Pilipino Express • Apr 1 2015

Volume 11 • No. 7 • April 1 - 15, 2015 Publication Mailing Account #41721512

Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program is back

Alex Gonzaga

14 On April 30, 2015 the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) will reopen its Skilled Worker Overseas stream along with other process improvements for the MPNP Skilled Worker category. Read Michael Scott’s report on page 6. Photo by Rey-Ar Reyes

Manang Li writes “30”

Banning microbeads

14 Screening begins April 10. See ad on p14 WINNIPEG – On March 30, 2015, Ligaya Custodio Buenaventura said goodbye.

Manang Li, as most of us have fondly called her, was a longtime Tagalog short story writer of the Pilipino Express News Magazine. Under the banner “Mga Kuwento ni Tita Li,” she shared her creativity and imagination with our readers from the time we See MANANG LI p9

NOEL CADELINA

LITO DABU

Sales, 6th Consecutive Sales, & Leasing Consultant SMG Gold Ring Awardee 5th Year SMG Gold Ring Awardee

JOEL SIBAL Service Consultant

JUNIOR BANSAL Sales Manager

ROBERT MISA

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Sales Consultant

NELSON LANTIN Sales Manager

ROMMEL FAJARDO

Sales Manager

Tiny plastic beads used in body wash are polluting the Great Lakes, where they are eaten by fish and other wildlife. Dr. Marcus Eriksen, The 5 Gyres’ Institute Co-founder and Research Director, said this can lead to humans ingesting plastics. “These microplastics absorb pollutants, are eaten by organisms, and enter the food chain, potentially affecting human health.” (photo courtesy of 5 Gyres Institute) Read story on p9.

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Pilipino Express News Magazine

CAREERS

April 1, 2015

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PILIPINO EXPRESS

APRIL 1 - 15, 2015

Supremely unfair The joke used to be that the Philippines could start a tourism marketing campaign out of its being the only country outside of the Vatican not to have divorce.

Foreign couples, the joke went, could prove their genuine love for each other by offering to get married in the Philippines where the union would literally be forever – “I love you so much I’ll marry you in the Philippines.” It’s the kind of humour that Filipinos are known for, but the reality that many couples find themselves in is really no joke. In a country where Catholics are the vast majority who are supposed to believe in the sanctity and permanence of marriage, many families lie in ruins because husband and wife cannot get along. There being no escape, most find themselves unable to move on; when they do move, society – and the law – labels their relationships illegitimate.

It comes as no surprise, therefore, that a recent survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) has found that 60 percent

In my recent visits to the Manitoba Archives, I have been on the hunt for references to Filipinos applying for licenses to practice in Manitoba as Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs). The body governing this profession at the time was the Manitoba Association of Licensed Practical Nurses (MALPN), and their records are stored at the Manitoba Archives. With the basic knowledge I had of when Filipino health professionals began arriving in Winnipeg, I started reading the records of the MALPN Advisory Council from 1956, to set up the context of Manitoba’s health care profession.

What became apparent was a growing concern that an upcoming shortage of nurses, including LPNs, was coming as changes to Canada’s health care system were implemented. At the same time, Manitoba’s population was still experiencing a postWorld War II population boom.

There are numerous references in the MALPN Advisory Council’s meeting minutes to requests from the provincial government on the ability of the MALPN to supply more LPNs. At the time, this governing body of LPNs had responsibility for training LPNs and maintaining an up-to-date curriculum.

In response to these requests

of Filipinos favour the legalization of divorce. The reasons are numerous, but the most important one is that there really are separated married couples who can no longer reconcile with each other. This fact is painfully obvious: everyone in the country knows at least one couple who are irreconcilably separated. It is a sad reality that our laws do not seem to recognize.

Currently, the only remedy is to get a church or civil annulment – a long and very expensive process.

The cost runs up to several hundred thousand pesos, and even then there is no guarantee that the church or the courts would grant it. In a very real sense, then, the country’s annulment process favours the rich and condemns the poorer ones to misery.

This is the situation that a friend of mine (let’s call him Tom) currently finds himself in. Tom is about my age (late 40s) and is legally married to a woman with whom he has been separated for a few years. They have two children (a teenager and a pre-teen) whom

from government, the MALPN increased class sizes and frequency, began to encourage high school students to consider a career as an LPN more rigorously and, important to our discussion here, accepted increasing amounts of overseas applicants. One of the first mentions of immigrant applicants that caught my attention was a nursing student from the British West Indies, in particular Barbados, who entered the LPN course in 1956. Black Barbadian immigration to Canada was significant during this period, as both countries had very strong ties to Britain that aided in the ease of mobility. This student appears to be one of the first non-white and non-Aboriginal students the MALPN had encountered, and reports on the student’s progress often appeared.

The student also presented a new challenge to the MALPN: How to support the success of immigrant students? After the student’s performance improved following the enrolment of fellow students from the British West Indies, the MALPN suggested that overseas students might perform better if they worked alongside their compatriots. However, given the initial support from the MALPN,

by August 1958 it was decided to not accept students from the British West Indies due to the

he sees infrequently because his wife won’t give him time with them. Their love story soured soon after their wedding when he discovered that his wife had “mental health issues.” Her erratic and sometimes violent behaviour was exhibited to her own parents and their two kids, but the brunt was unleashed on Tom. To his credit, Tom stayed on for the kids, but ultimately it was his wife’s decision for the two of them to separate.

Tom has since flitted from one relationship to another, none of them lasting long because, well, he is still technically married and his girlfriends want a more permanent and legitimate arrangement. He wants to move on, but he can’t.

His wife had initially pushed him to get an annulment, but she has since changed her mind. Not that it would have mattered, of course: between supporting his kids and making a separate life for himself, Tom doesn’t have the money to pay for an annulment.

Tom is just one of the millions of Filipinos who believe divorce should be made legal in the

country. He is a Christian but not a Catholic, and he rails against a system that is dictated upon by a church to which he does not even belong. “Why should it be forbidden for me? I’m not Catholic. As far as I know, other Christian groups accept divorce,” he keeps on saying. He is bitter at how his life turned out; he has not lost his faith, but he wishes – and prays – that the country would allow him to start over.

It remains to be seen if the SWS survey will result in anything. For what it’s worth, though, we have learned that the majority of the people actually want this, and it would be supremely unfair if they were deprived of divorce just because one group opposes it. I personally don’t believe in divorce, but that doesn’t give me the right to impose it on others. Even in a country where Catholics are the majority, there should be room to respect the beliefs of others.

Jon Joaquin is the Associate Editor of EDGE Davao, the newest daily newspaper in Mindanao. E-mail Jon at jonjoaquin@gmail.com.

Searching the archives for Manitoba’s Filipino health care pioneers difficulties they were having in adjusting to Canada and the fact that they could not afford to retake the LPN course.

In the late 1950s and 1960s, there were increasing numbers of Caucasian applicants from abroad, in particular from Greece and Hungary. Many of these applicants for a LPN license were educated abroad, however, when they came to Manitoba they were told that they would have to update their training. This was either through taking extra coursework, clinical rotation, or the entire LPN program. Because the education programs were not recognized, many from Greece and Hungary had to take the entire LPN program.

I have spent numerous hours on these MALPN meeting minutes and, while this background information was interesting, it did not directly relate to Philippine immigration. I had begun to wonder if I was looking in the right spot or if my energies would be better directed elsewhere. For those who do archival work, this is a common worry. In this case, persistence and confidence in my expectations paid off. In a 1966 MALPN Advisory Council meeting, there was mention that there was a steady increase in

the number of out-of-province applicants that required attention.

(It should be noted, too, that in 1966 the federal government of Lester Peterson introduced the Health Care Act, which allowed for universal health care in Canada.) After a page long list of names of those applying from out-of-province and their individual requirements, came a heading that sang out to me, a weary researcher at the end of a long week: A list of applicants from the Philippines! The list was short – only five – and all had taken a course in midwifery in the Philippines, requiring them to take the full LPN course.

In the years following this discovery, more applicants trained in the Philippines appear in the pages of the MALPN meeting minutes, along with numerous other applicants from abroad. These health professionals, together with the large numbers of graduating Manitoba residents, worked to fill the gaps in Manitoba’s health care service. Remember, this only refers to LPNs – this discussion does not include those who came to Manitoba as doctors, registered nurses (RNs), or other health care professionals. As Darlyne See ARCHIVES p7

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The MPNP is back I read the notice on the provincial website last week and was filled with a deep sense of relief. MPNP is reopening its “overseas application stream” on April 30, 2015. We are all aware that this MPNP application stream has been closed since July 31, 2014 in order for the program to reduce its considerable backlog of applications. The priority stream applications for international students and overseas foreign workers inside Manitoba was never affected by the moratorium and continues to operate. The information contained in the provincial announcement follows.

The announcement provides potential users with notice of the

opening and instructions to wait for more details to follow. “On April 30, 2015 the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) will reopen its Skilled Worker Overseas stream along with other process improvements for the MPNP skilled worker category. Please continue to visit our website regularly for further information and updated application guidelines.”

It is important to note that the stream is reopening and there will be “other process improvements for the MPNP skilled worker category.”

The “process improvements” have not yet been announced hence the need for the reader to check the MPNP website

regularly.

There are other MPNP application streams that are open at this time. The provincial announcement includes an extensive explanation of how the MPNP has connected with the new federal Express Entry program. The MPNP opened a new “sub-stream” to nominate a limited number of applicants (500 in total) for consideration under Express Entry. “Under the first ‘pilot’ phase of this initiative,” the announcement reads, “only applicants who meet all the criteria below and are directly contacted by the MPNP will be of consideration for nomination.”

The MPNP will only consider applicants who: • have an existing open application with an MPNP file number in the Skilled Worker Overseas stream within our inventory;

• have the potential to meet the eligibility criteria of at least one of the three federal economic immigration programs included in Express Entry according to the assessment of an MPNP Immigration Officer based on the documents included with your current application; • submit a complete Educational Credentials Assessment for Federal Skilled Worker applicants as well as evidence of settlement funds meeting higher federal requirements once contacted by the MPNP; • provide proof of successful completion of an Express Entry profile by sharing your Express Entry ID and Job seeker validation codes with the MPNP. The MPNP warns that approval under the initiative “does not guarantee approval by the MPNP or CIC.” They are correct in pointing out that they must

complete a full assessment by first provincial standards and later by federal immigration standards.

The “sub-stream” is now open but the warning to potential applicants is that they should not assume that they are being considered under the sub-stream “unless you are contacted directly by the MPNP.” The good news is that MPNP is back and also that there are several different ways to be nominated.

For more detail check regularly for updates on the MPNP website or follow the announcements in our Pilipino Express.

Michael Scott BA (Hon), MA, is a 30-year veteran of Canada Immigration and the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program who works as an immigration associate with R.B. Global Immigration Consultants Ltd. (204) 783-7326 or (204) 2270292. E-mail: mscott.ici@gmail. com.

SLACKtivism – Teaching students to be proactive citizens Let me be the first to admit that I’m guilty of SLACKtivism.

SLACKtivism is a term I first heard at a professional division regarding Free the Children’s WE Act program and curriculum, the same organization that hosts the global celebration WE Day. SLACKtivism is liking a video we see about an issue we’ll hear about once. It is signing a petition and patting ourselves on the back for that five-minute action. It is sharing a post on social media with family and friends. It is donating money to a cause, and forgetting about it a month later.

Don’t get me wrong. These activities help raise awareness, which truly does makes a

difference for the organization, charity, or fundraisers involved.

Social media networks have made sharing information even easier than it had in the past. The big concern I have, however, is the disconnect it creates, when people assume that simply “liking” or “sharing” information means they have done all they can.

There is a decreasing amount of change-makers who are planning, organizing, and doing something to create the change they want to see.

Particularly for this upcoming generation of digital natives who live comfortably in online social media, the push to create activism is becoming a greater need. We

need to encourage youth to take part in local and global initiatives, to create not only a plan, but a plan of action towards their goals.

It is not enough to just create awareness – although it is a strong launching point – you have to get moving.

