Americans put up a heroic defense, at Bataan and Corregidor. Together, they endured the agony of the death marches and the horror of the prisoner-of-war camps. Many never made it out. In those years of occupation, Filipino resistance fighters kept up the struggle. And hundreds of thousands of Filipinos fought under the American flag. And sadly, the proud service of many of these Filipino veterans was never fully recognized by the United States. Many were denied the compensation they had been promised. It was an injustice. So in recent years, my administration, working with Congress and others, have worked to right this wrong. We passed a law, reviewed the records, processed claims, and nearly 20,000 Filipino veterans from World War II and their families finally received the compensation they had earned. And it was the right thing to do. What’s been written about Bataan could be said of their entire generation: ‘The loss of life was grievous, and hardly a Filipino family was untouched by the tragedy. But the heroic struggle brought out the best in the Filipino character in the face of adversity and served as a beacon to freedom loving peoples everywhere.’ We are truly honored to have some of these extraordinary veterans here with us today. Among them are men who fought at Bataan and Corregidor, and a survivor of those hellish prisoner-of-war camps. Some fought in the resistance, including nurse Carolina Garcia Delfin. These veterans are now in their nineties. They are an inspiration to us all, and I’d ask those who can stand to stand or give a wave so that we can all salute their service. The spirit of these veterans—their

strength, their solidarity—I see it in you as well when you train and exercise together to stay ready for the future, when our special forces—some of you here today—advise and assist our Filipino partners in their fight against terrorism, and when you respond to crises together, as you did after ‘Yolanda’. Along with your civilian partners, you rushed into the disaster zone, pulled people from the rubble, delivered food and medicine. You showed what friends can do when we take care of each other. These are the kinds of missions we face today. New chapter in alliance. Yesterday, President Aquino and I agreed to begin a new chapter in our alliance. And under our new agreement, American forces can begin rotating through Filipino airfields and ports. We’ll train and exercise together more to bring our militaries even closer, and to support your efforts to strengthen your Armed Forces. We’ll improve our ability to respond even faster to disasters like ‘Yolanda’. Today, I thank the people of the Philippines for welcoming our service members as your friends and partners. Deepening our alliance is part of our broader vision for the Asia-Pacific. We believe that nations and peoples have the right to live in security and peace, and to have their sovereignty and territorial integrity respected. We believe that international law must be upheld, that freedom of navigation must be preserved and commerce must not be impeded. We believe that disputes must be resolved peacefully and not by intimidation or force. That’s what our nations stand for. That’s the future we’re working for. And that’s why your service is so important. Let me be absolutely clear. For more than 60 years, the United States and the Philippines have been bound by a mutual defense treaty. And this treaty means our two nations pledge—and I’m quoting— our ‘common determination to defend themselves against external armed attacks, so that no potential aggressor could be under the illusion that either of them stands alone.’ In other words, our commitment to defend the Philippines is ironclad and the United States will keep that commitment, because allies never stand alone. Incredible story of courage, love after ‘Yolanda’. In closing, I want to leave you with an incredible story that captures the strength of our alliance. We all know about the massive international response after ‘Yolanda’. What few people realize is that it started all with a single aircraft carrying a handful of Filipino and American troops

and civilians. The storm hit land that Friday. The very next morning, the first aircraft took off—a Philippine C-130 carrying Captain Roy Trinidad, a Philippine Navy SEAL; Colonel Mike Wylie, United States Marines; and Major George Apalisok, U.S. Air Force. Just hours after the storm passed, with Tacloban devastated, they landed at the airport. And the next day, they were joined by others, including Army Major Leo Liebreich. In the days that followed, they worked together—Filipinos and Americans—setting up a medical station, clearing debris from the runway, reopening that airport. Filipino soldiers unloading aid from American cargo aircraft; American troops loading supplies onto Filipino helicopters. And when all the cargo was off those aircraft, our troops worked together to help local residents aboard so that they could be evacuated to safety. And over and over, those grateful Filipinos responded with a simple word—salamat. There, in the ruin, men like these worked around the clock, day after day. And at night they’d sleep on boards for cots, in a damaged building with only half a roof. ‘It rained on some nights, and we got a little wet,’ said George, ‘but nobody complained.’ ‘We’ve been training together for many years,’ he said—‘we worked as a team.’ And because of individuals like these, thousands were evacuated to safety, and what started with a few men on that first day became a global relief effort that saved countless lives. Roy, the Philippine Navy SEAL—George, Mike, Leo—they are here today. George also happens to be a proud Filipino-American. I want them to stand again and accept our thanks. We are proud of their outstanding service. There’s a connection between our proud veterans from World War II and our men and women serving today—bound across the generations by the spirit of our alliance, Filipinos and Americans standing together, shoulder-to-shoulder, balikatan. On behalf of the American people, thank you all for your service. Thank you for making us so proud. To the Americans here, I am never prouder than being able to stand before you as your Commander-in-Chief. To our Filipino Armed Forces—thank you for being such an outstanding ally. Together, you are helping to secure the prosperity and peace of both our nations. God bless you. God bless the Republic of the Philippines. God bless the United States of America. And God bless the alliance between our great nations. Thank you.” ■

InterAksyon.com / April 29, 2014 / 11:02 PM

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17 May 2014 Saturday 17 May 2014 Saturday 4:00pm - onwards 24 May 2014 Saturday 6:00pm - onwards 24 May 2014 Saturday 6:00pm to midnight 24 May 2014 Saturday 9:00am to 7:00pm 25 May 2014 Sunday 8:00am to 6:00pm 25 May 2014 Sunday 30 May 2014, Friday 6:30pm to midnight

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21 and 22 June 2014 Saturday and Sunday 10:00am to 5:00pm 28 June 2014 Saturday 9:00am to 5:00pm 28 June 2014 Saturday 8:00am to 6:00pm 29 June 2014, Sunday 9:00am to 6:00pm 29 June 2014 Sunday 5 and 6 July 2014 Saturday and Sunday 10:00am to 6:00pm

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May 2014 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

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Blaydon Rugby Club (Carboot Area), Hexham Road, Swalwell, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE16 3BN The Chartroom Restaurant / Bar, Inverkip PA16 0AS

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Clarita Richardson (Chairman) 020 8767 0180 / 07505 91 468 / Jane Gibbs (PND Coordinator) 01483 714 383 / Kerima Harris (Deputy PND) 07795 903 419 Sally Sellars 07886 742 417 / Program: Eva Bartolome 07542 026 296 / Santacruzan: Haidee Atienza 07814 425 547 Nally Carroll 01294 461 709 / Marilyn Kaarits 07805 562 450

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Marjorie Horner: 07787 510 277

116th Philippine Independence Day Celebration 2014 – Piyesta Ng Kalayaan London Biennale 2014: Token of a Times Gone By Reanimating History as Art in the Work of Noel De Leon

West Wing Arts Centre Art Centre Stoke Road, Slough SL2 5AX Philippine Embassy 10 Suffolk Street London SW1Y 4HG

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Barrio Fiesta in Bristol 2014

Eastville Park, Muller Road, Eastville, Bristol BS5 6XA

An art exhibition of multi-media installations, sculpture, paintings, founds objects by Mr Noel De Leon. It will be organized as part of the London Biennale 2014 and will be curated by Mr. David Medalla, founder and director of The London Biennale Filipino Community in Bristol

1st Southampton Barrio Fiesta

Hoglands Park, Southampton SO14 1NH

Southampton Barrio Fiesta

Barrio Fiesta Hertfordshire

Fairlands Valley Park, Showground Arena, Broadhall Way (opposite Stevenage FC Stadium)), Stevenage SG2 8RH Lady Hill Park, Allerton, Bradford BD15 7AA

Stalls, sponsorships and other enquiries: Paul Maspinas 07894 227 754 / Jimmy Cabotaje 07878 852 153 / Nora Zuniga 023 8023 4412 Joseph 07534 711 757 / Ivy 07428 184 063 / Michael 07447 588 971 / Myla 07533 764 965

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Spring Fashion Show Philippine Independence Day sa Morden FWA UK 26th Philippine National Day (PND) Dinner & Dance 2014 116th Independence Day Celebration sa Newcastle Celebrating 2014 – 116th Philippine Independence Party

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12 and 13 July 2014 Birmingham Barrio Fiesta 2014 Woodgate Valley County Park, Clapgate Filipino Association of Birmingham Saturday and Sunday Lane, Bartley Green, Birmingham, B32 3DS Pistahan Sa Nayon! Queens Park Recreation Ground, 520 Filipino Community in Scotland 9 August 2014 Saturday Barrio Fiesta in Scotland 2014 Langside Road 9:00am Glasgow G42 7JQ 17 August 2014 Scotland Barrio Fiesta 2014 Hamilton Park Racecourse, Bothwell Road, Sunday Hamilton, Lanarkshire ML3 0DW 10:00am – 5:00pm Barrio Fiesta sa Colchester 2014 Lower Castle Park , High Street, Filipino British Cooperative Society (FIBRICS) 30 August 2014 Colchester, Essex CO1 1UN Saturday 8:00am to 7:00pm 30 and 31 August 2014 Barrio Fiesta Manchester 2014 Heaton Park, Middleton Road, Saturday and Sunday Manchester M25 2SW 20 September 2014 Mrs Philippines UK Baden Powell House, 65 – 67 Queen’s Aguman Kapampangan UK Saturday Gate, London SW7 5JS FREE LISTING of your events on the HELLO PHILIPPINES newspaper and if you know of any Events please contact us and submit your event via email to the following

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

Erik 07795 068 798

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DISCLAIMER: The Events Diary Listing does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favouring by Hello Philippines newspaper. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of Hello Philippines newspaper. This is merely an Events Diary Listing of what is happening within the Filipino Communities in Europe. This is for general information only.

