Volume 16 • No. 10 • May 16 - 31, 2020 Publication Mailing Account #41721512
Kim Chiu
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Photo credit: Kim’s Facebook
10 Korina Sanchez and her twins, Pepe & Pilar
Peace of M ind .
Pre-Arrangement relieves your family of last-minute planning and lets you choose how you’ll be remembered. Pre-arrange with Mosaic and we’ll provide peace of mind to those involved during this emotional time.
Canadian clinical trials approved for potential COVID-19 vaccine Health Canada has approved the first Canadian clinical trials for a potential COVID-19 vaccine at the Canadian Center for Vaccinology at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the announcement in front of his home in Ottawa at the daily update on the coronavirus crisis on May 16, 2020. Trudeau said the National Research Council of Canada would work with the manufacturer to produce the vaccine in Canada if the trials are successful. The vaccine trial marks the first approved Canadian effort to find a vaccine for the disease. To date, Health Canada has also authorized 33 clinical trials for supportive care or treatments for COVID-19. Clinical trials usually consist of three phases of studies on humans before
Dr. Alyson Kelvin, vaccine researcher with the Canadian Center for Vaccinology, Photo credit: Dalhousie University a vaccine is approved for general use – starting with a few subjects before expanding to include hundreds or thousands of subjects. “Research and development take time, and must be done right, but this is encouraging news,” Trudeau said at the daily press briefing.
The federal government has committed to spending a billion dollars in medical research to fight COVID-19, including $23 million to support pre-clinical testing and clinical trials of a potential vaccine in Canada and $29 million for the production of vaccines.
Canada Child Benefit increased Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau announced on May 16, 2020 that the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) will be increased in July. The increase will be in place for the 2020-21 benefit year, and will raise the maximum benefit to $6,765 per child under age 6, and $5,708 per
child aged 6 through 17. “Every summer for the past three years, we’ve boosted the CCB to help keep up with the cost of living. This summer will be no different. As the price of your groceries go up, so will the benefit,” said Trudeau. This increase is in addition to the one-time special CCB payment
announced by the Prime Minister earlier this month, to help families deal with the added pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 20, 2020, the special measure will give families currently receiving the CCB an additional $300 per child with their May payment.
P R O U D LY S U P P O R T I N G T H E FILIPINO COM MUNITY
Fe e l at Home . I M M E D I AT E N E E D ? C A L L ( 2 0 4 ) 2 7 5 - 5 5 5 5 , W E ’ R E AVA I L A B L E 2 4 / 7 18 3 9 I N K S T E R B O U L E VA R D MOSAICFUNER AL S.C A INFO@MOSAICFUNER AL S.C A
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PILIPINO EXPRESS
MAY 16 - 31, 2020
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PHYSICAL DISTANCING Physical distancing (social distancing) means keeping a distance of at least two metres from others at all times. Everyone needs to practice physical distancing, even if you have: X NO
symptoms of COVID-19
X NO
known risk of exposure
X not
travelled outside of Canada within the last 14 days.
DO YOUR PART TO HELP REDUCE THE SPREAD OF COVID-19.
This is the best way to keep you and the people around you safe.
GREEN LIGHT
YELLOW LIGHT
(SAFE TO DO)
f Greet
with a wave from a distance f Go outside - run, bike, walk the dog at least 2 metres away from other people* f Read, draw, paint, listen to music, dance, play games, watch a movie at home f Cook a meal f Group video chats f Food
(USE CAUTION)
f Getting
groceries (once a week)*
f Picking
up take-out food*
essential medical appointments
f Picking
(AVOID)
f Going
to work, unless absolutely necessary*
f Playdates,
f Attending
sleepovers, coffee dates
f Visitors
to your home, except for essential service workers, and individuals providing care or delivering food/supplies. Ensure you maintain a distance of 2 metres
up medication*
f Group
delivery services
gatherings, even if outside
f Playgrounds,
f Online
shopping f Online learning f Virtual
RED LIGHT
f Gyms, f Peak
tours of museums
busy public parks
bars, shopping malls
shopping and public transit hours*
f Non-essential
appointments (such as
f Non-essential
workers in your home
hair & nails)
*If you are in isolation or quarantine (self-isolation), your guidelines will differ. Please follow specific guidelines relating to your situation.
NOTE: Some people may transmit COVID-19 even though they do not show any symptoms. In situations where physical distancing is difficult to maintain, wearing a non-medical mask or facial covering, (i.e., constructed to completely cover the nose and mouth without gaping, and secured to the head by ties or ear loops) provides a barrier between your respiratory droplets and the people and surfaces around you. It may also stop you from touching your nose or mouth, which is another way the virus can get into your body.
The Government of Canada has implemented an Emergency Order under the Quarantine Act. This order means that everyone who is entering Canada by air, sea or land has to stay home for 14 days in order to limit the spread of COVID-19. The 14-day period begins on the day you enter Canada. f If
you have travelled and have no symptoms, you must quarantine (self-isolate).
f If
you have travelled and have symptoms, you must isolate.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: canada.ca/coronavirus
1-833-784-4397
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Researchers at the University of the Philippines (UP) are pushing for the use of digital mobile technology to help fix what they call “the weakest link” in the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic: contact tracing efforts. “We continue to reiterate the need for an efficient and effective contract tracing system to track those who could have been exposed to the infective individual,” the researchers said in their latest forecast report released on May 8, 2020. “To this end, the national and local government should consider hiring and training more personnel to do contact tracing. Where applicable, digital contact tracing apps should be used,” they added. Forecast Report No. 6 (COVID-19 FORECASTS IN THE PHILIPPINES: Sub-National Models for NCR and other Selected Areas) was written by UP professors Guido David, Ph.D.; Ranjit Singh Rye, MPA; and Ma Patricia Agbulos, MBM. According to Rye, the study is “an independent research conducted by UP faculty with support from OCTA Research” of which all three are affiliated. While the researchers lauded the government for expanding the country’s testing capabilities, they said mass testing without effective contact tracing
PILIPINO EXPRESS
“will only increase the value of R (referring to reproduction or the rate of the pandemic’s speed) and without stemming possible new infections especially once the restrictions are loosened.” “Contact tracing is the weakest link in our national response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” they said. They said digital technology using smartphones could be used to speed up efforts to track people who could have been exposed to those who are positive of COVID-19. “Digital contact tracing through the use of mobile phones can reduce the burden of data collection on public health workers, improve accuracy of data, and enable the identification of contacts unknown to the patient,” the researchers said. Mobile apps Rye told me he is not aware if government is already using mobile technology for contact tracing. He added, however, that there are companies from the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector that are already sharing their mobile apps with various local government units (LGUs). Last week, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) launched the mobile application RC143, which it said is designed to “help health authorities in contact tracing of
I LIVE WITH DEMENTIA
MAY 16 - 31, 2020
Contact tracing is PH’s “weakest link” but mobile phones can help COVID-19 cases.” Smart Communications is providing the app free to its subscribers, although it is available only on Android devices. It can be downloaded here. “With the user’s consent, the PRC app will track his movements using the location facility of his mobile phone. This information will go to a database through which the PRC will be able to determine which individuals have come into contact with COVIDpositive cases,” it added. Globe Telecom, for its part, partnering with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) - Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) for the implementation of a new online platform called TanodCOVID. An SMS-based selfreporting platform, TanodCOVID encourages people experiencing symptoms to inform health officials by texting their LGU’s verified number. Verified reports from TanodCOVID may be used to detect clustering of suspected cases that can be indicative of possible outbreak in an area. Limitations The UP researchers said while technology like peer-to-peer warning
systems and other apps are available, their use might be limited in certain areas where smartphones are not prevalent. The researchers also said privacy should be protected in the use of digital technology for contact tracing. “More than locating and identifying suspected cases, proper attention must be given to ensure that the person is not put in harm’s way by maintaining privacy,” they said. They said Privacy Protecting Digital Contact Tracing (PP DCT) will enable a more targeted testing for the infection. “PP DCT will also allow government to wield quarantine as a precision tool. Only those found to have contact with infected persons become candidates for quarantine,” they said. “Without PP DCT, quarantine becomes a blunt instrument. If health authorities cannot determine who have been in contact with infected persons, they simply quarantine everybody,” the researchers said. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the original author, and do not necessarily represent those of the Pilipino Express publishers. Jon Joaquin is the Editor-InChief of the Davao Citybased Mindanao Daily Mirror. E-mail Jon at jonjoaquin@gmail.com.
