Pilipino Express • Feb 16 2016

Volume 12 • No. 4 • February 16 - 29, 2016 Publication Mailing Account #41721512

Liza Soberano

Let’s be Voyageurs!

by Anne Caprice B. Claros

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Gerphil Flores, Nazer Toledo and Paul Ong in concert, See p5

“It might have been this winter’s coldest night, but I’ve never felt toastier!”

WINNIPEG – I experienced first hand what it means to be a true Winnipeger, on Friday, February 12. Nicknames such as “Winterpeg” and “Mani-snowba” were swirling in my head as I walked from the car to the Festival du Voyageur (FDV) Park. Every step I took was accompanied by a thought to turn around and seek refuge in the warm confines of my car. However, as more and more people joined me in the streets of St. Boniface, I felt more at ease and almost obliged to tough it out. After all, this is Winnipeg. As my eyes traveled from face to face, of both young and old, I could not help but feel a sense of pride. Here we are, standing outside on the coldest night of the season awaiting the opening of the largest winter festival in Western Canada, Le Festival du Voyageur.

A torch light walk organized See VOYAGEUR p22

Fireworks open this year’s Festival du Voyageur (FDV - FB page)

Jeremy Senaris in MasterChef top 14 WINNIPEG – Jeremy Senaris of Winnipeg received a resounding “Yes!” from each of the three judges of MasterChef Canada, the competitive cooking show on CTV. Senaris, a self-taught cook, impressed the judges with his signature shrimp tempura roll with bonito flakes. Upon tasting Senaris’ dish, judge Alvin Leung remarked, “I hope you have some room left on that arm for a MasterChef Canada tattoo!”

Senaris has earned a place among the Top 14 finalists and the honour of wearing the coveted MasterChef apron. He is now on his way to compete for the prize of $100,000 and the title of MasterChef Canada.

Born and raised in Winnipeg to Filipino parents Edgardo and the late Marina Senaris from Cavite, Senaris currently works See JEREMY p17

NOEL CADELINA

LITO DABU

JOEL SIBAL

ROBERT MISA

NELSON LANTIN

Sales, 6th Consecutive SMG Gold Ring Awardee

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

Service Consultant

Triple Diamond Sales Consultant Award 2014 - Gold Winner

Sales Manager

ROMMEL FAJARDO Sales Manager

Jeremy Senaris with his pals, Lloyd Banks and Inglewood

MA. LEE HOLGADO JEZREEL “The Jet” Sales Advisor REYES Sales Advisor

ELAINE VERRI

JOELAN MENDOZA

Sales Consultant

Collision Repair Advisor

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PILIPINO EXPRESS

FEBRUARY 16 - 29, 2016

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PILIPINO EXPRESS

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PILIPINO EXPRESS

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Time to change The Philippines has again made it to the global stage, but this time for a not so flattering reason. A recent study jointly undertaken by the US-based McKinsey Center for Business and Environment and the nonprofit organization Ocean Conservancy has found that five countries in Asia account for about 60 per cent of all the plastic found in global waters: China, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The report says while these countries have recently benefited from significant increases in GDP, reduced poverty, and improved quality of life, “increasing economic power has also generated exploding demand for consumer products that has not yet been met with a commensurate wastemanagement infrastructure.”

The Philippines, for example, annually generates 2.7 million tonnes of plastic waste, of which half a million tonnes leak into the ocean per year.

These materials mostly consist of plastic bags, water bottles, and other consumer products that people use and discard, with little care for what happens to them afterward. Most

of us trust that our government takes care of collecting garbage and making sure it is properly disposed of; after all, that’s one of the reasons we pay taxes. The problem is that the Philippines has a huge problem when it comes to waste management: oftentimes programs are inadequate or hardly exist, and garbage gets dumped without any concern for the environment. Most urbanites do not notice this because garbage dumps are located far from central areas, but they are there, and they do have a significant impact on the environment.

The five countries cited in the McKinsey study share a few characteristics that placed them on the top spot as global polluters.

For one thing, none of the five has a formal recycling system, which means practically all waste plastics are thrown away. This is a problem in the Philippines where the waste collection rate is very low, with some areas registering at less than 10 per cent. A lot of the waste plastics actually end up right on the streets from which they “leak” into the rivers, and from there to the sea. Each candy wrapper or plastic cup that gets thrown carelessly onto the

street has to go somewhere, and unfortunately for a country like ours that is made up of many islands, that somewhere is the water.

But the report says even the waste plastic materials that reach the landfills also leak into the waters for various reasons.

Indeed, 75 per cent of plastic leakage comes from waste that has been collected but ends up in landfills where they are not treated. Because they just sit there, there is a great tendency for the trash to end up in the water systems, and from there to the sea. The situation is worsened by the fact that our country is an archipelago and waste materials do not need to travel far to reach the water.

Ironically, the sector that keeps the Philippines from dominating the charts is the one that gets the least support from government and the rest of society. According to the McKinsey report, waste pickers in this country recover close to 100 per cent of the plastic materials with high residual value like PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles (commonly used for drinking water and soda) and HDPE (high-density polyethylene) used for pipes and plastic lumber. Derided as “scavengers,” the country’s waste pickers are actually doing the environment a world of good but get close to nothing in return save

for a few pesos.

There is a need for us Filipinos to take this report seriously and begin changing our behaviour when it comes to plastic. As the report indicates, the economic growth in recent years has given rise to a more wasteful pattern as we purchase and later discard items made of or packaged in plastic. We need to be aware that these materials do not biodegrade and, given our dismal garbage collection and treatment facilities, end up where they do the most damage to the environment.

Recycling is still a low priority, and even Davao City, where I live and which is relatively clean, does not promote recycling enough.

The government and the private sector must work harder together to address this problem and remove our country from the list of the top global ocean polluters.

Private individuals must also do their part by lessening the amount of plastics they purchase and then throw away. Simple things like bringing a non-disposable water bottle that can be refilled will certainly go a long way in keeping the plastic leakage to a minimum. It’s all about changing our own bad behaviour in order to save the planet.

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

Express Entry for skilled immigrants

1045 Erin Street, Winnipeg, MB Canada R3G 2X1 Phone: 204-956-7845 Fax: 204-956-1483 E-mail: info@pilipino-express.com www.pilipino-express.com Publisher

THE PILIPINO EXPRESS INC. Editor-in-Chief

EMMIE Z. JOAQUIN Associate Editor

PAUL MORROW Art Director

REY-AR REYES JP SUMBILLO

Graphic Designer/Photographer Columnists/Contributors DALE BURGOS JB CASARES YVANNE DANDAN DENNIS FLORES ETHEL CLEMENTE FERNANDEZ BRO. GERRY GAMUROT NORMAN ACERON GARCIA MICHELE MAJUL-IBARRA PERLA JAVATE JUDIANNE JAYME PASTOR JUNIE JOSUE NOEL LAPUZ JON MALEK ALONA MERCADO LUCILLE NOLASCO CST. REY OLAZO PAQUITO REY PACHECO DR. REY PAGTAKHAN CHERYL DIZON REYNANTE MICHAEL SCOTT ROLDAN SEVILLANO, JR. RON URBANO VALEN VERGARA KATHRYN WEBER SHERYLL D. ZAMORA Youth Contributors Aksyon Ng Ating Kabataan (ANAK) Philippine Correspondents NESTOR S. BARCO CRISTY FERMIN RICKY GALLARDO JON JOAQUIN AMBETH R. OCAMPO

SALES & ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT

(204) 956-7845)

Many readers are still unaware of the different applications for skilled workers. The Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) has been a blessing to Manitoba, bringing in over 100,000 newcomers to the province, but it is not the only game in town. Federal skilled worker programs are also still in place: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program and, the Canadian Experience Class.

You or your friends or relatives may be eligible to apply to these programs. The federal skilled worker programs are united under Express Entry. This was new in January 2015 but is now very much a part of the immigration landscape. Families, supporters and potential applicants need to become more aware of this way of coming to Canada. Persons selected from the online database are invited to apply for their permanent residence. The promise of the program is that this can be achieved in six months.

There have been noticeable changes in the Express Entry selection system over the past

year. The management system is used by federal immigration to select candidates for one of three programs under skilled immigration: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program or the Canadian Experience Class. The first step for interested applicants is to find out more about the requirements for these three classes to see if they qualify and then submit an online profile or “Expression of Interest” (EOI).

The submission is good for one year and the wait for selection is based on ranking points.

The EOI submissions are ranked by a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which assigns points according to core/human capital factors, such as: age, level of education, English/French proficiency language levels, and Canadian work experience. There are also points assigned for skill transferability factors and points for a spouse or common-law partner. The maximum number of points for these three areas is 600. Additional points are given for a confirmed Canadian job offer (LMIA approved) and PN

E-mail: info@pilipino-express.com www.pilipino-express.com Sales & Marketing Team ISAGANI BARTOLOME RODGE LOPEZ JAMES NEIL SOLIVEN

Number of recent Express Entry invitations and the minimum CRS score for each selected group.

(All federal skilled immigration programmes) nomination with 600 points for either factor. The potential total for CRS is 1200 points.

It is noteworthy that the initial selections were all well over 600 points. In other words, your chance of selection without a confirmed Canadian job offer or PN nomination was slim to none.

The initial selection of January 6, 2015 saw 779 invitations issued to persons with a minimum CRS of 886. The second draw (Feb. 7, 2015) produced 779 invitations with a CRS of 818. The third

draw (Feb. 20, 2015) had 849 invitations with a CRS 808, the and fourth draw (Feb. 27, 2015) had 1,187 invitations with CRS of 808. With the exception of the ninth draw on May 22, 2015, with 1,361 invitations with a CRS of 756, the minimum CRS points required has slipped under 600.

This change is significant because the first, second, third, fourth and ninth selections all had either confirmed Canadian job offers or PN nominations. The confirmed See EXPRESS p7

The Pilipino Express is a Winnipeg based news-magazine published twice a month. Its contents do not necessarily reflect the publisher’s opinion.

The Pilipino Express and Pilipino Sports Express are registered names.

Reproduction of any content and/or ad design published in the Pilipino Express is not permitted without the publisher’s written consent. Materials submitted are subject to editorial discretion and the publication accepts no responsibility for the return or safety of unsolicited artwork, photos, or manuscripts.

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FEBRUARY 16 - 29, 2016

PILIPINO EXPRESS

Embrace every body Dear Readers: Each year Ate Anna answers a question or writes an article that relates to the theme of Sexual and Reproductive Health Awareness Week, which was February 8 to 12 this year. The theme in Manitoba was Embrace Every Body with a campaign to encourage people to share on social media how they embrace every body.