The school I work at has a staff that is passionate about doing. We are a hands-on team that works hand-in-hand toward our goals.

Our students have inadvertently absorbed this attitude – the choice to work together. I, alongside two colleagues, are the teacher supervisors for our Empowerment Group, comprised of 32 sixth graders who made the choice to plan and make a change in both local and global initiatives.

Together, we had raised $600 last year toward our causes, and this year, have already surpassed that amount by several hundred!

How do we do it? Re-read the title of this column. We empower them through education.

We have the tough discussions about issues we notice in our community, city, country, and world. We teach them about the benefits, but also the dangers, of SLACKtivism. Then, instead of just talking about it, we begin our

research. We brainstorm activities that we feel our school would support, and we turn that into action, which leads to positive changes.

I recently took the students to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, on a tour called Be an Upstander, and when having discussions with our tour guides, I could hear these students’ voices carrying over ideas that go beyond their years. When asked what they would do when they come across an issue they are passionate about, one student replied, “I would begin the chain. I would find other people who also believe in the cause, and we could find ways to share it with others, especially those who have even more powerful voices than us.”

On the bus ride back to school, I asked two students what they valued most from today’s experience. One replied, “I learned that even a small change can lead to a much bigger change.” The other replied, “I learned that you don’t have to wait to be an adult to make a real difference, as long as you do something about it and don’t give up.”

I will remind you that it is a sixth grader who said that

sentence above.

Wow! Parent tip: Be the change!

Children place value where we place value. Encourage your child to be a change-maker – to not only spread awareness, but to take it a step further and have actions toward making a difference. Provide them options of who to talk to, where to go, who to ask in order to strengthen their participation toward their cause.

We often, as adults, underestimate the fact that when students feel passionate about something, they will see it through when they have support from a caring and safe adult. Empower your child with encouragement.

Ask them questions. Lead by example.

I will end this article with a quotation that hits home for my students, and the tens of thousands of others who are inspired by the WE Act program from Free the Children.

“Be the change you want to see in this world.” – Gandhi Judianne Jayme is a third year educator teaching sixth grade in the Winnipeg School Division.

APRIL 1 - 15, 2015

ARCHIVES...

From page 4 Bautista notes in Winnipeg’s Filipino Health Professionals (c. 1950-1970) (Vol. 1 of From Manila to Manitoba: Celebrating 50 Years with the Filipino-Canadian Community in Winnipeg), Filipino health professionals played a vital role in Canada’s health care at this time, not only through their hard work, but through their support of a universal health care system.

Now, to me this find was an archival discovery. Materials in archives can often be associated with people, organizations, or events that are in the distant past; however, this is not the case. Many of the people listed in the meeting minutes of the MALPN would still be alive today. The Filipinos who are named in this source were members of the first wave of the Winnipeg community, the first of what would become an active body of health care professionals.

Were you or someone you know one of Manitoba’s early applicants to the province’s various health care professions?

If so, I would love to hear from you! Please e-mail me at jmalek7@uwo.ca to talk more.

Your experiences and memories will contribute to the history of your Winnipeg Filipino community and its contributions to Canada.

Jon Malek is a PhD candidate in History at Western University, and is a member of the Migration and Ethnic Relations program.

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Find the calm within: how to manage anxiety Alex had a presentation at school the next day. He felt sick to his stomach at the mere thought of having to stand at the front of his class and talk. That night, he had trouble falling asleep and woke up several times. *** Marilyn had been sitting in her car for 20 minutes, trying to find the courage to go into the restaurant. Her nephew was celebrating his seventh birthday, and she knew she couldn’t miss it, but she felt highly anxious about being around so many people.

Her palms were sweaty, her heart was beating fast and she felt lightheaded. *** Jeff often has worries about his family, in particular how his mother views him. He also thought about how he was going to choose a career that would make his family happy. He describes himself as a people-pleaser, but feels that people often take advantage of him. His thoughts are affecting his sleep and he occasionally wakes up feeling “on edge,” irritated, and that his muscles are tense.

These scenarios describe how some people might feel anxiety.

Different people experience anxiety in different ways. Some may use words such as “nervousness,” “fear,” “stress,” “panic,” “freaking out,”

or “butterflies.” But overall, anxiety is characterized by having overwhelming worry or thoughts that cause distress and interfere with your ability to function at home, work, or in the community. Anxiety can affect our relationships with others too.

Symptoms of anxiety can include: • negative thinking • excessive worry • confusion • trembling • fatigue • feeling faint or dizzy • irritability • restlessness • difficulty breathing • rapid heartbeat • upset stomach or nausea • difficulty concentrating • muscle tension • insomnia Everyone experiences anxiety to some level, and there is no single cause for anxiety. Usually, a number of factors will contribute to how you experience anxiety such as genetics, your brain chemistry, and life situations. You are not able to control these factors. However, what we do have power over is how we look at and interpret things that we experience. Core beliefs about ourselves, thinking style, and behaviours are factors that we can change. We can work to improve low self-esteem, try

to change our negative thoughts, and adopt behaviours that will decrease our anxiety and stress.

Try some of the following effective anxiety-reducing strategies.

Think positively As much as possible, try to look at the bright side. For instance, after a difficult workday, do not focus on all the things you didn’t do. Instead, make a mental list of all the things you did accomplish, and how well you did it.

Evaluate the benefits of worrying If it is a situation that we have little or no control over, there is not much we can do. Sometimes we worry so that we feel we are doing something to try to control the situation. But sometimes this brings about feelings of hopelessness.

Examine your thought processes Do you only see the worst possible outcome? Do you make broad interpretations from a single or few events? e.g. After feeling awkward at a job interview, thinking, “I am always so awkward.” Try to stay away from thoughts using the words, always, never and every. e.g. “I never do a good job at work.” Be careful not to jump to conclusions or assume what others are thinking. e.g. “My friend can’t go out for coffee tonight. She must not like me anymore.”

Don’t try to be perfect We often feel more anxiety

when we want to be absolutely perfect at something. However, complete perfection is impossible for anyone to achieve. The end result is that you feel more worry and hopelessness because you will continually fall short of your goals. In fact, perfectionists tend to accomplish less because they spend a lot of time correcting and going over things again and again, trying to achieve an impossible standard. Meanwhile, a non-perfectionist could have accomplished twice as much work that is at an acceptable standard.

Talk about it With any form of negative stress, it is always best to let out heavy feelings, rather than keeping them to yourself. Talking to a family member, friend, counsellor, teacher, doctor or spiritual leader will help you to feel better.

Find peace The behaviours and activities that you choose can be a powerful outlet for stress and worry. Some people find that journaling is a great way to sort out their thoughts and let go of anxiety.

Playing a musical instrument or singing can serve as a creative outlet for stress. Stretching is one of the easiest anxiety-reducing techniques because you can do this anywhere. If you find that you are feeling upset or tense, take a stretch break to find immediate relief. Yoga is an activity that

combines stretching, breathing exercises and meditation, which can result in inner peace.

When in doubt, turn to the Internet or YouTube to find a variety of information on relaxation, deep breathing, and mindfulness. Mindfulness focuses on the present moment, which can relieve anxiety because we are often worrying about what happened in the past and what will happen in the future. Being mindful means accepting what is happening in the present moment, and not being judgemental.

It is important to manage anxiety before it happens, not just when we experience it. This decreases the chances of having emotional and physical problems down the road.

People gather bundles of sticks to build bridges they never cross. – Author unknown Cheryl Dizon-Reynante is the founder of Nexus Counselling and a licensed therapist with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association.

She is a proud member of the Manitoba Filipino Business Council and a provider for the Blue Cross Employee Assistance Program. Cheryl has experience helping clients with issues such as grief, depression, relationship difficulties, parenting, aging and illness. She can be reached at (204) 297-6744 or info@ nexuscounselling.com.

Raise your sights – the feng shui of views that can change your life Put your back into it.

Keep your nose to the grindstone.

These pithy sayings are meant to instill the value of consistent work effort.

And, for the most part they’re true, because consistent work pays off, but sometimes when you’re busy looking down all the time, you lose sight of where you’re going.

Feng shui offers us an opportunity to lift our eyes and create movement in our lives instead of drudgery, or worse, the awful position of feeling stuck in a “Groundhog Day” kind of life.

Too often we fall into the rut of day by day living to the point that we can’t imagine anything different or anything better and our vision gets cut off.

I’m frequently surprised at the shocked expressions I get when I ask people what they want and ask where they see their lives going or where they want their lives to go. They’re stunned because they can’t imagine anything different or anything more than that

grindstone where their noses are pointed at every day.

And who can fault any of us for this?

Most of the time, the thought of something better in our lives never enters the picture because we’re so busy just trying to get through the day, get the bills paid on time, the kids fed, car gassed and attend to all the other little details of our life that the big things slip silently by.

The idea that by shifting our views can make a meaningful change is sometimes hard to imagine.

But take, for example, a psychotherapist who specializes in trauma victims. The moment she walked into her office, the lucky corner (the corner diagonally opposite the door) held a dying plant. Her business was dying, too, and patients were falling away.

After a co-worker took mercy on the plant and removed it, the psychotherapist made a special trip and purchased a beautiful silk floral arrangement to replace the dying plant. Her business shot up

and within a few short days had calls and new clients coming in and it’s been that way since.

What you look at and what you see has a strong bearing on your life because we experience our life through our eyes.

Plus, I often teach in my Master Consulting Course: chi flows where the eye goes.

Feng shui stands as a tool to help you align what you see with what you want.

Use these feng shui tips to help you look up from the grindstone and raise your sights to the greater possibilities in your life.

•Place your desires correctly Place a whiteboard, a vision board, or a big sticky note of where you want to go on the left of your vision or in front of you as you sit at your desk. You can place your accomplishments on the right of your desk or behind you.

By putting your goals on the left, dragon side, you infuse them with positive, yang energy, because, after all, you want to get

there, right? That green dragon can give you a hand. Want more mojo? Place an image of a dragon by your goals.

•Place your name high Never buy a welcome mat with your name on it like so many businesses have because (besides wiping feet on your good name), it causes you to look down. If you have a business or if you want to highlight your accomplishments, put anything with your name on

it (like a sign or diploma) up high and prominently placed in your office or home, where you will look up to see it.

•Follow the 6 Star Six is the number of heaven in feng shui and where the 6 Star is located is also the location of where people are who can help you. In 2015, the 6 Star is located in the Northeast, the corner of decision-making and education See FENG SHUI p9

APRIL 1 - 15, 2015

PILIPINO EXPRESS

FENG SHUI...

From page 8 and thought. That means men will be instrumental in helping you acquire positions that help you grow and that teach you. In 2016, the 6 Star will move to the south, the sector of fame and success.

•Paint your ceilings white White is the color of heaven and if your ceilings are painted a color other than white, you may find that your aspirations are either drowned (blue ceilings), fail to take off (yellow or beige ceilings), or you’re scattered (green ceilings). Heaven is also an energy of protection, and we can all use that. White ceilings provide heavenly protection overhead.

•Activate your lucky corner Look at every corner in every room that is opposite and diagonal to the door. Be sure to put some kind of activator there, such as a tall lamp, a plant, or beautiful object to bring beauty and significance to your vision. These corners exert a powerful influence on our minds and our thoughts.

What to put here? Try a lucky frog to hold the wealth potential of the lucky corner.

•Be choosy about representations of yourself Look for photos of yourself that are positive and uplifting regardless of whether that’s a photo at home, your driver’s licence or your Facebook or Twitter photo. A menacing or sad-looking photo is a powerful representation of you.

Make sure your picture, Avatar, or any representation makes a positive statement of happiness, success and vitality.

FENG SHUI Q&A Question: I’m currently looking for a new home and I know mirrors in the bedroom are a bad idea. But what should I do about the bigmirror sliding doors on the closets of almost every home we look at?

Answer: Mirrors on the closet doors are a great way to add more light and brighten up a dark space. If the bedroom is a guest room or a home office, I would leave them there. But if they’re the doors on bedrooms, then you should definitely replace them. It’s not an expensive thing to do but simply changing them out will help you sleep better and be better for your relationship, too.