MONTHLY FILIPINO COMMUNITY MASSES IN GREATER LONDON

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HEALTH and Lifestyle

May 2014 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

Alcohol misuse - Risks

ALCOHOL is a powerful chemical that can have a wide range of adverse effects on almost every part of your body, including your brain, bones and heart. Alcohol and its associated risks can have both short-term and long-term effects Short-term effects of alcohol consumption. The short-term effects of alcohol consumption are outlined below. This information is based on the assumption that you have a normal tolerance to alcohol. Dependent drinkers with a higher tolerance to alcohol can often drink much more without experiencing any noticeable effects. 1-2 units. After drinking 1-2 units of alcohol, your heart rate speeds up and your blood vessels expand, giving you the warm, sociable and talkative feeling associated with moderate drinking. 4-6 units. After drinking 4-6 units of alcohol, your brain and nervous system starts to be affected. It will begin to affect the part of your brain that’s associated with judgement and decision making, causing you to be more reckless and uninhibited. The alcohol will also impair the cells in your nervous system, making you feel light-headed and adversely affecting your reaction time and co-ordination. 8-9 units. After drinking 8-9 units of alcohol, your reaction times will be much slower, your speech will begin to slur and your vision will begin to lose focus. Your liver, which filters alcohol out of your body, will be unable to remove all of the alcohol overnight, so it’s likely you ‘ll wake with a hangover. 10-12 units. After drinking 10-12 units of alcohol, your co-ordination will be highly impaired, placing you at serious risk of

having an accident. The high level of alcohol has a depressant effect on both your mind and body, which makes you drowsy. This amount of alcohol will begin to reach toxic (poisonous) levels. Your body will attempt to quickly pass out the alcohol in your urine. This will leave you feeling badly dehydrated in the morning, which may cause a severe headache. The excess amount of alcohol in your system can also upset your digestion, leading to symptoms of nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and indigestion. More than 12 units. If you drink more than 12 units of alcohol, you’re at considerable risk of developing alcohol poisoning (see box, above left), particularly if you’re drinking lots of units over a short period of time. It usually takes the liver about an hour to remove one unit of alcohol from the body. Alcohol poisoning occurs when excessive amounts of alcohol start to interfere with the body’s automatic functions such as:

• breathing • heart rate • gag reflex, which prevents you choking Alcohol poisoning can cause a person to fall into a coma and could lead to their death. Other risks. Some of the other risks associated with alcohol misuse include: • accidents and injury - more than 1 in 10 visits to accident and emergency (A&E) departments are due to alcohol-related illnesses • violence and antisocial behaviour each year in England over 1.2 million violent incidents are linked to alcohol misuse • unsafe sex - this can lead to unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections(STIs) • loss of personal possessions - many people lose personal possessions, such as their wallet or mobile phone, when they are drunk • unplanned time off work or college this could put your job or education at risk Long-term effects of alcohol misuse.

Long-term alcohol misuse can weaken your immune system, making you more vulnerable to serious infections. It can also weaken your bones, placing you at greater risk of fracturing or breaking them.

Drinking hazardous amounts of alcohol for many years will take its toll on many of the body’s organs and may cause organ damage. Organs known to be damaged by longterm alcohol misuse include the brain and nervous system, heart, liver and pancreas. Heavy drinking can also increase your blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels, both of which are major risk factors for heart attacks and strokes. Long-term alcohol misuse can weaken your immune system, making you more vulnerable to serious infections. It can also weaken your bones, placing you at greater risk of fracturing or breaking them. There are many long-term health risks associated with alcohol misuse. They include: • high blood pressure • stroke

• pancreatitis • liver disease • liver cancer • mouth cancer • head and neck cancer • breast cancer • bowel cancer • depression • dementia • sexual problems, such as impotence or premature ejaculation • infertility As well as having a significant impact on your health, alcohol misuse can also have long-term social implications. For example, it can lead to: • family break-up and divorce • domestic abuse • unemployment • homelessness • financial problems ■ NHS Choices

Alcohol misuse - Diagnosis IF you visit your GP because you’re concerned about your drinking, or if you are treated for an alcohol-related injury or illness, your alcohol misuse may be assessed. An alcohol assessment usually involves having a number of screening tests that consist of a series of questions. It’s important that you’re truthful when answering the questions, so you can receive the appropriate treatment. Your

GP or the healthcare professional carrying out the tests will not judge you. Three commonly used tests are the: • Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) • Fast Alcohol Screening Test (FAST) • Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire (SADQ) These tests are described below. Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT)

Fast Alcohol Screening Test (FAST). The Fast Alcohol Screening Test (FAST) is a simpler test that you can use to check whether your drinking has reached hazardous levels.

The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was developed by the World Health Organization (WHO). It’s a widely used screening test that can help people identify whether they might need to think about changing their drinking habits. AUDIT involves answering 10 questions about your drinking habits to assess the effects it could have on you. Questions include: • How often do you have a drink containing alcohol? • How many drinks containing alcohol do you have on a typical day when you are drinking? • How often during the last year have you found that you were not able to stop drinking once you had started? • How often during the last year have you had a feeling of guilt or remorse after drinking? The test is usually carried out under the guidance of a healthcare worker. After you’ve completed the test your score will be calculated. If the results show that you’re drinking hazardously or harmfully, the healthcare worker will advise you about appropriate treatments and services. Fast Alcohol Screening Test (FAST). The Fast Alcohol Screening Test (FAST) is a simpler test that you can use to check whether your drinking has reached hazardous levels. FAST consists of four questions, listed

below. The number after each answer is that answer’s score. 1. How often do you drink eight or more units (men) or six or more units (women) on one occasion? • never (if this is your answer you can stop the test) • less than monthly (1) • monthly (2) • weekly (3) • daily or almost daily (4) 2. How often during the last year have you been unable to remember what happened the night before because you had been drinking? • never (0) • less than monthly (1) • monthly (2) • weekly (3) • daily or almost daily (4) 3. How often during the past year have you failed to do what was normally expected of you because you had been drinking? • never (0) • less than monthly (1) • monthly (2) • weekly (3) • daily or almost daily (4) 4. In the last year has a relative or friend, or a doctor or other health worker been concerned about your drinking or suggested that you cut down? • no (0) • yes, on one occasion (1)

• yes, on more than one occasion (2) A FAST score of three or more indicates that you’re drinking at a hazardous level. Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire (SADQ). As well as helping to identify a person’s dependence on alcohol, the Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire (SADQ) can also be used to indicate the severity of dependence. The SADQ is a 20-item questionnaire that has a maximum score of 60. It focuses on five key areas of alcohol dependence. They are: • physical withdrawal • affective withdrawal • withdrawal relief drinking • alcohol consumption • rapidity of reinstatement The SADQ is often used by healthcare professionals because it’s very quick and simple to use and it doesn’t require any specialist training to carry out or score. A person with mild alcohol dependence (SADQ score of 15 or less) will not usually need assisted alcohol withdrawal. Someone with moderate dependence (SADQ score of 16-30) will usually need assisted alcohol withdrawal, which can often be managed in the community. Someone who is severely alcohol dependent (SADQ score of more than 30) will need assisted alcohol withdrawal. This will usually be carried out in an inpatient or residential setting. ■ NHS Choices

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HEALTH and Lifestyle

May 2014 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

Alcohol misuse - Treatment THE treatment options for alcohol misuse depend on whether your drinking is hazardous, harmful or dependent, and whether you’re trying to drink less or give up drinking completely. Increased-risk (hazardous) drinking. If you’re drinking hazardous amounts of alcohol, it’s likely you’ll be referred to a short counselling session, known as a brief intervention. This may be following an alcohol-related accident or injury. A brief intervention lasts about 10-15 minutes and covers risks associated with your pattern of drinking, advice about reducing the amount you drink, alcohol support networks available to you and any emotional issues around your drinking. Keeping a ‘drinking diary’ may also be recommended so you can record how many units of alcohol you drink a week. You may also be given tips about social drinking, such as alternating soft drinks with alcoholic drinks, when you’re out with friends. Higher-risk (harmful) drinking. If you’re drinking harmful amounts of alcohol, you will first need to decide whether you want to reduce your alcohol intake (moderation) or give up drinking alcohol altogether (abstinence). Harmful drinking is drinking more than the recommended weekly amount of alcohol (21 units for men and 14 units for women) and experiencing health problems directly related to alcohol. Abstinence will obviously have a greater health benefit, although moderation is often a more realistic goal, or at least a first step on the way to abstinence. Ultimately, the choice is yours but there are circumstances where abstinence is strongly recommended, including if you: • have liver damage, such as liver disease or cirrhosis • have other medical problems, such as heart disease, that can be made worse by drinking • are taking medication that can react badly with alcohol, such as antipsychotics • are pregnant or planning to become pregnant Abstinence may also be recommended if you have previously tried to achieve moderation and have been unsuccessful. If you choose moderation, you will probably be asked to attend further counselling sessions so your progress can be assessed and further treatment and advice provided if necessary. You may also have regular blood tests so the health of your liver can be carefully monitored. Dependent drinking. If you’re dependent on alcohol (you feel unable to function without it), you will also

need to choose between moderation and abstinence. Abstinence is usually recommended for people with moderate to severe dependency. Whatever your level of alcohol dependency, it’s recommended you spend time free from alcohol to allow your body to recover from its effects. Detoxification. How and where you attempt detoxification will be determined by your level of alcohol dependency. In mild cases you should be able to detox at home without the use of medication because your withdrawal symptoms should also be mild. If your consumption of alcohol is high (over 20 units a day) or you’ve previously experienced withdrawal symptoms, you may also be able to detox at home with medication to help ease withdrawal symptoms. A tranquiliser called chlordiazepoxide is usually used for this purpose. If your dependency is severe, you may need to go to a hospital or clinic to detox. This is because the withdrawal symptoms will also be severe and are likely to need specialist treatment. Withdrawal symptoms. Your withdrawal symptoms will be at their worst for the first 48 hours. They should gradually start to improve as your body begins to adjust to being without alcohol. This usually takes 3-7 days from the time of your last drink. You will also find your sleep is disturbed. You may wake up several times during the night or have problems getting to sleep. This is to be expected and your sleep patterns should return to normal within a month. During detox, make sure you drink plenty of fluids (about three litres a day). However, avoid drinking large amounts of caffeinated drinks, including tea and coffee, because they can make your sleep problems worse and cause feelings of anxiety. Water, squash or fruit juice are better choices. Try to eat regular meals even if you’re not feeling hungry. Your appetite will return gradually. Avoid driving or operating heavy machinery if you’re taking medication to help ease your withdrawal symptoms. This is because it’s likely the medication will make you feel drowsy. Make sure you only take your medication as directed. Detox can be a stressful time. Ways you can try to relieve stress include reading, listening to music, going for a walk and taking a bath. If you’re detoxing at home you will regularly see a nurse or another healthcare professional. This might be at home, at your GP practice, or at a specialist NHS service. You’ll also be given the relevant contact

Withdrawal from alcohol is an important first step to overcoming your alcohol-related problems. However, withdrawal is not an effective treatment by itself. You’ll need to further treatment and support to help you in the long-term.