You may be asking, “Ate Anna, how does this connect with sexual and reproductive health?” It’s not always easy to like every part of our body or our appearance. But if we focus only on the negatives it can really affect our self-esteem. Many bodies do not fit the cultural norm and people may experience negative comments or hurtful teasing about the way they look.

These comments can also affect a person’s body image and selfesteem. How we feel about ourselves can affect our mental health, our sexual decisionmaking and how we behave.

Most people typically do things to make themselves

look attractive. Some of these practices are harmless and some are playful or just expressive.

However, some people do end up harming themselves in an effort to conform to some culturally prescribed ideal. Think about the ways people alter their appearance and consider which practices have health consequences.

To strengthen our own critical thinking skills about these issues we can ask ourselves questions like: • Where do these ideals come from?

• Are some people under greater pressure than others to conform to an idealized body type?

• Who benefits and who is harmed in this process?

• How does this pressure affect self-esteem?

We are bombarded by advertising that tells us if we look a certain way everything in our lives will be wonderful. The mainstream cultural image of a “desirable” or “worthy” body is generally very limiting: it is

heterosexual, cisgender, ablebodied, Caucasian, thin, hairless etc. Most people don’t match some aspect of this image. People who have a physical difference or a disability may feel they’re not seen for who they really are just because of what they can or can’t do.

Ate Anna believes that all bodies are good bodies. Human beings come in all shapes and sizes. So what does it mean to “embrace every body?” The first thing we can do is make sure we don’t judge other people’s bodies or make negative comments based on an artificial and everychanging cultural norm.

Then we need to make sure we extend the same thinking to our own bodies. It’s difficult not to compare ourselves to other people, or “ideal” images in the media that are often airbrushed.

Practise self-love: you don’t have to look a certain way to be lovable. Don’t allow yourself or others to measure your value by outside appearances.

Recognize that your body is your own, no matter what shape or size it is. If you hear negative comments coming from within, tell yourself to stop. Try to focus on what your body can do for you – not what’s wrong with it or what you feel you want to change about it. Consider that each person is more than how they look on any given day.

Human beings are complex and constantly changing. Try to focus on what’s unique and See ATE ANNA p7

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PILIPINO EXPRESS

FEBRUARY 16 - 29, 2016

Balancing act: three E’s to help you set priorities As I’m writing this, I’m smack dab in the middle of a one-week residency happening at my school. We have the pleasure of having an educator and soon-to-be author with us for her third and final year. She has been with us on this journey and, having been around since the beginning, I have noticed the clear improvement and strengths in our students’ writing.

What I appreciate most about this week of Professional Development (PD) – other than the core learning and growth I experience each year – is the fact that this particular resident guest “gets” teachers. She is patient, she focuses on relationships, and she gets results in ways that I, personally, do not feel obliged or “voluntold” to adhere to certain tasks and regulations.

On her first day, she said something that I usually hear from my peers, but rarely from someone providing the PD workshops for us. She told us, that to make room for these new ideas, we need to get rid of something else.

Our plates are full. In my last article, I talked about cleaning out your mental drawer. This was before this expert came in and said the same sentiment.

She uses her “Three E’s” to choose what she needs to get rid

of, and I’d love to share them with you.

When she knows she wants to try something new, she takes a look at her programming. She urges us to do the same, and to ask ourselves: “Is it efficient, effective, and empowering” This six-word question is truly a game changer for me, both professionally and personally.

Parent tip: Your three E’s!

What are you still doing that is ineffective, inefficient, and no longer empowering you?

How would your daily routine be better without it? Small steps lead to huge changes over time.

You just have to be patient.

Two weeks ago, I challenged you to begin your clean up, both physically and mentally.

I continue to challenge you to do the same, and to set that example for your family. Use the three E’s to guide your way!

Judianne Jayme is an educator teaching sixth grade and a division-wide mentor in the Winnipeg School Division.

Taking a leap this year “…I read your column, you never wrote one about you…” – from the Runaway Bride Writing about myself is not something I am very eager to do; my life is boring…. but then on second thought, I decided my life in 2015 is something worth sharing.

Three themes dominated my life last year: profession, health and family life.

The year started out to be promising on the work front, I was full of hope as I had the opportunity to move one level up and take on a bigger role. But things happen, and sadly, it did not materialize. Needless to say, I was disappointed and despair started to set in. But before it got deeper, I remembered a quote I read years ago: “We can’t live

a positive life with negative attitude.” And so with a renewed optimism, I put that episode past behind me and focused on doing well with my current job duties and responsibilities. I also exhausted some of my energies volunteering with Engineers Geoscientists Manitoba as a member of the Experience Review Committee and being actively involved with the Filipino Members Chapter serving on the executive committee and chairing its fundraising committee. These activities effectively helped me cope with frustrations brought about by failing to progress professionally at work.

Halfway through the year, I noticed that whenever I buy new clothes, I seem to always have to

get one size bigger than my last purchase. I feel sluggish, get tired easily and heavier every single day. I thought it’s time to do something about it before it’s too late. I took advantage of a corporate gym membership and started hitting the gym. I decided to take classes instead of using machines. I am not a very disciplined person so I know that the only way to get me motivated is to take classes – to start and finish the class with other members. I found a class I thought was suitable for me – low intensity, easy to follow, perfect for beginners. I’m determined to make the most out of my membership. Towards the end of the year, I’ve taken other challenging classes and I’ve also discovered that I can somehow shake and move to Zumba beats. I admit I am not very good at it. I never thought in a million years that I would ever dance, but surprisingly, I managed to keep pace and enjoy

every single class.

While I did quite enjoy spending some time alone for myself, it came with a cost measured in time and energy.

Family life in 2015 had its own share of challenges, which I won’t go into the detail of here.

I was faced with a situation, which I thought would be difficult to get out of. But as with every hurdle in life, you manage to find a solution.

Towards the end of the year, my boss informed me that I would take on a new role by the start of 2016 – the job that I’ve always wanted and had hoped for earlier in the year.

With continued trips to the gym, I lost unwanted pounds and never felt better, not to mention the added bonus of gaining more friends.

I found a way to balance work and family life, while also taking the much needed “me” time.

Slowly, things are getting

better.

What I experienced and learned from the past year is something that I hope our Canadian PIs can relate to and learn from: work harder and maintain a positive attitude at work. Despite being in a challenging and difficult situation, someone will take notice. Take time for yourself.

Try something new and lastly, do not take your family for granted.

This year I will continue doing what I have started. I might also find time to take a leap and attempt to learn how to swim or sing. If I fail, well, it is a leap year.

Ethel Clemente-Fernandez is a professional engineer registered in the province of Manitoba. She is an active member of the Filipino Members Chapter - Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Manitoba (FMC-APEGM)

The rally of 1888 Street names are supposed to give informal history lessons by reminding us of people and events of the past. However, we often get negative results. Monuments and street names make us forget more than we can remember.

Mabini and M.H. del Pilar streets in Ermita, for example, are associated not with patriotism but with cheap tacky paintings and go-go bars. The man on Mendiola Street cannot tell you who Enrique Mendiola is, but he retains memories of the rallies that have been held on this short street that begins at the corner of Legarda and ends literally at the gates of Malacañang.

Enrique Mendiola (18571914) was the son of a blacksmith whose claims to fame were that he knew Rizal in the Ateneo, that he was regent of the University of the Philippines, and that he was one of the first two elected members of the municipal board of Manila. Mendiola was famous for the popular education that laid stress on the moral rather than scientific side. It is fitting that the street named in his honour a few months after his death is now crowded on both sides with five schools: V. Mapa High School, College of the Holy Spirit, La Consolacion College, San Beda College and Centro Escolar

University. Mendiola had nothing to do with rallies.

Protest rallies are meant to ventilate grievances and bring these to Malacanang. However, the police stop these rallies right at Mendiola (now Roces) Bridge.

From the place where I live; I usually get an earful of complaints meant for the president, who does not hear anything at all in his airconditioned, bullet-proof office.

On September 26, 1887 the Dominican parish priest of Binondo named a Chinese gobernadorcillo hermano mayor for the town fiesta.

Timoteo Lanuza, a Filipino gobernadorcillo, contested the decision and wrote a letter that reached the Spanish governorgeneral. Lanuza cited laws that gave precedence in civicreligious functions to Filipino gobernadorcillos, and then

to mestizos, and lastly, to the Chinese. He was not content to be in charge of the lesser fiesta in San Nicolas.

Two days before the fiesta in honour of Our Lady of the Rosary, on October 14,1887, Lanuza’s view was upheld, and the parish priest’s decision reversed. The affair went on without any trouble. On October 28, Filipino gobernadorcillos of Manila paid their respects to the governor-general in Malacañang.

Granted an audience, they were met by an aide who ushered them into a waiting room where the liberal Emilio Terrero received them without the customary wait.

Doroteo Jose of Santa Cruz began by thanking Terrero for supporting Filipino rights. Everyone was moved by Terrero’s response when he declared that since Spain and the Philippines were one,

the natives were Spaniards. This seemingly irrelevant social visit gained importance when the same men, emboldened by Terrero’s statements, staged a political rally six months later.

On March 1, 1888, more than 300 Filipinos led by their gobernadorcillos marched on the streets of Manila bearing a manifesto they wanted transmitted to the Queen Regent in Madrid.

The civil governor of Manila, noting that the rally was peaceful and orderly, received them well, but was floored by the manifesto that called for the expulsion of the friars and the archbishop of Manila. He suggested that they see the governor-general in Malacañang, but Terrero lost his former warmth and refused to see them.

Some historians assert that See RALLY p7

FEBRUARY 16 - 29, 2016

EXPRESS...

From page 4 job offer and PN nomination is still important because each provides 600 points and almost guarantee selection, but the lower CRS bar means increased opportunities for others.

The most recent selection of January 28, 2016 saw a total of 1,468 invitations sent out to persons with a CRS of 457 points.

This is not a blip but part of a consistent pattern of selection that has continued from June 22, 2015 to the present. Interested parties should be aware that Express Entry submissions need minimum levels of English or French language proficiency

ATE ANNA...

From page 5

interesting about yourself. It can take a great deal of courage to “be oneself.” For some people that may mean challenging the cultural norms about gender identity and/or gender expression.

Every person has the right to express their gender in the way that feels appropriate for them.

Some people deliberately choose to challenge the current fashion trends for a variety of reasons.

We can monitor our own reactions to “difference” and try to learn from them. We can ask ourselves: “Do I need more information in order to understand this person’s experience?”

RALLY...

From page 6 the friars lobbied for the recall of liberal officials and the appointment of reactionary ones.

The end result of the rally of 1888 was the persecution of the 800 people who signed the manifesto.

