Pilipino Express • May 1 2015

Volume 11 • No. 9 • May 1 -15, 2015 Publication Mailing Account #41721512

Erich Gonzales

Pacquiao fights for the Philippines

LAS VEGAS – “Lalaban ako para sa bayan ko” (I will fight for my country) has been Manny Pacquiao’s recurring line leading up to his long-awaited welterweight boxing match with American Floyd Mayweather, but he will also be fighting for a payday that might reach over $100 million. The two fighters agreed to a 60/40 split in Mayweather’s favour of a total revenue that could reach a record $400 million world wide.

The pay-per-view telecast of the fight on Saturday, May 2, will bring in most of that money with a fee of almost $100 for viewers in the U.S. Ticket prices in the 16,800-seat MGM Grand Garden Arena start at $1,500 with the See PACQUIAO p15

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Super-fight in Las Vegas – Pacquiao vs Mayweather

Prime Minister Harper in Winnipeg

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Gabbi Garcia and Ruru Madrid

Prime Minister Stephen Harper announces the forthcoming Canadian visit of Philippine President Aquino and the Canadian government’s intention to launch a website to compare the prices and fees of money remittance companies in Canada, April 23, 2015. See story on p7.

Photo by Rey-Ar Reyes

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Who can speak up?

You’ve heard it said many times that the Philippines is among the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist, and it’s really true. Just this month a former reporter was shot dead in cold blood and in broad daylight in Batangas City. Melinda “Mei” Magsino was shot in the head by motorcycle-riding gunmen – or in police jargon, “riding in tandem” – making her the second to fall this year, the 26th under the term of President Benigno Aquino, and the 166th since democracy was restored in 1986.

Magsino used to be a correspondent for the Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI). She once had to go into hiding because of threats on her life. In 2005 she said this: “The list of murdered journalists here (in the Philippines) is too long. I have to survive. I don’t want to become another statistic.”

She ultimately quit her job as a reporter because of the threats on her life as two convicts were reportedly released from prison to liquidate her. Obviously, however, quitting her job did not remove

her from the hit list.

What earned her the death threats? Magsino was reporting on illegal gambling in her area.

Her stories on these issues riled the authorities so much that she was at one point declared persona non grata. The PDI reported on April 16, 2015 that Magsino had said this: “May order na nga daw sina Eddie Dimacuha at brother niyang si Palos to kill Nomer Macalalad and me. Ang patong sa ulo ko, eh, P200K at P500K kay Nomer (Eddie Dimacuha and his brother Palos have given the order to kill Nomer Macalalad and me.

The price on my head is 200,000 pesos and for Nomer it’s 500,000 pesos). Dimacuha is the mayor of Batangas City, and Palos (Filipino for eel) is his brother. Macalalad is a former Batangas provincial information officer, the PDI report said.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), for its part, said Magsino’s murder highlights not just the fact that leaving journalism is “no guarantee of safety from

the perils of the profession” – especially not from those with long memories and deadly intent – but also underscores “the depths to which the culture of impunity has become entrenched in our country and society, courtesy of a government that has shown only the most cursory regard for human rights.” Few suspects have actually been arrested for murdering a journalist in this country, and none of them have been the masterminds. Police have focused on the hired gunmen instead of those who actually hired them.

The possible exception is the case of the 2009 Ampatuan massacre in which the actual members of the Ampatuan clan – including patriarch Andal Ampatuan Sr. – are among the principal accused in the killing of 58 people, 34 of them journalists.

But the wheels of justice are turning ever so slowly; it was only last April 22, more than five years after the massacre, that Andal Sr.’s petition for bail was denied by the court. Five years, and only the bail

plea has been settled. What does that say about the actual hearing of the case? As many people have said, it could take hundreds of years at the rate things are going right now.

As for Magsino’s case, the NUJP points out that if subsequent details reveal Magsino’s death involved her former work as a journalist, “Mei will be the second fallen colleague this year, the 26th under President Benigno Aquino III, and the 166th since democracy was supposedly restored in 1986.”

Those numbers are frightening for their effect on freedom of speech and of expression in this country.

These rights are guaranteed for all of us, but if journalists are so easy to silence, then how much more for the ordinary person who does not have a newspaper or TV station behind him? If journalists can’t speak up against corruption, then who can?

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

#No4&4 For the last few weeks, I have been troubled by recent changes to Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker program. On April 1st, new legislation, dubbed “4&4,” came into effect that limited the time a foreign worker could stay in Canada to four years. After this period, a worker will be forced to return to their country and banned from applying to work in Canada again for four years.

This is despite protests from advocacy groups and Canadian employers, who claim the loss of labour will negatively affect their business. The general defense of this policy is to protect Canadian jobs – the suggestion being that these workers are taking jobs that other Canadians would otherwise fill. While there are relatively few examples of abuse of the temporary foreign worker (TFW) program, these cases receive considerable media attention that misrepresents the program in general. In reality, companies have to go through a considerable and thorough process to prove that there is a lack of needed skills in the Canadian labour market before applying to the program (see here for more detail, www. cic.gc.ca/english/resources/ publications/tfw-guide.asp).

Historically, Canada’s economic needs have often outpaced the country’s source

of labour, which is a major reason why immigration has played a major role in Canada’s development. We need – not merely want, but truly need – immigrant labour. In Canada’s early history, we were so eager for immigrant labour that citizenship was given out rather easily to those willing to work, but today Canada will not give what most foreign workers desire: a chance to settle and live in Canada, and contribute to its improvement. Recently, there has been a discourse emerging from the federal government that increasingly emphasizes the abuses of Canada’s immigration system. Terms like “queue jumpers” have been used to claim that people applying as refugees are only trying to by-pass the standard application procedures.

It was even suggested that the former Live-in Caregiver program was being abused so that foreign workers could gain residency and sponsor their family to come to Canada – something that, by the way, was perfectly legal under the program.

So, then, what message is the Canadian government sending to those who want to come to Canada, not to abuse the nation, but to contribute to it? It is true that there are documented instances of abuse, of people trying to by-pass

the process of immigration to gain entry to Canada. However, of the thousands that come to Canada every year, the majority come only with the desire to work hard, share their skills with the Canadian economy, and to become a contributing member of our society. Why doesn’t the rhetoric surrounding Canadian immigration focus more on these important facts? Why has it come to focus on the few negatives, which seem to be blown out of proportion?

Part of the problem is that immigration policy is tied up with politics, as elected officials, whose performance record is key to successful re-election, decide policy. Historically, immigration issues have been tied to the performance of the Canadian economy. In times when the Canadian economy needed more jobs than the population could supply, the government has gone to great lengths to encourage immigration.

However, in times of few jobs, immigration policy becomes more restricted.

Of course, public reaction to immigration is often based upon perception; when media reports and government rhetoric casts immigration negatively – in this case, temporary foreign workers – public perception is bound to take a negative turn, thus providing elected officials with a perceived mandate to be restrictive towards immigration.

This was the case in Canada’s

Exclusion Era, when immigration from Asia was restricted and in cases banned, largely due to public pressure, as well as racism and xenophobia.

However, these policies began to change following World War II in part because of domestic pressure, as Canadian citizens began speaking out against the way Asian immigrants (many whom were Canadian residents) were treated.

Just as in the Exclusion Era, when growing domestic pressure that led to change, there needs to be a louder outcry against current changes to Canada’s immigration policy, in particular the new ‘4&4’ policy. This policy limits the numbers of skilled workers that could contribute to Canada’s economy, and prevents those who accumulate labour experience within our labour market from continuing to contribute. Furthermore, and the part that I feel is most upsetting, is that it sends a message that “we want your labour, but we do not want you.” I am sure there are many whose opinions are not represented by this statement, and it is our democratic right to express that.

For more information on this policy, visit www.cic. gc.ca/english/work/apply-whoeligible/four-year-maximum.asp.

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

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Are you prepared for MPNP reopening?

What do you do while waiting for the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program to reopen?

The provincial website still reads: “On April 30, 2015 the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) will reopen its Skilled Worker Overseas stream along with other process improvements for the MPNP Skilled Worker category.” Does this mean you should just sit back and wait or do something positive to enhance your chances of being nominated when the stream reopens? The answer is “yes” there are things to be done now.

Potential applicants must be aware of the federal Express Entry.

Those selected may be able to receive their permanent residency in roughly six months. If you qualify now you do not have to wait for the MPNP stream to reopen.

However, if you do not qualify for Express Entry and have not been able to find an approved Canadian employer (LMIA approved), then focus on the MPNP. The provincial website still provides generalized instructions about the kind of applicants they looked for in the past (up to the freeze on applications on the end of July 2014). At that time the MPNP selected “skilled workers

for their potential to economically establish and settle permanently in Manitoba.” There is no reason to think that this statement of intention will change. I am equally confident that the program will continue to use a selection model similar to that found on their website in the past. That model being applicants “who apply on the strength of a connection to Manitoba and who can be assessed sufficient points for age, education and training, work experience, language ability and adaptability.

Assessment … is based on credible and verifiable documents submitted at the time of application that satisfactorily demonstrate you meet current program criteria for employability and adaptability. (“Current” means as published on the MPNP website on the date your application is received.)”

My first warning to the reader is that my observations are an educated guess. But I have confidence that my former colleagues in the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program will continue to conduct their selection process in a professional responsible manner, with due diligence, to ensure that they select the most appropriate “skilled workers for their potential to establish and

settle permanently in Manitoba.”

The program may require a higher level of demonstrated language proficiency than the former Level 4 in spoken, written, listening and reading English skills for CELPIP (example). And there is an almost zero likelihood of a language minimum being dropped or decreased.

Another potential area for change is dealing with applicants in low skilled occupations, such as those in C and D. If Manitoba follows the recent federal changes, they may be out. In terms of adaptability we can only wonder about close family or good friendsupported applications. This may also change. However, it is unlikely that Manitoba is going to nominate persons who are not going to remain in the province. Why would the MPNP start nominating applicants who are a risk to settle in other provinces?

Now, that I have stopped trying to predict the future, there are things that potential applicants can do now. In terms of Express Entry, one can read about the need for English or French language proficiency. If you are considering coming to Canada you need to show that you possess the necessary language skills to contribute to Canada and meet

minimum selection requirements.

You should improve your literacy levels. Take a refresher course and achieve the highest possible language results. You will never be punished for scoring higher than the minimum but often rewarded.

In terms of professional or trade qualifications, there is nothing wrong with submitting your foreign credentials for assessment in Canada. Express Entry requires applicants to have their foreign credentials assessed by approved agencies such as Comparative Education Services (CES) at the University of Toronto.

Better language scores and foreign credentials assessment increase your potential for successful settlement and therefore selection.

Federal and provincial immigration departments provide useful information for potential applicants. Manitoba Immigration provides potential applicants with a wealth of helpful information.

Interested persons can use the online Working in Manitoba Tool as a good place to start. It is occupation specific and provides potential applicants with much needed information about the occupational requirements inside Manitoba. Potential applicants can and should check www. immigratemanitoba.com.

At the federal level, services for potential applicants are being expanded with the April 13, 2015 announcement of Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander saying that $24 million are being allocated to providing newcomers with great access to information and services before they leave their first countries.

“Our government is focused on creating jobs and promoting economic growth while ensuring all newcomers have access to services and programs that will guarantee their successful integration in Canada.”

The information potential applicants require is available. You have only to use it. Immigration selection, by programs such as the MPNP, is not a matter of luck or chance but as a result of preparation and concerted effort.

As Shakespeare wrote so long ago in his play Julius Caesar, “the fault dear Brutus, is not in our stars but in ourselves.”

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.

Money psychology If you’re reading this, you most likely fancy one of the following: business, success or money. Since the title of this article is about money it’s best that we attempt to dispel some myths you have about this concept. It may be safe to say that these myths have been programmed into your mind for as long as you can remember. As we unpack the concept of money, any misrepresentations that have been hard wired in your brain may short circuit. If so, that is actually my intended outcome for you.