Kathryn Weber is the publisher of the Red Lotus Letter Feng Shui E-zine and certified feng shui consultant in authentic Chinese feng shui. Kathryn helps her readers improve their lives and generate more wealth with feng shui. For more visit www. redlotusletter.com and learn the fast and fun way how feng shui can make your life more prosperous and abundant!

MANANG LI...

From page 1

launched the Pilipino Express in 2005 until 2013. Manang Li was a renowned Filipino writer not only in the fiction category; she also authored and published several books on balarila (grammar) and panitikan, (literature), which were

MICROBEADS...

From page 1 OTTAWA – On March 24, the federal NDP tabled a motion calling for a ban on plastic microbeads and to classify them as a toxic substance under the Environmental Protection Act. The Conservative government responded, saying that Environment Canada is studying the problem. The findings of the study will determine a federal-provincial action plan, said Colin Carrie, the parliamentary secretary to Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq.

Microbeads are added to hundreds of personal care products on the market today such as toothpaste, soaps and facial creams.

The tiny, gritty particles are meant to help scrub and exfoliate skin and teeth and, according to Health Canada, they are safe for use in cosmetics and even food. However, environmental groups say the problems begin when they are washed down the drain.

Microbeads range in size from 0.0004 to 1.24 mm, which makes them small enough to slip through wastewater treatment plants.

Researchers at McGill University found that the beads sink to the bottom of lakes and rivers and stay

used as textbooks for students in Philippine schools. She was also a retired Winnipeg teacher and the founder of a local singing group, Mabuhay Serenaders. We, the Pilipino Express team, would like to express our deepest condolences to the Buenaventura family on the passing of Manang Li. Maraming salamat, Manang Li. (EZJ) there.

“These tiny plastic particles are showing up in the guts of aquatic animals and in our beer,” said Meredith Brown, environmental engineer and head of Ottawa Riverkeeper, in a recent news release.

According to an online petition at Change.org, the plastic beads become coated in toxins such as PCB’s, which, when eaten by marine life, can work their way up the food chain onto our dinner plates.

Two American states, Illinois and New Jersey, have already banned the manufacture and sale of plastic microbeads in cosmetic products, and a similar bill has had its second reading in the province of Ontario.

Some of the largest corporations making microbead products have promised phase out their use ahead of any legislative bans. Unilever – makers of Dove, Axe and Simple – removed all plastic microbeads from products in January, though some might still be on store shelves.

The Body Shop says microbeads should be out of their products by end of year. Johnson & Johnson, L’Oréal and Procter & Gamble plan to complete their phase-outs over the next two years.

PAGE 9

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PILIPINO EXPRESS

APRIL 1 - 15, 2015

Of debates and statistics When I wrote the article “Crossing the Bridge from Eng’r. to P. Eng” a few months back, I received tons of inquiries as to which is the best option to complete APEGM’s academic qualification requirements. To recap, the options available to internationally educated engineers are as follows: • Writing the assigned confirmatory examinations • Taking equivalent courses at the University of Manitoba • Interview process – available to applicants with over 10 years of engineering experience • Completing the

Internationally-Educated Engineers Qualification (IEEQ) program – available only to applicants assigned with five or fewer confirmatory exams • Completing a Masters degree or PhD in engineering - this option was just recently added.

Unfortunately, there is no particular answer to the aforementioned question. It really depends on one’s personal situation and priorities – and to whom the question is asked.

The options have always been a great debate topic among Pinoy Inhinyero (PI) colleagues during

events, meetings or just casual get-togethers. Interestingly, there are always great points from each unknowing debate participants, like considerations on time, finances, work, and personal goals. Each trying to convince the listeners to follow the path or options they’ve taken, while cheerfully discrediting other options. Of course, these all unfold in a jovial mood, not in a competitive way. I’ve always been partial to IEEQ, because I belonged to the ninth cohort of the program and was one of those who greatly benefitted from it.

Hence, in pursuit of fairness and equal exposure of all available options, future issues of this article will feature successful professional engineers or engineers-in-training from various engineering disciplines who have

undergone different pathways. We will all discover what led them to the ultimate decision.

I hope that from these personal experiences one can further get a better insight and broader perspective of what it takes to embrace the life of a Canadian PI. For now as a preview, I leave you with the current statistics based on FMC-APEGM membership registry as of February 18, 2015:

Ethel Clemente Fernandez is a registered member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of the Province of Manitoba (APEGM). She currently works for a federal crown corporation and is serving on the Executive Committee of the Filipino Members Chapter (FMC) APEGM. For inquiries, please e-mail fmc_apegm@yahoo.ca.

When helping hurts Recently, I was on a humanitarian aid and development campaign in Mexico, and I heard a story from a missionary and author named Eleanora. She told me about a short-term humanitarian project where “helpers” came out and decided to build houses for foreigners. They did just that. The burden on their heart was simply too great. After all the rich should “help” the poor, right? Much to the surprise of the locals these foreign objects were being erected. Soon enough the locals were herded into these philanthropic humble abodes.

Then the expected happened, the “helpers” left. Shortly thereafter, a number of locals experienced life changes and they left these homes barren. They did not have ownership over them after all and had no part in concept of them.

These empty homes made for a perfect operation for the local drug dealers and thanks to the “helpers” this was quite streamlined. Not too long after, these drug dealers rampaged the surrounding area and the aftermath of violent and

dependent addicts was painfully obvious. This is what happens when helping hurts.

Philanthropy is a Greek word meaning the love of humanity or more commonly understood as an act or gift done or made for humanitarian purposes. Proper philanthropy is a hand-up not a handout! When you come to the aid of those in your business or nonprofit, you need to understand that helping can hurt when it is done in a way that teaches helplessness.

This is a harmful exchange that happens with the best of intentions.

To ensure that harm is lessened as much as humanly possible, you need to know the difference between Relief and Participatory philanthropy. Relief, more often than not comes in the form of the Band-Aid Approach, and Participatory philanthropy is the process of making those you’re helping accountable for their own advancement. Meaning, they participate in the process of developmental aid.

Psychologist Martin Seligman

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founded the concept of Learned Helplessness. While the concept is correlated to his experiments on animal psychology and behaviour, it has also been contrasted to many human interactions.

Human beings have a propensity to behave helplessly when they lose control of their situation. This indecisiveness causes humans to pass up on opportunities for support

and steals their ability to be selfreliant.

If someone has not learned to earn what it is they are receiving, this leaves them on the wrong side of natural selection! When you help without allowing others to participate you’re only helping yourself to a short term sigh of relief.

Relief is to the elitist as Participatory is to the ideal philanthropist!

Business, Money & Success Message: It’s the increasing of the willingness of others to demonstrate their own abilities that creates an ideal environment for humanitarian aid and development!

Valen Vergara, Award Winning Social Entrepreneur, Author, International Investor, Speaker & B2C Marketer – www. valenvergara.com

APRIL 1 - 15, 2015

PILIPINO EXPRESS

PAGE 11

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PILIPINO EXPRESS

Hanggang ngayon ay bumubula pa rin ang bibig ni Ms Amalia Fuentes. Napakarami niyang isinisiwalat na rebelasyon tungkol kay Albert Martinez.

Nakakawindang ang mga impormasyong inilalabas ng beteranang aktres.

Mismong mga kaibigan na ng veteran actress ang nagsasabi na ganyan talaga siya. Huwag na huwag mo siyang bubulabugin, dahil para siyang kuta ng langgam na kapag nagsimula nang kumilos ay hindi na napipigil.

Wala na raw kahit sinong makapipigil pa sa kaniya ngayon sa paglalabas ng mga pinaggagawa ni Albert bago namayapa ang kaisa-isa niyang anak na si Liezl Sumilang Martinez.

May kuwento pa siyang inilabas tungkol sa panghihingi sa kaniya ni Albert nang sampung milyon, limang milyon, hanggang sa tinext na raw siya ni Romeo Vasquez dahil humihingi raw sa kaniya ang aktor nang 1.2M habang nasa ospital si Liezl.

Sa kaniyang mga rebelasyon

ay lumalabas na mukhang pera si Albert, na parang ginawang sangkalan ng aktor ang pagkakasakit ng kaniyang misis para makakuha ng pera sa kaniyang biyenan, kahit pa hindi naman maganda ang kanilang samahan.

Sa lahat ng mga pangyayaring ito ay isa lang ang nakakaalarma, patay na si Liezl, ang tanging naguugnay sa kanilang dalawa. Hindi kaya dahil sa kaguluhang ito ay maligalig ngayon ang kaluluwa ng taong pareho nilang mahal?

Tama lang na magbakasyon muna ang iniwang mag-aama ni Liezl Martinez. Kailangan nila ng pahinga. Hindi basta-basta giyera ang sinuong nila mula nang magkasakit ang aktres, kailangan din nilang pansamantalang takasan ang mga kontrobersiyang pinagdadaanan nila ngayon.

Huwag na muna nilang intindihin ang ibang tao, ang kapayapaan ng kanilang kalooban ang pinakamahalaga ngayon, hindi ibang tao ang hahawak at guguhit See CRISTY p15

APRIL 1 - 15, 2015

• Amalia Fuentes – Patay na si Liezl pero sige pa rin ang panunumbat • Alyanna Martinez – Nakakuha ng katapat ang lola sa apo niyang mataray din • Manny Pacquiao – Kailangang ibalik ang pagiging agresibo • Melissa Mendez – Kinasuhan ng “Slander By Deed” ni Pamaran • Malu Barry – Nagsalita na ang kasama sa flight ni Melissa • Noranians – Galit na naman kay Kris Aquino • Kris Aquino – “Dedmabels” lang sa bashing ng mga Noranians • Willie Revillame – Excited sa kaniyang pagbabalik TV sa Wowowin

Amalia Fuentes

Liezl and Alyanna Martinez

Kris Aquino

Nora Aunor

Manny Pacquiao (Photo courtesy of GMA 7)

Randy Santiago and Willie Revillame

Melissa Mendez

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PAGE 13

Favourite travel destinations of Kapuso stars Celebrities work hard – they spend most of the year not only under the glaring lights but also under close scrutiny of the media, the critics and their fans. But just like any ordinary person, they also need to take a break. They need their own personal time to rest and play.

Here are some of the Kapuso stars’ favourite travel destinations in the Philippines:

Kris Bernal (Hiram na Alaala) “Cebu — Because aside from being the home of the tastiest lechon, it is also the home of white beaches. Not to mention the night market, the nightlife, secret caves, virgin forests, and kayaking sites. There are just so many random things to do in Cebu.”

See KAPUSO p15

Kris Bernal

Aljur Abrenica

Sef Cadayona

Enzo Pineda

Gwen Zamora

Kristoffer Martin

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PAGE 14

PILIPINO EXPRESS

APRIL 1 - 15, 2015

Alex Gonzaga – maganda ang takbo ng career Gumaganda ang takbo ng career ni Alex Gonzaga sa kasalukuyan. Mula nang lumipat ang dalaga sa bakuran ng ABSCBN ay marami ang nakapuna na may patutunguhan ang pagiging komikera ng nakababatang kapatid ni Toni Gonzaga.

Noong pumasok sa PBB All In si Alex ay nakadagdag kulay siya at tinanggal ang umay sa loob ng bahay ni Kuya.

Pati ang kaniyang sinulat na libro, ang Dear Alex Break na Kami. Paano? Love Catherine ay mabiling mabili sa mga bookstore.

Balita na malapit na ring itong gawing pelikula at si Alex mismo ang napipisil na maging lead star nito. Kung sakali ay makakasama niya sina Luis Manzano at James Reid bilang mga leading men kapag natuloy na ang project na ito.

Marami rin ang aliw na aliw sa segment nila sa ASAP ni Luis Manzano kapag bumibirit na silang dalawa sa Karaoke Challenge.

Dahil dito ay itotodo na ng aktres ang kaniyang singing career. Matapos ilabas ang kaniyang album na I Am Alex G na may carrier single na Panaginip Lang, isang major major concert ang pasasabugin niya sa Araneta Coliseum ngayong Abril 2.