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Emmie Joaquin Bus 204.697.8366 Cell 204.999.5159 emmiejoaquin@gmail.com 1045 Erin Street Winnipeg, MB R3G 2X1
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Fee increased for right of permanent residence Would you be surprised to know that, in the midst of the COVID-19, immigration fees continue to rise? There are a number of rate changes that became effective at the end of April. Fees have been increased for most economic permanent residence immigration applications. Check to ensure you are paying the correct amounts. This current article is limited to the increase on the Right of Permanent Residence Fee
(RPRF). Effective April 30, 2020, the fee for the RPRF has been increased for permanent residence applications from $490 to $500. The increase itself is minimal but the impact is major. If you err on this point, your entire application can be returned as incomplete. It is the obligation of the applicant to submit a complete application, not just according to the checklist, but also according
to the fees required. The RPRF has an interesting history for those of us old enough to remember that it was introduced with much fanfare as a replacement for the Right of Landing Fee (ROLF). The change in name came with a change in rates, from $975.00 down to $490. The ROLF was introduced on February 28, 1995 and continued unchanged until it was replaced by RPRF on May 3, 2006. The $10.00 increase is hardly dramatic
but it is something you have to get right. It should be noted that the RPRF is something that does not have to be paid when the application is submitted but permanent residence status will not be granted until it is paid at the conclusion of the processing. The RPRF applies to all permanent residence applicants except: dependent children of a principle applicant or sponsor, a child to be adopted, or an orphaned brother, sister, niece, nephew or grandchild; and Protected Persons, including Convention Refugees. It is the option of the sponsors to pay the entire amount upfront or wait until thay are contacted by IRCC officials during the application process with instructions on how to pay. In cases where the application is withdrawn by the sponsor or refused
by IRCC, the sponsor will be given the option of a refund of the RPRF. The application fee, however, is not refundable once a submission has been deemed complete for assessment and assigned a file number. The change is now in effect, so ensure that the correct payment of $500 for the RPRF is included in your submission. Good luck and watch for the subsequent article on other fee changes. Michael Scott is a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC, R525678) who has 30 years of experience with Canada Immigration and the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program. He currently works as a licensed consultant with R.B. Global Immigration Consultants Ltd. 204-6911166 or 204-227-0292. E-mail: mscott.ici@gmail. com.
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May 14, 2020: It is abundantly clear that SARSCoV-2 (the acronym for “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2”) – the putative virus causing the new disease named COVID-19 – has gained a catastrophic foothold in 188 countries of the world, Canada included. In the five months since this virus was first identified in December 2019 as the causative agent of the 11 unexplained cases of pneumonia with contacts to the Wuhan live animal wet market in China, it has infected over four million citizens worldwide (4,405,688 patients); confined hundreds of thousands to their sick beds at homes, in senior living care centres, and in hospitals; and sent more than 300,000 of them to their untimely death (300,074 deceased). The United States, which shares the world’s longest land border with its northern neighbour Canada, has become the epicenter with 1,400,500 cases and 84,985 deaths. In Canada, the cumulative total stands at 73,653 cases, of whom 5,434 lost their lives – a case-fatality rate of 7.38 per cent. This is global life in the midst of a virulent virus. New and alarming signs and symptoms The virulence of this virus is reflected not only in the velocity of its spread and the magnitude of the resulting human toll, but also in the nature and extent of damage to the human body. Since my first report in January 2020, which listed cough, fever, and dyspnea as the dominant symptoms to watch for, new and alarming symptoms and signs have been reported during the intervening months. Reporters A. Yaeger and C. Jarvis for The Scientist magazine highlighted them recently: persistent pain or pressure in the chest, bluish lips or face, stabbing headache; repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain and a state of exhaustion; loss of taste or smell and seizures;
PILIPINO EXPRESS
anorexia, nausea, and vomiting; disorientation, inability to arouse or stay awake, delirium and falls; red or purple rash resembling frostbite (“COVID toes”); exceedingly low blood oxygen levels without the accompanying breathlessness (silent hypoxia); and signs and symptoms of severe stroke (numbness, weakness of extremities, sudden difficulty with words and speech). CTV News just issued two separate reports on a “possible link between COVID-19 and a deadly illness in children.” Doctors have referred to the condition as multisystem inflammatory syndrome – a cluster of symptoms characterized by rashes, fever, bloodshot eyes, vomiting, diarrhea and swelling in the hands and feet. Affected children with this syndrome have been observed in Montreal, New York and the United Kingdom. A few of the pediatric patients were admitted to the intensive care units. Ostensibly, SARSCoV-2 could inflict damage, directly or indirectly, almost anywhere in the human body from head to toes with very serious consequences. Understanding these unusual symptoms, which reflect multi-organ involvement including the central nervous system, provides new insights to front line workers and carry potential implications for patient care. The difficulty in breathing that we normally attribute to lung damage might actually be defects in the control of breathing by the nervous system. The presence of neurological symptoms – a loss of taste or smell – could alert the attending doctor to who might go sooner into acute respiratory failure and, thereby, help in triaging of patients. Also, awareness of these unusual symptoms could prevent delays in seeking timely testing for COVID infection and timely medical
MAY 16 - 31, 2020
COVID-19 Pandemic: Living with the virulent virus in our midst? visits for appropriate medical treatment. One patient who had a stroke delayed calling for an ambulance for fear of COVID infection in the hospital. Unless a drug or vaccine is found Reality tells us we live in a “new normal” – in the midst of a virulent virus. As Canada continues to gradually lift emergency restrictions in the weeks and months ahead to reopen the country’s economy and social life, it has become increasingly clear this crippling pandemic will not end before the end of this year, nor even before next, unless effective and safe vaccine(s) or a prophylactic drug is found. “A vaccine that is shown to give immunity is the only practical way of preventing the virus from continuing to cause widespread serious and often fatal illness and economic destruction,” wrote Professors Stanley Plotkin and Arthur Caplan of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania, USA. To date, only one drug – remdesivir – has been shown to hasten recovery, not cure, by a few days among the severely ill patients. Even this modest success would help ease the demand on intensive care units. The controlled clinical trial with the drug continues in a modified way to make it now part of the “new standard of care” for COVID patients in hospital settings. Results of the trial, when fully completed, would give us the full picture if its therapeutic status. How do vaccines work and get introduced to the public? Our body’s immune system is built ready to find and destroy invading pathogens or germs. But it is not uniformly successful because the pathogen – SARSCoV-2 in our present case – can quickly replicate upon entry and start to cause damage and create illness