First, lets dive in and talk about an end result we expect when we

interact in the modern education: Education is for income! This is an essential and demanded result of seeking higher education, isn’t it? So that means that before we make the decision to pursue education in this fashion we have money on our mind and our mind on money. If you have your arms crossed right now and your eye-brow raised, this may be the first time that you’ve had the realization that money has been a strong influence on your decision of what career path you’ve chose. If money didn’t matter, then there would be no need for salary negotiations between the employer and the

employee correct? Moreover, if you weren’t doing it for income then you might as well refuse the paid position and volunteer.

But as we know, it’s anything but. It’s simple – high-level achievers choose careers with higher barriers for entry knowing full well the income ceiling is higher and lower level achievers choose careers with a low barrier for entry.

I challenge you to reflect on this in your business or career. Are you starting to see the conflict of interest between your career path and money? Ask yourself this serious question: What came first at the top of your mind before you choose your occupation, the income you wanted and the career to match it or the career first? The answer may surprise you!

Whether you want it to be or

not, money has been a guiding theory in your business, job and life. Would it be a good idea to investigate the inner workings of money and how it is integrated into our lives? I’d say so!

Very important – here are some quick general stats from Stats Canada: Studies show that obtaining a high school diploma causes an increase of 66 per cent higher income than without one. It goes deeper. Specialized education shows that obtaining a professional degree (doctor, higher level educator) increases your income by 300 per cent or three times as much income as a high school diploma. The comparison is earning 30K as opposed to nearly 100K! Now here’s the kicker. Financial education (investment bankers, investors, currency brokers) generally earns double what specialized education degree holders earn. That’s in the neighbourhood of 200K! Are you following me?

You’ve heard it before, “He or she earns a lot of money! I must be in the wrong industry!”

Correction. Here is a hypothetical case study: You’re not in the wrong industry; you just are not well educated in the study of money. You’ve studied your career niche, which you may be

good at; so don’t be disappointed if you are not maximizing your earning potential. It’s simply the cause and effect of a lack of expertise! Again if you want to earn more money, you must define what money is. Can we truly learn something without defining it? Impossible! If we do not fully define something we are learning about it or of it. Not it!

Therefore we will not be able to fully grasp or have it (money that is). Here are some viewpoints on money to expand your mind.

Business, Success & Money message Money is a mirror that reflects your moral character. It is a symbolic medium of exchange.

It has no intrinsic value, only what you attach to it. It is the lubrication of two or more value forms. You get as much money as you deserve, and if you want to deserve more you must become more valuable. Most human beings have over-emphasized money. Do not fall in love with money! That’s an abusive relationship. Love the value you can generate in the service that is created due to money.

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

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Prime Minister Harper in Winnipeg WINNIPEG – Prime Minister Stephen Harper will meet with Philippine president, Benigno Aquino III when he visits Canada this month of May. Harper made the announcement in Winnipeg on April 23.

Discussions between the two leaders will focus on expanding trade and investment. They will also meet with members of Canada’s Filipino community.

“Canada and the Philippines enjoy a close friendship based on shared democratic values and strong people-to-people ties. I look forward to meeting with President Aquino to further strengthen the bonds between our two countries, including in the areas of trade, investment, development and security, benefitting the citizens of both nations,” said Prime Minister Harper.

While the Prime Minister did not specifically announce the dates of the visit, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte announced Aquino’s trip in a statement on Friday, April 24. She said the President has “accepted the invitation from Canadian Governor General David Johnston to undertake a State Visit to Canada from May 7 to 9, 2015.”

Harper made a bilateral visit to the Philippines in November 2012 and they met again on the margins of the APEC Summit in Beijing in November 2014.

Canada’s Minister of International Trade, Ed Fast will also lead a trade mission to the Philippines from May 24 to 28, 2015, to boost trade and investment ties between the two countries.

President Aquino’s mother, President Corazon Aquino, was the

first Filipino President to make a state visit to Canada back in 1989.

Remittance services While speaking in Winnipeg at Jimel’s International Cuisine restaurant, Prime Minister Harper also announced the Canadian government’s intention to launch a web site to provide price comparisons on remittance services and fees.

“Our government understands that many Canadians need and want to send money to family and friends outside the country,” said Harper, adding, “We are proud to support Canadian generosity by ensuring that these transfers can be sent in a manner that is safe and less expensive” The government also plans collect statistics to better assessing the scale of remittance flows from Canada.

The prime minister made the announcement with Candice Bergen, Minister of State (Social Development) and Member of Parliament for Portage-Lisgar.

No date was provided regarding when the price comparison web site would be launched.

According to World Bank estimates, remittance flows to

developing countries are expected to reach U.S. $440 billion in 2015. Canada ranks among the ten largest outbound markets in the world, with remittance flows totalling an estimated U.S. $23.1 billion transferred in 2014. It is also one of the top remittance sending countries on a per capita basis.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Philippine President Aquino

Prime Minister Stephen Harper meets with members of the Winnipeg Filipino-Canadian community. He announces the upcoming visit of President Aquino and the government’s plan to launch a website to compare the prices and fees of money remittance companies in Canada at Jimel’s International Cuisine on April 23, 2015. Photo by Rey-Ar Reyes

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Google. Facebook. Wikipedia.

YouTube. Instagram. Snapchat.

Pinterest. Yahoo.

Along with texting, e-mailing, and countless apps that are available, the vast majority of people in developed countries use technology on a daily basis.

No doubt, there are advantages to technology that we cannot ignore.

From the comfort of our homes, we can do personal banking, shop, register for school, purchase event tickets, and make travel plans.

The numbers of situations where we must wait in line have been drastically reduced. Youth that were born in this century will probably not ever have to access a set of encyclopedias or mail a handwritten letter to someone in another country.

Technology has been useful to those who have family and friends who live far away. Skype and FaceTime have been a godsend to many people who cannot visit their loved ones easily. So in that way, technology brings people together.

However, can technology be too much of a good thing?

Current research says yes. The term “technoference” refers to the interference of technology in personal relationships, such as those with our romantic partner or children. Being on your phone may seem like an innocent activity, but can have a big impact on the wellbeing of a relationship.

Disconnect between couples Humans are built to connect

PILIPINO EXPRESS

with others. We crave love, affection and belonging. Strong partnerships have a solid sense of security and safety, where both are confident that no matter what they say or do, they will be accepted and loved. Both people are also sure that the relationship will last. This is an intimate sense of belonging.

The world of social media can also feed the desire for connection. That is a big motivation for us when we post a comment or picture and get “likes” and positive comments.

We feel good about this virtual interaction with our family and friends.

But sometimes, these two worlds can clash. As a therapist, one of the first things that I ask a couple when I meet them is “what do your evenings together look like?” Meals together and conversation are always good signs. But some couples respond with, “we sit on a couch in front of a TV and are on our phones.”

This is sometimes a relaxing way to spend an evening after a long day. But repeated evenings of this scenario can deeply impact a couple. Imagine that you are trying to talk to your partner, and in the middle of the conversation, they respond to the sound of a text message, e-mail or Facebook notification. This tells you that you are not important. Just as a cashier or retail clerk should not turn away from you to respond to the phone ringing, neither should

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Technoference: Don’t let technology ruin your relationships you to your loved one.

A repeated message like this could lead to resentment, unhappiness, jealousy, arguments, and withdrawing. Our technology obsession has resulted in couples arguing over text. This is a very slippery slope because you cannot get a real sense of emotion in a text. Some people can get jealous over their loved one’s interactions with other people on social media.

Clicking on “like” can seem like a simple thing, but can be interpreted in different ways.

Also, there are a growing number of people becoming addicted to Internet pornography.

Just like substance abuse, cyber porn can ruin a couple’s intimacy.

Guilt and unrealistic sexual expectations can come up, and trust can be affected.

Phones, tablets, and computers are sometimes “the third wheel” in a relationship – always present, interfering with the couple’s time together.

Distance from our children Prioritizing time spent on technology cannot only impact our romantic relationships, but those with our children. Imagine that a child is trying to get the attention of their parent, aunt, uncle, or grandparent on their phone, and are told to be quiet or “later.” Parents nowadays can find it difficult to read a bedtime story, listen to how their kid’s day at school was, or watch their child’s concert without checking their

phone at least once.

Children can easily get the message. “You are not important,” and this may have a deep effect on their formative years. Self-esteem and identity are still developing, and they might feel that they are not “good enough.” The scary part about this is that they may seek out feeling “good enough” from other sources. Some teens turn to a bad crowd at school, engage in drugs, alcohol, teenage sex, or crime.

From the time they are newborns, kids have basic needs: Watch over me! Delight in me! Help me! Enjoy with me! Welcome my coming to you! Protect Me! Comfort Me! Organize my feelings! Paying attention to these messages takes a lot of time, effort and patience and we are already busy people.

Sometimes, kids might think that they do not need our guidance or help, but kids always do. They just don’t realize it. Eventually, children will want to spend less and less time away from their parents and family as they grow older. Why limit the time we have with them now?

Steps toward connection Stick to these simple guidelines when you are with loved ones: • Meal times are an excellent time to reconnect. Eat without the television on or phones nearby.

Invite everyone to share at least one thing about his or her day.

• At least one hour before bedtime put the phones and other

technology away. This gives the opportunity to talk to each other as the day comes to an end.

Furthermore, there is increasing evidence that staring at a screen before bedtime can interfere with sleep.

• Save text messages for nice things. Getting an “I love you” or “Thinking of you” or “Hope your day is going well” can be a nice surprise via text. Neutral message are fine too such as “Will be home after dinner.” However, if it’s a topic that can lead to conflict, make sure these conversations are done face to face.

• When a loved one is talking to you, ignore your phone. This small gesture gives a very big message: “You are more important than anything else right now.”

Reducing technoference can lead to increased happiness and satisfaction in relationships. In the end, this can be very freeing.

Cheryl Dizon-Reynante is the founder of Nexus Counselling and a licensed therapist with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association.

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

Feng shui tips for trees Trees are an important life source and vital members of our outdoor community. Often called “the lungs of the Earth,” trees take the carbon dioxide that we breathe out and return it to us as oxygen.

They also prevent groundwater run-off and soil erosion. It is obvious that trees are a crucial part of our living Earth and treasured members of our landscape family.

Besides being beautiful, they provide us with shade, beauty, and a wonderful place to climb or swing from. Fruit and nut trees give us good things to eat. On a less tangible level, trees also exert a powerful influence on the feng shui of our homes. For this reason, it is important to look at the trees surrounding your home.

What else do trees have to offer us? Let’s take a look at the feng shui of trees.

1. Trees give excellent support.

Planted at the rear of a house,

trees provide important “Mountain support” at the rear of a property.

Ideally, all homes and businesses are situated on a lot with a rise at the rear of the property. If this rise is missing, or if the landscape is flat, or if there is nothing taller or larger than your house or building, vital support can be missing, making you have to struggle in key areas of your life. This rear support is a critical element in feng shui. Planting a row of 5 trees across the back of the property can simulate the missing support.

2. Plant bamboo for the best luck of all.

Bamboo is considered a tree although its habit is more like that of a hedge. At the back of a property, bamboo gives solid support. At the left or east side of the property, it gives excellent dragon energy – considered the best energy of all. At the front of the property, bamboo gives very auspicious energy for wealth

and opportunity. The front is considered its most auspicious planting location, but bamboo anywhere is really terrific. So, consider potting bamboo to put in the front of your home!

3. Flowering trees bring reward.

Orange trees are believed to bring wealth and are especially beneficial when planted in the SE corner of the garden. Lime trees are also helpful and bring wealth, particularly to SE facing homes. Lime and oranges planted at the front of the house bring great opportunities in the form of wealth and advancement.

Apple trees are believed to promote good relationships in the home. Plant pomegranates to stimulate love – even pregnancy. Planted in the south, pomegranates and apples can also bring recognition luck. Plant peaches in the west for excellent and lasting children’s luck and family happiness.

4. Balance trees on both sides of the house.

If your home or business slopes down on the left side (as

you look out of the house) or is low here, trees can be planted to raise the chi. This puts the auspicious “dragon” more in control, rather than the tiger (or right) side of the house.

Be sure to have trees planted on both sides of the house to keep the household harmonious. Trees on the left control the husband’s anger and trees on the right control the wife’s anger. Trees should be a bit taller on the left side of the house than the right (as you look out toward the street).

5. Trees promote growth and good health.

Planted on the east side of the house, trees can stimulate personal growth and good health.