Those who were particularly prominent at the rally were swept away by the wave of arrests, imprisonment and deportations that followed. They were charged with reunion clandestina, which sounds so elegant in Spanish but roughly translated means holding

PILIPINO EXPRESS based on approved tests such as IELTS or CELPIP and also an assessment of the foreign educational credentials by an approved credentials assessment agency inside Canada. This is something worth exploring but the one warning is that this application option is intended for skilled work applicants; not the semi-skilled.

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) 227-0292. E-mail: mscott.ici@ gmail.com.

These issues and many more related to body image, self-image, gender identity and self-confidence are part of the complexity that is our sexuality.

Let’s be body positive and spend a few minutes thinking about how we can embrace every body and person on their own terms.

Until next time, Ate Anna Ate Anna welcomes your questions and comments. Please write to: Ate Anna, Suite 200226 Osborne St. N., Winnipeg, MB R3C 1V4 or e-mail: info@ serc.mb.ca. Please visit us at www.serc.mb.ca. You will find reliable information and links to many resources on the subject of sexuality.

a rally without a permit. Today’s protest rallies have indeed come a long way from the first one of 1888.

Source: Mabini’s Ghost

by Ambeth R. Ocampo, Anvil Publishing.

Ambeth Ocampo is a past chairman of the National Historical Institute of the Philippines and an associate Professor in the Department of History, Ateneo de Manila University. He writes a widely read editorial page column, Looking Back, for the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

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FEBRUARY 16 - 29, 2016

10 sure-fire feng shui ways to rev up your romance A central feng shui tenet is that marital or romantic happiness is critical component of a happy, well-lived life. And if you’ve had marital or romantic unhappiness, you know how true that can be.

Of course, one of the keys to an effective partnership is having the relationship on a solid romantic footing.

A good place to start is where it all starts: the bedroom.

Feng shui has stringent rules regarding bedrooms. And, fortunately, these rules are designed with romance in mind.

So, take a look around and see if there isn’t something that can be done to your bedroom to make it more appealing – and so that you’ll want to spend more time there!

1. Look around Is your bedroom a genderneutral bedroom design that appeals to the both of you?

Remember, men traditionally don’t like floral designs and if your bedroom is flowery, then your man could be experiencing resentment every time he enters the room. Likewise, if you’ve yielded to your man’s furnishing taste you, too, may also grow resentful.

What to do? Well, start from scratch, and if you can, clear out everything from the room (just like they do on those TV room makeover shows). Then look at the paint, drapes, carpet, etc. to see if these need changing. A good starting point is to look at the walls. If you are considering painting, select a restful, neutral color, such as those of the colour of skin, i.e., beige, taupe, brown, or rose.

If possible, replace loud, flowery, or overly austere furnishings with ones that are comfortable and make for a serene environment that feels like a luxury hotel room. And for those of you going to bed every night in those awe-inspiring white walls: did you know that the Chinese equate the colour white with death? Now there’s a romance-killer! Get out the paint buckets quick and get a nice coat of medium beige on the walls!

2. The bed is where it’s at Just like real estate, when it comes to the bed, it’s all about location, location, location. Make sure the bed is at the widest part of the room and the door to the room can be seen from the bed. This is a critical feng shui element.

Bed placement is extremely important especially if the bed is placed on the same wall as the bedroom door. This will bring serious disagreements for the couple. The bed should also not face a bathroom, see a toilet, share the same wall as a toilet, or be directly opposite a door. It’s also best if the bed doesn’t face a closet or bookshelves of some kind.

Also, be sure to give yourself some support. Beds that have no headboard or placed against a window give the couple little support. If this is the best (or only) position for the bed, place a wooden screen between the bed and the window to simulate a wall or hang heavy drapes that can be closed at night.

And when it comes to your bed, it is always a good idea to have a bed that belongs only to you and your mate. Beds used in previous relationships bring the energy of those former relationships into your love life.

If this is your situation, but you hate to get rid of a perfectly good bed, then donate it to a charity.

Take the write-off and then buy yourself a new bed and mattress and give it to yourselves as an anniversary present.

Remember, in your house, the bed is the No. 1 symbol of your union. Make it a nice one with luxurious pillows and comforters or spreads. Lastly, don’t go out without making your bed every day. Really, now, how hard is it to make a bed? Do it together. The appeal of the bed is tearing back the covers, now isn’t it?

3. Look up Got a ceiling fan whirring above your bed? Lots of us do.

This could be cooling you down… literally and romantically. Ceiling fans above the bed disrupt your body’s chi (energy) — and your romantic chi. You also might avoid turning on the fan for a week and see what happens… you might find your romance energy has a chance to build up.

4. Look down Do you have all kinds of junk stashed under your bed? Maybe you have dust-bunnies the size of Dallas lurking under there. Clear it out and place a crystal sphere at the foot of the bed. These are believed to enhance relationships.

Or, if you have an amethyst geode, place it at the foot of the bed. These are also believed to be marriage enhancers. Get the spheres at design stores, and get geodes at nature stores, gem shops, or gem and mineral shows.

5. Remove electronics Tablets, cell phones and computers don’t belong in the bedroom. Get an old fashioned alarm clock instead of using your phone for an alarm. This way social media posts won’t distract you, email alerts and texts during the night. And it goes without saying that working in the bedroom is a big feng shui no-no.

The one exception? Hold on to your hat — it’s a TV. Many feng shui experts say that you shouldn’t have one in the bedroom, but today’s TVs are different because they’re flat screened and they don’t reflect like the old glass tube varieties. So go on and watch in the bedroom. Plus, it’s always nice to snuggle in bed together

and watch a romantic movie!

6. Change your sheets Just like the bed, if the sheets on the bed are brought to the marriage from a previous relationship, or worse, a divorce, that the old energy lingers here?

Used or inherited linens should also not be used on the bed.

Adorn your bed only with new sheets and keep them reserved only for yourselves. Feng shui teachers say that pink sheets are the best choice because they have the “fire” from the colour red but are in a more sentimental shade of red.

If you’ve got old sheets on the bed that are torn and tattered, what does it say about the emphasis you place on your romantic life?

Treat yourself to some nice linen that feel wonderful and make you want to hop into bed!

7. Remove mirrors Mirrors placed across from the bed or that can be seen from the bed can “divide” the couple and create insomnia. Mirrors should be kept in the bathroom or hallway and out of the bedroom.

Most of the time, you can use mirrors from dressers in other locations in the house. How about above the fireplace or down a long hallway? Both of these places can benefit from a mirror, so why not relegate the mirror to an area where it can be helpful instead of hurtful?

8. Decorate sparingly Decorating the room correctly is important. Look at all the

elements here to get more ideas about appropriate decorating for your romantic retreat.

Plants, water, and flowers: Take all plants, flowers, and water features out of the bedroom. The Chinese say that “rice sticks together when it is warm,” imparting the wisdom of keeping the bedroom romantic.

Water and plants can drown the energy in a couple’s bedroom.

Even pictures featuring water, ice, or snow are poor bedroom decorating choices. Flowers give off too much male energy, also making a poor choice for a restful bedroom. Dried flowers should be removed, as they are dead energy.

Artwork and pictures: Does yours inspire passion or love?

What do the items on your dresser or the art on your wall say about your love life? Hopefully, you don’t have one of those pictures of dogs playing poker.

Now, if there is one place for erotic art, this is it. Tasteful nudes or statues of “The Kiss” are perfect here. Take an extra critical look at what’s hanging above your bed. Is it inspiring? Bet you never gave your bedroom this much thought, ever!

Consider other objects d’amour in your room. Wherever possible, use pairs of objects. Two lovebirds, two vases, etc., are a good idea. Try matching prints for the bedroom or two photos of the both of you, one on each of your bedside tables. And while you’re at it, take a close look at

the pictures in your bedroom.

Are there photographs of your children, your grandparents, friends, or others in the bedroom? If so, these pictures are symbolically looking at you!

Remove all pictures of people except for those of you and your love. Placing your wedding picture here or any other happy, romantic picture that you like. It will be a nice reminder in your shared space that the two of you are a couple.

Work, work, and work: By all means, eliminate “work” objects. These can be treadmills or other exercise equipment, desks, computers, bookshelves filled with work-related books, or objects that remind either of you of something to do. Even hobbies and projects are not good choices for your love nest.

Know what else is a romance killer? Clutter. Remember, hotel rooms make us instantly relaxed when we walk in because they are spare, clean and uncluttered.

9. Houston, we have a problem Is your room in good working order? Is the carpet coming up or do the windows stick? Your room must function well on all levels.

This includes making sure the door opens and closes correctly – and locks, too! Oil creaky door hinges.

Privacy is also important for couples. Having a door lock and using it, too – sends a strong signal that your romantic life

FEBRUARY 16 - 29, 2016 is important, yours alone, and private. This also means making sure you have privacy measures, too. Blinds or other curtains to cover the windows should be working… and used.

10. Create your own love shrine Put a picture of the two of you, a dish with a rose quartz crystal or clear quartz crystal, a heart figurine, a candle, or a small lamp in the southwest corner of your bedroom. Dedicate this area for this purpose. Keep the lamp turned on at least three hours each day so that it can shine on the crystal.

Place your mementos in a box, or anything that is very personal and significant to the two of you.

Play music you both love so you play it when you are alone together in the room. You can put anything here that is romantic and makes you think of love. Try to decide on items together, selecting the things that are meaningful, and inspiring, for you both.

FENG SHUI Q&A Question: My wife is no longer interested in being intimate with me. Do you

PILIPINO EXPRESS have any suggestions on what I can do to make her want to be with me again?

Answer: I’m so glad you wrote! How about talking with her about how much she means to you and that you’ve noticed your relationship isn’t as warm and connected as it once was. Tell her you’d like to give your bedroom and relationship a makeover.

Tell her that your relationship is important to you and that you want her to feel comfortable and happy in your bedroom, and that you thought it might be nice to do a bedroom makeover. Sometimes an old, stale mattress can make for an old stale relationship.

Just seeing how much you care about your relationship and your willingness to work on the bedroom might excite her.

Look at everything in the bedroom and see how you can improve it and re-energize it to reenergize your love for each other.

You should also suggest that you would like to have a regular date night that includes time together dining out, grabbing a glass of wine together or a movie,

and making that day a regular date for sex. A recent study of happily married couples indicated that this was the No. 1 thing that made them happier with their love lives – a set date, such as every Saturday or Sunday, for time together and sex, and that they knew would be spent with just the two of them.

Be attentive and leave a little note under her pillow to say “I love you.” Make sure you treat her sweetly like you did when you were dating. No one likes to be taken for granted and when lovemaking falls into a rut and the tenderness and romance goes out of it, women can lose their interest.