before our immune defense system realizes its presence. If the consequential illness is mild, the patient recovers with the tardily-produced antibodies, which now confer protection against a subsequent invasion by the same pathogen. This constitutes acquired immunity by natural infection. This is valid on the assumption that the person infected, with or without becoming symptomatic, develops those antibodies. Immunity through vaccination The second way to acquire immunity is through vaccination. Vaccines teach our immune system to be battle-ready, that is, to very promptly recognize the intruder-pathogen and beat it before it can start the infectious illness. The end result with the two modes of defense is very similar, i.e., immunity against the disease caused by the pathogen – COVID-19 in our present case – except the vaccinated person does not have to endure the illness and its threat to life. Different types of vaccines There are different types of vaccines. Essentially, all serve to introduce a germ or part of a germ into our body in a way that cannot make us ill – although it could cause some minor symptoms such as fever as our body builds immunity. Some vaccines use the entire pathogen, but in a killed or weakened state; some use only the parts of the pathogen that alert our immune system; some use a toxin made by the germ (becomes a toxoid); and some rely on the pathogen’s genetic material. Extensive testing Vaccine candidates undergo extensive testing and review for safety, immunogenicity, i.e., the power of the vaccine candidate to induce an immune response, and efficacy, i.e., the potential to protect from COVID-19 in controlled clinical trials, in the research laboratory, in
animals, and in three phases of clinical trials. When we receive a vaccine, the germ sends up an alert to our immune system to start producing antibodies to fight it. Once our immune system has beaten the pathogen, it knows how to quickly destroy it. When we are subsequently exposed to the real pathogen during daily living, our body recognizes the unfriendly pathogen and fights off the infection before it begins. Immunity from a vaccine can be lifelong or only for a limited number of years. Other vaccines require boosters at regular intervals. Clinical trials Clinical trials – the systematic study of the vaccine candidate administered to the human subjects – are indispensable and are designed to discover or verify the effects of the vaccine and to identify any adverse reaction to the vaccination. The trials are classified into Phases I to IV. Phase IV trials are studies performed after the licensure and introduction of the vaccine. They are carried out to expand the evidence base of the vaccine characteristics. It is this testing process, not the development, that consumes the most time prior to release for general public use. Unprecedented times in vaccine science The scientific and medical research community in several international research laboratories, private pharmaceutical companies and academic institutions, singly or in partnership with governments, Canada included, have tirelessly searched for at least one desired vaccine since the virus was identified and genetically sequenced on January 11, 2020. It should be noted that coordination and collaborative handling of such an extraordinary search effort is much better now than in times past. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness and See COVID-19 p9
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PILIPINO EXPRESS
COVID-19... From page 8
Innovations, a nonprofit set up to coordinate research and development for vaccines against emerging infectious diseases, has been in the forefront in this approach and hopes to raise the needed budget from governments, private philanthropies, industry, and the United Nations Foundation. Toward the same goal, world leaders, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, held an online pledging conference to raise billions for research into vaccine and treatments. The conference hopes to raise 11.6 billion Canadian dollars. Canada, the European Union, Japan, Saudi Arabia and the non-EU European countries Britain and Norway are building on earlier contributions from the World Bank, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and wealthy benefactors supporting the collaborative endeavour. Prime Minister Trudeau called the online marathon “truly a moment for global leadership.” He pledged $850 million, which will go, among others, toward development of vaccines. Global vaccine development landscape The Nature Reviews Drug Discovery posted last month 115 COVID-19 vaccines in development, which encompass a wide range of vaccine technology. About three-fourths of the vaccine candidates are being developed by private industry and one-fourth led by academic, public sector and other not-forprofit organizations. Nearly half of the developers are in North America and the remainder is equally divided among developers in China, Europe, and Australia and Asia (excluding China). Their geographic reach accounts for three-fourths of
Research Scientist Dr. Alyson Kelvin in her Canadian containment lab. Photo by Danny Abriel the world’s population. Reportedly, 14 vaccine candidates anticipate clinical testing this summer or fall. Moderna and Pfizer appear to be working at an unprecedented speed. Their products are both mRNA-based vaccines. Pfizer has “set an ambitious goal of having a vaccine ready for use in high-risk groups like the elderly and immunocompromised by the fall.” When asked about his thoughts on dozens of laboratories worldwide working on a COVID-19 vaccine, Gary Kobinger, the director of the Infectious Disease Research Centre at the Université Laval in Quebec City, replied: “It’s a good thing. It’s actually important to test a lot of vaccines. We don’t want to put all our eggs into one basket, only to have that one vaccine fall short in clinical trials. If we could have five vaccines that are safe and work and are potent, that would be much better. It also reduces the chances for manufacturing bottlenecks. With five vaccines, maybe we could manufacture enough for everybody on the
planet.” The theme of this update as embodied in the title begs the question: Are we prepared to live our lives sans a vaccine with the COVID-19 virus in our midst? Give it a thought. Hon. Dr. Rey D. Pagtakhan, P.C, O.M., LL.D., Sc.D., M.D., M.Sc. graduated from the University of the Philippines and the University of Manitoba (UM) Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research and trained at the St. Louis Children’s H o s p i t a l - Wa s h i n g t o n University Medical Center. He is a retired lung specialist and professor of pediatrics and child health from the Children’s Hospital of Winnipeg and the University of Manitoba Faculty of Medicine. As Canada’s former Secretary of State for Science, Research and Development, he made a presentation on “The Global Threat of Infectious Diseases” at the G-8 Countries’ Science Ministers and Advisors Carnegie Group Meeting held in June 2003 in Berlin, Germany. Contact: reypagtakhan@mail.com.
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Parang mga bilanggo na kalalaya lang ang mga kababayan nating naglisaw ngayon sa kalye. Hindi nga naman biro-biro ang dalawang buwang pagkakulong lang sa bahay. Nakapailalim na ang maraming lugar ngayon sa modified community quarantine, marami nang pagbabago, pero binabantayan pa rin ang galaw ng ating mga kababayan. Harinawang maging epektibo ang new normal na tinatawag, nakakapagalala kasi ang ganito, makapananalamin tayo sa China na biglang nagluwag pero nagkaroon ng ikalawang sultada ang COVID-19 sa nasabing bansa. Paulit-ulit ang panawagan ng DOH at ng ating pamahalaan na huwag na huwag kalilimutan ang paggamit ng face mask kapag lumalabas tayo ng bahay. Pero maraming pasaway talaga, deadma lang sila sa anunsiyo, sa halip ay puro ang mga ipinagbabawal pa nga ang kanilang ginagawa. Ayaw nilang maniwala na malakas makapanghawa ang pagbahing nang walang face mask, tinangay na raw ng bagyong Ambo ang masamang hangin, kaya lumalabas sila ng kanikanilang bahay na wala na ngang gamit na face mask ay nangakahubad pa. Hanggang may mga kababayan tayong nakikinig lang pero walang reyalisasyon, hanggang may mga pasaway na pansariling kapakanan lang ang iniisip at walang pakialam sa kanilang kapuwa, totoongtotoo ang sinabi ni PRRD na COVID-19 is here to stay. Simula na ng sinasabing new normal nating pamumuhay. Pero mahirap bigyan ng eksaktong pakahulugan ang bagong kalakaran na kailangan