details for other support services, should you need additional support. Withdrawal from alcohol is an important first step to overcoming your alcoholrelated problems. However, withdrawal is not an effective treatment by itself. You’ll need to further treatment and support to help you in the long-term. Abstinence. Several treatment options are available for abstinence. These often differ in effectiveness depending on the individual, so if you feel that a particular treatment isn’t working for you, you can discuss alternatives with your GP or care team. Medication. A number of medications are recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to treat alcohol misuse. The three main ones are: • acamprosate • disulfiram • naltrexone These medications are discussed in more detail below. Acamprosate. Acamprosate (brand name Campral) is used to help prevent a relapse in people who have successfully achieved abstinence from alcohol. It’s usually used in combination with counselling. Acamprosate works by affecting levels of a chemical in the brain called gammaamino-butyric acid (GABA). GABA is thought to be partly responsible for inducing a craving for alcohol. If you’re prescribed acamprosate, the course will usually start as soon as you begin withdrawal from alcohol and can last for up to six months. Disulfiram. Disulfiram (brand name Antabuse) can be used if you’re trying to achieve abstinence but are concerned that you may relapse, or if you’ve had previous relapses. Disulfiram works by deterring you from drinking by causing unpleasant physical reactions if you drink alcohol. These can include: • nausea • chest pain • vomiting • dizziness As well as alcoholic drinks, it’s important to avoid all sources of alcohol because they could also induce an unpleasant reaction. Products that may contain alcohol include: • aftershave • mouthwash • some types of vinegar • perfume You should also try to avoid substances that give off alcoholic fumes, such as paint thinners and solvents. You will continue to experience unpleasant reactions if you come into contact with alcohol for a week after you finish taking disulfiram, so it’s important to maintain your abstinence during this time. When taking disulfiram you’ll be seen by your healthcare team about once every two weeks for the first two months, and then every month for the following four months. Naltrexone. Like acamprosate, naltrexone can also be used to prevent a relapse or to limit the amount of alcohol someone drinks. It works by blocking the

opioid receptors in the body, stopping the effects of alcohol. It’s usually used in combination with other medicine or counselling. If naltrexone is recommended, you should be made aware that it will also stop painkillers that contain opioids, such as morphine and codeine, from working. If you feel unwell while taking naltrexone, stop the medication immediately and seek advice from your GP or care team. A course of naltrexone can last up to six months although it may sometimes be longer. Before being prescribed any type of medication to help treat alcohol misuse you’ll have a full medical assessment which will include blood tests. COUNSELLING Self-help groups. Many people who have alcohol dependency problems find it useful to attend self-help groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). One of the main beliefs behind AA is that alcoholic dependence is a long-term and progressive condition and that total abstinence is the only solution. The treatment plan promoted by AA is based on a 12-step programme designed to help you overcome your addiction. It includes the steps listed below. • Admitting you’re powerless over alcohol and your life has become unmanageable. • Recognising you need a power greater than yourself to restore your strength. • Examining past errors in your life with the help of a sponsor (an experienced member of the group). • Making amends for those errors. • Learning to live a new life with a new code of behaviour. • Helping others who are also dependent on alcohol. Twelve-step facilitation therapy. Twelve-step facilitation therapy is based on the programme devised by AA (see above). The difference is that you work through the stages on a one-to-one basis with a counsellor rather than in a group. Twelve-step facilitation therapy may be your preferred treatment option if you feel uneasy or unwilling to discuss your problems in a group setting. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a talking therapy that uses a problem-solving approach to alcohol dependence. CBT’s approach to alcohol dependence is to identify unhelpful and unrealistic thoughts and beliefs that may be contributing towards your alcohol dependence such as: • “I can’t relax without alcohol.” • “My friends would find me boring if I was sober.” • “Just drinking one pint can’t hurt.”

Once such thoughts and beliefs are identified, you’ll be encouraged to base your behaviour on more realistic and helpful thoughts such as: • “Lots of people have a good time without alcohol and I can be one of them.” • “My friends like me for my personality, not for my drinking.” • “I know I can’t stop drinking once I start.” CBT also helps you to identify triggers that can cause you to drink such as: • stress • social anxiety • being in ‘high-risk’ environments, such pubs, clubs and restaurants Your CBT therapist will teach you how to avoid certain triggers and how to cope effectively with those that are unavoidable. Extended brief intervention. Extended brief intervention (EBI) is a one-to-one session with a healthcare professional, usually a doctor, nurse or counsellor. It takes the form of a motivational interviewing technique. The aim is to motivate people to change their behaviour by exploring with them why they drink in the way they do, and help them identify positive reasons for changing. FRAMES is an acronym that’s often used to describe the components of a brief intervention. It stands for: • Feedback - on your risk of having alcohol problems • Responsibility - helping you take responsibility for change • Advice - providing clear advice when requested • Menu - explaining the options for change • Empathy - an approach that’s warm, reflective and understanding • Self-efficacy - helping you believe in your ability to change Family therapy. Alcohol dependence doesn’t just impact on an individual, it can also affect a whole family. Family therapy provides family members with the opportunity to: • learn about the nature of alcohol dependence • support the member of the family who is trying to abstain from alcohol Support is also available for family members in their own right. Living with someone who misuses alcohol can be stressful, so receiving support can often be very helpful. There are a number of specialist alcohol services that provide help and support for the relatives and friends of people with a dependence on alcohol. For example, AlAnon is an organisation affiliated to AA and provides relatives and friends with help and support. Their confidential helpline number is 020 7403 0888 (10am-10pm, 365 days a year). ■ NHS Choices

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HEALTH and Lifestyle food

Food allergy - Living with THE advice below is primarily written for parents of a child with a food allergy but much of it will also apply to you if you are an adult with a food allergy. Your child’s diet. There is currently no cure for food allergies, although many children will grow out of them. The most effective way you can prevent symptoms is to remove the offending food (the allergen) from their diet. However, it’s important to check first with your GP or the doctor in charge of your child’s care before eliminating certain foods. If their allergy is to eggs or peanuts than removing either from them is not going to have much of an impact on their nutrition. Both types of food are a good source of protein but there are many other alternative sources of protein. A milk allergy can have more of an impact as milk is a good source of calcium, but there are many other ways you can include calcium in your child’s diet, such as green leafy vegetables. Many foods and drinks are fortified with extra calcium. If you are concerned that your child’s allergy is affecting their growth and development then contact your GP for advice. Reading labels. It is very important that you read the list of ingredients on the label of any pre-packed food or drinks your child has. Under EU law, any pre-packed food or drink sold in the UK must clearly state on the label if it contains the following ingredients: • celery

• cereals that contain gluten (including wheat, rye, barley and oats) • crustaceans (including prawns, crabs and lobsters) • eggs • fish • lupin (lupins are common garden plants and the seeds from some varieties are sometimes used to make flour) • milk • molluscs (including mussels and oysters) • mustard • tree nuts, such as almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios and macadamia nuts • peanuts • sesame seeds • soybeans • sulphur dioxide and sulphites (preservatives that are used in some foods and drinks) at levels above 10mg per kg or per litre Some food manufacturers also choose to put allergy advice warning labels (for example, “contains nuts”) on their prepacked foods if they contain an ingredient that is known to commonly cause an allergic reaction, such as peanuts, eggs or milk. However, these are not compulsory. If there is no allergy advice box or “contains” statement on a product, it doesn’t mean that none of the 14 specified allergens are used as ingredients. Look out for “may contain” labels, such as “may contain traces of peanut”. Manufacturers sometimes put this label on their products to warn consumers that

they may have become contaminated with another food product when being made. Some non-food products contain allergy-causing food: • Some soaps and shampoos contain soy, egg and tree nut oil. • Some pet foods contain milk and peanuts. • Some glues and adhesive labels used on envelopes and stamps contain traces of wheat. Again, read the labels of any non-food products that your child may come into close physical contact with. Unpackaged food. Currently, unpackaged food doesn’t need to be labelled in the same way as packaged food, and therefore it can be more difficult for to know what ingredients are used in a particular dish. Examples of unpackaged food include food sold from: • bakeries (including in-store bakeries in supermarkets) • delis • salad bars • “ready-to-eat” sandwich shops • takeaways • restaurants If your child has a severe food allergy, you will need to be careful if you want to eat out with them. The following advice should help: • Let the staff know. When making a booking at a restaurant, make sure that the staff are aware of your child’s allergy and ask for a firm guarantee that any food they will be served will be free from the food to which they are allergic. If the

May 2014 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

staff can’t offer such a guarantee, choose another restaurant. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) offers chef cards that provide information about your child’s food allergy, which you can give to restaurant staff. As well as informing the chef and kitchen staff who are involved in cooking your food, let waiters and waitresses know so that they understand the importance of avoiding cross-contamination when serving you. • Read the menu carefully and check for “hidden ingredients”. Some food types contain other foods that can trigger allergies, which restaurant staff may have overlooked. Some desserts contain nuts (such as a cheesecake base) and some sauces contain wheat and peanuts. • Prepare for the worst. It’s a good idea to prepare for any eventuality. Always take your child’s anti-allergy medication with you when eating out, particularly if they have been given an auto-injector of adrenalin (read more about treating food allergies with a auto-injector). • In older children you can use what is known as a “taste-test”. Before your child begins to eat, ask them to take a tiny portion of the food and rub it against their lips to see if they experience a tingling or burning sensation. If they do, it suggests that the food will cause them to have an allergic

reaction. However, the “taste-test” doesn’t work for all foods, so shouldn’t be used as a substitute for following the advice above. The Food Standards Agency has produced a factsheet about buying food and eating out with a food allergy. Further advice. Further advice for parents is provided below. • Notify your child’s school about their allergy. Depending on how severe your child’s allergy could be, it may be useful to provide the staff at their school with an emergency action plan in case of accidental exposure. Arrange with the school nurse, or another appropriate staff member, to hold a supply of adrenalin and to administer it if necessary. Food allergy bracelets are also available, which explain how other people can help your child in an emergency. • Let other parents know. Young children may easily forget about their food allergy and accept food that they shouldn’t have when visiting other children. Telling the parents of your child’s friends about their allergy should help prevent this. • Educate your child. Once your child is old enough to understand, it is important that you provide them with clear, simple instructions about what foods to avoid and what they should do if they accidentally eat them. ■ NHS Choices

acidic drinks containing sulphites, but this is not thought to be very common. Food labelling rules require pre-packed food sold in the UK, and the rest of the European Union, to show clearly on the label if it contains sulphur dioxide or sulphites at levels above 10mg per kg or per litre. Benzoates. Benzoic acid (E210) and other benzoates (E211, E212, E213, E214, E215, E218 and E219) are used as food preservatives to prevent yeasts and moulds from growing, most commonly in soft drinks. They occur naturally in fruit and honey. Benzoates could make the symptoms of asthma and eczema worse in children who already have these conditions. Who is at risk? Exactly what causes the immune system to mistake harmless proteins as a threat is unclear. However, a number of risk factors for food allergies have been identified, which are outlined below. Family history. If you have a parent, brother or sister with an allergic disease, such as asthma, eczema or a food allergy,

you are at a higher risk of developing a food allergy. However, you may not develop the same food allergy as your family members. Other allergic conditions. Children who are born with other allergic conditions, such as asthma or atopic dermatitis (eczema, an allergic skin condition) are more likely to develop a food allergy. The rise in food allergy cases. Another puzzling aspect of food allergies is that the number of cases has risen sharply over the past two decades. For example, the number of children admitted to hospital for food-related anaphylaxis has risen by seven-fold since 1990. One theory is that the rise in cases is due to the changes in a typical child’s diet that has occurred over the last 30 to 40 years. Another theory is that children are increasingly growing up in “germ-free” environments. This means that their immune system may not receive sufficient early exposure to the germs it needs to develop properly. This is known as the hygiene hypothesis. ■ NHS Choices