Select large hardwood varieties for this side of the house.

6. Plant pines for longevity.

Want to grow to be a ripe old age? Plant pine trees. These are considered to be especially auspicious when planted in the east corner of the yard.

7. Remove dead trees.

See FENG SHUI p9

MAY 1 -15, 2015

PILIPINO EXPRESS

PAGE 9

The benefits of home language We are a bilingual country, with both English and French holding status as official languages. A quick walk in the park or a ride on the bus will quickly teach us, however, that they are definitely not the only languages spoken here. The same goes for schools – we are a multicultural community with many languages spoken on a daily basis. A census in 2006 reported that Tagalog was the top spoken non-official language by those in the Winnipeg metropolitan area, making up for 4.9 per cent of the population. The top five nonofficial languages spoken in our city are Tagalog, German (2.9%), one of the many Chinese dialects (1.7%), Ukrainian (1.5%), and Punjabi (1.4%).

Students coming into schools are increasingly “English as an Additional Language” (EAL) learners. We recognize that children of immigrant families have a huge task to undertake, to not only catch up with whatever

subjects the class is learning (imagine coming into a Grade 6 social studies class about the structure of government and democracy without and prior knowledge of this), but to do so in a language that, for some, they rarely heard in their home country.

I, myself, was an EAL learner in my own teaching career. In the summer of 2011, I lived in Bangkok, Thailand, teaching in an English Immersion program to Thai students. My students were first graders, so they had only had two years prior to my class to learn in an English immersion setting.

They were not all completely fluent in English, so in order to make them feel comfortable with me (confusingly Thai in my appearance, but without any knowledge of the Thai language), I told them that I was a language learner as well. Throughout my time in Bangkok, my students learned English from me, and were always willing to teach me

FENG SHUI...

hospital, or cemetery directly across from your house, plant a row of trees to block the energy.

They can also be planted to block poison arrows created by roads.

11. Trees must not be planted in front of the door.

Trees that block a door, block opportunities and promote personal struggles with finances, career and growth. Either remove the tree, or if you can’t cut the tree down, then place a gazing ball or mirror that pushes the tree energy back.

12. Plant weeping willows in the water sectors.

Weeping willows and other weeping plants are generally not considered to be good feng shui.

However, I believe they can be planted as long as attention is paid to where they are planted. Try to plant them where their “fountain” effect is utilized, such as the SE, N, or E sectors of the garden.

FENG SHUI Q&A Question: I have a spiral staircase in my house and wonder if there’s a problem with it. I heard they were bad feng shui.

Answer: I’m afraid you heard correctly.

Spiral staircases resemble a corkscrew or drill bit boring into your home. The sector where they See FENG SHUI p10

From page 8 Dead or decaying trees can draw a tremendous amount of energy from a home. Be sure to remove any dead or dying trees, especially if someone in the home is ill or elderly. They affect the luck of the person in the corner associated with them. So, if you have a dying or dead tree in the northwest, you have harm to the breadwinner, in the east, the oldest son and in the southeast it would harm the oldest daughter. In the southwest, the woman of the house would be most affected.

8. Trees must not touch the house.

Any tree touching a house will give the house “yin” energy – which is negative energy. Make sure there are no limbs touching the house and that there is plenty of room between the house and your trees.

9. Keep trees away from the centre sector.

Strenuously avoid having trees at the centre of your lot or home (either in a container or in an inner courtyard) as this causes severe financial difficulties.

10. Use trees to block negative energy.

If there is a view of something that is unappealing, or a church,

basic Thai phrases. I can now ask how much something costs, give directions, announce when it’s time to eat, and even give my compliments to the chef.

The key is to emphasize that language must not be lost. We honour that student’s culture, heritage, and personal history.

We focus on celebrating culture and language, to foster a sense of belonging in the school family.

Students will learn English naturally, through immersion, by needing to communicate with classmates and staff. They quickly learn who can help them translate ideas, and how to use non-verbal communication to get their ideas across.

Parent tip: Language learning at home For parents in families that

have recently immigrated, a huge welcome to you and your children! The move can be overwhelming, but rest assured that schools are ready to help your child get to where they need to be, regardless of their experience with the English or French language. When parents ask how they can help their child, I suggest checking in with their child each day. As mentioned above, children will naturally learn how to speak the language through their daily interactions with staff and peers.

What matters at home is that they have someone to talk to about social and emotional changes that they’re going through as they make the transition into their new home country.

For parents with children born or mostly raised here, I

recommend that you keep your traditional heritage and roots alive. Educate your children about traditions in your family, faith, or culture. Teach them your home language! These are gems that make up a huge part of identity and should be celebrated.

We are a multicultural society, and a society of so many pieces work best when we are working together. Celebrate diversity, learn about other cultures, and encourage your child to do the same. As they like to say during the largest and longest-running multicultural festival of its kind, better known as Folklorama, take the time to get cultured!

Judianne Jayme is a third year educator teaching sixth grade in the Winnipeg School Division.

PAGE 10

PILIPINO EXPRESS

MAY 1 -15, 2015

It’s not all about making more If you were already working at an industry-leading company, earning a salary equivalent to a pay grade of P. Eng. Level 1 and aging gracefully, would you still go back to school to pursue an engineering profession?

Curiously, five out seven acquaintances I’ve asked said no.

Reasons range from being too old to being already financially stable.

Rodel Hernandez had the same set of reasoning for a while.

Hence, it took him a full nine years to finally take the plunge into a sea of books and ride the waves of mental, physical and financial challenges.

Flashback to year the 1988 when Rodel graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering at Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology. He always dreamt of becoming a lawyer, but decided to take Electrical Engineering instead because, most of his high school friends are leaning towards engineering and the field of engineering was available near his hometown at the time.

As most engineering graduates, his first job was not as an engineer, but as an electrician at Metro-LRT (Light Rail Transit) Line 1 in Manila. He took this job as a stepping-stone to an engineering career while being able to financially support his parents and siblings.

He got his professional electrical engineer license in 1990 when he successfully passed the Philippines board exam. Even with that license, it still took him years to gain employment as a junior engineer at a manufacturing industry in the province of Cavite, finally succeeding after competing with hundreds of candidates in every application. With hard work and impressive performance, he worked his way up to the senior engineer position and was put in charge of the Electrical Section/ Maintenance Department.

He never once thought of immigrating to Canada, as he had a good job back in the Philippines that could provide a comfortable life for his family. In 1990, his wife joined her family here in Winnipeg and gave birth to their first daughter. They kept in touch over the years by mail, as there was no Internet back then. It was not until he heard his daughter’s request to accompany her to school, that he finally decided to

join them in 1995.

In immigrating to Canada, he realized he needed to start from scratch and first worked as a technician at Energy Systems Ltd at St. Boniface Industrial Park, for three months. He then held several jobs, until he was laid off. But instead of taking a backseat, he took this opportunity to accept a provincial educational sponsorship and studied Electrical Engineering Technology at Red River College. With only one income source from his wife’s part-time seasonal job, by the time he completed the course and earned his diploma, they were $20,000 in debt. The diploma, however, paved the way for a lucrative job offer at Manitoba Hydro as Technologist 1. Over the years, he took various jobs there, which include, Test Technologist, Electrical Technologist, Technical Assistant 1, 2 & 3, Technical Officer 1 & 2.

With engineering still in the back of his mind, he initially contacted the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists in the Province of Manitoba (APEGM) in 2001, however, at the time, he was not ready to go back to school yet.

He gave it another thought in 2009, when his supervisor encouraged him to get a P. Eng. designation. He was not entirely convinced yet again as dreadful thoughts of dealing with books, classrooms and a backpack at his age clouded his mind.

It took another year for him to finally decide to pursue an engineering course in power systems, initially as part of a Professional Development Plan discussed in his annual performance appraisal.

He contacted APEGM again for assessment of credentials, this time with more enthusiasm, but more grey hair. When the assessment result came, he was given several options to fulfill APEGM’s academic credentials requirements.

As his priority was to provide for his family, he chose coursesin-lieu of technical examinations option. His plan was supported by his employer and agreed to pay his tuition fees and books, as long as the grades were C or better.

The agreement also included employee retention clauses, where plan and scheduling were outlined. He had to maintain a full time work schedule, while

Rodel’s graduation, 1988

Members of APEGM 2013 (l-r) Rodel Hernandez, Mario Dueñas, Edgar Duroni & James Jadormio

Leaving the Philippines, 1995

Passing the board exams, 1990 taking part time studies at the University of Manitoba (U of M).

That means making up for lost time while in school.

He knew that taking this option equates to a plethora of challenges, which included keeping up with new methods and technologies, complexity and availability of courses, not to mention the added pressure to perform in a larger capacity at work. There were

FENG SHUI...

From page 9 are located will tell you where they’ll do the most damage. So, if it’s in the southwest, it harms the woman, the northwest, it harms the man, and so on.

The most dangerous location is the centre because it affects everyone in the household – and

discouraging and low times, but with his family’s support and understanding, he completed the required courses and was academically qualified in a span of three years.

He was finally registered as an Engineer-in-Training (EIT) in 2013. While typically, EITs would take four years to get a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) designation due to a four-year engineering work experience requirement, Rodel got his professional designation in that same year.

After being with Manitoba Hydro for over 13 years, Rodel Hernandez, P. Eng., now works as a Power Quality Engineer – his fourth engineering job position in two years, having also been involved in System Planning, Capital Budget Planning and Generation Maintenance Engineering (GME).

Successful at hurdling challenges, Rodel encourages PIs who are thinking of going through or currently in the process, to continue to persevere.

“I know it looks tough at the beginning and seemed at times intimidating. Eventually though, like many of us that went through the process; you will find success at the end. There’s a famous

quote that states: ‘A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.’

I hope that my story help inspire our fellow professionals to instil hope and desire to improve themselves. If we can elevate the profession within our community, and as a group, we are also elevating ourselves with a renewed tradition of excellence in the field of engineering in this part of the world. May God bless us all in all of our endeavours.”

Rodel may not have gained much from an economic standpoint with his P. Eng. designation, but he had gained more than what he could ask for with a boost in his image and recognition from colleagues.

Indeed, the plethora of challenges morphed to a plethora of career advancement opportunities.

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

in every way. If it’s gray-coloured or white, it really is metal boring into your life. If it’s red coloured or has red carpet, it could be seriously harmful. One way to handle them is to build a box around it so it disappears visually.

The best way, of course, to handle a spiral staircase is to remove it all together.

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!

MAY 1 -15, 2015

PILIPINO EXPRESS

PAGE 11

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Bumiyahe na papuntang Las Vegas ang Team Pacquiao.

Kailangang maramdaman na ni Pacman ang kapaligiran ng Sin City bago ang kanilang salpukan ni Boy Daldal. Sa Mandalay Bay nakatakdang pansamantalang manirahan ang Pambansang Kamao habang pinaghahandaan hanggang sa matapos ang kanilang laban ni Mayweather.

Buung-buo ang paniniwala ni Manny Pacquiao na maipapanalo niya ang labang ito laban kay Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Madalas niyang sabihin ngayon ang linyang, “Lalaban ako para sa bayan ko.”

Todo rin ang suporta ng mga Pinoy sa iba’t ibang dako ng buong mundo. Magkakaisa ang mga kababayan nating may kapasidad gumastos para sa napakamahal na ticket para sa laban na magsasadya sila salas Vegas para suportahan ang ating kampeon. Isandaang porsiyento ang pag-asa at tiwala ng ating mga kababayan na tatalunin ni Pacman si Mayweather.

Hindi nakapasok sa Wild Card Gym sa Los Angeles ang mga Pinoy na gustong makapagparetrato kay Pacman, mahigpit si Coach Freddie Roach, kaya inabangan na lang nila ang Pambansang Kamao

SHOWBIZ SHOWBUZZ PILIPINO EXPRESS

sa kaniyang pagdyi-jogging sa Griffith Park.

Bago bumiyahe papuntang Las Vegas ay ipinagdiwang na muna nila ang kaarawan ng kanilang bunsong si Israel, “Puno na kasi ang daily schedule ni Manny, kaya isiningit na namin,” sabi ni Jinkee Pacquiao.