SHOWBIZ SHOWBUZZ PILIPINO EXPRESS
nating yakapin. Marami pa ring bawal. May mga magbubukas na establisimyento pero limitado lang. Wala pa ring pampublikong transportasyon. Ang malinaw lang ay bawal lumabas ng bahay nang walang suot na face mask. Sa loob nang dalawang buwan ay napakalaki ng naging epekto at binago ng COVID-19 sa ating buhay. Biglang bumaligtad ang ikot ng mundo. Good luck na lang sa ating lahat kung paano natin sasayawan ang new normal na pamumuhay natin. Bago nga pero hindi normal. Sabi nga ni prop, “Bahala na si Batman!” *** Nakapagtataka nga naman kung bakit ngayon lang binigyan ng pansin ng NBI ang pagpapalaganap ng mga fake news ni Mocha Uson. Napakatagal na siyang tinutuligsa sa mga balitang peke na pinalulutang niya pero ngayon lang siya inimbitahan ng NBI para magpaliwanag. Dahil ba sa lumuwag na ang kapit niya sa pangulong ipinaglalaban daw siya nang patayan? Dahil ba sa nasunog na rin ang mga ahensiyang ipinagkatiwala sa kaniya? Noon pa dapat inaksiyunan ang mga ginagawa niyang fake news, pati ang sobra-sobrang pambabarubal niya sa mga pulitikong hindi niya kakampi, kaya bakit ngayon lang? Sumobra ang paggamit noon ni Mocha sa kalayaan sa pamamahayag, kahit sino na lang ay binibimbang niya, dahil ang pakiramdam nga niya ay napakalapit lang niya sa kusina ng Malacañang. Wala siyang kinatatakutan, pati ang mga nananahimik na pulitiko ay binbubulabog niya, napakalawak noon ng
MAY 16 - 31, 2020
• COVID-19 – Good luck sa ating lahat ngayon sa ating bagong “normal” na buhay • Mocha Uson – Inimbitahan ng NBI dahil sa pagkakalat ng “fake news” • Kris Aquino – Nananahimik. Walang komento sa pagpapasara ng ABS-CBN • Korina Sanchez – Pinapatulan na ang mga bashers! Mga ‘bruha’ daw! • Coco Martin – Tama naman ang punto, mali lang ang dating sa tao • Willie Revillame – Namimigay pa rin ng tulong kahit konti lang ang sponsors • Kim Chiu – Malaki ang utang na loob sa ABS-CBN
Mocha Uson
Korina Sanchez and her twins, Pepe & Pilar naaabot ng kaniyang mga kamay. Tingnan natin ngayon kung may magdedepensa sa kaniya, tingnan natin kung kikilos ang kaniyang mga alipores, abangan natin kung ano ang kahihinatnan ni Mocha Uson sa mga
palusot na gagawin niya. *** Marami siyempreng nang-uusisa sa amin kung bakit nananahimik si Kris Aquino tungkol sa pagpapasarado ng NTC sa ABS-CBN. Siguro, para sa mas
nakararami, ay ito na ang tamang panahon para balikan ng aktres-TV host ang pagsipa sa kaniya ng network mag-aapat na taon na ang nakararaan. Pero nabigo ang maraming nag-aabang See CRISTY p11
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CRISTY... From page 10
sa pagsali ni Kris sa malawakang isyu, hindi siya nakisawsaw, samantalang punumpuno ang kaniyang bibig ng mga puwedeng sabihin kung tutuusin. Pero tama lang na hindi na siya magsalita pa, wala naman siyang aanihing maganda sa kung anumang mga opinyon ang pakakawalan niya, hindi lang siya maiintindihan ng mayorya. Puwede siyang magpakawala ng kaniyang emosyon dahil hindi naman ganoon kadaling tanggapin ang ginawa sa kaniya ng istasyon pero para ano pa? Lalabas lang na nagpapakabibo na naman siya, na nasa kaniya ang huling halakhak, dahil sa ginawang pagtatapon sa kaniya ng istasyon. Mas maganda na ang ganyang tahimik lang siya. Wala siyang sinasabi at tahimik ang kaniyang mundo. Walang mambubulabog sa kaniya. Walang tatawag sa kaniya na benggadora. Sarilinin niya na lang ang kung anumang nararamdaman niya ngayon, pero kung kilala nga namin si Kris, hindi naman siya demonyita na ikatutuwa pa ang pagbagsak ng network na sumipa sa kaniya. Sa totoo lang. *** Siguro nga ay pansamantalang naumay si Korina Sanchez sa paghahalaman kaya nakanahap siya ng panahon harapin-sagutin ang kaniyang mga bashers. Sa mga hindi pa nakakaalam, napakalamig ng mga kamay ng magaling na news anchor sa paghahalaman, lantanglanta at mamamatay na ay naisasalba pa niya. Ang kanilang bahay sa Merville, Parañaque ay napapalibutan ng mga halamang namumulaklak, pati sa kanilang mga banyo ay maraming halaman, para na ngang garden ang kanilang sala. Ang bahay naman nila ni dating Senador Mar Roxas sa P. Tuazon ay ganoon din, sino nga ba ang mag-aakala na sa pusod ng lunsod ay mayroon palang ganoon
SHOWBIZ SHOWBUZZ PILIPINO EXPRESS
kalawak na halamanan, berdeng-berde ang palibot ng kanilang bakuran sa malamig na kamay ni Ate Koring. Paghahalaman ang pangalawa niyang pag-ibig. Pagkatapos ng kaniyang trabaho sa telebisyon ay hawak na niya agad ang kaniyang mga armas sa paghahalaman, hindi siya nakakaramdam ng gutom kapag abala sa kanilang hardin, ganoon siya katinding magmahal sa kaniyang mga alaga. Pero mukhang isinantabi muna ni Ate Koring ang paggagambol ng lupa dahil ang binigyan niya ng panahon ay ang mga walang magawang bashers na kumakalampag sa kaniya ngayon. Masasakit na paghusga naman kasi ang ibinabato laban sa kaniya, tawagin ba naman siyang frustrated First Lady, hindi ba naman niya sasagutin-papatulan ang mga ganoong komento? Siya nga ba naman ang dapat sentruhan ng sisi kung nabigo man ang kaniyang mister sa pangarap nitong maging pangulo? Ang salitang bruha na lagi niyang ginagamit sa pagsagot ay siyang-siya talaga. Iyon ang paborito niyang expression, sa halip na magmura ng PI ay bruha ang palagi niyang sinasabi, pero madiin iyon! Kinumpleto ng kaniyang mga anak ang buhay ng magaling na broadcaster. Makita lang niya sina Pepe at Pilar ay nawawala ang lahat ng kaniyang problema at kapaguran sa linya ng kaniyang trabaho. Ihahabol lang namin. May isa pa palang kinagigiliwang gawin si Ate Koring. Ang pagdedekorasyon ng Christmas tree at mga regalo. Malayo pa ang Pasko ay bumibiyahe na siya sa Vietnam para mamili ng mga pangdekorasyon. Siya mismo ang nag-iikot, siya ang nagbibitbit ng kaniyang mga pinamimili, kapag masyado nang mabigat ay babalik muna siya sa hotel na tinutuluyan niya para iwanan doon ang kaniyang mga abubot. Grabe siyang magadorno ng Christmas tree, ang galing-galing niyang
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Willie Revillame
Kris Aquino, Josh and Bimby magdisenyo, iba-iba iyon sa bawat taon. Kahit sa pagbabalot ng mga regalo ay kakabugin niya ang mga nagtatrabaho sa mga shop sa galing niya. Kahit nga siguro belekoy lang ang laman ng kaniyang regalo ay pahahalagahan mo talaga dahil sa ganda. Sabi sa amin noong minsan ni Ate Koring, “Madaya ang trabaho ko, parang ang tapang-tapang ko sa pagbabalita. Reality check ko ang paghahalaman. “Kaya pagdating ko sa bahay, kahit gabi na, nagbubungkal pa rin ako ng garden. Pangbalanse ko iyon,” sabi ng matapang na broadcaster. *** Parang tigang na lupa na biglang diniligan ng ulan ang bakuran ng ABS-CBN dahil sa positibong balita na inupuan na ng Kongreso ang kanilang apela para sa prangkisa ng network. Pumasa ang apela sa mga miyembro ng Mababang Kapulungan, kailangan nilang ipadala agad sa Senado ang resulta, See CRISTY p12
Kim Chiu
Coco Martin
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CRISTY... From page 11