Food allergy - Causes A food allergy is caused when your immune system mistakenly treats harmless proteins found in certain foods as a threat to your health. It then releases a number of chemicals which triggers an allergic reaction. The immune system. The immune system protects the body by producing specialised proteins called antibodies. Antibodies identify potential threats to your body, such as bacteria and viruses. They then signal to your immune system to release chemicals to kill the threat and prevent the spread of infection. In the most common type of food allergy a type of antibody known as immunoglobulin E (IgE) mistakenly targets a certain protein found in food as a threat to your body. IgE releases several chemicals, the most important being histamine. Histamine. Histamine causes most of the typical symptoms that occur during an allergic reaction. For example, histamine: • causes small blood vessels to expand and the surrounding skin to swell • affects the nerves in the skin, which can cause the skin to feel itchy • increases the amount of mucus produced in your nose lining, causing local itching and burning In most food allergies, the release of histamine is limited to certain parts of the body, such as your mouth, throat or skin. In anaphylaxis, the immune system goes into overdrive and releases massive amounts of histamine into your blood.

This causes the wide range of symptoms associated with anaphylaxis. Non IgE-mediated food allergy. There is another type of food allergy known as an non-IgE-mediated food allergy. In this type of allergic reaction the immune response is largely confined to the digestive system and skin, which can cause symptoms such as heartburn, indigestion and eczema. In babies, an nonIgE-mediated food allergy can also cause diarrhoea and reflux (stomach acid leaks up into the throat). Foods. In children, the foods that most commonly cause an allergic reaction are: • eggs • milk: if a child has an allergy to cow’s milk, they will also be likely to be allergic to all types of milk, such as goat’s milk, as well as infants’ and follow-on formula milk • soya • wheat • peanuts In adults, the foods that most commonly cause an allergic reaction are: • some types of fruit such as apples, pears, • kiwi fruit and peaches • some types of vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, celery and parsnip • crustaceans (shellfish), such as crab, lobster and prawns • tree nuts, such as walnuts, brazil nuts, almonds and pistachios • peanuts • fish

However, potentially any type of food can cause an allergy. Allergic reactions have been reported in association with: • celery or celeriac: this can sometimes cause anaphylactic shock • gluten: a type of protein found in cereals • mustard • sesame seeds • fruit and vegetables: usually only cause symptoms affecting the mouth, lips and throat (oral allergy syndrome) • pine nuts (a type of seed) • meat: some people are allergic to just one meat, while others are allergic to a range of meats. A common symptom is skin irritation.

FOOD ADDITIVES Sulphites. Sulphur dioxide (E220) and other sulphites (E221, E222, E223, E224, E226, E227 and E228) are used as preservatives in a wide range of foods, especially soft drinks, sausages, burgers and dried fruit and vegetables. Sulphur dioxide is produced naturally when wine and beer are made. It is often added to wine to stop it from continuing to ferment in the bottle. Usually, most of the ‘head space’ in a bottle of wine (the part of the bottle not filled with wine) is sulphur dioxide. Anyone who has asthma may react to inhaling sulphur dioxide. A few people with asthma have had an attack after drinking

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HEALTH and Lifestyle food

Food allergy - Symptoms SOME food allergies cause immediate symptoms whereas in others it takes much longer for symptoms to develop. The most common type of allergic reaction to food is known as an IgEmediated food allergy. In this type of allergy the symptoms develop very quickly after eating the allergy-causing food (the allergen); typically within a few minutes or in some cases, seconds. Symptoms include: • a raised red itchy skin rash (urticaria), which can affect just one part of the body, or alternatively, spread across the entire body – in some cases the skin can turn red and itchy but there is no raised rash • swelling of the face, around the eyes, lips, tongue or the roof of the mouth (angioedema)

• feeling of narrowing in throat • change in voice (croaky or hoarse) due to swelling in voicebox • feeling dizzy and lightheaded • feeling sick • being sick • abdominal pain and spasms • diarrhoea • cold-like symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose and nasal congestion • redness and irritation of the eyes (allergic conjunctivitis) • coughing • chest tightness • wheezing or shortness of breath In some cases a severe food allergy (anaphylaxis) can be triggered after eating a certain food and then going on to exercise vigorously. This is known as fooddependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis.

In some cases a severe food allergy (anaphylaxis) can be triggered after eating a certain food and then going on to exercise vigorously. This is known as food-dependent exerciseinduced anaphylaxis.

A less common type of allergic reaction is known as an non IgE-mediated food allergy. In this type of allergy the symptoms take much longer to develop after eating the allergen; usually several hours or in some cases days. Some symptoms match what you would expect to see in an allergic reaction, such as: • redness and itchiness of the skin (although not necessarily raised) • the skin becomes itchy, red, dry and cracked (atopic eczema) Other symptoms can be much less obvious and easily mistaken as being caused by something other than an allergy. They include: • heartburn and indigestion that is caused by stomach acid leaking up out of the stomach (gastro-oesophageal reflux disease) • stools (poo) becoming much more frequent or loose (though not necessarily “full-blown” diarrhoea) • blood and mucus in the stools • in babies: excessive and inconsolable crying even though the baby is well-fed and doesn’t need a nappy change (colic) • constipation • redness around the anus, rectum and genitals • unusually pale skin

• failure to grow at the expected rate Mixed reaction. Some children can have a mixed reaction where they experience both “IgE” symptoms, such as swelling, and “non-IgE” symptoms such as constipation. This often happens to children who have a milk allergy. Anaphylaxis. The symptoms of a severe anaphylactic reaction usually develop within a few minutes to an hour after exposure. They can be sudden and rapidly worsen.

May 2014 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

Initial symptoms of anaphylaxis are often the same as above and can lead to: • a rapid heartbeat (tachycardia) • increasing breathing difficulties due to swelling and tightening of your neck • a sudden intense feeling of apprehension and fear (this has been described as a “sense of impending doom”) • a sharp and sudden drop in your blood pressure, which can make you feel light-headed and confused • unconsciousness ■ NHS Choices

Food allergy - Treatment THERE are two main types of medication that can be used to relieve the symptoms of an allergic reaction to foods: • antihistamines, which can be used to treat mild to moderate allergic reaction • adrenaline, which can be used to treat severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) Antihistamines. Antihistamines work by blocking the effects of histamine, a protein responsible for most of the symptoms of an allergic reaction. Many antihistamines are available from your pharmacist without prescription so it may be a good idea to stock up in case of an emergency. Some antihistamines, such as alimemazine and promethazine, aren’t suitable for children under two years old. Therefore seek advice from your GP if you have a younger child with a food allergy about what types of antihistamines may be suitable. Avoid drinking alcohol after taking an antihistamine as this can make you feel drowsy. Adrenaline. Adrenaline works by narrowing the blood vessels to counteract the effects of low blood pressure, and by opening up the airways to help ease breathing difficulties. If your child’s, or your own allergies, are thought have a potential risk of anaphylaxis or has had a previous episode of anaphylaxis, you will be given an auto-

injector of adrenaline to use in case of emergencies. Carefully read the manufacturer’s instructions that come with the autoinjector and when your child is old enough, train them how to use it. Using an auto-injector. If you suspect that somebody is experiencing the symptoms of anaphylaxis then immediately call 999 for an ambulance and tell the operator that you think the person has anaphylaxis. Older children and adults will probably have been trained to inject themselves. You may need to inject younger children or older children and adults who are too sick to inject themselves. There are three types of auto-injectors: • EpiPen • Anapen • Jext All three work in much the same way. If anaphylaxis is suspected then you should remove the safety cap from the injector, place it against your outer thigh (holding it as a right angle) and then hold down the firing button that is located at the end of the injector. The injections can be given through clothing. This will send a needle into your thigh and deliver a dose of adrenaline. You need to hold the button down for ten seconds. If the person is unconscious, check their airways are open and clear and

Antihistamines work by blocking the effects of histamine, a protein responsible for most of the symptoms of an allergic reaction.

check their breathing. Then put them in the recovery position (see below). Putting someone who is unconscious in the recovery position ensures that they do not choke on their vomit. Place the person on their side, ensuring that they are supported by one leg and one arm. Open the airway by tilting the head and lifting the chin. If the person’s breathing or heart stops, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) should be performed. Owning an auto-injector. As a precaution the following advice is strongly recommended. • Carry the auto-injector at all times or encourage your child to do so if they are old enough: there should be no exceptions. You may be recommended to carry multiple injectors. Check with your GP or the doctor in charge of your care. You may also be given an emergency card or bracelet with full details of your child’s allergy and contact details of their doctor, to alert others. If so, they should wear this at all time.

Carry the auto-injector at all times or encourage your child to do so if they are old enough: there should be no exceptions. You may be recommended to carry multiple injectors. • Extreme temperatures can make adrenaline less effective so do not leave an auto-injector in places such as your fridge or the glove compartment of your car. • Check the expiry date regularly. EpiPen has a shelf life of 18 months after the date of manufacture and Anapen and Jext has a shelf life of two years. An out-of-date injector will only offer limited protection. • The manufacturers offer a reminder service where you can be contacted near the date of expiry. Check the information leaflet that comes with the medication for

more information. • If your child has an auto-injector they will need to change over to an adult dose once they reach a weight of 30 kilos (4.7 stone). Depending on the shape and size of your child’s body this could be anywhere between the ages of 5 to 11 years old. • Do not delay in injecting if you think you or your child may be experiencing the start of anaphylaxis, even if the initial symptoms are mild. It is better to use adrenaline early and find out it was a false alarm than delay treatment until you are sure your child is experiencing severe anaphylaxis. ■ NHS Choices

CELEBRITY, SHOWBIZ & ENTERTAINMENT SCOOP

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May 2014 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

GMA Network brings inspiration and love via NIÑO

Bianca Umali as Angelica and Niño’s bestfriend.