Good luck, and let us know how your feng shui makeover goes.

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!

Youth forum on building success

The Philippine Heritage Council of Manitoba (PHCM), in cooperation with the Manitoba Filipino Business Council (MFBC), Inc., Aksyon ng Ating Kabataan (ANAK), Inc. and the University of Manitoba Filipino Students Group (UMPinoy), is launching the Youth Forum on Building Success to be held on March 17, 2016. This is the second year that PHCM is holding this event as part of its year-round activities to promote the Filipino culture and heritage among Manitobans being part of the vibrant and dynamic Canadian multicultural community.

PHCM is a non-profit, cultural group composed of representatives from the numerous organizations within the Philippine community in Winnipeg This event aims to inspire the young to become successful in their fields, instil the importance of education and hard work, and

promote their active involvement in the Filipino community. A panel of Filipino-Canadian speakers comprising the professional, business and trades sectors will share their reallife experiences, successes and challenges. The panellists will be selected from among prominent Filipino-Canadians in Manitoba who have made a mark in their respective endeavours and serve as potential role models for the youth. Selection criteria include: • Professional/business/trades achievements • Value of contribution to chosen field (profession/business/ trades) • Potential as a role model for youth • Value of contribution to community • Ability to communicate and inspire the youth This event will be done through a panel presentation followed by an interactive

question and answer forum and break-out group discussions that will provide more opportunity for the youth, their parents and other participants to exchange ideas and insights with the panellists on overcoming challenges, preparing for post-secondary education, making career choices in the future and getting involved in the community.

Youth Forum - Building Success will be held on Thursday, March 17, 2016 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the Daniel McIntyre Collegiate (DMCI) multipurpose room, 720 Alverstone St., Winnipeg.

RSVP and questions, please contact us at phcm.inc@gmail. com on or before Thursday, March 3rd, 2016.

You may also leave a message on our Facebook page (www. facebook.com/PHCM.Inc).

Announcement brought to you

by Paul Macaraeg and Tes Aiello (PR Officers of PHCM).

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PILIPINO EXPRESS

FEBRUARY 16 - 29, 2016

Basement waterproofing Basements are normally the part of a building most at risk for water damage as they are situated below grade and surrounded by soil. Soil discharges water it has absorbed during rain or snow thawing, and the water can penetrate the basement through cracks or leaks. Water can even migrate through solid concrete walls through capillary action.

Liquid spontaneously rises in a constricted space, such as a narrow tube, or via permeable materials.

Wet basements can induce problems such as flaking paint, foundation failure, building decay, and lethal mould contamination.

Restraining water from infiltrating the basement by ensuring it is redirected away from the foundation is of most important concern. The most common causes of wet basements are surface runoff and poor roof drainage due to inappropriate site grade and gutter. Fixing these issues will go a long way toward ensuring that water does not seep in the basement.

Swales or shallow ditches should be used in situations where one or more sides of the building face an upward slope. Low spots that may cause water pooling should be levelled out to avoid the risk of standing water close to the foundation. The finish grade must be sloped away from the building for three to five metres.

Install and maintain gutters and downspouts so that they direct

all rainwater and snow melt away from the building foundation to guarantee that pooling does not take place near the walls. Water and moisture can enter through small holes or cracks in the basement’s interior. The holes or cracks could be the result of a number of factors such as poor workmanship, a build up of water pressure from the exterior, and building settlement. Repairing every hole and crack will help to avoid floods and leaks.

Determine spots where water may be inflowing through holes or cracks by examining for discolouration or leaking. Every square metre of the basement should be inspected, especially in areas where flooding or leaking has not been noticeable, but moisture build-up is readily obvious. A waterproof formula of epoxy and latex cement can be used to effectively fill small hairline holes and cracks. This mixture can help make certain that water and moisture do not go through basement walls.

Cracks larger than about four millimetres must be filled with hydraulic cement or mortar prepared from one part cement and two parts fine sand, and with just adequate water to make a fairly firm mixture. Using a standard trowel, the mortar must be pushed tightly into all parts of the holes and cracks to ensure that no air pockets or bubbles remain.

This application procedure will be sufficient if particular care is

taken to fill all cracks entirely and that water is not being forced through basement walls due to outside pressure.

However, if water is being forced through external pressure, the surface areas of the walls or floors with cracks must first be chiselled out a bit along its length and at the mouth of the crack. With a chipping chisel and hammer, cut a dovetail groove alongside the mouth of each crack and then apply the mortar thoroughly. The filled dovetail groove should be tough enough to resist the external pressure that was pushing water through the crack.

After all runoff has been

thoroughly diverted away from the foundation, and all holes and cracks have been patched, a waterproof sealant should be applied as a finishing procedure.

Sodium silicate is a water-based mixture that can penetrate up to 100 mm. Lime in masonry and concrete reacts with sodium silicate to make a hard, crystalline structure that fills in all infinitesimal pores, holes and cracks. Because the masonry and concrete have now become denser and rigid from the sodium silicate, gas or water vapour will not be able to penetrate via capillary action.

By undertaking these

procedures, the possibility or risk of water-related issues in basement interiors can be significantly reduced, thereby protecting the home from damage such as peeling paint, mould growth, and foundation rotting.

The quality of indoor air will also improve because gasses transmitted from the soil outside will be blocked.

Norman Aceron Garcia is a registered Professional Engineer and a Certified Professional Inspector of Mr. Peg Property Inspections Inc. Please visit www. mrpeg.ca for more information on building science and home maintenance.

The Bahay Kubo Initiative at Wellington School Bahay kubo is a traditional nipa hut in the Philippines. This small bungalow stands on stilts on the country’s magnificent Pacific coast. There may not be bamboo nor palm trees here in Winter-peg, but there is definitely a solid community foundation our youth can build upon.

The Filipino-Canadian nonprofit organization, ANAK, started the program in 2008 by pairing volunteer mentors with students at Daniel McIntyre

Collegiate Institute (DMCI).

These high school students in turn mentor elementary age children at Wellington School. The program is an inter-generational and cross-cultural experience that brings together second and third generation Canadians with newcomer youth. It is a fun, educational and inspiring fourweek program where participants have the only opportunity to explore Tagalog/English reading, cross-cultural games, healthy

DMCI students get hands-on experience and bond during buddy reading time

living, and positive self-image.

The Bahay Kubo Initiative will run on Thursdays from February 25 to March 25 after school from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. To learn more or to register your child, call Andrew (Bahay Kubo Coordinator) at 204-9951403.

Andrew Aviso is a member of ANAK and long-time volunteer of the Kapatid In-School Mentorship Program. Visit www. anak.ca to learn more about ANAK and upcoming 10th anniversary celebrations.

Sing-along to Filipino folk songs

All smiles at the Bahay Kubo Initiative

FEBRUARY 16 - 29, 2016

PILIPINO EXPRESS

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SHOWBIZ SHOWBUZZ

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PILIPINO EXPRESS

Sinuyod namin at pinagpuyatan ang replay ng mga ginanap na proclamation rally ng apat ng pulitikong nag-aagawan sa pinakamataas na upuan ng ating bayan.

Parang piyesta ang kapaligiran.

Kani-kaniyang pabongga ang lahat ng partido. Mayroon silang mga unipormadong tagasuporta na nagwawagayway ng kanilang mga banner at kung anu-ano pang mga materyales de kampanya.

Magaling magsalita si VP Jejomar Binay. Armas nito sa laban ang lahat ng mga bintang na ibinabato sa kaniya. Pakomedya naman ang atake ni Mayor Rodrigo Duterte at ni Senadora Miriam Santiago.

Puro banat naman sa kaniyang mga katunggali ang laman ng talumpati ni Secretary Mar Roxas. Wala itong binabanggit na mga pangalan, para itong pako na nakatago nga ang katawan pero nakalitaw naman ang ulo.

Ang talumpati ni Senadora Grace Poe ang ni hindi namin halos pinikitan. Kinikilabutan kami sa panonood sa kaniya.

Ang bawat salitang binibitiwan ng primera senadora noong nakaraang halalan ay parang matalim na kutsilyong humihiwa sa aming puso. *** At ngayong nagsimula na ang kampanya para sa pangnasyonal na halalan. Lantaran na ng baraha ito para sa mga sikat na personalidad. May kalayaan silang mamili ng kanilang kandidato sa panguluhan.

Kung nasa entablado ni Senadora Grace Poe sina Jose at Wally ay nakisaya naman ang Comedy Concert Queen na si Ai Ai delas Alas sa partido ni VP Jejomar Binay.

May mga performers din ang Liberal Party, ang tropa ni Mayor Duterte. May sariling diskarte rin ang tambalan nina Senador Miriam Santiago at Senador Bongbong Marcos sa Norte.

Komento ng isa naming kaibigan, “Okey lang sina Jose at Wally, natural lang na kung nasaan si Tito Sen Sotto, nandoon din sila. Pero malayo na

talaga ang possibility na bumalik ang dating friendship nina Ai Ai at Kris Aquino.

“Kahit sa kulay ng pulitika, magkalaban sila. Kung A si Kris, B naman si Ai Ai. Hindi na talaga sila magkakasundo,” sabi nito.

Naging emosyonal kami sa sinserong talumpati ni Senadora Grace Poe sa Plaza Miranda, ramdam na ramdam ang bawat salitang binibitiwan ng senadorang tuloy ang pagtakbo sa panguluhan, pero pinahalakhak naman kami ni Pacman nang umakyat ito sa entablado ng UNA. Sabi ng sumisigaw na Pambansang Kamao na tumatakbong senador, “Narito na siya, ang magiging prisidinti ng ating bayan, the next prisident of the Pelepens, Prisidinti Jijumar Binay!” *** Malaking palaisipan para sa amin ang takbo ng kuwento na noong magkasamang nagbakasyon sa ibang bansa ang mga pamilya nina Luis Manzano at Angel Locsin ay saka lang nagdesisyon ang aktor na makipagkalas na kay Angel.

May bitbit na ispekulasyon ang kuwento. Ibig bang sabihin ay sa ibang bansa lang napatunayan ni Luis ang tunay na ugali ng kaniyang girlfriend?

Kung totoo iyon ay anu-ano naman kayang ugali ni Angel na lihim pa sa kaniya ang nadiskubre ni Luis? Pero may duda kami sa kuwento, palagi kasi kaming naniniwala na walang desisyong biglaan. Laging may malalim na pinag-uugatan ang anumang aksiyon tungkol sa pakikipaghiwalay.

Nakapagtataka rin na ang mas malaking bahagi ng paghusga ay nasa parte ni Angel. Hindi ba puwedeng balanse, dahil aminado naman silang dalawa na hindi sila santo at perpekto?