Narito na ang pinakaaabangang pagtutuos! Maluwag na naman ang lahat ng mga kalye sa bayan ni Juan! *** Pitong oras na tumakbo ang bypass operation ni Rico J. Puno noong nakaraang Linggo. Mula sa Makati Medical Center ay inilipat siya sa Asian Hospital para sa operasyon.

Alas tres nang hapon noong Linggo (April 26) ay nag-text pa sa amin ang kaniyang bestfriend na si Richard Merk, “It’s been seven hours now. Nasa operating room pa rin si Rico.”

Matagumpay ang kaniyang bypass operation, magpapalakas pa nang ilang araw si Rico bago siya lumabas, ngayon siguro ay nakipagkilala na ang magaling na performer sa salitang hinay-hinay.

“Everything in moderation,” See CRISTY p15

MAY 1 -15, 2015

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PILIPINO EXPRESS

Muling magpapasiklab ang nag-iisang Superstar ng bansa na si Nora Aunor sa darating na 68th Cannes International Film Festival ngayong Mayo.

Kalahok doon ang pelikulang Taklub ng award winning director na si Brillante Mendoza. Ang Taklub ay isa sa mga pelikulang napili mula sa Timog Silangang Asya para makasali sa Un Certain Regard section ng naturang festival.

Dahil ditto, siguradong muling pag-uusapan ang mahusay na director at ang magaling na aktres.

Ang nasabing pelikula ay tumutukoy sa mga taong nakaligtas sa super typhoon Yolanda. Ilalarawan dito ang kanilang naging kahindikhindik na karanasan at survival tale captured and presented by Mendoza.

Mataas ang respeto at paghanga ng European Film group sa director dahil sa mga pelikula nitong tinanghal noon tulad ng Kinatay at Thy Womb.

Added premium kung baga sa Taklub ang bida rito na si People’s National Artist Nora Aunor na inaasahang magbibigay muli ng karangalan sa ating bansa.

Last time na may kasaling movie si Guy sa Cannes International Film Festival ay ang Bona na ginawa ng late great film master na si Lino Brocka.

Tiyak na isang kasaysayan na naman ang iuukit ni Aunor sa pelikula niyang ito.

Siya lamang ang bukod tanging Filipina actress na ang mga movies ay tinanghal sa tatlong nagungunang film festival sa mundo.

Sa Cannes International Film Festival pinalabas ang Bona; sa Berlin Film Festival naman isinali ang Himala; at sa Venice Film Festival na pinuri at pinalakpakan ang kaniyang pelikulang Thy Womb. *** Mukhang nagkakamabutihan na ang Kapamilya actress na si Erich Gonzales at Daniel Matsunaga.

Binalita ni KrisAquino sa kaniyang show na nag-break na ang businessman boyfriend at si Erich kamakailan.

May sinabi pa ang Queen of All Media na hindi na ‘in pain’ ang dalaga sa pakikipaghiwalay nito sa dating kasintahan na inabot din ng apat na taon ang naging relasyon.

See SHOWBIZ p15

MAY 1 -15, 2015

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SHOWBIZ...

From page 14

Naging obvious tuloy na si Daniel ang dahilan kaya naka “move on” agad si Erich.

Unang nagkasama ang dalawa ng maging co-hosts sila ni Kris sa morning show nitong Kris TV. Nagkatrabaho silang muli sa teleseryeng Two Wives at doon sila naging close at doon mukhang nagkagustuhan.

Kahit wala pang direktang pag-amin na nagmumula sa dalawa ay makikita naman sa mga posts nila na lagi silang magkasama.

Kahit ang nanay ng Brapanese hunk ay mukhang botong boto kay Erich para sa kaniyang anak na binata.

Sa IG post nito ay tinawag niyang my youngest daughter ang actress. Very supportive si Mommy Gege sa lahat ng nakakarelasyon ng kaniyang anak.

Kahit noong magkarelasyon pa sina Daniel at Heart Evangelista ay sweet din ito sa dating girlfriend ng anak.

Marami lang ang nag-react at nagsasabi na mabilis ang mga pangyayari dahil kabe-break up pa nga lang ni Erich sa dating

PACQUIAO...

From page 1 top price set at $10,000 apiece, generating a live gate of about $72 million.

“It’s three and half times bigger than any gate we have seen,” says Bob Arum, CEO and founder of Top Rank Inc., which promotes Manny Pacquiao’s fights.

Only 500 tickets were made available to the public and they were sold in 60 seconds. The two promotion companies, Top Rank and Mayweather Promotions, as well as host MGM Resorts International, bought up the rest of the tickets, which they distributed or sold privately to celebrities, TV networks, high-rollers and other VIPs, as well as the secondary market, which has posted ringside tickets for more than $100,000 each. Manny Pacquiao bought 800 tickets for his friends and family.

Dubbed “the fight of the century” by many, it long seemed to be the greatest fight that would never happen. Negotiations began in 2010 with wrangling over how to split the purse. Then the Mayweather team insisted on prefight, random drug tests, which Pacquiao refused, insisting that

SHOWBIZ SHOWBUZZ PILIPINO EXPRESS

boyfriend ay may kapalit na ito agad agad. *** Isa na namang primetime teleserye ang ating susundan sa Kapuso channel simula sa May 4, ang Let the Love Begin Tatampukan ng bagong Kapuso star, ang Philippine comedy queen si Ai Ai delas Alas (as Jeni) kasama ang GMA-7’s fast-rising loveteam nila Ruru Madrid (as Erick, the eldest son of Jeni), at Gabbi Garcia (as Pia).

Makakasama rin nila ang mga respetadong mga aktor sa film at TV: Gardo Versoza, Donita Rose, Mark Anthony Fernandez, Neil Ryan Sese, Gladys Reyes, Ms. Gina Pareño, at Noel Trinidad.

Gaganap din ng mahahalagang roles sina Phytos Ramirez, Abel Estanislao, Ricardo Cepeda, Joko Diaz, Rita Daniela, Ar Angel Aviles, Nomer Limatog, Angeli Bayani, Sancho delas Alas, Therese Malvar, at Ren Escano.

Siguradong tatawa, iiyak at maii-in love kayo sa bagong teleseryeng ito. Nasa creative team sina Gina Alajar, Agnes Gagelonia under the creative direction of Roy Iglesias and RJ Nuevas. giving blood before a fight made him weak. Each side accused the other of avoiding the fight. Each took on other matches in the meantime and Pacquiao took time off for his election campaign while Mayweather served two months in prison for domestic violence.

Going into the Saturday’s match, Mayweather is the solid but not overwhelming betting favourite at about 2 to 1. He is undefeated as a pro with a record of 47 wins. He has not lost since a judges’ decision forced him to settle for the bronze medal at the 1996 Olympics.

Mayweather makes himself hard to hit cleanly by keeping his right glove close to his cheek, blocking attackers’ left hooks and jabs. He often leans back and rolls his left shoulder up to deflect shots.

He wears down his opponent, waiting for the later-rounds to go on the offensive.

Neither fighter has scored a knockout in recent years.

Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach says this fight will be tactical. “We do have to fight the perfect fight to win,” he admits. “We can’t rush in too aggressively, but we have to be the aggressor in the fight. I promise you Manny Pacquiao won’t walk into any of [Mayweather’s] traps.”

CRISTY...

From page 12 sabi nga ni Tito Eddie Garcia. *** Naloloka ang mga kaibigan namin kay Daniel Matsunaga.

Wala na raw kasing ibang pinagusapan tungkol sa Brapanese actor kundi ang pakikipagrelasyon niya sa iba-ibang artista.

Nahilaw ang relasyon nila ni Heart Evangelista. Isinama pa niya ito sa kanilang bansa para ipakilala sa kaniyang mga magulang pero pagkatapos lang nang ilang buwan ay naghiwalay rin sila.

Natsismis na nagkakamabutihan sila ni Kris Aquino, puwede niya namang sabihin na walang katotohanan iyon, pero parang nakikisakay lang siya sa agos.

Ngayon ay kay Erich Gonzales naman siya iniuugnay, sakay-tothe-max na naman ang porenerong aktor, ngumingiti-ngiti lang siya kapag natatanong tungkol sa kanila ng dalaga.

“Sana naman, masulat din kung mahusay na siyang umarte.

Okey na ang katawan niya, given nang macho siya, pero natuto na ba siyang umarte?” tanong ng isa naming kausap.

Naiintindihan namin ang sitwasyon ni Daniel Matsunaga.

Tulad ng Pilipinas ay third world din ang Brazil, mahirap na bansa, kaya gagawin niya talaga ang lahat-lahat para dito na lang siya mamuhay sa ating bayan.

Kahit sino ang iugnay sa kaniya ay okey lang, walang problema, basta magkaroon lang siya ng trabaho. Ganoon na lang ang isipin natin tungkol kay Daniel

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PAGE 15 Matsunaga para matanggap natin kung bakit puro mga babaeng nalilink lang sa kaniya ang palaging isyu at wala nang iba pa. Ganoon lang kasimple iyon. *** Isang grupo ng mga bukod na pinagpala ang kakuwentuhan namin noong isang araw. Kay Kris Aquino lang umikot ang aming usapan. Tungkol iyon sa paglalantad ng aktres-TV host sa mga paborito niyang branded stuff.

Mula sapatos, bag, damit, hanggang sa kaniyang underwear ay naglitanya si Kris ng mga paborito niyang binibili-isinusuot.

Namamangha sa kaniya ang grupo ng mga babaeng medyo may edad na sa kaniyang mga ginagawa.

“Minsan tuloy, e, maiisip mo, ngayon lang ba siya nakakabili ng mga ganoong stuff? Dati na silang See CRISTY p16

PAGE 16

OUR COMMUNITY PILIPINO EXPRESS

MAY 1 -15, 2015

Poet Shirley Camia launches latest book WINNIPEG – Shirley Camia launched her latest poetry collection, The Significance of Moths, to a full house, at McNally Robinson Booksellers, on April 22, at 7:30 p.m Sacrifices were made. The Winnipeg Jets were playing. Not everyone in the audience was familiar with poetry readings.

But by the end of the launch, the charismatic CBC journalist had not only charmed the crowd but also had them actively applauding each of her pieces.

Born in Winnipeg, to first generation Filipino immigrants, Camia’s book of poetry examines many of the issues that immigrants face in a new land while wrestling with the question of what makes a home.

To open the launch, the publishers, Turnstone Press, invited poet Luann Hiebert to read several poems from her latest book, What Lies Behind. And to close the evening, Turnstone Press presented a gorgeous cake, created by McNally Robinson’s pastry chef, which beautifully reproduced the cover image from The Significance of Moths.

For more information on Shirley Camia’s book, The Significance of Moths, go to http:// www.turnstonepress.com/poetry/ the-significance-of-moths.html

CRISTY...

From page 15 milyonaryo, hindi naman siya bagong yaman lang, but why is she too flaunty?

“Pati brand ng underwear niya, sinasabi? Pati ang klase ng bra na ginagamit niya, ipinaaalam sa publiko?” nagmamaasim pang komento ng isang ginang sa umpukan.

Pinaghihirapan naman ni Kris ang ipinambibili niya ng mga branded na kagamitan, maaaring regalo niya naman sa kaniyang sarili ang mga ganoong materyal na bagay, pero may pagpuna pa rin ang mga nasa umpukan.

“Look, kapatid siya ng pangulo, turismo at mga produkto ng Pilipinas ang ibinebenta ng gobyerno ng kapatid niya, pero heto si Kris, puro imported ang mga brands na ginagamit niya!

“We’re not saying na abaca fabric ang isuot niyang underwear, pero sana naman, e, maging discreet siya! Huwag na siyang magyabang, siya mismo kasi ang kumokontra sa mga campaign ng pinamumunuang gobyerno ng brother niya!” madiing komento pa ng isang nasa grupo.

Well, sabi nga ay dalawang bagay lang ang pamimilian natin tungkol kay Kris Aquino, ang siya’y kainisan natin o mahalin. *** Former friend. Ganoon na kung ilarawan ngayon ni AiAi delas Alas ang dati niyang BFF na si Kris Aquino. Dating kaibigan na lang kahit pa nagkabati na sila sa kasal nina Dingdong Dantes at Marian Rivera noong nakaraang Disyembre.