David Remo as Niño.

ANCHORED on its goal of providing wholesome and child-friendly programs, GMA Network brings to international television screens an original and heartwarming story of a boy who will inspire other people to remain hopeful in the midst of life’s challenges via the drama series NIÑO. Kapuso viewers abroad may look forward to the premiere of this series on May 27 through GMA Network’s flagship international channel, GMA Pinoy TV. The program is filled with good values and positive messages about love, faith and hope that will encourage and inspire viewers, most especially the kids, to become loving and optimistic at all times. Tasked to play the role of Niño/

Miguel is one of the Kapuso Network’s talented teen stars Miguel Tanfelix, a 15-year old boy with mental incapacities who will become a beacon of hope and inspiration to his town mates and prove that miracles exist with the help of his “Tukayo”, a Sto. Niño incarnate to be played by child star David Remo. Completing the star-studded cast are Tom Rodriguez as Jonathan, Niño’s hardworking father; Katrina Halili as Hannah, Jonathan’s wife and Niño’s kindhearted mother; Lotlot De Leon as Leny and Neil Ryan Sese as David, adoptive parents of Niño; German “Kuya Germs” Moreno as Kapitan Pete, the Barangay Captain of the community; Bianca Umali as Angelica, Niño’s bestfriend; and Ms

Gloria Romero as Lola V, Niño’s carefree grandmother. Niño will definitely appeal to the family as it introduces the “Naynay Commandments”, a set of values and good manners that will teach everyone the importance of being responsible and honest individuals and how these commandments can be applied in everyday life. These Naynay Commandments will also inspire parents to raise their children to be hopeful and loving like Niño at all times. Under the helm of award-winning director Maryo J. delos Reyes, Niño will be a certified hit among Kapuso viewers and their families. Catch it soon on GMA Pinoy TV. ■

‘Nino’: A story of hope and inspiration ISA na namang kuwento na aantig sa puso ng mga manonood ang inihanda ng GMA. Ngayong Mayo na magsisimula ang GMA Telebabad show na Niño, starring child stars Miguel Tanfelix, Bianca Umali, at Renz Fernandez. Na-interview ang tatlong stars kamakailan sa Walang Tulugan with the Master Showman at ibinahagi nila ang kanilang mga papel sa upcoming show. Ayon sa lead star na si Miguel, nakakafeel good ang show nila. “Ito yung palabas na magbibigay sa inyo ng pag-asa at saya sa puso. Ma-iinspire po kayo rito gabi-gabi,” sabi niya. Isa sa mga aral na mapupulot dito ay

Miguel Tanfelix

ang kahalagahan ng pagkakaibigan at pagtutulungan na ipapakita ni Bianca sa kanyang karakter. “Ako dito yung best friend ni Niño. Kumbaga, sa lahat ng pagdadaanan niya, ako ‘yung number one supporter niya,” kwento ni Bianca. Si Renz naman, bagama’t nachachallenge sa role niya, ay excited sa kanilang upcoming project. “Since bata po ako, puro ‘the good guy’ po (ang ginagampanan ko) eh. Ngayon po medyo kakaiba naman, medyo ako naman ‘yung mayabang at jerk,” aniya. Pero mas matindi ang excitement nila kaysa kaba dahil sa ganda ng kuwento

ng kanilang soap. “Magbibigay po ito ng initiative sa televiewers na simulant na ‘yung pagtutulungan. Tungkol ‘to sa isang grupo na talagang daraan sa maraming pagsubok,” ayon kay Renz. Kasama ng tatlong child stars dito sina David Remo, Julian Trono, Sandy Talag, Vincent Magbanua, German Moreno, Lotlot de Leon, Katrina Halili, Dante Rivero, Neil Ryan Sese, Luz Valdez, Tess Quesada, Gerald Napoles at Gloria Romero. Abangan ang nakakaantig na kuwento ni Niño ngayong Mayo sa GMA Telebabad. ■ Meryl Ligunas and Elisa Aquino /

GMANetwork.com

7GMA New York Fest Medals for GMA Network Network once again brought show Tropang Potchi a big winner in its “Gintong Krudo at Sipa ng Pag-asa” honor to the country by clinching seven world medals at the recently concluded 2014 New York Festivals International TV & Film Awards. Among the Filipino awardees, the Kapuso Network went home with the most number of awards—eleven in total, including four finalist certificates— and sent the biggest contingent to the recognition ceremonies held last April 8 at the 2014 NAB Show in Las Vegas. Weekday news magazine program Tunay na Buhay led GMA Network’s esteemed list of winners with its Gold World Medal in the Community Portraits category. The winning entry “Mga Sanggol at Langaw” episode featured the sub-human conditions in the slums of Tondo, Manila where majority of the residents barely make a living out of scavenging among mountains of trash. Meanwhile, its high regard for culture and history made the children’s

the Children/Youth Program category, bringing home a Silver World Medal for the episode “Talaandig Tribe,” which brought forth to public consciousness the customs and traditions of the Talaandig Tribe of Bukidnon. GMA News TV’s Reel Time triumphed with its documentary titled “Silang Wala sa Mapa,” a story on how the B’laan indigenous people of Mindanao survived generations without modern medicine, giving the program a Silver World Medal in the Community Service Program category. Also a Peabody awardee, Reel Time has been a constant contender in the New York Festivals, winning a Silver World Medal for its “Salat” episode in 2013 and receiving Finalist Certificates for its “Lusong” and “Tira” episodes in 2012. News magazine program Brigada, in turn, took home the Silver World Medal in the Community Portraits category for

GMA Network denies organizing talent search in Laoag City

GMA Network on Tuesday denied any involvement in a talent search in Laoag City, saying the people involved have misrepresented themselves as part of the company. “GMA Network vehemently denies any involvement in the alleged talent search in Laoag City called “My Girl 2014,” the network said in a statement. “Furthermore, the alleged organizers of the said event, Almer Ocampo and Ruel/

Erik Dimaano, are not employees of GMA Network,” it added. The network also cautioned the public from falling prey to similar gimmicks. “GMA Network warns the public to be careful in joining such activities that use the Network’s name and encourages everyone to contact GMA’s regional offices to verify the events that are officially organized by the Kapuso Network,” it said. ■ Patricia Denise

Chiu / KBK, GMA News / April 29, 2014 / 7:11 PM

stories. Reporter Micaela Papa showed the story of impoverished children who swim through the filthy waters of the Navotas Fish Port to collect and sell spilled petroleum oil in “Gintong Krudo”; while Steve Dailisan’s “Sipa ng Pag-asa” told of an inspiring report on the lives of young garbage collectors in Payatas who dream to rise from poverty through football. News TV Quick Response Team won the Bronze World Medal in the Best Coverage of Breaking News category for its live on-the-ground reportage, led by anchor Jiggy Manicad, of the Zamboanga siege. Front Row, likewise, was presented the Bronze World Medal in the Community Portraits category for the episode “Lusong Dunong,” a story on the pupils and teachers of San Esteban Elementary School in Pampanga who hold classes in flooded rooms. GMA News’ advocacy campaign for a well-informed 2013 elections dubbed “Dapat Tama,” meanwhile, was given the Bronze World Medal in the Music Video Category. GMA News pillar Jessica Soho, widely regarded as the country’s most awarded broadcast news journalist, received the Finalist Certificate for the Best News Reporter/Correspondent category for her “Photographs of Typhoon Pablo” special report aired inKapuso Mo, Jessica Soho, which captured the pain and suffering in the wake of Typhoon Pablo. Also awarded the Finalist Certificate

Reel Time’s Silang Wala sa Mapa Executive Producer: Jayson Bernard B. Santos, Brigada’s Sipa ng Pag-asa Reporter: Steve F. Dailisan, Brigada’s Gintong Krudo Reporter: Micaela P. Papa, Brigada’s Program Manager: Lee Joseph M. Castel,Tunay na Buhay’s Program Manager: Lloyd V. Navera, News TV QRT Anchor: Rodrigo “Jiggy” D. Manicad, Jr., Front Row’s Lusong Dunong Executive Producer: Joseph Conrad P. Rubio, Front Row’s Lusong Dunong Segment Producer: Nica Cellini Catanes, Senior AVP for Public Affairs: Leogarda S. Matias, AVP for Public Affairs: Neil B. Gumban.

were I-Witness’ “Ganito Tayo Noong Martial Law” documentary in the History & Society category; GMA News & Public Affairs’ election project Camera Juan in the Social Issues category; and GMA Program Support Department’s advocacy campaign Diploma in the Station/Image Promotion category. Now on its 57th year of honoring programming in all lengths and forms and naming them as the world’s best in TV and films, the New York Festivals selected the winners from thousands of entries received from over 50 countries. These prize-winning Kapuso programs can be seen on its flagship international channel, GMA Pinoy TV, its lifestyle channel, GMA Life TV, and international news channel, GMA News TV International. ■

Senior AVP for Entertainment Gigi Santiago-Lara, Ms Elvira Go of Columbia International Food Products, Inc (makers of Potchi candy) and Louie Ignacio, director of Tropang Potchi

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CELEBRITY, SHOWBIZ & ENTERTAINMENT SCOOP

May 2014 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

Jericho Rosales, Kim Jones tie the knot in Boracay

Ogie Alcasid, ‘Pinoy Explorer’ win at the Golden Dove Awards

KAPATID and “Tropa Mo Ko Unli” artist Ogie Alcasid was named Best Actor for Comedy during the recent KBP 22nd Golden Dove Awards. TV5’s “Pinoy Explorer” bagged the trophy for the Best TV Magazine Program, a welcome recognition of the show’s efforts to share with viewers educational and exciting journeys not just in the Philippines but around the world as well.