Hanggang ngayon ay palaisipan pa rin para sa amin ang mga kuwento tungkol sa paghihiwalay nina Luis at Angel.

Lalo na ngayon na nagpo-post ang aktres ng kung anu-anong makahulugang mensahe na

FEBRUARY 16 - 29, 2016

• Election sa Pilipinas – Parang fiesta na naman ang kapaligiran!

• Kris at Ai Ai – Kontra pa rin ang dating mag-BFF sa election campaign • Luis Mansano at Angel Locsin – Palaisipan pa rin kung bakit naghiwalay • Alden at Maine – Milyones ang kinikita sa mga product endorsements • Alden Richards – Maangas ang bagong manager ng Pambansang Bae • Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach – Walang kaere-ere, napaka-down-to-earth • Ciara Sotto – Mapait at galit ang ang mga posts sa social media • Sen. Jinggoy Estrada at Sen. Bong – Tuloy pa rin ang laban

Mga kandidato para sa pangulo ng Pilipinas: Santiago, Binay, Poe, Roxas at Duterte

Kris Aquino siyempre’y ipinapalagay ng mga nakakabasa na patungkol kay Luis.

Mas makatutulong siguro para kay Angel, kung totoo ngang umaasa pa rin ito ng pagbabalikan, ang pananahimik na lang muna. Hindi nakatutulong sa kaniya ang social media, mas lalawak pa ang pagitan sa kanila ni Luis, kung pagbabalikan ang kaniyang gusto.

Si Luis, hindi man nagsasalita, ay sigurado kaming naaalalayan

Ai Ai Delas Alas ng kaniyang ina. Sinasabi siguro ni Governor Vilma Santos sa kaniyang anak na huwag sasagot sa anumang parinig-patutsada ni Angel sa social media.

Kung kilala nga namin ang Star For All Seasons ay siguradong ipinapayo nito kay Luis, “Anak, babae si Angel.

Sa kahit anong argumento, hindi magandang tingnan na nakikipagsagutan ang lalaki sa babae.” At isang masunuring anak si Luis Manzano.

*** Hala! Halos lahat na yata ng produktong mabenta sa merkado ay ang AlDub na ang tagapagendorso. Kundi man magkasama sina Alden Richards at Maine Mendoza ay may solohan din silang TVC. Ganoon sila kabenta ngayon sa mga ahensiya.

Kinabog na ng dalawa ang mga dating naghahari-harian at nagrereyna-reynahan sa paggawa ng mga patalastas. Sila ang pinakamabenta ngayon, sila ang

For many years, we have been serving the Filipino community with

Dedication, Commitment, Friendship & Trust

We have worked hard at this by providing a dedicated and hard working group of professional men and women offering: • full disclosure of pricing • ensuring our Lamay are professional with great service • offering two well-positioned facilities • providing the best product lines.. and the list goes on!

We are not a nameless, faceless entity in Toronto or Houston.

We live here, work here and play here. Winnipeg is our home, and we demonstrate this daily to the families we serve.

24/7 Compassion & Accessibility Phone: 204-275-5555

Two City Locations 1839 Inkster Blvd. (corner of Inkster Blvd. & Keewatin St.) 1006 Nairn Ave. (corner of Keenleyside St. & Nairn Ave.)

We are your Kababayan in the business! Feel free to call owners Darin Hoffman (Zeny Regalado), Shawn Arnason or our community representative Nap Ebora for a uniquely Filipino prerspective on prearrangements.

Phone: 204-275-5555

FEBRUARY 16 - 29, 2016

PILIPINO EXPRESS

Luis at Angel – Palaisipan pa rin ang dahilan ng break-up

Alden at Maine – milyones ang kinikita sa mga endorsements binabayaran nang milyones.

Napakasuwerte talaga ng AlDub. Ayon sa isa naming source ay makukumpleto ni Alden ang ipinagagawa niyang bahay sa Nuvali sa pamamagitan ng paggawa niya ng kaliwa’t kanang commercials.

Malaking bahay ang ipinagagawa niya, kontingkonting panahon na lang at Nuvali boy na ang guwapong aktor.

Si Maine naman ay nakadeposito lang sa bangko

ang kinikita ngayon. Palibhasa’y maayos naman ang kanilang pamumuhay at nakatira pa rin ito sa kaniyang mga magulang ay walang pinagkakagastusan ang dalaga. Pero isang araw ay may plano si Maine na mamuhunan para sa isang food chain.

Natural lang na i-bash sila ng mga taong walang magawa sa buhay, lalo na ng mga kampong direktang kinabog nina Alden at Maine ang career, maaasahan na See CRISTY p14

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SHOWBIZ SHOWBUZZ PAGE 14

CRISTY...

From page 13 ang ganoong kalakaran.

Basta wala silang sinasaktan at sinasagasaan ay wala silang dapat ipag-alala, publiko ang nagregalo sa kanila ng popularidad, hindi nila iyon inagaw kaninuman.

Pana-panahon lang ‘yan. *** Si Dudu Unay na may malaking tulong na nagawa sa career ni Alden Richards ay discoverer din ng magandang young actress na si Liza Soberano. Maayos pa rin ang samahan nila ni Liza, maligaya si Dudu Unay sa magandang kapalaran ng batang aktres, kakaiba sa nangyari sa kanila ni Alden Richards.

Kalat na kalat sa showbiz ang senaryo. Si Dudu ang nakakuha ng proyektong Alakdana para kay Alden, ito ang kumukuha ng script ng sikat na aktor ngayon sa produksiyon ng serye, ito rin ang kasama-sama ni Alden sa pagmememorya ng kaniyang script.

May isang naglabas ng kuwento na hindi na nga pinasasalamatan ni Alden si Dudu Unay ay binlock pa sa FB ng aktor.

Doon na nagsimulang lumutang ang istorya ng kawalan ng utang na loob ng Pambansang Bae sa taong may malaking nagawa sa kaniyang career.

Biglang umentra sa eksena ang isang Carlites de Guzman na nagpapakilalang manager ni Alden. May mga inilabas itong kuwento na puro pabor sa kaniya at naeetsa-puwera na ang tulong na nagawa ni Dudu.

Ayos lang iyon, tutal naman ay hindi ipinagpipilitan ni Dudu ang kaniyang sarili, ibang tao naman ang nagbukas ng kuwento at hindi ito.

Pero alanganin ang atake ng manager ni Alden. Kung may basbas man iyon ng aktor o wala ay sila-sila lang ang nakakalaam.

Pinalabas ni Carlites na luko-luko ang mga nagkakalat ng isyung walang utang na loob si Alden at makikitid naman ang utak ng mga naniniwala sa kuwento.

Hindi namin alam kung saang puno ng sampalok nanggaling ang Carlites de Guzman na ito. Hindi namin siya kilala nang personal, pero nag-iwan ng kaangasan sa amin ang kaniyang damage control.

Maraming nanegahan sa manager ni Alden, bagitungbagito pa lang kasi ito sa paghawak ng mga artista, pero maangas-maanghang na itong magbitiw ng mga salita.

Dapat malaman ng taong ito na ang kalyeserye ng Eat… Bulaga ang gumawa ng milagro sa karera ni Alden. Ang kanilang penomenal na tambalan ni Maine Mendoza na iniluwal ng kalyeserye ang dahilan ng kaniyang popularidad ngayon.

Ang suportang ibinibigay nang walang kundisyon ng AlDub Nation ang dahilan kung bakit inuulan kundi man binabagyo ng suwerte at biyaya ngayon si Alden Richards.

Ang manager ay nagpapalawak sa mundo ng

PILIPINO EXPRESS kaniyang alagang artista at hindi nagpapaliit. *** Nagsadya sa isang restaurant sa San Francisco, California ang aming mga kaibigan para lang makita nang personal ang kababayan nating Miss Universe na si Pia Wurtzbach.

Tuwang-tuwa pala si Pia kapag nakakakita ng mga Pinoy, hindi siya nagsasalita sa Ingles, lengguwahe talaga natin ang buong-ningning niyang ginagamit.

“Saka basta Pinoy ang lumalapit sa kaniya, eh, inuuna niya, picture-picture agad, tuwang-tuwa siya!” kuwento pa ng aming kaibigang si Sheryl na nagtatrabaho sa Bay Area.

Pinagkakaguluhan daw si Pia kahit saan siya magpunta.

Hindi raw napapagod ang dalaga sa pagkaway at pagpaparetrato, kaya puring-puri siya ng lahat.

Natawa ang tropa ni Sheryl dahil bago sila umalis ay bumulong pa sa kanila si Pia, “Nagke-crave ako sa Filipino food. Gusto ko nang kumain ng tinola at pakbet!”

Para sa isang babaeng may putong na korona sa ulo bilang pinakamagandang babae sa balat ng lupa ay nagkakaisa ang mga Pilipino sa Amerika sa pagsasabing walang kaere-ere si Pia Wurtzbach.

“Ang mga security niya ang nakakainis! Malalakas mangtabig ng mga lumalapit kay Pia. Parang sila ang Miss Universe!” tawa pa nang tawang komento ng aming kaibigan. *** Mahal namin si Ciara Sotto.

Alam din namin ang masaklap na problemang personal na pinagdadaanan niya ngayon.

Pero siguro’y puwede ring bahaginan ng panahon ng singeractress ang payo at opinyon ng mga kababayan nating nagmamalasakit sa kaniya.

Maraming tumatawag-nagtetext sa amin tungkol sa mga ipino-post ni Ciara sa kaniyang mga social media account.

Karapatan niya iyon, kaniya ang mga nasabing account, pero hindi kaya naiisip ni Ciara na sa kapopost niya ng mga nangyayari tungkol sa kaniyang personal na buhay ay biglang mabaligtad ang pagtanggap ng publiko sa kaniyang pinagdadaanan?

Bukod sa nagdurugo niyang puso ngayon ay nandoon ang mga patagilid niyang atake sa nakahiwalay niyang mister na si Jojo Oconer at sa sinasabi niyang kabit nito.

Hindi ipinagmamakaingay ang mga personal na pangyayari.

Hanggang maitatago ay ganoon ang dapat gawin ng mga kilalang personalidad dahil parang paghahain na rin iyon ng pagkain na siguradong titikman ng publiko.

Hindi dapat nagbibigay si Ciara ng mga detalyeng para sa kanilang dalawa lang ng nakahiwalay niyang mister.

Pagpipistahan lang iyon ng mga nakakabasa, gagawing palengke ang kanilang buhay, may mga magkokomento pa nang napakasakit na siguradong hindi

FEBRUARY 16 - 29, 2016

Miss Universe Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, down-to-earth pa rin ang beauty queen

Ciara Sotto – Masyadong nasaktan sa pagtataksil ng asawa

Senador Jinggoy Estrada at Pangulo/Mayor Joseph Estrada

SHOWBIZ SHOWBUZZ FEBRUARY 16 - 29, 2016 niya ikasasaya. Dapat ay may natutunan na siya mula sa mapait na karanasan sa mga social media bashers ng kaniyang pinsang si Sharon Cuneta.