pagkatapos ay diretso na iyon sa mesa ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte para pirmahan. Hanggang katapusan ng Oktubre lang ang probisyunal na ekstensiyon ng pagsahimpapawid ng network pero habang umaandar ang proseso ay makakuha na nga sana ang istasyon ng permanenteng kalayaang umere sa loob nang dalawampu’t limang taon. Kapag pinayagan ng pangulo ang resulta ng pagdinig ng Kongreso at Senado ay bubuksan uli ang istasyon, may taning nga lang, katapusan ng Oktubre. Natural lang na maging masaya ang pamunuan ng network, ang kanilang mga artista, lalo na ang mga nagtatrabaho sa kumpanya. Dagdag na saklay sa kanilang kabuhayan ang taning na hanggang sa katapusan lang ng Oktubre hanggang hindi pa nagkakaroon ng resulta ang hiling na dalawampu’t limang taong prangkisa ng ABS-CBN. Komento ng male singer na nag-aalala kay Coco Martin, “At least, may ipakakain na si Coco sa pamilya niya. Hindi na niya kailangan pang makipagpatayan o makipagbasagan ng mukha dahil sa sobra niyang pagaalala sa kakainin ng family niya.” Sa lahat ng mga artista ng ABS-CBN ay nangunguna si Coco Martin sa pagdedepensa sa pagapapasarado ng kanilang istasyon. Hindi lang niya kinukuwestiyon ang proseso ng pagpapatigil sa pag-ere ng istasyon, naghahamon talaga siya, dahil siya na mismo ang paulit-ulit na nagsabing galit na galit siya. Komento naman ni JVN, isang nagmamasid na kaibigan, “Kung makapagsalita si Coco, e, para bang siya ang may-ari ng network. Matalim ang dila niya, nagpaka-Ricardo Dalisay talaga siya!” Pero iyon ang kaniyang paninindigan, iyon ang laman ng kaniyang damdamin, lalo na’t binanggit pa niya ang pangaral ng kaniyang lola
SHOWBIZ SHOWBUZZ PILIPINO EXPRESS
tungkol sa pagtanaw ng utang na loob. Hindi lang naging maganda ang pagtanggap ng mas nakararami nating kababayan sa mga kuwento ni Coco tungkol sa kaniyang buhay-artista sa ilalim ng ABS-CBN. Pinakamarkado ang inilitanya niya na habang naliligo siya ay panay-panay ang kaniyang pag-iyak dahil sa sobrang kapaguran. Sabi nga ng isang komedyante noong tanungin ito ng kaniyang mga anak kung bakit pumapayag na batuk-batukan ng kaniyang mga kaeksena, “Huwag kayong mag-alala, arte lang naman iyon! Mas maraming batok, mas malaki ang kinikita ng tatay n’yo!” Sa parte ni Coco Martin ay milyunan ang katapat ng kaniyang pag-iyak habang naliligo, hindi niya puwedeng isangkalan ang sobra-sobrang kapaguran, dahil may matindi siyang ginaganansiya sa pagpapakapagod at pagpupuyat. Siya na mismo ang nagpatunay na walang kasiguruhan ang buhay ng mga artista, pana-panahon lang, kaya habang mainit pa ang kanilang popularidad ay kailangan nilang samantalahin ang panahon. Ngayon ay nand’yan sila, pero baka isang araw ay mayroon nang bagong iibigin ang publiko, kaya tama lang ang ginawa ni Coco Martin na unahin ang kinabukasan ng kaniyang pamilya. Medyo OA lang ang naging atake ni Coco. Sa sobra niyang galit ay parang lumalabas na wala na silang kakainin, kaya nga nagkaroon ng ideya ang isang male singer na magbuo ng benefit show para sa kaniyang pamilya, dahil parang napakatindi ng kaniyang pangangailangan. Pero mukhang magkakaroon ng positibong resulta ang pag-iingay ng action star at ng iba pang mga personalidad ng ABSCBN. Nabulabog nila ang Kamara, biglang inupuan ang usapin tungkol sa probisyunal na prangkisa ng network na “pinakialaman” ng NTC, kumilos ang mga dapat naman talagang gumalaw noon pa man at hindi nagtengang-kawali lang.
Naging nega man si Coco Martin sa mata ng mga bashers ay ‘yan naman ang nangyari. Nagkaroon ng magandang resulta ang kaniyang paglilitanya. *** Ang programa lang ni Willie Revillame ang puwedeng sabihing live na dumarating ngayon sa pamamagitan ng GMA-7, You Tube at Facebook. Tutok To Win ang pansamantalang naisip niyang titulo ng kaniyang Wowowin dahil ang paraan para makapagbigay siya ng papremyo sa kaniyang mga callers ay ang pagtutok sa kaniyang show. Paulit-ulit ang kaniyang paalala, “Kailangang nanonood po kayo, dapat talagang nakatutok kayo para masagot n’yo ang tawag namin. “Kung hindi kayo nakatutok, paano kayo mananalo? Sayang ang limang libo, ang sampung libo, napakalaking tulong ngayon ng halagang palalampasin n’yo kung hindi kayo tututok,” parang sirang plaka nang paulit-ulit na sinasabi ng TV host. Mula sa buong Pilipinas ang nagrerehistro ng pangalan at address sa kaniyang show, madalas nga ay mula sa malalayong probinsiya ang kaniyang natatawagan, sobrang saya ng mga nakakausap ni Willie. Totoo naman ang kaniyang punto, sa panahon ngayon ng lockdown ay hindi basta-basta mapupulot sa kung saan lang ang cash na ipinamamahagi niya, kaya nakapanghihinayang ang pagkakataon. Sabi ng isang kaibigan namin na palaging nanonood ng show ni Willie, “Kunsabagay, hindi naman nagpanggap si Willie na perfect siya. Ikinukuwento pa nga niya ang pinagdaanan niyang buhay. “Natuto lang talaga siyang lumaban kaya nagsucceed siya. Saka may kakambal siyang suwerte dahil ilang bagsak na ang inaabot niya, pero nakababangon pa rin siya. “Pero iyong pagiging barubal niya, e, palaging kadikit ng personality niya. Natatawa nga ako kapag kinakausap niya ang bibigyan niya ng prize sa
kabilang linya. “Sinasabihan niya ng ‘Hoy! Lumayo ka sa TV n’yo, nagpi-feedback!’ Nakakaaliw siya dahil napakanatural niya!” sabi ng kaibigan namin. Pinalalampas na ng marami ang ganoon dahil ang mas mahalaga nga naman ay ang malasakit ni Willie sa ating mga kababayan. Wala siyang gaanong commercial ngayon, ilang sponsors lang ang nakakatuwang niya sa pamamahagi ng tulong, kaya puro abono ang ginagawa ngayon ni Willie. Hindi iyon iindahin ng bulsa ni Willie dahil isa siyang bukod-na-pinagpala, milyonaryo siya, kaya ang mababawas sa kaniyang kaban ngayong panahonng lockdown para sa ating mga kababayan ay walang problema sa kaniya. Puso niya ang nagdidikta sa pagtulong, walang kahit sinong namilit sa kaniya, iyon ang dahilan kung bakit ginawa niya ang lahat ng legal na proseso para makalipad na siya sa Manila mula sa Puerto Galera. *** Paulit-ulit naming pinanood ang paglilitanya ng galit na galit na si Kim Chiu pero wala naman kaming maintindihan sa kaniyang mga sinasabi dahil Chinese ang ginagamit niyang lengguwahe. Palagi niyang sinasabi ang mga linyang, “Bonbot tangcha lo. Gonbo watang choy kang. Longchoshi uy tyudi. Uy tyudi,” sa paraang galit na galit siya. Diretso ang kaniyang tingin sa camera, mayroon siyang sinusumbatan, pero wala naman siyang binabanggit na pangalan. Ayon kay Japs Gersin, ang aming assistant at production designer ng Take It, Per Minute…Me Ganoon!, ay marami na raw nagsalin sa Pilipino ng mga litanya ni Kim. Ang sabi, mayroon daw sinisisi si Kim na kung sino kung bakit nawalan ng trabaho ang mga artista at empleyado ng ABS-CBN, iniisip ng iba na ang taong iyon daw ang tunay na dahilan kung bakit ipinasara ang kanilang network. Mas matatas kasi sa Chinese at Cebuano si Kim Chiu, mas nakapaglalabas
MAY 16 - 31, 2020
siya ng saloobin sa mga terminong bihasa siya, para nga naman wala na siyang maging sabit na tulad ng nag-trending na batas ng classroom na ipinanghinig na niya ng dispensa. Pero ang ending, ang galit pala ni Kim ay patungkol sa corona virus na hindi lang tayo ang pinahihirapan kundi ang buong mundo na inilabas niya sa TikTok. Pero sa totoo lang ay panalo ang ABS-CBN sa pagtaya at pamumuhunan kay Kim Chiu. Kumbaga sa lalaki, kumpleto ang kaniyang balls, hindi nagtatago at umuurong sa laban. Maliit lang siya, patpatin, pero kumakasa siya sa laban. Buhay na buhay ang kaniyang dugo sa pagededepensa sa network na pinagsimulan niya at nag-alaga sa kaniya mula noon hanggang ngayong nakamit na niya ang mga pangarap niya. Kinabog pa ni Kim Chiu ang mga kalalakihang kontratadong artista ng network na biglang nanahimik, walang komento, dahil natatakot silang ma-bash nang todo. Wala nang pakialam sa mga bashers at trolls si Kim, ang mahalaga para sa kaniya ay ang magpalutang ng pagmamahal, malasakit at pagtanaw ng utang na loob sa istasyong nagpabago sa takbo ng kabuhayan ng kaniyang pamilya. Tama iyon, hindi tayo nagbabasag ng pinggan na kinainan natin, hindi dapat binabalewala ang paglingon sa pinanggalingan. Habang pinanonood namin ang video kung saan galit na galit si Kim ay bigla naming naalala ang isang eksena sa Pinoy Big Brother kung saan siya nag-ugat bilang kampeon. Iyon ang tagpo kung saan siya kumakanta sa may pintuan ng isang piyesang Chinese, napanood namin iyon, ang ganda-ganda ng pagkakanta niya na parang hiyang-hiya pa siya noong ipinauulit na sa kaniya. May mga sablay sa buhay si Kim Chiu pero wala kaming makitang hindi maganda sa kaniyang pagkatao. Sinsero kasi siya, hindi nagpapanggap, iyon ang dahilan kung bakit siya sinuportahan ng publiko. –CSF