The combination photo above shows (left) program manager Joshua De Guzman and executive producer Theresa Fortaleza receiving the award for “Pinoy Explorer”. At right, TV5 actor and fellow nominee Empoy is seen receiving the trophy for Best Actor for Comedy on behalf of his “Tropa Mo Ko Unli” co-star Ogie Alcasid. ■ InterAksyon.com / May 2, 2014 / 6:20 PM

AND with those tweets, actor Jericho Rosales and model-TV host Kim Jones officially exchanged vows in a Labor Day beach wedding in Shangri-La’s Boracay Resorts and Spa in Boracay. The couple tied the knot eight months after Echo proposed to Kim during a Sunday worship servicelast August. The private ceremony was attended by close friends and relatives, including fellow celebrities Gary Valenciano and son Gab, Iya Villania-Arellano, Coney Reyes and R & B artists Jay-R Sillona and Mica Javier. Jericho and Kim arrived on Boracay last Monday and have kept fans updated with tweets of their activities that mostly involved surfing. Prior to the big day, the couple went paddle boarding. Kim wore a backless wedding gown designed by Vania Romof while Jericho wore a sand-colored Francis Libiran suit accentuated by a boutonnière with an action figure of Emmet Brickowski from “The Lego Movie”. Weeks before the big wedding, Kim Jones told InterAksyon and other media during a Neutrogena event that nothing will change after their wedding as they will remain supportive of each other’s respective careers. “Echo and I still have our goals and our dreams and we will continue to aspire to that. There may be small sacrifices but we’re not planning on starting a family yet. We’re still young,” she said. Asked about the best part of being married to Echo, Kim replied, “It’s waking up every morning and seeing him next to me.” Her husband posted a similar sentiment with this tweet. ■ Edwin P. Sallan / InterAksyon. com / May 2, 2014 / 6:04 PM

Mo Twister and Kat Alano.

Jericho Rosales and Kim Jones kiss each other as newlyweds on Thursday in a private wedding ceremony helf at Shangri-La Boracay Resort and Spa. Photo posted by Gab Valenciano on Instagram.

What ‘rhymes with wrong’? Mo Twister hints at identity of Kat EVEN though Kat Alano has yet to identify the man she claimed raped her nine years ago, she and her “Good Times with Mo” co-host Mohan Gumatay a.k.a. Mo Twister gave clues during their controversial podcast on Thursday. Alano mentioned that her rapist is a public figure. Gumatay added that the public figure is also “well-loved” and has a strong fan base bigger than hers. Gumatay also mentioned that, like Alano, the alleged rapist is also his friend. He even went as far as saying that if and when Alano does decide to name her alleged assailant, “the fan base and network machinery will also be involved”, thereby implying that the latter is a talent of a major network.

Late Monday, Gumatay added another, more pointed clue to the mystery when he tweeted a message to Alano regarding callers who had expressed their support for her crusade against rape. But what made the tweet particularly intriguing was the addition of the hash tag #rhymeswithwrong. Netizens were quick to do the math and conclude that the hash tag is in fact a reference to Alano’s rapist. Alano fired off a series of tweets about rape in the wake of the January 22 incident in which model Deniece Cornejo accused comedian Vhong Navarro of rape and Navarro accused her and several men, including businessman Cedric Lee, of conspiring to maul him and extort money from him.

Her Twitter tirade drew a lot of flak from Navarro’s fans, causing Alano to stop her tweets and distance herself from Cornejo and Lee. Around that time, Lee told media that other women who had likewise been allegedly raped by Navarro were ready to come out. Beauty pageant contestant Roxanne Cabañero and stuntwoman Margarita Fajardo have since then filed separate rape charges against the comedian. Navarro’s lawyer has maintained that Lee is behind both plaintiffs, who have both denied knowing the controversial businessman. Alano likewise said she never met Lee nor Cornejo. Neither Navarro nor Mallonga have yet to publicly comment on Alano’s rape experience especially since has yet to categorically name her assailant. But even as Alano has yet to name names, she has also not cleared or ruled out anybody either. As a result, her sympathizers continue to guess her rapist’s identity. Her latest social media posts are just as intriguing as Gumatay’s controversial hash tag. There’s this sympathetic follower’s post that Alano retweeted (right): Whoever the guilty party really is, it may only be a matter of time before Alano names him. For now, the guessing game continues. ■ Edwin P. Sallan / InterAksyon.com / April 29, 2014 / 6:37 PM

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PHILIPPINE EMBASSY NEWS AROUND THE WORLD

May 2014 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

Philippine-United States Bilateral Relations FACT SHEET THE Philippines and the United States have long-standing relations which encompass a broad range of areas of cooperation. Recent developments include: POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT On 28-29 April 2014, President Barack Obama visited the Philippines to underscore the US policy of rebalance to Asia, to reaffirm the enduring treaty alliance between our two countries, enhance economic ties and deepen people to people exchanges. Since 2011, the Philippines and the United States have developed mechanisms for regular policy consultations and conducted a series of high-level exchanges. Over the past years, four (4) Bilateral Strategic Dialogues were held to consult and exchange views on a wide range of bilateral, regional, and global issues. The fourth PH-US Bilateral Strategic Dialogue was held in Washington DC on 6-7 March 2014 as a follow through to the three (3) Dialogues held in Manila on 27-28 January 2011, in Washington DC on 26-27 January 2012, and in Manila on 11-12 December 2012. Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. Del Rosario and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin met with their American counterparts, Secretary Hillary Clinton and Secretary Leon Panetta in Washington, DC for the PH-US Two Plus Two Meeting on 30 April 2012. This meeting brought together for the first time PH’s and US’ Foreign Affairs and Defense Secretaries to discuss issues of mutual concern for both countries. Top US officials visited the Philippines in 2013 including US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and US Secretary of State John Kerry. US legislators also visited the country this year, e.g. US Senator Marco Rubio, member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a Congressional Delegation led by US Representative Ed Royce, Chair of the House Foreign Relations Committee. STRATEGIC SECURITY ENGAGEMENT The United States and the Philippines are treaty allies under the Mutual Defense Treaty of 1951. The Philippines is the oldest security ally of the US in Southeast Asia and one of the five treaty allies of the US in the

Pacific region. In order to make their alliance responsive to the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century, the Philippines and the United States signed the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). The agreement supports the AFP’s modernization efforts and promotes interoperability between Philippine and US and forces. It will also help maintain and develop PH maritime security, maritime domain awareness and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief capabilities. The US transferred two ships to the Philippine Navy: (1) Weather High Endurance Cutter (WHEC) – BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (formerly USCGC Hamilton) and (2) Weather High Endurance Cutter (WHEC) – BRP Ramon Alcaraz (formerly USCGC Dallas). These vessels have been utilized to patrol Philippine waters, conduct search and rescue operations as well as deliver relief supplies to typhoon victims. The Philippines is set to receive US$ 40 million under the United States’ Global Security Contingency Fund. The grant will provide the Philippine Government technical expertise, training, and equipment to support capability building of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the areas of maritime security, counter-terrorism, and other law enforcement training. The Philippines and the United States adhere to a rules-based approach to the settlement of maritime disputes in the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea, in accordance with international law and UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. With the submission of the Philippine Memorial on 30 March 2014, the Philippines has presented its case on the jurisdiction of the Arbitral tribunal and the merits of its claims. The Philippines is seeking not just any kind of resolution but a just and durable solution, grounded on international law. The United States deployed more than 50 US ships and aircraft and around 1,040 US soldiers for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda. Drawing from the lessons learned in working together during Typhoon Yolanda, the

Philippines and the United States resolved to strengthen their joint cooperation and training in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, including exploring ways to streamline processes further in the event of natural disasters. The Memorandum of Cooperation on Maritime Counter-Piracy Training and Education helps develop the two countries’ counter-piracy capabilities of maritime personnel. This initiative has been expanded to the ASEAN region. The 1st Expanded ASEAN Seafarers Training – Counter Piracy (EAST-CP) Workshop was held in Manila on 23- 25 September 2013. DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE AND ECONOMIC COOPERATION The Philippines looks forward to the expansion of trade and investment cooperation with the United States. In 2013, the United States accounts for 12.53% of the total trade of the country, ranking as the second largest trading partner of the Philippines. The United States, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is a long-standing development partner of the Philippines. USAID’s various programs and projects in the Philippines seek to accelerate broadbased inclusive economic growth and give emphasis to the following: education, family healthcare, democracy and governance, sustainable environmental management, and peace and stability in Mindanao. The United States Government provides development assistance to the Philippines through the Partnership for Growth (PFG) and the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Compact, which support Philippine programs on good governance and inclusive growth. o The PFG, with total committed funding of US$145 million for 11 Core Programs under USAID, addresses key priorities including development in Mindanao and promotion of environmental resilience and mitigation of the negative impact of natural disasters. o The US$ 434 million MCA Compact aims to reduce poverty and promote sustainable economic growth by investing in the modernization efforts of PH

Bureau of Internal Revenue to improve revenue administration; by supporting a community-driven development model that provides basic infrastructure and social services in poor communities; and by rehabilitating a 220-kilometer road in one of the poorest and most isolated regions of the Philippines. The recent reinstatement of the Philippines to Category 1 status by the US Federal Aviation Authority on 10 April 2014 means that the Philippines has undertaken measures to comply with international aviation safety and standards. Philippine air carriers can now expand routes to the United States, opening up more opportunities for business and tourism travels for the Filipino and American people. The PH-US Science and Technology Agreement signed in June 2012 reinforces our commitment to collaborate in a range of disciplines including agriculture, climate change, scientist exchanges and marine research. Towards the goal of assuring a sustainable energy future, the PH Department of Energy and US ExportImport Bank signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 19 March 2014 for $1-billion worth of financing guarantees to further facilitate renewable energy (RE) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) industries in the Philippines. The Philippines views with interest the Trans Pacific Partnership which is a high standard trade arrangement that will shape the global and regional economic architecture in the 21st century. The Philippines welcomes the resolution of the following economic issues: • Removal of the Philippines from the Special 301 Watch List, acknowledging that the PH Intellectual Property Rights Regime is in parity with international standards; • Termination of the Generalized System of References (GSP) Country Review on Labor Rights; and • US support for the Philippines’ request for extension of a WTO waiver on rice until 2017; both governments intend to finalize a letter exchange memorializing this undertaking by 1 June 2014. PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE TIES

With 674,564 American tourists that visited the Philippines, the US is the 2nd largest group in 2013.[1] Approximately 350,000 Americans are residing in the Philippines.[2] An estimated 3.4 million Filipinos[3] live in the US, making the Filipinos as the second largest Asian group in the country. A number of Americans of Filipino descent also hold public office in the US. Exchange of experts, academicians and researchers is expected to increase under the PH-US Science and Technology Agreement signifying the importance being accorded to education and progress through science. Recognizing their shared commitment to honor and respect the Filipino and American veterans who bravely fought in World War II, the United States and the Philippines signed the Memorandum of Understanding regarding cooperation in the restoration, operation and maintenance of Clark Veterans Cemetery. Under the MOU, the United States government will provide a U$ 5 million fund for the rehabilitation of the Clark Veterans Cemetery, a seven-hectare cemetery established in 1947 at the old Clark Air Force Base as a final resting place for Filipino scouts and American veterans. The United States gives due recognition and fair compensation to Filipino veterans of World War II. The passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2009 includes the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation (FVEC), which provides lump sum benefits to Filipino Veterans in the amount of $15,000 for US citizens and $9,000 for non-citizens. ■ Philippine Embassy Philippines