The poet – Shirley Camia

Turnstone Press presented a gorgeous cake for the event Nagpakatotoo lang si AiAi, pero sa kaniyang pagpapakatotoo ay siguradong iba-bash siya ng mga taga-suporta ni Kris, lalabas na hindi naman pala siya sinsero nang magkabati sila ng actress-TV host.

Nakakalungkot ang kinauwian ng kanilang pagkakaibigan. Dati ay anino sila ng isa’t isa, kung nasaan si Kris ay siguradong nandoon din si AiAi, halos hindi na sila naghihiwalay?

Dahil hindi na masaya ang Comedy Concert Queen sa kaniyang kapaligiran ay gumawa siya ng paraan. Ngayon ay kakambal na ng salitang Kapuso ang pangalan ng Comedy Concert Queen na si AiAi. Kumpirmadong hindi na siya Kapamilya, lumundag na ng bakod ang magaling na komedyana, taga-GMA-7 na siya ngayon. *** Aba, maging si Tina Annabelle Rama ay umariba na rin sa kaniyang pagba-blind item sa Twitter, batu-bato sa langit ang tamaan ay guilty sabi pa ng giyererang nanay.

Tungkol naman iyon sa isang babaeng super-talino raw sa lahat ng bagay, nag-aral pa naman sa mga expensive na eskuwelahan dito at sa ibang bansa man, pero pagdating sa pakikipagrelasyon ay tanga at bobita.

Mas gusto pa raw ng babaeng iyon na gastusan ang kaniyang lalaki kesa sa kaniyang mga anak.

Wala na raw ginawa ang babaeng iyon kundi ang magbantay sa harap ng computer para alamin kung anong airline ang nagbibigay ng promo para sa pagbiyahe sa iba-ibang bansa. Tinawag pang

certified sugar mommy ni Tita Annabelle ang babaeng bumibida sa kaniyang kuwento.

Ang payo niya sa babae ay ang mag-ingat. Kapag wala na raw siyang pera ay iiwan lang siya ng lalaki at maghahanap ng mas mapera at mas bata kesa sa kaniya.

Palamunin daw kasi ang lalaking tinutukoy sa kuwento, kilalang escort ng mayayamang bading, kaya nakakaawa naman ang babaeng in-love na in-love sa nasabing lalaki.

Natural, ang nag-iisang hula ng mga nakabasa sa blind item ni Tita Annabelle ay ang kaniyang panganay na si Ruffa Gutierrez, mayroon pa bang iba?

Kontrang-kontra kasi si Tita Annabelle sa boyfriend ni Ruffa ngayon dahil sa kaniyang pakiramdam ay lolokohin lang nito ang kaniyang anak.

Sa kaniyang akusasyon na certified sugar mommy si Ruffa, ibig sabihi’y ang aktres ang gumagastos para sa lalaki, napakalaki ng bulto ng katawan nito pero ayaw magbanat ng buto.

Ang reaksiyon ni Ruffa sa lahat ng kuda ng kaniyang ina, “Roll eyes.” Wala lang. Kibit-balikat lang. Deadma lang habang iniikutikot ng aktres ang magkabila niyang mata.

Iyon naman ang maganda kay Ruffa, anuman ang sabihin ni Tita Annabelle ay nandoon pa rin ang kaniyang pagrespeto, nagsasalita man siya ay may naiiwanan pa ring paggalang ang aktres sa kaniyang nanay.

Alam ni Ruffa Gutierrez na tahipin man natin ang mundo ngayon, magputukan man ang mga aktibong bulkan sa lahat ng

The Significance of Moths at McNally Robinson Bookslellers bansa, ay nanggaling pa rin siya sa sinapupunan ng kaniyang ina. *** Ngayon ay alam na namin ang buong senaryo tungkol sa paghihiwalay nina Mayor Patrick Meneses at Ara Mina. Wala nang nakataob na baraha ngayon tungkol sa pagkakani-kaniya nila ng landas.

Sa ibang bibig namin nalaman ang kuwento. Tawag kami nang tawag kay Mayor Patrick, pero hindi niya kami sinasagot. Noong kami naman ang tinawagan niya ay kami ang umiiwas, kahit ang kaniyang mga mensahe ng pagsosorry ay hindi namin tinutugunan, kaya noong Martes nang umaga ay nagsadya na siya sa aming bahay.

Hindi uso sa amin ang pagdadahilan, gising na gising kami, pero hindi namin nilabas ang mayor ng Bulacan, Bulacan.

Miyerkules nang umaga ay kumuha na siya ng magaling na abogado, kasama na niyang nagpunta sa aming bahay ang mahal naming anak-anakan na si Mayor Enrico Roque, paano pa kami makatatangging makipaglinawan sa kaniya?

Kinumpirma ni Mayor Patrick ang paghihiwalay nila ni Ara Mina.

Siya ang lumabas sa relasyon, hindi siya ang iniwan, pero hindi niya tatalikuran ang obligasyon para sa kanilang anak na si Amanda Gabrielle.

Anumang mga pangangailangan ni Mandy, ang kanilang anak, ay ibibigay niya.

Paninindigan niya ang obligasyon bilang ama ng bata.

Pero ang para sa kanila ni Ara ay tapos na. Walang third party sa kanilang paghihiwalay, kailangan lang nilang tanggapin na gaano man katamis ang pagmamahalan

sa bandang una ng kanilang pagsasama ay posibleng tumabang iyon sa pagkalipas nang ilang panahon.

Hindi rin niya ikinaila ang pagpuna ng aming impormante na kahit noong nakaraang taon pa ay ramdam na ng mga ito ang pagtabang ng pagtingin niya kay Ara. Gusto na niyang lumabas sa kanilang relasyon, pero nagdalantao ang aktres.

Aminado ang pulitiko na walang hiwalayang nagaganap nang biglaan. Nag-iipon ng mga dahilan ang sangkot sa relasyon hanggang sa isang araw ay dumating na iyon sa sukdulan.

At March 22 nga nang gabi, sa isang kilalang restaurant (Ninyo) sa Katipunan, ay nagdesisyon na si Mayor Patrick na hingin ang kaniyang kalayaan kay Ara Mina. Kinabukasan ay hinakot na niya pati ang kaliit-liitan niyang kagamitan mula sa bahay ng aktres at dinala na niya sa kanilang bahay sa Corinthian Gardens. *** Nakasabay ng aming kaibigan sa eroplano si Korina Sanchez.

Manghang-mangha ang aming kaibigan, hindi ito makapaniwala, ang liit-liit at ang payat-payat lang daw pala ni Ate Koring.

Ang dahilan ng kaibigan namin, “Ang tapang-tapang kasi niya, para siyang malaking tao kung makapagbitiw ng matatapang niyang opinyon. E, napakaliit lang pala niya?”

Tamang obserbasyon. Kayangkayang daklutin ng isang kamao lang ang maliit na mukha ng matapang na mamamahayag.

Manipis din ang kaniyang See CRISTY p18

MAY 1 -15, 2015

PILIPINO EXPRESS

PAGE 17

Creativity and bravery On Friday, April 17, ANAK hosted the #EKSPRESYON Philippine Heritage Youth Forum at Canad Inns Polo Park. We had the privileged to work with our keynote speaker Shirley Camia, a poet and a writer, who encouraged everyone to be brave and express themselves.

During the day, three different local artists joined us to provide different workshops for our participants.

Shirley Camia hosted a creative “Poetry” workshop, Johsa Manzanilla jammed in “Music,” while Rochelm Cabalquinto taught his group with some “Dance” moves, and also Christian Miranda shared his tricks for “Visual Arts.”

Students from seven different Winnipeg high schools explored expressing themselves through these different workshops.

Everyone shared their (known and unknown) talents and creativity.

Each workshop created their own presentations and in the late afternoon, with just one hour, the students were challenged to join forces and create an additional presentation that combined everything they learned from the day, showing how they define expression. A poem was created by our poets, who passed it over to the musicians who added the beats and melodies, as the dancers interpreted each word through movement, and as our artists drew in the background.

And of course, we wouldn’t just end the day like that! To celebrate the day’s events, ANAK hosted a gala dinner in the evening where our great students were able to be brave and showcase their creations. Gala guests were also treated to a performance by singer/songwriter Levi Abad who sang a moving song of Pinoy pride in Winnipeg.

Leading up to the gala, our students were all busy practicing their individual and group presentations. You could see that most of them were nervous, but

they were patting each other’s backs and encouraging each other.

Teamwork built new friendships.

It was a great day indeed, as a lot of our Filipino-Canadian youth were able to express their feelings through the arts. Everyone was able to tap into their hidden skills and learn their similarities and differences with others across the city. As a volunteer, I am proud and feel great seeing how everyone worked hard and gave all that they got.

Chenee Lubi has been with ANAK from the very beginning; first as a Kapatid Program participant, then volunteer, and now as one of ANAK’s newest members. By day she

Christian Miranda with visual arts participants

Keynote speaker Shirley Camia reads a couple of her published poems

works for BMO, where she received a volunteer grant that helped ensure #EKSPRESYON remained financially accessible for all students. To contact the author and to find out more about ANAK, e-mail info@anak. ca.

The music group performs their original composition with mentor Johsa Manzanilla

Poetry recital during the gala dinner

Dance, music, poetry & visual Arts perform together at the gala dinner

Visual artists prepare their live art mural

Rochelm Cabalquinto leads the dance workshop

Participants and volunteers of the #EKSPRESYON Philippine Heritage Youth Forum

PAGE 18

OUR COMMUNITY PILIPINO EXPRESS

MAY 1 -15, 2015

Filipino caregiver wins $55K in landmark human rights case

By Ted Alcuitas VANCOUVER – The British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal recently granted one of the largest awards given to a Filipino caregiver, a win that FilipinoAmerican expert on labour and migration, Dr. Anna Guevarra, calls “monumental.”

The caregiver, known only by the initials PN, was awarded $5,866.89 for lost wages and $50,000 as damages for injury to dignity, feelings and self-respect.

She worked for a year in Hong Kong before being brought to Canada in July 2013 by her employers, also identified by their initials, FR and MR. According to the decision handed down on April 1, PN was treated like a “virtual slave.”

“I’m happy to see that the case was recognized as a human rights issue,” adds Dr. Guevarra by phone from Chicago, where she is the director of the Asian American Program at the University of Illinois.

“Hopefully this would encourage other workers to come forward [about] their isolation,” says Guevarra, before adding that the decision is an important one and a milestone for the Filipino community’s struggle for human rights.

Born in the Philippines, but raised and educated in the U.S., Dr. Guevarra has been published by many journals. She is an expert in immigrant labour and global care workers. She specializes in domestic workers. Her written work on the stereotyping and prejudice suffered by many Filipino domestic workers played a crucial role in the tribunal’s decision taken by member Catherine McCreary.

A harrowing tale The tribunal decision chronicles sexual abuse, assault and harassment at the hands of the male employer, as well as verbal and physical abuse from the female employer and their children in Hong Kong and in Canada.

“While working for the respondents, PN was exploited,” writes McCreary in the tribunal’s decision. “She had to perform sexual acts at the whim and insistence of her employer, she was humiliated and degraded by her other employer, and she was even made fun of by the children who were in her care. She was isolated, underfed and treated like she was sub-human; all because she was a young Filipino mother who needed the job to take care of her own children. I would like to think that this behaviour does not occur in BC.”

The family lived in a hotel in Richmond while buying a house.

PN had to sleep on a couch in the living room. Less than six weeks later, she fled the hotel alleging that the sexual and verbal abuse she suffered in Hong Kong continued in Canada. She fled with only the clothes she was wearing and no passport, money or any other belongings.

She sought directions to the Philippine Consulate in Vancouver, but when she got there the office was closed because it was a Sunday. A Filipino store worker allowed her to use the phone with which she contacted the police. Sympathetic people she met at the mall later referred her to the women’s shelter, Deborah’s Gate.

According to the court, the police initially declined to help saying that, “the jurisdiction for solving her problem was in Hong Kong, not in Canada.”

It was only after FR reported her missing to police that they came to interview her.