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Feng shui and the energy of your home — How clutter stunts your energy and your life One of the biggest problems associated with clutter is how it roots you in a home that leaves you little or no room for growth. Of course, the growth I’m talking about is the growth in your life, your career, your relationships, and your wealth. We’re not so different than the beautiful plants you buy at the local nursery that look wonderful but then need to be divided or repotted into a larger pot — everything grows. Your life is a living, growing thing When you’re overwhelmed by stuff, like a plant, you outgrow your pot and that’s when you start to see your relationships suffer, your business opportunities dry up, your health and vitality sapped, and finances become tighter and more restrictive. Worse than all the stuff and visual blight that clutter represents is the way it robs you and your home of vital, happy, and lively energy. Decluttering helps to remove blockages from your life that stop the flow of energy to you and everything you enjoy. How does clutter affect you and what benefit does decluttering offer? With clutter you have: • Low vitality, lethargy • Bad luck • No opportunities or money • Feeling stuck • Melancholy, depression • Pessimistic • Anger With clear space you have: • Improved energy and interest in life • Happy surprises, good fortune
• New opportunities, better finances • Life flowing smoothly, active, energized • Improved energy and interest in life • Optimistic, forward thinking and positive • Happy mood, pleasant feelings Life is energy All life requires growth, evolution and movement. When we lack these elements in our life, the energy that makes up our lives becomes stunted. Imagine not having enough energy to power a light bulb: it grows dim and burns in a weakened state. When we have overstuffed homes – especially with outdated, unused and unloved items, our lives become weakened too. But how do you know when it’s clutter and when it’s disorganization? Clutter is when you have eight spatulas or a closet full of clothes you haven’t worn in years. Disorganization is when you can’t find what you’re looking for. Simply organizing your home with shelving, baskets, boxes, and other organizers will often clean up the disarray. In fact, by using organizing items you can often make more room than if you didn’t use them. Look at your challenges to find the kind of organizers you need. Is the big mess in the kitchen or the bathroom? Maybe the living room is out of control. You might not be able to find an important bill that needs to be paid because you don’t have a place to put the bills when they come in. No matter what your need is, there are containers of every possible size and description that can help you organize
your house where you need it. Unlike a tornado, clutter doesn’t just happen. It gets that way over time. Sometimes clutter is so insidious that we don’t even notice it until we’re deluged by it. Hopefully, you’ve learned some things about clutter, like what it is, what to do about it, and how it’s different than disorganization. But, just like any good habit, such as exercise, decluttering isn’t something you do and then it’s done: it’s something you start and then keep doing. Too often people are bitten by the declutter bug and make one big push to declutter. That’s wonderful and having your clutter cleared in one fell swoop feels incredible and unburdens you. Most of the time, though, clutter is related to a vitamin deficiency. Either someone is frozen in fear and doesn’t do anything about the clutter, usually because they’re just overwhelmed, or they do it once or then forget about it for the next 25 years. The key to both is Vitamin C – “consistent C.” Schedule it. Having a regular routine for decluttering is the single best way to keep it from getting out of hand. Pick a daily time that’s convenient such as every day at four o’clock. Then, spend fifteen or so minutes working at removing clutter (tossing mail, magazines, clearing out the refrigerator). Make it long enough you can accomplish something but not so long that you’ll give up. Declutter with other activities. Instead of just putting freshly washed towels away toss out your old tired towels first. Or, while your child is getting ready for bed, take a moment to go through some drawers and remove outgrown or stained clothing. Decluttering as you do other things makes decluttering part of daily living — and that creates a routine. Make it a habit to be
aware. Don’t unload groceries into the refrigerator that’s messy or cluttered with jelly jars with only a teaspoon of jam in them. Instead, quickly go through the fridge and toss old items out and wipe down shelves before restocking, and do the same in the pantry – this is the quality of being present with clutter and your environment. Likewise, if you take a phone message and the pen you’re using doesn’t work, make it a habit to throw it away and not put it back in the holder (and I know you do this!). Be present. Becoming present means that you are aware where you are. That sounds obvious, but if you’ll start becoming more aware and present wherever you are, you’ll notice that you stop forgetting things and misplacing items and you’ll notice how your home and office stay cleaner and neater more easily. You’ll also notice that you get more accomplished, you’ll scratch things off your mental and physical to-do lists, you’ll become less patient with people who drain you and you’ll get three very valuable qualities back into your life again. They are initiative, motivation and enthusiasm: the zest of living. Yes, old, broken, crowded, and too-much stuff can do that to you — rob you of zest for living. Free yourself and become aware of what you have and what you really use or don’t use. Getting rid of useless items will unburden your home, mind and spirit and will open up your life again! Your goals for decluttering this week: Become more aware and present wherever you are. If you’re in the bathroom and you see a twoyear old bottle of prescription medicine you don’t need, why not throw it out? Straighten and organize before adding anything. Take time to clean the refrigerator and/or pantry before adding groceries. It might take a little longer the
first time, but if you do it for a few minutes before adding groceries, each time will get shorter and your fridge or pantry will be neat and tidy. Worst first. Instead of handling a small clutter area, tackle the worst area first. Get the tough stuff out of the way and you’ll feel instantly energized. Enlist help if you need it. Ask a friend to help you and keep you strong. Who knows? Once you start really pitching, you might find that you are so ENERGIZED that you don’t WANT to stop! Clear off counters and floors. To get energy moving in your home and life, clear up all items off the floor and off the tops of dressers and counters. 10 ways to add calm and organization to your home: • Make your bed every day. • Do a 10-minute sweep of the house every day, picking up shoes, loose papers. • Add fresh flowers or a stem of pretty leaves. • Organize your pantry so you can find what you need. • Organize your refrigerator. • Keep the kitchen and bathroom counters clear. • Straighten the living room before going to bed. • Create a schedule for work, exercise, reflection and alone time. • Make “put it away” your mantra. • Clean off the front of the refrigerator, removing magnets, coupons etc. Kathryn Weber is the publisher of the Red Lotus Letter Feng Shui E-zine and certified feng shui consultant in classical Chinese feng shui. Kathryn helps her readers improve their lives and generate more wealth with feng shui. For more information and to receive her FREE Ebook “Easy Money – 3 Steps to Building Massive Wealth with Feng Shui” visit www. redlotusletter.com and learn the fast and fun way how feng shui can make your life more prosperous and abundant!