At kung totoo ngang may bagong karelasyon ang kaniyang mister na kung tawagin niya’y kabit, ang ganoong bagay ay hindi pa rin ibinubulgar sa buong bayan, dahil isang malaking kahihiyan iyon para sa kaniya bilang misis na ipinagpalit ng kaniyang asawa sa ibang babae.

Punumpuno ng sama ng loob kundi man matinding galit ang puso ni Ciara Sotto ngayon. At madaling unawain ang ganoong emosyon.

Walang babaeng magkakagusto na mayroon siyang kahati sa atensiyon at pagmamahal ng kaniyang mister.

Pero sana’y maghinay-hinay si Ciara kapag nagpo-post na siya.

Baka isang araw ay magulat na lang si Ciara dahil baligtad na ang istorya. Hindi na siya ang biktima, siya na ang nagmumukhang kontrabida, lalo na’t hindi niya naman pinapangalanan hanggang ngayon ang sinasabi niyang kabit ng kaniyang asawa. *** Kahit pa maaliwalas naman ang aura nina Senador Jinggoy Estrada at Senador Bong Revilla nang huli namin silang dalawin sa PNP Custodial Center ay ramdam na ramdam namin ang lungkot sa kapaligiran ng maliit na bakurang pansamantala nilang tinitirhan.

Lalo na’t nagsimula na ang pormal na kampanya para sa

PILIPINO EXPRESS pangnasyonal na eleksiyon, siguradong ikinalulungkot nila iyon, dahil dati’y lumalahok sila sa laban.

Hindi na natin kailangang magkaroon ng diploma para hanapin ang rason kung bakit sila nakapiit ngayon. Malalaki silang isda sa mundo ng pulitika, maraming nabahag ang buntot sa kanilang kandidatura, kaya para sila patahimikin ay kailangang tanggalan sila ng karapatan na makalahok pa sa laban.

Hindi naiiba ang kapalaran ng dalawang senador sa tumatakbo sa panguluhan ngayon na si Senadora Grace Poe. Nakalalaya lang ang senadora, pero kung iisipin, ang mga ginagawang panggigipit ngayon sa kaniya ay kasimbigat din ng ginawang panggigipit kina Senador Jinggoy at Senador Bong.

Pero magkikita-kita rin sila sa finals, sabi nga, isang araw ay malalampasan din nilang lahat ang mga paghamong dala ng kanilang paninindigan.

Pero kahit nakapiit ngayon ang dalawang senador ay nakasuporta pa rin sila sa pagkandidato ng kanilang mga mahal sa buhay. Sina PangulongMayor Joseph Estrada at Konsehal Janella Ejercito (tumatakbong vice-mayor ng San Juan) para kay Senador Jinggoy at sina Congresswoman Lani Mercado (sa laban bilang mayor ng Bacoor) at Vice-Governor Jolo Revilla ng Cavite. Kaya tuloy pa rin ang laban!

Congresswoman Lani Mercado at Sen. Bong Revilla – tuloy pa rin ang laban

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PAGE 16

SHOWBIZ SHOWBUZZ PILIPINO EXPRESS

FEBRUARY 16 - 29, 2016

Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil reunite in Dolce Amore From the phenomenal success of their top-rated series Forevermore, Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil – one of the Philippines’ hottest love teams – return to worldwide television to give viewers a taste of “sweet love” via ABS-CBN’s newest romantic drama Dolce Amore via The Filipino Channel (TFC).

After making the whole country fall in love and believe in forever, Liza and Enrique take on Dolce Amore, a story of two young wandering souls in search of who they really are, who will be brought together by destiny and feel an infallible connection with each other.

“It’s a project I think almost everyone will be able to relate to.

It’s about finding your identity and finding love, and the story is just so fun and uplifting,” said Liza during the kick-off of TFC’s theme for the love month, Febibig.

She plays Serena, a young girl raised in Italy by her adoptive parents. Though she lives a good life, she cannot shake off the feeling that an important part of her identity seems to be missing – the truth about where she came from.

Bearing the same struggles is the character of Enrique, Tenten, who grew up in an orphanage suffering from the pain of his real parents’ rejection. A hardworking raketero, Tenten takes on different jobs to help his adoptive family.

“It’s a ‘peasant meets a princess’ kind of feel. It’s a very light teleserye, like what we all love – the kind of ‘Forevermore’ feels,” shared Enrique.

Aside from Forevermore, the success of LizQuen also translated on the big screen, with Just the Way You Are and Everyday I Love You being certified box-office hits.

Moreover, Liza said that fans

should expect her team-up with Enrique to level up in terms of kilig, and that they will be more open to experimenting with their characters in Dolce Amore.

Kapamilya singer-actor and heartthrob Matteo Guidicelli, meanwhile, will take on the role of Giancarlo, Serena’s best friend who is secretly in love with her.

Playing Liza’s adoptive parents in the series are Cherie Gil (Luciana) and Ruben Maria Soriquez (Roberto), while Edgar Mortiz (Dodoy), Rio Locsin (Paps), and Kean Cipriano (Binggoy) will depict Tenten’s simple but loving adoptive family.

Dolce Amore, which will be subtitled in English for nonFilipino speaking viewers, will also see characters portrayed by seasoned actors Sunshine Cruz, Andrew E, and Frenchie Dy. (Source: The Filipino Channel (TFC)

Ma-Anne Dionisio takes on new role

by Ted Alcuitas Arguably, Ma-Anne Dionisio is the best-known FilipinoCanadian singer whose roles in Miss Saigon, West Side Story and Les Miserables have put the Filipina on the theatre map worldwide.

In Closer Than Ever, which debuted at the Richmond Gateway Theatre in B.C. on February 4 and runs until February 20, she veers away from her traditional casting roles and tackles the “toughest I have encountered in my whole career,” she told The Richmond News in an interview.

The 42-year-old single mother of three started her singing career in the late 80s in Winnipeg, Manitoba where her family settled with her four

sisters. She was only 14 then but had already won a TV singing contest in the Philippines when the family decided to move to Canada in 1989.

She joined the church choir at St. Edward’s Parish, home to a large Filipino congregation where her angelic voice got noticed.

After winning a lead role in Experience Canada, a musical tour that celebrated Canada’s 125th anniversary, she went on to a the role of Kim in the musical Miss Saigon, launching her career.

The Toronto resident has since performed as Kim in British, Australian and American productions of Miss Saigon. She played the role of Éponine in the U.S. touring company of Les Misérables, joining Lea Salonga

as the second Asian to play Éponine in western theater.

Playing Kim for almost a decade “has made it part of her life” she said in an interview, but her role in Closer Than Ever, a play about mid-life crisis fits into her present stage in life.

“The whole show is basically about people going through the middle age part of their lives,” she told The Richmond News. “It’s basically personal challenges and how they respond, react and move on from them.”

“For the most part in my career, because of the way I look, people tend to cast me as the romantic ingenue, the younger part. But I am really excited to play something that’s closer to my age. (www. philippinecanadiannews.com)

Ma-Anne Dionisio performs in Richmond, B.C. in the Gateway Theatre production of Closer Than Ever

FEBRUARY 16 - 29, 2016

JEREMY...

From page 1 for the City of Winnipeg as a building plan examiner.

Forty “home cooks” discovered after a series of national auditions were featured in the MasterChef Canada’s premiere episode. Eighteen cooks who did not get unanimous nods from the judges will face each other again in future episodes of

SHOWBIZ SHOWBUZZ PILIPINO EXPRESS

PAGE 17

the cooking reality show. They will compete for the remaining spots among the Top 14 finalists.

The next episode airs on February 21.

MasterChef Canada, the Canadian version of the cooking show that originated in the UK in 1990, premiered its third season on CTV on Sunday, February 14 with judges Claudio Aprile, Michael Bonacini and Alvin Leung.

Jeremy with his sister Jennifer Senaris Pilor and brother Jonathan Senaris

Jeremy loves cooking for his favourite nieces Sophia and Gia

Auntie Ochie and Nana Pepay are very proud of the achievements of their nephew Jeremy

Jeremy with his loved ones celebrate his MasterChef Canada achievement. Congratulations, Jeremy! (Photos courtesy of Jennifer Pilor and Jeremy’s cousin Alona Mercado)

PAGE 18

PEOPLE & EVENTS PILIPINO EXPRESS

FEBRUARY 16 - 29, 2016

Baybayin writing with style Filipinos today write their languages with the same letters that are used throughout the Western world and in many of the West’s other former colonies, which is known as the Roman or Latin alphabet. It was the Spaniards who introduced the alphabet to the various languages of the Philippines when they began their occupation of the islands in the 16th century.

However, some pre-colonial Filipinos were already writing with their own script, known in Tagalog as baybayin, which was almost totally forgotten.

Interest in the baybayin has been growing in recent years but most Filipinos are still not familiar with it. Any attention given to it in schools is generally superficial and often inaccurate. A common feature of many write-ups about the script is a chart showing various styles of baybayin writing, such as the tables accompanying this article, which are often misunderstood due to a lack of necessary explanation. The main misapprehension is the idea that each province or language group in the Philippines had its own distinct alphabet or writing system, but this was not the case.

The baybayin writing system was the same wherever it was used but, of course, everybody had his or her own style of writing – just as we have today with our alphabet.

Unfortunately, some confusion arose in the centuries after most Filipinos stopped using their indigenous script in favour of the Western alphabet. It was almost completely forgotten by the 1800s when some historians began to gather the few surviving examples of original baybayin writing. They naturally made careful notes about where they found each sample of writing and for which language it was used to write. Then, they often made charts that showed all the forms of all the letters from the specimens that they had collected.

Most historians understood that they were dealing with the normal variations of handwriting or printing types that normally occur within a single alphabet.

However, later historians and textbook writers, who based their articles solely on these charts, misunderstood the meaning of the descriptions given to each baybayin style. They assumed that a style of baybayin writing that was labelled Bikol, for example, was the distinct alphabet

of the Bikolano language when, really, it was most likely just the handwriting of a single individual who happened to be from the Bikol region.

When the printing press was introduced to the Philippines in the late 1500s, various baybayin typefaces were created as each printer naturally had to base his font on the baybayin style or styles that he was familiar with.

In cases where a letter may have had more than one popular shape, the printer had to choose which would become the standard letter shape.