Ito ay ang Alex Gonzaga, The Unexpected Concert.

Tiyak na kakabahan ang unang non-singer concert queen na si Anne Curtis kapag napuno ni Alex ang Araneta.

Kapag nangyari ito ay maaari See SHOWBIZ p15

Alex Gonzaga

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APRIL 1 - 15, 2015

SHOWBIZ...

From page 14 nang sabihing siya ang bagong non-singer who can pack the big dome.

Marami rin ang natutuwa sa kaniyang Inday Bote show na mataas ang nakuhang rating sa pilot episode nito. May mga umaasa pa kasi na baka magkabalikan sila ng kaniyang partner dito na si Kian Cipriano.

Nabalita kasi noon na nagkaroon ng special something ang dalawa noong nasa TV5 pa sila at nagkasama sa isang show doon.

Kabituin din nila si Matteo Guidicelli sa nasabing sitcom at malakas din ang chemistry noong unang pagsasama nilang dalawa.

Nakaaaliw na kuwento ng pangarap at mahika ng pinakabagong fantasy-drama series ng ABS-CBN na Inday Bote na pagbibidahan nga ni Alex Gonzaga.

Ang Inday Bote ay halaw sa sikat na komiks na isinulat ng beteranong komiks novelist na si Pablo Gomez. Ito ay iikot sa kuwento ni Inday (gagampanan ni Alex), isang masayahing dalaga na handang gawin ang lahat para sa kaniyang pamilya.

Dahil sa kabusilakan ng kaniyang puso ay pagkakalooban si Inday ng isang mahiwagang bote na lingid sa kaniyang kaalaman ay tinitirahan ng mga duwendeng may kapangyarihan.

Paano babaguhin ng mahiwagang bote at ng mga duwende ang buhay ni Inday?

Suwerte o kamalasan ba ang maidudulot nito sa kaniyang pamilya?

Ipakikilala rin sa Inday Bote ang pinakabagong Kapamilya child actor na si Alonzo Muhlach.

Siya ay gaganap bilang isa sa mga duwendeng magiging kaibigan ni Inday na si Entoy.

Mukhang tuloy-tuloy na talaga ang pagsikat ng nakakabatang kapatid ni Celestine at baka maging bigger star pa siya pag nagkataon sa kaniyang Ate Toni.

KAPUSO...

From page 13

AljurAbrenica (Sunday All Stars) “Davao — I love their lifestyle, the way they eat, and the things they eat. I love durian. I am also a fan of durian coffee. I feel closest to nature when I’m there.”

Sef Cadayona (Sabado-badoo) “Vigan — The vintage scenery in Vigan is so relaxing and it gives you have a glimpse of what the country looks like before.”

Enzo Pineda (More Than Words) “Baguio — I love cold the weather. Running is also so refreshing in Baguio because of the fresh air.”

Gwen Zamora (Bubble Gang) “Coron, Palawan — Because of its beauty and all the activities you can do there, from island hopping, hiking, rock-climbing, kayaking, rafting, diving, spelunking, and safari

SHOWBIZ SHOWBUZZ PILIPINO EXPRESS

trip. Plus the view, it’s simply breathtaking.”

Kristoffer Martin (Healing Hearts) “Boracay… the place answers my need for party and chill vibe.”

Kim Rodriguez (Strawberry Lane) “Bicol — Kasi there are many places to visit in Bicol, pagbaba mo ng plane kita mo agad ‘yung Mayon volcano. Puwede rin magvisit sa old churches doon and explore the caves. Kung gusto mo mag-beach, mayroon din sa Caramoan.” [“Bicol – Because there are so many places to visit in Bicol; when you get off the plane, you see Mayon volcano immediately. You can also visit old churches there and explore the caves. If you want to go to the beach, you can go to Caramoan.”]

Ruru Madrid (Let The Love Begin) “Mt Pulag — I spent months in Pulag to shoot our film Above the Clouds. I love the feeling of being literally above the clouds.”

Andre Paras (The Half Sisters) “I love going to The Fort because it’s very peaceful there and you can eat a lot there too.”

Miguel Tanfelix (Once Upon A Kiss) “Palawan — There are many places to visit in Palawan and many activities to enjoy like snorkelling and cliff diving.”

Albert “Betong” Sumaya (Sabado-badoo) “Boracay — Nothing beats Boracay’s pristine white sand.

Marami ring puwedeng gawing activities aside sa pagpunta sa beach at iba ang feeling kapag nandoon ka, turistang-turista ka talaga.” [“Boracay – Nothing beats Boracay’s pristine white sand. There are also a lot of activities aside from going to the beach; and it feels really different there, like you’re a tourist.”]

Juancho Trivino (InstaDad) “I recently visited Coron, Palawan. Napaka-peaceful doon.

Nagiging emotional ako sa Coron dahil napakaganda ng beach.” [“I recently visited Coron, Palawan.

It was really peaceful there. I became emotional after visiting Coron because the beaches are so beautiful.”]

Ash Ortega (InstaDad) “Bohol — First time kong pumunta doon three years ago noong nag-shoot ako for an indie film. Nalibot ko ‘yung lugar at sobrang ganda talaga. Sobrang na-amaze ako sa Chocolate Hills and the tarsiers. That’s why kahit magpabalik-balik ako doon, hindi ako magsasawa.” [“Bohol – My first time to visit was three years ago when I shot an indie film. I

CRISTY...

From page 12

Ash Ortega

James Wright

Matet De Leon was able to see the Chocolate Hills and the tarsiers. That’s why I won’t tire of going back.”]

James Wright (GMA Records) “Baguio — First time I performed out of Manila and first time I was shivering while singing on stage.”

Matet de Leon (InstaDad) “Bukidnon — Na-in love ako sa lugar na iyon noong nagpunta ako last 2011. Talagang maganda sa Bukidnon, sobra! Nagustuhan ko rin iyong white water rafting sa Cagayan de Oro.” [Bukidnon – I fell in love with the place when I went there in 2011. It’s really beautiful there! I also liked the white water rafting in Cagayan de Oro.”] Source: www.gmanetwork. com/international

ng kapalaran nilang mag-aama.

Isang araw ay matatapos din ang mga kuwento, mapapagod din ang mga humuhusga sa kanila, kahit nga ang araw na nagbibigay ng liwanag sa atin sa maghapon ay nagpapahinga rin sa gabi. *** Kung kailan naman kasi wala na si Liezl ay saka pa lumutang ang matinding kaguluhan sa kaniyang pamilya. Nagpapatambisan sa social media ang panganay niyang anak na si Alyanna Martinez at ang kaniyang inang si Amalia Fuentes hanggang sa mauwi na iyon sa matinding sumbatan.

Atrebida at maldita, ganoon kung ilarawan ng ibang nakakausap namin si Alyanna.

Hindi raw kasi nila inasahan na si Alyanna pa ang babangga sa kaniyang Lola Amalia, siya pa ang magpapakawala ng kung anuanong salita, bilang depensa sa kaniyang mga magulang.

May dalawang milyong pisong ipinababalik ang beteranang aktres sa kaniyang apo, tutal daw naman ay hindi nila ito binigyan ng pagpapahalaga sa eulogy at cremation ni Liezl, ibalik na lang daw nila ang halagang ibinigay nito noong nakaospital pa ang pumanaw na aktres.

Pati ang pagkapanganak kay Alyanna ay isinumbat din ni Ms. Amalia, ito raw ang nagbayad nang apat na libong dolyar sa ospital, gigil na gigil ang lola sa kaniyang apo.

Pero hati ang simpatya at paghusga ng mga kababayan natin. Marami ring nagbibigay ng pang-unawa kay Alyanna. Alam na alam daw niya ang tunay na istorya ng hidwaan ng kaniyang lola at mga magulang kaya siya lang at ang kaniyang mga kapatid ang puwedeng magsabi ng katotohanan.

PAGE 15 Komento naman ng isang kaibigan naming propesor na maraming taon nang nakasubaybay sa issue, “Nagagalit lang si Amalia dahil tulad niya, e, very vocal din si Alyanna, nakatagpo siya ng katapat sa mismong apo niya, hindi pala papayag ang apo niya na basta na lang niya husgahan si Albert!”

Maraming tanong ang ating mga kababayan na hindi namin mabigyan ng tamang sagot. Paano raw ngayon ‘yan, namayapa na si Liezl, kanino raw kaya ipamamana ng beteranang aktres na si Amalia Fuentes ang kaniyang kayamanan?

Sa buong pagsasama nina Liezl at Albert Martinez ay hindi sila nagkibuan ng kaniyang manugang. Kontrang-kontra pa rin siya sa aktor, ngayon ay kalaban niya naman pati ang kaniyang apong si Alyanna?

Sa lahat ng mga artistang sumikat noong kanilang kapanahunan ay dalawang artista lang ang sinasabing may matatag na kabuhayan. Si Manang Inday (Susan Roces) at si Ms. Amalia Fuentes.

Kung ayaw pa rin niya kay Albert at itinuturing na rin niyang kalaban ngayon ang kaniyang apo ay kanino ipamamana ng beteranang aktres ang kaniyang mga kayamanan?

Kung kilala nga natin ang bibig ng beteranang aktres, sa tindi ng galit niya ngayon dahil sa sinasabi niyang pambabalewala sa kaniya ni Albert at ng kaniyang mga apo nang mamayapa si Liezl, ay puwede niyang sabihin na hindi mapapakinabangan ng mag-aama ang kaniyang kayamanan.

Pero sa kaniyang puso ay hindi niya magagawa ang ganoon.

Ang mga mahal ng kaniyang namayapang anak ay natural lang na mahal na rin niya, hindi man si Albert ay ang kaniyang mga apo.

Ito na nga siguro ang See CRISTY p16

PAGE 16

OUR COMMUNITY PILIPINO EXPRESS

APRIL 1 - 15, 2015

El Shaddai DWXI PPFI Winnipeg chapter St. Gerard Roman Catholic Church mass wedding and renewal of marriage vows

Valentine celebration with mass wedding and renewal of marriage vows of members of El Shaddai DWXI PPFI Winnipeg chapter, St. Gerard Roman Catholic Church, officiated

by Rev Fr. Greg. Mulligan, Spiritual Director, February 15, 2015

CRISTY...

From page 12 pinakamahabang kasaysayan ng away-showbiz. Tinangkang ayusin ni Liezl ang kaniyang pamilya, pero namatay siyang bigo, walang nangyari sa kaniyang hiling. *** Kontrang-kontra pala si Coach Freddie Roach sa litanya ni Manny Pacquiao na “The Lord will deliver his hands to me” kapag tinatanong ang Pambansang Kamao kung kaya ba niyang talunin si Floyd Mayweather, Jr. sa darating nilang salpukan.

Hindi pinanghihimasukan ng trainer-coach ni Pacman ang kaniyang relihiyon, nirerespeto nito ang kaniyang konbiksiyon, pero sana raw naman ay huwag lang iasa ni Manny ang kaniyang kapalaran sa Panginoon.

Suporta ng Diyos at pagpupunyagi ni Pacman ang nakikitang dahilan ni Coach Freddie Roach bilang susi sa kaniyang tagumpay. Naniniwala ito sa tulong ng Diyos pero ayon na rin sa coach ni Pacman, “Do your best and God will do the rest.”

Na totoo naman. Hindi natin puwedeng iasa sa Diyos ang lahat ng bagay, kailangan paghirapan natin ang inaasinta nating tagumpay, napakalaki ng tulong na magagawa ng mga panalangin pero kailangan pa rin nating magbanat ng buto para matupad ang ating pangarap.

Nawala na raw kasi ang pagiging agresibo ni Pacman mula nang bigyan niya nang matinding atensiyon ang relihiyon. Iyon ang kailangang bumalik, ayon kay Coach Freddie Roach, dahil hindi biro ang sasuungin niyang laban sa darating na May 2.

Wala pang talo si Floyd Mayweather, Jr., matagal na panahon ang kanilang hinintay para matuloy ang kanilang duwelo.