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PILIPINO EXPRESS
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Manitoba is our home by Lucille Nolasco This year, the province of Manitoba is celebrating its 150th year founding anniversary. It was on May 12, 1870 that the Manitoba Act received Royal Assent and was enacted on July 15, 1870, becoming the fifth Canadian province. It is the only province to enter Confederation under Indigenous leadership. The province is bordered by Ontario to the east and Saskatchewan to the west. Its many lakes, rivers, forests and farmlands, from northern Arctic tundra to the Hudson Bay in the east make it one of the best places to visit any season. As of the 2019 census, about 1.369 million people call Manitoba home. The provincial capital is Winnipeg, where about 77, 305 people of Filipino descent live. Pilipino Express asked some of them what they like about living and working in Manitoba: Imelda Casimiro, homemaker and fitness instructor “I am blessed to call Manitoba my home for the past 26 years. It is a great privilege to live in a place with a universal healthcare system, sustained economic prosperity, awesome prairie landscape, and respect for everybody’s background and culture. The province has given me the opportunity to grow as an individual and to contribute to society. The greatest advantage Manitoba has compared to other provinces is its focus on reuniting or connecting families, I have most of my relatives here now, my husband and I started our family here and it is truly why Manitoba is home. Juliet Rivera, retired healthcare worker “Pinasasalamatan ko po kung bakit ako ay narito dahil maraming nagmamahal sa akin dito, bukod sa familia, kaibigan at mga tumulong noon. Narating ko nang makapagretire nang maayos na kasama ang mga kaibigan at katrabaho. Dito na rin lumaki ang anak ko at nagkaroon ng apo sa maayos na provincia ng Manitoba.
Imelda Casimiro Maraming salamat, po!” [“I am grateful that I am here because (I know) there are many who care for me, not only my family, friends and those who helped me during my early days. I was able to reach retirement in an orderly manner with the help of friends and coworkers. This is where my child grew up and it is also here where my grandchild was born – this lovely and orderly province of Manitoba. Thank you very much!”] Ray Forbes Argulla, healthcare worker, Bulacan Association member “Galing kami Vancouver. Three years kami doon. Naaksidente ako at na-laid off ako. Nagtatrabaho na ako sa Riverview at yong misis ko, nag-wowork sa RDF, sa government din ‘yon. Maganda ang nangyari noong umpisa dahil napetition kaming apat na family para makarating dito. Simple lang ang buhay dito; may party lagi, masaya. Importante din ang may faith kay Lord; ibibigay niya lahat.” [“We came from Vancouver, we were there for three years. I had an accident and then, I was laid-off. I am now working at Riverview and my Mrs. works at RDF, also a government agency. It was good that – when we were petitioned – all four of us in the family were able to come to Canada. Life here (in Manitoba) is simple; lots of parties, fun. It is also important to have faith in the Lord, He provides everything.”]
Elsa Mendoza-Cabusas, healthcare worker “We are so blessed and thankful na nakarating kami dito sa Winnipeg, Manitoba. For almost 18 years na narito kami, marami kaming naranasan… lalo na kapag kapag winter time. Naging stable ang aming buhay, nagkaroon ng bahay at sasakyan, at higit sa lahat, nakapag-aral at nakapagtapos ang aking mga anak. [“We are so blessed and thankful that we were able to come to Winnipeg, Manitoba. We’ve been here 18 years and we have experienced a lot [season changes] especially winter. Our life became stable, we were able to have our own house and vehicle, and most of all, my children were able to study and graduate…”] Truly blessed… God bless us all.” Maria Rosalia-Tanseco, accounting clerk “If you have dreams for your family it’s nice to start here! Test the waters first! Simple lang ang buhay, not as fast-paced as Vancouver and Ontario!” Raffy Mercado, Quality Technologist “I immigrated here in 2014 and I am very grateful because even though I have no relatives here, Manitoba opened its doors for me. Living in Manitoba is like a dream come true. I enjoy work-life balance like partying on a long weekend or doing outdoor activities with family and friends. The province and city itself are very diversified. Hindi See MANITOBA p17
Imelda Casimiro
Juliet Rivera
Juliet Rivera
Ray Forbes Argulla
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PILIPINO EXPRESS
MANITOBA... From page 16
mo mafi-feel na kakaiba ka dahil sa dami ng Pinoy na narito. Hindi ka rin masasabik sa pagkaing Pinoy, kasi marami rin dito. [You won’t feel different because there are many Filpinos here. You also won’t
miss Filipino food because there’s also a lot here.] Manitoba is a great place to live. The cost of living is reasonable compared to other provinces. If given the chance, I’d like my brothers and sisters and their children and my other relatives to immigrate here as well, to experience what living in
Manitoba is like and enjoy what I am enjoying here. Happy 150th Anniversary, Manitoba. You’re friendly indeed!” Grace Garcia, Educator I’m grateful that Canada is a very diverse country. Manitoba has many
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opportunities for everyone like free health care and a promising education. There are many different programs and events. My family and I are very glad that we live here. It’s such a hospitable and welcoming province. Thank you from the Garcia
Ray Forbes Argulla
Elsa Mendoza-Cabusas
Maria Rosalia-Tanseco Raffy Mercado
Raffy Mercado
Grace Garcia
family!” Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the provincial government has cancelled or postposed major public events, community projects and other activities, to celebrate Manitoba’s 150th anniversary.
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PILIPINO EXPRESS
State of emergency extended The Manitoba government has extended the province-wide state of emergency under The Emergency Measures Act to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The extension takes effect at 4:00 p.m. Sunday, May 17, 2020 for a period of 30 days. The state of emergency was first declared on March 20 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was further extended on April 20. Currently, public health orders mandate that anyone entering Manitoba, regardless
of whether it was from another country or another province must self-isolate for 14 days. In general, anyone arriving in Manitoba is required to self-isolate for 14-days upon arrival to reduce the spread of COVID-19. However, there are exceptions to allow for situations in which their work is deemed vital and necessary immediately upon arrival. The province has made some changes to regulations to allow enforcement officers to issue tickets with set fines for failure to comply with emergency orders. Effective immediately,
fine amounts will be set at $486 for tickets issued to individuals, including sole proprietorships and partnerships, and $2,542 for tickets issued to corporations. For additional information and to view the current state of emergency and public health orders, visit www.manitoba. ca/covid19/soe.html. For more information on The Emergency Measures Act and a state of emergency, visit https://web2. g o v. m b . c a / l a w s / statutes/ccsm/e080e. php.