In later centuries these typefaces would become associated with the books in which they were used. A typeface used for a Visayan book or an Ilokano book is now often assumed to be the distinct alphabet that belongs to that particular language when, in reality, it was just the font that the author happened to choose for his book. Imagine if people 500 years from now had only a few samples of our writing and believed that letters like a f g and Q were English while letters like a f g and Q – were French.

We know that they are not strictly English or French – they’re just different forms of the same letters from the same alphabet.

The clearest example of this misunderstanding is the baybayin typeface that some people call the “Ilokano baybayin.” It was the typeface that Father Francisco Lopez chose in 1621 for his Ilokano catechism and for his Ilokano grammar in 1627, but it actually appeared in two earlier Tagalog books by other authors – a grammar in 1610 and a dictionary in 1613. Lopez himself called it the “Tagalog script” even though he used it to write in Ilokano. In the 1621 catechism he wrote, “The reason for putting the text of the Doctrina in Tagalog type… was to begin the correction of the said Tagalog script.”

One of the “corrections” that Lopez made for baybayin writing was to invent a + shaped mark that allowed consonants to be written alone without their inherent vowel sounds. And even though Lopez was a Spaniard, at least one modern day writer, Dr. Carl Rubino, assumed that this was also an “Ilokano innovation,” as he called it in his 1998 IlokanoEnglish dictionary.

We know that there was only one baybayin “alphabet” because none of the early Spanish historians – who wrote at the time

A chart from the 1890 book Los itas, by Pedro Paterno. It is probably the most copied source for examples of supposedly regional Philippine alphabets. The heading Alfabeto de… implies that each example is a distinct alphabet belonging to a certain region or people. This misunderstanding is made worse by comparing the baybayin samples to scripts from nearby islands and other totally unrelated alphabets such as Hebrew and Arabic.

This is the typeface that Fr. Francisco Lopez used to publish an Ilokano catechism in 1621. It was also used in earlier Tagalog books. when the script was still in use – ever suggested that there was more than one script. Even when they wrote about other languages such as Ilokano or Bisaya, they still called the indigenous script “Tagalog writing” or the writing “proper to Manila” because this is where the Spaniards first witnessed Filipinos writing.

The Spaniards did not see Filipinos writing in the Visayas during the first few decades of their occupation in the early and mid 1500s. Later, when they arrived in the Manila area they found that the Tagalogs could write and, when asked, the local inhabitants told them that their

alphabet had come from Borneo.

By the arrival of the 1600s the baybayin had spread to other areas like the Visayas where the local people called it “Moro writing” because, as far as they knew, the baybayin came from Muslim traders through the port of Manila.

The letter shapes of the precolonial baybayin were not strictly prescribed, so the handwriting styles varied greatly from one person to the next just as much as they varied from region to region.

In 1938, Alberto Santamaría, published an exhaustive study of baybayin specimens kept in the archives of the University of

Santo Tomas. He wrote: “It has been most interesting, for, despite having been written

by Tagalogs, we found greater variations among them, in general, than among the different alphabets represented as coming from different regions.”

So, the baybayin was much like our English alphabet is today. That is to say, even though people today have their own distinctive handwriting styles and our computers have hundreds of different fonts, we are all using the same alphabet, which is also used for many other languages.

Find Paul Morrow (author) on Facebook

FEBRUARY 16 - 29, 2016

PEOPLE & EVENTS PILIPINO EXPRESS

PAGE 19

EH KASI, PINOY!

PAGE 20

PILIPINO EXPRESS

KROSWORD

NO. 246

Ni Bro. Gerry Gamurot

PAHALANG 1. Pagkasagrado 8. Alipato 11. Banoy 14. Responsabilidad 16. Dalawang dalawa 17. Impo 18. Dagdag 19. Istorbo 20. Hulapi 21. Sabik 23. Kalabit 25. Kaya mahirap akyatin 28. Bintang 29. Diyos-diyosan 30. Kakalat PABABA 2. Galapong 3. Produktong pampaganda 4. Tagulamin 5. Kasuutan ng pari 6. Kaaalis

7. Paninindak 9. Kasindami 10. Ginagawang “fries” 12. Takutan 13. Tatabi 15. Asa 22. Madali 24. Lugar sa Bikol 26. Bagabag 27. Kawil

SAGOT SA NO. 245

FEBRUARY 16 - 29, 2016

HOROSCOPE PEBRERO 16 – 29, 2016 Aries (March 21 – April 19) Pagtiyagaan mo ang hanapbuhay mo ngayon dahil mahirap makahanap ng trabaho.

Kung lilipat ka sa iba ay baka hindi mo magustuhan ang mga makakasama mo doon. Maayos na ang kinalalagyan mo ngayon.

Kaya mo ang problema, wala ka lang pasensya. OK ang ika-20 at 21. Ingat sa ika- 18, 19, 25 at 26.

Leo (July 23 – Aug. 22) Popular ka sa iyong grupo ng mga kaibigan.

Gusto ka nilang kasama dahil mabait ka at mapagbigay. Masaya ka kapag kasama mo sila. Pero, kailangan mo ring kilatisin kung sino sa kanila ang gumagamit lang sa iyo.

Alam mo kung sino ang tunay sa kanila, di ba? OK ang ika-20 at 21. Ingat sa ika-27, 28 at 29.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 – Dec. 21) Kulay rosas ang iyong paligid.

Masaya at matibay ang relasyon ninyong dalawa.

Kung single, OK ka kahit nag-iisa ka sa buhay. Huwag mong pilitin ang pag-aasawa kung wala ka pang napupusuan.

Darating iyan sa tamang panahon.

Ayos din ang kalusugan mo. OK ang ika-20 at 21. Ingat sa ika-16, 17, 22, 23 at 24.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20) Kalusugan ang nakataya dahil masyado mong inaabuso ang katawan mo.

Kulang ka sa tulog o pahinga kaya ka parang nauubusan ng lakas. Huwag mong hintayin na magkasakit ka. Hinayhinay lang sa mga ginagawa mo.

Kayamanan mo ang good health.

OK sa ika-22, 23 at 24. Ingat sa ika-20, 21, 27, 28 at 29.

Virgo (Aug. 23 – Sept. 22) Buwenas ang mga natitirang araw ng Pebrero para sa iyo. Ang mga relihiyoso ay makikita ang kapayapaan. Ang mga mahilig sa party ay maraming dadaluhan.

Ang mga artistic ay hahangaan.

Ang mga negosyante ay magiging suwerte sa mga lalahukang proyekto. Ang OK ang ika-22, 23 at 24. Ingat sa ika-16 at 17.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 – Jan. 19) Ngayon na ang panahon upang ipakita mo sa mundo kung ano ang kaya mong gawin. Hindi ka nila puwedeng api-apihin dahil iba ka na ngayon. Ipa-alam mong iba ka na doon sa tao na kilala nila noong mga nakaraang taon.

Marami ka nang naabot sa buhay.

OK ang ika-22, 23 at 24. Ingat sa ika-18, 19, 25 at 26.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20) Kung kailangan mong makipagusap sa mga tao sa gobyerno o sa management ng trabaho mo, puwede bang planuhin mo muna kung ano ang sasabihin mo?

Kung may kailangan ka sa kanila, hindi mo puwedeng painitin ang ulo mo. Magpakumbaba ka. OK ang ika-16, 17, 25 at 26. Ingat sa ika-22, 23 at 24.

Libra (Sept. 23 – Oct. 22) Alam mong ikaw ang may kagagawan sa nangyaring kamalasan sa buhay mo. Hindi ka na natuto. Palagi kang naniniwala sa mga mambobola. Tapos na at wala ka nang magagawa kundi magsisi. Buhay ka pa. Gawin mong aral ang mga kabiguan nang hindi na maulit. OK sa ika-16, 17, 25 at 26. Ingat sa ika-18 at 19.

Aquarius (Jan. 20 – Feb. 18) Mahalaga sa iyo ang magtagumpay.

Pero huwag kang manlulumo kung hindi ito palaging nangyayari. Hindi ka perfect. May oras na mali ang diskarte mo. Patawarin mo ang sarili mo at makikita mong magiging mas maligaya ka.

Magsaya ka. OK ang ika-16, 17, 25 at 26. Ingat sa ika-20, 21, 27, 28 at 29.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22) May magandang oportunidad sa negosyo na darating sa iyo.

Maaaring ito ay sa ibang bansa manggagaling. Pag-aralan mo dahil mukhang buwenas ito para sa iyo. Maayos ang kalusugan mo. Ipagpatuloy mo ang pagaalaga sa iyong puso, sikmura at mga tuhod. OK ang ika-18, 19, 27, 28 at 29. Ingat sa ika-25 at 26.

Scorpio (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21) Mataas ang ambisyon mo.

Walang masama.

Natural lang ang maghangad ng mas mataas sa kasalukuyang kalagayan sa buhay.

Pero hindi pa ba sapat ang nasa iyo ngayon? Tingnan mo ang pamilya, maayos sila, di ba? Kabuhayan, hindi ka naman naghihirap, di ba?

OK ang ika-18, 19, 27, 28 at 29.

Ingat sa ika-20 at 21.

Pisces (Feb. 19 – March 20) Kailangan mong magpahinga at mag-relax muna.

Masyadong maraming stress sa buhay mo kaya nakikita ang epekto sa kalusugan mo. Wala kang magagawa dahil hindi mo kontrolado ang ugali ng ibang tao. Huwag mong dalhin ang problema nila. OK ang ika18, 19, 27, 28 at 29. Ingat sa ika16, 17, 22, 23 at 24.

EH KASI, PINOY!

FEBRUARY 16 - 29, 2016

PILIPINO EXPRESS

Si Mayor Brian Bowman ng Winnipeg ay umaasa na ang siyudad ay tutulungan ng provincial at federal government sa mga infrastructure project. Sana nga nang sa gayon ay makalikha ng karagdagang trabaho sa mga residente ng lungsod. *** Naganap noong huling linggo ng Enero ang face-to-face meeting ni PM Trudeau sa mga nonpolitical Canadians. May 10 ang bilang. Isa-isa silang pinapasok sa PM’s office. Kinausap para malaman ang damdamin ng mga karaniwang mamamayan. Ang ginawang iyon ni PM Trudeau ay one-of-a-kind among the world leaders. *** Karaniwang paksa ng panayam ay tungkol sa mga patakarang nakakaapekto sa buhay ng karaniwang tao.

Magugunitang ang bagong gobyerno sa Ottawa ay nagsabing maraming mga pagbabagong dapat ilagay sa ayos. Gayunman, wala pang malinaw na plano para maayos ang weak economy na pamana ng administrasyong Harper? *** Pinagtutuunan ng pansin ngayon ang oil industry at kaparis din ng US, ang kaso ng international terrorism. May mga binagong plano sa pagtanggap ng refugee. *** Patuloy ang paghina ng US dollar. Isang wake-up call for the investors at daily wage earners.