According to McCreary’s decision, “when she first came to Deborah’s Gate, the staff found that she was malnourished and sleep deprived. She would not make eye contact with staff or other residents. She often cried in her room. She would ask

for permission to do the most mundane things. It was clear to the staff person who testified that PN had been traumatized.”

Damaging stereotypes Quoting Guevarra, the tribunal said, “Filipino domestic workers are often marketed as obedient, hardworking, God-fearing, loyal, honest, cooperative, and compliant. At the same time, she says that they are also promoted as highly educated, skilled, and exhibiting a high tolerance for stressful conditions.”

Filipinos made up 50 per cent of Hong Kong’s foreign domestic population, which totalled 320,000, in 2013.

Lawyer Devyn Cousineau of the Community Legal Assistance Society represented PN. The respondents retained lawyer Winnie Leung and another Hong Kong lawyer when the case started, but HR eventually represented himself via videoconference from Hong Kong during the hearing, Cousineau said in a telephone interview.

Final outcome PN remains in Canada, although the visitor’s visa under which she was brought into the country was good for only three months.

Cousineau said work is under way to forward the tribunal

decision to the B.C. Supreme Court and register it as an order of the court against the property. The family against whom PN brought up the case is believed to be in Hong Kong, but owns property in B.C. “It is an unusual case in that the complainant took this all the way to a hearing – it is extraordinary for her to do that,” says Cousineau, who praised PN for her courage.

When asked why the case did not end up in court, Cousineau said police did not have enough evidence, but believes they are continuing their investigation.

The tribunal’s decision came barely a month after Franco Orr, who was convicted in 2013 of human trafficking in Vancouver in another case that involved another Filipino domestic helper, won a retrial of his case. He was charged along with his wife, Oi Long Nicole Huen, who was acquitted after the couple’s jury trial.

While there was no sexual assault alleged in that case, it remains similar to the current PN case in all other respects. Orr was convicted of human trafficking and sentenced to 18 months in jail.

It is the first conviction for human trafficking in Canada involving a caregiver.

– Ted Alcuitas for New Canadian Media

nangyayari.

“May mga kailangan kasi na hindi naman nila madesisyunan, sa akin pa rin sila magtatanong, kaya para makatipid kami sa oras, ako na mismo ang uma-attend,” pahayag ng magbabalik-himpapawid nang kuya ng buong bayan.

Mambubulaga ang Wowowin sa kaniyang unang sultada. Sa opening production number pa lang ng show ay 200 dancers at personalities na ang maghahalinhinang umakyat sa entablado.

Fisrt time in Philippine television history raw na mangyayari ang ganoon katindi at kalaking production number na siyempre’y binabantayang mabuti ni Willie ang lahat ng anggulo.

“Palaging pinakamahirap ang unang show. Matrabaho, mabusisi,

talagang bagsak ang katawan mo.

Sa rehearsal pa lang, talagang patayan na. Umuuwi kami nang madaling-araw na at maaga na namang babalik kinabukasan para ituloy ang rehearsal.

“Ilang beses ko nang naranasan ang ganitong panganganay sa unang araw ng show. Mahirap, pero napaka-rewarding naman, lalo na kung nagagawa naming lahat ang dapat,” kuwento pa ni Willie.

Kailan lang ay pumirma ng kontrata si Willie para sa Happy Mobile. Uulan na naman ng cellphone sa Wowowin, kanikaniyang salo na naman ang kaniyang studio audience ng makasaysayang jacket ng kaniyang show, house and lot at cash prizes ng Wowowin.

See CRISTY p20

Let’s bring Tatay Bien home – fundraising event On March 12, 2015, while on board a plane bound for the Philippines, Mr. Bienvenido Jusi (Tatay Bien) experienced shortness of breath and had to be medically assisted for seven hours until the plane could land in Hong Kong. He was rushed to Princess Margaret Hospital where he lost consciousness and was put on life support.

“He has been in the hospital since then, suffering from a collapsed right lung [suspected Stage 4 lung cancer]. Doctors suggested bringing Tatay Bien home by air ambulance, which cost from $55,000 to $65,000 US. We are seeking help from friends, family and even strangers. We know that the Lord, through you, will help us get through this and help us bring our Tatay Bien home,” appealed Neil Jusi.

A Bud, Spud & Steak fundraiser to help bring (Tatay Bien) home to the Philippines will be held on Saturday, May 30, 2015, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the TYC Event Centre, Canada Inns Polo Park, 1405 St. Matthew’s Avenue. Tickets: $20.00 (dinner tickets) and $10.00 (supportive tickets). To purchase tickets, please contact Neil Jusi at 204-899-8458 or 204-960-0286.

CRISTY...

From page 16 pangangatawan, parang sa isang tulak lang ay babagsak na siya, pero kapag nagsasalita na sa mikropono at sa harap ng mga camera si Korina Sanchez ay parang kasinglaki siya ng mundo.

Magaling na trainer ng mga nangangarap maging matagumpay na mamamahayag si Ate Koring.

Sa linya ng trabaho ay napakahigpit niya, makakatikim ka ng galit mula sa kaniya, pero sa pag-uwi mo ng bahay kinagabihan ay pasasalamatan mo siya.

Perfectionist si Korina. Ayaw niya sa kala-kalahating paglalabas lang ng talento, gusto niyang isandaang porisyento ng kapasidad mo ang makita niya, magkakasundo

kayo.

Pansamantala siyang nagpaalam sa TV Patrol dahil sa karagdagang kaalaman na gusto niyang kunin sa paaralan. Hindi siya tinanggal, siya ang pumili na umalis muna, gusto niyang bigyan ng konsentrasyon ang kaniyang edukasyon.

Pagkatapos noon ay babalik uli siya sa programa, dalawangkamay uli siyang tatanggapin ng bulwagang pambalitaan ng ABSCBN, dahil ang TV Patrol kapag wala si Korina Sanchez ay parang sinigang na walang lasa. *** Noong April 28 nang tanghali ginanap ang blessing ng bagong studio at magiging permanente nang tahanan ng Wowowin ni Willie Revillame.

Kumpleto ang production staff ni Willie, ang kaniyang mga kaibigan at sponsors, pati ang ilang ehekutibo ng GMA-7 na makakatrabaho na niya simula sa darating na May 10.

Dahil siya mismo ang prodyuser ng kaniyang show ay halos wala nang pahinga sa pakikipagmiting ngayon ang aktor-TV host. Personal niyang pinamahalaan ang lahat ng aspeto ng bago niyang show, hands-on si Willie kahit kailan, kahit pa wala na halos siyang natitirang oras para sa kaniyang sarili.

“Iba kasi iyong alam mo ang mga nangyayari, marunong naman akong mag-delegate, may namamahala naman sa mga kakailanganin sa show, pero iba pa rin iyong alam ko mismo ang mga

EH KASI, PINOY!

MAY 1 -15, 2015

PILIPINO EXPRESS

May $4 million ang inaakalang magagastos sa planong renovations for the Winnipeg City Hall building. Dapat na bang gawin ‘yon ngayon? Hindi na makapaghintay para ang pondo ay maukol sa ibang higit na importanteng proyekto? *** Sa nakaraang halos apat na buwan mula nang pairalin ang Canada’s Immigration Express Entry Program, mabagal pa rin ang proseso. Ang hinahangad na mahigit 186,000 skilled workers na kailangan ng mga probinsiya para sa economic growth ng bansa ay malabong matugunan. *** Sa nalalabing walong buwan, nasa 15,000 ang dapat makalampas sa mga requirement for the provincial-federal skilled worker requirements for Express Entry Program. Basic evidence of English proficiency and evaluation of applicant’s credentials. Higit na may pagkakataong maliwanagan ang lahat na dapat malaman kung tatawagan ang Immigrant Visa Centre. +632-634-8717 or text +63-917-529-8472. *** Namumuro ang repeat of Clinton-Bush political battle for the coming US presidential elections. Maliliwanagan ang senaryo pagkaraan na ang dalawa ay kapuwa makalalampas sa nominasyon ng kani-kanilang partido. *** Ang problema ng susunod na pangulo ng Amerika ay kung papaano ang kalagayan ng mga taong nasa middle class ay maitaas. Habang ang umiiral sa US ay demokrasyang “matira ang matibay” mananatiling mahina ang pundasyon ng hinahangad na kaunlaran.

Pilipinas Nakisali na ang iba’t ibang environmental groups sa panawagang “Canada, please take back your basura.” Opo naman, nabanggit ko na noon pa sa pitak na ito ang tungkol sa nabanggit na reklamo. Ang mga barko ng basura ay mahigit nang isang taong nasa mga daungan ng Pilipinas. Ano kaya ang dahilan? Bakit tahimik ang mga opisyal ng Philippine Ports Authority? *** Sabagay, may pera sa basura, ayon sa isang Korean missionary na ang naging negosyo ngayon sa Pilipinas ay basura. Ang kompanya ay kinilalang Rainbow International Bussines Center, Inc. *** Hindi pinatulan ng China ang babala ni US president Barack Obama sa umano’y pambu-bully ng Beijing sa West Philippine Sea. Mismong si Speaker Belmonte ay nagsabing “nag-iisa ang Pilipinas laban sa China tungkol sa inaagaw na teritoryo. Kabaligtaran na ‘yon sa paniwala ni PNoy. Kahit ang balitang suporta ng UN ay nananatiling sa papel hanggang ngayon. *** Nakapagtatag na ng airstrip ang China sa lugar ng Kagitingan Reef na bahagi ng Spratlys. Ang US forces na nakabantay sa South China Sea na inaasahan ni PNoy ay walang nagawa. Hindi rin pinansin ng Beijing ang panawagan ng Japan, South Korea at D-7 foreign Ministers laban sa kinikilos ng China. *** Pinairal ni PNoy ang buktot na ugali. Walang habag at konsensiya? Pusong hindi basta bato, marmol. Sana pinayagan agad-agad ang hinihiling na house arrest kay Mrs. Gloria MacapagalArroyo. Hindi man lang naisip ni

HINAGAP

Bayang Sinilangan Ang ating pag-ibig sa lupang hinirang, Marapat na hindi natin kalimutan; Pagkat doon tayo nangyaring isinilang, Diyos ang nagtakda para atin lamang! *** Tayo ay nalikha dahil sa pag-ibig, Malayang namuhay sa silong ng langit; Ngunit may pagsubok na mga panganib, Na maiiwasan kung may pananalig! *** Ang bayang magiliw, datnan at panawan, ng mga nangyaring hindi naiwasan; Tulad ng panahong sanhi’y kalungkutan, ng maraming sabik sa kaligayahan! *** Sanhi sa maraming namunong pabaya, Ang lupang mayaman, ngayo’y maralita!

Paquito Rey Pacheco

Noynoy na ang kaniyang Daddy, former opposition Senator Ninoy Aquino ay kagyat na pinayagan ni former President Marcos, Sr. na magpagamot sa US. *** Libang na libang na ngayon sa political Zumba ang mga tauhan ng gobyerno at karamihan sa mga taumbayan for the 2016 national and local elections. Patuloy ang political drama sa kongreso.

Imbestigasyon kuno in aid of legislation. Ang nag-iimbestiga at kinakasuhan ng korupsiyon ay mga beneficiaries din ng PDAFDAP na unconstitutional, ayon sa Supreme Court. *** Nabalitang mahigit 400 million pesos expenses ang umano’y cash advances sa office of the president na hindi pa naisusulit. Nag-uubos na rin ng pondo ang national and local offices. Nilalaan sa mga infrastructure projects. May kinalaman din sa gaganaping 2016 elections. Bahala na ang hahaliling mga opisyal ng local and national offices sa kanilang dadatnang problema. *** Sabi daw ng Philippine Peace Council, constitutional ang BBL. Pinalilitaw na mali si Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago na nagsabing labag sa Konstitusyon ang BBL. Abangan kung ang palagay ng PPC ni PNoy ay makakalampas sa constitutional expert na senadora.

Umuugong ang balitang para makalusot sa kongreso ang BBL ay gagamitan umano ng pork barrel ni PNoy *** May mga sabi-sabi na ang mga lider ng political opposition groups ay kakasuhan. Sisikapin ng Malacañang na makulong nang hindi makakampanya sa panahon ng eleksiyon.