Philippines Sends Delegation to London on Crisis Management Study Tour THE Philippine Government recently sent a six-member delegation to London from April 2 to 4 to study the United Kingdom’s “whole of government” approach to crisis response management. The study tour was sponsored by the British Government, through the initiative

of the Philippine Embassy in London. During the visit, the delegation learned about the UK’s crisis management structure and climate change policy approach, with the objective of bringing back this knowledge to enhance Philippine disaster risk management and

approach to climate change policy. British assistance to the Philippines in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda (Yolanda), both in public and private form, by far topped all other foreign assistance to the typhoon victims. ■

Philippine Embassy Philippines / April 30, 2014

DFA Legazpi Commended for Supporting Humanitarian and Disaster Risk Reduction Initiatives

THE Department of Foreign Affairs regional consular office in Legazpi was one of the government agencies that received a Plaque of Commendation from Albay Governor Joey Sarte Salceda and Office of Civil Defense 5 Regional Director Bernardo Alejandro IV during the Albayano Heroes of National Liberation Program held at Bicol University on April 26. The Plaque of Commendation

recognizes DFA Legazpi’s support and assistance to Team Albay-Office of Civil Defense 5 in the conduct of humanitarian missions, disaster risk reduction, climate change initiatives and developmental program and projects. Secretary for Environment and Natural Resources Ramon Paje was the Guest of Honor and Speaker at the event. ■ Philippine

Embassy Philippines / April 29, 2014

The Philippine delegation pose during the reception hosted by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO), April 4. (From left) Assistant Secretary Jesus Domingo, DFA-UNIO; Sernio. Special Assistat Noel Servignon, DFA-OUA; 1st Secretary & Consul Kristine Salle, Philippine Embassy in London; Director Adrian Bernie Candolada, DFA-OEA; Director Stephen Lillie, Asia Pacific Directorate, FCO; Philippine Ambassador to the UK Enrique Manalo; Dep. Exec. Secretary Teofilo Pilando, Jr. Office of the; Lt. Col. Ali Luis Macarawis, NSC; Dep Exec. Director Romeo Fajardo, DND-OCD; Deputy Head of Mission Trevor Lewis British Embassy, Manila; and Commodore Olive Walker, UK Permanent Joint HQ (Photo cortesy of the FCO).

The Philippine delegation at the FCO with Mr. Dave Britton, Met Officer (far left); Mr. Trevor Lewis, British Embassy, Manila (2nd Flr left); and Mr. Jon Curtin, Environment Agency (6th from right). Photo courtesy of the FCO.

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PHILIPPINE EMBASSY NEWS AROUND THE WORLD

May 2014 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

Phl Consulate General in Guangzhou Conducts Seminar on Financial Planning THE Philippine Consulate General in Guangzhou sponsored a Financial Planning Seminar on April 13 as part of its commitment to the Gender and Development Program of the Department of Foreign Affairs. Consulate General personnel and representatives of the Filipino community attended the seminar. The seminar was conducted by resource

speakers from Project Be Foundation Hong Kong, Atty. Clara Arlene Baybay and Mr. Archimedes David Guerra. Project Be Foundation Hong Kong is a non-profit organization of volunteers dedicated to empowering Filipinos through financial education. Project Be currently runs financial literacy programs for Filipino migrant workers in Hong Kong. The seminar focused on the need for

Filipinos to learn the importance of financial literacy and financial planning. It also aimed to provide the participants with workable financial plans. During the first part of the seminar, financial concepts and targets were presented. The participants were given the chance to draft their financial plans through exercises during the second part of the seminar. ■ Philippine Embassy Philippines

/ April 30, 2014

PHL Embassy in Abu Dhabi Holds Seminar on Civil Registration, Marriage and Family Laws IN line with its efforts to educate the large Filipino community in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on laws and regulations affecting their lives, the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi held a seminar on Philippine civil registration laws and procedures on April 25. It was conducted by Ms. Carmencita N. Ericta, National Statistics Office Administrator and Civil Registrar General, together with Ms. Lourdes Hufana and Mr. Joseph Cajita, both Directors of

Philippine Statistics Authority (formerly National Statistics Office). Requirements, procedures and related issues on civil registry documents such as birth certificate, marriage certificate and death certificate were discussed during the seminar. Laws and regulations related to civil registry such as Republic Act 9048, Republic Act 10172, and Republic Act 9225 were also presented and tackled. The seminar was held in conjunction with

(Top) Philippine Embassy officials, staff and Filipino community pose with Philippine Statistics Authority Administrator and Civil Registrar General Ms. Carmencita N. Ericta and other PSA officials; Administrator Ericta (upper right) and Atty. Barney Almazar (lower right) answer questions from audience.

the free legal seminar on the UAE marriage and family laws which was conducted by Atty. Barney Almazar of Gulf Law. Legal tips and reminders in finding a home in UAE and acquiring a residence visa for family members were discussed by Atty. Almazar. Several questions related to annulment, nullity of marriage, custody of children were also answered by Atty. Almazar. For the year 2014, the Embassy has partnered with Gulf Law in conducting a series of legal seminars for the benefit of the large Filipino community in the UAE. The first in the series was the Legal Seminar on Credit Card and Bank Loans held last April 11. Gulf Law offers a range of legal services including company-commercial law, foreign investments, company formations, taxation, oil and gas, family, immigration, will and inheritance, labor and employment, real estate, intellectual property, debt collection, dispute resolution and litigation. It has offices in Manila, Dubai and Aberdeen, UK. ■ Philippine Embassy Philippines / April 30, 2014

Phl Embassy in Brunei Organizes Fashion Exhibit on Phl National Outfits and Filigree Jewelry THE Philippine Embassy in Brunei Darussalam organized a fashion exhibit entitled “Heritage Links” at the Chancery from April 23 to 25. The exhibit opened on April 22 with Yang Mulia Datin Paduka Dayang Hajah Adina binti Othman, Deputy Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports as the guest of honor. Other guests included spouses of Heads of Mission, ladies of the diplomatic corps, officers and members of the International Women’s Club in Brunei Darussalam, and selected female representatives from the Filipino community. “Heritage Links” is an interactive

exhibition of (1) Philippine woven fabrics styled into fashionable Filipiniana wear, highlighting influences from Southeast Asia, and (2) Philippine filigree jewelry with African, Middle Eastern, and Hispanic design influences. The exhibit served as a window on how clothing and jewelry have been bridging the Philippine’s past and the present. “Heritage Links” is one of the activities that celebrates the 30th anniversary of the establishmentofdiplomaticrelationsbetween the Philippines and Brunei Darussalam and to kick off the commemoration of the 116th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence.

(Clockwise from top left photos 1 & 2) Philippine Ambassador to Brunei Nestor Z. Ochoa and Madam Maria Tomasa E. Ochoa with guest of honor, Yang Mulia Datin Paduka Dayang Hajah Adina binti Othman, Deputy Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports during the opening of the Fashion Exhibit entitled “Heritage Links” at the Philippine Embassy in Brunei Darussalam; Spouses of the Heads of Mission, ladies of the diplomatic corps and the members of the International Women’s Club in Brunei greet the guest of honor accompanied by Madam Ochoa; Ambassador Ochoa giving his token of appreciation to the Guest of Honor Madam Ochoa (left) witnessing the gift giving; Photos taken during the high tea at the opening of the event.

The exhibit featured Filipiniana fashions (Philippine national clothing for women) designed by Cora de Jesus Manimbo and Philippine filigree jewelry by Oscar A. Atendido. Ms. Manimbo is a fashion designer known for her hand-painted Filipiniana outfits for men and women. Mr. Atendido is a jewelry designer specializing in pre-Hispanic jewelry. He is currently a design consultant with the Department of Trade and Industry in the Philippines. Ms. Manimbo and Mr. Atendido have showcased their fashions/creations in exhibits held in Asia, the US, and Europe. Their most recent joint fashion exhibit was in Berlin in October 2013. The fashion and jewelry exhibit was complemented by a video showing the potentials of Philippine indigenous materials and fabrics, and an audiovisual presentation and lecture on the development and evolution of filigree jewelry industry. Both designers drew positive impressions from the more than 100 guests who graced the occasion. In his welcome remarks, Philippine Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam Nestor Z. Ochoa noted how hand-woven fabrics and hand-crafted jewelry formed a big part of Philippine historical art. He welcomed this exhibit as an initiative to revive interest in these traditions and make these creations more responsive and attuned to present times. ■ Philippine Embassy Philippines / April 30, 2014

(Clockwise from top left) Philippine Consul General Raly L. Tejada and resource speakers from Project Be Foundation Hong Kong, Atty. Clara Arlene Baybay and Mr. Archimedes David Guerra, with Consulate General personnel and Filipino community representatives attend a Financial Planning Seminar; Consul General Tejada, in his Opening Remarks, stressed the importance of financial planning to the Filipino community; Atty. Baybay and Mr. Guerra discuss financial concepts and targets benefiting overseas Filipino workers and their families; Filipino community participants drafted financial targets based on the financial planning strategies discussed during the seminar.

PHL Embassy in Brasilia Supports PHL Team in Street Child World Cup 2014 THE Philippine Embassy in Brasilia, led by Philippine Ambassador to Brazil Eva G. Betita, attended the 2014 Street Child World Cup in Rio de Janeiro. Ambassadors of Indonesia, Pakistan and the United Kingdom were also present, along with representatives from other embassies. The Philippines participated in the competition for boys and girls, with the Girls Team as runner up of the event, bowing to Team Brazil at the finals with a 0-1 score. Tanzania won in the boys’ category. The ten-day event kicked off on March 28, with 19 participating teams, and with Indonesia and the Philippines as the only Asian teams. The event is an initiative of UK registered charity Street Child United, and started in Durban, South Africa in 2010. With the aim of holding the event prior to the FIFA World Cup, it is a platform aimed at recognizing the rights of street children and promoting the global campaign, I Am Somebody.