Hindi malayong maulit ang isa pang global recession na kaparis noong 2008. Kung mangyayari, negative ang effect sa lahat ng bansa na ang kanilang pera ay nakatali sa US currency.

Pilipinas Habang umiinit ang political campaign sa bansa for the 2016

national elections, patuloy din ang tensiyon na nagaganap ngayon sa South China Sea. Ang US ay may barkong pangdigma na pumapatrulya sa loob ng ng South China Sea. Layon daw ng Washington ay mapigil ang hangarin ng Beijing na malimitahan ang pinagdadaanan ng mga kalakal at produktong pangkabuhayan sa hanay ng mga bansa hanggang Japan. *** Binatikos ng China ang aksiyon ng USA. Labis namang ikinababahala ng mga Filipino ang girian ng dalawang super power.

Ang Pilipinas ay maaaring maipit sa lumalalang tensiyon sa pagitan ng Beijing at Washington. Hindi na kasi kaila, na ang majority ng Pinoys ay utak-amboy? *** Ibinalita ni Defense Secretary Voltaire Gasmin na walong lugar sa Pilipinas ang inaalok sa Amerika at pinapayagang magtayo ng mga military structures sa bansa. Ang ilan dito’y Palawan, Cagayan de Oro, Fort Magsaysay, Pampanga, Basa Airbase sa Luzon at sa Cebu.

Maliwanag na ang Pilipinas ay baka maging sitting-duck na target ng mga kaaway ng US. That’s because of EDCA na pinayagan ng Korte Suprema. *** Sinabi ni Sen. Bongbong Marcos na bakit hindi subukan ang ibang paraan para mabawasan ang tensiyon sa pagitan ng Manila at Beijing? Halimbawa: through sports or cultural exchange.

History ang pagbatayan. Bumuti ang relasyon ng Pilipinas at China noong 1970s dahil sa bisa ng Pingpong diplomacy. *** Nabalitang sa limang ASEAN members, ang Pilipinas ay pinakakulelat sa mga pinupuntahan ng mga foreign

HINAGAP Ang Puso

Muling binubuhay ang mga pangako, Sa kasalukuyan na buwan ng puso; Wagas na pagsinta na dagling naglaho.

Sapagkat marupok dulot ay siphayo! *** Umibig-ibigin ay kaligayahan, Sa tibok na lubhang makapangyarihan; Wagas na pag-ibig ng puso’y huwaran, Ang taksil ay dapat sumpaing lubusan! *** Matiising dibdib may iwing pangamba, Pagsintang matapat kung saan hahangga?

Dahil ang pagsuyong nawalan ng sigla, Kawangis ay isang bulaklak na lanta! *** Sinira ng pera ang kapangyarihan, ng sumpaang taos na magmamahalan!

Paquito Rey Pacheco

investor? Kasi daw, sa isyu lang ng tax ay dalawa ang obligadong babayaran ng mga magnenegosyo.

Legal na buwis na dapat bayaran at ang hinihingi ng “nice people around.” Malubha ang peace and order situation at mga kasosyonglaway. Karaniwan ay mga opisyal pa ng LGU o kanilang mga alipores? *** Idagdag pa ang problema ng mga may negosyo sa Metro Manila. Sa tindi lang ng trapik na apektado ang delivery of their supplies ay nagdudulot na ng pagkalugi na pamatay sa negosyo. Sinong kapitalista ang mamumuhunan sa ganiyang kalagayan?

Kaya hayan, maraming hindi naniniwala sa economic growth na sinasabi ng mga pakakak ng gobyerno. *** Kabuhayan ng mga mamamayan ang pangunahing isyu ngayon sa gaganaping national and local elections.

Bigo ang gobyernong Aquino na malutas kahit kaunti ang kahirapang dinaranas ng karaniwang taumbayan. Libulibo ang bilang ng mga kabataang kababaihan na nagiging biktima ng sexual abuse. *** Hindi na pala pera. Isang kilong bigas na lang daw ang pamalit sa prostitusyon ngayon sa panahon ng gobyernong Aquino.

Ayon sa Gabriela Women’s Party, mula sa 60 hanggang isang daang libong kababaihan ang biktima dahil wala silang ibang mapagkunan ng pagkain sa arawaraw. ***

Sinabi ni Mar Roxas na kailangang ituloy ang daang matuwid ng gobyernong Aquino na nagdulot ng kaunlaran sa kabuhayan ng mga mamamayan.

Anong klaseng kaunlaran?

Nabawasan ba ang bilang ng mga nagugutom? Mismong sa Cubao na kung saan naroon ang kanilang bahay ay naglipana ang mga pulubi sa kalye. *** Kabilang sa mga pangunahing pangako ni Sen. Bongbong Marcos ay mapaunlad ang kabuhayan ng mga magsasaka and to stop political division. Sinabing napabayaan ng kasalukuyang gobyerno ang pagpapagawa ng imbakan ng tubig na hindi lang mga magsasaka ang matutulungan kundi pati sa panustos na koryente na kailangan ng taumbayan. *** Hindi lahat ng LP members na walang kalaban sa local elections ay maaasahang itataguyod si Mar Roxas. Kani-kaniyang interes ang karaniwang nangyayari.

Mismong mga kaalyado nga ng LP ang nagtataka. Hindi problema ang pera na pangkampanya ng LP. Gayunman, mahina pa rin daw ang appeal sa mga botante ng kanilang pambato. *** Ang disqualification case ni Sen. Grace Poe Llamanzares ay parang basketball. Nasa kamay ng Korte Suprema ang bola. Dribol lang ng dribol. Wasting time. Apat na beses nang inatras ng Comelec ang pagiimprenta ng mga balota.

Nakakaduda na.

Katas Halos two weeks nang umiiral ang national campaign para sa

PAGE 21 2016 national elections.

1. Ang national campaign ay para sa mga kandidato for president, vice president and senators. Sa March 25 naman magsisimula ang kampanya for local elections.

2. Maduming presidential derby. Ungguyan at madugong proseso? Local and social media ang gamit sa ground war ng mga kandidato.

3. Bentaha ang may pera.

Gagamitin sa pamimili ng boto at para pahinain ang mga kalaban.

4. Akusasyon kay Poe ay US citizen; si Duterte naman ay human rights violator at kay VP Binay ay isang mahirap na nagpayaman sa katungkulan; at health issue naman ang kay Sen. Miriam Santiago.

5. Pipilitin ng LP na ang kulelat sa survey na si Mar Roxas ay magkaroon ng laban.

Gagamitan ng iba’t ibang paraan.

6. Sa dakong huli, si VP Binay at Mar Roxas na lang ang malamang matirang mahigpit na magkalaban?

Kasabihan “Matalino man ang matsing, napapalusutan din.”

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.

PAGE 22

PILIPINO EXPRESS

FEBRUARY 16 - 29, 2016

Let’s be Voyageurs!

VOYAGEUR...

From page 1

and presented by the Canadian Museum for Human Rights was the first activity of the evening.

Participants gathered at the main entrance of the museum shortly after sundown then walked a kilometre and a half, crossing the Red River on their way to the FDV Park.

Meanwhile, those who chose to go directly to the Park, like we did, enjoyed the music and talent of The Royal Canadian Navy Band of HMCS Chippawa. The audience danced and sang along as charming men and women in their official uniforms performed.

We then were courteously ushered towards the bonfire a few minutes before the official opening ceremony. Hundreds of people gathered around the symbolic fire and watched as the participants of the torch light walk

approached us. It was a sight to see for sure! As we all nestled together, I forgot just how cold it was. I was embraced by the warm smiles around me and I blissfully huddled under the blanket of excitement that we all shared.

At 7:30 sharp, the president of the festival, Daniel Leclair took centre stage and began the opening ceremony. After first extending a warm welcome to everyone, he said that this year we are not only celebrating the 47th Annual Festival du Voyageur but also the 100th year of women voting in Manitoba. The crowds roared, clapped and stomped their feet to show their enthusiasm.

After a brief introduction of the various tents and activities available to the public during the festival, Leclair invited us all to join in the dancing of the traditional Friendship Dance between the Indigenous peoples of

Canada and the Voyageurs. Our hearts beat as one, in tune with the drums and our spirits soared high as they sang a traditional song. The Friendship Dance was led by members of the FDV team accompanied by prominent members of our community such as Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger and Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman. The skies were then lit by an awe-inspiring and breath-taking display of fireworks presented by Archangel Fireworks. There could not have been a more festive way to commence the festival.

As people dispersed, some into the various tents and some further into the cold to muse over the wonderful snow sculptures, we decided to travel back into time. We happily strolled into the gates of Fort Gibraltar.

An amazing recreation of the trading post that once stood at the confluence of the two great rivers, the Red River and the

Assiniboine River, in the early 1800s. Here we learned about fur trading and the processes that the Indigenous peoples used to prepare their products. We laced our fingers through bison fur, and felt a tickle on our palms from the whiskers still attached to a processed otter pelt. It was incredible. Amongst the various products available lay a remarkable masterpiece; a black bear pelt, complete paws and claws attached.

In addition to fur trading, we watched masters perform their crafts. They walked us through the various techniques they used in creating things as simple as a wooden spoon to building something as time consuming as a working table. The effort put into every product is astounding!

We left Fort Gibraltar feeling inspired and enriched in history.

We rewarded ourselves with cups of warm, rich and delightful hot chocolate. As we sat and

discussed the wonders of the evening, we shared a savoury bowl of poutine. We laughed and thought to ourselves, “we couldn’t get any more Canadian than this.” With joyous hearts we joined the crowds once more as they danced, sang and celebrated the night away. I was radiating with happiness the whole night.

It may have been this winter’s coldest night, but having spent it with an amazing crowd at a memorable event sure made me feel toastier than ever.

I am looking forward to the rest of the festival. Each new day will be filled with new excitements and new adventures.

I encourage everyone to experience Festival du Voyageur for themselves. Bundle up and brave the cold like a true Winnipeger.

Experience the festivities as we celebrate our rich history. Hop on the belt of time as we rejoice in both old and new. Let’s be Voyageurs! Soyons Voyageurs!

Pilipino Express writer, Anne Claros, with newfound friends at FDV park

Premier Selinger and Minister Flor Marcelino at FDV opening

Don’t miss this unique winter festival! FDV runs until Feb. 21, 2016

Amazing ice sculpture near the FDV park entrance

FEBRUARY 16 - 29, 2016

PILIPINO EXPRESS

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PILIPINO EXPRESS

FEBRUARY 16 - 29, 2016