Tinanggap ni Pacman ang hamon ng madaldal na boksingero kaya kailangan niyang paghandaang mabuti ang kanilang paghaharap sa ring.

Sabi pa ni Coach Freddie Roach sa isang panayam, “Of course, we all believe in the Lord.

But nothing will happen if we will not move.”

May katwiran ang katwiran. *** Kilalang-kilala namin si Melissa Mendez. Nasubaybayan namin ang kaniyang karera.

Pati ang istorya ng kaniyang pakikipagrelasyon ay hindi rin maitatago sa amin.

Maaari siyang husgahan sa ibang aspeto ng kaniyang buhay pero ang pagbintangan siyang bastos at walang respeto sa kapwa ay magiging isang kalabisan.

Nakakaladkad ngayon ang pangalan ni Mile (palayaw ng aktres) dahil sa isang komprontasyong naganap sa eroplano kalaban ang dalawang lalaki. Isang nagngangalang Rey Pamaran at ang basagulerong aktor na si Andrew Wolf.

Hindi kilala sa showbiz si Rey Pamaran, pero sa mundo ng basketball ay pamilyar ang kaniyang pangalan, ito ang nakaengkuwentro ni Melissa sa eroplano.

Laganap na ang magkaiba nilang bersiyon sa mga pahayagan at sa social media, nagbakbakan ang magkabilang kampo sa kung sino sa kanila ang nagmalabis.

Nasosobrahan lang kami sa inasal ng dalawang lalaking sangkot sa usapin. Una ay ang paglalabas ni Andrew Wolf sa

kaniyang Instagram account ng video. Kung anu-anong mapanghusgang salita rin ang pinakawalan ng aktor-modelo laban kay Melissa.

Ikalawa ay ang naging reaksiyon ni G. Pamaran sa isang sitwasyon na kung tutuusi’y puwede namang pag-usapan nang mahinahon – pero bakit nauwi sa bantang panghahampas ng bag sa mukha ng aktres, kasabay ang pamemersonal tungkol sa mabahong hininga diumano ni Melissa.

Kapos na kapos sa respeto ang dalawang lalaking ito sa mga kababaihan. Mas matatanggap namin kung makikipag-upakan sila sa kapwa nila lalaki, tulad ng pakikipagbasag-ulo noon ni Andrew Wolf sa Boracay, pero ang patulan nila at lait-laitin nang personal ang isang babae ay hindi hinihingi sa isang sibilisado at disenteng lipunan.

Dapat ding silipin ang hindi parehas na pagtingin ng Cebu Pacific sa kanilang mga pasahero.

Magkapareho lang ang kulay at halaga ng perang ipinambayad ng ticket nina Rey Pamaran, Anderw Wold at Melissa Mendez, pero bakit ang aktres lang ang iniligwak nila sa biyahe?

Kahit sa buong kasaysayan ng korte ay walang magtatagumpay na kaso kung walang nagrereklamo.

Nag-sorry na si Melissa sa kaniyang social media account, pero hindi iyon tinanggap ni Rey Pamaran. Kinasuhan niya si Melissa Mendez. Slander By Deed ang asunto, tatlong milyong pisong danyos ang hinihingi ni Pamaran kay Melissa, hindi nito tinanggap ang kaniyang pagsosorry sa Instagram.

On national television daw ito siniraan ni Melissa, kaya iyon

din ang gusto nitong panghihingi ng tawad, abangan na lang natin kung babawiin nga ng aktres ang kaniyang mga litanya noong kainitan ng kontrobersiyang ito. *** Sa wakas, pagkatapos nang ilang araw, ay nagsalita na rin si Malu Barry tungkol sa insidente.

Ayon sa singer ay masyadong OA ang mga kuwentong inilalabas ng “loveteam” nina Rey at Andrew, napakasimple lang daw ng isyu, pero sobrang pinalaki na ng dalawa.

Hindi rin daw totoong nanakit ng flight attendant si Melissa, kung mayroon mang umaray ay hindi iyon sinasadya ng aktres, dahil maraming umaawat sa kanila ni Pamaran habang nagdidiskusyon sila na nauwi na nga sa pananampal ng aktres sa maingay na lalaki.

Awang-awa si Malu sa kaniyang kaibigan, napakarami na raw nasabi ng mga nakalaban nito, samantalang puwede na lang namang pag-usapan ang naganap sa maayos na paraan.

Katabing-katabi niya sa upuan si Pamaran, naging saksi siya sa katigasan ng ulo at kakulitan ng kaniyang kaibigan. Kung magsasalita siya ay parang siya na rin ang magdidiin kay Melissa kahit magkaibigan pa sila.

Natural, ang katotohanan ang sasabihin ni Malu, hindi siya magsisinungaling para lang masagip ang kaniyang kaibigan sa matinding kahihiyan.

Paano kung sang-ayunan niya si Melissa at sabihin niyang hindi nga ito nakainom noong bumiyahe sila, pero mapatutunayan naman pala iyon ng mga CCTV cameras sa airport, di dalawa na silang sinungaling?

Tama lang ang kaniyang

komento na hintayin na lang na ilabas ni Pamaran ang mga video, hindi nga naman iyon mapasisinungalingan, kesa sa ipagtanggol pa niya si Melissa sa isang sitwasyong kabaligtaran naman ng kaniyang alam.

Siyam sa bawat sampung nakakausap namin ay hindi paborable sa sobrang kadaldalan nina Pamaran at Andrew. Sa kanilang paglalarawan ay baligtad ang resulta, “Parang silang dalawa pa ang babae sa sobrang kadaldalan nila. Hindi maganda ang kanilang ugali.

“Kahit pa si Melissa na ang mali, babae ang kalaban nila, hindi sila dapat nagpakita ng kawalan ng respeto dahil may nanay at mga kapatid din silang babae,” madiing sabi pa ng isang nakausap namin. *** Galit na galit ang mga tagasuporta ni Nora Aunor kay Kris Aquino.

Nakaladkad na naman ang pangalan ng Superstar dahil sa lantaran niyang pagpapahayag na bumaba na sa puwesto ang Pangulong Noynoy Aquino. Hindi raw alam ni P-Noy ang kaniyang mga ginagawa. Tama na, sobra na, bumaba na raw dapat ang pangulo sa kaniyang posisyon at sa Palasyo Hindi matanggap ng mga Noranian ang sinabi ni Kris na tutuparin pa rin niya ang pangakong pamasahe ng Superstar papuntang Boston pero ang tanong ay kukunin pa raw kaya iyon ng aktres pagkatapos ng lahat?

Delicadeza ang tawag doon.

Nangako ng pambili ng airfare si Kris para sa pagpapagamot ni Nora sa Amerika, pero pagkatapos lang nang ilang araw ay sumama na si Nora sa grupong Migrante na sumisigaw ng pagpapababa kay See CRISTY p21

OUR COMMUNITY

APRIL 1 - 15, 2015

PILIPINO EXPRESS

PAGE 17

Winnipegger Will Wow at WCOPA Paul Ong’s journey to the World Championship of Performing Arts

By Judianne Jayme Pilipino Express recently connected with Paul Ong, the Winnipegger whose talent landed him a televised spot for his 2012 audition at Canada’s Got Talent. You may have heard him interviewed on CKJS radio, or read about him in the Winnipeg Free Press. There is even a Tim Horton’s commercial featuring Ong and his family, as part of their “Hometown Hero” series.

As soon as Ong has a microphone in his hand, you meet a soft-spoken young man, which only makes his talent that much more of a pleasant surprise.

His voice is a combination of strength and sustenance, which undoubtedly comes unexpected from such a quiet individual.

We had the opportunity to interview Ong before he represents our city at the World Championship of Performing Arts (WCOPA).

Pilipino Express (PE): When did you realize you had the gift of singing?

Paul Ong (PO): I first realized that I liked singing when I was four years old. I watched TV shows and learned songs effortlessly and this was when my family started to notice that I had the gift to sing. I sang every chance I got and practiced singing in my spare time without being prompted and it came naturally. I do believe that every person who is able to speak has the ability, and can develop singing.

PE: Tell me about your journey to WCOPA. How did it begin? What are your next steps?

What are your hopes from the experience?

PO: My journey to WCOPA came as a bit of a surprise. I thought that I would just try to test the waters so I can join next year since my schedule is already full with my academic and professional commitments. However, I got accepted and we decided I would take this challenge and push through it.

I would admit that this journey has not been all easy, but it has been a good learning experience.

I have been learning a lot in the process, especially in fundraising, sponsorships, networking. I have learned so much about organizing an event.

Of course, my hope is to be bring home the gold medal for my category (Vocals–Senior Category) and be the grand performer of the year… who knows? I always hope for the best and try to achieve it.

I also hope that I will learn new things and meet new people from the experience. If opportunity takes me somewhere from this, I

would also give it some thought.

PE: What helps you feel confident when singing to your audience?

PO: There are two things that make me confident when performing. One; the thought that I have prepared well for it, and two; that I have done all I can to ensure I am giving my best. With these things in mind, I assure myself that I have done my part and therefore feel prepared and confident that I will succeed and give a performance that my audience will appreciate. This is true with anything else like schooling, working, etc. As long as we know within ourselves we are doing our best, and we prepared well, then we should feel confident about ourselves.

PE: If you could sing on stage with any singer or band, who would you perform with?

PO: What I can say is, I would love to perform with any artists, singers, bands that I can get an opportunity to perform with.

It will be an experience worth remembering to be on stage with renowned artists and performers.

Here is a short list I can think of.

I would like to start with Filipino artists: Lea Salonga, Martin Nievera, Regine Velasquez, and Jed Madela. For international artists, I would love to perform with Josh Groban, and Michael Buble. The ones listed are just for the sake of answering the question, but really, I do not have any preference for this, as I would love to perform with all artists!

PE: What has been the most rewarding part of sharing your talents with others?

PO: The most rewarding part is the appreciation of the audience that I share my voice with, especially on very special occasions. I sang a lot in the Filipino-Chinese community back home and always loved how I am able to make their occasions (birthdays, weddings, community events, etc.) more memorable by performing. Being able to perform on stage for people who appreciate your talent makes a big impact on performers and pushes us to improve and enhance our talents.

When I see how my performance was able to move and touch audiences, I feel fulfilled and rewarded!

When I joined Canada’s Got Talent, which I would say is one of my most memorable experiences I have so far, I felt so rewarded by being able to share my talent, uplift Filipino-Chinese pride, and to be on that stage that I usually would just watch on YouTube. It gave me sleepless nights after the taping and it was what selected me to be in a

commercial (something that had been in my wildest dreams). Truly it was an amazing experience that I will always cherish! *** A big thank you to Paul Ong for taking the time to answer our questions. We wish you the best of luck as you take your talent to represent our city and country on the global stage!

Ong will be performing a repertoire of songs, including those to be performed at WCOPA, at his fundraising show on April 30th at Jimel’s International Cuisine, 1045 St. James St. Tickets can be purchased by contacting Ong from the information below.

Those interested in sponsoring Paul Ong on his journey to WCOPA will be acknowledged on his country representative page for WCOPA. He can be contacted at 204-417-3459, by e-mail paulkelvinong@yahoo.com, as well as through Facebook, “Paul Kelvin Ong.”

Paul Ong

OUR COMMUNITY

PAGE 18

PILIPINO EXPRESS

Saint Vital Catholic Church celebrates 100 years with diverse cultures

By Judianne Jayme On March 21st, the Pilipino Express was invited to experience the very first Multicultural Celebration event hosted by Saint Vital Catholic Church. Guests to the gymnasium of attached St. Maurice School were greeted with a photo booth, generous volunteers, and wall-to-wall booths prepared by parishioners to showcase the countries they are from: Belgium, Bretagne, El Salvador, India, Mexico, Poland, Philippines, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Uganda. Guests were also encouraged to wear traditional ethnic attire and try a variety of snacks provided by volunteers.

The program began promptly at 7:30 p.m. with opening remarks

by Fr. Barry Schoonbaert. The entertainment for the evening featured a variety of cultural dances and songs. The Belgium Folk Dancers of Winnipeg

performed a piece about a young blacksmith who lost his love, as well as a group number that is symbolic of making lace – an artistry traditional to Belgian culture.