The children had the opportunity to meet new friends and be exposed to other cultures. They were also given the chance to participate in an arts festival and an international conference on street children, which produced the Rio Rights Declaration. The event stressed that street children have the right to “protection, rehabilitation and opportunities”, as mentioned in its own website. At Fluminense Stadium, Ambassador Betita met with Mr. Bernard Vassas, Director of Equinox do Brasil, who also works with Fluminense FC, a football club that was founded in 1902. Mr. Vassas informed the Ambassador of their interest to work with the Philippines in mutually beneficial projects in sports. Equinox do Brasil is a Brazilian corporation created in 2008 in Rio de Janeiro with the objective of promoting cultural and international sports events. ■

Philippine Embassy Philippines / April 30, 2014

19 teams participated in the 2014 Street Child World Cup, an initiative of UK-registered charity, Street Child United

Ambassador Eva G. Betita with Team Philippines at the awarding ceremony

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SPORTS

May 2014 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

Filipino fighters celebrate hometown edge after going 5-0 in ONE FC: Rise of Heroes card

FIVE Filipino fighters – three veterans and two debutantes – stepped into the ONE FC: Rise of Heroes cage on Friday night and for once, every one of them came out a winner. Team Lakay fighters Eduard Folayang and Rey Docyogen, Submission Sports’ Eugene Toquero and debuting Filipinas Ana Julaton and Jujeath Nagaowa all defeated their foreign counterparts in front of a partisan hometown crowd. Folayang continued his climb up the lightweight rankings after defeating former champion Kotetsu Boku while his teammate Docyogen outlasted Guamanian flyweight Joshua Alvarez via decision. Toquero defeated Malaysian up-and-comer Gianni Subba.

The women, too, shined in a big way with both Julaton and Nagaowa knocking out their respective foes, Egypt’s Aya Saeid Saber and India’s Jeet Toshi. It was a stark contrast from a fight card in the same arena last year, where Folayang, Docyogen and their Lakay teammates got shut out, 0-5, against foreign opponents. “Masaya kasi hindi lang naman yung sarili natin yung dinadala natin dito. Pati yung mga kababayan natin (I’m happy because it’s not just us that we’re representing here. We also represent our countrymen),” Folayang said after his fight. And while the fighters certainly made their hometown fans proud, they also feel

like those same fans gave them a bit of an edge in their contests. “I’m so happy to finally have a fight here in the Philippines. It’s so nice to have people backing you, supporting you,” Julaton said. “I’m so used to going to different countries and having everyone wanting to see me annihilated. So it’s nice to have that change and having everyone just pick me up and help me out. I’m thankful for the opportunity.” And it wasn’t just the packed SM Mall of Asia Arena crowd that cheered hometown heroes on. The fighters admitted that they themselves were rooting for each other. “Nung nasa locker room kami, nag-chi-

cheer kami sa mga Pinoy rin na kasama natin. Napakasarap ng pakiramdam nang nagagawa natin pag nagtutulong-tulong tayo (When we were in the locker room, we were also cheering for the other Filipino fighters. It’s such a good feeling, what we accomplish when we help each other out),” Folayang added. Docyogen, too, took the opportunity to express his gratitude to their supporters in the crowd. “Maraming maraming salamat sa suporta ng mga Filipino fans (Thank you very, very much for the support of the Filipino fans),” he said. ■ Mikkel Bolante / InterAksyon.com

/ May 3, 2014 / 3:13 AM

Pinoy champ Johnriel Casimero stripped of world title after coming in five pounds overweight

PINOY champ Johnriel Casimero stripped of world title after coming in five pounds overweight Filipino boxer Johnriel Casimero was stripped of his IBF world junior flyweight title on Friday after failing to make weight a day before his fight against Columbian Mauricio Fuentes in Cebu. Casimero came in at 113.25 pounds, more than five over the 108-pound weight limit.

The fight will still push through at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino on Saturday. Fuentes can win the title if he defeats Casimero. The result of the weigh-in comes as a disappointment as Casimero, who fights out of the IPI Gym in Mandaue City, was expected to fight before a rabid hometown crowd. The Pinoy Knockout card will air on TV5 on Sunday at 1 p.m. ■ InterAksyon.com / May 2, 2014 / 2:33 PM

Paul Lee sees healthy, hungry Talk ‘N Text as Commissioner’s Cup finals favorites Air 21, San Mig Coffee break series deadlock in pivotal semis Game Three

THE Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters have not been to the finals of a PBA tournament since winning the 2013 Philippine Cup. The drought seems like a lifetime for a Talk ‘N Text franchise that has dominated the PBA over the past three years. Which is why a hungry Tropang Texters squad has run roughshod over the PLDT Home TVolution Commissioner’s Cup, winning all 13 of their games to march into the finals. “The way na maglaro sila, wala akong masabi. Healthy silang lahat and mukhang gutom na gutom,” said Paul Lee, whose Rain or Shine squad fell in a sweep in the semifinals to Talk ‘N Text. “Parang ito yung Talk ‘N Text na nakita ko before noong pumasok ako sa PBA.

Parang bumalik lang siguro sila. Mga ilang conference rin sila nawala sa ganyang scenario so gutom talaga sila ngayon. Lee and Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao see Talk ‘N Text as definite title favorites as the Tropang Texters await the winner of the other semifinals series between the Air 21 Express and the San Mig Super Coffee Mixers. “They’re in rhythm. Their bench is really deep, they don’t have to be burned out because they’ve a deep rotation,” Guiao told InterAksyon.com “They’re balanced. They have the inside game, they have the outside game. They have veterans. So they have a pretty good chance of winning the championship.” ■ Rey Joble / InterAksyon.com /

THE Air 21 Express and the San Mig Super Coffee Mixers try to take a step closer to the PLDT Home TVolution

Commissioner’s Cup championship round when they clash in Game Three of their semifinals series on Saturday at

May 3, 2014 / 1:09 AM

SMART-Araneta Coliseum. Tipoff is set at 5 p.m. with live coverage over TV5. The upstart Express continued their surprising playoff run by drawing first blood, 103-100, in the series opener. But the Mixers, the champions of the last two PBA tournaments, rebounded in a big way by dictating the tempo in their 82-75 victory in Game Two. San Mig Coffee shackled Air 21 import Wesley Witherspoon and forward Sean Anthony in Game Two. The two men were instrumental in the Express’ victory in the opener. A victory will put the winner a win away from punching a ticket to the finals, where the unbeaten Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters await the winner of the series. ■ InterAksyon. com / May 3, 2014 / 1:24 AM

Three Filipinos crash finals of Sri Lanka boxing tournament

MVP with former NBA commissioner David Stern. Photo courtesy of Al Panlilio

MVP backs off on talks of buying into NBA’s Clippers - ‘Hanap pa tayo ng iba’ TELECOMMUNICATIONS mogul backed off on talk about buying into the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers, with the league starting the process of kicking out controversial owner Donald Sterling. “Hanap pa tayo ng iba, andyan pa naman yung (Golden State) Warriors, baka makasingit,” Pangilinan. Pangilinan attended a Warriors game last March, telling InterAksyon.com that he was “definitely” still interested in a minority stake in the team. The Clippers are expected to be on the

market after the NBA banned owner Donald Sterling for life after racist comments he made were made public this week. Business and entertainment moguls have already expressed interest in buying the team, with analysts expecting the squad to fetch upwards of $1 billion. Pangilinan, the chairman of the PLDT group, said there’s no harm in looking into the Clippers situation. “We’ll try our best, pero napakamahal noon eh,” said Pangilinan. ■ Rey Joble / InterAksyon.com / May 3, 2014 / 12:38 AM

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – Three of six boxers of the PLDT-ABAP team participating in the Lion’s Cup here advanced to the finals of the competition at the Sugathadasa Indoor Arena. Flyweight Ian Clark Bautista, bantamweight Mario Fernandez and women’s lightweight Nesthy Petecio disposed of their semifinals opponents Wednesday evening to earn the championship slots. Surprisingly settling for bronze was Eumir Felix Marcial, one of the top favorites. after bowing to Kenyan Okwin Raytow Nduku by unanimous decision. Team manager and head coach Pat Gaspi expressed disappointment at the decision. “Eumir definitely won the first two rounds and even if the Kenyan got wise to Marcial’s injury (he had a swollen face after accidentally bumping into his opponent the day before), we think he still deserved the decision,” said Gaspi. “It didn’t help that the referee, the same one who slapped a warning and

point deduction on Irish Magno on the first day, also penalized Marcial in the closing seconds of the fight.” Bautista took the fight to his Sri Lankan foe, PD Suresh. He will face Anuruda Rathnayake, also of the host country, in the finals. Rathnayake is a comebacking boxer who came to the Philippines twice in the past year as a coach for their women’s team which trained in Baguio City. When the AIBA raised the retirement age of boxers to 40, he again suited up. He had a smashing 2nd round KO win over a Kenyan pug in the semis. Air Force man Fernandez again relied on his guile and speed in the ring as he scored a unanimous decision win against Manju Wanniarchchi of Sri Lanka. On Friday, he will dispute the gold medal with Yu Che-Li of Chinese Taipei. The 21-year-old Petecio, meantime, decisioned Chia Ling Chen of ChineseTaipei. Her old nemesis, Tassamalee Thongjan of Thailand, whom she narrowly

beat in the semifinals in the Myanmar SEA Games last December, will be her opponent in the Finals. With Gaspi in the coaching staff are Joegin Ladon and Violito Payla Jr. AIBA International Technical Official Ma. Karina Picson and 3-star international refereejudge Roger Fortaleza are officiating in the tournament. Over 60 boxers from 11 countries answered the roll when the tournament started Monday. ■ InterAksyon.com / May 1, 2014 / 6:21 PM

sport FILIPINO fight icon Manny Pacquiao and wife Jinkee welcomed their fifth child on Sunday, two weeks after his world title victory over Timothy Bradley. Jinkee gave birth to Israel on Sunday afternoon at General Santos Doctors Hospital via caesarian section. Israel, weighing 8.1 pounds, was the third boy in a brood of five, following Emmanuel Jr. (Jimuel), Michael, Princess, and Queen Elizabeth. Pacquiao, who also serves as congressman of Sarangani province, said that he plans to fight on for two more years after winning against Bradley. ■

Filipino fighters celebrate Pinoy champ Johnriel Casimero hometown edge after going 5-0 stripped of world title after in ONE FC: Rise of Heroes card coming in five pounds overweight Story on page 38

Story on page 38

MVP backs off on talks of buying into NBA’s Clippers - ‘Hanap pa tayo ng iba’ Story on page 38

InterAksyon.com / April 28, 2014 / 5:04 PM

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