MAY 16 - 31, 2020
$200 tax credit for seniors On May 5, 2020, the province of Manitoba announced the new Seniors Economic Recovery Credit that will deliver a $200 tax credit to seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Senior citizens across the province are facing increased financial hardships because they now have to pay extra for grocery deliveries, or purchasing and learning to use technology at home so they can communicate with their family members and the loved ones they miss,� said Premier Brian Pallister. Created through an expansion of the Manitoba Protection Plan for the public health crisis, the Seniors Economic Recovery Credit will provide every Manitoban aged 65 and older with a one-time, refundable tax credit of $200. To ensure best use of the credit, the Department of Finance is mailing a payment cheque as a credit advance to each senior who filed a 2018 income tax return prior to April 1, 2020. Seniors who have changed mailing addresses since the time of their 2018 tax filings will have an opportunity to update the Department of Finance on their address changes through a government web portal at www.manitoba.ca/seconomicrecoverycredit. Those who do not receive a cheque, have not updated their addresses or are new residents of Manitoba will be able to receive the $200 credit when they file their 2020 income tax return. Almost every senior across the province will receive the payment in May. The $200 credit will not be counted taxable as income and will not be used to claw back income-tested benefits to seniors, the premier noted.
MAY 16 - 31, 2020
PILIPINO EXPRESS
Province lifts one-month limit on prescriptions As of May 11, Manitobans who have prescriptions for longterm medications can now have fill them up to a three-month supply, if the drug is not affected by shortages. Limits on prescription refills were imposed on March 19, 2020 in order to minimize potential distribution shortages and prevent people from stockpiling medication. “While this decision to restrict prescription fills to one month was necessary, we have been monitoring carefully the consequences and recognize the impact this has had on many Manitobans,” said Cameron Friesen, Health, Seniors and Active Living Minister. “As a result, our government
is pleased to be removing the one-month limit now that the global and domestic drug supply is showing to be more stable.” Friesen also announced the immediate establishment of a time-limited, COVID-19 drug shortage working group which will be comprised of provincial officials, as well as representatives from Pharmacists Manitoba and the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba. The group will be responsible for monitoring drug availability in the province. Pharmacists Manitoba is asking their clients to appropriately refill their medications, such as not refilling more than 10 days before their next scheduled refill, and not requesting quantities in excess of 100 days’ supply, to help maintain the drug supply
going forward. Minister Friesen also noted that Manitobans who have experienced a significant change in their income can have their Manitoba Pharmacare Program deductible reviewed. Individuals can estimate their income for the current year, which in turn will set a new deductible for that same year. Following the filing of the individual’s income taxes for the current year, the projected income is then compared to the actual income and the difference is reconciled. To have a Manitoba pharmacare deductible reviewed, call 204-7867141 or (toll-free) at 1-800-297-8099, or by e-mailing pharmacare@ gov.mb.ca.
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Vehicle registration fee to drop 10 per cent Vehicle registration fees will be reduced 10 per cent in Manitoba beginning July 1. Jeff Wharton, Crown Services Minister, made the announcement on May 12, 2020. Most Manitobans will see a $15 decrease to the existing $154 vehicle registration fee. The registration fee applies to non-commercial vehicles and trucks, resulting in an annual registration fee of $139. Non-commercial vehicles include passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, light trucks, farm vehicles, motorcycles/ mopeds and personal-use trailers and trucks. “These savings are in addition to the up to $110 million in rebate cheques that MPI is returning to its policyholders at the end of May to early June,” said Wharton. “With a healthy reserve fund and fewer claims during this COVID-19 period, MPI is in a strong financial situation to move forward with these rebate cheques to support Manitobans.” Rebates are based on what policyholders paid last year and is expected to be around 11 per cent, or between $140 to $160, per average policyholder. Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) administers and collects vehicle registration fees on behalf of the provincial government.
1 IN 10
MANITOBANS ARE LIVING WITH KIDNEY DISEASE – most don’t know it.
in
Do you know if your kidneys are healthy or sick? You may not experience symptoms of Kidney Disease until 80% of your kidney function is lost. Visit: knowyourkidneys.ca to learn if you’re at risk for Kidney Disease.
10
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A message from Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, Manitoba Renal Program & Kidney Foundation of Canada.
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PILIPINO EXPRESS
MAY 16 - 31, 2020
NBI summons Mocha Uson for ‘fake news’ probe The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has summoned Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Deputy Administrator Mocha Uson in connection with its investigation on misinformation, an official confirmed Thursday. “Yes, [she is] being investigated by our CCD (cybercrime division) for fake news,” NBI Deputy Director Ferdinand Lavin said in a message to reporters. He said the bureau has sent a subpoena to Uson as part of an investigation into “fake news” that was ordered by Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra. There were complainants against the official, he said. He said Uson was required to appear at the NBI on May 18 over a post about personal protective equipment (PPE). In early April, Uson, who runs a widely followed Facebook page, published a post about the delivery of some 15,000 sets of PPEs purchased by the Department of Health. One of the photos she used in the post, however, turned out to be one from SM Foundation.
She apologized the following day for the “misleading content.” The NBI was tasked to look into coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID19)-related “fake news” either reported to them by the public or monitored by operatives. NBI cybercrime division chief Victor Lorenzo earlier said they are going after people who have made online posts that have “the tendency to disrupt public order,” in violation of Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code in relation to Republic Act No. 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. The NBI earlier summoned a social media user who allegedly claimed in a Facebook post that the government purchased a P2-billion private jet instead of providing health care for Filipinos. Past complaints Since joining the government, Uson had been slapped with a string of complaints. In fact, this was not the first time that a complaint had been lodged against her for spreading fake news. InApril 2018, Uson, while still with the Presidential
Communications Operations Office (PCOO), was sued for allegedly spreading misinformation through a blogpost in November 2016 that says students from St. Scholastica’s College were required to attend a protest rally. Then in September of the same year, another fake news-related complaint came her way when Senator Antonio Trillanes IV slapped her with multiple criminal complaints for allegedly spearheading the spread of fake news over his supposed offshore bank accounts. The same month, Uson also faced a complaint at the Office of the Ombudsman for supposedly mocking the sign language widely used by the deaf community. She later apologized. The following month, Uson resigned from her post but later secured a post at OWWA. Uson has also been recently criticized for speaking in front of more than 300 overseas Filipino workers who were under quarantine in Batangas despite a prohibition on mass gatherings during the COVID-19 crisis.
Mocha Uson She said physical distancing was observed at the event. OWWA Administrator Hans Cacdac defended his deputy, saying he sent her to Batangas to remind the
quarantined OFWs to follow guidelines amid reports that some of them were going to the beach. – By NICOLE-ANNE C. LAGRIMAS, GMA News, May 13, 2020
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PILIPINO EXPRESS
MAY 16 - 31, 2020
MAY 16 - 31, 2020
PILIPINO EXPRESS
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PILIPINO EXPRESS
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In our family, we make our plans together. Sa aming pamilya, sama-sama kaming nagpaplano. For all your important family events, it’s only natural that you plan ahead. It makes sense. And the same holds true for your funeral and cemetery arrangements. Take the time now to discuss your final wishes with loved ones - and with a trusted representative from Arbor Memorial. Call your local Filipino professional at Glen Eden Funeral Home & Cemetery and ask about our FREE customized planning kit. Para sa mga mahahalagang family events, natural lang ang magplano ng maaga. Totoo rin ito para sa iyong funeral at cemetery arrangements. Maglaan ng oras upang makausap ang iyong mga mahal sa buhay tungkol sa iyong mga huling kahilingan—kasama ang isang trusted representative mula sa Arbor Memorial. Tawagan ang Filipino representative sa Glen Eden Funeral Home & Cemetery at magtanong tungkol sa aming FREE customized planning kit.
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