Pangunahing punterya umano ay sina senador Tito Sotto, Greg Honasan at Bongbong Marcos at iba pa. *** Simula noong ika-13 ng Abril, itinutuloy ng Local Government Committee sa Senado ni Sen. Bongbong Marcos ang pagtalakay sa BBL. Hindi matanggap ng senador ang kinakatwiran ni Mohagher Iqbal na chief negotiator ng MILF na gumamit ng alias nang pumasok sa peace agreement sa gobyernong Aquino. *** Ngayon lang nangyari na ang pormal na kasunduan ay maaaring gamitan ng alias, sabi ni Sen. Marcos. Opo naman, ang pekeng negotiator ay walang iniwan sa huwad na pera. Nagmukhang mga tanga ang mga kagawad ng Philippine Peace negotiators ni PNoy. *** Bumagsak sa 35 per cent ang rating ni VP Binay, ayon sa Pulse Asia latest survey. Good pa rin daw naman. Siya pa rin ang nananatiling man to beat sa 2016 elections. Nabalitang sina Sen. Chiz Escudero at Manny Pangilinan ang maaaring makatandem ni Binay. *** Tuloy ang gagawing paninira kay Binay hanggang sumadsad nang husto ang ratings nang magkaroon ng laban ang pambato ng LP. Wala nang ibang iindorso si

PAGE 19

Kaka with former president Ferdinand Marcos – ca. 1973

Kaka with Senator Bongbong Marcos – March 2015 PNoy kundi si Mar Roxas pa rin. *** Nabalitang simula noong ika-24 ng Abril hanggang ika22 ng Mayo ang Nationalista Party ni former Sen. President Manny Villar ay naglalakbay sa karagatang patungong Japan.

Sakay ng cruise ship na inarkila ni Villar ang mga ka-partido at mga kagawad ng ibang political party. Sabi ni Sen. Marcos, Jr., Villar invited other political group to join them para magkaroon daw ng sariling panlaban ang kanilang grupo for the 2016 presidential derby.

Katas Malaki pa rin ang paniwala ng mga kaalyado ng administrasyon na umiiral ang good governance sa ilalim ng liderato ni PNoy. 1. Sa nakaraang mahigit limang taon ay nabawasan ba ang naghihirap sa kabuhayan?

Lumapad yata ang agwat sa pagitan ng mayaman at mahirap.

2. Ang graft at corruption di ba lalong namayagpag? Selective justice ang umiral. Kung ikaw ay lutang na lider ng mga nasa oposisyon, “patay kang bata ka.”

3. Ang peace and order. Ang

political killings at pagpaslang sa mga tauhan ng media, nahinto ba?

4. Hindi ba naging maraming holdaper at mga iba’t ibang uri ng mga nakawan ngayon kumpara sa nakaraang administrasyon?

5. Wala na bang smuggling ng mga produkto, papasok at palabas ng bansa?

6. Ano ang nangyari sa mga pangako? Binuro ang freedom of information.

7. Ang kasapatan sa produksiyon ng bigas, at iba pa, natupad ba ba?

Libu-libo araw-araw ang mga naghahangad na makaalis sa Pilipinas sa ilalim ng sinasabing good governance ng mga nasa Malacañang.

Kasabihan: Tagumpay na nakamit sa daya, hindi pinagpapala.

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. In Winnipeg, he was the News Director of Good Morning Philippines for 13 years on CKJS Radio 810 AM. E-mail: kakareypacheco@yahoo.ca.

EH KASI, PINOY

PAGE 20

PILIPINO EXPRESS

KROSWORD

HOROSCOPE

NO. 227

Ni Bro. Gerry Gamurot

PAHALANG

1. Lumang kaugalian 5. Pahuli sa kriminal 12. Ibagsak 13. Isama 14. Alagad ni David 16. Di iyo 17. Iwanan 18. Tugon ng pagsang-ayon 19. General Motors 21. Panlaban 25. Kalunya 27. Patnubay 29. Anyaya 31. Umangkin 32. Lupang tinubuan

PABABA

1. Hawak 2. Buwan ng mga bulaklak 3. Sobra 4. Baryo 6. Punong-pino 7. Tiklop 8. Baha 9. Puno

10. Sapantaha 11. Pamitagang pambabae 15. Bilog 18. Aloy 20. Bulkan sa Bicol 21. Inis 22. Unang tao sa Bibliya 23. Tumpak 24. Ayos 26. Tinapay 29. Alias 30. Isdang pangmasa 31. University of Baguio

SAGOT SA NO. 226

MAY 1 -15, 2015

(Mayo 1 – 15, 2015) Aries (March 21 – April 19) Ingatan mo ang iyong pagsasalita.

Mas malalim ang sugat mula sa matalas na dila.

Unawain mong mabuti ang iyong maririnig o mababasa bago ka magbitiw ng iyong opinyon. Kung hindi mo maintindihan ang isang bagay, manahimik ka na lang muna. Best days mo ang ika-5, 6, 14 at 15.

Alalay ka sa ika-1, 2, 8 at 9.

Leo (July 23 – Aug. 22) Iwasan mo muna ang shopping ng shopping. Kahit na bargain ang iyong binibili, suma total niyan ay nagkakagasta ka pa rin sa hindi mahahalagang bagay.

Nasaan na ang mga binili mo noon? Nakatago? Kung hindi mo ginagamit, bakit mo binili?

Mapalad ka sa ika-5, 6, 14 at 15.

Stressful ang ika-3, 4, 10 at 11.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 – Dec. 21) Huwag kang pabigla-bigla lalo na kung pag-ibig ang nakataya.

Kung masaya ka kapag kasama siya, hindi ibig sabihin noon ay siya na nga. Hayaan mong dumaan ang panahon upang makita mo ang totoong katauhan niya. Ang pagsisisi ay laging nasa huli. Masaya ang ika-5, 6, 14 at 15. May tension sa ika-12 at 13.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20) Kung may papasukin kang transaksyon, siguraduhin mo munang tama ang lahat.

Magkakaroon ng malaking problema kung hindi naaayon sa inyong pinag-usapan ang nasa kontrata. Huwag kang mahihiyang magtanong, hindi biro ang ginagawa ninyo. Lucky ang ika-8 at 9. Ingat sa ika-3, 4, 10 at 11.

Virgo (Aug. 23 – Sept. 22) H u w a g manghihina ang iyong loob kung hindi nangyayari ang gusto mo kahit na pinagbuhusan mo ng maraming oras. Hindi naman dahil bigo ang iyong pagsisikap, mabagal lang abutin ang tagumpay sa buwang ito.

Makakabawi ka rin paglampas ng Mayo. OK ang ika-8 at 9. Ingat sa ika-5, 6, 7, 12 at 13.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 – Jan. 19) Kung kailangan mong magschedule ng pagpunta sa doctor, gawin mo na ngayong Mayo.

Huwag kang maghintay ng hindi magandang pakiramdam. Magpacheck up ka at nang matiyak mong malusog ka. Kung may problema naman, makikita agad sa umpisa. Good days ang ika-8 at 9. May tensyon sa ika-1, 2, 14 at 15.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20) Matuwa ka dahil masaya ang buwan ng Mayo para sa iyo. Magaan ang pasok ng pera at mae-enjoy mo ang buhay kasama ang mga mahal mo. May charisma ka at magiging malapit sa iyo ang mga bagong kakilala. Pati pagibig ay magiging kulay rosas para sa iyo. OK ang ika-1, 2, 10 at 11.

Ingat sa ika-5, 6, 7, 2 at 13.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22) Ngayong buwan ng Mayo, lakasan mo ang iyong loob kung may nais kang abutin. Ang mga kahilingan mo’y malapit nang matupad dahil sa pagsisikap mo. Walang ibang gagawa kundi ikaw, tandaan mo iyan. Buwenas ang mga darating na araw. Maayos ka sa ika-3, 4, 12 at 13. Stressful ang ika-1, 2, 8, 9, 14 at 15.

CRISTY...

From page 18 *** Palaging nauugnay ang pangalan ni Gerald Anderson sa mga babaeng malaki ang agwat ng edad sa kaniya. Noon ay pumutok ang kuwento tungkol sa kanila ni Maricel Soriano. Naudlot lang ang istorya dahil may mga nakialam, ngayon ay si Janice de Belen naman ang napapabalitang ka-close ng tisoy na aktor.

Ang sabi, kapag ang isang lalaki raw ay nagbibigay ng atensiyon sa isang babaeng halos tiyahin o nanay na lang niya ay isa lang ang ibig sabihin noon, kapos sa pagmamahal ng ina ang lalaki.

Pero marami kaming nakausap na impormante na nagpapatunay na walang katotohanan ang

Libra (Sept. 23 – Oct. 22) Nagbubunga na ang iyong pagsisikap.

Nakikita mo na ang magandang bunga ng iyong pagtitiis. Ipagpatuloy mo ang sipag at tiyaga dahil buwenas ka sa buwang ito. Magpapatuloy ang iyong magandang kapalaran sa mga darating pang buwan. OK ang ika-1, 2, 10 at 11. Kuwidaw sa ika-8, 9, 14 at 15.

Scorpio (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21) Magandang kalusugan ang focus mo sa buwang ito.

Iwasan mo ang anumang panggagalingan ng stress dahil baka ka magkasakit. Hindi ka dapat maabala ng pagkakasakit dahil maraming oportunidad na darating sa iyo. Kailangan ay malakas ka at laging masaya. OK ang ika-3, 4, 12 at 13. Ingat sa ika-10 at 11. napabalitang pagkakalapit nila ng loob ng Diamond Star. Imbento lang daw iyon ng mga taong may gustong takpan na totoong kuwento, tulad ng kahinaan sa pagarte ni Gerald.

“Hindi totoo iyong kuwento ng necklace, lalo namang hindi totoong gustong isama ni Marya sa bahay niya si Gerald para i-workshop, kalokohan lang ang mga kuwentong iyon!

Ang totoo, e, naburyong si Marya sa paulit-ulit na takes ni Gerald, nainis siya dahil hindi naman pala nakahanda sa trabaho niya ang bagets, kaya nagtatalak ang lola n’yo!

“Hindi sila naging close, hindi siya type ni Marya, puwede ba? Inimbento na lang ng mga kakampo ni Gerald iyong tungkol sa necklace, diverted na nga naman

Aquarius (Jan. 20 – Feb. 18) Kailangan mong makisama kung nais mong magtagumpay ka.

Hindi uubrang solo flight ka lang palagi. Panalo ka kapag gusto ka ng mga kasama mo. Huwag mong balewalain kung sumasakit ang iyong leeg, batok at balakang.

Kumonsulta ka sa iyong doctor.

Lucky ka sa ika-1, 2, 10 at 11.

Careful sa ika-3 at 4.

Pisces (Feb. 19 – March 20) Kailangan mong gamutin ang iyong kalungkutan.

Mahihirapan ka kung palagi ka na lang magmumukmok sa isang tabi dahil lang ayaw mong makitang masasaya ang ibang tao. Kapag nalunod ka sa kalungkutan, mahihirapan kang umahon. Gusto mo ba iyon? OK ang ika-3, 4, 12 at 13. Ingat sa ika-5, 6 at 7. ang kuwento!” madiing sabi ng aming kausap.

Si Janice de Belen naman ang iniuugnay kay Gerald ngayon pagkatapos ng kanilang hiwalayan ni Maja Salvador, isang produkto sa merkado na hindi namin bibilhin, dahil halatang-halata namang pangpromo lang ang kuwento. *** Dahil sa matinding pagtungayaw ni Mommy Maricar Sebastian, ina ng namayapang You Tube Sensation na si Jam, laban kay Mich Liggayu ay isang impormante ang tumawag sa amin para balansehin ang istorya.