Fourteen-year-old Kaleigh Hodder performed two Irish dances that she has used to compete around North America.

She also performs for the CelticIreland pavilion for Folklorama.

Miroslaw (Mirek) Nawrocki treated us to an upbeat Polish folk song.

We then visited Sri Lankan culture with a classical Bharatamutyum dance number by four young women who began the piece with moves accompanying a prayer. Several generations of women, including a young girl, also performed a cultural dance. The Sri Lankan numbers demonstrated the delicate balance between strength and grace, as they performed a dance usually done with an

offering of flowers for prayers requested and prayers answered.

Manitoba Filipino Street Festival (MFSF) represented the Philippines, featuring a cultural

gown presentation by MFSF Chairwoman Aida Champagne, Jackie Servida, Jaina Medida, and the 2014 MFSF Queen Julienne Reyes. Descriptions of the different dresses (mestiza dresses and kimono dresses) accompanied the models as they showed both contemporary and traditional styles of each. The West End Active Living Centre Group performed the Subli, which the emcee explained was a dance to the cross; meaning

APRIL 1 - 15, 2015 “to bend.” The dance used hats that were tipped in reverence to a cross. The group followed the dance with a vocal performance of the very patriotic Bayan Ko. Thank you to the Saint Vital Catholic Church community for the invitation to your event.

Congratulations to parishioners, volunteers, performers, and event organizers on a successful multicultural celebration!

Photographs by Jamie Dela Cruz

Volunteers at the Filipino booth, along with Fr. Barry Schoonbaert

Aida Champagne and the Manitoba Filipino Street Festival models Volunteers representing Sri Lanka and Uganda.

West End Active Living Centre group singing Bayan Ko.

Mexico booth

Miroslaw (Mirek) Nawrocki

Irish dancer Kaleigh Hodder

Sri Lankan cultural dance number

The Belgian Folkdancers of Winnipeg

A volunteer showcases artifacts from her country, Belgium

Bretagne – Brittany volunteers showing traditional men’s and women’s fashion.

EH KASI, PINOY!

APRIL 1 - 15, 2015

PILIPINO EXPRESS

Manitoba Sa napagtibay na 2015 budget ng Winnipeg, may 2.3 percent na dagdag sa property tax. Suspendido ang pagtanggap ng mga empleyado… para daw makatipid. *** Ang Manitoba’s NDP ay nahaharap ngayon sa matinding political battle versus PC and LP. Malalim ang naging sugat ng partido sa nakaraang leadership contests. Maghilom kaya kaagadagad? *** Ilan-ilan na lang yata ang mga tao na natitira na noon ay tumulong kaya tumagal ng may halos 16 years ang pamumuno ng partido sa Manitoba? Sa April next year nakatakda ang eleksiyon na ang resulta ay mahirap hulaan ngayon. *** Bukod sa Canada’s gray economic and political issues, hindi na rin maitatago ng nakaupong gobyerno sa Ottawa ang kasalukuyang regressive immigration and refugee issues, partikular ang “open-close policies” na pinaiiral ngayon. *** Simula pa noong 2005, malimit matalakay sa panayam ng Winnipeg-Filipino Breakfast Council ang nabanggit na issues.

Ang Canada ay nakilala. Umunlad because of immigration. Nang maupo sa Ottawa ang kasalukuyang gobyerno, nakakalito ang mga pinaiiral na pagbabago. Sabi nga ni Fred de Villa “Immigration now ‘open’ – but do not enter?” Sobrang higpit kasi. *** Ang Canada’s 42nd Parliament election ay nakatakda sa darating na ika-19 ng October. Maghahalal ng 338 members. Ang partidong makakakuha ng 170 seats or more ang magiging bagong gobyerno.

Ang lider ng partido ay siyang magiging Prime Minister.

*** Binatikos ng Federal Liberal leader Justin Trudeau, ang pakikisawsaw ng gobyernong Harper sa gulong nangyayari sa Syria at Iraq. Sinabi niyang humanitarian help ang kailangan sa halip na kamay na bakal.

Pilipinas Nasa puso at diwa ng marami pa ring bilang ng mga Filipino ang kahalagahan ng Mahal na Araw.

Sanlinggong paggunita sa naging buhay sa lupa ng Diyos na nagkatawang tao. Ipinagbunyi Siya ng mga tao nang dumating. Subalit sila-sila din ang nagpahirap at nagpako sa Kaniya sa nakadipang kahoy. *** Noong 2010, marahil walang nag-akalang ang hinalal na pinakapopular na pangulo ng Pilipinas ay makararanas ng pinakagrabeng krisis sa pamamahala at pagtitiwala ng taumbayan na katulad ngayon. *** Sumadsad ang ratings ni PNoy batay sa latest survey ng Pulse Asia.

Pito sa 10 Pinoys, ang dismayado sa kaniyang liderato? Ang problema ngayon ng kaniyang mga alipores ay kung sa nalalabing halos 15 months ay mapanatili si Noynoy sa Palasyo hanggang sa katapusan ng kaniyang termino. *** Sabi ni PNoy, hindi daw totoong siya ay nag-collapse about two weeks ago. Natatakot lang daw sa kaniyang magic ang mga nagkakalat ng balita. Sinabing ang bisa ng kaniyang endorsement sa mga kandidato ay hindi pa nawawala. *** Malabo nang maging standard bearer ng LP si Sen. Grace Poe, sabi ni Sen. Sonny Trillanes IV. Kasi, labis daw nasaktan si PNoy sa report ng komite ni Senadora Poe tungkol sa Mamasapano Exodus

HINAGAP

Pastol ng Tupa Ang anak ng Diyos, sinugo sa lupa, Nagkatawang tao at nagpakababa; Layo’y pamarisan, maging halimbawa, ng ugaling ginto mulang pagkabata! *** Tinupad na ganap ang Kaniyang misyon, Mabago ang lisyang takbo ng panahon; Hangarin ng Ama, saan man naroon, Ituwid ang mali ng kahapo’t ngayon? *** Siya’y kinilalang bantog na propeta, At isang huwaran na pastol ng tupa; Nang lumaon naman, Haring kinilala Subalit nilibak na walang kapara! *** Tinubos ang sala ng sangkatauhan, Nakadipang kahoy ang pinagpakuan!

Paquito Rey Pacheco

PAGE 19

Noong ika-17 ng Marso, nagkausap nang sarilinan si Kaka Paquito Rey Pacheco at si Senador Bongbong Marcos sa kaniyang tanggapan sa Pilipinas.

Operation.

*** Pinayuhan naman ni Sen. Chiz Escudero si Sen. Sonny Trillanes.

Sinabing huwag magtanim ng intriga sa pagitan ng AFP at PNP. Oo naman, bad ‘yon para sa isang atat-na-atat maging bise presidente ng Pilipinas. *** Nagpapatuloy ang panawagang “Aquino resign!” mula sa iba’t ibang sektor ng lipunan. Kung sa pamamagitan ng People Power, malabong mapaalis ngayon si PNoy sa Palasyo. Ang mga Pilipino ay sobrang pasensiyoso. *** Gayunman, sanhi sa palpak na Mamasapano operations, huwag menosin ang kudeta. Higit na maraming bilang ng AFP- PNP

ang umano’y hindi na nasisiyahan sa pamamahala at liderato ng kanilang Commander-in-Chief?

Nakatigasan na ni PNoy, ayaw mag-sorry. *** Minungkahi ni Sen. Bongbong Marcos kay DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima na tugisin, kasuhan at ikulong ang mga pumatay sa 44PNPSAF Commandos.

Sinabing pinagnakawan pa ng MILF, BIFF at pribadong sandatahang grupo ang kanilang mga biktima noong ika-25 ng Enero. *** Ang mga naulila ng 44 SAF massacre ay hindi naghahangad ng ano pa mang bagay kundi ang madaliang hustisya tungkol sa Oplan Exodus operations, sabi ni Bongbong.

*** Teka, Noong ika-17 ng Marso, nagkausap kami ng sarilinan ni Senador Marcos sa kaniyang office.

Halos 45 minutes tumagal ang aming panayam. Karamihan ay tungkol sa kabuhayan ng mga nasa rural na pook ng bansa, 55 years ago. *** Tungkol naman sa kaniyang 2016 political agenda, sa wari ko’y maliwanag na malabo. Sabi’y tiyak na siya’y kakandidato. pero malabo pa kung anong posisyon. Pinagaaralan, wait and see muna. *** Four months mula ngayon hanggang October ng kasalukuyang taon ay malalaman na kung sinu-sino ang lalahok sa 2016 See CRISTY p20

EH KASI, PINOY

PAGE 20

PILIPINO EXPRESS

KROSWORD

HOROSCOPE

NO. 225

KROSWORD NI BRO. GERRY GAMUROT Ni 1-15, Bro. Gerry No. 225 • Abril 2015 Gamurot 2

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PABABA 1. Pinag-aagawang lugar 2. Pataba 3. Madali 4. Opyo 6. Propyedad 7. Inaasar 8. Unlapi 9. Pamalo

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10.1. Kinapitan Pinag-aagawang lugar 11.2. Lola ni Jesus Pataba Madali 16.3. Manong 4. Opyo 17.6. Api Propyedad Inaasar na hibla 18.7. Matibay Unlapi 19.8.

Harap 9. Pamalo 20.10.Baul Kinapitan Lola ni Jesus 21.11.Pagmamalabis 16. Manong 22.17.Aliw Api 23. Putikan 29. Panghalip

SAGOT SA NO. 224

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1. Kuwaresma 5. Hangad ng nagsisisi 12. Kasaba 13. Galapong 14. Magulang 15. Takas 16. Look 20. Sundalo 24. Ilalim 25. Istorbo 26. Troso 27. Kuba

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1. Pinag-aagawang lugar 2. Pataba 3. Madali 4. Opyo 6. Propyedad 7. Inaasar 8. Unlapi 9. Pamalo 10. Kinapitan 11. Lola ni Jesus 16. Manong 17. Api

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18. Matibay na hibla 19. Harap 20. Baul 21. Pagmamalabis 22. Aliw 23. Putikan 29. Panghalip

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Sagittarius (Nov. 22 – Dec. 21) Kailangan mong mag-exercise.

Masyado kang busy at puro na lang hanapbuhay ang nasa isip mo. Kailangan mong alagaan ang kalusugan mo. Bantayan mo ang pagkain dahil hindi mo ito kinokontrol – ikaw din ang magdurusa sa kapabayaan mo.

Masaya ang ika-8 at 9. May tension sa ika-1, 2 at 15.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20) Virgo (Aug. 23 – Sept. 22) I G AMakakaramdam L A L I May L I maganda M ka ng pangamba kang reputasyon T A Pdahil Asa K A L naI dapat G alagaan.

I pagbabago ng iyong Huwag kang I Nk a l G A I basta N papasokS sa u s u gAa n .T Maaaring pansakasunduan lalo mantala N lang itoA pero mas mabuting na kung hindi mo pa ito kilalangA L A N G A N isangguni mo agad sa iyong doctor. kilala. Baka sakyan lang nila Sana nga ay stress lamang ito sanhi ang maganda mong pangalan at 18. Matibay na pagbabagong hibla ng ilang ginawa mo pagkatapos ay iwanan ka na sa 19. Harap sa iyong buhay.

Lucky days ang pansitan. Mag-ingat ka ngayon.

20. Baul ika-1, 2, 10, 11 at 12.

Ingat sa ika- Suwerte ang ika-1, 2, 10, 11 at 12.

21. Pagmamalabis 22. Aliw 6, 7, 13 at 14.

Ingat sa ika-8, 9 at 15.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 – Jan. 19) B a k a magkasubukan kayo ng iyong malapit na kaibigan dahil sa pera. Ayaw mong tumanggi pero kailangan mong protektahan ang iyong sarili.

Kung gusto niyang mamuhunan sa negosyo, hayaan mo siya. Hindi ka obligadong sumosyo sa kaniya.

OK ang ika-1, 2, 10, 11 at 12.

Tensyon sa ika-3, 4, 5, 13 at 14.

23. Putikan 29. Panghalip

No. 224 • Marso 16-31, 2015 U

Aries (March 21 – April 19) Leo (July 23 – Aug. 22) K I NKung I bagoL paA B U Kung T A Nmay lang ang inyong minamahal ka relasyon, maaana, huwag ka U N M I ring magkaroon nang maghanap K I Nng kaunting A ShindiA B I paK ng Aiba. Kung N pagkakaunawaan. nauuyam ka lang Maaaring O SnasaAimagination N Alang dahilA matagal B Ana ang N inyong O niya ang problema dahil hindi pa relasyon, ikaw ang gumawa ng siya sigurado kung tunay at kung paraan upang maging mas excting T A G I S T A R A Y tatagal ang inyong pagmamahalan. ang inyong romansa. Gugulo ang Intindihin mo siya. OK ang ika-8 buhay mo kapag namangka ka sa A T at 9. Alalay ka sa ika-3, 4, 5, 10, dawalang ilog. Ayos sa ika-8 at 9.

11 at 12.

Stressful ang ika-6, 7, 13 at 14.

K U N A T

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PAHALANG 1. Kuwaresma 28. Ipupusta 1.

Kuwaresma 5. Hangad ng nagsisisi 30. Uusisain 12. Kasaba 5.

Hangad ng nagsisisi 13. Galapong 12.

Kasaba 14. Magulang 15. Takas 13.

Galapong 16. Look 14.

Magulang 20. Sundalo 15.

Takas 24. Ilalim 25. Istorbo 16.

Look 26. Troso 20.

Sundalo 27. Kuba 24. Ilalim 25. Istorbo 26. Troso 27.KROSWORD Kuba NI BRO. GERRY GAMUROT No. 225 • Abril 1-15, 2015 28. Ipupusta 30. Uusisain

APRIL 1 - 15, 2015

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Gemini (May 21 – June 20) Maganda ang dating ng pera sa buwang ito. Iwasan mo ang bumiyahe sa malalayong lugar sa unang linggo ng Abril. Hindi rin ngayon ang panahon upang mamuhunan ka sa bagong negosyo. Maghintay ka muna ng magandang feedback tungkol sa negosyong iyon. OK ang ika-3, 4, 5, 13 at 14. Ingat sa ika-1, 2, 8, 9 at 15.

Libra (Sept. 23 – Oct. 22) K u n g nakakaramdam ka ng panghihina ng katawan, marahil ay kailangan mo lang maghinayhinay sa mga pang-araw-araw na gawain. Kailangan mong magkaroon ng quiet time para sa sarili. Walang istorbo, walang gulo. Makikita mong sisigla kang muli. OK ang ika-3, 4, 5, 13 at 14.

Kuwidaw sa ika-10, 11 at 12.

Aquarius (Jan. 20 – Feb. 18) May mga pangyayaring hindi mo talaga maiiwasan.

Kailangan mong ibukas ang iyong isip upang huwag kang masaktan sa mga pagbabagong mangyayari. Hindi naman makakasama sa iyo, sa halip ay baka makabuti pa nga dahil mababawasan ang pasanin mo. OK ka sa ika-3, 4, 5, 13 at 14.

Careful sa ika-6 at 7.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22) Noon, naging matulungin ka sa iba at nakita mo naman na marami ang umasenso dahil sa iyo. Ngayon, ang sarili mo namang kapakanan ang intindihin mo. Kung ano ang sa palagay mo ay makakabuti sa iyo, gawin mo.

Huwag mong pasanin ang problema nila. OK sa ika-6, 7 at 15. Stressful ang ika-3, 4, 5, 10, 11 at 12.

Scorpio (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21) Lumaki ka na may pinaniniwalaang katotohanan at iyon ay nakatanim na sa iyong puso.

Ngayon ay may humahamon sa kinikilala mong katotohanan at nayayanig ang iyong pagkatao. Marahil ay kailangan mong lumayo muna at kalmahin ang iyong damdamin.

OK ang ika-6, 7 at 15. Mag-ingat sa ika-13 at 14.

Pisces (Feb. 19 – March 20) Dahan-dahan lang sa paggasta. Ang pinakamalaki mong problema ay dahil sa pera at mga kasama mo.

Kung kulang, maghigpit ka ng sinturon, huwag kang makisabay sa kanila. Ang pera ay mahalaga pero kung magiging dahilan ng pagkakasakit mo, umiwas ka sa kanila. OK ang ika-6 at 7. Ingat sa ika-1, 2, 8 at 9.

pagpapalit ng gobyerno. Makabawi kaya si PNoy sa bagsak na ratings sa loob ng nalalabing panahon ng kaniyang termino?

1. Sumadsad sa napakababang antas ang ratings ni Noynoy kumpara noong 2010 at ngayong nasa Palasyo.

2. Ang puno’t dulo ay sanhi sa mga palusot ng mga kaalyado sa mga blunder ni PNoy. Hindi naman makalusot sa pananaw at pakiramdam ng mahigit 40 milyong Pilipino.

3. Halimbawa ang pilit na pinagtatakpang pananagutan ni PNoy sa Oplan Exodus.

4. Ang pangyayari ay lalong nagpalala sa political wounds ng LP. Pasan ng partido ang napakabigat na bagahe sa nakatakdang 2016 elections.

5. Nawalan na nga kaya ng

asim ang pagtitiwala ng taumbayan kay PNoy. 6. Ayon sa mga political analysts,”Kiss of death” ang posibleng sapitin ng sino mang iiindorso ni Noynoy?

Kasabihan: Magsisi man kung huli, huwag asahang may mabuting mangyayari.

Paquito Rey Pacheco worked for 21 years in Philippine radio broadcasting. He is a former PRO for Radio in the Office of the Secretary of Philippine National Defense and former Chairman of the Rural Broadcasters Council of the Philippines. He was a reporter for Bagong Buhay newspaper. In Winnipeg, he was the News Director of Good Morning Philippines for 13 years on CKJS Radio 810 AM. E-mail: kakareypacheco@yahoo.ca.

PILANTIK...

From page 19 presidential derby. Umayaw na si Mayor Rod Duterte. Wala sanang mangyaring gulo. Sana’y matuloy ang eleksiyon. *** Sa kabila ng patuloy na kampanya ng paninira sa mga Binay, ang VP pa rin ngayon ang itinuturing na front runner sa presidential contest. Patung-patong na mga kaso ang maaaring isampa laban sa kaniya. Kung kasong plunder, aarestuhin at ikukulong sa panahon ng eleksiyon? Hindi malayong maging another Nelson Mandela ang political destiny ng bise presidente?

Katas Humigit-kumulang sa 15 buwan na lang ang nalalabi para sa

APRIL 1 - 15, 2015

EH KASI, PINOY! PILIPINO EXPRESS

PAGE 21

Ang makitira at magpatira – revisited Isang tagasubaybay ng Batang North End column ang nakakuwentuhan ko sa Polo Park nitong nakaraang weekend. Nabanggit niya ang aking article sa Pilipino Express four years ago tungkol sa pakikitira ng mga bagong dating at ang pagpapatira ng mga nagsponsor sa kanila na kadalasan ay mga kamag-anak. May magandang punto siyang sinabi tungkol sa pagdodokumento ng actual na buhay sa Canada na makatutulong sa mga nakikitira pansamantala at mga nagpapatira. Malaking bagay nga naman ang magkaroon ng manual, gabay o babasahin tungkol sa ano ang mga dapat gawin pagdating dito sa Canada partikular sa kung paano ang makitira at kung paano magpatira.

Senti at emosyonal Hindi ko alam kung sasangayon kayo sa akin kapag sinabi ko na napakahirap magpaliwanag ng rules sa ating mga kamaganak. Una kasi nating iniisip ay baka makasakit tayo sa damdamin ng ating mga patitirahin kung magse-set tayo ng house rules.

Kaya ang gagawin natin ay magpapakiramdaman na lamang tayo dahil iwas na iwas tayong baka magtampo ang ating mga kamaganak. Pero habang tumatagal ay gusto na nating deretsahang sabihin sa ating mahal na kamag-anak ang sistema sa ating tahanan. Mga simpleng rules na puwede namang masunod ng ating pinapatira pero nahihiya o nag-aalanganin tayong sabihin dahil iniisip natin na ang ating mga kamag-anak ay senti at emosyonal.

Hindi puwede ang petiks lang Maraming isinasa-alang-alang dito sa Canada na malayo sa lifestyle sa Pilipinas. Doon ay marami ang tambay pero nakaka-survive pa rin. Dito, kung susubukan ninyong tumambay muna bago kayo humanap ng trabaho ay maiiwan kayo sa pansitan at nga-nga ang aabutin ng inyong pamilya. Hindi pasyal ang pinunta nating lahat dito kundi buhayin ang ating pamilya nang maayos kaya’t kailangan lamang na humanap tayo ng trabaho. Isa pa, nakasaad ito sa responsibilidad ng pagiging bahagi ng Canada na nagsasaad ng: “ Getting a job, taking care of one’s

CRISTY...

From page 16 P-Noy sa posisyon, tanggapin pa raw kaya ng aktres ang pangakong pamasahe ni Kris?

Mas wala raw delicadeza si Kris, sabi ng mga Noranian, dahil lahat ng kaniyang mga sinasabi ay hindi niya naman tinutupad.

Aalis na raw siya ng bansa at mamumuhay nang tahimik kasama ang kaniyang mga anak, pero bakit nandito pa rin naman si Kris, ganoon daw ba ang may delicadeza?

Nakikipagrelasyon kuno si

family and working hard in keeping with one’s abilities are important Canadian values. Work contributes to personal dignity and self-respect, and to Canada’s prosperity.”

Ang usapang budget Isa pa sa napakahirap i-discuss sa ating mga kamag-anak ay ang usapang budget. Ayaw kasi nating masabi o ma-misinterpret ng ating pinatitira ang mga bagay kaugnay ng ating mga financial needs. Kaunting sablay lamang sa karaniwang gastusin ng tipikal na pamilya ay makaka-apekto ito sa kanilang pangangailangan. Hindi naman sa nagiging maka-materyal ang mga nagpapatira ngunit may mga pagkakataon na talagang hindi maaring sumobra sa mga hindi inaasahang gastusin kaya’t sinisikap nilang maging sakto lang ang kanilang mga pinagkakagastusan.

Hindi nagmamaramot ang nagpapatira kung pakiki-usapan ng maayos ang nakikitira na kung kakayanin nila ay mag-ambag sa mga gastusin sa bahay.

Iba ang style sa bahay Kahit na magkamag-anak o maging magkapatid ay may iba’tiba tayong istilo sa bahay. Ang simpleng luto ni pinsan ng adobo ay iba sa style ng kaniyang pinatitirang pinsan. Ang pamamalengke o pagpunta sa tindahan araw-araw ay hindi mo magagawa dito. Weekly kasi kadalasan ang pagpunta sa grocery. Ang paggamit ng washroom or shower sa Pilipinas ay tiyak na may pagkakaiba sa Canada. Kung doon sa Pilipinas ay nagyoyosi ka sa loob ng bahay dahil bukas naman ang iyong bintana, pagdating dito ay hindi puwede ang ganito. Kung madalas kang uminom ng alak sa Pilipinas at kung ang nagpapatira sa iyo ay hindi masyadong umiinom dahil sa busy sa trabaho ay medyo dyeta muna ang iyong bahay-alak. Kung addict ka sa TV at soap opera ay medyo hindi magiging prayoridad ito pagdating sa Canada.

Sa ibang tao pa nalaman Isa sa mga ugat ng alitan ay ang kawalan ng open communication sa pagitan ng nagpapatira at nakikitira. Ang mas masakit dito ay kung sa ibang tao pa malalaman ng nagpatira o nakikitira na may masamang sinasabi sila sa isa’tKris sa mga lalaking pamilyado na, iyon daw ba ang may delicadeza, wala raw bang malaking salamin sa kaniyang bahay ang aktres-TV host?