Nalulungkot ang aming kausap dahil sobra-sobrang panlalait ang tinatanggap ngayon ni Mich mula sa ina ni Jam. Sangkot pa ang usapin ng pera sa mga pahayag ni See CRISTY p21

MAY 1 -15, 2015

EH KASI, PINOY! PILIPINO EXPRESS

PAGE 21

Para kay Mary Jane Veloso, para sa Inang Bayan Milagro kong maituturing ang hindi pagpapatuloy ng nakaabang na execution ni Mary Jane Veloso nitong Martes, Abril 28. Hindi man ako relihiyosong tao ay naniniwala pa rin ako na nakatulong ang sama-samang dasal ng maraming tao para iligtas ang buhay ni Mary Jane. Malaki ang naging bahagi ng mga activists partikular ang grupo ng Migrante, Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) at Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) at ng marami pang taga-suporta sa iba’t ibang bansa para ma-pressure ang Indonesian government at igiit ang panig ni Mary Jane bilang isang biktima at inosente sa kasong ipinataw sa kaniya. Nakatutok ako sa social media network at saksi ako sa kung gaano naging kaepektibo ang global na pagkilos na ito.

Biktima si Mary Jane ng pagkakataon at ng kahirapan.

Naloko siya ng illegal recruiter sa Pilipinas na nangakong may trabahong naghihintay sa Malaysia pero wala pala. Binigyan siya ng maleta at sinabing pumunta sa Indonesia. Wala siyang kaalamalam na may bitbit pala siyang iligal na droga. Nahuli siya at

CRISTY...

From page 20 Mommy Maricar, user daw ang dalaga at niloko lang ang kaniyang anak noong nabubuhay pa ito.

Simula ng aming source, “Sobra akong naaawa kay Mich.

Kundi mo siya kilala, paniniwalaan mo ang mga akusasyon sa kaniya ng mommy ni Jam. “Pero kung nasakama mo sila nang matagal, kung nasubaybayan mo ang kuwento ng Jamich, ibabato mo pabalik kay Mommy Maricar ang mga bintang niya laban kay Mich,” mabigat agad ang unang pahayag ng aming impormante.

Ilang taon ang binalikan ng aming source. Iyon ang pagkakataong naghahanap ng pagmamahal si Jam. Abala sa kaniyang negosyo si Yexel at ang mommy naman nito ay walang pakialam sa kaniyang bunso.

“Teka lang muna. Bakit ba nagpalaoy-laoy si Jam noon? Bakit ba nakakita siya ng kakampi kay Mich? Abala ang kuya niya, ang mommy niya naman, napakahilig makipagbarkada, inom lang nang inom, ganoon lang palagi ang ikot ng buhay niya.

“Kundi dahil kay Mich, matagal nang patay si Jam! Siya ang nag-asikaso kay Jam, siya ang gumagastos sa pagpapagamot, siya ang nag-aalaga kay Jam! “Kung magdedenay si Mommy Maricar, haharap kaming lahat na nakakaalam ng tunay na kuwento.

Ipamumukha namin sa kaniya ang mga kakulangan niya bilang ina ni Jam. “Pasalamat si Mommy Maricar at nakatagpo si Jam ng isang Mich

ikinulong. Nagkaroon ng paglilitis sa kaniyang kaso sa wikang Bahasa Indonesia. Wala siyang abugado kundi ang mismong naghabla sa kaniya.

Dati na rin siyang domestic helper sa Dubai na tinangkang gahasain ng amo. Anak siya ng mga magsasaka ng Hacienda Luisita.

Tulad ng maraming Pilipino, mahirap ang buhay ni Mary Jane at ito ang dahilan kung bakit siya nag-abroad. Isa lang ang dahilan – para iahon sa karukhaan ng pamilya.

Dama ko ang hinagpis na nadama ni Mary Jane at ng kaniyang pamilya. Magkahalong lungkot at galit ang aking naramdaman.

Lungkot, dahil sa hindi matapostapos na exploitation ng mga mahihirap, kawalang maayos na hanapbuhay sa Pilipinas, kawalang katarungan kapag mahirap ka at ang pagkakahiwalay ng pamilya para makipagsapalaran ang mga magulang sa ibang bansa. Tulad ni Mary Jane, iniwan ko rin ang aking pamilya para maghanapbuhay sa abroad.

Galit, dahil sa sistemang bulok at pamamayagpag ng mga na hindi lang niya girlfriend kundi bestfriend pang umuunawa sa kaniya.

“Marami kaming nakakita ng sitwasyon ni Jam noon, sobrasobrang minahal siya ni Mich, alam ni Mommy Maricar kung anu-ano ang naging pagkukulang niya sa anak niya.

“Kaya instead na siraan niya iyong tao, sa halip na kuwestiyunin pa niya si Mich sa usapin ng pera, eh, matuto muna sana siyang magpasalamat dahil lahat ng pagkukulang niya sa anak niya, si Mich ang sumalo!” madiing pagpapatotoo ng aming impormante.

Walang nakikitang sinseridad ang aming source sa mga pinagsasasabi ngayon ni Mrs. Maricar Sebastian. Walang-wala.

Acting lang iyon. Over-acting pa nga.

Bilang pagtatapos ay sinabi pa ng aming kausap, “Iyong mga litanya ni Mommy Maricar ngayon na mahal na mahal daw niya si Jam, noon pa sana niya sinabi iyon! At iyong pag-iyak niya, guilt iyon! Alam niya sa sarili niya na noong mga panahong naghahanap ng pagmamahal at pag-aalaga ang anak niya, eh, wala siyang ibinigay!

“Mahirap talagang kalaban ang kunsensiya. Iyon na ang kalaban niya ngayon, hindi si Mich!

Puwede siyang manumbat kundi buhay ang mga taong nakakaalam ng totoong kuwento.

“Pero heto pa kami, buhay na buhay, kaya napakalakas ng loob niyang kawawain ang babaeng nagdugtong ng buhay ng anak niya!” napakadiing pagtatapos ng aming source. – CSF

lider ng bansang Pilipinas na walang ibang interes kundi ang palawakin ang kanilang control sa mga mamamayan at palaguin ang kanilang kayamanan habang milyong-milyong Pilipino ang naghihirap.

Tuwing makikita ko ang pagmumukha ng mga pulpol na pulitiko sa Pilipinas ay nagiinit ang ulo ko dahil sa mga grandstanding, pagsisinungaling, pagtatakip at tahasang panggagago sa mga pobreng mamamayan.

Kailan ba matitigil ang pagexport ng lakas manggagawa ng Pilipinas? Kailan matitigil ang pangarap ng maraming Pilipino na pag-aabroad lang ang paraan para umasenso ang buhay? Kailan magiging maganda ang ekonomiya ng Pilipinas para wala nang aalis at iiwan ang mga pamilya? Kailan titino ang sistemang corruption sa lahat ng sangay ng gobyerno?

Si Mary Jane ay kumakatawan sa lahat ng mga OFWs na nakikipagsapalaran para maitaguyod ang pamilya. Isang payak na Nanay na tanging inisip lamang ay mapabuti ang kinabukasan ng mga anak.

Marami pang kaso ng

exploitation at pang-aabuso ang nararanasan ng ating mga kababayan na hindi dokumentado.

Hindi alam ng gobyerno habang alam na ng maraming Pilipino.

Ganito sila kung magbulagbulagan. Hindi nila alam, ayaw nilang malaman at wala silang pakialam. Saksi ako sa mga hindi magandang karanasan ng ating mga kababayan noong ako ay nasa Middle East. Marami ang umaasa lang sa tulong ng kapuwa Pilipino para mabuhay at para tumakas sa mga panganib sa kanilang buhay.

Bayani kung ituring ang mga OFW. Mga bayaning ginagatasan ng gobyerno ng buwis kapalit ay bulok at walang serbisyo. At ang pinakamasakit, pababayaan ka na lang ng gobyerno kahit buhay mo ay nasa bingit ng kamatayan.

At kapag naman gumawa sila ng aksyon, ay magpapa-feeling pogi sila para sa kanilang political interest.

Bagama’t naniniwala ako sa Diyos ay huwag sana laging milagro na lamang ang pag-asa ng mga Pilipino. Sana maayos at ituwid ang huwad at sinungaling na daan. Isa pa, huwag sanang ang biktima pa ang sisihin ng gobyerno.

Mayroon kasing statement sa palasyo na hindi raw nagbigay ng sapat ng impormasyon ang pamilya ni Mary Jane kaya’t hindi sila natulungan. For the record, 2010 pa ang kaso at mula noon ay walang ginawang aksiyon ang gobyernong Aquino. Ang mga tumutulong kay Mary Jane ay ang grupo nina Atty.

Edre Olalia ng National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers at ang Migrante International.

Hindi pa tapos ang laban dahil ito ay temporary reprieve lamang.

Patuloy nating ipaglaban ang buhay ng tao, ang buhay ng mga simpleng obrero, ang buhay ng isang Ina, ang buhay ng marami pang bayani ng ating Inang Bayan.

Ituloy ang pakikibaka para wakasan ang labour exploitation!

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

Nagtrabaho nang sampung taon sa City Hall ng Taguig bilang Human Resource Management Officer. Naging bahagi ng BataBatuta Productions bilang manunulat, entertainment host at stage actor. Nagtatag ng Kulturang Alyansa ng Taguig.

Kasapi ng Ecumenical Movement for Justice and Peace (EMJP).

PEOPLE & EVENTS

PAGE 22

PILIPINO EXPRESS

MAY 1 -15, 2015

Wedding Belles

Wedding Experience 2015

By Judianne Jayme A quick ten-minute drive south of Winnipeg to the TransCanada Centre introduced us to a beautiful, open hall venue that boasted a flexible room for creativity and incredible acoustics. On April 18th, the centre in Ile-des-Chênes hosted the very first Wedding Experience.

Different from other wedding shows, this one in particular had a more intimate feel. Experts in different fields (photography, videography, linens, florals, vow creators and officiants, DJs and lights, gowns, hair and makeup artists, and event planners) were on hand for casual conversations and to answer questions couples had as they thought about their big day.

Pinay entrepreneur Hazel Maureen of HM Events invited Pilipino Express to attend the experience that she and her colleagues worked together on.

Upon entering the venue, there were elegantly decorated tables set up in a variety of ways to give guests an opportunity to see some examples of the possible combinations between linens, invitations, place cards, centrepieces, and floral arrangements. As an wedding consultant and coordinator, HM Events has built up quite the network of quality businesses that are then suggested to clients – and a wedding experience such as this helps clients to not only envision the possibilities, but also to talk to all the owners of those businesses in one location.

We were pleasantly surprised at the set-up of the venue, expecting to see booths as you would as a trade show. The Wedding Experience was unique in that it was showcasing one entrepreneur from each aspect of your wedding day, all while

showcasing the beautiful sound quality as music is bounced off panels on the ceiling. As Summer Bounce music’s DJ played top danceable tunes, we were pleased to find that we could converse with people at an ordinary volume, not having to strain our voices to be heard. Several wedding gowns, all elegant and featuring the latest trends, were placed around the venue, courtesy of Stella’s Bridal & Evening Collections.

The event served as a one-stopshop. If you like what you see, you can work right away with HM Events and the entire team for any inquiries you may have about potential dates, packages, and pricing, with your swag bag full of treats and deals in tote.

I had the opportunity to talk elegance and expectations with Peggy Wiebe of the Little Flower

Judianne Jayme, Peggy Wiebe and Hazel Maureen

Judianne Jayme and Hazel Maureen Shop. If you have not seen her work, it is no surprise that her business holds the numbers for top rentals in Manitoba. She explains that when she began her business in Toronto, people had high expectations for the visual aesthetics for their big day.

Wiebe is thrilled to present to Winnipeggers the extravagance that they may not have known they could ask for.

The Wedding Experience created a balance between on-

stage fashion shows and seminars with breaks in between to sample wines from Pelee Island Winery, as well as a succulent Angus beef in a coconut-based curry from Urban Prairie Cuisine.

The on-stage seminars included photograph-taking tips from Kiss the Girl Photography, as well as an informative session and demonstration on the growing trend of boudoir photography

by Anna Lang. Lang explains that the boudoir is meant to be a

TransCanada Centre open hall

Anna Lang (right) and her model celebration of self, and of your body, and is more about being comfortable in your own skin. I also commend her on not using any Photoshop tricks, truly celebrating women or men as they are naturally.

Congratulations again to the team behind the Wedding Experience 2015. We look forward to many more upcoming events, and to seeing you at work with wedding season fast approaching!

Photos by Rey-Ar Reyes

MAY 1 -15, 2015

PILIPINO EXPRESS

PAGE 23

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