Wala raw plano si Nora na tanggapin ang iniaalok na pambili ng ticket ni Kris, kaya raw bumili ng ticket ni Nora, pero ang kawalan ng delicadeza sa maraming aspeto ni Kris Aquino ay hindi na mabubura pa magpakailanman. *** Kumbaga sa isang boksingero ay marunong mamili si Kris Aquino ng kaniyang kakalabanin.

See CRISTY p22

isa. Ang paghinga natin ng sama ng loob sa ibang tao ay maaring pagsimulan ng maling mensahe.

Maaring may dagdag na ang inyong kuwento kapag nakarating ito sa inyong pinatitira o tinitirahan.

Ang bottom line nito ay tatabang ang inyong relasyon. Hindi natin gusto ang ganitong ending ng ating relationship sa ating mga kamaganak. Mas advisable pa rin ang kausapin natin ng maayos ang isa’tisa.

Kung kaya na, apartment na Ang pakikitira ay temporary stage ng lahat ng nag-immigrate dito sa Canada. Ako man ay nakitira din.

Pero kung sa palagay natin ay kaya na nating magsarili kahit sa maliit na apartment ay mas maganda ang naka-bukod lalo na kung may pamilya tayong bitbit. Kaunting tiis lamang naman ang pagsasarili pero garantisado ang freedom natin sa sarili nating tahanan kapag nakabukod na tayo. At siyempre, hindi natin kakalimutang magpasalamat sa nagpatira sa atin at hindi natin sila kakalimutang dalawin paminsanminsan.

Give back, tayo naman ang sumuporta sa iba Lilipas ang panahon at hindi natin mapapansin na beterano na pala tayo sa Canada at tayo naman ngayon ang magpapatira. Pagdating

natin sa puntos na ito, mare-realize natin na may katwiran pala si pinsan sa kaniyang mga sistema sa bahay noong nakikitira tayo sa kanila. Tama pala si Tito na dapat ay may prayoridad ang mga gastusin.

Hindi naman pala nagmamaramot si Tiyang dahil gusto lamang niya na lagi siyang within budget.

Mababaligtad ang role natin, dati tayo ang nakitira, ngayon naman tayo ang magpapatira. At dahil sa maganda nating karanasan kay pinsan, ay maayos din nating maipapaliwanag sa ating pamangkin at sa kaniyang pamilya ang ating mga simpleng house rules na hindi naman dapat ipagtampo at pag-awayan.

Ang susi sa maayos na pakikitira at pagpapatira ay ang open communication at pagpapaliwanag ng dahilan kung bakit tayo ganito sa Canada. Masaya ang buhay dito pero may responsibilidad tayong lahat once na umapak tayo dito.

Moving forward, iniisip kong magsumite ng proposal sa PCCM o Philippine Heritage Council of Manitoba para sa pagkakaroon ng isang documented na gabay na maari nating ipamahagi sa ating mga minamahal na bagong dating at sa mga nagpapatira ng mga bagong dating. Ang layunin nito ay para maging maayos ang

pagpapatira sa mga bagong dating at maiwasan ang mga alitan dahil sa miscommunication at kawalangkaalaman tungkol sa sistema ng buhay sa Canada.

Salamat sa aking nakakuwentuhan sa Polo Park sa pagbibigay muli sa akin ng pagkakataon na talakayin ito.

Salamat po Doc at sana’y samahan ninyo ako sa pagbabalangkas ng ating guidelines na ito. Ito ang naisip kong draft title ng manual: Paano ba ang makitira at magpatira sa Canada?

Kung gusto ninyong magbahagi ng ideas tungkol sa strategies ng pakikitira at pagpapatira o gusto ninyong maging part sa pagbuo ng manual na ito ay mag send kayo ng e-mail sa akin sa noellapuz@ gmail.com o hanapin nìnyo ako sa facebook (Noel Lapuz) at i-message ako. Salamat po.

Si Noel Lapuz ay dating OFW sa Middle East (Dubai at Qatar).

Nagtrabaho nang sampung taon sa City Hall ng Taguig bilang Human Resource Management Officer.

Naging bahagi ng Bata-Batuta Productions bilang manunulat, entertainment host at stage actor.

Nagtatag ng Kulturang Alyansa ng Taguig. Kasapi ng Ecumenical Movement for Justice and Peace (EMJP).

PEOPLE & EVENTS

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PILIPINO EXPRESS

APRIL 1 - 15, 2015

OPM classics by legendary artists March 14, Club Regent Event Centre

By Judianne Jayme Winnipeg was treated to an evening to reminisce hit songs and dance moves with legends in the Original Pilipino Music (OPM) industry. Producer Dennis Castaneda, also the president of the Philippine Canadian Guardian Brotherhood International, Inc., brought to Winnipeg legendary artists Marco Sison, Hajji Alejandro and Rico J. Puno along with the Jukebox Queen Eva Eugenio for an energetic and entertaining evening. Hosted by CKJS’s Chester Pangan and the Manitoba Filipino Street Festival queen Julienne Reyes, the OPM Legends concert brought laughter, excitement, and sentimental memories for its audience, a mix of different generations gathering

CRISTY...

From page 16 Ayaw niya ng hindi niya kasingbigat, bawal ang mismatch sa kaniya. Pumapatol lang siya sa isyu kapag ka-weight niya ang kalaban.

Ipinagtatanggol ni Kris ang kapatid niyang pangulo. Kung anu-anong damage control na ang kaniyang naiisip gawin, alam kasi ni Kris na ang kalaban na ng kaniyang kuya ay ang sambayanan at ang kapalaran.

Binibigyan iyon ni Kris ng mahalaga niyang panahon, nand’yang dumalo siya sa okasyon ng mga pulis na hindi niya naman dating ginagawa.

Lahat ng makapagpapalambot ng puso ng ating mga kababayang galit na galit ngayon sa kaniyang

for the love of classic hits.

Front acts warmed up the crowd prior to the headline artists. Singer-songwriter Levy Abad took the stage on his own, equipped with his guitar, sharing his original tracks – fitting for an OPM event. Locally based classical new wave band haLf man haLf eLf entertained the crowd with their creative and altogether catchy music. A build-up of applause was heard throughout the audience as nonFilipino band member Christine Mazur surprised the crowd by singing in Tagalog! The final opening act, Trafikk Jamm, did their renditions of classic Tagalog songs Manila and Habang May Buhay, getting people up and moving in their seats. The party had begun, and it was not even

intermission!

While making small talk with concert goers before the show and during intermission, I had asked what they were looking forward to most about the concert. Many were excited to see their favourite artists singing what, in their opinions, were their most renowned hit. If you ask 20 people to narrow it down to what they felt was the top song by any of these OPM Legends, you end up with several hit titles. They are legends for a reason – they are not one-hit wonders, and their talent has taken them through decades of success in the Philippines and beyond. I began wondering how they would be able to fit decades of hits into their separate sets.

My questions were answered as soon as all three stepped on

stage. On top of singing their most famous tracks individually, they also took time to do a medley of all their greatest hits.

We sang along Eugenio’s Tukso, swayed in our seats to Alejandro’s Nakapagtataka, sat in awe of Sison’s Always, and applauded upon hearing the first few notes of May Bukas Pa. We kept the beat clapping to Si Aida o Si Lorna o Si Fe and engaged in some throwback dance moves accompanied by a medley of popular Motown hits.

If there’s anything that someone of the upcoming generation could learn from these legends, it’s the power of the love song – musical artistry that one does not often come across in the current era of music.

These crooners brought back the

gentleness, honesty, and emotion that blends to make perfect love songs – the type of songs that brought these artists to legendary status in the entertainment industry. These songs are now a part of our pop culture history thanks to artists such as our OPM Legends and Jukebox Queen.

It’s these classic songs that will continue to be sung Kahit Maputi na ang Buhok Ko (even when my hair turns white).

Congratulations to the producers of this incredible concert, and a big thank you to AJ Batac for the photographs.

As Hajji Alejandro sang from the heart: Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika! Thank you, OPM Legends and the Jukebox Queen for the spectacular evening with you.

kapatid ay pinapasukan niya sa pag-asang bababaw iyon.

Pero nang tanungin siya tungkol sa pag-aklas ni Nora Aunor laban sa kaniyang kapatid ay parang walang panahon si Kris.

Pinabababa na kasi ng Superstar sa trono ang kaniyang kuya. Hindi raw nito alam ang kaniyang mga ginagawa.

Ang tanging isinagot ng aktres-TV host sa mga tungayaw ni Nora Aunor, “Dedmabels.”

Read: deadma, malay at paki, kesehoda, keber at kung anuano pang termino sa kawalan ng pakialam at epekto sa kaniya ng mga pinagsasabi ng Superstar.

Bakit kaya ganoon lang ang isinagot ni Kris sa masasakit na paratang ng Superstar sa kaniyang kuyang pangulo? Mag-multiple choice nga tayo kung bakit?

A) Naniniwala si Kris na pag-aaksaya lang ng panahon ang pagpatol kay Nora Aunor.

B). Pakiramdam ni Kris ay hindi kapatul-patol si Nora dahil wala namang naniniwala sa kaniyang mga ipinaglalaban. C).

Naniniwala si Kris na walang kredibilidad ang Superstar para bigyan ng panahon para sa isang argumento. D). Hindi niya bibigyan ng pansin si Nora dahil Vilmanian siya. E). Naniniwala si Kris na mismatched sila ni Nora Aunor dahil sikat siya at si Nora ay bahagi na lang ng kasaysayan ng lokal na aliwan. F). All of the above. *** Ilang beses na ba kaming binibigyan ng jacket ni Willie Revillame? Hindi na namin alam kung ilan, pero sa dami

ng pagkakataong iyon ay wala naman kaming naaangkin, hingiin kasi ang jacket ng aktor-TV host.

Sa bago niyang game show sa GMA-7, ang Wowowin, ay may segment siyang Bigyan Ng Jacket ‘Yan! Hindi siyempre mawawala ang Willie Of Fortune kung saan natututukan ang personal na buhay ng mga kalahok.

May bagong cellphone na rin siyang ieendorso, ipamamahagi niya ang mga telepono sa masusuwerte niyang studio audience.

Nagkausap kami, ang kaniyang sabi, “Sa one year and a half kong pamamahinga, miss na miss ko ang nakasanayan ko nang pagpapasaya sa mga kababayan natin. Totoo palang hinahanaphanap natin ang nakasanayan na… mamimigay kami ng jacket, cellphone, house and lot at cash prizes,” kuwento ni Willie.

Si Randy Santiago ang

magdidirek ng Wowowin, payback time ang ibig sabihin nito, dahil nagsimula siya kay Randy Santiago sa GMA-7.

Malaking exposure ang ibinigay sa kaniya ng bumibidang si Randy sa Lunch Date, kapag may mga shows ito ay siya ang kinukuhang drummer, matanaw ng utang na loob si Wil. “Kami ni Randy, kahit hindi kami nagkikita, walang nababawas sa friendship namin.

Kapag nagkikita naman kami, halos wala nang uwian, ayaw na naming maghiwalay. Ganoon na kalalim ang pagkakaibigan namin ni Randy,” pagbabalik-alaala ni Willie.

Sa Lunch Date siya nagsimula, sa GMA-7 na mapapanood ngayon ang Wowowin, bumiyahe man sa iba-ibang istasyon si Willie Revillame ay umuwi pa rin siya ngayon sa kaniyang pinagmulan.

– CSF

APRIL 1 - 15, 2015

PEOPLE & EVENTS PILIPINO EXPRESS

PAGE 23

OPM hitmakers and the jukebox queen

Producers Dennis Casta単eda and wife Mary with the PCGBI

The OPM hitmakers Marco Sison, Rico Puno, Hajji Alejandro and the Jukebox Queen Eva Eugenio

L-r: Chester Pangan, Julianne Reyes, Arnold Tongol and Levy Abad

haLf man haLf eLf

And the crowd goes wild!

Photos by AJ Batac

PAGE 24

PILIPINO EXPRESS

APRIL 1 - 15, 2015